Israel Weekly News Roundup: May 23, 2025

Five things you need to know

Israel at War - Day 594

1. Israel Faces Serious Attacks From Other Democracies; PM Netanyahu: Israel Will Stay In Gaza

Canada, the United Kingdom and France announced that they will take steps against Israel if it does not end the war on Gaza. The UK has already announced that it will freeze talks about free trade with Israel and it will not sell any ammunition to Israel. In addition, seventeen of the countries that are European Union members voted to review the associations agreement with Israel. The agreement contains all the partnerships between Israel and the EU, all the mutual trade and academic research agreements and economic partnerships with Israel. The review is based on the expansion of the war in Gaza, on the growing number of casualties, on the lack of humanitarian aid, on the unwillingness of the Israeli government to allow aid into Gaza as part of Israels war strategy. If the EU decides to halt the trade and academic agreements with Israel it would be a very painful step that would destroy many current initiatives and trigger a crisis in many Israeli fields. Some EU countries have also said that they may recognize a Palestinian state. They will join the countries who have already recognized a Palestinian state like Norway, Ireland and others.

PM Netanyahu held a press conference in which he declared that Israel will continue to intensify the war in Gaza, that Israel will take only one deal: according to President Trumps guidelines which include “willing” immigration of the Palestinians from Gaza, evacuation of all Hamas militants from Gaza, and full Israeli military control of Gaza. In that press conference PM Netanyahu refused to take any responsibility for the October 7th failure, but was happy to take responsibility for the successes like the assassination of Sinwar in Gaza and the brilliant pager operation in Lebanon.

Meanwhile the Israeli army continues to operate in Gaza. The toll in human lives is high and everyday there are tens of casualties, including women and children. Israel was forced to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza by the Trump administration.

Sources in Washington DC indicated that President Trump also expressed his resentment at the continuation of the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and that he wants to end it.

It is important to say in this context that the Israeli mainstream media doesn’t show any footage of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and doesn’t show the war from the Palestinian point of view. The majority of the mainstream media in Israel show only the Israeli point of view of Gaza.

2. Two Israel Embassy Aides Killed in Shooting Attack in DC

Earlier this week, two young Israeli Embassy aides, Yaron Lishinski and Sarah Milgrim, were shot and killed outside an American Jewish Congress (AJC) event at the Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. The 30-year-old shooter, resident of Chicago, was seized by D.C. police shortly after the shooting. Senior police officials told the media that the shooter cried “free, free Palestine” after he was already in police custody.

Senior Israel embassy sources told the media that Yaron Lisinski worked at the embassy as a research assistant for Middle East and North Africa affairs, and Sarah Milgrom worked in the public diplomacy department, and was involved in "encouraging understanding between different peoples and promoting harmony between religions." The sources also mentioned that Lishinski was planning on proposing to Milgrom.

The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was detained shortly after the shooting and there was no ongoing threat to public safety, law enforcement officials said.

Referring to the fatal shooting, President Trump extended his condolences to the victims’ families and wrote on his social media platform: these horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”

3. High Court of Justice Issues Principle Ruling on ‘Unlawful’ Dismissal of Shin Bet Chief

Earlier this week, the High Court of Justice published its ruling in the petitions submitted in March this year against the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. The bench of three justices ruled that the government's decision to oust Bar was made "through an improper process and contrary to law," since the government did not bring it before the Advisory Committee on Appointments to Senior Positions as required. The justices added that the decision to dismiss the Shin Bet director "was made without a factual foundation and without a proper hearing having taken place," and because it was made at a time when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a conflict of interest due to the Shin Bet investigations of his associates in the Qatargate affair.

