End of August 2026 - Getting to Israel, Some Wineries and Some Politics

We have about 12 days to go until Rosh Hashanah - and we also have about 9 days to go until the Israeli candidate lists for the upcoming election are closed.  So what better time to write a blog? 

This will not be a heavily election focused blog - since we do not have enough information yet to start making serious predictions.  Some of the parties are still in a state of flux - negotiating to amalgamate, settling their candidate lists and trying to decide whether to continue.  I will include some comments - but more detailed Israeli election blogs will follow as we get closer to the election (which is taking place on October 27, 2026).

Getting to Israel - Via Lisbon, Portugal

Getting to and from Israel for Canadians is still quite a challenge.  As you know, El Al stopped its direct service to Toronto and Montreal before Covid and Air Canada's service to and from Tel-Aviv is currently suspended. Air Canada currently advises that it is scheduled to resume service between Tel-Aviv and  Toronto on January 17, 2027 but I don't think anyone should bank on that.  They have cancelled and postponed numerous times and it is probably unlikely that they will resume that date - unless there are some drastic changes to the situation in the Middle East.

We have tried flying through many different European cities, often with Air Canada from Toronto to Europe and then El Al from the European city to Israel.  This is not that easy for several reasons - you have to buy two separate tickets - and if one or the other is delayed or cancelled - you have a problem.  Secondly, you have to collect your bags (if you have checked bags) and then re-check in, often with lengthy line ups at immigration and security. Thirdly, it is very hard to find reasonably priced El  Al tickets through some of these European cities.  You could fly Arkia, Israir, Blue Bird or some other budget airlines - but that depends on your tolerance level for traveling low cost airlines.

We have found that Rome, Athens and Zurich are probably the most convenient, though the immigration line-ups at the Athens airport can be extremely lengthy, both for arriving and for departing. 

This time we tried flying through Lisbon.  The Air Canada prices to Lisbon were quite good - cheaper than most other European cities.  We were planning to spend a few days in Lisbon - but we wound up having to delay our flight - and we could not change the El Al leg from Lisbon to Tel-Aviv so we had only one day in Lisbon.

The Air Canada flight was delayed (what else is new) but ultimately we arrived only about 40 minutes late.  The Lisbon airport uses buses for a large number of its flights - so the airplane parks in the middle of nowhere and then you get on a bus to the terminal.  Much like Israel's airport was about 30 years ago.  It is especially enjoyable when it is raining heavily. 

We locked up our luggage (they have some self-service luggage storage facilities  at the Lisbon Airport that are reasonably convenient) and grabbed a cab to the centre of the city.  I had researched the cost in advance and expected to pay about 15-20 Euros for the cab ride.  The first driver refused to turn on the meter and told us it was a fixed rate of 35 Euros.  After arguing with him for a bit, we got out. The next driver had no problem putting on the meter and the cost was as expected.  Interestingly, we used Bolt on the way back (Bolt is a competitor of Uber and Lyft).  That ride on Bolt cost us 6 Euros from a similar downtown location back to the airport.  You need to  download the app - so make sure you have data on your phone.  But they are happy to use a Whatsapp number so you do  not need to have an e-sim with a European phone number. 

We wandered around different parts of Lisbon - including the old Jewish Quarter, which was interesting.  We tried some  fish at the Time Out market - but it was on pricey side and not particularly memorable.  I think we would have been better off eating at one of the outdoor cafes in the centre of the city. We took a nice walking route through several areas - and spent some time along the water.  I would happily go back to Lisbon even though the air connection is not super convenient (between Toronto and Tel-Aviv).  El Al only has one flight a day and only certain days of the week - so if your flight gets delayed or cancelled  -  you might be enjoying Lisbon  for several more days.

For Americans, life is a bit easier. El Al offers many flights through New York and a few other cities and Delta and United  have both announced that they are restarting their service to Tel- Aviv. So there are many options.  El Al's pricing through the US has been super high but it may come down with some increased competition. Personally, I would rather connect through Europe than one of the New York area airports - generally less chaotic - especially at security - and immigration (even though immigration is fairly easy for me - just long line-ups at some airports).  

I still have good benefits with Star Alliance airlines including Air Canada, Lufthansa, Aegean (through Greece) etc., and no good benefits with the other alliances.  So that makes it more worthwhile to fly through somewhere in Europe. I hope that we will soon see direct flights between Toronto and Tel-Aviv but I am not holding my breath, especially with the current political climate.  The current Canadian government  does not have a warm and fuzzy relationship with Israel - and I am sure that is playing a role in Air Canada's interest or ability to restart flights.

Wineries - Netofa and Bat Shlomo

We have visited a few wineries recently and I sometimes include some comments about some of these wineries.  As you might know - there are somewhere in the range of 300-400 wineries in Israel with the current Israeli business database listing 341 operating wineries.  Of  those, approximately 180 are Kosher, though most of the larger wineries in Israel are certified as Kosher.  In case you are wondering, approximately 25-20 of those wineries produce "mevushal" wine but it is generally the winery's lower end wine - and mostly for export to North America.  Israeli restaurants, even those under the highest levels of Kashruth supervision, do not generally serve mevushal wines - but this is all a topic for another day.

