Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scrambled for far-right voter support two days before an election, convening his cabinet in the occupied West Bank and having it approve legal status for an unauthorised outpost. Watch this video to know more.

Netanyahu sharpens focus on settlements, two days before ballot

Israel elections: Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda and settlement issue

Benjamin Netanyahu's battle for his political survival, Israel to vote again on Sept 17. Watch this video to know more.

Benjamin Netanyahu's battle for his political survival, Israel to vote again on Sept 17

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of moving forward on a "mutual defence" treaty between the allies, just three days before Israeli voters go to the polls.

"I had a call today with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the possibility of moving forward with a Mutual Defence Treaty, between the United States and Israel," Trump tweeted.

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....between our two countries. I look forward to continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month!
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He said such an agreement would "further anchor the tremendous alliance" between the two countries.&nbsp;

"I look forward to continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month!" Trump added, giving a tacit last-minute endorsement to Netanyahu's re-election bid.

The comments come as the international community awaits the release of Washington's long-delayed Middle East peace plan, which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently said could come within weeks.

Its publication was pushed back after Israel scheduled new elections, set for Tuesday. &nbsp;

Then last week, one of the key architects of the US plan, Jason Greenblatt, announced his resignation.

Trump has repeatedly boasted that he is the most pro-Israeli US president in history. He has slashed aid to the Palestinians, while making big concessions to the Israelis, including formalizing US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.

As a result, the Palestinian Authority has cut off formal contact with the Trump administration, saying it is not an honest broker.

So far, Trump has not commented on Netanyahu's controversial pledge to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as well as the Jordan Valley if re-elected -- which would seem to go beyond US proposals for land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians.

Netanyahu, 69, is fighting his second election in five months with a potential corruption indictment looming. He suffered a major defeat in April, when his Likud party along with its right-wing and religious allies won a majority, but he failed to form a coalition.

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of moving forward on a "mutual defence" treaty between the allies, just three days before Israeli voters go to the polls.

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of moving forward on a "mutual defence" treaty between the allies, just three days before Israeli voters go to the polls. "I had a call today with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the possibility of moving forward with a Mutual Defence Treaty, between the United States and Israel," Trump tweeted. ....between our two countries. I look forward to continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2019 × He said such an agreement would "further anchor the tremendous alliance" between the two countries. "I look forward to continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month!" Trump added, giving a tacit last-minute endorsement to Netanyahu's re-election bid. The comments come as the international community awaits the release of Washington's long-delayed Middle East peace plan, which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently said could come within weeks. Its publication was pushed back after Israel scheduled new elections, set for Tuesday. Then last week, one of the key architects of the US plan, Jason Greenblatt, announced his resignation. Trump has repeatedly boasted that he is the most pro-Israeli US president in history. He has slashed aid to the Palestinians, while making big concessions to the Israelis, including formalizing US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state. As a result, the Palestinian Authority has cut off formal contact with the Trump administration, saying it is not an honest broker. So far, Trump has not commented on Netanyahu's controversial pledge to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as well as the Jordan Valley if re-elected -- which would seem to go beyond US proposals for land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians. Netanyahu, 69, is fighting his second election in five months with a potential corruption indictment looming. He suffered a major defeat in April, when his Likud party along with its right-wing and religious allies won a majority, but he failed to form a coalition.

Donald Trump says he discussed 'mutual defence' treaty with Benjamin Netanyahu

Things Didn't Go As Planned For Benjamin Netanyahu At A Recent Campaign Rally Ahead Of Israel's Closely-Fought Elections.

Gravitas: Israel Polls: It's Going Down To The Wire

Israeli Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-fights-for-political-life-a-week-before-israel-votes-248659">Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party </a>was found Thursday to have violated Facebook's hate-speech policy after a post from his account saying Arabs "want to destroy us all".

Israeli media reported that the post which said Israeli Arabs "want to destroy us all -- women, children and men" appeared on Netanyahu's official Facebook page and was subsequently removed by Likud.

"After careful review of the Likud campaign’s bot activities, we found a violation of our hate speech policy," a Facebook statement said, referring to an automated chat function.

"We also found that the bot was misusing the platform in the time period allowed to contact people. As a result, we temporarily suspended the bot for 24 hours. Should there be any additional violations, we will continue to take appropriate action."

A Likud spokesman told AFP that the freeze went into effect Thursday morning and would not affect the party's online election campaign.

Netanyahu, who is fighting an election battle for his political survival, said the message had nothing to do with him.

Watch —&nbsp;Israel Polls: It's Going Down To The Wire

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-israel-polls-its-going-down-to-the-wire-249090/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"It wasn't me. It was one of the workers at our election headquarters," he told Israeli public radio. "That mistake was fixed quickly."

"Think logically: Do you think I would really write such a thing?"

"I have friends in Arab countries and I have respect for human beings regardless of whether they are Jewish or Arab, Muslim or Christian."

Netanyahu has long faced accusations from critics that he has demonised Israel's 1.4 million Arab citizens with his political rhetoric.

With the September 17 vote looming, he and Likud drew outrage from opposition parties with a push for last-minute legislation that would allow party officials to bring cameras to polling stations.

His critics labelled it a naked attempt to depress turnout among Israel's Arab population, as it could intimidate many into staying away.

