HEADLINES
Kentucky professor sues over anti-Israel rhetoric
UN says Israeli barrier intrudes Lebanon border
Sudan crisis: ceasefire push, RSF risk

The time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

ISRAEL AT WAR — DAY 771. A US university confrontation over free expression and antisemitism is unfolding in Kentucky, where Ramsi Woodcock, a tenured professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law, has filed a federal lawsuit against university leadership and the US Department of Education after being reassigned during an investigation into his eliminationist rhetoric about Israel. Woodcock argues that his anti-Israel views are protected speech and that the university’s reliance on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism to regulate speech violates his First Amendment rights and due process. The university says it is balancing academic freedom with a safe campus environment and notes the review is ongoing. The case sits at the center of a broader national debate over campus speech, antisemitism, and how institutions address hostile environments for Jewish students and supporters of Israel, a debate that has intensified since last year’s campus protests and related litigation.

Across the border, a United Nations assessment has found that a concrete barrier built by the Israeli military along the northern border crosses the Blue Line into Lebanese territory, restricting access for residents in parts of Lebanon. The UN and Lebanon’s sovereignty concerns are clear, even as Israel says the barrier is part of an ongoing border-security program prompted by recent conflicts and lessons learned from them. Israel disputes the UN’s characterization, while UNIFIL has called for a review and for respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity. The dispute highlights the fragile border dynamics that continue to shape security considerations in the region.

In South Africa, a charter flight carrying 153 Palestinians who left Gaza via Kenya arrived in Johannesburg without initial departure stamps or formal documentation. Authorities say 130 were later allowed entry under a standard 90-day visa exemption with support from a humanitarian group, while 23 remained on onward routes. The government says the Palestinian Authority embassy in Pretoria was informed that some travellers had been deceived by an unregistered organization. South Africa’s president announced that intelligence and immigration officials would conduct a thorough assessment of the situation, while Israel said the travellers had visas arranged in advance. The episode underscores the logistical and diplomatic sensitivities surrounding movements connected to Gaza relief efforts and the broader regional response to the conflict.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed for a humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan in a call with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. Rubio underscored the need to cut off weapons flows to the Rapid Support Forces and to secure relief for civilians amid a crisis that has displaced millions. He did not rule out designating the RSF as a terrorist organization if such a measure would help end the fighting. The Sudan crisis adds to a widening set of security challenges in Africa and the Middle East as the international community seeks to balance humanitarian access with political and military pressures.

These developments—on campus speech and antisemitism in the United States, border-security measures on Israel’s northern frontier, humanitarian corridors and governance questions in Gaza-related movements, and high-stakes diplomacy in Sudan—illustrate how security concerns, legal definitions, and international diplomacy intersect in today’s Middle East and adjacent arenas. The international community continues to monitor civilian protection, the rule of law, and the safety of disputed borders as policymakers weigh responses that aim to reduce violence while preserving rights and humanitarian access.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-professor-sues-university-for-probing-his-call-for-global-war-to-end-israel/
https://www.jpost.com/must/article-873786
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1wmwqrl11g
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-873793
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-873888
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-873889
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjemfesgbe
https://www.timesofisrael.com/shin-bet-chief-said-pushing-electronic-monitoring-bracelets-for-violent-settlers/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/south-africa-probing-origin-of-unexpected-charter-flight-carrying-153-palestinians/
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-873796
https://t.me/newssil/179793
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/rubio-emphasizes-importance-sudan-ceasefire-call-uae-counterpart
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/un-says-israeli-wall-crosses-lebanon-border