Archive for month: June, 2021

News Update

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid officially inaugurated Israel’s first embassy to the UAE in Abu Dhabi. In his speech he thanked former PM Netanyahu and called him the architect of the peace agreements signed with several Arab countries last year. Lapid will also inaugurate the Israeli consulate in Dubai during his 2 day visit.

Under the Agreement on Economic and Trade Cooperation that Lapid and the UAE foreign minister signed, the Israeli and UAE governments commit to open up economic relations and a free flow of goods and services, as well as cooperation on trade fairs, exchange of experts and know how, exchanges of delegations, cooperation on standards and regulation, encouragement of cooperation by the private sector, encouragement of R&D, agritech, and more.

In his first phone call with PM Naftali Bennett, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed Egypt’s support for efforts to reach a fair and permanent solution between the Palestinians and Israelis and also said it was important to follow through on Egypt-backed efforts to rebuild Gaza.

Israel’s hospitals are worried about a potential fourth wave of COVID-19 in the country. For now, however, most cases are in children, who suffer mild symptoms. According to the Health Ministry, on Tuesday 50 people were hospitalized for COVID-related complications around Israel, with 22 of them said to be in serious condition and 16 on ventilators. There were 1,160 active virus cases as of Tuesday evening.

Israel’s Rafael defense contractor this week unveiled a powerful new naval missile system, called the Sea Breaker, that it says can knock out a full-sized warship from hundreds of kilometers away in one shot. The fifth-generation missile is principally geared for use against targets at sea or near the shore, but can also navigate over land. At this stage, the Sea Breaker is primarily being marketed to customers abroad.

News Update

Israel has reinstated the indoor mask wearing requirement following several Covid outbreaks, primarily among unvaccinated teens. The outbreaks are thought to be connected to Israelis returning home from abroad who may have brought in the Indians Delta variant of the virus. The Health Ministry is urging Israelis returning from abroad to self-isolate.

Israel is expanding Gaza’s fishing zone and allowing the import of raw materials for essential industries. There has been relative calm on the Gaza border recently.

In a speech earlier this week, PA President Abbas welcomed new PM Bennett and urged him to try and reach solutions on long-lasting issues between Palestinians and Israelis.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will hold his first meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rome on Sunday.

A new poll conducted in the US by the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that among Democrats, 51% say the U.S. is not supportive enough of the Palestinians. The sentiment jumps to 62% among Democrats who describe themselves as liberal. On the other hand, 49% of Republicans say the U.S. is not supportive enough of the Israelis, a number that rises to 61% among those who say they’re conservative.

A letter from 73 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, including a number in leadership positions, is urging President Joe Biden to reverse what they call the Trump administration’s “abandonment of longstanding, bipartisan United States policy” on Israeli-Palestinian relations. The letter asks Biden to “Make clear that the United States considers settlements to be inconsistent with international law by reissuing relevant State Department and U.S. customs guidance to that effect,” and for all “relevant official U.S. documents and communications” to “once again consistently refer to the status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as occupied.” To read more, click here.

Honduras opened its embassy in Jerusalem yesterday. It is the fourth country to do so, following the US, Guatemala and Kosovo. To mark the occasion, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and PM Naftali Bennett signed several bilateral cooperation agreements in Jerusalem.

The Bank of Israel has adopted Ethereum blockchain technology for an internal pilot project to examine the digital shekel. To implement the project the Bank of Israel IT department team has issued a token based on the blockchain technology of Ethereum, which represents digital shekels, and has set up digital wallets into which team members of the venture can transfer “imaginary digital shekels” to each other within the Bank of Israel. Ethereum is the world’s second biggest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin.

The Polish parliament has advanced a bill that would limit the ability of claimants to seek restitution for property they owned during the Holocaust. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, an outspoken critic of Poland, condemned the bill, tweeting, “This is a direct and painful attack on the rights of Holocaust survivor and their descendants. This is not the first time that the Poles are trying to turn a blind eye to what was done in Poland during the Holocaust.” Poland is the only member of the EU to deny any restitution to Holocaust survivors and their heirs.

