Terrible crimes happened at Shifa hospital while Doctors Without Borders (MSF) were there: taking people hostage, sexual abuse and murder.

For 9 months we asked MSF (and others) to comply with elementary transparency procedures to ensure they aren’t infiltrated by terrorists.

Rather than verify they function without Hamas exploiting their infrastructure, Doctors Without Borders launched an aggressive campaign of disinformation, accusing Israel of limiting their work.

This is a disgraceful, abusive way for a humanitarian organization to behave. Doctors Without Borders will forever carry the stain of complicity in acts of terror if it fails to reverse course and accept full transparency over their operations in Gaza.

Hamas must go!

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar:

"Had a good and honest meeting with Special Envoy Zhai Jun of China to the Middle East.

I stressed our need to enhance our dialogue and to improve relations.

I urged China to pay attention to Iran's attempts to rearm and regroup its web of proxies. Iran is still the main source of instability in the Middle East.

I also emphasized that a reliable peace process requires Palestinian society to undergo a process of deradicalization and to disconnect from the ethos of terror."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today (Thursday, 8 January 2026), at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with Nickolay Mladenov, who is set to become the Director of the Gaza Strip Board of Peace.

The Prime Minister reiterated that Hamas must be disarmed and the Gaza Strip must be demilitarized in accordance with the 20-point plan of President Trump.

Attached photo credit: Amos Ben Gershom (GPO)

🇺🇸🇮🇱 From Times Square, a clear message:
The US and Israel - united against terror.
United in freedom.

What is Qatar (a tiny remote country less than 400K citizens) trying to buy by pumping $6.6B into U.S. universities?

What is Cornell selling to Qatar for $2.3B?

Israel's Ambassador to UN Danny Danon:

"Outside a New York synagogue protesters shouted: ‘We support Hamas here!’

Supporting terrorists at the doorstep of a synagogue is not dissent, it’s complicity in terror. Shameful."

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's interview to MM Somali TV of Somaliland:

https://youtu.be/Hcmw9oxp1o4?si=nm_v4DtWcAikgLpf

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar:

"Just spoke with the Prime Minister of Samoa, La’auli Leuatea Schmidt.

I thanked him for his moral decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem in 2026.

I also expressed our appreciation for Samoa's consistent support for Israel in the multilateral arena.

I invited the PM to visit Israel and we look forward to hosting him in Jerusalem very soon!
🇮🇱🇼🇸"

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar: "We support the Iranian people's struggle for freedom and wish them success."

Foreign Minister Sa'ar Hosted Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi in Israel.

Foreign Minister Sa'ar's Remarks at the Opening of the Meeting:

"I welcome the visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi to Israel. I appreciate the fact that he chose Israel as the first destination for a bilateral diplomatic visit as Foreign Minister.

Israel and Japan are two ancient peoples - in fact, two civilizations with ancient traditions and history. We share democratic values and a strong friendship.

The world is changing very quickly.

Democratic countries - like Israel and Japan - must cooperate and deepen their strategic ties.

Israel is committed to the Trump plan and to stability in the region.

In order to proceed with its implementation - Hamas must disarm and Gaza must be demilitarized.

Israel extends its hand in peace to its neighbors and aims to expand the Abraham Accords.

The Palestinian Authority must end its policy of “Pay for Slay.” It must stop its incitement and its diplomatic war against Israel in international forums and international courts.

I want to emphasize - these are essential conditions for building trust.

We thank Japan, which since October 7th has recognized Israel’s right to defend itself, has called for the unconditional release of our hostages and has imposed sanctions on Hamas leaders.
We'll work together to strengthen bilateral relations across all fields between our countries and nations."

Credit - Oz Shechter, GPO

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar:

"Glad to meet again with a dear friend and a true friend of Israel - Germany’s Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, who is visiting Israel.

The Federal Minister will sign a joint declaration today between Israel and Germany along with Prime Minister Netanyahu on cooperation in the fields of security, cyber, and the fight against antisemitism.

I told him that now is the time to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization within the European Union. This has long been Germany’s position, and today the importance of this matter is clear to all."

Again, UNRWA lies. Today they posted: “Humanitarian aid is available outside [Gaza] but is blocked.”

This, from an organization riddled with Hamas terrorists working for it.

The fact is UNRWA makes no positive contribution, perpetuating people’s hardship and the conflict.

Remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Start of Today's Government Meeting

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Sunday, 11 January 2026), at the start of the Government meeting [translated from Hebrew]:

"Israel is closely monitoring the events unfolding in Iran. The protests for freedom have spread throughout the country. The people of Israel, and the entire world, stand in awe of the immense bravery of Iran's citizens.

Israel supports their struggle for freedom and firmly condemns the mass killings of innocent civilians.

We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be liberated from the yoke of tyranny, and when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be faithful partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both nations."

Yuval turned survival into strength, and pain into hope - despite threats, hostility and attempts to silence her. Yuval won hearts.✨✨✨

The popular vote told the real story: millions across Europe embraced her and her song. Her performance rose far above the noise. 📊❤️

Yuval’s courage in the face of hate may well be one of the reasons Israel is now considered an early favourite to win Eurovision 2026 - her story continues to inspire. 🎤✊✨

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar:

“We see the people of Iran and we support their struggle for freedom”.

We are appalled by the arson attack on the synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, and by the desecration of this place of worship and the Torah scrolls it houses.
Antisemitism is a poisonous scourge. We are confident that the Mississippi authorities will take all necessary measures to investigate this despicable act and bring those responsible to justice.

(Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)

Monday, 12 January 2026 / 23 Tevet 5786

President Isaac Herzog Hosts Christian Leaders in the Holy Land for New Year’s Celebration

President Isaac Herzog hosted Christian leaders in the Holy Land for the traditional New Year's reception at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. This marked the first time the annual reception has been held at full capacity since the beginning of the war.

In his remarks at the event, President Herzog expressed his pride in Israel's Christian communities and emphasized that the State of Israel will continue to protect the freedom of worship for people of all faiths and communities. President Herzog also conveyed his profound appreciation for Israel's Christian friends in the Middle East and across the world.

From the remarks by President Isaac Herzog:

“How beautiful it is to gather together in the Holy Land, whose hills bear witness to thousands of years of faith, prayer, and divine inspiration, and to hope together for a joyous, prosperous, and peaceful new year for us all.

“We meet at a fragile, yet promising moment for the Holy Land and the broader Middle East. At this important crossroads, the choice must be made between conflicting paths, conflicting trajectories, and conflicting visions for this region. Our hearts go out to the Iranian people bravely marching for their freedom as we speak—and being ruthlessly repressed by a regime that is the root of so much evil in the world. Our hope and prayer is that all women and men can enjoy the same precious liberty we are blessed with and live in peace and harmony, free from tyranny and oppression.

“Just a few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, in Rome. We discussed then what I repeat here now, that it is the sacred obligation of all who believe to reject hatred, to affirm the divine image in each and every person, and to build bridges across religious and political divides. I also followed suit in a conversation with the Pope, just before Christmas, as he was in the Holy See. I believe that there is a real opportunity to advance and improve the relations between Israel and the Holy See in so many fields.

“My friends, your communities are a blessing to the State of Israel, adding richness, texture, and depth to our beautiful human tapestry. We are committed to ensuring that Christian communities can continue to grow and thrive, with full freedom of religion and worship. This is not merely a policy question—it flows from the very heart of our identity as a Jewish and democratic state. I want to state clearly: We will continue to safeguard the holy sites of all religions and to forcefully combat any disgraceful attempts to threaten, harass, or harm religious leaders, institutions, or worshippers.

“We also call for the protection of Christian communities across our region. No Christian, indeed no human being—in the Middle East, Africa, or anywhere in the world—should ever live in fear because of their faith.”

From the remarks of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem:

“We would like to take this opportunity to wish all those who call this land home the blessings of this holy season.”

“The Scriptures remind us that ‘blessed are the peacemakers,’ and this is the call for all people of good will, regardless of our religious affirmation. Mr. President, your commitment to peace and to the well-being of all the people of the Holy Land and Israel is well known. We assure you that the Patriarch and the heads of the churches at this special gathering also remain steadfast in our spiritual mission to be messengers of peace and reconciliation, and to cooperate with you and with all those who bless peace and reconciliation before all others, as you promote the values of our common scriptures, fighting against all forms of antisemitism and Islamophobia.”

Attached video credit: Avi Kaner (GPO) / Sound credit: Gideon Arnold (GPO)

Attached photo credits: Maayan Toaf (GPO)

Benjamin Lee, benjaminl@president.gov.il, 050-6169572