Israel News for 3-6-19
Gaza Strike
Last night Israeli aircraft attacked terror targets in a Hamas military compound in northern Gaza in response to incendiary balloons launched into Israel.
For further reading click here.
Election Update
Attorney General (AG) Avichai Mandelblit and State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan have decided to recommend that Michael Ben-Ari, who heads the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, be prohibited from running for the Knesset in the upcoming election. The AG posted that Ben-Ari, “systematically made racist and inciting statements based on national and ethnic characteristics against the Arab population.”
The decision to ban Ben-Ari from the election will be made today by the Central Elections Committee, who will likely approve the ban. But the decision will then be brought before the Supreme Court, which in the past has not upheld bans in similar situations.
For further reading click here.
Shas leader Aryeh Deri said that his party would not, under any circumstances, join a coalition led by the Blue White party. He pledged to exclusively support PM Netanyahu.
For further reading click here.
US Missiles
The US Army has, for the first time, deployed its most advanced air and missile defense system, THAAD, to Israel. The US military said the decision to rapidly move the THAAD system to Israel was intended “as a demonstration of the United States’ continued commitment to Israel’s regional security.” As part of the deployment, US troops will be stationed in various locations in Europe, the United States and in Israel to operate the system in close cooperation with the IDF.
PM Netanyahu said, “Deployment of the American anti-missile system in Israel is additional testimony to the commitment of the US to the security of Israel. The American THAAD system is considered one of the most advanced systems in the world, and together with our defensive systems we are even stronger in order to deal with near and distant threats from throughout the Middle East. The bond between the US and Israel has never been stronger. I welcome this joint exercise.“
For further reading click here.
Rich List
21 Israelis are ranked on this year’s Forbes 2019 World Billionaires list, up from 18 last year. The top Israel, Eyal Ofer, ranked 149 with a fortune of $9.4 billion.
For further reading click here.
Rain Falling
Rain in Israel is considered a blessing, and this winter Israel is reaping that blessing. Some parts of the country, particularly in the north, have gotten 150% more rain than usual. The Kinneret has risen over 5 ft. It has rained somewhere in Israel every day this winter. And the rain is continuing into March, which is also not the norm. Good news.
For further reading click here.
