Join us on Monday, February 16:

ELNET Zoom Briefing with Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, PhD

Italian and Greek Lawmakers Tour a Resilient 
Post-War Israel

ELNET brought a delegation of high-level Italian politicians and journalists—along with a Greek Member of Parliament—to Israel for a three-day program offering an in-depth overview of Israel's security strategy, regional diplomacy, and post–October 7 resilience.

● The delegation met with representatives from Israel's National Security Council, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Institute for National Security Studies to gain insight into how Israel's security concerns intersect with European stability.

● The politically diverse group met with Members of Knesset from both the ruling coalition and the opposition, gaining a clearer view of Israel's internal political dynamics.

Bearing Witness: Participants visited Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, and the Nova festival site to bear witness to the massacre sites firsthand, meeting an IDF soldier who lost five relatives in the October 7 attacks.

● The delegation also learned about humanitarian operations in Gaza through briefings at the U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center and with Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories.

Italy wields significant influence within the EU as the bloc's third most populous country; its geographic position also makes it a strategic security and trade partner for Israel.

ELNET opened its Rome office in 2023. ELNET-Italy is led by CEO Roberta Anati.

Several European Powers Join France to Call for Removal of Albanese from UN

France led a call for the resignation of UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese over antisemitic remarks made at the Al Jazeera Forum.

● Albanese invoked classic antisemitic tropes and described Israel as humanity’s “common enemy” during a panel discussion alongside Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Austria, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic joined France, as well as the United States and Israel, in calling for Albanese to be removed from her post.

Last Straw: Albanese’s record of antisemitic statements predates her 2022 appointment as the UN’s envoy for Palestinian human rights.

● Since then, she has distorted the Holocaust, compared Jews to Nazis, demonized and delegitimized Israel, downplayed the October 7 massacre, justified terrorist violence, and circulated conspiracy theories about “Jewish power.”

● She previously worked for UNRWA and other UN bodies, where she advocated removing Hamas from terror lists, claimed the U.S. was “subjugated by the Jewish lobby,” and fixated on what she called “Israel’s greed.”

What They’re Saying: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called Albanese’s remarks “outrageous and reprehensible” and part of "a long list of scandalous positions." Over 20 French MPs urged Barrot to have her stripped of “any UN mandate with immediate effect.”

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said Albanese “undermines impartiality,” while German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul deemed her “untenable in her position.”

Why It Matters: Unlike the U.S., European governments rarely issue such demands regarding the UN. This joint call underscores broadening concern over antisemitism within UN human-rights bodies dealing with Israel.

Head of German Parliament Visits Israel and Gaza

President of the German Bundestag Julia Klöckner traveled to Israel to strengthen bilateral ties with the Jewish state—her first visit since assuming office last year.



● During the visit, she met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, addressed the Knesset alongside Speaker Amir Ohana, set foot in Gaza under IDF escort, and paid her respects at Yad Vashem.

● Klöckner visited the Nova Festival site and met with families of victims of the horrific massacre that took place on October 7, 2023.

Key Allies: Speaking in the Knesset, Ohana and Klöckner reaffirmed Germany and Israel’s shared security concerns.


● Ohana said: “Germany and Israel stand today at the forefront of the global battle against the axis of evil led by Tehran and its proxies ... a battle over the fate of the world.”

● Klöckner said: “We will always stand with Israel’s right to exist and its security. There will be no peace as long as terrorism is accepted and even celebrated as a political strategy.”

● Watch their remarks on YouTube.

Germany is building the Israeli Navy’s next generation of submarines—a key element of Israel’s strategic deterrence. Read more about the submarines from the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

ELNET’s Role: Israel’s largest defense export ever— $4.6 billion for the first phase of the Arrow-3 missile defense system —was partly the result of an ELNET mission in 2022.

● German officials initiated a request for an initial purchase shortly after ELNET brought them to tour a sensitive Arrow-3 site in Israel.

● Following Israel’s installation of the system in December 2025, Germany expanded the contract with more Arrow-3 batteries. The total value of the Israeli Arrow-3 exports to Germany is now closer to $7 billion.

Four NATO Countries Ink Deal with Israeli Firm for Tank Protection

Rafael’s Trophy active protection system will equip new Leopard 2 tanks for Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Croatia under a roughly $390 million contract.

● Subsidiaries of Rafael will supply the NATO countries with “systems, spare parts, training packages, and comprehensive logistical support to ensure long-term availability and through-life sustainment.”

● The IDF installed Trophy on Merkava tanks over a decade ago and used it extensively during the recent Israel-Hamas war to protect tanks, making it "the world’s only combat-proven active protection system."

Expanding Exports: NATO allies agreed in 2025 to significantly increase their military budgets in a historic agreement. ELNET's efforts in the European Parliament and across the EU mean that more of this funding can be directed to Israeli companies.

● The EU committees that regulate these expenditures approved an initial draft that restricted at least 80% of defense expenditures for European companies.

● ELNET-EU & NATO worked with senior lawmakers to increase Israel's potential defense exports to Europe: the final decision brought the minimum down to 70%.

● Europe has driven the growth of Israeli defense exports, which were $13 billion in 2023 (35% to Europe) and a record $14.8 billion in 2024 (54% to Europe).

ELNET's mission is to broaden and deepen defense, security, diplomatic, and economic cooperation between Israel and Europe.

The events and stories featured in Week in Review (WIR) demonstrate ELNET’s work in action.