Bat Shlomo

Bat Shlomo is a boutique winery with an in-house chef not too far from Zichron Yaakov.   The winery has a  beautiful courtyard area for wine tasting and provides a plate of delicious fresh breads, spreads, jams fruit and other items, mostly grown on location or nearby.  We tasted a variety of wines and really enjoyed the wines as well as the hospitality.  The winery offers a high-end bed and breakfast experience which includes posh amenities, chef created food and prices to match. The winery and restaurant are strictly Kosher - with only dairy and fish served. We enjoyed the wines quite a bit and wound up buying a few extra bottles.  I would highly recommend a visit.

Netofa

More recently we visited Netofa Winery, which produces wines based on the French-Mediterranean style of wine making. The winery does not produce any Cabernet Sauvignon. Rather there is an emphasis on Syrah, Mourvedre and Semillon grapes as well as a few others. 

The visitor's centre has some tasty food offerings including a very nice cheese and fruit plate, with free refills of certain items. The bread was warm and fresh and the cheeses were tasty. Everything is strictly Kosher - and the host was quite friendly. But overall, we didn't love the wine. We enjoyed one of the white wines, from the higher-end Tel Qasser range - which was made from Roussanne grapes and aged for 10 months in oak barrels.  We also enjoyed the pure Syrah varietal. Overall, it was a nice place to visit but let's just say...we didn't actually buy any wine.  Of course these things are very taste specific and some people may enjoy these wines more than others since the grapes are quite different from those used by many Israeli wineries.   

Some Election News

As I mentioned earlier, I have to say something about the upcoming elections but I will keep it relatively short for. I will write more extensively between September 9 and October 27th.

First of all, things are still in a state of flux right now.  Israel uses a proportionate representation system exclusively with a cut-off of about 3.25%.  So if you put together a party and you run and get less than 3.25% of the vote - all of your votes are wasted and redistributed proportionately among the other parties.

Right now, there are about 15 different parties running in the upcoming elections that have a realistic chance of getting into the Knesset. Based on current polling, 3 of those parties are polling below the threshold and would not make it. They have a deadline of September 9th, by which time they must finalize their slates. Apparently there are all kinds of discussions taking place, especially among these smaller parties, to consider combining, amalgamating or running together.  Once the lists are finalized by September 9th, we will have a better picture of who is actually running.

Most current polls are putting the relatively new "Yashar" (Straightforward) party led by Gadi Eisenkot in the lead with between 22 and 26 seats.  Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party is polling at between 19 and 22 seats. Both numbers are probably subject to dramatic fluctuation between now and October 27, 2026. One set of polls, put out by channel 14 News in Israel (think Fox  News) is giving Netanyahu 31 seats.  Interestingly, they release less information about their polling methodology.  But most other polls including those conducted by independent pollsters, and polls run by channels 11, 12 and 13, all have similar numbers.

Of course, as you may know, just winning a plurality in Israel does not entitle you to form a government. To form a government, a party needs to cobble together a coalition with at least 61 seats (out of the 120 seat Knesset).  These coalitions are formed with formal coalition agreements - which include provisions for providing cabinet seats to coalition partners. 

Based on current polls, no party is predicted to be able to form a coalition - yet.  Eisenkot and his political allies (referred to as the "Opposition") have been polling at anywhere from 55 to 60 seats.  They are getting close but still short of the required majority to form a government.

Netanyahu and his partners - i.e. the current government - are polling at between 49 and 54 seats.  Right now, the math does not look good for Netanyahu but he probably has all kinds of strategies, tricks and events up his sleeve to implement between now and October 27, 2026.  It is anyone's guess as to whether any of this will work.

My overall comment is that most of the parties are right-leaning and so, whatever happens, it is unlikely that there will be a seismic shift in policy from any elected government.  The tone might change and some policies are likely to change, especially domestically, if there is a change in government.  But after October 7, 2023, it is highly unlikely that we will see major changes vis a vis the Palestinians or Israel's immediate neighbours.

Eisenkot is viewed as somewhat of a centrist - perhaps centre right. The only coalition partners that he would have that would be on his left would be the Democratic party run by Yair Golan and, perhaps, Lapid's half of the Yachad party (Lapid merged his party with Bennett's early this year). If Eisenkot is able to form a government without any of the ultra religious parties - we could see some major domestic policy changes - which could include laws affecting marriage in Israel (currently controlled by religious authorities), demonopolization of Kashrut laws, reduced funding for Yeshiva students, and strengthened recruitment laws for the ultra-religious and other policies that affect the power of religious institutions in Israel. We may also see increased outreach efforts to countries in Europe and other parts of the world - but I am just not  sure that this will be accompanied by any significant policy shifts.

On the other hand, I don't think that anyone can rule out Netanyahu at this point.  If he is able to win and forms another narrow right wing government - like Israel's current government - he would be likely to double down on some of the policies that his government has been implementing over the past four years.  Increased funding and authority for the ultra-religious and their monopoly over religious institutions in Israel, dismantling of the power of the Israeli Supreme Court, increasing the power and the immunity of the executive branch of government and continued movement towards eventual annexation over  most of Judea and Samaria (often  called the "West Bank"). All of this would be likely to cause long-term increased international isolation for  Israel and significant economic challenges.  At the same time, the events of October 7, 2023 have made it clear that  Israel can only rely on  itself for its own security and defence  in the long run.