Netanyahu has used similar tactics in the past, including warning on election day in 2015 that Israeli Arabs were voting in "droves", a comment for which he later apologised.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party was found Thursday to have violated Facebook's hate-speech policy after a post from his account saying Arabs "want to destroy us all".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party was found Thursday to have violated Facebook's hate-speech policy after a post from his account saying Arabs "want to destroy us all". Israeli media reported that the post which said Israeli Arabs "want to destroy us all -- women, children and men" appeared on Netanyahu's official Facebook page and was subsequently removed by Likud. "After careful review of the Likud campaign’s bot activities, we found a violation of our hate speech policy," a Facebook statement said, referring to an automated chat function. "We also found that the bot was misusing the platform in the time period allowed to contact people. As a result, we temporarily suspended the bot for 24 hours. Should there be any additional violations, we will continue to take appropriate action." A Likud spokesman told AFP that the freeze went into effect Thursday morning and would not affect the party's online election campaign. Netanyahu, who is fighting an election battle for his political survival, said the message had nothing to do with him. Watch — Israel Polls: It's Going Down To The Wire "It wasn't me. It was one of the workers at our election headquarters," he told Israeli public radio. "That mistake was fixed quickly." "Think logically: Do you think I would really write such a thing?" "I have friends in Arab countries and I have respect for human beings regardless of whether they are Jewish or Arab, Muslim or Christian." Netanyahu has long faced accusations from critics that he has demonised Israel's 1.4 million Arab citizens with his political rhetoric. With the September 17 vote looming, he and Likud drew outrage from opposition parties with a push for last-minute legislation that would allow party officials to bring cameras to polling stations. His critics labelled it a naked attempt to depress turnout among Israel's Arab population, as it could intimidate many into staying away. Netanyahu has used similar tactics in the past, including warning on election day in 2015 that Israeli Arabs were voting in "droves", a comment for which he later apologised.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bot gets Facebook 'hate speech' suspension

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani may not be the only one to have welcomed US President Donald J Trump’s cancellation of peace talks with the Taliban. Probably, so did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the run-up to this month’s Israeli elections.

The cancellation likely reduces fears harboured in recent weeks by Netanyahu and the Israeli intelligence community that the US president may reverse his hardline on Iran and seek to negotiate a resolution of differences with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani.

Israeli fears were sparked by Trump’s repeated expression of interest in meeting with Rouhani, talks on the margins of last month’s gathering of Group of Seven leaders in Biarritz between French president Emmanuel Macron and Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and &nbsp;Trump’s last-minute pullback in June from launching a military strike against Iran.

Trump reiterated his willingness to talk to Rouhani a day after the cancellation and hours after Netanyahu sought to prove that Iran had been violating the 2015 international agreement designed to curb its nuclear ambitions.

The president told reporters that he had no objections to negotiating face-to-face with Rouhani. “Sure, anything’s possible. They would like to be able to solve their problem. We could solve it in 24 hours,” Trump said.

Netanyahu probably saw Trump’s firing on Tuesday of his national security advisor John Bolton, one of the Israeli leader’s foremost soul mates in the administration when it came to Iran, as another worrisome sign.&nbsp;

International Crisis Group Iran expert Ali Vaez voiced Netanyahu’s worst fears by describing Bolton’s departure as “an opportunity for de-escalation.”

Nevertheless, Netanyahu and Israeli intelligence were likely to draw two conclusions from the cancellation of the Taliban talks.

If Trump’s withdrawal in May of last year from the 2015 nuclear agreement, despite a consensus that the Islamic republic was abiding by the accord, convinced Iranians that the United States could not be trusted to honour its commitments, cancelling talks with the Taliban has highlighted the risks of engaging with the US president.

As a result, Rouhani, a strong proponent of the nuclear accord who was weakened by Trump’s withdrawal and has since been on the defensive against Iranian hardliners, is likely to be even more hesitant to engage with Trump.

That is what Netanyahu, betting on Rouhani’s track record in recent weeks, will count on.

Rouhani initially last month expressed willingness to meet Trump without preconditions but subsequently toughened his position by insisting that the United States first lift harsh economic sanctions imposed on Iran after the US withdrawal from the nuclear accord.

Rouhani told the Iranian parliament a day before MTrump’s latest overture and on the same day that the US president cancelled the Taliban talks that Iran’s response to American advances would “always be negative.”

The cancellation is also likely to reinforce Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s deep-rooted distrust of the United States.

Netanyahu and Israeli intelligence are likely to draw a second conclusion from the cancellation prompted by the Taliban’s continued attacks despite peace talks that last week killed a US soldier and 11 others.

Trump’s declaration that the talks were ‘dead’ raised the spectre of a president reluctant to embroil the United States in further military conflict ramping up operations in Afghanistan to counter anticipated Taliban activity.

In an effort to fortify his perceived, regained the advantage and distract attention from setbacks in his electoral campaign, Netanyahu charged in a short, televised address on Monday that Iran’s ‘duplicitous’ regime had been secretly developing nuclear weapons at a hitherto unknown site near Abadeh, south of the city of Isfahan.

Netanyahu asserted that Iran had destroyed the site once it realised that Israel had discovered it. Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, denied the Israeli allegations.

Analysts charged that Netanyahu was recycling dated information in a blurring of the lines between his electoral needs and Israel’s true security concerns.

“In the way Netanyahu presents things…there is a whiff of manipulation; contrary to what one might understand from his remarks, this was an Iranian violation from the period before the nuclear agreement, which went into effect in January 2015,” said Amos Harel, a columnist for Haaretz newspaper.

In attempting to persuade the Israeli electorate that he is the Israeli leader with the security credentials needed to protect Israel from the likes of Iran, stiffen the US resolve to force Iran on its knees, and convince other nations that Iran is the source of all evil, Netanyahu risks not only escalating tension in the Middle East but also sparking a regional nuclear arms race.

Netanyahu’s assertions threaten to reinforce Saudi resolve to match whatever advances Iran may make.

Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed oil minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, in his first remarks since being appointed this week, said that the kingdom wanted to push ahead with the full cycle of its nuclear program, including the production and enrichment of uranium for atomic fuel.

Iran in recent weeks has gradually breached the limits set on its enriched-uranium stockpile by the nuclear agreement and installed advanced centrifuges in a bid to force Europe to take effective steps to shield it against the full impact of US sanctions and prevent the collapse of the accord.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an indication that a regional nuclear arms race could spiral out of control, this month demanded the right for his country to develop a nuclear military capability.

Not to mention that a nuclear arms race could prompt Israel, the Middle East’s so far only, albeit undeclared nuclear power, to enhance its capabilities to maintain its strategic edge.

Said Gulf scholar Luciano Zaccara: “With its ill-advised policies in the Gulf, the Trump administration is not only encouraging a nuclear race in the region…but it is also undermining the international non-proliferation regime…. In the current volatile situation in the Middle East...the lack of a robust non-proliferation agreement will encourage a nuclear race in the region and increase the chances of pre-emptive military attacks that could lead to large-scale war.”

