Israel news summary

Israel News for 10-6-2021

/by

News Update

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan hosted Israeli national security adviser Eyal Hulata for talks which, according to a U.S. official, gave the two allies a chance to share intelligence and develop a “baseline assessment” of how far Tehran’s nuclear program has advanced. According to a White House statement, “Mr. Sullivan explained that this administration believes diplomacy is the best path to achieve that goal, while also noting that the president has made clear that if diplomacy fails, the United States is prepared to turn to other options.”

FM Lapid will visit Washington next week to meet with US Secretary of State Blinken.

Lebanese newspaper Al Arabiya reported that the Mossad allegedly took a DNA sample from a corpse in the northern Lebanese village of Nabi Chit to see if it was the remains of long-lost Israeli airman Ron Arad. Al Arabiya also reported that the Mossad kidnapped an Iranian general from Syria to interrogate him about Arad’s fate.

Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 2,502 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed on Tuesday, producing a positivity rate of 2.32%. 487 coronavirus patients are hospitalized in serious condition, with 190 on ventilators. Since the start of the pandemic, 7,855 people have died of coronavirus. PM Bennett ordered the end of quarantining for students in cities with low coronavirus infection rates starting next week. Other restrictions will also begin to be eased.

Transportation Minister Merav MichaeliTannounced yesterday that an agreement has been reached between various government ministries and the Tel Aviv municipality to dismantle the Central Bus Station in south TA and build a new, modern, terminal in another south TA location. The second largest bus station in the world is located in the poorest section of the city and has for years suffered from neglect and disrepair, and been a magnet for crime.

Microsoft plans to open five additional sites in Israel and more than double its R&D workforce in the country over the next four years. Microsoft currently operates development centers in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Nazareth, and opened a 46,000-square-meter campus in Herzliya late last year. As of the end of 2020, Microsoft employed an estimated 2,300 people in Israel — 2,000 of them in R&D, working on projects including cybersecurity, AI technologies, big data and healthcare. Around 300 people work in sales and marketing. Microsoft also operates a VC fund and “Microsoft for Startups” programs, whose staff work from the Herzliya offices. To read more, click here.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense director general General (res.) Amir Eshel and Czech Republic Deputy Defense for Armaments and Acquisition Lubor Koudelka have signed a government-to-government agreement to sell four of Rafael Advance Defense Systems Spyder short range air defense missile batteries for $620 million. DM Benny Gantz tweeted, “This is a strategically important deal with a NATO member state, that will create jobs in both countries, which further deepens the excellent defense relations” between the nations.

On the (secular) anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Israeli government has released classified documents and memos from communications during that period. Many of them show the desperation of government officials during the beginning of the war. To read some, click here.

Western Wall Prayers

For nearly 2,000 years, since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70CE, the Western Wall has served as the primary gathering place for Jews and believers of all faiths to pour out their hearts in prayer to the Almighty. While God listens to our prayers wherever we are, we turn our faces towards the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where our Holy Temple once stood, and will one day soon stand again.

Therefore, it is considered efficacious to pray at the Western Wall. It is also customary to insert a written note with your prayer into the crevices of the Western Wall’s stones.

We will be visiting the Western Wall on a regular basis during the year.

  • To have us insert your prayer note at the Western Wall, click here.
  • To have us include the name of your loved one in our prayer for healing at the Western Wall, click here. 

Our next journey to Jerusalem will be on Sunday Oct. 10.

Israel news summary

Israel News for 10-4-2021

/by

News Update

PM Bennett announced that the IDF and Shin Bet would join police in fighting violent crime in Arab communities. Other government bodies including the National Security Council, the State Attorney’s Office, the Tax Authority, and the Anti-Money Laundering Authority will also take part in the effort. The PM said, “The state is now mobilizing to protect Arab citizens from the blight of crime and illegal weapons, and from murder and protection rackets. This will take considerable time, effort and resources. And while the state is mobilizing, the Arab public must understand that the security forces are not the enemy – they are the solution.”