Tens of thousands of people participated in the Gay Pride parade in Tel Aviv today.

News Update

PM Bennett yesterday warned Hamas that Israel will not tolerate any more violence of any kind. He made his comments during a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the 2014 Gaza war. Bennett also promised that he would do all he could to return the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oren Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were killed in the 2014 campaign.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will visit the UAE next week, where he will inaugurate the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of Israel in Dubai. It will be his first visit abroad as foreign minister.

The cabinet has approved an official inquiry into the tragedy at Meron that killed 45 people. The 4 person committee will be headed by a judge.

News Update

A Palestinian woman tried to run over and stab soldiers working along the separation barrier near the town of Hizma, north of Jerusalem today. She was shot and killed. One soldier was very lightly.

Israeli fighter jets attacked Hamas targets in Gaza overnight in response to dozens of incendiary balloon attacks into Israel yesterday, which cause 26 fires.

Thousands participated in the March of Flags, which passed the Damascus Gate and went through the Jaffa Gate down to the Western Wall. Police and security forces broke up the marchers into groups of 50, which they then escorted from the Jaffa gate through the Arab market, to prevent the marchers from potentially attacking or damaging Arab property. A mass prayer gathering was held at the Western Wall at the end of the march. Police arrested 17 Arabs for throwing rocks and clashing with police at several points along the parade route.

A scientific poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that 53% of Palestinians believe Hamas is “most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people,” while only 14% prefer Abbas’ secular Fatah party.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco sent a congratulatory letter to PM Naftali Bennett on his inauguration saying, “On the occasion of your inauguration as Prime Minister of Israel, I express my sincere congratulations and best wishes for your success in your mission. I take this opportunity to emphasize that Morocco has adhered to its role and efforts to bring about a just and lasting peace in the Middle East that will ensure security and stability for all the peoples living in the region.”

Judges in the corruption trial of former PM Netanyahu have denied his request to postpone the trial until after the Jewish High Holidays in September.

Former deputy secretary of state Thomas Nides has been appointed as the US ambassador to Israel. Nides worked as part of the team that led to the approval of a $38 million, 10-year loan guarantee package for Israel, under the Obama administration. He also fought against limiting support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and for UNESCO. His latest position was managing director and vice chairman of Morgan Stanley investment bank.

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake was felt in southern Israel last night. No injuries or damage were reported. The IDF’s Homefront Command said the epicenter was 68 kilometers northeast of Eilat.

News Update

U.S. officials conveyed to Defense Minister Benny Gantz that they expected Israel to avoid moves that could further escalate tensions, and especially what they call “far-right provocations.” The warning related to the “March of Flags”, which is scheduled to take place in the Old City of Jerusalem on Tuesday. The march has been postponed from its usual date, on Jerusalem Day, because of fear of igniting Arab violence. Last night Jewish and Arab protestors faced off near the Damascus Gate. Five people were arrested for disturbing the peace.

Israel has reportedly asked Egypt to halt the entry of cement and other construction materials into Gaza, to prevent Hamas from using them to create weapons. Israel also reportedly told Egypt that it has no opposition to Egyptian engineering teams entering Gaza helping to clear debris left by IDF airstrikes, but did not want them to repair the subterranean tunnels used by Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions.

During an undercover IDF raid into Palestinian Authority controlled Jenin on Thursday to arrest terror suspects, Palestinian police officers fired on the Israeli forces, even after the force identified itself as IDF. The IDF force fired back, killing the 2 Palestinian policemen. One Islamic Jihad terrorist was also killed and another suspect apprehended.

Last night the IDF arrested a terrorist trying to cross into Israel from Gaza. He was carrying an improvised explosive device, grenade and two knives.

The new government is expected to be approved and sworn in on Sunday.