The same could be said for Netanyahu’s approach.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani may not be the only one to have welcomed US President Donald J Trump’s cancellation of peace talks with the Taliban. Probably, so did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the run-up to this month’s Israeli elections.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani may not be the only one to have welcomed US President Donald J Trump’s cancellation of peace talks with the Taliban. Probably, so did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the run-up to this month’s Israeli elections. The cancellation likely reduces fears harboured in recent weeks by Netanyahu and the Israeli intelligence community that the US president may reverse his hardline on Iran and seek to negotiate a resolution of differences with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani. Israeli fears were sparked by Trump’s repeated expression of interest in meeting with Rouhani, talks on the margins of last month’s gathering of Group of Seven leaders in Biarritz between French president Emmanuel Macron and Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Trump’s last-minute pullback in June from launching a military strike against Iran. Trump reiterated his willingness to talk to Rouhani a day after the cancellation and hours after Netanyahu sought to prove that Iran had been violating the 2015 international agreement designed to curb its nuclear ambitions. The president told reporters that he had no objections to negotiating face-to-face with Rouhani. “Sure, anything’s possible. They would like to be able to solve their problem. We could solve it in 24 hours,” Trump said. Netanyahu probably saw Trump’s firing on Tuesday of his national security advisor John Bolton, one of the Israeli leader’s foremost soul mates in the administration when it came to Iran, as another worrisome sign. International Crisis Group Iran expert Ali Vaez voiced Netanyahu’s worst fears by describing Bolton’s departure as “an opportunity for de-escalation.” Nevertheless, Netanyahu and Israeli intelligence were likely to draw two conclusions from the cancellation of the Taliban talks. If Trump’s withdrawal in May of last year from the 2015 nuclear agreement, despite a consensus that the Islamic republic was abiding by the accord, convinced Iranians that the United States could not be trusted to honour its commitments, cancelling talks with the Taliban has highlighted the risks of engaging with the US president. As a result, Rouhani, a strong proponent of the nuclear accord who was weakened by Trump’s withdrawal and has since been on the defensive against Iranian hardliners, is likely to be even more hesitant to engage with Trump. That is what Netanyahu, betting on Rouhani’s track record in recent weeks, will count on. Rouhani initially last month expressed willingness to meet Trump without preconditions but subsequently toughened his position by insisting that the United States first lift harsh economic sanctions imposed on Iran after the US withdrawal from the nuclear accord. Rouhani told the Iranian parliament a day before MTrump’s latest overture and on the same day that the US president cancelled the Taliban talks that Iran’s response to American advances would “always be negative.” The cancellation is also likely to reinforce Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s deep-rooted distrust of the United States. Netanyahu and Israeli intelligence are likely to draw a second conclusion from the cancellation prompted by the Taliban’s continued attacks despite peace talks that last week killed a US soldier and 11 others. Trump’s declaration that the talks were ‘dead’ raised the spectre of a president reluctant to embroil the United States in further military conflict ramping up operations in Afghanistan to counter anticipated Taliban activity. In an effort to fortify his perceived, regained the advantage and distract attention from setbacks in his electoral campaign, Netanyahu charged in a short, televised address on Monday that Iran’s ‘duplicitous’ regime had been secretly developing nuclear weapons at a hitherto unknown site near Abadeh, south of the city of Isfahan. Netanyahu asserted that Iran had destroyed the site once it realised that Israel had discovered it. Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, denied the Israeli allegations. Analysts charged that Netanyahu was recycling dated information in a blurring of the lines between his electoral needs and Israel’s true security concerns. “In the way Netanyahu presents things…there is a whiff of manipulation; contrary to what one might understand from his remarks, this was an Iranian violation from the period before the nuclear agreement, which went into effect in January 2015,” said Amos Harel, a columnist for Haaretz newspaper. In attempting to persuade the Israeli electorate that he is the Israeli leader with the security credentials needed to protect Israel from the likes of Iran, stiffen the US resolve to force Iran on its knees, and convince other nations that Iran is the source of all evil, Netanyahu risks not only escalating tension in the Middle East but also sparking a regional nuclear arms race. Netanyahu’s assertions threaten to reinforce Saudi resolve to match whatever advances Iran may make. Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed oil minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, in his first remarks since being appointed this week, said that the kingdom wanted to push ahead with the full cycle of its nuclear program, including the production and enrichment of uranium for atomic fuel. Iran in recent weeks has gradually breached the limits set on its enriched-uranium stockpile by the nuclear agreement and installed advanced centrifuges in a bid to force Europe to take effective steps to shield it against the full impact of US sanctions and prevent the collapse of the accord. Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an indication that a regional nuclear arms race could spiral out of control, this month demanded the right for his country to develop a nuclear military capability. Not to mention that a nuclear arms race could prompt Israel, the Middle East’s so far only, albeit undeclared nuclear power, to enhance its capabilities to maintain its strategic edge. Said Gulf scholar Luciano Zaccara: “With its ill-advised policies in the Gulf, the Trump administration is not only encouraging a nuclear race in the region…but it is also undermining the international non-proliferation regime…. In the current volatile situation in the Middle East...the lack of a robust non-proliferation agreement will encourage a nuclear race in the region and increase the chances of pre-emptive military attacks that could lead to large-scale war.” The same could be said for Netanyahu’s approach. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu encouraging a nuclear race

Several rockets were fired Wednesday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which responded by striking Hamas military positions in the enclave, the Israeli army said.

The afternoon exchange came a day after rockets fired from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-attacks-gaza-targets-following-drone-raid-248492">Palestinian territory</a> towards the Israeli city of Ashdod forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flee the stage during a campaign rally.

"Three projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel," the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that sirens were triggered in nearby Israeli communities.

In response, it added, a "tank struck two Hamas military posts in the northern Gaza Strip."

The strikes were confirmed by a security source in Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries.

Overnight Tuesday the Israeli army struck 15 sites it said belonged to Hamas in the northern and central Gaza Strip.

It said the strikes were in response to the rockets fired towards Ashdod which forced Netanyahu to cut short a speech.

The right-wing premier is campaigning for re-election on September 17 parliamentary polls.

