The Times of Israel is liveblogging Saturday’s events as they happen.
Columbia’s interim president steps down; co-chair of board of trustees to take over
Columbia University’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, is stepping aside and the co-chair of its board of trustees, Claire Shipman, has been named acting president, the university says in a statement.
Armstrong is returning to lead the university’s Irving Medical Center, Columbia University says.
“Board of Trustees Co-Chair Claire Shipman has been appointed Acting President, effective immediately, and will serve until the Board completes its presidential search.”
The announcement of Armstrong’s resignation comes as the Trump administration has been pressing Columbia to crack down on anti-Israel activity on campus.
Man shot and seriously injured in Jaffa
A man aged around 40 was shot and seriously injured in Jaffa tonight.
He was rushed to Holon’s Wolfson Medical Center.
Police say the background for the shooting is criminal.
Dozens of medical reservists said to refuse return to Gaza combat
Dozens of reservists from the Medical Corps have declared their refusal to return to combat in the Gaza Strip, citing ethical and legal aspects and the extension of the conflict “beyond all reason,” Kan news reported this evening.
The outlet reported that a letter on the subject was signed by medical professionals of various ranks, including doctors, paramedics, mental health officers and nurses.
The reservists said the war is causing harm “to civilians on both sides, to Israel’s social fabric, and to the country’s long-term survival.”
They also noted “the takeover of territories and the call to settle them” in Gaza, “in violation of international law.”
The military is believed to be facing a growing problem of reservists not showing up for duty, both due to fatigue from many rounds of reserve duty over the past 16 months and due to rising anger at the hard-right government’s external and internal policies.
Poll: 70% of Israelis don’t trust gov’t, 66% think it’s more concerned with special interest groups than general public
Asked if they trust the current Netanyahu government, 70% of respondents said they do not, compared to 27% who said they do. Even among coalition voters, just 51% said they trust the government, compared to 36% who said they do not, according to a poll aired on Channel 12.
Asked what impact the budget passed this week by the coalition will have on Israelis’ pockets, 54% of respondents said it’ll harm their personal financial situation, 20% said it will not have an impact and only 7% said it will improve their standing.
Asked who the government is more concerned with — ultra-Orthodox Israelis and other sectors affiliated with the coalition or the entire public — just 24% of respondents said the latter, with 66% of the public saying the former groups.
Asked about the judicial overhaul legislation that the government has been advancing, just 34% of respondents said they back it, compared to 50% who said they do not and 16% who said they weren’t sure.
Asked who is better suited to serve as prime minister, 35% of respondents said Benjamin Netanyahu, compared to 26% who said Opposition chair Yair Lapid, and 33% who said neither of them, according to a poll aired on Channel 12.
When Netanyahu was polled against National Unity chair Benny Gantz, the former received 34%, compared to the latter, who received 26% — a particularly low figure for Gantz, who has long polled ahead of Lapid. Thirty-five percent of respondents said neither Netanyahu nor Gantz is suited to serve as premier.
National Unity’s No. 2 Gadi Eisenkot fared slightly better against Netanyahu, receiving 29% and dropping the “neither” category to 29%.
Polled against the left-leaning Democrats chief Yair Golan, Netanyahu received 37%, compared to the former’s 21%, while 37% said neither of them.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett is the only politician polled who performed better than Netanyahu in a head-to-head matchup, receiving 38%, compared to the current premier’s 31%, while 24% of respondents said neither of them is suited for the position.