Israel

By Pesach Benson • January 19, 2026

Jerusalem, 19 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure on Sunday announced the winners of its latest call for proposals aimed at accelerating innovation across the country’s energy sector, awarding grants to 18 projects spanning electricity, renewable energy, energy storage, alternative fuels, and advanced infrastructure technologies.

“The goal of the program is to promote innovation in the Israeli energy sector — both through the development of new technologies and through the demonstration of technologies that have matured to an application stage, under the conditions of the local economy,” the ministry said.

The selected projects span multiple areas overseen by the ministry, including electricity, renewable energy, electric mobility, water management, and mining. Grants will support each project for an initial two-year period, with the possibility of a one-year extension.

The program is designed to strengthen Israel’s energy ecosystem by supporting both early-stage research and development and the demonstration of technologies that have already reached an implementation-ready phase, tested under local market and regulatory conditions.

“Seven projects received funding under the startup track for prototype development, while 11 projects were selected under the pioneer and demonstration tracks,” the ministry said.

Among the winners in the pioneer track is eStreet Company, which secured funding for a pilot project to develop electric vehicle charging stations integrated into existing urban light poles. The initiative is intended to address a common challenge in dense residential areas, where many electric vehicle owners lack access to private parking or home charging infrastructure. By relying on existing streetlight networks, the project aims to reduce construction work, shorten grid-connection timelines, and better align with the needs of local municipalities. The startup is currently in the seed-funding stage.

Another pioneer-track grant was awarded to Solarwin for a smart solar shading system designed for jojoba plantations. The project combines adjustable solar panels with agriculture, enabling electricity generation while maintaining crop productivity. Using sensors and smart control systems, the technology dynamically manages shading levels to reduce water evaporation, balance plant needs, and optimize energy output, offering what the ministry described as a dual-use land solution combining agriculture and renewable energy.

The MGSI Partnership also received support for developing an advanced quarry monitoring system that integrates satellite data and artificial intelligence. The system is designed to calculate mining volumes using digital elevation models, enable high-frequency remote monitoring, and automate oversight processes, potentially reducing operational costs and improving regulatory supervision.

Renewable energy startup BSP is also slated to receive a grant. The company’s technology uses a mechanical buoy designed to harness electricity from ocean waves, even in waters as shallow as 20 centimeters, according to its funding proposal.

Other grant recipients include a project developing a system to extract hydrogen from industrial flares, which will receive NIS 1.5 million ($470,000); a satellite-based quarry monitoring system awarded NIS 730,000 ($230,000); and an accelerator for advancing artificial intelligence applications in the energy sector, which will receive NIS 870,000 ($274,000), alongside a variety of additional innovative initiatives.

The funding was distributed through the Ministry’s Chief Scientist Unit under its startup, pioneer, and demonstration tracks, with total grants amounting to approximately NIS 13.4 million (about $4.2 million).

Beyond the current grants, the ministry said it is examining additional funding opportunities in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and through Israel’s Cleanup Fund. These potential grants would target energy recovery from waste, alternative fuel production, green hydrogen, agro-voltaics, and education and community-based initiatives.

Prof. Brian Rosen, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said the strong response to the call highlights growing momentum in the sector.

“Our call for early- and advanced-stage industrial research and development is an important means of promoting Israeli industry and helping them overcome the main barriers to growing a business in the energy sector,” Rosen said. “The fact that this year we received more than double the number of proposals than in previous years is a testament to its success and importance.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu, today, at the Prime Minister’s Office, met with honduran president-elect Nasry “Tito” Asfura.

Prime Minister Netanyahu:

“I’m delighted to welcome you, Mr. President. We’re refashioning the relationship between Israel and Honduras to the traditional lines of friendship, but we want to also seize the future. I welcome you in Jerusalem. It’s an ancient city, but it’s also a city that looks forward to innovation and to cooperation, with you and the people of Honduras. I look forward to working with your government, both in economic fields and agriculture and technology in any of the areas that I think are laid before us. You should know that as far as Israel is concerned, the sky is the limit.”

Honduran President-elect Nasry Asfura:

“Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. I am convinced that we will be able to implement everything you said and also lead toward the peace, brotherhood and future of our countries.”

Video credit: Roi Avraham (GPO).