Palestinian Authority President Abbas hosted a meeting with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and Regional Cooperation Minister Iswai Frej in Ramallah last night. Meretz leader Michal Rozin also attended the meeting. Abbas said that he wants to meet with all Israeli ministers, and he specifically mentioned Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, who openly rejected his offer saying she would not meet with “a Holocaust denier who is suing Israel soldiers at The Hague and paying murderers of Jews.” PM Bennett has also said that he has no plans to meet with Abbas.

An Israeli delegation headed by Energy Minister Karine Elharrar left for France today to attend an OECD conference on climate change. Elharrar will speak at the opening session of the conference alongside US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and will discuss the adoption of the OECD’s standards and principles as part of Israeli legislation designed to combat the climate crisis. She will state in her remarks “the desire of the State of Israel to deepen economic, research and development ties with the countries of the world, and especially with the countries of the region, as part of future peace processes.”

A Hamas delegation is in Cairo today for talks with Egyptian intelligence officials, who have been mediating between the Gaza rulers and Israel over a possible prisoner swap.

Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 2,653 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed on Sunday, producing a positivity rate of 2.83%. 564 coronavirus patients are hospitalized in serious condition, with 204 on ventilators. Since the start of the pandemic, 7,827 people have died of coronavirus. Over 3 and a half million Israelis have already received a 3rd dose of the vaccine.

Western Wall Prayers

For nearly 2,000 years, since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70CE, the Western Wall has served as the primary gathering place for Jews and believers of all faiths to pour out their hearts in prayer to the Almighty. While God listens to our prayers wherever we are, we turn our faces towards the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where our Holy Temple once stood, and will one day soon stand again.

Therefore, it is considered efficacious to pray at the Western Wall. It is also customary to insert a written note with your prayer into the crevices of the Western Wall’s stones.

We will be visiting the Western Wall on a regular basis during the year.

  • To have us insert your prayer note at the Western Wall, click here.
  • To have us include the name of your loved one in our prayer for healing at the Western Wall, click here. 

Our next journey to Jerusalem will be on Sunday Oct. 10.

Israel news summary

Israel News for 10-1-2021

/by

News Update

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid yesterday met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain. This was Lapid’s his first visit to Bahrain and the first time the King met publicly with an Israeli minister. Lapid tweeted, “His Majesty’s leadership and inspiration have led to true cooperation and our meeting outlined the path forward for our relationship.” The FM also inaugurated Israel’s embassy in Bahrain.

In an operation that began last night, Border Police forces have arrested 694 Palestinians attempting to illegally enter the Old City of Jerusalem from the West Bank. The Palestinians were returned to the West Bank.

Earlier this week, a fire caused by a mysterious explosion damaged a secret Iranian missile facility west of Tehran. At least 2 people died in the fire and one injured.

On Wednesday, a bus collided head on with a taxi in northern Israel. The bus driver, 76-year-old Asher Basson from Kiryat Yam, was killed. He had over 50 moving violations in his lifetime. Four people were killed in the taxi: Moran Ben Eli (35) from the northern town of Maalot and her three children — Dekel Ben Eli (15), Liam Ben Eli (11) and Anael Ben Eli (5). They were laid to rest Thursday at Maalot’s old cemetery. The father Reuven Ben Eli, who was driving the cab, was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa for treatment. He woke up Thursday morning and was given the bitter news of his family’s passing by doctors.

Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 4,313 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed on Thursday, producing a positivity rate of 3.8%. As of Friday morning, 607 coronavirus patients are hospitalized in serious condition, with 264 who are in critical condition and 214 of whom are intubated. Since the start of the pandemic, 7,761 people have died of coronavirus. Over 3 and a half million Israelis have already received a 3rd dose of the vaccine. Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash said today that Israel is apparently nearing the end of the fourth COVID-19 virus wave that began in late June.

So far this year, 7,800 electric cars were sold and delivered in Israel. More than half of those are Teslas.