Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is returning to self-isolation for another six days after his health minister was diagnosed with coronavirus, the premier’s office said on Thursday. Netanyahu, 70, the nation’s longest-serving leader, had just ended a two-day period of isolation on Wednesday night after a parliamentary aide was diagnosed …

Israel on Wednesday linked any assistance it might offer for the Gaza Strip’s efforts against coronavirus to progress in its attempt to recover two Israeli soldiers lost during the 2014 war in the Palestinian enclave. Blockaded and impoverished, Islamist Hamas-ruled Gaza has reported 12 coronavirus cases and authorities worry that …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that although, the entire world is working together to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic,  the Israeli occupation and its extremist settlers step up their attacks against the Palestinians, storming their cities, towns, …

An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tested positive for coronavirus but initial findings indicate she had not posed an infection risk to the 70-year-old leader, officials said on Monday. As a routine precaution, they said Netanyahu was scheduled to undergo a coronavirus test by Tuesday. A previous …

An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Monday, but it was not immediately clear if the 70-year-old leader had been exposed or his work affected. “We will take action in accordance with Health Ministry directives,” an official said, announcing the diagnosis …

Israel will deploy its army to assist police on street patrols to enforce a lockdown against the coronavirus epidemic, the military said on Friday. About 500 troops will join police squadrons from Sunday to help “in patrolling, isolating and securing certain areas, blocking routes and additional similar assignments”, the military …

Israel appeared headed for a unity government on Friday after opposition leader Benny Gantz moved towards an agreement with Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu, disappointing voters who had hoped to bring down the right-wing premier. Gantz was elected parliamentary speaker on Thursday with support from Netanyahu’s Likud and allied parties, leaving …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that Israeli Government’s violations against Jerusalem and its holy places step up, as it allows the settlers to storm the Al Aqsa Mosque, but prevents the Palestinian from performing their prayers at the Mosques and …

Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the speaker of the parliament on Monday to put into motion a move in parliament, which he had rejected, that could weaken close ally Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hold on power. The rare court intervention in parliamentary procedure followed Yuli Edelstein’s refusal to hold a vote …

The Israeli government began deploying cellphone-monitoring technology against the coronavirus on Tuesday, and issued directives urging people not to leave home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet approved emergency regulations that will enable the Shin Bet internal security service to tap into cellular data to retrace the movements of people infected …

The Jewish faithful should refrain from kissing the stones of the Western Wall, the chief rabbi of the Jerusalem site said on Monday, adding to measures that religious authorities have taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Jews pray en masse at the Western Wall and often stuff written …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that , in January, 2019, the Israeli Occupation Authorities opened an apartheid road for settlers to the northeast of the Jerusalem city, called “Apartheid Street”, as it separates Palestinian drivers from Israeli settlers with …

Opposition leader Benny Gantz will be asked to form a new government, Israel’s president said on Sunday, boosting his chances of ousting veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was a blow to Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political life amid unprecedented political deadlock and a criminal indictment for corruption, …

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial was delayed on Sunday for two months, until May, due to the coronavirus crisis. Israel’s Justice Ministry said the trial, due to have opened on March 17 with the reading of an indictment against Israel’s longest-serving leader in three graft cases, would begin …

Israel’s NSO Group is asking a California judge to sanction Facebook Inc for allegedly failing to abide by international law with regards to its lawsuit against the spyware maker. Facebook’s WhatsApp sued NSO in October after finding evidence that the hacking firm had abused a flaw in the popular chat …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that , the newly elected occupation PM, Netanyahu pledged before his constituents that he intends to develop settlement in the occupied West Bank, and imposing Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, supported by the …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that , the newly elected occupation PM, Netanyahu pledged before his constituents that he intends to develop settlement in the occupied West Bank, and imposing Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, supported by the …

Iran on Thursday stood by its decision to deny U.N. nuclear inspectors access to sites where they have questions about past activities, arguing that the agency’s case is based on “fabricated” Israeli intelligence. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which is policing Iran’s troubled nuclear deal with major powers, sounded an …

Syrian air defenses intercepted Israeli missiles over Quneitra province in the country’s southwest, state media reported early on Thursday. “At 00:30 on Thursday our air defense monitored Israeli warplanes coming from northern occupied Palestine toward Saida, and several missiles were fired from Lebanese airspace toward the central area,” state media …

WhatsApp has taken a step toward wining its widely publicized lawsuit against the NSO Group after the Israeli spyware merchant failed to show up in court, according to a notice of default entered Monday in California. WhatsApp sued NSO in October after finding evidence that the hacking firm had abused …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that developments on the ground showed that many Palestinians were injured during clashes with the Israeli Occupation Soldiers in the West Bank, as they protested against Netanyahu plans to confiscate more lands and construct …

Fifty former European prime ministers and foreign ministers have condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan in an open letter, saying it would create an apartheid-like situation in occupied Palestinian territory. In the letter published by British newspaper The Guardian, the former ministers rejected Trump’s plan for Israelis …

