As world leaders converge on New York for the UN General Assembly, Israeli-related diplomacy dominates the agenda, from a bitter exchange between Prime Minister Netanyahu and New York's mayor to Iranian signals over the Strait of Hormuz. At home, political battle lines are being drawn over judicial reform, while security agencies continue to grapple with Iranian espionage networks and threats to Gaza.

Security

Defence Minister Israel Katz has threatened to destroy the remainder of Gaza City and evacuate a million Palestinians should a hostage be taken, citing an escalating threat picture involving Iran, Turkey and Hamas proxies. Separately, an Israeli court sentenced Fares Abu al-Hija to four and a half years in prison for spying on former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and other targets on behalf of a suspected Iranian agent, receiving roughly $3,600 for his work despite failing to verify his contact's identity. On a more personal note, the Angerst family marked a milestone as Ophir enlisted in the IDF a year after his brother Matan returned from Hamas captivity, with his sister having enlisted amid the family's ordeal two years earlier.

Politics

A war of words erupted between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani ahead of the premier's address to the UN General Assembly. Mamdani, who has stepped back from a pledge to enforce the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Netanyahu, branded him an "architect of genocide" and a "war criminal" in a CNN interview, questioning "who are we to say he's above the law". Netanyahu hit back sharply, vowing to "expose the truth" about Mamdani during his UN appearance, accusing him of supporting "Hamas terror monsters" and incitement. The Prime Minister is due to land in New Jersey, rather than JFK, ahead of his speech. Domestically, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said she sees no legal grounds to disqualify most parties and candidates facing disqualification requests, with one exception: Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehade, over an article he published the day after the 7 October massacre. Gadi Eizenkot's Yisrael party has also backed his disqualification, saying his description of the Hamas attack as a historically significant event cannot be overlooked. Meanwhile, Israeli parties have set out competing plans for judicial reform ahead of the 27 October political showdown, covering issues from the override clause to judicial appointments and a possible constitution, with Likud again declining to respond to requests for its platform.

International

Iran has signalled a readiness to resume negotiations, granting its UN delegation "full mandate" and indicating the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within seven days if US military pressure eases, though a Trump-Pezeshkian meeting appears unlikely. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remains open to meeting Iranian representatives on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are meanwhile expected to see tensions flare over Iran, AI and trade during their upcoming meeting, even as both sides seek broader stability. At the UN, Iraq and Syria are pursuing new footing on the world stage, seeking investment and a fresh regional role. Iraq's disarmament deadline for pro-Iranian militias has been pushed back, with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani presenting a new plan amid reports of growing Houthi coordination with Shiite militias following attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. A Jerusalem Post analysis suggests Qatar is attempting to distance itself from Hamas as it courts Western favour, though experts note no drastic shift in Western attitudes toward Doha's self-styled peacemaker image.

Elsewhere, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Germany is "no longer safe" for Jews following the Left Party's electoral defeat in Berlin, calling it one of the most serious burdens of recent years. In Canada, political leaders condemned a shooting outside an Ontario synagogue at the start of Yom Kippur, in which a police officer was injured while preventing the gunman from reaching the building. The FBI said a Pittsburgh-area man arrested with a rifle, ammunition and knives had plotted ISIS-inspired attacks on synagogues. In Turkey, a teenager opened fire at a school with a shotgun taken from his grandfather's home, wounding at least 11 people, the third such incident in under six months following deadly shootings in Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa in April.

Health

European regulators have approved the first oral pill for treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis, sparing patients injections and their side effects. The drug, which blocks the IL-23 inflammatory receptor, achieved completely clear skin in 86% of adolescent trial participants within a year across a 2,500-patient clinical trial. Around 250,000 people in Israel live with psoriasis, including 30,000 with severe cases.

Other Developments

Culture Club frontman Boy George confirmed he will perform in Tel Aviv despite backlash over the song "We Will Dance Again", saying music should "bring people together". A wedding gift request from a Huckabee adviser to Israeli guests has drawn scrutiny, with sources telling Politico the incident raises security concerns, though David Milstein said the request for monetary gifts was meant only for family and friends and was removed once he realised it had gone to all guests.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post