Outcry from israel

AFP Washington, United States   ● Wed, June 22, 2022 2022-06-22 13:35 0 19e180299dbaf1eff1f381413fcb3c46 2 Middle East and Africa Antony-Blinken,Israel,election,Yair-Lapid,Naftali-Bennett,diplomacy Free US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday promised strong support for Israel as the ally heads to its fifth election in less than four years. In a telephone call to Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who will become caretaker prime minister in an unwieldy coalition arrangement, Blinken confirmed that President Joe Biden still plans to visit Israel next month. Blinken "underscored our respect for democratic processes and reiterated our unwavering commitment to the strong US-Israel strategic relationship," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Blinken "emphasized our continuing close coordination on regional and global issues," he said. Price earlier told reporters: "The strength of our relationship does not depend on who sits in … [Read more...] about Blinken vows support as Israel heads to elections

AFP Jerusalem   ● Wed, June 22, 2022 2022-06-22 15:50 0 e16ff64e7ecc29b417414912232cafd9 2 Middle East and Africa Israel,Naftali-Bennett,Yair-Lapid,election,coalition,Benjamin-Netanyahu,Far-Right,likud-party Free Israeli lawmakers were holding a first vote Wednesday on a government bill to dissolve parliament and call an early election, after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said his eight-party coalition was no longer tenable. The government has said it wants to fast-track the bill but the opposition led by ex-premier Benjamin Netanyahu will attempt to block its passage in a bid to form a replacement government without the need for what would be Israel's fifth election in less than four years. If the government's dissolution bill passes Wednesday's preliminary vote, it must then clear a separate committee vote and three further votes in the full parliament. If it passes all those hurdles, the election is expected to be called for October 25, Israeli … [Read more...] about Israel lawmakers hold first vote on bill triggering early election

After barely 12 months in office, the leaders of Israel’s broad-based but severely weakened coalition government threw in the towel this week, saying they would dissolve parliament and hold new elections — the fifth in 3 1/2 years. Why does this keep happening? The simplest answer is that Israel is deeply — and almost evenly — divided over whether Benjamin Netanyahu should be prime minister. But it’s also because Israel’s political system consists of an ideologically diverse array of parties that have to form alliances — and sometimes break them — to get what they want. Here’s a look at how Israel reached this point and what comes next. MULTI-PARTY POLITICS Israelis vote by party, and in the country’s 74-year history no single faction has won a majority in the 120-member parliament, known as the Knesset. So after every election, any would-be prime minister must form alliances in order to cobble together a majority of at least 61 seats. That gives small parties outsized … [Read more...] about NEWS18 EXPLAINS: Why is Israel Always Holding Elections?

Israeli archaeologists on Wednesday unveiled a rare ancient mosque in the country's south that the antiquities officials said sheds light on the region's transition from Christianity to Islam. The remains of the mosque, believed to be more than 1,200 years old, were discovered during works to build a new neighbourhood in the Bedouin city of Rahat, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement. The mosque located in the Negev desert contains "a square room and a wall facing the direction of Mecca", with a half-circle niche in that wall pointing to the south, the IAA said. "These unique architectural features show that the building was used as a mosque," the authority said, noting it probably hosted a few dozen worshippers at a time. A short distance from the mosque, a "luxurious estate building" was also discovered, with remains of tableware and glass artefacts pointing to the wealth of its residents, the IAA said. Three years ago, the authority unearthed another mosque … [Read more...] about Israel uncovers rare early mosque in Negev

The US and Israel are committed to ensure Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday, as the allies acknowledged differences over negotiations with Tehran. Blinken made the comments in Jerusalem alongside his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid, who told reporters Israel had “disagreements” with Washington about a possible deal to revive the 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran. Blinken said President Joe Biden’s administration believes that “the return to full implementation” of the deal was “the best way to put Iran’s programme back in the box that it was in but has escaped from since the United States withdrew from the agreement,” under former president Donald Trump in 2018. Israel’s government firmly opposed the terms of the 2015 deal and has said that re-activating the original deal is insufficient to curb the Iranian threat. But, Blinken said, “when it comes to the most important element, (Israel and the US) see eye to eye. We are both … [Read more...] about US, Israel ‘Committed’ to Preventing Iran Getting Nuclear Bomb: Antony Blinken

