Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-11 at 20:07

HEADLINES France backs Palestinian Authority state building panel Israel minister Dermer resigns redefining security ties West Bank Bayt Lid arson sparks detentions The time is now 3:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. This is the 3:00 PM update on events in the Middle East and related global developments. In Milan, an attack on Orthodox Jewish tourists led to a charge against a Pakistani national who shouted racial slurs in Italian during the assault. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about antisemitism in Europe and the heightened sensitivity around safety for Jewish communities abroad. In Paris, France announced a plan to assist the Palestinian Authority in drafting a constitution for a future Palestinian state. President Emmanuel Macron said a joint French-Palestinian panel would address constitutional, institutional, and organizational work, with France committing humanitarian aid of about 100 million euros to Gaza in 2025. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said reforms and elections were part of the roadmap, while reiterating a commitment to a democratic, unarmed state based on the rule of law. In Israel, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer announced his resignation from the government, saying the period will be remembered for the October 7 attack and the two-and-a-half-year war that followed. He said responsibilities would be redistributed, with some duties moving to the National Security Council and Israel’s Washington embassy, and he paid tribute to the soldiers and families affected by the conflict. The government and opposition alike will monitor how the change shapes coordination with the United States at a sensitive moment in security and diplomacy. Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed back against allegations of luxury gifts, describing claims as a mischaracterization of a small personal gift and insisting there was no substantive windfall. The discussion reflects ongoing scrutiny of government procurement and personal relationships in a time of national strain. In domestic legal affairs, a major court hearing at Sde Teiman prompted a proposed compromise over who should supervise an ongoing investigation. The outcome signals how Israel is balancing judicial oversight with political accountability amid a wide-ranging war environment. Philanthropy and diaspora support for Israel continue to be significant. The Jewish Federations of North America reported about 908 million dollars raised for wartime relief through the Israel Emergency Campaign, with thousands of grants supporting hundreds of partner organizations. The broad mobilization underscores the priority many communities place on maintaining humanitarian and social programs during and after the fighting. In the legal and political-reform sphere, prosecutors indicated possible charges related to a lobbying investigation involving Roche Israel and former aides to a political party. The case highlights ongoing concerns over transparency and governance in the intersection of business and politics. A High Court decision rejected the Rabbinate’s attempt to block women from participating in certain religious examinations, described by supporters as a step toward recognizing women’s status within the religious establishment and in public life. The ruling is being watched for its potential to influence religious and civic norms in Israel. Estonia’s decision to lift a travel advisory to Israel followed the opening of a new Estonian embassy in Tallinn by a senior Israeli official, signaling continued normalization of relations with European partners amid the broader regional shifts. In the United States, concerns about antisemitism in schools persisted after a Massachusetts commission documented a rise in antisemitic incidents and noted that many cases go underreported, often due to fear of retaliation. The findings highlight long-standing challenges in addressing hate on school campuses in North America. In the West Bank, reports of a major settler arson attack near Bayt Lid and Dayr Sharaf prompted multiple detentions and a police investigation. The incident, which involved the destruction of a factory and surrounding property, occurred amid a wave of settler violence tied to the olive harvest and broader tensions following the Gaza war. The Israeli military said it dispersed rioters and handed suspects to police, while Palestinian sources reported injuries and property damage. The United Nations and other observers have documented elevated levels of settler attacks in October, contributing to a broader pattern of violence in the area. Diplomatic and strategic dynamics remain complex. A trilateral US-Syria-Turkey meeting hosted by Washington signaled interest in stabilizing Gaza and coordinating on military and security arrangements, including the role of Kurdish forces in the region. Turkish officials have urged a larger postwar role in Gaza, while Egypt and Israel have shown mixed reacti