On Tuesday Netanyahu announced his intention to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank if re-elected.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. 
&nbsp;

Several rockets were fired Wednesday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which responded by striking Hamas military positions in the enclave, the Israeli army said. The afternoon exchange came a day after rockets fired from the Palestinian territory towards the Israeli city of Ashdod forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flee the stage during a campaign rally.

Several rockets were fired Wednesday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which responded by striking Hamas military positions in the enclave, the Israeli army said. The afternoon exchange came a day after rockets fired from the Palestinian territory towards the Israeli city of Ashdod forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flee the stage during a campaign rally. "Three projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel," the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that sirens were triggered in nearby Israeli communities. In response, it added, a "tank struck two Hamas military posts in the northern Gaza Strip." The strikes were confirmed by a security source in Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas. There were no immediate reports of any injuries. Overnight Tuesday the Israeli army struck 15 sites it said belonged to Hamas in the northern and central Gaza Strip. It said the strikes were in response to the rockets fired towards Ashdod which forced Netanyahu to cut short a speech. The right-wing premier is campaigning for re-election on September 17 parliamentary polls. On Tuesday Netanyahu announced his intention to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank if re-elected. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

Israel has struck Hamas after Gaza rocket fire: Army

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge on Tuesday to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank if re-elected in September 17 polls.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge on Tuesday to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank if re-elected in September 17 polls. Palestinians immediately reacted by saying Netanyahu was destroying any hopes for peace, while his electoral opponents accused him of a cynical play for right-wing nationalist votes with polls only a week away. In his televised speech, the prime minister also reiterated his intention to annex Israeli settlements in the wider West Bank if re-elected. But he said he would do that in coordination with US President Donald Trump, whose long-awaited peace plan is expected to be unveiled sometime after the vote. × Those moves could effectively kill any remaining hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, long the focus of international diplomacy. "There is one place where we can apply Israeli sovereignty immediately after the elections," Netanyahu said during the address that included a map of the Jordan Valley on an easel next to him. "If I receive from you, citizens of Israel, a clear mandate to do so ... today I announce my intention to apply with the formation of the next government Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea." Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said Netanyahu was "not only destroying the two-state solution, he is destroying all chances of peace". She called it "worse than apartheid". 'Great opportunity' Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said the annexation would be "manifestly illegal" and called on the international community to act. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned the move would "push the whole region towards violence" and risks "killing off the entire peace process". In Turkey, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu slammed Netanyahu's pledge as "racist". "The election promise of Netanyahu, who is giving all kind of illegal, unlawful and aggressive messages before the election, is a racist apartheid state," Cavusoglu wrote on his official Twitter account in both English and Turkish. Saudi Arabia condemned it as a "dangerous escalation against the Palestinian people" and called for an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the official Saudi Press Agency said, citing the royal court. The Jordan Valley accounts for around one-third of the West Bank and Israeli right-wing politicians have long viewed the strategic area as a part of the territory they would never retreat from, seeing it as the country's eastern border. Israeli settlements are located in what is known as Area C of the West Bank, which accounts for some 60 per cent of the territory, including the vast majority of the Jordan Valley. Netanyahu said his annexation plans would not include Palestinian cities, such as the Jordan Valley's Jericho, though it would be encircled by Israeli territory. The premier said Trump's peace parameters "will place before us a great challenge and also a great opportunity." "This is a historic, one-time opportunity to apply Israeli sovereignty on our settlements... and other places of importance to our security, our heritage and our future." Trump has thrown US support overwhelmingly in favour of Israel since taking office, including by recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital and cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians. Ahead of April elections, Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Netanyahu vows to annex West Bank's Jordan Valley if re-elected

Arab foreign ministers condemned a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the occupied West Bank as "aggression" undermining any chances of a peace settlement with the Palestinians.

Arab foreign ministers condemned a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the occupied West Bank as "aggression" undermining any chances of a peace settlement with the Palestinians. Netanyahu said on Tuesday he planned to annex the Jordan Valley, a large swathe of the occupied West Bank, if he wins a closely contested election just a week away. Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war and Palestinians, who signed interim peace deals with Israel in the 1990s that include security cooperation, seek to make it part of a future state. The Arab League "considers his announcement a dangerous development and a new Israeli aggression by declaring the intention to violate the international law," Arab foreign ministers said in a statement after a meeting in Cairo. "The league regards these statements as undermining the chances of any progress in the peace process and will torpedo all its foundations," the statement said. Arab foreign ministers had been holding a meeting in Cairo, seat of the Arab League, but added an emergency session after Netanyahu made his comments on live television. Around 65,000 Palestinians and 11,000 Israeli settlers live in the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea area, according to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem. The main Palestinian city is Jericho, with around 28 villages and smaller Bedouin communities. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Twitter called Netanyahu's plan a "serious escalation". Jordan and Egypt are the only Arab states to have peace treaties with Israel. Hanan Ashrawi, a senior official in the Palestine Liberation Organization, wrote on Twitter that the Israeli leader was out to impose a "greater Israel on all of historical Palestine and (carry) out an ethnic cleansing agenda". Fighting for his political life after an inconclusive election in April, Netanyahu also reaffirmed a pledge to annex all of the settlements Israel has established in the West Bank. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said in early May that he hoped Israel would take a hard look at President Donald Trump's upcoming Middle East peace proposal before "proceeding with any plan" to annex West Bank settlements. Saudi Arabia condemned Netanyahu's comments and called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, state news agency SPA said. Qatar reiterated its support for a two-state peace solution.

