Israel News for 11-5-2019
News Update
Israel’s Supreme Court upheld the ruling of a lower court that allowed the government to not renew the working visa of Omar Shakir, the local director of Human Rights Watch. The government claims that Shakir is supporting the international BDS movement, which promotes boycotting Israel. An Israeli law from 2017 bars entry to those who publicly support a boycott of Israel or its West Bank settlements. Shakir, a US citizen, will need to leave Israel within 20 days.
Jordan will return its ambassador to Israel in the next few days, after the two countries reached an agreement to release two Jordanian citizens being held in administrative detention in Israel. Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, said that both detainees had been suspected of security offenses. Their release, approved by the Shin Bet and the PM, is seen as a goodwill gesture.
Annexation Moves: Likud MK Sharren Haskel is preparing a bill that would require Israel to annex the Jordan Valley area. New Right leader Ayelet Shaked, on Sunday, proposed legislation for the annexation of the Gush Etzion block and Ma’aleh Adumim.
The Housing Cabinet has approved the Ministry of Tourism’s plan for a cable car to Jerusalem’s Western Wall from the old railway station. The cable car will travel over 1.4 kilometers and there will be 73 cars with the capacity to transport 3,000 people in each direction.
