Page 151 - Israel

Former Israeli PM Netanyahu says Turkey's Erdogan agrees to reset ties

Israel and Turkey agreed to a fresh start in ties Thursday, according to former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Relations between the former allies became icy under Netanyahu's term in office. He is now expected to return to power soon as head of Israel's most right-wing government ever. Relations were already on the mend under outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York in September, the first meeting between the countries' leaders in 14 years. But Erdogan's relations with Israel under Netanyahu were particularly frosty, especially over recurring wars against Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid by the Israeli military, also during Netanyahu's rule. Erdogan had shown a willingness for warmer ties since Netanyahu was ousted after 12 consecutive years in power last year. Thursday's statement signalled that the ties could continue to improve under Netanyahu. Netanyahu's office said t

Drone hits Israeli-linked tanker; Iran frees 2 Greek tankers

An oil tanker associated with an Israeli billionaire has been struck by a bomb-carrying drone off the coast of Oman amid heightened tensions with Iran, officials said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Greece said Iran freed two Greek oil tankers held by Tehran since May. The drone attack on the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Pacific Zircon happened on Tuesday night off the coast of Oman, one Mideast-based defence official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorised to discuss the attack publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Pacific Zircon is operated by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is a company ultimately owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. In a statement, Eastern Pacific Shipping said the Pacific Zircon, carrying gas oil, had been hit by a projectile some 150 miles (240 kilometres) off the coast of Oman. We are in communication with the vessel and there is no reports of injuries or pollution. All crew are safe and accounted for, the company

After 5 elections, Israel swears in new parliament, most right-wing ever

After nearly four years of political deadlock and five elections, Israel swore in the most right-wing parliament in its history on Tuesday. Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is working to cobble together a far-right and religious governing coalition in the 120-seat parliament, or Knesset. The surging popularity of a right-wing alliance once on the fringes of Israeli society helped propel Netanyahu's political comeback even as he stands trial on corruption charges. The 25th Knesset was sworn into office with trumpets and choral music just hours after a Palestinian assailant went on a deadly rampage in an Israeli-controlled industrial zone in the occupied West Bank, killing three Israelis and wounding three more before being shot dead. Netanyahu's likely right-wing coalition partners have vowed to act more aggressively against Palestinian attackers to protect Israelis. Israeli President Isaac Herzog appealed for national unity in his speech after the country's five divisive

APSEZ forms JV with Gadot Chemical Terminals in Israel to buy Haifa Port

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) on Monday announced the setting up of a joint venture company with Gadot Chemical Terminals Ltd in Israel. "The company has incorporated a joint venture company with Gadot Chemical Terminals (1985) Ltd in Israel namely 'Mediterranean International Ports A.D.G.D Ltd' on November 13, 2022," APSEZ said in a BSE filing. It said Mediterranean has been incorporated as a joint venture company with Gadot Chemical Terminals (1985) Ltd for the acquisition of Haifa Port Company which currently operates Haifa Port in Israel. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zones, the flagship transportation arm of the diversified Adani group, is India's largest private ports and logistics company.

Israeli missile attack on central Homs area in Syria, reports war monitor

Israel fired missiles toward Syria's central province of Homs Sunday evening targeting an airbase and positions of Iran-backed fighters, an opposition war monitor reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in London, said strong explosions were heard when four Israeli missiles hit the Shayrat airbase in Homs province. It said the missile attack targeted the positions of Iran-backed fighters in the area. State news agency SANA said Syrian air defenses were responding to hostile targets over Homs province adding that some missiles were shot down. It gave no further details. Syrian TV said an Israeli aggression was targeting the province adding that air defenses were responding to the attacks. The strikes occurred after Israeli warplanes were seen flying over neighboring Lebanon whose airspace Israeli air forces sometimes cross to carry out attacks on Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in rec

Israeli president to ask Benjamin Netanyahu to form new government

Benjamin Netanyahu is set to become Israel's prime minister for a record sixth time after President Isaac Herzog on Friday announced that he will invite the veteran Likud Party leader form the next government, a move likely to end the political impasse in the country. President Herzog said that he will assign the task to form a new government to Netanyahu, 73, following consultations with leaders of all the political parties that have been elected to Parliament. Israelis voted on November 1 for an unprecedented fifth time in four years to break the political impasse that has paralysed the Jewish nation. Herzog will officially issue the mandate to Netanyahu on Sunday. The leaders of the right-wing religious bloc, which includes the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties along with the far-right Religious Zionism party, have already said that they would be recommending Netanyahu's name for premiership. Herzog held discussions with the political parties since Wednesday

Biden underscores unwavering support for Israel during call with Netanyahu

During a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him on his re-election, US President Joe Biden "underscored his unwavering support for Israels security"

'Be right back', Netanyahu writes in his leaving note to successor: Reports

Derisive and dismissive of the incoming leadership, Benjamin Netanyahu in June 2021 in a handover note left for his successor in the Prime Minister's office, Naftali Bennett, wrote, "Be right back", according to media reports. Netanyahu, 73, scored an emphatic victory at polls last week making a comeback when elections were held last Tuesday, the fifth in less than four years, after Bennett's government fell under the pressure of ideological differences among the loosely grouped eight parties drawn from the Left, Centre and Right, along with an Arab party. Netanyahu continuously challenged the legitimacy of the government, charging his successor and his allies of having "stolen" the mandate, making several analysts dub him a "sore loser". Some commentators criticised Netanyahu then for his apparent lack of decorum, noting that previous transfers of power had been more courteous. In new revelations, Channel 12 news on Friday published a photo of a note that was left for Bennett on

