Joint Statement by the Prime Minister's Office National AI Directorate and the Finance Ministry Accountant General's Department: Israel's AI Leap – The National Directorate Launches its Flagship Initiatives

Publication of a series of national projects: "Project Nexus", a tender to establish a national "Blue and White" quantum computing platform, and two Requests for Information (RFIs) for Physical AI infrastructure and the development of AI models.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) National AI Directorate, together with the Finance Ministry Accountant General's Department, is today (Tuesday, 4 August 2026) launching a series of inaugural applied projects, pursuant to Government Decision 4255, and the formulation of the national AI strategy. The Special Tenders Committee for National AI Directorate affairs at the Ministry of Finance Accountant General's Department has approved the publication of the tenders and RFIs, enabling the implementation of the national plan.

These initial steps mark the beginning of the implementation phase of the national plan, aimed at ensuring growth engines, technological sovereignty, and global leadership for the State of Israel in the coming years.

The transition to the implementation phase is significant news for the local industry and ecosystem, with the launch of three primary initiatives:

1. Establishment of a locally produced quantum computer: "Project Nexus", a tender for a national quantum computing platform with the goal of establishing global leadership and supporting the diverse technologies existing in Israel,

A tender for a national quantum computer is being published under "Project Nexus." This move will guarantee the existence of a locally produced quantum computer and the State of Israel’s status as a global leader.

2. Physical AI - Establishment of a national testing ground for the next generation of AI as part of the national goal to achieve global leadership in Physical AI.

The National Directorate is publishing a Request for Information (RFI) to examine the establishment of a national testing ground for Physical AI, which will serve as a global center for real-world simulations. The complex is designed to enable the simulation of edge-case scenarios in various environments, such as highways, medical facilities, advanced manufacturing environments, agriculture, and more.

This project aims to drive breakthroughs in robotics, edge computing, sensing, data processing, and more, combining global commercial activity with distinctive Israeli capabilities.

3. Looking to the Future: Request for Information (RFI) to characterize national action paths in foundational models against the backdrop of AI models becoming a critical strategic infrastructure.

The National Directorate is publishing an RFI to advance the establishment of Israeli sovereignty in foundational models, promote Israeli leadership, map market capabilities, and examine measures to maximize the State of Israel's comparative advantages.

(All remarks are translated from Hebrew.)

Director of the National AI Directorate, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Erez Eskel:

"Government Decision 4255 aims to secure Israel's place at the forefront of global AI. Our role is to accelerate the advancement of AI in Israel, which is why we are transitioning swiftly and professionally from defining vision and strategy to practical implementation on the ground, together with all government partners. The steps we are launching now are a central phase in securing our sovereign infrastructure while continuing to focus our efforts on the State of Israel's comparative advantages for long-term global leadership."

Senior Finance Ministry Deputy Accountant General for Innovation and Technology and Chairman of the Special Tenders Committee Evyatar Peretz:

"The Finance Ministry Accountant General's Department is committed to realizing Israel's national vision in artificial intelligence. The close collaboration between the Accountant General's Department and the National Directorate enables us to translate government decisions into practical, contractual mechanisms that will establish the required infrastructure on the ground. The steps we are leading today – from quantum computing to Physical AI and foundational models – provide the industry and the economy with the necessary foundation to lower barriers, ensure technological sovereignty, and make global breakthroughs."

Israel Antiquities Authority: The Central Bimah of the Great Synagogue of Vilna Fully Exposed

Please see the attached Word file

Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality: Tel Aviv Unfiltered - New “Messy & Beautiful” Video Celebrates the City as It Really Is

A celebration of Tel Aviv’s authenticity, energy, contradictions and beauty in imperfection.

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Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with Artillery Corps and Givati Brigade recruits at the Bakum induction center


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited today (Wednesday, 5 August 2026) the IDF Tel HaShomer induction base (Bakum), and met with recruits to the Artillery Corps and the Givati Brigade.