Both entered Israel last month on tourist visas. For a limited time. 

In a joint operation with the Israel Police, the two were transferred to the Enforcement and Foreigners Administration at the Population and Immigration Authority. 

The two were given a hearing before the border control officer in their language, after they violated the terms of their visas and broke the law. 

The Enforcement and Foreigners Administration, through its deportation unit, will deport the two tonight to their countries. 

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Senior Spokesperson, Communications and Public Diplomacy Department
Population and Immigration Authority
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 Israel is the first country to sign a joint declaration in this field with the US.

The State of Israel and the United States signed a Joint Statement in the field of artificial intelligence today in the City of David, Jerusalem. This follows Israel‘s joining last month of the Pax Silica initiative, which unites leading countries in the field of artificial intelligence. Among the nine leading countries in the field, Israel was chosen to be the first country to sign a joint declaration with the US. The declaration signed today is another step in advancing the State of Israel towards global leadership in the field of artificial intelligence, as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s flagship goals.

The declaration was signed by the Head of the National Artificial Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Erez Eshel, and the US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Jake Halberg, in the presence of Foreign Minister G Gideon Sa’ar and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

Foreign Minister G Gideon Sa’ar:
“Today – as part of the Pax Silica initiative – Israel and the United States are issuing a joint declaration on the launch of a strategic partnership: in the field of artificial intelligence, research, and critical technologies. This is another milestone in our unbreakable alliance. Under President Trump’s leadership, our relations are at historic highs. I commend Prime Minister Netanyahu for establishing the National Artificial Intelligence Directorate – to address the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow. And I wish you, Erez, continued success. Today’s declaration is further proof of the undeniable fact: just as the United States is vital to Israel – Israel is a vital asset and a strategic partner for America and its national security interests. Israel enables America to secure these interests in the dangerous Middle East.”

Head of the National Artificial Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Erez Eshel:
“Since the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Directorate under the Prime Minister, we have been working diligently to create partnerships with the key countries leading the artificial intelligence industry worldwide, and above all, with our great friend, the United States. As part of this, about a month ago we joined the Pax Silica group of countries, the leading group of countries for the development of safe artificial intelligence.
The partnership effort joins the effort to build powerful computing infrastructure and the effort to develop human capital for the artificial intelligence industry in Israel in deep partnership with academia and industry.
I would like to thank the Prime Minister who is working hard to support the Directorate, understanding that leadership in artificial intelligence will determine the national security of the State of Israel.”

US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jake Halberg:
“With the launch of Pax Silica, the United States and Israel are uniting our innovation ecosystems to ensure the future is shaped by strong, sovereign allies leading in critical technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. Standing on the ancient foundations of the City of David, we declare that we are not products of circumstance but creators of history, building together a new era of security and prosperity.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee:
“I often say that the United States has many friends and allies, but it has only one true partner, and that is Israel. The announcement of the strategic partnership is just the latest example of cooperation between the United States and Israel on the most important and challenging issues of our time – access to critical minerals, supply chain resilience, the development of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced technologies that will benefit the United States and Israel, and fundamentally change the world.”

Israel and the United States intend to deepen their ongoing alliance by strengthening every link in the technology value chain, from research and development to advanced manufacturing using innovative methods. The partnership will focus on areas of artificial intelligence, new energy sources, advanced computing technologies, space, AI solutions for robotics, and advanced chip manufacturing to strengthen Israel’s position as a central “link” in the emerging supply chain.

According to the indictment, the defendant contacted Hamas operatives from Gaza, who asked him to carry out an attack in Israel. The defendant decided to carry out an attack against soldiers not under Hamas’s direction but independently, and took preparatory actions for this purpose. The second defendant in the case, Muhammad Mahamid, was sentenced to 9 years in prison.

The Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office, through Adv. Yaniv Zohar, referred to the sentence of the defendant Mahamid and stated that this sentence should be learned from for the severity in the case of Muhammad Musallach, and petitioned for a sentencing range of 13 to 17 years in prison, taking into account the defendant’s criminal record and the fact that he had previously received suspended sentences.

The prosecution emphasized the severity of the defendant’s actions and highlighted the gravity of his role in the planning, as he was the one who contacted Hamas operatives and planned to carry out an attack against IDF soldiers.