Arab League calls Netanyahu plan to annex West Bank areas 'aggression'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged world powers on Thursday not to open a dialogue with Iran, after US President Donald Trump said he may meet his Iranian counterpart to resolve a crisis over Tehran's nuclear project and sanctions against it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged world powers on Thursday not to open a dialogue with Iran, after US President Donald Trump said he may meet his Iranian counterpart to resolve a crisis over Tehran's nuclear project and sanctions against it. "This is not the time to hold talks with Iran. This is the time to increase the pressure on Iran," Netanyahu told reporters en route to London, where he was hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and was later scheduled to confer with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Netanyahu's comments marked rare public discord between the right-wing Israeli leader and Trump on the Iranian nuclear issue. Netanyahu had previously counselled France against its own outreach to Iran. The Israeli leader, who is fighting for his political life in an election on September 17, regularly touts his influence with Western leaders, especially fellow rightwingers such as Trump and Johnson, as vital for Israeli security. His opponents say his closeness to rightwing figures abroad hurts Israel by making support for it a partisan issue in friendly countries. On Wednesday, Trump left the door open to a possible meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York, saying: "Anything's possible. They would like to be able to solve their problem." Tehran has rejected any negotiations with Washington unless Trump drops sanctions he imposed after quitting the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, an agreement Netanyahu had savaged as inadequate. Iran has said that, starting on Friday, it would begin developing centrifuges to speed up the enrichment of uranium, which can produce fuel for power plants or for atomic bombs. The Iranians deny seeking nuclear weapons. The centrifuge move would be Iran's latest reduction of its commitments to restrict nuclear projects under the 2015 deal. Netanyahu called this "another violation, another provocation by Iran, this time in the realm of its quest for nuclear weaponry". Meeting Johnson at 10 Downing Street, Netanyahu praised the politically embattled British leader for his "staunch stance against anti-Semitism and ... support for Israel's security". "We have the challenge of Iran's aggression and terrorism, and I'd like to talk to you about how we can work together to counter these things for the benefit of peace," Netanyahu told Johnson, according to an official Israeli transcript. Like other European partners to the Iran nuclear deal, Britain was worried by the U.S. withdrawal. Johnson, while openly sympathetic to Israel, wants to preserve a vision of Palestinian statehood that has eroded under Netanyahu's tenure. Netanyahu - who has doubled as defence minister for the past 10 months, a period of stepped-up Israeli operations against Iranian targets in the region - brought his air force chief and top military mission planner for the London meeting with Esper. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Ynet TV that Netanyahu and Esper would discuss "everything that happens in the space between Syria, Lebanon, Iraq," an allusion to the often clandestine Israeli military campaign.

Netanyahu opposes Iran talks after Trump moots meeting Rouhani

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for more international pressure on Iran Thursday after it ended limits to its nuclear research and development in its latest response to US sanctions.

"This morning we were informed of another violation, more defiance, by Iran, this time in its striving to attain nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said before leaving for London, where he will meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US Defence Secretary Mark Esper.

"This is not the time to hold talks with Iran; this is the time to increase the pressure on Iran."

Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.

President Hassan Rouhani's announcement on Wednesday came shortly after the United States hit Iran with further unilateral sanctions, the latest in a series of punitive measures including a crippling embargo on Iranian oil exports.

Iran and three European countries -- Britain, France and Germany -- have been engaged in talks to save a landmark 2015 nuclear accord that has been unravelling since US President Donald Trump withdrew from it in May last year.

Iran is Israel's main enemy and Netanyahu campaigned strongly against the 2015 deal, then urged Trump to withdraw from it.

Despite having opposed the deal, Netanyahu has recently called on European nations to enforce its parameters as he and the United States seek to raise the pressure on Iran.

Tensions between Israel and Iran were heightened in recent weeks.

On August 24, Israel carried out a strike in Syria it says stopped a plan by an Iranian force to carry out a drone attack on its territory.

Hours later, Tehran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah accused Israel of using drones to attack its Beirut stronghold. Israel did not acknowledge that attack.

Hezbollah responded on Sunday by firing anti-tank missiles at Israeli military targets across the Lebanese border, prompting Israel to fire back. There were no casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for more international pressure on Iran Thursday after it ended limits to its nuclear research and development in its latest response to US sanctions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for more international pressure on Iran Thursday after it ended limits to its nuclear research and development in its latest response to US sanctions. "This morning we were informed of another violation, more defiance, by Iran, this time in its striving to attain nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said before leaving for London, where he will meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US Defence Secretary Mark Esper. "This is not the time to hold talks with Iran; this is the time to increase the pressure on Iran." Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. President Hassan Rouhani's announcement on Wednesday came shortly after the United States hit Iran with further unilateral sanctions, the latest in a series of punitive measures including a crippling embargo on Iranian oil exports. Iran and three European countries -- Britain, France and Germany -- have been engaged in talks to save a landmark 2015 nuclear accord that has been unravelling since US President Donald Trump withdrew from it in May last year. Iran is Israel's main enemy and Netanyahu campaigned strongly against the 2015 deal, then urged Trump to withdraw from it. Despite having opposed the deal, Netanyahu has recently called on European nations to enforce its parameters as he and the United States seek to raise the pressure on Iran. Tensions between Israel and Iran were heightened in recent weeks. On August 24, Israel carried out a strike in Syria it says stopped a plan by an Iranian force to carry out a drone attack on its territory. Hours later, Tehran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah accused Israel of using drones to attack its Beirut stronghold. Israel did not acknowledge that attack. Hezbollah responded on Sunday by firing anti-tank missiles at Israeli military targets across the Lebanese border, prompting Israel to fire back. There were no casualties.

Benjamin Netanyahu urges more pressure on Iran after latest nuclear move

Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India has been postponed now. Earlier he was due to visit India this month but now his visit will be conducted post Israeli elections. This information we got to know after Netanyahu's spokesperson speaks to WION.

Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India postponed, will visit now post Israeli elections

Israeli Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-features-in-israeli-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-election-campaign-239056">Benjamin Netanyahu </a>has postponed his India visit which was set to take place next Monday due to the upcoming elections in the west Asian country.&nbsp;

Isreal will be holding<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-in-israel-election-campaign-benjamin-netanyahu-tweets-wion-video-239468"> elections on September 17</a> after no party was able to get a majority or cobble up a coalition during the April elections.

Evan Cohen, Netanyahu's foreign media spokesperson speaking to WION said, "The trip has been postponed, not cancelled."

The Israeli prime minister spoke&nbsp;to&nbsp;PM Modi on Tuesday to inform him about the postponement of his&nbsp;visit and the two agreed to schedule a visit to India after the elections, Cohen informed.

"Modi wished Netanyahu success in the upcoming elections, and they agreed to conduct the visit after the elections," Cohen added.