The Prime Minister met the recruits along the induction chain prior to their donning of the uniforms, and later held a discussion with the recruits and responded to their questions.

Prime Minister Netanyahu [translated from Hebrew]:

"I held a conversation just now with recruits enlisting for combat service at the induction base, a deeply moving one. They come from all parts of the country, religious and secular, north and south, cities and villages: an Israeli mosaic. I told them that the unity among us is much broader than is commonly thought. We come to defend our one homeland. We repel our enemies and we know that our future is a shared future for all of us."

The Prime Minister further told the recruits:

"Tell your fathers and mothers that you are going to have our backing. We are sending you to protect the homeland, and we will also protect you. Go forth and succeed."

Israel Ministry of Defense Spokesperson's Statement

Successful Launch Test of the Arrow Weapon System

The Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) within the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) in the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), in cooperation with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), have successfully completed today (Wednesday) a planned test of the Arrow Weapon System, as part of the multi-year test program for the development and upgrade of the system. The launch was conducted from a test site in central Israel.

The Arrow Weapon System, including Arrow 2 and Arrow 3, demonstrated unprecedented, groundbreaking capabilities on a global scale in the aerial and missile defense domain, intercepting numerous ballistic threats launched from both Iran and Yemen over the last three years, including ballistic missiles in space, in the exo-atmosphere. Israel's defense establishment continues to develop and upgrade the system at all times against evolving threats expected in the region in the coming years, as part of the Ministry's strategy to preserve Israel's technological superiority by developing operational solutions and preempting the enemy's next surprises.

The successful test represents another significant milestone in Israel's operational ability to defend itself from current and future threats.
The Arrow Weapon System constitutes the top layer of Israel's multi-layered air and missile defense array that also includes the David's Sling, Iron Dome, and Iron Beam Defense Systems. The Arrow Weapon System includes threat detection and classification capabilities via the powerful Green Pine and Super Green Pine radars, a command-and-control system, a fire control system, and interceptors enabling exo-atmospheric interception at extreme altitudes and ranges.

The development and production of the systems is led by the Israel Ministry of Defense through the IMDO within the DDR&D, and executed with the U.S. MDA. These defense systems are operated in the field by the Israeli Air Force's Air Defense Command. IAI is the prime developer of the Arrow Weapon System, through its Systems, Missiles & Space Group and its ELTA Group, which develops the radar detection array. Elbit Systems develops the fire control system. Tomer, a government-owned defense company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and the U.S. STARK Aerospace company are key subcontractors in the development of the Arrow interceptors.
The test was conducted with the participation of senior officials and representatives from the U.S. MDA, which is a partner in the development and production of the Arrow Weapon System.

Defense Minister, Israel Katz:
"Today's Arrow system test is further proof of the strength of Israel's defense establishment, its defense industries, and its technological capabilities. The Arrow system has proven itself in war, successfully intercepting numerous threats from Iran and other arenas and protecting Israel's citizens. We're constantly upgrading its capabilities, and Israel stays ready at all times, for both current and future threats. We will continue investing in the development of the world's most advanced defense systems, while simultaneously strengthening our offensive capabilities, to ensure Israel's security superiority and the safety of its citizens."

IMOD Director General, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram:
"This groundbreaking Arrow test puts into practice the core pillars of the Israel Ministry of Defense's strategy: staying ahead technologically by developing 'the next surprises,' and strengthening Israel's weapons independence. Even now, following our success in the Iran campaign, we remain in emergency mode, dramatically accelerating production and upgrading the system's capabilities. Thanks to decisions made over the past year, Israel's interceptor stockpile keeps growing, backed by new and constantly evolving capabilities."

IAI Chairman of the Board, Boaz Levy:
"The Arrow system plays a direct, decisive role in how Israel confronts the threats from Iran and its proxies, and it's yet another proof point of the strategic and technological edge IAI delivers for the country. Our deep, long-standing partnership with the Israeli and American defense establishments keeps driving breakthroughs and unique technologies that draw real interest from our allies around the world, while directly strengthening Israel's security and economy. As aerial threats grow more complex and varied, IAI keeps pushing harder on advanced technological solutions that protect nations, civilians, and strategic assets."