The court accepted the prosecution’s position and noted that the sentence in the case of the defendant Mahamid should serve as a central benchmark in sentencing the defendant Musallach. It was further determined that there is a significant difference in the nature of the actions performed by each of the defendants, and that the defendant Musallach’s role is considerably more severe. This is because he was the one who initiated contact, on an ideological basis, with operatives of the Hamas organization, agreed to their request to carry out an attack within the State of Israel, and actively worked to advance and implement the plan. In addition, the court referred to the defendant’s criminal record, which includes convictions for domestic violence offenses as well as assaulting police officers.

The court noted that the defendant poses a high risk to the public. It was further emphasized that as a result of the commission of the offenses, central social values were harmed, primarily the preservation of the security of the state and its residents. In addition, the court stressed the need for general deterrence and deterrence of the defendant himself, while sending a clear and unequivocal message to anyone considering committing acts that could harm the security of the state – that their sentence will be actual imprisonment behind bars for a significant period.

By Pesach Benson • January 15, 2026

Jerusalem, 15 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Thursday outlined a sweeping foreign policy and economic vision for a post-Islamic Republic Iran, pledging immediate recognition of Israel, normalized relations with the United States, and an end to Tehran’s military nuclear program if the current regime collapses.

In a video statement shared on X and addressed to “all of our friends around the world,” Pahlavi said a future, free Iran would quickly reverse decades of isolation and confrontation. He argued that the country has been wrongly defined abroad by the policies of its clerical rulers.

“Under the yoke of the Islamic Republic, Iran is identified in your minds with terrorism, extremism, and poverty,” he said. “The real Iran is a different Iran. A beautiful, peace-loving, and flourishing Iran.”

Pahlavi, 65, the son of Iran’s last shah, has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and has emerged as a prominent opposition figure as protests inside Iran stretch into their third week. Demonstrations have been met with violent crackdowns by security forces. US-based rights group HRANA has confirmed at least 2,615 deaths, while some estimates place the toll significantly higher. Anti-government protests began on December 28 with the collapse of the Iranian rial and rising prices.

Laying out his diplomatic priorities, Pahlavi said Israel would be recognized “immediately” and that Iran would seek to expand the US-brokered Abraham Accords into what he called the “Cyrus Accords.”

“The State of Israel will be recognized immediately,” he said. “We will pursue the expansion of the Abraham Accords into the Cyrus Accords, bringing together a free Iran, Israel, and the Arab world.”

On relations with Washington, Pahlavi pledged a reset after decades of hostility. “Relations with the United States will be normalized, and our friendship with America and her people will be restored,” he said.

Security commitments featured prominently in his remarks. Pahlavi vowed that a new government would dismantle Iran’s nuclear military capabilities and cut off support for armed groups across the region.

“Iran’s nuclear military program will end. Support for terrorist groups will cease immediately,” he said, adding that Iran would work with international partners to combat terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and extremist Islamism. “Iran will act as a friend and a stabilizing force in the region. And it will be a responsible partner in global security.”

Economically, Pahlavi described Iran as “one of the world’s last great untapped markets,” citing an educated population and a global diaspora. He promised transparent governance, adherence to international standards, and a crackdown on corruption.

“Money laundering will be confronted. Organized corruption will be dismantled. Public institutions will answer to the people,” he said. He also said Iran’s oil and gas reserves would be managed responsibly, making the country a predictable and reliable global energy supplier.

“This is not an abstract vision. It is a practical one,” Pahlavi concluded. “The fall of the Islamic Republic and the establishment of a secular, democratic government in Iran will not only restore dignity to my people, it will benefit the region and the world.”

In 2023, Pahlavi made a landmark visit to Israel, where he visited the Western Wall, joined Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorations, and met with Rabbi Leo Dee, whose wife and daughters were murdered in a Palestinian terror attack.

Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached “a point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. During 12 days of fighting, Iranian missile strikes killed 28 Israelis and injured more than 3,000.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, MK Avi Dichter: “Just as in land-based agriculture, we are continuing the important partnership with India in water agriculture as well. Israel and India see eye to eye on a true vision for sustainable food security. This important agreement continues the previous agreement signed between the countries last April, and deals with promoting the agricultural partnership between the countries. I welcome this important step and thank my friend Minister Rajiv for the cooperation.”

