Hamas, Fatah tensions rise; accuse each other of collaborating with Israel
Tensions between Hamas and Fatah have intensified in the past few days as the two Palestinian rival parties continue to exchange allegations and insults.
Israel
No deal to end shutdown; Trump says ‘could be a long time’
No one budged at President Donald Trump’s closed-door meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday, so the partial government shutdown persisted through Day 12 over his demand for billions of dollars to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. They’ll all try again Friday.
Pompeo to Netanyahu: U.S. still committed to protecting Israel
Syria and Iran were on the agenda Tuesday when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Brasilia against the backdrop of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s inauguration.
US, Israel quit UN agency UNESCO, claiming anti-Israeli bias
The United States and Israel officially quit the U.N.’s educational, scientific and cultural agency at the stroke of midnight, the culmination of a process triggered more than a year ago amid concerns that the organization fosters anti-Israel bias.
Iran denounces Brazil’s plan to move embassy to Jerusalem
Iran has denounced plans by Brazil’s newly elected president to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Iranian cargo plane suspected of bringing arms to Hezbollah departs Tehran
A Fars Air Qeshm cargo 747 airliner left Tehran at 8 a.m. on Sunday and landed in Damascus at 10:30 a.m., returning to Tehran at 5 p.m. The 747 allegedly transported weapons to Hezbollah in September, according to a report from Fox News that was based on Western intelligence assessments. The aircraft also made suspicious flights in July and August to Damascus and Beirut.
U.S., Israel work to block unilateral Palestinian statehood drive at U.N.
The United States and Israel are working to block a renewed Palestinian Authority drive to become a member state of the United Nations.
New US law threatens Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation
The security cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Israel hangs in balance due to a new US legislation, which is expected to take effect next month, that threatens to bankrupt the government in Ramallah and collapse its security apparatus.
Israel: Iran operating on Syrian border, despite Russian assurances
An Israeli security official on Wednesday confirmed responsibility for overnight airstrikes in Syria, saying the air force had hit a series of targets involved in Iranian arms transfers to the Hezbollah militant group.
Satellite images reveal Iranian facility destroyed in Syria strike
An intelligence report issued by the satellite imaging company ImageSat International (ISI) on Thursday revealed the aftermath of the recent airstrikes in Syria, largely attributed to Israel.
Trump: We give Israel billions, it can defend itself in Syria
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was not worried that pulling troops out of Syria could endanger Israel, citing vast American military aid to the Jewish state and saying it could defend itself.
Netanyahu vows to keep hitting Iran in Syria: ‘We stand firmly on our red lines’
Brushing aside Russian criticism of a reported Israeli airstrike in Syria overnight, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday doubled down on Israel’s policy of attacking Iranian-linked targets in Syria.
Hezbollah Tunnel Under Lebanon Border; Netanyahu Says Operation Northern Shield ‘Mostly Behind Us’
The IDF announced on Wednesday it had detected and destroyed a fifth tunnel dug by Hezbollah under the Israel-Lebanon border.
Livni calls on Center-Left to form bloc to take down Netanyahu
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni begged her fellow leaders of the Center-Left on Tuesday to act unselfishly in order to defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the April 9 general election, as two new parties were announced earlier in the day.
Israel fires at Syrian missile after bombing of arms depots near Damascus
Israel’s air defense system – likely the Arrow – was activated late Tuesday night against a Syrian anti-aircraft missile, following an alleged Israeli air strike over the capital of Damascus. Media reports claimed that Israel struck weapon warehouses near the Syrian capital.
Israel going to the polls: Early Knesset elections to be held April 9
Israel is returning to the polls: The heads of the factions in the coalition decided at a special meeting held Monday afternoon that general elections will take place on April 9, 2019. The Knesset will likely be dissolved on Wednesday.
Snap elections may put Trump’s peace plan on back-burner until summer
Israel’s early election will significantly delay the publication of the US administration’s much-awaited proposal for Israeli-Palestinian peace, experts said Monday, as the White House keeps the plan on the back-burner for fear of influencing the vote.
Israeli army chief: US exit from Syria significant, but mustn’t overreact
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said Sunday that US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from Syria shouldn’t be ‘exaggerated’ as it has little bearing on Israel’s activity in the region since the Israeli military has been operating independently in the war-torn country for years.
Israel to step up fight against Iranian proxies after U.S. steps out of Syria
Israel moved quickly Thursday to fill the coming power vacuum after President Trump said U.S. troops were being withdrawn from Syria, vowing to ramp up its own military campaign against Iranian-backed proxy groups in the country — a clear sign that the war between Jerusalem and Tehran will continue with or without U.S. involvement.
Israel says will study US pullout from Syria, ensure its own security
Israel will study the US decision to pull its forces from Syria and will ensure its own security, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.