Head of the DDR&D, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Dr. Daniel Gold:
"This successful and significant test in the development of the Arrow system marks an exceptionally important step in the continued fortification of Israel's aerial defenses. These new developments draw on the lessons of the war on one hand, and forward-looking vision on the other, to address evolving threats and establish Israel's relative advantage over its enemies. I want to express my appreciation to all the engineers and personnel involved within the DDR&D, the IDF, the MDA, and the defense industries."

IAI President and CEO Guy Bar Lev:
"The Arrow system, built by IAI in close partnership with the Israel Ministry of Defense, the U.S. MDA, and the Israeli Air Force, once again exemplifies that Israel holds the most advanced ballistic missile defense technology in the world. This test put the system up against future threats and generated data that our engineers will use to build the next generation of aerial defense. IAI's systems are at the core of every layer of Israel's defense, identifying, classifying, and tracking every threat in the airspace. All of this is achieved thanks to the people of IAI, who work around the clock with professionalism and a true sense of mission to protect Israel."

IMDO Director, Moshe Patel:
"The War of Redemption proved the importance of the multi-layered aerial defense array that the Israel Ministry of Defense has developed and built over several decades. In this test, we completed an important and significant stage in the development of the Arrow Weapon System. In these new developments, we incorporated advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, the application of combat lessons, and a move into automated manufacturing. This test marks a significant step toward the continued equipping of the IDF with the system. The IMDO continues to innovate and ensure Israel's security against both today's and tomorrow's threats."

All the best,
Media and Public Affairs Bureau
Israel Ministry of Defense
For any media-related queries, please contact Nina Zaydenberg, IMOD Spokesperson to International Media: 0544622513 | 0506291093 | [email protected]

Remarks by Prime Minister Netanyahu at the reinterment ceremony for the remains of Shimon and Rivka Herzl, grandfather and grandmother of Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl

[translated from Hebrew]

"Distinguished President of the State, Isaac Herzog,
Speaker of the Knesset, MK Amir Ohana,
Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Noam Solberg,
Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Yaakov Hagoel,
Cabinet Ministers, members of the Knesset,
Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif,
Commissioner-General of the Israeli Police, Commissioner Daniel Levy.

Ambassador of Serbia to Israel, I kindly request that you convey our greetings and gratitude to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and to your foreign minister who speaks Hebrew; he can translate.

We send our embrace to our heroic fighters, to the families of the fallen, and to our wounded, in body and soul, who are heroes as well.

We know that we are on a long journey. The long journey of the Herzl family from foreign soil to the soil of Zion ends here today, on Mount Herzl. All of us hold respect and admiration for Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl for the gigantic Zionist enterprise that stands proudly.

But now our gaze focuses on the foundations of the building: Judaism – as the basis for Zionism. The Torah and the entire Tanakh – as the cornerstone of identity. The chain of generations – as the anchor of values and heritage.
The home of Herzl's grandfather and grandmother provided the roots that grew a trunk, branches, and fruit. And this was not a simple process, because the 19th century greatly challenged traditional Judaism in its encounter with modernity. And the Herzl family as well was influenced by the tension between tradition and enlightenment.

And there was an additional very powerful factor that left its mark on that century, and on Rabbi Alkalai, precisely in those years, in the mid-19th century. On Alkalai, and on Lilienblum, and on Moses Hess, and on all these proto-Zionists. And this component was the rise of nationalism.

I wish to tell you that at the entrance to the Prime Minister's Office, a figure of Herzl is displayed. And when world leaders arrive for diplomatic meetings in my office, I make a point of lingering with them for a few moments near this figure of Herzl. And I explain to them, in the only way I can explain it to them, that Herzl is the modern Moses.

