Israel enters lockdown ahead of muted Independence Day celebrations

The Independence Day celebrations, characterized by barbecues in local parks, have been banned by the Health Ministry. Most local municipalities also canceled the traditional firework shows, deeming it ‘inappropriate’ at the time of the epidemic.

US willing to recognize extension of Israeli sovereignty parts of West Bank in context of negotiations with Palestinians

The US State Department said Monday it was prepared to recognize actions taken by Israel to extend Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. However, this recognition would be ‘in the context of the Government of Israel agreeing to negotiate with the Palestinians along the lines set forth in President Trump’s [peace plan],’ a State Department spokesperson told The Times of Israel.

Syria accuses Israel of air-strike near Damascus

Syria has accused Israel of conducting a pre-dawn airstrike on a military airfield near Damascus on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at least four Iranian militants and three civilians were killed, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Hezbollah and Israel Try To Avoid War, For Now

Israel and the Islamic militant Hezbollah group have reportedly agreed on informal rules of engagement as they prepare for possible war while trying to avoid setting it off. The New York Times newspaper reports that Israel has mostly refrained from killing members of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and committed to destroying the Jewish state.

US says Israeli annexation of parts of West Bank is for Israel to decide

Concerning Israel’s annexation of parts of the West Bank, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said: ‘The Israelis will ultimately make those decisions. That’s an Israeli decision,’ the Times of Israel reports. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Pompeo added that the US would share its views on the issue in a private setting.

Iran Guards reveal secret space program in satellite launch

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched its first satellite into space Wednesday, dramatically revealing what experts described as a secret military space program that could advance its ballistic missile development amid wider tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US.

Christians Recall Holocaust In Worldwide Online Session

Tens of thousands of Christians joined an online ceremony marking Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid concerns that antisemitism will spread as fast as the coronavirus. While a memorial siren sounded across Israel, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) had viewers stand to honor 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, also known as Shoah.

New Bible translation scrubs references to Israel

A new Danish Bible omits the word ‘Israel’ from its pages, publishers claiming the modern nation of Israel and the ancient kingdom of Israel have nothing to do with each other.

Violent anti-Semitic incidents increased by 18% worldwide in 2019

According to a study released Monday, there was an 18% increase in violent anti-Semitic incidents worldwide last year, Israel Hayom reports. Conducted by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University, the study found there were 456 such incidents in 2019, compared to 387 in 2018.

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