Meanwhile, Bibi's criminal trial is still continuing and it is likely that it would come to an end over the course of a four year mandate. I have written about this on several occasions and continue to maintain that there will never be an actual verdict.  Netanyahu will either reach a deal for a plea bargain or a pardon at some point, or, if he gains significant political strength, he will find a way to legislate away his legal problems.  I think that this third option is the least likely - but that remains to be seen.

There is much more to write about but I will leave it at this for now and I will try to squeeze in another blog, more election focused on September 10th or 11th - as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah.   In the meantime, I wish everyone a happy last day of August - which seems to mark the unofficial end of summer in Toronto in most years.  Here in Israel, it will be quite warm for at least two more months, usually, so lots of opportunity to go for a swim at the nearby Herzliah beach.

I am looking forward to the start of NFL season, the start of the NHL season and maybe a strong last minute push by the Blue Jays to get themselves into the playoffs (they are just 1.5 games out from a wild card spot as of the time of writing of this blog).  

Latest Blog From Israel - February 2026

Good evening from Ra'anana Israel.  It has been a busy few months but I am going to cover a variety of topics - not necessarily as much focused on politics or Israeli legal developments as some of my more recent blogs.  Instead, perhaps a few other stories that might interest you.  Of course, I will probably stick some discussion of Israeli politics in here but I'm starting a bit differently.  Here goes.

1. Milk Revolution

I find this one fascinating.  "New Milk" or "HeHalav HeHadash" in Hebrew, is a new cow-free dairy product, that features real milk proteins which are identical to dairy milk.  It is produced and sold by Gad Dairies.  The "milk" is produced using yeast fermentation to create proteins in labs.  No cows, no animal product of any kind.  New Milk is designed to taste, look, smell and act like regular milk but it is lactose free and has lower sugar content then regular milk.  

Most interestingly, it has been certified as Kosher and Pareve (Neither dairy nor meat) by the highest levels of Kashruth authorities in Israel and by the OU in the U.S.  

For those who keep kosher - and would like a cappuccino or other traditionally dairy dessert after a meat meal, the options until now have included products made with soy, coconut, almonds or rice.  (Maybe there are others as well).  But this is now a game changer.  Since it looks, tastes and acts like regular milk, you can now have a regular cappuccino after a meat meal - or cheeses can be made with this product. Or many other traditionally dairy desserts. 

In Israel, for example, most wedding halls are strictly Kosher and most are designated as having meat kitchens.  After a wedding meal, you can usually get a cappuccino made using one of the milks I have mentioned above - soy, coconut, almond, rice etc.,  But these usually have their own unique taste and are not nearly the same as milk.  (Which is fine because we are used to having these rules in place).

But now - you will be able to order a cappuccino that will pretty much look and taste like a regular cappuccino.

That's just one small mention of the uses of this new milk but if it takes off, it will probably spread like wildfire in the observant Jewish community.  It is probably not Kosher for Passover (made from yeast) and is apparently nut free and lactose free.  And of course no cows are required. Sales just began in October 2025.  

I bought a container of it this week and I intend to try it.  I'll have to report back.

2. Sports News

I know some of you roll your eyes when you get to the sports section of my blog (if it is included) but it is usually connected in some way to the theme of the blog.  So bear with me.

A. Olympics

Israel has sent a delegation of 9 athletes to the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, competing in five different sports.  Israel has two skiers (alpine skiing), 4 bobsledders (a men's team), 1 cross-country skier, 1 figure skater and 1 brave soul competing in the  "skeleton."

Israel's bobsled team reported that their apartment in the Olympic village was burglarized on February 7th. Their suitcases, shoes, equipment and  passports were stolen.  The robbery is being investigated by Italian police.

Not sure whether Israel has a chance at any medals but it is nice to see some representation.

There are also at least 8 other Jewish (non-Israeli) athletes participating including Aerin Frankel, the Team USA women's hockey goaltender, Avital Carroll, a mogul skier representing Austria, Emery Lehman, a speed skater from the U.S., Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes and Jeremy Swayman, all hockey players for the U.S. men's team, and Korey Dropkin, a curler for the U.S. Yes, there are Jewish curlers.

There may be others but those are the names  I have been able to find.

Here in Israel, there are at least 4 different cable networks (sports channels) showing Olympics night and  day - including the various hockey games.  I watched the Canadian women secure their first victory and we are all set to see them face off against the Czech team tonight.  I am really looking forward to the Canadian "dream team"  hitting the ice later this week - the Canadian men's hockey team - truly an amazing chance to see Canada's best hockey players all on one team.

B. Super Bowl

Congratulations to the  Seattle Seahawks on their Superbowl win over the New England Patriots.  It was not the  most  exciting game ever though the Seattle defence was incredible.   I watched it on an Israeli  sports channel which featured Israeli commentators using  all sorts of funny lines.  My favourite was (In English with a thick Israeli accent) "the New England Patriots offence is very offensive tonight..."