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, MK Avi Dichter, and India’s Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Mr. Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Alias Lalan Singh), signed a Letter of Intent today (Wednesday, January 14) aimed at deepening cooperation between the countries in the fields of water agriculture, fisheries, and the blue economy. The signing took place during the arrival of Minister Singh and his delegation at the international conference Sea The Future 2026 for food security in water agriculture, which the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience are holding this week in Eilat. The signing marks a significant step in expanding professional relations between Israel and India, and lays the groundwork for research, technological, and economic cooperation, with an emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and strengthening food security in both countries. 

According to the declaration, cooperation between the countries is expected to focus on promoting advanced technological research and development in water agriculture, including in closed cultivation systems, bioplot (a cultivation method in which natural microorganisms improve food utilization efficiency and reduce the need for water exchange), marine cultivation facilities, aquaponics (an integrated system for raising fish.

and plants together), and algae cultivation. Furthermore, the countries will promote joint research for the development of pathogen-free fish strains, which are strains that are more resistant to diseases, and allow for more stable and efficient cultivation over time. 

Israeli innovation is also at the center of this initiative: the cooperation will include smart management of water resources through advanced Israeli water-saving technologies, alongside encouraging connections and collaborations between startups from Israel and India in the fields of water agriculture and fisheries. These steps are intended to promote innovation and strengthen the blue economy, while positioning Israel as a leading player in water technology development.

The Letter of Intent also includes strengthening trade between the countries, through professional dialogue that will help promote exports and imports and deal with trade barriers, in accordance with international trade rules. It was also agreed to examine the establishment of joint centers of excellence for India and Israel in the fields of water agriculture and fisheries, following the successful model of the joint agricultural centers of excellence already operating in India. Within this framework, the parties will continue to examine a future signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in order to strengthen cooperation between the countries.
 

By Pesach Benson • January 14, 2026

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel this week kicked off the “Sea the Future 2026” international conference on food security and aquaculture, bringing to Eilat some 400 researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry figures to discuss sustainable marine food production amid climate change and population growth.

The three-day conference, jointly led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, drew delegations from countries seeking research and technological cooperation, including the ministers of agriculture and fisheries of Ghana, India, and Azerbaijan, the deputy agriculture minister of Georgia, and professional teams from Romania and Morocco.

Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Vassaroff described the conference as part of a vision beyond Israel. “There is a shared vision here, not just for Israel but for the whole world,” he said. “What may look like a desolate desert becomes a competitive advantage. This region is a living laboratory, and Eilat is transforming from a tourism city into a hub of information and knowledge.”

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Avi Dichter said Eilat’s unique geography underscored the importance of innovation. “Here in the city of Eilat, where the desert meets the sea, innovation in aquaculture and desert agriculture is the key to strengthening food security in Israel and around the world,” Dichter said. “Our strategy is to increase local production several times over, while maintaining environmental sustainability and farmer welfare.”

The conference focuses on aquaculture as a rapidly growing source of sustainable protein, at a time when natural fishing resources face mounting pressure. Around 90 percent of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited or overfished, while aquaculture supplies more than half of global fish consumption and grows about 8 percent annually.

Sessions feature Israeli startup technologies, applied research, and panels on marine agriculture, seafood policy, and sustainable marine food systems. Yuval Lipkin, head of the Food Security Directorate, presented Israel’s National Food Security Program 2050, formulated with ministries, research institutions, and civil society.

Oren Lavie, director general of the Agriculture Ministry, said the international turnout reflected a shared understanding of the challenges. “Delegations from around the world came here with the understanding that the world needs high-quality, sustainable protein, and protein from the sea is a central part of the solution,” Lavie said. “Israel leads in knowledge, research, and startups in aquaculture, combining scientific innovation with practical application. This is the true face of Israel.”

Eilat Mayor Eli Lankari said the city’s location made it an ideal platform. “In an era of climate change and population growth, food security is a central component of global resilience,” he said. “Eilat, at the meeting point between sea and desert, provides an exceptional platform for developing advanced solutions in aquaculture, biotechnology, and renewable energy. The conference strengthens regional and international cooperation to deliver practical solutions to global food security challenges.”