Prime minister Narendra Modi has been featured in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election campaign. Netanyahu's Likud party has in a campaign video shown clips of PM Modi along with Netanyahu. The clips were from PM Modi's visit to Isreal in 2017, the first standalone visit by any Indian Prime minister to the west Asian country.&nbsp;

This is the second time this year the Israeli prime minister has postponed his visit to India. The first visit was to take place in February but was also postponed because of the elections. PM Netanyahu had visited India in January 2018 to commemorate 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties.&nbsp;

India,&nbsp;Israel ties have grown in the last few years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first leaders to congratulate Modi after his election victory in May. Lauding PM Modi's mandate he had said, "the election results further reaffirm your leadership of the world's largest democracy." 
&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed his India visit which was set to take place next Monday due to the upcoming elections in the west Asian country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed his India visit which was set to take place next Monday due to the upcoming elections in the west Asian country. Isreal will be holding elections on September 17 after no party was able to get a majority or cobble up a coalition during the April elections. Evan Cohen, Netanyahu's foreign media spokesperson speaking to WION said, "The trip has been postponed, not cancelled." The Israeli prime minister spoke to PM Modi on Tuesday to inform him about the postponement of his visit and the two agreed to schedule a visit to India after the elections, Cohen informed. "Modi wished Netanyahu success in the upcoming elections, and they agreed to conduct the visit after the elections," Cohen added. Prime minister Narendra Modi has been featured in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election campaign. Netanyahu's Likud party has in a campaign video shown clips of PM Modi along with Netanyahu. The clips were from PM Modi's visit to Isreal in 2017, the first standalone visit by any Indian Prime minister to the west Asian country. This is the second time this year the Israeli prime minister has postponed his visit to India. The first visit was to take place in February but was also postponed because of the elections. PM Netanyahu had visited India in January 2018 to commemorate 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties. India, Israel ties have grown in the last few years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first leaders to congratulate Modi after his election victory in May. Lauding PM Modi's mandate he had said, "the election results further reaffirm your leadership of the world's largest democracy."

Israeli PM Netanyahu postpones India visit for second time this year due to elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was prepared for any scenario after a cross-border clash with Lebanon's Hezbollah but neither side seemed eager for another conflict.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was prepared for any scenario after a cross-border clash with Lebanon's Hezbollah but neither side seemed eager for another conflict. Israel's military said anti-tank missiles from Lebanon targeted an army base and vehicles and that it responded with fire into southern Lebanon, after a week of growing tension raised fears of a new war with long-time enemy Hezbollah. Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said its fighters destroyed an Israeli military vehicle, killing and wounding those inside. Israel's military said there were no casualties. Netanyahu, whose re-election campaign ahead of a poll less than three weeks away could have been complicated by war in the north, signalled business as usual after the hostilities erupted along he frontier with Lebanon. The Israeli leader kept to his regular schedule, commenting on the security situation, in Hebrew only, at the start of a meeting with Honduras' visiting president, and did not take questions from reporters. "We were attacked by a few anti-tank missiles. We responded with 100 shells, aerial fire and various measures. We are in consultations about what's to come," Netanyahu said. "I have given instructions to be prepared for any scenario, and we will decide on what's next depending on how things develop," he said, almost dismissively, in a departure from his usually much tougher language towards Israel's enemies. "I can make an important announcement - we have no casualties, no wounded, not even a scratch." The two sides fought a one-month war in 2006 after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid. Israel has been on alert for a confrontation with Hezbollah for the past week after two drones crashed in Beirut's southern suburbs. Security officials in the region have described the target as linked to precision-guided missile projects. Any new war between Israel and Hezbollah would raise the risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East, where Iran has defied U.S. attempts to force it to renegotiate a 2015 nuclear deal it reached with world powers. At the same time, Israel is concerned about Tehran's growing influence in the region through militia allies such as Hezbollah in countries such as Syria. In Iraq, powerful Iranian-backed militias have blamed a series of recent blasts at their weapons depots on Israel and the United States. Hezbollah said the operation on Sunday was carried out by a unit named after two of its fighters who were killed by an Israeli air strike inside Syria last week. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said late on Saturday that field commanders were ready to respond to last week's drone attack, which he blamed on Israel. But like Netanyahu, Nasrallah has not indicated Hezbollah was seeking full-scale war. Amid the threats, Israel had moved reinforcements into the border region, which had been largely quiet since the two long-time enemies fought the month-long war in 2006. Without claiming responsibility for the drone attack last week, the Israeli military published what it said were details about an extensive Iranian-sponsored campaign to provide Hezbollah with the means to produce precision-guided missiles. Such missiles - which Hezbollah acknowledges possessing - could potentially pose a counter-balance to Israel’s overwhelming military force in any future war, with the capacity to home in on and knock out core infrastructure sites.

Netanyahu says Israel ready for any scenario after Hezbollah clash

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, he said on Sunday, reiterating election promise made five months ago but again giving no timeframe.

Settlements are one of the most heated issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians have voiced fears that Netanyahu could defy international consensus and move ahead with annexation with possible backing from US President Donald Trump, a close ally.

"With God`s help we will extend Jewish sovereignty to all the settlements as part of the (biblical) Land of Israel, as part of the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in Sunday`s speech in the West Bank settlement of Elkana, where he attended a ceremony opening the school year.

He did not say when he planned to make such a move.

Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, made a similar pledge days before an Israeli general election in April. After the vote he failed to form a governing parliamentary majority and the country will hold a new election on September 17.

With the publication of a US peace plan still pending, Trump has already recognised Israel`s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, territory Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

Palestinians seek to make the West Bank part of a future state that would include the Gaza Strip and have East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel captured those areas in 1967 and moved troops and settlers out of Gaza in 2005.

After decades of settlement-building, more than 400,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank, according to Israeli figures, among a Palestinian population put at about 2.9 million by the Palestinian Statistics Bureau.

A further 212,000 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"This is our land," Netanyahu said in his speech in Elkana. "We will build another Elkana and in another Elkana and another Elkana. We will not uproot anyone here," Netanyahu said.

The Palestinians and many countries consider settlements to be illegal under the Geneva conventions that bar settling on land captured in war. Israel disputes this, citing security needs and biblical, historical and political connections to the land.

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014.

