Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi approved Bahrain’s very first ambassador to Israel on Tuesday, the Jerusalem Post reports. Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani had appointed Khaled Yousif al-Jalahama, the Director of Operations at Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry, to the position of Ambassador to Israel on Sunday.
The annual United States report on global human rights practices affirmed that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel, but reintroduced language that spoke of Israeli occupation of territory, two-states and gave a nod in the direction of Palestinian Authority rights to sections of Jerusalem.
New Hope party leader Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday urged Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid to “put ego aside,” in an apparent call to let Yamina chief Naftali Bennett serve as prime minister first in a potential rotation deal in a new government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chances of receiving the first mandate to form a coalition from President Reuven Rivlin received a boost on Monday, when New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar and Yamina head Naftali Bennett ruled out a government backed by Arab parties.
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.
Soldiers in predominantly Muslim armies have been killing their Christian fellow troops alleging they are “infidels”, Israel365 News reports. There have been reports of such murders occurring in Nigeria and Egypt, among other countries.
The 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the Muslim countries of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, may benefit not only Jewish communities in traditionally hostile Middle Eastern nations, but also other faith minorities in the region, including Christians, International Christian Concern reports.
Iran and China on Saturday signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement addressing economic issues amid crippling US sanctions on Tehran, according to Iranian state media.
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.
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.
Results from a US trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine may have used “outdated information,” US federal health officials said early Tuesday.
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.