[85287] Daily Update: Dramatic Testimony in Netanyahu Trials, Security Tensions, and Political Shifts

News Highlights for June 16, 2026

The Netanyahu Trial: The Testimony of Eli Levi

On the legal front, Eli Tzipori reports on the testimony of Eli Levi, former director of the investigations department at the Israel Securities Authority. According to the report, Levi admitted that he acted to collect materials on Netanyahu without a judicial warrant during the Bezeq investigation, even before Netanyahu was defined as a suspect. Levi noted in his testimony: "I believed at that time that it was permissible to do so," despite Judge Bar-Am's remark that "according to the law, the computer requires a warrant."

Security Tensions on the Ground

In the security sector, News from the Field on Telegram published footage of interceptions seen over the skies of Metula this morning. At the same time, the Hot News channel documented an incident that took place at the Hasmonean Crossing. Both channels are identified with a line supporting a hard-handed approach against security threats.

Shifts in the Political System

In the political arena, Michael Shemesh reports that against the backdrop of a decline in the polls, Naftali Bennett called on Eizenkot in an interview with 103FM to unite: "Let's go into a room and not leave until white smoke comes out." Bennett also addressed Lapid, whom he called an "excellent Foreign Minister," and expressed confidence in his ability to defeat Netanyahu: "I know how to look Bibi in the whites of his eyes and defeat him."