An internal inquiry within the Shin Bet has revealed that Israel’s security service had no knowledge that the Nova music festival was scheduled to take place at the Re’im parking area on the night of October 6–7, 2023, according to a report published today by Haaretz. The oversight became evident only after the events began to unfold.
Despite the fact that a Shin Bet liaison reportedly participated in at least two coordination meetings with both police officials and the IDF in the days preceding the attack, the information about the large-scale gathering never reached senior leadership within the agency. The reason the details were not relayed upward remains unclear.
Because the event was not flagged to command staff, the Nova festival was entirely absent from the Shin Bet’s real-time situational evaluations during the night Hamas launched its assault. The lack of awareness meant that the gathering was not factored into early assessments or operational preparations.
Other sources indicated that the IDF also failed to notify the Shin Bet about the festival’s close proximity to the Gaza border. As a result, the agency’s operations center learned of the event only hours into the unfolding horror—approximately three hours after the attack had begun—when reports of multiple casualties started to pour in from the area.
A senior security official said the missing information could have been consequential. According to the source, had the agency or the broader security system been updated ahead of time—or even during the late-night hours before the massacre—it “might have influenced decision-making processes both within the Shin Bet and across the entire security establishment.”
{Matzav.com}
A moving scene unfolded in Rechovot in recent days as Mayor Matan Dil paid a special visit to the magnificent new campus of Yeshivas Maor HaTalmud, one of the leading flagship institutions of the Torah world in Eretz Yisroel.
The mayor arrived together with the city’s CEO, Dudi Ashkenazi, and the two were welcomed into the study of the rosh yeshiva, Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.
Throughout the tour, Mayor Dil expressed deep admiration for the scale and beauty of the yeshiva’s expanded campus. Standing inside the new facilities, he remarked, “We have been privileged in the city of Rechovot to have one of the most distinguished yeshivas—a true flagship of the Torah world. We will continue working together to strengthen its institutions for the honor of the city and the honor of Torah.”
During the meeting, Rav Kook offered warm encouragement to the mayor for his steadfast efforts to uphold and strengthen the sanctity of Shabbos in the city. He praised the mayor’s dedication and urged him to continue acting on behalf of the spiritual character of Rechovot.
The rosh yeshiva then accompanied the mayor into the central beis medrash, where hundreds of talmidei chachamim were immersed in learning. The powerful sound of Torah filled the hall, leaving a strong impression on the mayor, who did not conceal his joy and excitement as he listened to the vibrant atmosphere of continuous learning.
At the conclusion of the visit, Rav Kook presented Mayor Dil with one of his sefarim and bestowed upon him a heartfelt birkas kohen.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the country on Monday, releasing a message aimed at calming the growing storm surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s request for a presidential pardon. In his video statement, delivered in Hebrew, Herzog stressed that his guiding principle is the welfare of the nation, noting that “The issue of Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon is clearly provoking debate and is deeply unsettling for many people in the country, across different communities.”
Herzog emphasized that the process would be handled with absolute care and neutrality. “I have already clarified that it will be handled in the most correct and precise manner. I will consider solely the best interests of the State of Israel and Israeli society,” he said, underscoring that no pressure campaign will sway him. He added that public input was welcome — “One thing is clear to me: Violent discourse will not impact me; on the other hand, respectful discourse will definitely create a discussion. I invite the Israeli public to the President’s Residence website to express their opinions and respond appropriately.”
Even before Herzog’s remarks, political circles were buzzing with reports that the President was weighing the request seriously, including the possibility of tying a pardon to an agreement for early elections. Channel 13 News mentioned this scenario earlier in the day. Those aligned with Netanyahu, however, pushed back on any conditional approach, stating unequivocally that “this is all or nothing – either an unconditional pardon, or the Prime Minister will continue his trial until acquittal.”
Netanyahu formally submitted his petition on Sunday through attorney Amit Hadad, nearly six years after charging documents were first filed. The letter makes no acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Instead, Netanyahu framed the appeal as a step toward restoring internal unity, writing: “In recent years, tensions and disputes have increased between parts of the people and between the various state authorities. I am aware that the proceedings in my case have become a focus of fierce debates and bear broad public and ethical responsibility, out of an understanding of the implications of all the events as a result, and despite my personal interest in conducting the trial and proving my innocence until I am fully acquitted, I believe that the public interest dictates otherwise.”
He continued by linking the end of the legal proceedings to easing national friction: “Out of a public responsibility as Prime Minister to try to bring about reconciliation between the parts of the people, I have no doubt that the end of the trial will help to reduce the intensity of the flames in the debate that has arisen around it.”
Following the submission, the President’s Office acknowledged the gravity of what now lies before Herzog. It noted that the President “is aware that this is an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications. After receiving all of the relevant opinions, the President will responsibly and sincerely consider the request.”
The paperwork has already been routed to the Justice Ministry’s Pardons Department, where an official recommendation will be drafted. That opinion will then be assessed by multiple government bodies, including the legal adviser to the President’s Office and the minister designated to oversee the process. Because Justice Minister Yariv Levin is a senior member of Netanyahu’s Likud party and therefore conflicted out, Minister Amichai Eliyahu is expected to take the lead on evaluating the matter.
{Matzav.com}
Israel’s Iron Beam (“Magen Or” in Hebrew) laser defense system will begin defending against aerial threats at the end of the month, the country’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday.
“With development complete and a comprehensive testing program that has validated the system’s capabilities, we are prepared to deliver initial operational capability to the IDF on Dec. 30, 2025,” said Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development at the Defense Ministry.
Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development at the Israeli Defense Ministry, speaks at the International DefenseTech Summit at Tel Aviv University on Dec. 1, 2025. Credit: Israel Ministry of Defense.Speaking at the International DefenseTech Summit at Tel Aviv University, Gold said the system was a complement to the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow air defense systems, and “is expected to fundamentally change the rules of engagement on the battlefield.”
The system uses a 100-kilowatt laser to intercept rockets, mortars and UAVs at a range of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers), at a fraction of the cost of traditional interceptors. The estimated cost per firing is about $2 to $5, compared to $40,000 to $80,000 for a single Iron Dome interceptor.
The Iron Beam—to be renamed “Ohr Eitan” (“Eitan’s Light”) after Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in Lebanon and whose father was one of its developers—will be integrated into the Israel Defense Forces’ air defense array.
The Defense Ministry and Israel’s Rafael defense technology firm announced in September the completion of a series of successful trials of the Iron Beam system at a facility in southern Israel.
“The system proved its effectiveness in a complete operational configuration by intercepting rockets, mortars, aircraft and UAVs across a comprehensive range of operational scenarios,” they said in a joint statement at the time.
The Israeli military revealed in May that a smaller version of the laser defense system was tested in combat operations during the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, shooting down dozens of enemy drones. Most of the interceptions were of Hezbollah drones, but the system also downed UAVs on other fronts, according to the IDF. JNS
{Matzav.com}
