Israel News

The past year was very good security-wise. The low number of attacks and victims gave Israelis a relatively high feeling of security, and the intensive focus on coronavirus (and elections) pushed aside other issues that in normal times would have made headlines.

Ra’am (United Arab List) head Mansour Abbas, who holds the key to the formation of the next government, met on Saturday with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Likud MK Ayoub Kara, as both sides attempted to woo him in order to build a coalition.

As the shadow war between Iran and Israel appears to be heating up at sea, another Israeli-owned vessel reportedly came under missile fire in the Gulf of Oman early Thursday morning, possibly by Iranian forces.

With the final vote count being constantly updated – and continued uncertainty as to whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to form a coalition – rumors are buzzing throughout the Israeli media that the “anti-Netanyahu” camp is considering three new moves to seize the initiative.

With 99% of the votes in Israel’s March 23 elections counted Thursday, the country seemed on course to remain in the grip of political deadlock with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing, religious camp nor the bloc determined to end his 12-year premiership gaining the upper hand.

Israelis authorities on Tuesday permitted a reenactment of the ‘Korban Pesach’ Passover Temple service in Jerusalem, in what supporters say is proof that this previously underground event is increasingly accepted in mainstream society, Israel365 News reports. Tuesday’s reenactment of the Korban Pesach was carried out close to the Shaar HaAshpot Dung Gate near the Temple Mount.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be able to form a government, according to preliminary results from 97% of the regular polling stations reported by the Central Elections Committee unless he gains support from the Arab-Islamist Ra’am Party.

With non-final results of the election signaling ongoing political deadlock and the prospect of yet another election, opposition figures are increasingly considering the possibility of passing a law to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from running again.

The Central Elections Committee on Wednesday night began counting some 450,000 absentee ballots, and said it hoped to conclude the tally by Friday morning.

In an apparent blunder of operational security, the IDF Home Front Command published the location of secret IDF bases, Haaretz revealed Tuesday.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a chance to stay in power for a six-term despite facing corruption allegations as his party held the lead in elections, projections showed.

The Middle East quartet of mediators – the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations – discussed on Tuesday reviving “meaningful negotiations” between Israel and the Palestinians with the aim of a two-state solution.

Israelis will head to the polls for the fourth time in under two years on Tuesday, hoping to end the political stalemate that began in December 2018 when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initiated the first election.

The Israel Aerospace Industries defense contractor said on Monday it had successfully completed live fire trials of a new long range defense missile.

New Hope party chief Gideon Sa’ar on Monday refused to rule out joining a government led by Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, keeping the door open to a coalition to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that includes right-wing, centrist and left-wing parties.

A nasal spray that will be marketed as capable of killing 99.9 percent of virus particles has started rolling off production lines in an Israeli factory.

A final election poll published on Channel 12 News on Friday evening finds that the right and the Likud continue to gain strength, but Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu still does not have the required 61 seats which will allow him to form a government.

Israeli scientists are claiming a major breakthrough as they have been able to take mouse embryos from their mothers and grow them outside the womb into fetuses with fully formed organs, the Times of Israel (ToI) reported Wednesday. Prof. Jacob Hanna of the Weizmann Institute of Science said this development “could be relevant to humans.”

The US and Israel have decided to establish a new joint team for sharing intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program, the Times of Israel (ToI) reports. The decision to set up a team was made at a meeting led by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat last week, ToI reports.

The Knesset on Wednesday approved a COVID-19 bill that requires Israelis returning from abroad to choose either to wear an electronic bracelet that ensures they isolate at home or be quarantined in a hotel, the Jerusalem Post reports. According to the government, such measures are necessary to reopen Israel’s borders, at least to citizens.