By Pesach Benson • January 14, 2026

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — President Isaac Herzog sharply warned on Wednesday that refusing to follow court rulings poses a “real danger” to Israel and its democracy, calling such defiance “destructive” for the country.

Herzog’s remarks come amid repeated threats by senior cabinet ministers to ignore potential judicial orders, and after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said Monday that the government continues to violate a court order enforcing military conscription for Orthodox (Haredi) men.

Speaking at a yeshiva high school in Kfar Etzion, Herzog said, “We need to know that without a legal system we could not exist as a society and as a state. It is unthinkable that anyone would consider disobeying a court ruling. When one disobeys a court ruling, or when one calls for disobeying a ruling — one endangers the State of Israel, Israeli society, social order, and our ability to live together.”

He added, “To think that a court order should not be obeyed, or that it is forbidden to obey the court, or to say that one should not obey a ruling, is a disaster, and it is a great danger to the state. It is a real danger, and therefore I warn against it in the strongest possible terms. Do not go there, and do not speak of it. Debate, yes — debate is legitimate. But God forbid that we cast doubt on our ability to respect court rulings.”

Herzog’s warning follows a letter from three senior cabinet ministers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, stating that he should ignore a potential High Court order to remove National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from office for violating court directives on police practices. Signatories included Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Coalition Whip Ofir Katz, as well as Ben-Gvir.

The letter insisted that attempts to remove “a senior minister constitute an attempted coup against democracy.”

The Attorney General argues that Israeli law distinguishes a minister’s policy-setting powers from the police’s sole authority over operational, investigative, and enforcement decisions. The governing coalition is trying to oust Baharav-Miara from her position.

On Tuesday, United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni called on the government to disobey potential High Court of Justice rulings against efforts to legislate exemptions from army service for Israel’s Haredi community.

In recent weeks, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the government would “trample” Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, while Justice Minister Yariv Levin labeled the justices as “extremists” and called their rulings “political.”

(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)

Monday, 12 January 2026 / 23 Tevet 5786
 

Yesterday, Monday, 12 January 2026, President Isaac Herzog met with Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Motegi Toshimitsu, at the President’s Residence in jerusalem. President Herzog welcomed Foreign Minister Motegi to Israel, a visit that signifies the deepening ties between Israel and Japan.

During their meeting, President Herzog and Foreign Minister Motegi discussed the importance of implementing President Trump’s Peace Plan in Gaza, including the urgent need for the last hostage still held in Gaza—Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili—to be returned home to Israel. President Herzog and Foreign Minister Motegi also discussed how to further strengthen bilateral relations across the fields of innovation, technology, science, security, and tourism.

President Herzog: “Welcome, Foreign Minister, dear friend. It’s not the first time that you are here, not the first time that we are meeting, and I want to congratulate you on re-entering the position of Foreign Minister of Japan. I believe now the circumstances are such that we can enhance for both nations our relations in so many spheres to impact both our economies—doing good in the world together. I think we can have strategic partnerships that encompass many fields, and I think that the joint interests of our nations on various topics, including security, including science, including technology, can surpass all the targets that we’ve met in the past, and I think we can exit from the standstill that we had now towards the direction of improving both our relations and our mutual economic ties. So thank you very much for coming here, and we will end by crying out loud for the return of our missing hostage, the last one, Ran Gvili, whose family is waiting for his return and, of course, for better stability and a future of peace in the Day After in the region.

“I want to add that we look forward to the involvement of Japan in the Day After, planning the implementation of President Trump’s initiative, which was approved by the Security Council, and this is the basis for disarming Hamas and moving forward and giving hope to the children of Gaza so that they can live a decent life like the children of the region and the world. And of course, we believe that one thing has to be made clear: terror is out of the question. We will fight terror, and all regional efforts that we are carrying out are aimed at dismantling the capabilities of terror and enabling a better future for the region.”

Foreign Minister Motegi: “It is an honor to meet you again. Your Excellency, I remember our last meeting, which was four years ago when I visited here in Israel last time. Let me express my deepest condolences to the victims of the October 7th terrorist attack. Japan has strongly condemned the brutal act of terror committed by Hamas, and we also reiterate our position that Hamas must be disarmed. To improve the situation in Israel and Palestine, we believe that the steady implementation of the Comprehensive Plan is important, and Japan is ready to play an active role for that.”