Tag Archives: Israel

The Times Of Israel reports: Prosecutors are reportedly fuming over reports that former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been holding secret talks with the attorney general over a plea deal in his corruption trial, which is now said to be just awaiting Netanyahu’s final approval. Meanwhile, political forces believe a plea deal that removes Netanyahu from the political sphere could …

Reuters reports: Israel on Tuesday lifted restrictions barring same-sex couples and single men from becoming parents through surrogacy within the country, upholding a Supreme Court ruling to end the ban. “It is a historic day for the LGBTQ struggle in Israel,” Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz [photo] said at a news conference, announcing the ministry had issued a circular granting equal …

The BBC reports: A government panel of experts in Israel has recommended a fourth dose of a Covid-19 vaccine for all people aged over 60 and healthcare workers. The move was welcomed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett [photo], who said it would help the country get through a potential wave of the Omicron variant. The Israeli health ministry has so …

Reuters reports: Israel on Monday added the United States to its “no-fly” list, citing concerns over the spread of the Covid-19 omicron variant. Under the edict, which goes into effect at 2200 GMT on Tuesday, Israelis would need special permission to fly to the U.S., now one of more than 50 countries to which its citizens cannot travel. In a …

The Guardian reports: The chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League led condemnation of Donald Trump after the former president used antisemitic tropes in remarks about American Jews and Israel. “Insinuating that Israel or the Jews control Congress or the media is antisemitic, plain and simple,” Jonathan Greenblatt said. “Unfortunately, this is not the first time he has made these offensive …

Politico reports: Former President Donald Trump veered into several antisemitic tropes in a recent interview, claiming that Israel used to have “absolute power over Congress” and saying that American Jews — the majority of whom vote Democratic — “either don’t like Israel or don’t care about Israel.” Trump also claimed that evangelical Christians in the United States “love Israel more …

Barak Ravid writes for Axios: Former President Donald Trump contends that one big reason his “ultimate deal” between the Israelis and Palestinians collapsed is that then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu never wanted to make peace. “I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,” Trump told me in April, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname in a 90-minute, face-to-face interview …

Axios reports: Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday responded to an interview in which Donald Trump accused him of disloyalty, saying Israel’s alliance with the U.S. meant “it was important for me to congratulate the incoming president.” “I highly appreciate President Trump’s big contribution to Israel and its security. I also appreciate the importance of the strong alliance …

The Times Of Israel reports: In comments released Friday, Trump said Netanyahu’s congratulatory message to Biden came too quickly after the election results were announced, results he continues to contest to this day. “Nobody did more for Bibi. And I liked Bibi. I still like Bibi,” Trump said. He was “the man that I did more for than any other …

The Washington Post reports: Apple alerted 11 U.S. diplomats that their iPhones had been hacked in recent months by spyware from NSO Group, an Israeli-based company that helps government clients in dozens of countries secretly steal files, eavesdrop on conversations and track the movements of its targets, according to people familiar with the notifications. The news, first reported by Reuters …

The BBC reports: Israel is to ban foreigners from entering the country for 14 days and use surveillance to halt the spread of the new Covid variant, local media report. The ban is expected to come into effect at midnight on Sunday, following full cabinet approval. Israel has so far confirmed one case of the potentially more infectious Omicron variant …

Israel’s Haaretz has the transcript: The biggest change I’ve seen in Congress is Israel literally owned Congress, you understand that, ten years ago, 15 years ago. And it was so powerful. It was so powerful. And today it’s almost the opposite. You have between AOC and Omar and these people that hate Israel, they hate it with a passion, they’re …

The Times Of Israel reports: Hackers believed to be linked to Iran demanded on Sunday a ransom payment of $1 million in digital currency to stop the online leak of personal information from an Israeli LGBT site. The Black Shadow hacking group said in a statement released through the Telegram messaging app that it was “looking for money” and would …

Reuters reports: Tourists hoping to visit Jerusalem or Tel Aviv after Israel’s announcement last week that it would open to some vaccinated foreign travelers should read the fine print before booking, local hoteliers say. The new rules due to go into effect on Nov. 1 ahead of the Christmas season, permit individual tourists who have received COVID-19 vaccine boosters to …

Mediaite reports: Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to mock President Joe Biden during a Facebook Live on Sunday, invoking a debunked video that was manipulated to look like Biden fell asleep during a meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. “The videos on social media, however, have been misleadingly cropped: seconds later, longer footage shows that Biden responds to Bennett,” …

The Jerusalem Post reports: Hai Shaulian, a well-known activist against coronavirus vaccines, died on Monday morning at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon due to the coronavirus. Shaulian called on his followers on social media not to get vaccinated against the virus under the headline: “There is no epidemic – the vaccine is unnecessary and dangerous.” Shaulian uploaded a video to …

Axios reports: The Israeli government has formed a special task force to pressure Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and its parent company Unilever to reverse their decision to boycott Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Israeli officials tell me. The Israeli government is concerned the move by Ben & Jerry’s will encourage other international companies to take similar steps to …

The Times of Israel reports: Anti-vaccination activists held an unruly protest outside the private home of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a day after the premier accused those refusing COVID shots of endangering the entire nation. Dozens of protesters blocked the road and chanted slogans against Bennett, eventually managing to reach the edge of the protected zone around the prime minister’s …

From Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett: Dear citizens, those who refuse vaccines are endangering their health, those around them and the freedom of every Israeli citizen. They are endangering our freedom to work, the freedom of our children to learn and the freedom to hold celebrations with the family. Those who refuse vaccines hurt us all because if all of …

The Jerusalem Post reports: US President Joe Biden congratulated Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on forming a government with Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid on a phone call Sunday night after it was sworn in earlier that evening, and expressed his wishes to further strengthen ties between the two countries. “On behalf of the American people, I congratulate Prime Minister Naftali …