Israel News for 8-19-2022
News Update
Israel and Turkey announced the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the countries. Both Prime Minister Lapid and President Herzog spoke with Turkish President Erdogan after the announcement. The leaders all welcomed the move and expressed hope for the development of close ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday to urge him not to renew the Iran nuclear deal after the EU submitted a “final” draft text aimed at salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal. In the call, the German Chancellor condemned any attempts to deny or downplay the Holocaust, referring to comments made by PA President Abbas in Berlin this week. He said, “The comments by President Abbas in Berlin were intolerable and completely unacceptable to (the chancellor) and the entire German government. Keeping alive the memory of the civilizational rupture of the Shoah is an everlasting responsibility of this and every German government.” The Berlin police have opened a preliminary investigation against Abbas, since downplaying the Holocaust is a criminal offense in Germany.
Lapid also spoke to Ted Deutch, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East Subcommittee, and with the U.S. ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides regarding the Iran nuclear deal.
Security forces raided and shut down the offices of several Palestinian advocacy groups that had been designated by the government as terrorist organizations. Defense Minister Gantz said that the groups “operate under the guise of performing humanitarian activities to further the goals of the PFLP terrorist organization, to strengthen the organization and to recruit operatives.” Israel said it would provide the US with documentation and evidence to prove that the groups were terror related, after the US State Department expressed concern over the closures. The UN condemned the closures, claiming no credible evidence was provided.
Israel will increase the number of work and trade permits for Palestinians living in Gaza by 1,500 for a total of 15,500 permits.
