Israel

Israel wants captive troops in return for rebuilding of Gaza

22 May 2021; MEMO: Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip is conditional on reaching a settlement on the return of soldiers missing in the Palestinian territory, Anadolu Agency reported.

"We must condition development and reconstruction [in Gaza] not only on a calm, but also on the return of soldiers' bodies and civilians held hostage in Gaza," Gantz said in an interview with the Israeli KAN channel.

Israel bans travel to Russia, Argentina, Seychelles over high COVID-19 morbidity

JERUSALEM, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Ministry of Health on Sunday issued a severe travel warning for Russia, Argentina, and Seychelles, citing a high level of coronavirus morbidity.

The ministry said in a statement that without a significant reversal of infection rate, these destinations will be categorized as hazardous, meaning that travel of Israeli citizens and permanent residents to them will be prohibited.

For the same reason, Israel has already banned travel to seven other countries, which are Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Turkey.

Israeli police allow Jews to visit flashpoint Jerusalem site

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police on Sunday escorted around 50 Jewish visitors to a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem where police actions in recent weeks had ignited protests and violence that triggered war in Gaza, according to the Islamic authority overseeing the site.

The Waqf said police cleared young Palestinians out of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and barred entry to Muslims under the age of 45. Muslims who entered were required to leave their IDs with police at the entrance. It said three Muslims were arrested, including a guard.

Palestinians, Israeli police clash at Jerusalem's Aqsa hours after Gaza truce

(Reuters) --- Israeli police fired stun grenades towards Palestinians who threw rocks and petrol bombs at officers outside Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday, hours after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire in Gaza.

Police raids of the compound and clashes with Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan helped touch off violence between Israel and Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas, who after 11 days of fighting agreed to a truce early Friday.

Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire to end bloody 11-day war

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead.

At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting “Allahu Akbar” or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce.

Israeli Jews send open letter calling for end to apartheid

20 May 2021; MEMO: A group of Jewish activists using the hashtag #IsraelisAgainstApartheid have condemned the actions of the Israeli government in its ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip, as well as its ethnic cleansing of the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem. The group addressed the international community in an open letter which has been signed by 400 people.

Firing Palestinian citizens of Israel from their jobs 'illegal': Rights group

Adalah – The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel said on Tuesday that firing Palestinian citizens of Israel from their jobs over their participation in the Dignity Strike organised in solidarity with Gaza, Sheikh Jarrah and Al-Aqsa Mosque is illegal.

Several Arab workers reported being fired from their jobs after they took part in the civic action which was announced by the Follow up Committee for the Arab Citizens in Israel.

Israel: Senior army officers want to end offensive, but Netanyahu doesn't

20 May 2021; MEMO: The military analyst for Haaretz newspaper, Amos Harel, said on Wednesday that senior army officers want to end the military offensive against Gaza, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't because he is looking for a "clear victory".

According to Harel, the majority of the political and military leaders in Israel think that the operation in Gaza is coming to an end soon, but neither the politicians nor the army want to carry full responsibility.

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