Israel

Israel to impose 65% tax on human rights groups critical of the occupation state

25 May 2023; MEMO: A new bill is being proposed which will grant Israel powers to extend its crackdown on human rights groups. The Ministerial Committee on Legislation will put forward a plan on Sunday to impose a tax on 65 per cent of foreign donations to Israeli and Palestinian humanitarian and human rights groups.

Israeli military: Palestinian man killed after alleged stabbing attempt in West Bank settlement

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian man was shot and killed on Friday after infiltrating a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli army said.

In a statement, the military said the man tried to stab a resident in the Tene Omarim settlement and was shot by an armed civilian. It said the infiltration had set off an alarm and soldiers were scanning the area.

The Palestinian Health ministry confirmed the death but gave no further details.

Israel allocates $941m from state budget to expand, upscale illegal settlements

25 May 2023; MEMO: The Israeli Knesset yesterday approved the new state budget for the next two years which includes investing 3.5 billion shekels ($941 million) into expanding Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

According to the Times of Israel, the majority of the funds will go towards paving new roads and improving existing ones, including highways to bypass Palestinian areas that further segregate Israeli settlers and Palestinians.

Israel shoots down drone from Lebanon

25 May 2023; MEMO: Israel shot down a drone that had crossed over from Lebanon on Thursday, its military said in a statement, Reuters reports.

"A short while ago, IDF (Israel Defence Forces) soldiers identified and downed a drone crossing from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory towards the town of Zar'it," the military said.

Iran warns Israel against attacks on its nuclear facilities

25 May 2023; MEMO: An Iranian official on Tuesday warned Israel against attacking Tehran's nuclear facilities, noting such a move would lead to a war.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, the Iranian official said: "We do not seek war, but the world must understand we have lines, that there are no red lines when it comes to our response to Israel."

France officials will not meet with Israel's far-right finance minister Smotrich

23 May 2023; MEMO: Extremist Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, will struggle to arrange meetings with senior French officials during his planned visit to Paris next month, Israeli media has warned, saying this is a result of his denial of the existence of the Palestinian people during his visit to Paris two months ago.

Israeli far-right minister visits Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, sparking condemnations

JERUSALEM, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday morning, drawing condemnations from the Palestinians and Jordan.

Escorted by heavy police and the internal Shin Bet security agency, Ben-Gvir visited the compound in the early morning hours, according to a video statement released by his office.

He said he was glad to come up to the compound, and thanked the police officers at the site.

3 Palestinian militants killed in Israeli West Bank raid; US slams latest settlement expansion

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Three Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli army raid in a West Bank refugee camp early Monday, Palestinian officials said, while the Biden administration sharply condemned Israel’s latest act of settlement expansion.

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