The Trump administration says it intends to release its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan after the Israeli election and has not disclosed whether it will advocate a two-state solution that has been at the foundation of past negotiations. 
&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, he said on Sunday, reiterating election promise made five months ago but again giving no timeframe.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, he said on Sunday, reiterating election promise made five months ago but again giving no timeframe. Settlements are one of the most heated issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians have voiced fears that Netanyahu could defy international consensus and move ahead with annexation with possible backing from US President Donald Trump, a close ally. "With God`s help we will extend Jewish sovereignty to all the settlements as part of the (biblical) Land of Israel, as part of the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in Sunday`s speech in the West Bank settlement of Elkana, where he attended a ceremony opening the school year. He did not say when he planned to make such a move. Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, made a similar pledge days before an Israeli general election in April. After the vote he failed to form a governing parliamentary majority and the country will hold a new election on September 17. With the publication of a US peace plan still pending, Trump has already recognised Israel`s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, territory Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians seek to make the West Bank part of a future state that would include the Gaza Strip and have East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel captured those areas in 1967 and moved troops and settlers out of Gaza in 2005. After decades of settlement-building, more than 400,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank, according to Israeli figures, among a Palestinian population put at about 2.9 million by the Palestinian Statistics Bureau. A further 212,000 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "This is our land," Netanyahu said in his speech in Elkana. "We will build another Elkana and in another Elkana and another Elkana. We will not uproot anyone here," Netanyahu said. The Palestinians and many countries consider settlements to be illegal under the Geneva conventions that bar settling on land captured in war. Israel disputes this, citing security needs and biblical, historical and political connections to the land. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014. The Trump administration says it intends to release its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan after the Israeli election and has not disclosed whether it will advocate a two-state solution that has been at the foundation of past negotiations.

Netanyahu repeats pledge to annex Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank

The Israeli air force struck in Syria to prevent an Iranian force from launching an attack on the Jewish state with drones armed with explosives, the army said Sunday.

While Israel operates regularly in Syria, it rarely acknowledges its actions so swiftly, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning arch-foe Iran it had no immunity from his state's military.

In a briefing to reporters, military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said that late Saturday the Israeli air force "was able to thwart an Iranian attempt led by the Quds force from Syria to conduct an attack on Israeli targets in northern Israel using killer drones."

According to Conricus, the Israeli attack took place in Aqraba, southeast of Damascus, and targeted "a number of terror targets and military facilities belonging to the Quds force as well as Shiite militias." &nbsp;&nbsp;

The army had on Thursday prevented an earlier attempt to launch the drone attack, Conricus said, without providing further details.

"The threat was significant and these killer drones were capable of striking targets with significant capacity," he said.

A Syrian military source quoted by official Sana news agency said that "At 2330 (2030 GMT) anti-aircraft defences detected enemy targets from Golan heading towards the area around Damascus".

"The aggression was immediately confronted and so far the majority of the enemy Israeli missiles have been destroyed before reaching their targets," the source added.

'Iran has no immunity anywhere'&nbsp;

An AFP correspondent in Damascus heard several large explosions before Sana announced the defensive action.

"The aggression is still going on and the air defence is able to counter the targets, dropping most of them" in the south of the country, the Sana agency said early Sunday.

Since the beginning of the war in Syria in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria, most of them against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets.

Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite group that supports Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, who is also backed by Tehran.

Hours after the strike in Syria, a Hezbollah official said one drone had come down and another had exploded in one of the group's strongholds in the Lebanese capital Beirut. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The official could not confirm if the drones were Israeli or if they had been shot down by Hezbollah.

Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad's regime.

In a statement issued just minutes after the Israeli army announced its attack, Netanyahu hailed the military's "major operational effort" in thwarting the attack planned by "the Iranian Quds force and Shiite militias."

"Iran has no immunity anywhere," Netanyahu said. "Our forces operate in every sector against Iranian aggression."

Military spokesman Conricus said Israel held both Iran and the Syrian regime responsible for the planned drone attack, noting that forces in northern Israel were on "elevated readiness to respond to any development".

He also noted that while Iranian forces had launched rockets and missiles at Israel from Syria three times during 2018, the use of "kamikaze" drones set to explode on their targets was a new and "different tactic".

The Jewish state insists that it has the right to continue to target positions held by Iran and its ally Hezbollah out of self-defence.

The Israeli air force struck in Syria to prevent an Iranian force from launching an attack on the Jewish state with drones armed with explosives, the army said Sunday.

The Israeli air force struck in Syria to prevent an Iranian force from launching an attack on the Jewish state with drones armed with explosives, the army said Sunday. While Israel operates regularly in Syria, it rarely acknowledges its actions so swiftly, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning arch-foe Iran it had no immunity from his state's military. In a briefing to reporters, military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said that late Saturday the Israeli air force "was able to thwart an Iranian attempt led by the Quds force from Syria to conduct an attack on Israeli targets in northern Israel using killer drones." According to Conricus, the Israeli attack took place in Aqraba, southeast of Damascus, and targeted "a number of terror targets and military facilities belonging to the Quds force as well as Shiite militias." The army had on Thursday prevented an earlier attempt to launch the drone attack, Conricus said, without providing further details. "The threat was significant and these killer drones were capable of striking targets with significant capacity," he said. A Syrian military source quoted by official Sana news agency said that "At 2330 (2030 GMT) anti-aircraft defences detected enemy targets from Golan heading towards the area around Damascus". "The aggression was immediately confronted and so far the majority of the enemy Israeli missiles have been destroyed before reaching their targets," the source added. 'Iran has no immunity anywhere' An AFP correspondent in Damascus heard several large explosions before Sana announced the defensive action. "The aggression is still going on and the air defence is able to counter the targets, dropping most of them" in the south of the country, the Sana agency said early Sunday. Since the beginning of the war in Syria in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria, most of them against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite group that supports Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, who is also backed by Tehran. Hours after the strike in Syria, a Hezbollah official said one drone had come down and another had exploded in one of the group's strongholds in the Lebanese capital Beirut. The official could not confirm if the drones were Israeli or if they had been shot down by Hezbollah. Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad's regime. In a statement issued just minutes after the Israeli army announced its attack, Netanyahu hailed the military's "major operational effort" in thwarting the attack planned by "the Iranian Quds force and Shiite militias." "Iran has no immunity anywhere," Netanyahu said. "Our forces operate in every sector against Iranian aggression." Military spokesman Conricus said Israel held both Iran and the Syrian regime responsible for the planned drone attack, noting that forces in northern Israel were on "elevated readiness to respond to any development". He also noted that while Iranian forces had launched rockets and missiles at Israel from Syria three times during 2018, the use of "kamikaze" drones set to explode on their targets was a new and "different tactic". The Jewish state insists that it has the right to continue to target positions held by Iran and its ally Hezbollah out of self-defence.