Because Herzl created the conditions that brought us to the Promised Land. He did so with genius, with determination, with dignity. He did so also in a very practical manner, with great pragmatism. The combination of vision and practicality characterized Herzl; he was essentially the first Jewish statesman in the modern era who acted on behalf of the Jews. Jewish statesmen existed, but they did not act for the sake of the Jews. He acted for the Jews.

I further say to my interlocutors that for us Herzl is a leader on the scale of 'nation architects'. That is what I call them, revered 'nation architects' around the world: George Washington in the United States, Simon Bolivar in Latin America, Mazzini and Garibaldi in Italy.

This is Herzl's uniqueness, from our perspective: because the prayers that were traditionally recited by his grandfather Shimon Leib and his grandmother Rivka in the Diaspora – 'And may our eyes behold Your return to Zion in mercy' – these prayers and dreams were transformed by their grandson into a practical action plan that changed the course of Jewish history.

Herzl stood proudly before rulers who decide fates, and he tried to reach a partnership of interests with them. He did not always succeed; he tried with the Kaiser, he tried with the Turkish Sultan, and he tried with world leaders and others.

He also sought to save us from the rising wave of antisemitism, because he sensed the magnitude of the danger approaching us. And above all, above everything, Herzl instilled in us the belief that we must take our destiny into our own hands: with boldness, with determination, with courage. That was true then, and it is no less true today.

Throughout the War of Redemption, I emphasize that the State of Israel represents an unbreakable will. The fateful decisions we made in the face of all pressures, all the pressures from without and within, and the fighting spirit of our heroic soldiers and commanders – have granted us tremendous achievements on the fronts of the campaign.

Herzl spoke of the descendants of the Maccabees who would come to life. And indeed, the spirit of the Maccabees resonates within the young generation – the generation of victory – who stand ready to strike down those who seek our harm, and to ensure the security of the homeland. He believed in the ability of our people to establish a firm foothold in the land of our ancestors, while also bringing prosperity to the entire region.

Owing to our Jewish roots, owing to the national resilience we have developed in countless crises, owing to our belief in the sanctity of life, in freedom, in progress, in innovation – we incessantly stand the trials of existence.
But we are now on Mount Herzl, we are near the grave of Herzl, near the graves of Herzl's family members. And Herzl understood that there is another condition for existence: you must identify the danger in time, but you must also unite forces in time. Unite forces on matters that require unity.

And he was not naive; he understood that there are arguments among people, certainly in a democracy, for that is its essence – the resolution of disagreements and conflicts, through debate or through compromise.
Today I was at the IDF induction center, and I met soldiers who are enlisting, coming from all parts of the country, from the city, from the village, religious, secular – everyone, Jews and non-Jews. And I saw how they are united in the mission. Not because they do not have different opinions on many things, but regarding the main issues, they understand that our state, the state of the Jews that grants equality and rights to non-Jews – the only ones in the region who do this – that the Jewish state is under attack, that we are fighting here for the nation-state of the Jewish people.

And we understood many things after October 7. Whoever did not understand, we have united on many issues. We will not establish here a Palestinian terror state that we know is aimed at destroying the Jewish nation-state. We understand that they want to destroy us because we promote values of progress and democracy and freedom and liberty, which are hated by our barbarian mortal foes.

Herzl listened and understood what the antisemites –like the Vienna mayor elected at the time – he understood what they were planning. He did not cover his ears, and we do not cover our ears either.

We heard today the commander of the IRGC, Vahidi, explicitly declaring Iran's intention to keep developing nuclear weapons, 'to continue' as he put it. Well, as Prime Minister of Israel, I too am determined to continue. To continue preventing Iran from possessing nuclear weapons.

And I wish to clarify: President Trump is the greatest of our friends, the greatest of the friends we have had in the White House. And the United States is our great ally, and everyone understands also that we deeply appreciate the joint efforts, ours and those of the United States, against Iran's nuclear ambitions.

I wish to clarify also that Israel's existence is not open to negotiation. With an agreement or without an agreement, I am determined, we are all determined, to do everything necessary to ensure our security and our future.

