Day: June 21, 2026

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 21 June 2026

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What’s happening in Israel today? See from every Monday – Thursday LOTL’s The Israel Brief broadcasts and on our Facebook page and YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africa and millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA, broadcasting out of Virginia, USA.

THE ISRAEL BRIEF –15-18 June 2026
(Click on the blue title)



Lay of the Land’s Photo Pick of the Week

ISRAEL’S WAR WITHIN

Blocking more than roads, ultra-Orthodox (Hareidi) block way forward to societal cohesion

Police intervene as ultra-Orthodox Jews block roads in Jerusalem on June 10, 2026, where crowds gathered to protest against compulsory military service. This photo captures pictorially the HEATED debate over the question: “What constitutes a Jewish state”?
(Photo: Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)




ARTICLES

Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.

(1)

FROM AN AILING KING SAUL TO A FAILING “KING BIBI” – TIME FOR CHANGE

Promises, platitudes and politics is all that is left on offer from Israel’s prime minister.
By David E. Kaplan

Beyond the Bluster. In a De Gaulle mode of Je suis la France (“I am France”), Bibi believes he is indispensable to Israel – that he embodies the Jewish State. He doesn’t; the people do. His greatest act now will be to make way for new generational leadership.

FROM AN AILING KING SAUL TO A FAILING “KING BIBI” – TIME FOR CHANGE
(Click on the blue title)



(2)

‘ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE’

A South African take on “As You Like It” is playing at the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
By Craig Snoyman

South Africa Upstaged. Truth and fantasy flitted like prancing players in a mythical forest, with South Africa the ‘Court’ jester at the International Court of Justice. It now stands exposed as the real clown!

‘ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE’
(Click on the blue title)



(3)

FROM URGENCY TO DELAY: WHAT HAPPENED TO SOUTH AFRICA’S ICJ CASE?

South Africa exposes through ineptitude its true motivations behind its fabricated case against Israel.
By Kenneth Moeng Kgwadi

What a Drag! The image of empty seats at the ICJ stands as a metaphor of South Africa’s empty “genocide” case against Israel which is set to drag on for years due South Africa’s request for time to find the evidence!

FROM URGENCY TO DELAY: WHAT HAPPENED TO SOUTH AFRICA’S ICJ CASE?
(Click on the blue title)



(4)

THE DEADLY FLAWS OF THE DEAL

When it comes to self-preservation, they will lie at every turn and manipulate even the Dealmaker-in-Chief.
By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

‘Strait’ Talking’. Now that Americans can again cheaply fill up their cars this summer, Israelis will have to spend much more investing in its future defense. Such are the war-fought results of the ‘Opening of the Strait’ deal.

THE DEADLY FLAWS OF THE DEAL
(Click on the blue title)




LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).