Israel

30 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israel's parliament, the Knesset, passed temporary legislation last night that allows police officers to conduct house searches for illegal weapons without a warrant, particularly in Arab communities, Haaretz has reported. The objective is to "reduce the number of illegal weapons used by criminal organisations by providing tools to the Israeli police and other law enforcement authorities."

30 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, on Wednesday gave a US call for Tel Aviv to drop controversial judicial overhaul plans, saying Israel "is not another star on the US flag", Anadolu News Agency reports.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said he will not meet Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the White House in the near future.

30 Mar 2023; MEMO: US President Joe Biden is reported by Israeli media to have sent a strong message to Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that the Israeli Prime Minister should stop his judicial review immediately. The "personal and confidential" message was delivered by US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides after Netanyahu dismissed his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for not toeing the government line on the issue.

HAIFA, Israel (AP) — Amal Oraby is usually a fixture at street protests. But as tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated for months against a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary, Oraby is sitting this one out.

An activist and lawyer, Oraby is one of the many Palestinian citizens of Israel who have stayed on the sidelines of some of the country’s largest and most sustained demonstrations — a glaring absence in a movement that says it aims to preserve the country’s democratic ideals.

“I don’t see myself there,” Oraby said.

JERUSALEM, March 29 (Reuters) - Israel expects to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme in September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday, after Israeli legislation of measures required by Washington.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem had no immediate comment on Netanyahu's announcement, which came as tensions spiked between the allies over a contested Israeli judicial overhaul plan.

JERUSALEM, March 29 (Reuters) - Israel put a new version of its Ofek spy satellite into orbit on Wednesday, with the Defence Ministry saying it would enhance around-the-clock regional monitoring as the country braces for a possible showdown with Iran.

The launch, planned months in advance, was overseen by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant - a signal he was staying in office despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement on Sunday that he would be fired amidst a constitutional crisis.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rebuffed President Joe Biden’s suggestion that the premier “walks away” from a contentious plan to overhaul the legal system, saying the country makes its own decisions.

The exchange was a rare bout of public disagreement between the two close allies and signals building friction between Israel and the U.S. over Netanyahu’s judicial changes, which he postponed after massive protests.

28 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israel's embassies and consulates around the world yesterday joined a general strike intended to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend his government's plan to overhaul the judicial system, Israel's national trade union Histadrut announced.

"The activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country and abroad will be limited to emergency services," Histadrut said in a letter.

28 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be invited to the White House soon, US Ambassador to Tel Aviv Tom Nides, has claimed. Speaking to Israel's Army Radio this morning, Nides said it could happen after the Jewish Passover holiday in early April.

28 Mar 2023; MEMO: British multinational oil and gas firm, BP plc, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (Adnoc) on Tuesday announced a joint bid to buy 50 per cent of Israel's NewMed Energy in a deal valued at about $2 billion, the Times of Israel reports.