Israel News

Writing history, U.S. President Donald Trump presided over a signing ceremony at the White House establishing formal ties between Israel and two Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Bahrain.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he expected Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel following the diplomatic move taken by Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates at a White House ceremony earlier.

In light of Bahrain’s recent decision to join the United Arab Emirates in normalizing relations with Israel, analysts have been considering whether Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, is likely to follow suit, Ynet News reports. Analysts say Bahrain was unlikely to normalize its Israel relations without the private endorsement of Saudi Arabia, because Riyadh sent troops to support Bahrain’s ruling family during the Arab Spring of 2011 and pledged to give the country $10 billion in financial aid in 2018.

It appears Israel launched airstrikes in northern Syria to destroy a missile production facility on Friday, the 19th anniversary of the terrorists attacks on the United States, according to a private Israeli intelligence firm.

The Trump administration is hoping to capitalize on agreements to be signed this week between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain by pressing for an end to a dispute that has roiled relations between the Gulf Arab countries.

The Israeli military fired missiles on suburbs of the Syrian city of Aleppo Friday, Syrian state media reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will join Emirati leaders in Washington on Sept. 15 to attend an official signing ceremony for the historic Israel-UAE peace agreement. Excitement over the deal is running high among many Israelis, but some Arab states are waiting for the outcome of the US November elections before making any moves.

On the anniversary of the worst-ever Islamic acts of terrorism, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a hopeful “historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East” with Bahrain establishing full diplomatic relations with Israel.

Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner said on Wednesday that the Trump administration’s peace plan is an attempt to “save the two-state solution” because it stops Israel from further expanding its presence in the West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, the state prosecution and police on Wednesday evening, questioning the conduct of law enforcement and calling for an independent probe, after a news report claimed law enforcement officials covered up a serious conflict of interest by one of the investigators into his cases so as not to derail the corruption investigations into the premier.

The Arab League rejected on Wednesday a Palestinian proposal condemning the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, a Palestinian diplomatic source said on Wednesday according to Middle East news agencies.

Following the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, it is possible the UAE will make use of a crude oil pipeline originally built by Israel and pre-revolution Iran – and turn Israel into a major center for the transport of oil between regions, 246 Mag reports. In using the pipeline, the UAE could bypass transporting oil through the Suez Canal and save a great deal of money on shipping costs.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates will sign their historic deal normalizing relations at a White House ceremony on September 15, a senior White House official confirmed to The Times of Israel on Tuesday.

Palestinian leaders have described plans by Israel to install wheelchair access at the Tomb of the Patriarchs as “tantamount to igniting a religious war in the region and in the world,” and a “war crime,” and have called for a third intifada in response. The changes will make the site more accessible for Jews and Muslims alike.

Senior law enforcement officials have filed a complaint with the state comptroller in recent days alleging that senior police officers and the state prosecutor engaged in a wide-spread cover-up of a serious conflict of interest by one of the investigators into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, in order not to derail the corruption investigations into the premier, Channel 12 reported Monday.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman praised US President Donald Trump for Washington’s diplomatic efforts in the region in a phone call Sunday, days after a top White House official visited to press the kingdom on normalization with Israel.

The recently elected president of Malawi announced Friday that the country had resolved to open a “new diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, Israel.” It is presumed this mission will be an embassy, the Jerusalem Post reports. If President Lazarus Chakwera goes ahead with his resolve, Malawi would be the first African nation to have an embassy or diplomatic office in Jerusalem.

The European Union has warned Serbia and Kosovo that they may not become members of the bloc if they move their embassies to Jerusalem.

Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh recently met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a widely expected meeting. It was designed to showcase that the two terrorist groups can meet openly as if they are governments of two countries.

Israeli archaeologists unveiled a rare collection of column heads from the First Temple period at the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem.