* Defense Minister Israel Katz:* Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he has decided to approve the list of appointments in the IDF for the ranks of colonel and lieutenant colonel as recommended by the Chief of Staff. The Minister of Defense has decided not to approve at this stage the appointments of the two officers from the Southern Command, Lake Officer Ephraim Avni and Engineering Officer Almog Dadon, who are designated for promotion, until he thoroughly examines their connection to the events of October 7 and their performance during the war. As part of examining the issue, he intends to also meet with the observer families from the Nahal Oz outpost to allow them to voice their position on the issue. *Communications of the Minister of Defense*

The government unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Yehiel Leiter as Israel's ambassador to the United States The government has now unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Yehiel Leiter as Israel's ambassador to the United States. Dr. Leiter is scheduled to replace Ambassador Mike Herzog on January 24. Before that, the two are expected to have an overlapping procedure. The appointment was approved after the appointments committee headed by the Civil Service Commissioner recommended that Leiter be appointed to the position and was impressed by his special skills. In the committee's opinion, it was noted that it was very impressed with Dr. Leiter, from his unique experience, his value-oriented personality and his good familiarity with the areas of occupation of the position and the challenges that lie ahead. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar: "Dr. Yehiel Leiter brings with him to the position professionalism, a deep understanding of the relationship between the countries and a clear commitment to representing Israel's national interests. I am convinced that he will make a significant contribution to strengthening the relationship The most important of the State of Israel - with the USA.'' The Foreign Minister also noted at the meeting his appreciation for the dedicated, good and professional work done in Washington in recent years by the outgoing ambassador Mike Herzog.

Ministers attacked at the cabinet meeting the words of former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen when meeting with the press Justice Minister Yariv Levin: "This is a crazy statement. When he was head of the Shin Bet, he prevented any criticism of the service. This reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of his role and status. And this is very dangerous in view of the means at the Shin Bet's disposal and that these days we see being used against Eli Feldstein and soldiers. I would like to take this opportunity to contact legal counsel and call on him to verify the protection of civil rights. They said nothing and there is no firm statement regarding Yoram Cohen's words and Feldstein's investigation. Must stand up clearly and clearly against statements that reflect a general view of the heads of the organization.' Defense Minister Israel Katz: "As soon as the former finish their job, they have no information and are only commentators - and bad commentators." But this time it is not just a commentary, but incitement against the prime minister. The political level is the one that decides.'

Announcement from the Government of Israel: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu strongly condemns the act of violence against Central Command Major General Avi Belot. This condemnation was joined by all the ministers of the government. All violence directed against IDF officers and soldiers must be punished. The Prime Minister appreciates the important work for the security of the country that Champion Belot does - especially these days.

*The government cuts all ties with the newspaper "Haaretz"* *The government today (Sunday) unanimously approved the proposal of Communications Minister Dr. Shlomo Karai to all government bodies or those funded by it, not to contact the newspaper "Haaretz" in any way and not to publish any publications in it* The Minister of Communications, with the approval of the Prime Minister, put forward the proposal as an addition to the government's agenda. The decision came in the wake of many articles that damaged the legitimacy of the State of Israel in the world and its right to self-defense, and in particular in light of the recent words of the publisher of the "Haaretz" newspaper, Amos Shoken, who expressed himself at the newspaper's conference in London by way of support for terrorism and calling for the imposition of sanctions against the government: "Palestinian terrorists are fighters Freedom and sanctions should be imposed on the Prime Minister and Ministers Smotritz and Ben Gvir," and: "The Netanyahu government does not care about ruling Apartheid is cruel to the Palestinian population." We must not allow a reality in which the publisher of an official newspaper in the State of Israel will call for the imposition of sanctions against it and will support the enemies of the state in the midst of a war and will be financed by it, while international bodies are undermining the legitimacy of the State of Israel, its right to self-defense and are actually imposing sanctions against it and its leaders (including criminal sanctions).

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the beginning of the cabinet meeting: "The State of Israel will act by all means and bring justice to Kogan's killers and their messengers" The full words: "At the beginning of my words I want to express deep shock - on my behalf, on behalf of all members of the government, on behalf of the citizens of Israel and on behalf of the entire Israeli people - at his kidnapping And the murder of the late Tzvi Kogan, the name Yakim Damo. This murder was committed in the United Arab Emirates. The murder of an Israeli citizen and a Chabad emissary is a criminal anti-Semitic terrorist attack. I also send my heartfelt condolences on your behalf to the Kogan family. The State of Israel will act by all means, and bring justice to the murderers and their messengers. None of them will be cleansed. I greatly appreciate the cooperation with The United Arab Emirates in the investigation of the murder We will strengthen them, and we will also work to expand the stability in the area. Yesterday, the Hamas terrorist organization published a document in which the body of one of our abductees can be seen Our hearts go out to the mother. It's hard to describe the nightmare she's going through. We hug the family and the abductions, and of course to return both the lives and the spaces. We are working for this sacred goal all the time, also yesterday, also today. We are trying to exhaust every opportunity, every opening, and I will not expand on the matter last week, and I am going back And I say again today: anyone who dares to harm the lives of our abductees - blood on their head. And on the other hand I said, and I still say today: anyone who gets a hostage out of Gaza alive will receive five million dollars, and others who bring valuable information will also be rewarded. I appeal from here to the residents of Gaza: you can choose life and secure your future and the future of your family, or you can cling to destruction and death. The decision is in your hands, choose life.'