Here we watched the game starting at 1:30 a.m., after seeing the Green Day kick off show at 1 a.m. I think bed time was around 5:30 a.m. after watching the final ceremonies etc.,

Can't say that I loved the Bad Bunny half-time show, though I have read some  interesting articles about everything that was referenced and can appreciate that much thought was put into it even if it wasn't my type of music.  For me, it was probably more enjoyable than the previous year's Kendrick Lamar show though there was also quite a bit of thought put into that performance - even if the music  genre wasn't my thing. I had no interest in watching the Turning Point alternative half-time show.  I'll leave it at that.

Once the Olympics end, I get a bunch of free time for other pursuits - unless I become an avid March Madness college basketball fan - though that is looking fairly unlikely as of now.  By mid to late April, hockey playoffs will start and that is one of my favourite things to watch and can be all consuming until mid-June.

3. Flights To and From Israel

As you may know, Air Canada resumed its direct flights to Israel from Toronto and I have been taking advantage of that.  The prices have been okay though they have not been filling up the planes -  perhaps because of the uncertainty as to whether Air Canada will continue to fly.  Having a direct flight is terrific, especially after not having any direct flights available during the war and before that during Covid.

El Al was apparently considering adding a range of new cities - some were hoping that would include Toronto.  But instead, El Al announced a number of new direct destinations from Israel - Hanoi, Manila and Seoul and a number of others - but still no Toronto.

Meanwhile, Air Canada completely revamped its Aeroplan program effective January 1, 2026, to focus almost exclusively on money spent with Air Canada rather than miles travelled.  This is a terrible change for long distance "commuters" who were able to pick up lots of Aeroplan miles at a fairly reasonable cost. Now, the more you spend, the more Aeroplan points you get and that is just about it.

To give you an example, I was flying "Flex" between Toronto and Tel-Aviv, which meant earning 5,750 each way or 11,500 for a round trip in 2025.  In addition, "Super Elite" members would get a bonus of another 5,750 each way, while 75K status members would get 4,312.  This means that for a round trip up to December 31, 2025, I was earning a total of about 23,000 Aeroplan miles for one round trip to Israel.

I flew back in January, from Toronto to Tel Aviv, in flex and I earned a total (including bonuses) of 4,875 (instead of 11,500 including bonuses).

So for flyers like me, the program represents a massive devaluation.

On the other hand, if you go to Israel from Toronto  4 times a year and you buy business class tickets, let's say at $8,000 Canadian per round trip ticket, you would make Super Elite and enjoy all of the benefits that entails.

4. Stuart Razin Z"L

I recently lost a good friend, teacher, mentor (and avid blog reader of mine).  Stuart Razin z"l passed away on January 17th.  

Stuart had served as the Executive Director of Beth Tikvah Synagogue in Toronto where had played a key role in overseeing the growth of Beth Tikvah into a 1000+ member shul.

Before taking on the Executive Director role, he had served as the Principal of the school and had run the Hebrew High School program.  I had the privilege of studying Holocaust literature with him.

I also worked with him as a Board Member of the shul while he was the Executive Director.  One of the most memorable events that we worked on together was a fundraising concert where the great Israeli singer Chava Alberstein came to perform at Beth Tikvah.

Stuart and his late first wife Marsha Razin z"l made Aliyah to Israel, where their three children lived (or were in the process of moving to). Marsha was a wonderful and engaging teacher.  Stuart and Marsha shared a wonderful life together for many years. After Marsha died, Stuart remarried to Jennifer.  Stuart was tragically predeceased by his son Gideon 2019.  Stuart will be missed by his large extended family of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so many people who loved him.

Over the years, Stuart and I spoke regularly.  He attended  at our family simchas and we would get together with him regularly.

Stuart was always up to date on the latest current events.  He took an active interest in Israeli, American and Canadian politics and loved to speak for hours about the latest developments.  He would regularly read this blog and then call or write to me to discuss things that I wrote.

While at Beth Tikvah, Stuart had been known for his amazing memory and his attention to each and every one of the members. He took a keen interest in people.  He would ask about each family member, how they were doing, what they were up to - and then he would remember all of the information and keep it updated. He genuinely cared about each and every one of the people with whom he interacted.

For me and my family, he was always a pleasure to speak to, and always had interesting things to say and principled points of view.  He was a true mensch and someone who I will dearly miss.

5. Israel - Latest News

I do not have too much to write this time - not because of a lack of topics - but more in the interest of keeping this blog to a reasonable length.  Instead I will quickly mention a few things:

A. Iran

We continue to wait to see what the U.S. will do and whether it will attack Iran, either to harm Iran's nuclear ambitions, to damage Iran's missile program or to try to foment regime change in Iran. There has been lots of rhetoric, lots of threats and lots of speculation.  An attack on Iran may well draw Israel into a war and we may face large barrages of missile attacks.  Whether this will occur or not is unclear - and probably depends as much as anything on which side of the bed President Trump wakes up on any given day. Israelis seem to be relatively relaxed about it, all things considered, but it is a real powder keg that could go off any day.

