What's Going On In Israel 20th July Onward

 Nadene Goldfoot                                        

     Israel Katz                      PM Netanyahu

                                 

 

    

Defense officials,  Minister of Defense Israel Katz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (who leads the Security Cabinet), and Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir,  say that they do not expect an imminent missile attack from Iran, although the situation could deteriorate quickly  Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Israel Katz remain on high alert. 

 Former Israeli foreign minister and longtime ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, here Israel Katz was sworn in as defence minister on Thursday in 2025. Netanyahu had abruptly fired Katz's predecessor, Yoav Gallant, on Tuesday over persistent disagreements during Israel's war in Gaza – a decision largely derided by Netanyahu's opposition.                          

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (center) is seen with his office manager, Lt. Col. Tomer Sayag (left) and Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth at the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters near Beit El in Judea/Samaria  July 19, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

A fire destroyed 13 homes in the settlement of Havat Gilad in Samaria on Saturday. Two Palestinians were arrested today on suspicion of involvement in setting the fire. Jerusalem is in Judea.  Havat Gilad (Hebrew: חַוַּת גִּלְעָד, lit. 'Gilad Farm') is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located about 1km from the Israeli settlement of Kedumim, Havat Gilad was established as an unauthorized outpost in 2002, after which it was dismantled by official forces and rebuilt by settlers several times until it was granted legal status by the Israeli government in February 2018.

Israeli troops poised to continue Gaza offensive on June 29, 2006, so this is old hat by today's standard of 2026.  

Thousands of Israelis gathered near the Gaza border in a rally this 2026  calling for the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Among those attending were Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Social Equality Minister May Golan, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen.The rally, held under the slogan "Returning home after 21 years," featured speeches from prominent government officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Activists originally planned to march closer to the border to overlook the ruins of former settlements evacuated in 2005, but they were stopped by the Israeli military, which declared parts of the western Negev a closed military zone

 Last month Smotrich said, "We are ready to establish three communities in northern Gaza immediately, as soon as the prime minister gives the green light."

                                          

      Hezbollah shooting missiles at Aqaba

 Iran fired 4 missiles at the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, adjacent to Eilat, on Sunday, all of which were intercepted.

 Iron Dome interceptors were launched to intercept debris from the missiles that were going to fall on Israeli territory.

 Meanwhile, U.S. aerial refueling aircraft continue arriving in Israel at a rate of five to eight aircraft a day, according to Israeli defense officials.                    

      American aircraft parked in Israel

They said a record number of American tankers are expected to be stationed in Israel this week, exceeding even the deployments seen during Israel's most recent direct military confrontation with Iran.

USA Just Emptied Their Embassy in Sudan

 Nadene Goldfoot                                            

 refugees from fighting

By JACK JEFFERY and NOHA ELHENNAWYtoday

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — As foreign governments airlifted hundreds of their diplomats and other citizens to safety, Sudanese desperately sought ways to escape the chaos Monday, fearing that the country’s two rival generals will escalate their all-out battle for power once evacuations are completed.  

For Sudan's more than 45 million people, the conflict between Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo is set to deepen an already intense economic and humanitarian crisis.  A bitter rivalry between Sudan’s top two generals erupted into open warfare this weekend, further destabilizing a country that has been at the center of geopolitical power competition from the Middle East, the U.S. and Russia.   It will also further delay a promised transition to civilian rule.                                  

States of Sudan, more like our counties in Oregon, showing well-known Darfur on the SE and Kartoum in central East.  

Sudan is huge, about as big as Alaska.  Everyone wants a piece of it, and the USA is at the end of the line these days.  It is Egypt's neighbor to the south, shown as purple.  Thousands are trying to leave the country and are stuck.  

Sudan is the 8th largest Muslim populated country with a population in 2011 of 43,939,598. of which 70% were Muslims. Out of them about 104,500 belonged to their military power of active troops.  They are Sunnis.                        

It has a population of 45.7 million people as of 2022 and occupies 1,886,068 square kilometres (728,215 square miles), making it Africa's third-largest country by area, and the third-largest by area in the Arab League. It was the largest country by area in Africa and the Arab League until the secession of South Sudan in 2011, since which both titles have been held by Algeria. Its capital city is Khartoum and its most populous city is Omdurman (part of the metropolitan area of Khartoum).

The name derives from the Arabic bilād as-sūdān (بلاد السودان), or "The Land of the Blacks". The name is one of various toponyms sharing similar etymologies, in reference to the more or less dark skin of the inhabitants. Prior to this, Sudan was known as Nubia and Ta Nehesi or Ta Seti by Ancient Egyptians named for the Nubian and Medjay archers or Bow men.

UN warns of lab risk, more displacement amid Sudan conflict

By JAMEY KEATEN and SAMY MAGDYan hour ago

GENEVA (AP) — U.N. officials said Tuesday that one side in the Sudan conflict has seized control of a national health lab in the capital of Khartoum that holds biological material, calling it an “extremely dangerous” development.

Which countries are evacuating citizens from Sudan?

today

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — As continued fighting 

raises fears that Sudan could plunge deeper into chaos, foreign governments are scrambling to get their diplomats and other citizens safely out.

US helping from afar as Americans flee fighting in Sudan

 

     Iftar in Omdurman:  Ambassador John Godfrey and several staff from the US Embassy attended their first Ramadan Iftar in Khartoum with family of singer Mayada Gamar Eldin in Abbasiya, Omdurman.  By ZEKE MILLER, AAMER MADHANI and ELLEN KNICKMEYERyesterday

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Monday the U.S. is helping from afar as thousands of Americans left behind in Sudan seek to escape fighting in the east African nation, after the U.S....." 

Location: Countrywide  Event: On April 22, 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations, and the Department of State ordered the departure of U.S. direct hire…

Jews visited the Sudan from remote times.  In 1885, the Mahdi compelled all Jews and Christians to embrace Islam. So much for Dhimmi status and remaining as Jews.  The community dated from the end of the 19th century, but few Jews now live there.   Their descendants should be in Israel.  

Resource:

http://en.wikiipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Muslim-majority_countries

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia

wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Sudan