Israel

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s government on Monday was pressing ahead with a contentious plan to overhaul the country’s legal system, despite an unprecedented uproar that has included mass protests, warnings from military and business leaders and calls for restraint by the United States.

Thousands of demonstrators were expected to gather outside the parliament, or Knesset, for a second straight week to rally against the plan as lawmakers prepared to hold an initial vote.

19 Feb 2023; MEMO: An Israeli-linked tanker was lightly damaged in an attack last week by an airborne object while sailing through the Arabian Sea, the ship's manager confirmed on Saturday, Reuters reports.

Regional defence and security sources suspect the assault was carried out by Iran, which did not comment on the incident. Tehran has rejected accusations it was behind similar attacks in the past few years.

20 Feb 2023; MEMO: Israel's minister of diaspora and combating anti-Semitism yesterday slammed the US ambassador to Tel Aviv after the latter told CNN that the American administration calls on the Netanyahu government to slow down the "judicial reforms" process.

JERUSALEM, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that Iran was responsible for a reported attack on an oil tanker last week.

An attack on the Liberian-flagged Campo Square was confirmed on Saturday by the ship's captain, who said it was lightly damaged by an airborne object on Feb. 10 while sailing through the Arabian Sea.

Shipping databases linked the tanker to Zodiac Maritime, which is controlled by Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer.

16 Feb 2023; MEMO: Shin Bet Security Service chief, Ronen Bar, has recently spoken to National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, and warned him that his crackdown in East Jerusalem could lead to incite further violence, the Israeli Channel 13 reported on Wednesday.

17 Feb 2023; MEMO: A heated crisis is reported to have erupted between Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Justice Minister, Yariv Levin, which prompted Levin to threaten with submitting his resignation and dissolving the government, over the state of the judiciary reform plan.

15 Feb 2023; MEMO: Israel is hurtling towards fascism, Holocaust historian Daniel Blatman has said in an interview with Haaretz. Blatman is a professor at the Institute for Contemporary Jewry at the Hebrew University. His fields of interest are the Holocaust, Nazism, fascism, genocide and East European Jewry during the Holocaust. He is currently involved in establishing the Warsaw Ghetto Museum, which is scheduled to open in 2025.

13 Feb 2023; MEMO: A former Palestinian prisoner has accused Israeli soldiers of stealing large amounts of cash along with some valuable belongings during a recent raid of his home in the town of Issawiya in occupied East Jerusalem.

According to Wafa news agency, the soldier stole $1,500 and several goods including perfumes and electronic gadgets belonging to former prisoner Ibrahim Dirbas.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian man was killed and at least seven others were wounded Monday during a shootout with Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, Palestinian officials said.

It was the latest death in a surge of Israeli-Palestinian violence that shows no signs of slowing.

The Israeli military said it carried out raids across the West Bank overnight, and that troops came under fire during the arrest of two men suspected of killing an Israeli soldier in October. The army said the two wanted men were injured the shootout and arrested.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Israelis protested outside the country’s parliament on Monday ahead of a preliminary vote on a bill that would give politicians greater power over appointing judges, part of a judicial overhaul proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

The committee vote, expected to take place after a stormy session, marked the opening salvo by Netanyahu and his allies in a plan that has divided the country, triggered mass protests and even drawn concern from President Joe Biden.