B. Gaza

There continues to be a great deal of uncertainty as to how Gaza will be governed going forward, whether Hamas will disarm, whether there will be further rounds of intense fighting - and what, if anything, the U.S. and the international community will do to affect things in Gaza.  Frankly, I have no idea where this is all headed but I am hoping that there will be some level of stability for Gaza and in the whole region.

C. Syria

With U.S. involvement, some progress seems to be taking place with Syria. For example, the Syrian government  this week announced that it would restore a synagogue in Aleppo and permit or even encourage free Jewish worship there.  If that is the start of a genuine change - we might even be able to visit Damascus in my lifetime (and perhaps Beirut).  Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but anything is possible and these are really amazing developments.

D. Netanyahu's Trial

Prime Minister Netanyahu's trial continues to plug along.  He is involved in several "fronts" to try to get out of it - including a possible plea bargain deal, a request for a pardon from the President of Israel (including recruiting Trump to pressure the President of  Israel) and the possibility of a legislated end to the trial (which would probably never get passed the Israeli Supreme Court).   The clock is ticking for Bibi and I believe he is hoping to get this all resolved before Israel's elections - scheduled to take place later this year. For Bibi trial watchers, this should be a really interesting period of  time.

E. Israeli Elections

Israel will have an election this year before the end of October 2026.  Some new parties are still in the process of amalgamating, registering or redefining themselves.  We will probably not have the final list  of competing parties and configurations until much closer to the election date.  However, the polls are now predicting a fairly close race - with Prime  Minister Netanyahu still having a reasonable shot at winning once again, much to the  chagrin of his many detractors.  Israeli politics promises to be super interesting over the coming months.

Okay these were all of the things I planned to cover for now.  I will probably write a few much more political blogs in the coming months - as Israeli elections approach.  For now, let's all  enjoying the remaining month or so of winter and get ready for Purim which takes place starting on March 2, 2026 in the evening.  Here in Ra'anana it is about 22C during the day.  While I was in Toronto, we enjoyed a few days of -24C weather - which meant a 46C spread from one place to the other.  That's a very big shift in temperature. 

So to those of you in North America - it's "stay warm" and to those here in Israel - it's "enjoy the weather"  (even though Israelis are upset that it is not yet warm enough to swim in the Mediterranean - though that can change as soon as early March).

Best regards to all - and for the most part, based on those reading this - stay warm!

End of 2025 Blog - Various Israel Issues

As 2025 CE comes to a close and we begin 2026 (it's still 5786 according to the Jewish Calendar), I thought I would try to get one more blog together before all the festivities begin.  Okay, the truth is that here in Israel, there aren't that many festivities.  There are a bunch of parties around the country for sure, and lots of celebrations taking place.  But in Israel, December 31st and Jan 1st are  normal work days - where everything is pretty much business as usual.  In many parts of the country - people celebrate "Sylvester" parties - sometimes - even with a trees (the Russian/ Eastern European influence) but many people I know are not doing that much.  Despite that - I still wish everyone a very happy New Year - with the hopes that 2026 will bring good news, peace in the many places of the world that are involved in conflicts - and the best of health.

There is a great deal to write about and, as usual, I will probably wind up covering a variety of topics.  I will write until I have had enough and then leave some things to discuss for next blog.

I thought I would start this time with a few completely non-political things (though everything in Israel tends to be political somehow...).  

The Hoopoe

 The Hoopoe.  We have had lots of rain, on and off the past few weeks.  We   decide to go for a walk yesterday in Park Yarkon in Tel-Aviv during a break   in the weather - since the sun had come out.  There we were fortunate to see   a bunch of these - Israel's national bird - the Hoopoe (in Hebrew the "Duchifat").  In case you are wondering - these birds are   specifically listed   in  the Torah as "unclean" and not Kosher, which is   interesting.  Perhaps,   those who picked the bird as Israel's national bird   wanted to make sure that   Israelis would not eat up a part of their national heritage.  In any event, this   was the best photo I could get.  When the bird   spreads out its feathers, it is   reminiscent of a peacock - though less colourful.   But as you might know, I   love taking pictures of birds - and this was a great opportunity.  

Strawberries. My second note relates to some of the great fruit we have this time of year. As you might know, Israeli fruit is particularly seasonal - and largely home grown.  While Israel does import some fruit (more in recent years),  a large percentage of the produce is domestically grown.  This time of year we have wonderful citrus fruit, grown in Israel - oranges of all types, grapefruit, pomelos, as well as kiwis, apples and many other fruit.  But I have to say that the strawberries here are exceptional.  Israeli strawberries are only available from November until late April.  But they are big, juicy, sweet and unlike most other strawberries I have had.  In the Ra'anana area - part of the "Sharon Region," there are many strawberry fields and places selling freshly picked strawberries by the box (usually half or full kilos).  So we stopped today at one of these fields and picked up some absolutely delicious strawberries.  If you are in Israel between November and April - the strawberries might be one of the highlights of your visit (even if you are much more of a cherry and pineapple person like I am...).

Some News Items

Where to start?  There is always so much going on here politically that it is hard to choose what to write about it.  But I thought I would pick a few things and provide a few comments.