The High Court discussed the petitions and issued its ruling even though Shin Bet Chief Bar had announced that he will be stepping down in mid-June, which led to the government withdrawing its decision to oust him. Yet, the petitioners as well as Attorney General Baharav-Miara were of the position that the High Court should issue a principle ruling in the case. Indeed, the ruling – in addition to addressing the legally flawed process of Bar’s dismissal, also addressed the broader issue of public trust and loyalty. Chief Justice Isaac Amit wrote in the ruling: "the heads of the security services, including the head of the Shin Bet, must be loyal to the public“ , adding that "this is not a political, sectarian loyalty to a particular government, nor is it a personal loyalty to a particular prime minister. It is a loyalty to the Israeli public as a whole, which has entrusted to it what it holds most precious: its life and its security."

The ruling sparked immediate reactions. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must "refrain from any action related to the appointment of a new Shin Bet chief until legal guidelines are formulated that will ensure the proper conduct of the process."

PM Netanyahu convened a special press conference, the first since December 2024, in which he addressed the High Court ruling, saying it was a "scandalous ruling (that) explicitly violates the law, it violates democracy, it violates state security”. Netanyahu announced that the government he heads "will appoint the head of the Shin Bet," and continued his campaign against the judiciary, saying: "We are at war. We are at war with Hamas, and they are at war with the government that is against Hamas," Netanyahu said.

The High Court principal ruling on the dismissal of a senior public servant will inform the legal and public debate on the government’s attempts to oust Attorney General Baharav-Miara. At the press conference Netanyahu accused the Attorney General of having her own conflict of interest, which may indicate that he and his government are determined to continue their efforts to oust her as well.

4. Yair Golan, Head of Democratic Party Accuses Israelis of Killing Babies as a Hobby

The head of the Democratic Party in Israel, ex-general Yair Golan said in a radio interview that a sane country does not kill babies as a hobby. Golan referred to the war in Gaza and the growing number of children who are killed as collateral damage during military operations. He referred to things that members of the coalition repeat time and again - that there are no innocent people in Gaza, that they all deserve to die, and that Israel should force the transfer of the Palestinians to a third country as President Trump has suggested.

His words shook the political system, and many hurried to condemn Golams statement, including PM Netanyahu. They indicated that Golan blamed Israeli soldiers of intentionally killing innocent children and committing war crimes. Golan later held a press conference in which he did not apologize for what he earlier said, and explained that he did not refer to the soldiers, but to the right-wing politicians who often say horrible things about the Palestinians in Gaza, and are happy to see dead children, happy to see the extensive scale of casualties and destruction there, who oppose any humanitarian aid into Gaza, who think that the pressure on Gaza should be harder and more intense, who push to expand the war in Gaza, and promote establishing new settlements there.

On the other hand, many supported Golan, and explained that Golan was just describing the facts on the ground, and the facts are bad. Golan showed extreme responsibility on October 7th. He took his weapon and hurried south were he was able to save a lot of people from the Nova music festival who were under attack by Hamas militants, and received many accolades for his heroism. He is the head of the zionist left in Israel - the unification of Labor and Meretz parties, and is running for office.

5. IDF Shooting at Diplomatic Delegation to the West Bank Sparks International Criticism

Earlier this week, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) opened fire near or at a EU diplomatic delegation during a visit to the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. The delegations’ visit was organized by the Palestinian Authority and aimed to assess the humanitarian situation amid ongoing Israeli military operations.

According to IDF sources, the incident occurred during a military raid targeting militant infrastructure in the area. The IDF stated that the delegation had deviated from an approved route and entered an unauthorized area, prompting soldiers to fire warning shots to distance them. A spokesperson for the military added that “the incident in Jenin is under urgent review. The IDF does not intentionally target diplomatic sites.”

No fatalities were reported, yet the shooting sparked widespread criticism and condemnations. The European Union called the incident “deeply troubling” and demanded a full investigation. The United Nations expressed concern over the increasing volatility in the West Bank and emphasized the need for diplomatic missions to be protected under the Vienna Convention. France and Italy summoned the Israeli ambassadors to their respective countries, demanding formal explanations. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot labeled the incident "unacceptable," while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani insisted on accountability