Israel is a strong nation-state, proud of its identity, confident in the righteousness of its path. Other struggles await us as well: a struggle against the rising antisemitic wave in our days, exactly like in the days of Herzl, the wave that works to delegitimize the State of Israel and Israel's fighters. IDF soldiers are the most heroic soldiers, the most moral, and the most vilified on the face of the earth. And these slanders that come from the outside – they must not come from the inside as well.

But I want to tell you that there is also another side to the coin; many leaders in the world say to me: 'Prime Minister, we appreciate your country – we even admire your country – and we need you. Israel is our model in the struggle against radical Islam which threatens the entire civilized world'.

I hear this from one leader, from a second, third, fourth one. I hear it in the region. I hear it also from Europe and Latin America and across all continents.
Distinguished guests, I wish to tell you that I think of Herzl with great frequency. I think of how he, a 36-year-old young man, changed our history in 8 years – how did he do it? Because he was calibrated, he was committed to this immense calling.

The love of Zion passed from generation to generation in the Herzl family, and thanks to it, the Zionist fervor was instilled in the soul of the nation. And I know, Mr. President, that this is the case in your family – and so too in my family. My late grandfather, Rabbi Natan Mileikowsky-Netanyahu, of blessed memory, committed himself to the success of Zionism with the Herzlian compass in his hand. This does not mean that my grandfather agreed with everything Herzl said or did.

When Herzl presented the 'Uganda Plan' for the temporary settlement of Jews in the heart of Africa, my grandfather rejected it outright. And yet, he served as a delegate at the World Zionist Congress in the Hague in 1907 – three years after Herzl's passing. He sanctified Herzl's legacy, and it was passed from my grandfather to my father, the historian Prof. Benzion Netanyahu, of blessed memory, who wrote: 'If we do not want Herzl's enterprise to perish in chaos and his efforts to be in vain, if our admiration for Herzl is sincere – let us cleave to his teaching, let us carry its imperatives upon our raised banner, and let us protect ourselves with the spirit he sought to outfit us with!"

This sublime spirit is folded within the caskets of Shimon-Leib and Rivka Herzl, of blessed memory, who were brought from Serbia to our eternal capital, Jerusalem. May the soil of the homeland be sweet to them, for the vision has arisen and become reality. Zionism has won. The grandson, Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl, has won.

And with God's help and the heroism of our fighters – we are winning. May the memory of the Herzl family be blessed forever."

Attached photo credits: Kobi Gideon (GPO)

(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)

Wednesday, 5 August 2026 / 22 Menachem Av 5786


President Herzog Addresses State Ceremony for the Burial of Theodor Herzl’s Grandparents in Jerusalem

President Herzog: “After each military victory and achievement, diplomacy must follow”


On August 5, 2026, President Isaac Herzog addressed the state ceremony for the burial of the remains of Shimon and Rivka Herzl, the grandparents of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism, on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. The remains of Shimon and Rivka Herzl were recently exhumed from a Jewish cemetery in Belgrade, Serbia, and brought to Israel for burial beside their grandson.


President Isaac Herzog:

“As we stand here after nearly three years of war on multiple fronts, it is Herzl the statesman who we should look to. After each military victory and achievement, diplomacy and statesmanship must follow. We must ensure Israel’s security under all circumstances, but there is no complete victory without the diplomacy that follows it.

“In his will, Theodor Herzl wrote that he wished for his remains and those of his immediate family to be brought for burial in the Jewish state once it was established. Today, we complete the fulfillment of that wish. But his true, greater will – building the Jewish state continues still, and a great and weighty task remains ours to complete.”


Link for Video of President Herzog’s Address at the Ceremony (in Hebrew): https://mab.to/t/0q9lnYze78R/eu2

Video credit: Dotan Guetta (GPO) / Sound credit: Avner Dvir (GPO)

Attached photo credits: Haim Zach (GPO)


Benjamin Lee, [email protected], 050-6169572