2026 - An Election Year in Israel and Bibi's Quest for a Pardon

As you might know, 2026 will be an election year in Israel - assuming nothing extraordinary happens.  The election is supposed to take place by October 27, 2026 - though like in any parliamentary democracy - the election occurs whenever the government falls (or dissolves itself) thought it must take place by a certain date - but not necessarily on that date.  It is far too early to get into a discussion of what might happen - since we do not yet know which parties will be running (for sure). There  may be some new parties, some parties might drop out and some parties might combine.  Still lots of time.  One thing I would say that we can predict - is that Prime Minister Netanyahu ("Bibi') will want to get his criminal trial resolved before the election.  And he is making significant efforts to do that.

Bibi's trial is progressing, albeit at a relatively slow pace.  But according to most objective commentators that I have read - the trial is not going particularly well for Bibi.  It is highly unlikely that he could succeed in getting a not guilty verdict on all charges.  Anything  is possible - but Bibi and his legal team realize that it is simply far too risky to leave his fate with the judges. Although Bibi and his team of advisors constantly denounce the proceedings and claim that the case against him is "sewn together," "collapsing" and has "no chance," the reality is clearly otherwise.  Parenthetically, I note that many of the comments that Bibi and his team have made publicly about the trial would probably be viewed as "contempt of court" in many other places.

As a result, Bibi and his legal team filed a lengthy pardon request with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog.  Herzog has the power, under Israeli law, to grant a pardon.  However, pardons in Israel have usually only been granted where there is an admission of wrongdoing, a request for leniency and a conviction or the likelihood of a conviction.  Apparently, Bibi's lengthy letter includes attacks on the court system, the prosecution, the investigators and just about everyone else.  In an normal world, this type of request would have no chance of success since it does not involve admission of wrongdoing, contrition or any basis for the granting of the pardon.  

Netanyahu's letter has been characterized instead as a request to stop the trial - not a traditional pardon.  Bibi is essentially saying - "for the sake of national unity, it makes sense to stop this trial against me - even though I would eventually win.  If you do that - I can bring about national unity."  There are many problems with this, obviously.  But some commentators have suggested that President Herzog will agree, even if it does not seem to be an appropriate request.  For one thing, Herzog was elected by the Israeli Knesset as the President with significant backing from Netanyahu.  He is not a particularly strong figure and, quite simply, he may not be able to withstand the pressure that he is facing - from Bibi and his supporters.

To add to the pressure, President Trump has jumped into the fray.  Trump has sent an official letter asking Israel to pardon Bibi and he has raised the issue in several speeches. Just yesterday - at a press conference at Mari Logo in Florida, President Trump called, again, for a pardon.  He said "I spoke to President Herzog and I was assured that it was on the way."  Shortly afterwards - Herzog issued a form of denial (though more of a "non-denial denial" I would say).  In any case, the level of interference here by Trump and other Republicans in a domestic Israeli matter is astounding and I think, unprecedented.

Commentators here believe that Netanyahu is actively requesting Trump's help to get the pardon.  These are desperate moves - but Netanyahu is in a desperate place with his trial.

On balance, I have consistently said that I do not believe that this case will ever get to a verdict. My view was (and is) that it would likely end with a plea bargain of some sort and/or a  pardon.  At this point, it seems more and more likely that President Herzog will grant some sort of pardon to Netanyahu though the details and terms (if any) of that pardon remain to be seen.

Somaliland

As you might know, Israel become the first country in the word, this week, to recognize the country  of  Somaliland, a breakoff Muslim republic which was formerly part of Somalia.  Like many people, I had never heard of Somaliland before.  But the people of Somaliland are thrilled.  They are waving Israeli flags, welcoming Israeli visitors and talking about cooperation in many different ways.  Somaliland is right across the water from Yemen and would provide Israel with some very strategic opportunities to fight back against the Houthis (who were sending missiles to Israel from October 2023 until the cease fire).

Somaliland has apparently indicated a willingness to accept a large number of Gazan refugees, though I am not sure that the Gazans actually want to go there.

It is striking that so many countries have denounced Israel for recognizing Somaliland (Turkey has made some really outrageous comments, for example), even while many of these same countries have recognized "Palestine" - including Canada.  Unlike Somaliland, Palestine does not have a defined territory, an operational government or many of the other trappings of a state that Somaliland has in place.  Turkey, of course, is certainly worried that parts of its territory could form part of "Kurdistan" or Armenia.  And many other countries have their own territorial concerns.  But the hypocrisy is staggering.

Not sure how this is all going to work out - and we do not have any current plans to visit Somaliland.  But who knows?  Maybe one day.  It apparently has some very nice beach front. Maybe Trump will build some resorts there.  

Iran

The news coming from Iran is fascinating. As you have probably seen, there are demonstrations across the country, many calling for the end of the current dictatorship. These are apparently the result of  a massive increase in the  cost of living and huge economic problems in the country.

Meanwhile, President Trump has stated that he would back further attacks on Iran to limit its ballistic missile program or to destroy its nuclear program.  At the same time, President Trump has clearly called for negotiations with Iran to reach a new nuclear treaty.

As I watch some live news now, there are reports that demonstrators in Iran have broken into government buildings and have really increased the level of violence.  The Iranian government is responding with arrests and violence.