AFP Washington, United States   ● Sun, June 26, 2022 2022-06-26 12:45 0 76b99ae81be4b2e052851b8c9617ddba 2 Middle East and Africa US,Israel,Saudi-Arabia,Joe-Biden,Muhammad-bin-Salman,diplomacy,Jared-Kushner Free The United States has hinted that more Arab nations could take steps to improve ties with Israel, ahead of President Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East. All eyes are on Saudi Arabia, which Biden will visit in mid-July after he once vowed to treat the kingdom as a "pariah" state over the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. However, despite the recent signs of a US-Saudi rapprochement, analysts say it is improbable Riyadh will agree to diplomatic ties with Israel -- not during Biden's visit or while King Salman, 86, still reigns. The king's official policy is that there should be no peace with Israel until it withdraws from occupied territories and accepts Palestinian statehood. Biden's visit will likely focus … [Read more...] about Do signs point to an Israel-Saudi normalisation deal?

New Delhi: India is no longer shy of calling itself a friend of Israel, the BJP’s Foreign Affairs Department in-charge said ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to India in January 2018. “The 10 years of UPA government had frozen the ties. But now India is no more shy of calling itself a friend of Israel,” Vijay Chauthaiwale told News18.com. The reason why the ties were frozen in the UPA rule concerned with “domestic issues” and “historical baggage of the Cold War, he said. “They (UPA) were skeptical that strengthening ties with Israel would make them lose domestic support of minorities. It did not go further. Also there was a historical baggage of the Cold War era. The Non-Alignment Movement was a necessity of Cold War, but the Cold War has ended. Every country is now dealing with every other country,” he said. He added that PM Narendra Modi, who had visited Israel in July, has “de-hyphenated relations” with Israel and Palestine. “We are dealing with … [Read more...] about India No Longer Shy of Calling Itself Friend of Israel, Says In-Charge of BJP’s Foreign Affairs Dept

New Delhi: The Indian army and the government are discussing ways to revive a $500 million order to buy Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel's state-owned defence contractor Rafael, army chief Bipin Rawat said on Friday. India recently called off the deal to procure 8,000 missiles, souring the build up to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the country this week. Rawat said the deal was scrapped after the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) offered to manufacture similar missiles in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet 'Make in India' initiative. "They (DRDO) said... why you are going for a missile that we are capable of manufacturing and can give you better results," Rawat said. "That is what led to retracting of the RFP (request for proposal)." Rawat said the DRDO missiles were yet to be tested and would not be ready till 2022, which could hit India's operational capabilities in the interim. "So how do we bridge the … [Read more...] about India May Revive $500-Million Missile Deal With Israel as Netanyahu Comes Calling

Israel has intensified an offensive covert action program against Iranian targets in the last year, officials familiar with the matter confirmed to The Wall Street Journal Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in May announced a shift in counter-Iran policy, titled the Octopus Doctrine, emphasizing operations that penetrate Iranian soil instead of targeting Iran’s agents in third countries, according to the WSJ. The clandestine initiative aims to prevent Iran from developing a viable nuclear weapon, officials told the WSJ. (RELATED: Biden Administration Issues New Sanctions On Iran As Nuclear Deal Prospects Plummet) “The gloves are off,” an individual familiar with the matter told the WSJ. “There is a recognition that, while Iran may have mastered the fuel cycle, they haven’t mastered warhead development.” In keeping with the new strategy, Israel has mounted drone strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted an Iranian drone base, the officials told the … [Read more...] about Israel Ramped Up Covert Campaign On Iranian Soil, Officials Say

There’s no plaque on the gate of the U.S. ambassador’s new residence in Jerusalem, no Stars and Stripes visible, no official listing as a notable overseas property. The official residence of the American envoy is a rental and temporary, officials said, secured after two years of house-hunting in the wake of then-President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Ambassador Tom Nides moved into the sleekly renovated villa in west Jerusalem’s leafy German Colony sometime last spring. Local real estate agents estimate its value at around $23 million, and its owner and the embassy confirmed it is being leased as the U.S. envoy's official residence. Emek Refaim Street is the latest stop for the American ambassador's home on a more than three-year migration from the seaside cliffs north of Tel Aviv to tension-filled Jerusalem. The journey reflects the Trump administration’s divisive legacy and the reluctance of President … [Read more...] about US envoy to Israel lives in a luxe rental, a Trump legacy