Gilad Cohen Boyent: Netanyahu wants to postpone his testimony

Announcement from the Legal Adviser to the Government MK Gottlieb's private bill turns the immunity of Knesset members into a de facto sanctuary city from criminal investigation and prosecution and from filing civil lawsuits and creates an elevated layer from the people, even in cases that do not pertain to their parliamentary duties. The opinion of the legal adviser to the government states that the proposal is contrary to the principles of equality before the law and the rule of law, does not pass constitutional tests and should not be advanced.

It's not even noon yet and the ombudsman has already issued a second opinion against the coalition: she is now writing against the very existence of the possibility of closing public broadcasting, against the closing of current affairs broadcasts in particular and quoting the retired judge Meltzer: "When public broadcasting is established - it must not be canceled".

Important correction: it's already noon

A man was moderately-seriously injured by shrapnel in the Upper Galilee since this morning: more than 150 launches from Lebanon to the north and the center A woman was moderately injured in Petah Tikva Another number of minor injuries

"And here I am now going to Mount Herzl like a man visiting his childhood home. Comes there several times a week. I am an exception in this even within my family, I think. It is very difficult for my mother to stand in front of the grave; It breaks her completely. But for me it's a pleasant, almost casual visit: I don't talk to him or read things out loud to him. just sitting Caresses the tombstone sometimes. Sometimes he lights a candle, or plants bulbs. If I remember to carry it with me, then I read The Name of the Spirit there, a fantasy book that Ethan loved terribly (it's so boring that I can't read it anywhere else). In the end, I pick myself up, knock twice on the tombstone, get on the bike and continue from there.' The writer is the sensitive and wise Alik Oster, Eitan's brother who fell in Lebanon on Rosh Hashanah Eve. The time is six days ago. The day before yesterday, as described here, he took his bicycle and rode from the house in Katmanim to his brother in Mount Herzl. A bus hit him and since then he has been sedated and ventilated. The family wishes to say psalms for his recovery https://new.tehilimyahad.com/mr.jsp?r=P4ZmHERFAtn

About 200 launches from Lebanon tonight: Netanyahu is expected to hold a discussion on the negotiations for the settlement in Lebanon

The law for closing the corporation was approved for preliminary reading

What happened today that there are so many launches and so few Air Force strikes? Is it the weather, the rainiest and most cloudy of the year?

President Herzog: "We are at a critical point. Critical! As far as kidnappings and abductees are concerned. We have many achievements in this difficult campaign, but we also have to say honestly - every day that they are not here with us - our failure! We must understand and accept that if we do not return them home we will give up With a bleeding and open wound that will forever burn our souls as a society and as a nation. We must act in all fields and in all ways, and do everything urgently to bring them home I said two weeks ago to the incoming President Donald Trump in my conversation with him, and also to the outgoing President Joe Biden in the White House"

As part of a security discussion, Minister Ron Dermer harshly criticized the ombudsman who, according to him, sabotaged the establishment of the government inspection committee, which was supposed to include international observers (like the Turkel Committee), thereby avoiding the chance of stopping the imposition of the arrest warrants. Beharve-Miara supported the establishment of a state commission of inquiry.

The Emirates: We arrested three suspects in the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan

Yona is one of the worst wounded in the war. Hospitalized since October 7

IDF Spokesman: The IDF attacked 12 military headquarters of Hezbollah in Da'ha in Beirut: the headquarters of the intelligence headquarters, unit 4400 and the organization's coastal missile unit were attacked. The Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Da'ha area in Beirut, between the headquarters that were attacked, headquarters of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters, the organization's coastal missile unit and Hezbollah's unit 4400, the belief in the transfer of weapons from Iran through Syria to Lebanon. IDF forces operating in southern Lebanon. The attacks are an important part of the IDF's operation to damage the capabilities of the terrorist organization Hezbollah to carry out various terrorist acts against the State of Israel. All of the targets that were attacked were deliberately placed by Hezbollah in the heart of the civilian population. This is another example of the terrorist organization Hezbollah's cynical use of Lebanese citizens as human shields. Prior to the attack, many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including gathering preliminary intelligence, accurate observation and advance warnings to evacuate the population in the area.