Of course, I am not in any position to predict how this might go. But Israel had diplomatic relations with Iran before the Iranian revolution in 1979.  Although the current Iranian regime has been a bitter enemy of Israel - Israelis believe that Iran is one of the best potential peace partners for the future - since Israelis believe that most of the Iranian people do not share the Iranian governments hatred of Israel.  

If there is a regime change in Iran at some point, I believe that the possibilities for peace in the Middle East would advance significantly. 

Gaza

The future of Gaza seems very unclear to me.  According to Trump's ceasefire plan, Hamas was supposed to return all of the Israeli hostages (living and deceased), to give up its weapons and to allow  a new authority to take over and run Gaza.  Although almost all of the hostages have now been returned -there is one left - Ron Gvilli - who is presumed dead - Hamas has not shown any interest in demilitarizing and, on the contrary, seems to be rearming - and trying to reestablish control over Gaza.

Bibi's right wing partners including Ben-Gvir and Smotrich - would like Israel to send more troops to Gaza and take complete control over the entire territory.  On the other hand, the Trump plan calls for an end to the war, for the Israeli troops to leave (over time) and for a multi-national group - to run Gaza (though not Hamas).  

It seems unlikely to me that Trump will give Netanyahu or his coalition any kind of "green light" for further operations in Gaza in the near term- unless Hamas crosses certain lines with actions that it takes.  That being said, I am not sure how Trump is going to bring about the demilitarization of Hamas, the takeover of Gaza by an international coalition etc.,  This remains to be seen.

I should note that several countries including Great Britain, France and Canada have criticized Israel for refusing to allow some agencies to work freely in Gaza.  But as we have seen in the news, many of these "charitable" organizations - like UNWRA - were hosting and supporting terrorists and included members who were involved in the the October 7, 2023 massacres in Israel.  Many of the alleged Gazan "reporters" who were killed during the war were actually terrorists and Hamas fighters disguised as reporters.  Gazan hospitals were also used as Hamas bases - and some hostages were even held in Gazan hospitals.

Qatargate

As if Bibi didn't have enough problems - the Qatargate scandal has gained quite a bit of publicity and attention this past week in Israel.

In short, Bibi apparently had a number of advisors working for him - during the war (and even now) who were also being paid by the Qatari government. One of these was Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu's 

spokesman for military affairs.  Others involved include Yisrael Einhorn, Ofer Golan, and Yonatan Ulrich.

In short the allegations include claims that Feldstein leaked highly confidential intelligence documents to a German newspaper - which would have the effect of helping Bibi to reject calls for a ceasefire.  The leaks also embarrassed the Egyptian government.

As the matter came to light and the Shin Bet was called upon to investigate, Netanyahu fired the head of the Shin Bet and sought to replace him with someone much more favourable to Netanyahu.

Ultimately, Ulrich and Feldstein were arrested and charged and are awaiting trial.  

Feldstein was interviewed last week by Israeli TV  in a three part nationally televised interview (stretching over three evenings in prime-time) where he basically suggested (sometimes explicitly sometimes implicitly) that all of these advisors and Netanyahu knew exactly what was going on, that the actions taken were taken at the behest of Netanyahu and that Feldstein is being made the fall guy for what he did - even though he was serving the country as requested.

I have no way to assess how much of Feldstein's interview was true.  However, it is undeniable that Netanyahu had several advisors working for him who were on the Qatari payroll.  If Netanyahu did not know that they were acting against Israel's interest while working in his office - that would suggest a high level of incompetence for someone who is very much a detail person and stays on top of all of the goings on in his office.  On the other hand, if Feldstein's version is correct, then advisors in Netanyahu's closest circles were actively collaborating with an enemy regime - while that regime was acting as Hamas' agent in the cease fire negotiations.

There is quite a stink here - and it certainly seems to add up to a number of charges of Treason - perhaps running to the very top.  Much more serious than Bibi's current legal troubles.  Perhaps that is why Bibi is so interested in getting a pre-emptive pardon - that shields him from everything.

Threats Against the Supreme Court

This week, Israeli Finance Minister, Betzalel Smotrich, from the far right Religious Zionist party went on a rant against the Israeli Supreme Court and, in particular the head of the Court, Yitzhak Amit.  Smotrich claimed that the Supreme Court has "trampled" the rights of Israelis by making "violent decisions" that deprive Israelis of their rights.  As he result, he said it was time that Yitzhak Amit himself be "trampled."  I am not making this up.  I have seen the interview several times now.  Moreover, a few of Netanyahu's cabinet ministers agreed and and said that Smotrich's calls should be "acted on."  

You cannot spin this in very many ways.  It is completely shocking, unacceptable and extremely dangerous.  A sitting cabinet minister in the Israeli government making death threats against  the head of the Supreme Court.   

The leader of the Democrat Party (an amalgam of the former Labour Party and the former Meretz Party) Yair Golan called for a police investigation and called for Smotrich to be charged and brought to justice.  Not likely to happen at this point  but this was a frightening escalation of the rhetoric by the Israeli far right against the Supreme Court.  Of  course given the steps taken by Simcha Rotman and Yariv Levin, and their proposed Judicial Revolution, these types of comments did not come out of the blue - even though this type of outright threat of violence is a marked escalation.