Israel confirmed on Thursday that a man who had recently returned from Italy tested positive for coronavirus and said it was barring entry to non-Israelis who had visited Italy in the past two weeks. The man had flown back on an El Al Israel Airlines (ELAL.TA) flight from Milan on …

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Bernie Sanders was wrong to call him a racist during a debate among contenders for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination, but shied away from attacking the senator in return. “I am not intervening in the U.S. election,” Netanyahu replied when asked on …

Crowdfunding venture investing platform OurCrowd, one of Israel’s largest investors, said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s former special envoy for the Middle East Jason Greenblatt has joined the company as a partner. Greenblatt, who resigned in September, is an architect of Trump’s “deal of the century” plan that seeks …

Gaza militants on Monday fired rockets toward Israel, which responded with air strikes, in the second day of an escalation that began to ebb after the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad announced a halt to its attacks. Islamic Jihad has fired 80 rockets toward Israeli communities along the Gaza border …

Israeli officials disinvited almost 3,000 international runners who had signed up for the upcoming Tel Aviv Marathon, one of several restrictive measures the country has taken in response to growing fears that the virus could gain a foothold in the country on the eve of national elections on March 2, …

Israeli fighter jets launched air strikes on suspected Islamic Jihad positions in Syria, the Israeli military said on Monday, after the militant group and Israel exchanged rockets and air strikes around Gaza. An Israeli military statement said its forces had “struck Islamic Jihad terror targets south of Damascus” in addition …

A satirical Belgian carnival parade decried by Israel’s foreign minister as “hateful” went ahead on Sunday despite being withdrawn from the United Nation’s list of recognized cultural events over accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. After a float in 2019 featured caricatures of ultra-Orthodox Jews standing with bags of money, organizers …

Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) have reached an agreement to end a five-month long trade dispute, officials said on Thursday. The dispute, which opened a new front in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, began in September when the PA announced a boycott of Israel calves. The Authority exercises limited self-rule in …

Israel said on Tuesday it will not issue new licenses for oil shale exploration and production as it moves towards cleaner energy sources. The decision was made due to concerns over the environmental impact and ecological footprint of oil shale projects, Israel’s energy and environmental protection ministries said on Tuesday. …

Before sunrise, thousands of Palestinians streamed toward the mosque in Nablus’s Victory Square, swelling the usual crowds of morning worshippers to launch a new front in their protests against Israel and the United States. The scene has been repeated elsewhere in the West Bank, where people have begun turning out …

The  National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that at a time when the American Administration disclosed its ‘Deal of the Century’s’ plan at the White House, which is biased to the Israeli Occupation, and oppresses the Palestine cause and liquidate it. The …

Israel’s prime minister on Sunday hailed what he called efforts by friendly states to stop the International Criminal Court opening an investigation into alleged war crimes against Palestinians. The court’s chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in December there was enough evidence for an investigation into thousands of killings – but …

The mayor of Tel Aviv ordered the removal on Friday of highway billboards that appeared to call for the surrender at gunpoint of Palestinian leaders for the sake of peace. “Peace is made ONLY with defeated enemies,” said the billboards, which showed photo-shopped images of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and …

Syrian air defenses downed several missiles coming across the occupied Golan Heights from Israel before they hit their targets in the capital Damascus, Syrian state television said on Thursday. “The hostile missiles came from the occupied Golan … and they were downed before they reached their targets,” an army statement …

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Thursday denied media reports of a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid speculation about normalizing ties between Gulf Arab states and Israel. “There is no meeting planned between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan …

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said the U.S. government would not furnish any information for a database of companies operating in Israeli-controlled territories that the United Nations’ human rights office released, and said the compilation hurts peace efforts in the Middle East. “The United States has long …

The United Nations’ human rights office on Wednesday named 112 companies it said have business ties to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, angering Israel and prompting a Palestinian threat of legal action against the firms. A long-delayed report issued in Geneva said 94 of the companies were domiciled in …

Iran will respond forcefully to any Israeli action against its interests in the region, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, according to the Mehr news agency. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will give a crushing response that will cause regret to any kind of aggression or stupid action from this …

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, urged Israel on Tuesday not to annex the Jordan Valley, a large swathe of the occupied West Bank, warning of Palestinian protests if it went ahead. Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war. The Palestinian Authority wants to make the area part …

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, appearing before the United Nations Security Council, angrily rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace proposal on Tuesday as a gift to Israel and unacceptable to Palestinians. Waving a copy of a map that the U.S. plan envisions for a two-state solution for Israel and …

The National Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that US President Donald Trump’s adviser, Jared Kushner recently announced that Israel won’t annex Palestinian lands before the upcoming Knesset elections, thereby, explained the controversy among Likud, the government, and settlers regarding the annexation …

Unilateral Israeli steps to annex West Bank land would endanger U.S. support for such plans, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday Israel had begun drawing up maps for annexing land in the West Bank, which Palestinians seek for a …