UK govt has 'no plans' to relocate Israel embassy to Jerusalem, says report

The United Kingdom has "no plans" to relocate its Israel embassy to Jerusalem, Al Jazeera reported citing a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

PM Modi congratulates Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu for general election win

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu for his success in the Israeli general elections and said he looks forward to continuing their joint efforts to deepen the India-Israel strategic partnership. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid Thursday conceded defeat in the general elections and congratulated opposition leader Netanyahu, whose coalition of right-wing parties secured a comfortable majority in parliament to form the next government and end the political impasse plaguing the country. "Mazel Tov my friend @netanyahu for your electoral success. I look forward to continuing our joint efforts to deepen the India-Israel strategic partnership," Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet. Modi also thanked Lapid for giving priority to the India-Israel strategic partnership. "I hope to continue our fruitful exchange of ideas for the mutual benefit of our peoples," Modi said. Modi also put out tweets in Hebrew with the same message. With 99 per cent of the .

Israel PM Lapid congratulates Netanyahu on comeback in national elections

Israel's caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday congratulated former PM Benjamin Netanyahu on victory in the national election

Former Israeli PM Netanyahu appears to edge toward victory after vote

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared headed toward victory on Wednesday, with some 85 per cent of the ballots from national elections counted and showing that voters gave him and his far-right allies what looks like a majority in the country's parliament. Votes were still being counted and results were not final. But if preliminary indications were correct, Israel was potentially headed to its most right-wing government, bolstered by a strong showing from the ultranationalist Religious Zionism party, whose members use inflammatory anti-Arab and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. The initial results pointed to a continued rightward shift in the Israeli electorate, further dimming hopes for peace with the Palestinians and setting the stage for possible conflict with the Biden administration and Israel's supporters in the United States. The early results also showed that Netanyahu had overcome his detractors, who claimed he was not fit to rule while on trial for corruption and .

Israel elections: Exit polls predict win for former PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Exit polls broadcast by all the leading Israeli TV channels on Tuesday predicted an election win for former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led right-wing bloc. The exit polls were broadcast soon after polling booths closed at 10 PM local time. The exit polls saw pro-Netanyahu bloc winning 61-62 seats in the 120 member Knesset (Israeli parliament), just about making the magical figure that would see him making a comeback after losing power following March 2019 polls. Prime Minister Yair Lapid-led bloc was put at 54-55 seats, as per the exit polls. Public broadcaster Kan and Channel 12 gave the Netanyahu-led bloc 62 seats, while Channel 12 projected 61 seats for him.

Landmark maritime Lebanon-Israel pact could have important ramifications

Under the agreement, Lebanon is awarded 840 square kilometres of the previously disputed area

Hezbollah ends anti-Israel mobilisation after maritime demarcation deal

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah announced the end of his armed group's "exceptional" mobilisation against Israel after Lebanese and Israeli leaders finalised a US-brokered maritime demarcation deal

Lebanon and Israel sign US-mediated sea border deal, deliver them to UN

Lebanon and Israel signed copies of a US-mediated sea border deal on Thursday and delivered them to the UN in the coastal border town of Naqoura. The agreement to demarcate the maritime border comes after months of indirect talks mediated by Amos Hochstein, the US envoy for energy affairs, and would mark a major breakthrough in relations between the two nations, which have formally been at war since Israel's creation in 1948. Lebanon and Israel both claim around 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea that are home to offshore gas fields. Lebanon hopes that demarcating maritime borders will pave the way for gas exploration to help lift it out of its crippling economic crisis, which has plunged three-quarters of its population into poverty. Israel hopes that the deal will reduce the risk of war with Lebanon's Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Lebanon and Israel sent delegations to the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon, who received separately sign

Australia drops recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Australia has reversed a previous government's recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the foreign minister said Tuesday. The center-left Labor Party government Cabinet agreed to again recognize Tel Aviv as the capital and reaffirmed that Jerusalem's status must be resolved in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said. Australia remained committed to a two-party solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and we will not support an approach that undermines this prospect, Wong said. Former conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison formally recognized West Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2018, although the Australian embassy remained in Tel Aviv. The change followed the then-U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to shift the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. President Joe Biden has kept the embassy in Jerusalem as the U.S. steps back from its once-intense mediation between the Israelis and ..

Israel and Lebanon reach 'historic' deal on gas fields, says report

Israel has said gas production from Karish in the eastern Mediterranean will enable it to increase exports, including to Europe.

Israeli top court overturns a ban on Arab party of Balad from elections

The Israeli top court has overturned a ban preventing the Arab party of Balad from running in the country's parliamentary elections due on November 1.

Two Palestinians killed in Israel during military raid in West Bank

Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinians on Saturday in an exchange of fire that erupted during a military raid in the West Bank, according to Israeli and Palestinian accounts, in the latest confrontation that has made 2022 the deadliest year of violence in the occupied territory since 2015. The raid occurred in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, the site of repeated clashes between Israeli forces and local gunmen and residents. The camp is known as a stronghold of Palestinian militants and the army often operates there. Palestinian officials said soldiers entered the camp early Saturday and surrounded a house. In videos circulated on social media, exchanges of fire could be heard. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported two dead and 11 wounded, three of them critically. The official Wafa news agency said both of the dead were 17-year-old boys. The Israeli military said it had arrested a 25-year-old operative from the Islamic Jihad militant group who has ...