So far, most members of Netanyahu's party, with a  handful of exceptions, have been remarkably silent in response.

More about the Trump Netanyahu Meeting This Week

I couldn't finish this blog without mentioning some of the lovefest comments that Bibi and Trump shared this week at Mari Lago.  

Trump slathered Bibi with compliments, calling him an incredible leader and saying that Israel might not exist today if it weren't for Bibi.  I'm not even sure that Bibi's most ardent supporters believe that. As mentioned above, Trump also said that he was doing his best to get Bibi his pardon and that had been assured by President Herzog that it was "on the way."

Meanwhile, Bibi called Trump the greatest friend Israel has ever had "by far" and, through one of his ministers, Yoav Kish, on a cell phone call in the middle of the press conference, announced that Trump would be given the "Israel Prize" in April 2026.  This is a prize given annually to an Israeli, regarded as Israel's highest cultural honour.  There are strict conditions - for example the Prize is given to Israeli citizens or Israel-based companies.  It also carries a monetary gift.

Given Trump's successful efforts in bringing about a cease fire, arranging for the return of the hostages, and pushing for broader Middle East peace, it certainly makes sense for Israel to  honour Trump's accomplishments.  But given that the Prime Minister, pushing for the award to be bestowed on Trump, is also actively seeking Trump's support to get a pardon - well the whole thing just seems like a wee bit of a conflict of interest.  (Just a wee bit of course).

Perhaps Trump will also spend some time in Israel during election time, actively campaigning for Bibi.  After all, Netanyahu did whatever he could during the U.S. election to help Trump.

Spreading Anti-Semitism

As you know, anti-Semitic attacks, demonstrations and rhetoric have been spreading like wildfire across the world.  The attack in Australia during the lighting of candles on Chanukah was shocking and devastating.  In the U.S., the language coming from a wide variety of actors in the right - including Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens and even JD Vance is getting ever more frightening.

In Canada this week, as shoppers were headed to the malls for boxing day sales, extremist protestors unfurled Palestinian flags and took over large public areas in several large shopping malls including the Toronto Easton Centre with slogans calling for the "globalization of the intifada" shouted by masked protestors.  This in a country with some extremist anti-Israel (and even anti-Semitic) leaders including Toronto's Mayor Chow and the Prime Minister himself, Mark Carney.

In New York, the city is now headed by a virulently anti-Israel Mayor and the consequences of that election remain to be seen for the Jewish community in New York.  But it is hard to imagine  that the New York Jewish community should feel particularly safe with that type of Mayor.

Jewish communities around the world are facing simultaneous threats from the far right and the far left - collaborating with Jihadist extremist Muslims.  Hopefully, all of these trends will somehow be reversed but it is hard to see when and how this will happen.

Sometimes Israel seems like the answer - a haven for Jews from all of these threats.  At the same time, as I have discussed above, there are growing threats to the viability of Israeli democracy internally and that is also a threat for the Jewish people, in Israel and worldwide.

Sports  

I feel like I have to lighten up things by finishing with a comment or two about sports.

Here are some interesting comments.

First of all, in the hockey world, Israeli defenseman Zeev Buium was traded to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the multi-player package sent to the Minnesota Wild for superstar Quinn Hughes. Buium was born in the U.S. to Israeli parents.  His mother played professional basketball in Israel for a period for of time.  I believe he is already the most successful Israeli NHL hockey  player (if not the only one).  Since the trade, the Canucks have played much better and Buium has been thrown into a very key role for the team.

In NBA basketball, Israeli Deni Avdija is one of the highest all star vote getters so far this year.  He is currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers and formerly played for Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel.  According to reports, Avdija sat out a pre-season game in 2024 to observe Yom Kippur.  This season, Avdija is 15th in the NBA in points per game and 12th in assists.  His Portland Trail Blazers are not tearing up the league with their 14-19 record - but they do have a chance of making the playoffs.

Meanwhile, I am trying to stay on top of the annual world Junior Hockey Tournament - as of this writing Canada was undefeated - with the toughest challenge - a game scheduled against Finland due to take place tonight.  But it is very hard to watch these games in Israel since no sports station carries them. Only through creative streaming solutions - but that assumes I want to watch from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.

I am also looking forward to the NFL playoffs and hoping that the Buffalo Bills will finally get somewhere, especially now that they will not have to play against Kansas City.  (Though there are certainly a number of very good teams in the AFC). Mostly these games are widely televised on Israeli TV and are at a more manageable time.

Flying

El Al has announced massive sales especially for trips to and from Europe.   For North America, they are still quite expensive - and they are still not flying directly to Canada.

As a result, I am taking advantage of the fact that Air Canada has restored direct service to and from Israel.  That will certainly make my life much easier in 2026, assuming that the current cease fires that are in place hold up.

With that, I think I will end my update for 2025 and wish everyone a terrific 2026 - a year of good health, worldwide peace, and all good things.  As usual, I welcome your comments, compliments, disagreements, attacks (within reason) and other input. Happy New Year.