Jerusalem, 12 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Palestinian Authority President mahmoud abbas was released from a hospital in Ramallah after undergoing “routine medical tests,” according to the P.A.-run Wafa News Agency.

Arab media reports earlier in the day said he had been hospitalized.

The 90-year-old Abbas is in the 21st year of a four-year term as P.A. President.

Under the direction of the Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Miri Regev, the Director-General of the Ministry, Moshe Ben Zaken, held a preparedness meeting with all subsidiary companies in anticipation of the expected storm tonight. During the meeting, it was decided to raise the alert level across all land, sea, and air systems.

Roads and Infrastructure: Full Readiness on Routes

Netivei Israel: Field teams have been reinforced, snow plows and salt spreaders have been deployed in the north, and the advanced sensor system for real-time monitoring of flash floods in streams has been activated for the safety of road users.

Netivei Ayalon: Flood hotspots in the Gush Dan area have been mapped, pump operations and the “bioviot” (likely referring to drainage systems or water pumps) have been reinforced, and patrol teams have switched to continuous round-the-clock operation.

Moriyah (Jerusalem): Work has been carried out to strengthen fences and elements at construction sites, drainage systems have been cleared to prevent blockages and flooding, and municipal maintenance teams have been reinforced.

חוצה ישראל (Cross Israel): Heavy machinery and emergency teams have been put on alert at all company projects.

Trains and Public Transportation:

Israel Railways and NTA (Metropolitan Mass Transit System): Scaffolding and infrastructure have been secured, drainage systems at stations and along routes have been cleaned, and drivers have been briefed on driving in poor visibility conditions.

Jerusalem (Public Transport and Light Rail): The Transportation Management Center has been moved to an emergency mode. Drainage and proactive pruning operations have been carried out along the light rail route.

Aviation and Ports

Israel Airports Authority: Preparations for schedule changes due to weather conditions.

Raspan (likely referring to a maritime authority): A directive has been issued to the public to avoid maritime activities and surfing on beaches until conditions stabilize.

Road Safety (Ralp”ad – National Road Safety Authority)
Guidelines have been published for the public, emphasizing adjusting speed, maintaining distance, and prohibiting crossing flooded roads. A severe warning to motorcyclists due to the risk of skidding.

Minister Regev: “Paving the Afula Bypass will relieve the city of traffic jams, improve safety, and provide residents with a new, safe, and accessible lifeline.”

The Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety and the Ministry of Finance have approved a significant budget addition of 10 million shekels for 2025 for the Eastern Afula Bypass project. With the approval of the additional budget, the total government participation in the project, carried out through Netivei Israel, stands at approximately 351 million shekels.

The approved budget is intended for the completion of the project’s planning, which includes the traffic light at the junction – an essential engineering and safety measure that will allow, among other things, a regulated exit from the neighborhood towards the center of the country.

The Eastern Afula Bypass is a large-scale national infrastructure project, representing a crucial step towards removing transportation “bottlenecks” that limit the development of the entire region. The initiative aims to create a strategic transportation artery that will enable controlled diversion of heavy traffic and intercity traffic flows from Afula’s residential and business center to a modern, high-engineering-standard route. 

The bypass road is expected to bring immediate relief to traffic congestion, improve road safety, and strengthen the full connectivity between northern settlements and the national rail and road network.

Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Miri Regev: “We continue to renew and strengthen Israel’s infrastructureas part of the ‘Connecting Israel’ vision we have been leading in recent years. Paving the Afula Bypass is a strategic breakthrough that reflects responsible policy of developing advanced infrastructure throughout the country. This is a project that shortens distances, strengthens the periphery, and provides the residents of the valley with a strong, stable, and connected transportation system that will serve future generations.”

Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, Moshe Ben Zaken: “The budget approval is a vital component in the national effort to strengthen transportation continuity in the north. This is professional management that translates vision into precise execution on the ground, including the regulation of junctions and access to neighborhoods, with full cooperation from all parties to meet national goals. Israeli citizens and the residents of Afula deserve to enjoy strong and efficient infrastructure, and this is the commitment of the Ministry of Transportation under the leadership of Minister Regev.”

Mayor of Afula, Avi Elkabetz: “Thank you very much to Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Netivei Israel CEO Nissim Peretz for the cooperation with the Afula Municipality and the budget approval. For many years, Road 65 caused traffic congestion at the entrances and roads within the city. Since the opening of the new road and interchange about a year ago, city residents and visitors have felt the relief in congestion. The budget, now approved, for the establishment of a traffic-lighted junction connecting to the ‘Afula HaYeruka’ neighborhood will also ease the city’s residents’ exit towards Tel Aviv and the central region, and will effectively serve as an additional component in improving accessibility to and from the city.”

The office of the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of health is pleased to invite you to a webinar on the topic: “Calls for proposals in collaboration with Europe in the fields of medicine and health and Ministry of Health databases accessible by Timna” 

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, between 11:00-12:00 in TEAMS.
 Please reserve the date.

Registration at the following link:  European Calls for Proposals 

For further clarifications and questions, please contact Ms. Netta Koren at  netta.koren@moh.gov.il
 

Jerusalem, 12 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — President Isaac Herzog met with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu in Jerusalem, on Monday, where they discussed the implementation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

Herzog called for the urgent return of the last hostage held in Gaza, Police Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, and stressed the need for regional stability and disarming Hamas.

The two also discussed advancing bilateral cooperation in technology, science, security, and tourism.

Jerusalem, 12 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli security forces have arrested the suspect in a Palestinian shooting attack that wounded a soldier during a counterterror operation Shechem (Nablus).

The suspect, identified as Hamas operative Zaid Haraz, was arrested on Monday morning following a day-long manhunt. Additional suspects who assisted Haraz’s escape were also detained.

Jerusalem, 12 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli defense company Elbit Systems has secured contracts worth approximately $275 million to equip an Asia-Pacific country’s helicopters with advanced electronic warfare (EW) and missile-defense systems. Over five years, Elbit will supply its integrated EW suite and Mini-MUSIC Direct Infra-Red Counter-Measure (DIRCM) system, designed to detect and disrupt incoming missiles, enhancing aircraft survivability and mission effectiveness.

Bezhalel Machlis, Elbit’s CEO, said the deals reflect growing regional trust in Israel’s combat-proven defense technologies.

Over the weekend and in recent days, Rotem District police officers, in cooperation with the Matpa unit, led an operational activity in several complexes and neighborhoods of feuding families. 

In the town of Ar’ara BaNegev, forces from the Ar’ara station and the Matpa unit operated and conducted searches for weapons. At the end of the operation, four M-16 rifles, combat equipment, and ammunition were located.

Over the weekend, a report was received about a shooting incident in the area of the old cemetery in Abu Asaa settlement. Police officers from the Tel Sheva municipal policing unit conducted searches and located a suspect holding a hunting rifle. The suspect was arrested and transferred for investigation at the Ayarot station.

In another operation by Beer Sheva station police officers, in cooperation with the Shahar 101 unit and the Southern District dog handlers, a weapons search was conducted in the town of Tel Sheva. A suspect was arrested holding an M-16 rifle and ammunition.

In parallel, a combined economic activity took place as part of the “Manifa” operations, in conjunction with civilian enforcement agencies, during which dozens of vehicles were taken off the road, fines totaling tens of thousands of shekels were issued to debtors, and vehicles were seized for debts amounting to hundreds of thousands of shekels.

Jerusalem, 12 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Arab media reports say Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been hospitalized in Ramallah. The 90-year-old Abbas is in the 21st year of a four-year term.