Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-09-05 at 06:01

HEADLINES
Huckabee Visits Turmus Ayya, Seeks Safety
Eiland: Israel diplomacy harming vital interests
Barilla to buy Gadot-backed Mac and Cheese

The time is now 6:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met on Saturday with Palestinians, including families of US citizens killed by Israeli settlers, in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank that has been the target of repeated settler attacks. Settler violence in the West Bank has risen sharply since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, the most right-wing in Israel's history, took office in late 2022. Several settlements have been established around Turmus Ayya, the Palestinian town near Ramallah that Huckabee visited on Saturday. Its residents say that harassment by militant Israeli settlers is common and that they are unable to stop them from entering the town and damaging their homes. "We have many issues that we will address," Nawwaf Zaghoul, the town's mayor, told reporters ahead of the meeting, describing what he said were constant attacks by settlers. He said that the town's residents would be asking the ambassador to help secure their safety and security. About 80% of the town's roughly 3,000 residents were Palestinian Americans. Huckabee, a Baptist minister and longtime supporter of Israeli interests, visited Turmus Ayya on Saturday.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Former National Security Council chief Major-General (Reserve) Giora Eiland warned that Israel’s diplomatic approach is harming vital interests, calling it "stupid, childish and dangerous," and said the country must prioritize dialogue to protect its interests. He said world leaders lack trust in the government and that its conduct is pushing countries away, with statements by officials and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s silence shaping international perceptions. Eiland argued that most world leaders do not believe the Israeli government but do listen to voices like Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, leading them to assume Netanyahu’s silence reflects the true policy of the Israeli government. He stressed that a process of aligning positions is needed across the leadership to salvage relationships with key partners.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Gal Gadot-backed mac-and-cheese brand to be bought by Italian pasta giant Barilla. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the brand holds 7.8% of the US market and was valued at $88 million in 2023; founded in 2020 as a healthier take on the food, Gadot was an early investor.

In Uplifting News, In the kitchen with Henny: Sweetness in every course, these recipes let us enjoy the simanim throughout the meal, not just at the beginning. Rosh Hashanah marks a new beginning and, for Henny, the start of a career as a kitchen coach. In 2020, during months of quarantine, her daughter started first grade, and she planned menus, sharing ideas in a simple PDF that became the foundation for a new chapter. The approach weaves traditional simanim—using honey, silan, pomegranate, apples, and other familiar flavors—into festive dishes, keeping the sweetness of the simanim present from the first bite to the last spoonful. By the time plates fill with sweet challah, apples and honey, dates, and pomegranate, the meal feels purposeful and celebratory.

Sweetening the new year: How Jewish food becomes family tradition - opinion reflects on what makes Jewish food Jewish. It argues that Jewish food is not defined solely by what is eaten but by its place in family life, memory, tradition, and the freedom to change what came before. Gil Marks’s idea that Jewish food is “almost becomes sanctified by its use in Jewish life” is cited to differentiate living tradition from mere consumption. The piece notes that families bring simanim into Rosh Hashanah tables, including beets (selek) and leeks (karti), using their names as puns to express hopes for the year ahead.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/09/us-ambassador-visits-palestinian-town-amid-rise-west-bank-settler-violence
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-907626
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-907628
https://www.timesofisrael.com/gal-gadot-backed-mac-and-cheese-brand-to-be-bought-by-italian-pasta-giant-barilla/
https://www.jpost.com/food-recipes/article-907511
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-907435