Israel news summary

Israel News for 6-3-2020

News Update

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With hundreds of new cases of coronavirus reported throughout the country since last week, more schools are being forced to close and the Education Ministry is considering integrating distance learning to reduce student attendance.

An employee in the Prime Minister’s Office has tested positive for COVID-19, which could send the PM, the Finance Minister and the Education Minister into quarantine.

Israeli soccer teams resumed play over the weekend, in stadiums without fans. But hundreds of fans gathered outside a Tel Aviv stadium yesterday to celebrate the victory of Hapoel Tel Aviv over Beitar Jerusalem. There was zero social distancing. Health officials are investigating the incident.

A Jordanian military court is trying 5 Jordanians suspected of planning suicide terror attacks against Israelis in the West Bank. The suspects were arrested in February.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled that Americans wounded and killed in seven attacks carried out by Palestinians in Israel were eligible for damages from Iran and Syria because those countries provided “material support” to militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The court has not yet determined the amount of the damages. It’s unclear how the damages would be collected. American courts have ordered the government of Iran to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to families of Americans killed by Palestinian terrorists before, but no money has ever been collected.

According to a new poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, 50% of Israelis support the annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and 30% are against it. Israel’s security chiefs will meet today to discuss possible scenarios that could occur as a result of the planned annexation.

Over 200 demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. consulate in Tel Aviv yesterday to protest the killing of George Floyd.