Israel launches largest-ever multi-front war exercise
The Israel Defense Forces launched a month-long war exercise on Sunday—the largest in its history—simulating a multi-front conflict.
Israel
On al-Quds Day, Iran’s Khamenei says Israel ‘is a terrorist base, not a country’
In a speech to mark the annual al-Quds Day, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called Israel “not a country, but a terrorist base” and said its downfall was imminent.
15 arrested in fresh clashes in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood
Palestinians and Israelis hurled rocks and chairs at each other in the tense East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah on Thursday before Israeli police moved in to separate them, arresting at least 15 people, all of them Palestinians. In one incident, a Jewish Israeli man fired into the air after a vehicle was set on fire.
Netanyahu fails to form government; Rivlin tasks Yair Lapid with forming coalition
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ran out of time to form a new government and, on Wednesday evening, President Reuven Rivlin asked Yair Lapid, who leads the centrist Yesh Atid party, to try and form a coalition. Yesh Atid gained the second-highest number of seats in the March 23 election, after Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Israel said to carry out airstrikes in Syria for second straight night
The IDF reportedly bombed targets in Syria after midnight on Thursday in what would be the second such strike in less than 24 hours.
Israel to extend Green Pass for the vaccinated and recovered until end of 2021
The Health Ministry announced Wednesday that it will be extending the validity of the Green Pass for those vaccinated against COVID-19 or who have recovered from coronavirus, through 2021.
White House aims to vaccinate 70% of US adults by July 4
US President Joe Biden set a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one shot to 70% of adult Americans by July Fourth as he tackles the vexing problem of winning over the “doubters” and those unmotivated to get inoculated.
Russia says it’s ready to promote direct Israeli-Palestinian contacts
Russia is ready to promote direct contacts between Israel and the Palestinian leadership and working toward a high-level meeting of the Middle East Quartet mediating the Israel-Palestinian peace process, the Russian foreign minister said Wednesday.
Survivor Who Testified Against Nazi-Commander Eichmann Dies At 91
Joseph Zalman Kleinman, who survived the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and later testified at the trial of Nazi commander Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, has died. The Holocaust survivor was 91.
Netanyahu fails to form government; Rivlin tasks Yair Lapid with forming coalition
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ran out of time to form a new government and, on Wednesday evening, President Reuven Rivlin asked Yair Lapid, who leads the centrist Yesh Atid party, to try and form a coalition. Yesh Atid gained the second-highest number of seats in the March 23 election, after Netanyahu’s Likud party.
3rd rocket attack in 3 days targets US forces in Iraq
The Iraqi army said two rockets were fired Tuesday at a base hosting Americans, in the third such attack in three days and as a US government delegation is visiting the country.
Report: Civilian killed, six injured in Israeli airstrike on Syria
An Israeli airstrike set off Syrian air defenses early Wednesday, killing one and injuring six, according to Syrian state-run SANA news.
Police closes Temple Mount to Jews indefinitely
Israel Police Tuesday banned Jewish visitors from visiting the Temple Mount until further notice as tensions rise in the Old City of the Israeli capital.
Netherlands Remembers War Dead Amid Corona Controversy
The Dutch king laid a wreath Tuesday at a monument to the country’s war dead amid fresh controversy about reduced liberties in the liberal nation.
US Secretary of State meets with head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has met with Yossi Cohen, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, for talks that centered on Iran, the Associated Press reports.
Rivlin said set to ask Lapid to form coalition, won’t give mandate to Bennett
President Reuven Rivlin will likely tap Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid with forming the next government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to do so by the Tuesday night deadline, but will likely not consider offering it to Yamina leader Naftali Bennett, according to Hebrew media reports.
EU, UN call on Abbas to set new date for Palestinian elections
The Palestinian Authority should set a new date for the Legislative Council elections – and Israel should allow Palestinians to cast their ballots in Jerusalem, the European Union and the United Nations said on Friday.
Gantz rules out coalition with Netanyahu, says he’s committed to replacing him
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz on Sunday ruled out joining a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling lawmakers in his party that he is fully committed to the so-called “change bloc” that seeks to remove the Likud leader from power.
Biden said to tell Mossad chief that US not close to return to Iran nuke deal
US president Joe Biden reportedly told Mossad chief Yossi Cohen that the US is not close to returning to the nuclear deal with Iran, according to a news report Sunday.
Hamas slams Abbas’s decision to delay Palestinian vote as a ‘coup’
The Palestinian Hamas movement on Thursday slammed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision on Thursday night to delay a long-awaited Palestinian vote, calling his move “a coup.”