Israeli jets hit targets in Syria to prevent Iranian drone attack: Army

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted that his country was behind the latest attacks on ammunition depots in Iraq belonging to the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

On Tuesday, another blast hit an ammo depot located to the north of Baghdad.

This was the fourth such attack on PMF facilities, which reportedly might be used to transport arms to Syria and Lebanon, since July. The PMF, which is composed of predominantly Shia militias, has claimed that Israeli drones carried out the attack, while acting in coordination with the US-led coalition.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 9, Netanyahu was asked whether Israel acts in Iraq "if required."

"We do act not only ‘if required.’ We act on many fronts confronting a state that seeks to destroy us. Certainly, I gave freedom of action to the security forces and instructed them to do everything necessary to foil these Iranian initiatives," Netanyahu said.

He added that he led, and, in many aspects was "still leading the world's efforts to neutralize the Iranian threat."

So far, Israel has only publicly admitted that it conducts raids on neighbouring Syria as part of its fight against Iran in the region. The last time Israel officially claimed responsibility for the bombing of Iraq dates back to 1981, when the Israeli Air Force destroyed the Osirak nuclear power plant, which was under construction southeast of Baghdad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted that his country was behind the latest attacks on ammunition depots in Iraq belonging to the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted that his country was behind the latest attacks on ammunition depots in Iraq belonging to the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). On Tuesday, another blast hit an ammo depot located to the north of Baghdad. This was the fourth such attack on PMF facilities, which reportedly might be used to transport arms to Syria and Lebanon, since July. The PMF, which is composed of predominantly Shia militias, has claimed that Israeli drones carried out the attack, while acting in coordination with the US-led coalition. In an interview with Israel’s Channel 9, Netanyahu was asked whether Israel acts in Iraq "if required." "We do act not only ‘if required.’ We act on many fronts confronting a state that seeks to destroy us. Certainly, I gave freedom of action to the security forces and instructed them to do everything necessary to foil these Iranian initiatives," Netanyahu said. He added that he led, and, in many aspects was "still leading the world's efforts to neutralize the Iranian threat." So far, Israel has only publicly admitted that it conducts raids on neighbouring Syria as part of its fight against Iran in the region. The last time Israel officially claimed responsibility for the bombing of Iraq dates back to 1981, when the Israeli Air Force destroyed the Osirak nuclear power plant, which was under construction southeast of Baghdad.

Benjamin Netanyahu hints Israel behind attacks on Iran-backed militia depots in Iraq

The contrast could not be starker. As Israel plays a dangerous game of US politics by restricting or banning visits by controversial Democratic members of Congress to seemingly please US President Donald J Trump’s prejudiced electoral instincts, the owner of a notorious Jerusalem soccer club draws a line in the sand in confronting his racist fan base.

The contrast takes on added significance as prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu woes Israel’s far-right in advance of elections on September 17 given that storied club Beitar Jerusalem has long been seen as a stronghold for his Likud party.

Netanyahu’s barring of Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar was as much a response to Trump’s tweeted suggestion that they should not be allowed to visit Israel as it was catering to his right-wing base that includes Beitar’s fans.

Beitar is the only Israeli squad to have never hired a Palestinian player. Its fans, famous for their racist slogans and bullying tactics, have made life impossible for the few Muslim players that the club contracted in its history.

Netanyahu and Moshe Hogeg, the Beitar owner and tech entrepreneur who founded social mobile photo and video sharing website Mobli and crypto transactions platform Sirin Labs, are both treading on slippery ground.

Netanyahu, who initially raised out of respect for the US Congress no objection to the planned visit by Tlaib and Omar, has ensured that Israel for the first time in decades can no longer be sure of bi-partisan support in the Congress and beyond and is likely to become a partisan issue in the run-up to next year’s US presidential election.

His pandering to Trump sparked rare criticism from the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC), Israel’s most powerful and influential lobby in the United States even though AIPAC agrees that Tlaib and Ilham support the Boycott, Diversification and Sanctions (BDS) movement that targets Israel.

"We disagree with Reps. Omar and Tlaib's support for the anti-Israel and anti-peace BDS movement, along with Rep. Tlaib's calls for a one-state solution. We also believe every member of Congress should be able to visit and experience our democratic ally Israel first hand," AIPAC tweeted.

A breakdown of bi-partisan support for Israel may not be what Netanyahu wants, but it may be, in a twist of irony, what Israel needs. It would spark a debate in the United States with a potential fallout in Israel about whether Netanyahu’s annexationist policy and hard-line approach towards Palestinian aspirations serve Israel’s longer-term best interests.

Israel’s toughening stand was evident on Tuesday when police broke up an annual soccer tournament among Palestinian families in East Jerusalem on assertions that it was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority, which is barred from organising events in the city. The tournament’s organiser denied any association with the Authority.

In a dismissive statement, Israeli public security minister Gilad Erdan’s office scoffed: “We’re talking about scofflaws who lie and blame the agency that enforces the law when they know full well that the Palestinian Authority is involved in the event that Minister Erdan ordered halted.”

The incident was emblematic of an environment that prompted columnist and scholar Peter Beinart, writing in The Forward, a more than 100-year old, left-wing Jewish weekly, to argue that “The United States has a national interest in ensuring that Israel does not make permanent its brutal occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

By taking on La Familia, a militant Beitar Jerusalem fan group that has driven the club’s discriminatory policy, Hogeg is going not only against Netanyahu’s policies that emphasise Israeli Jewish nationalism at the expense of the rights of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship as well as those subject to occupation.

Ali Mohammed is Beitar Jerusalem’s latest acquisition. The only Muslim thing about him is his name. Mohammed is a Nigerian Christian.

That wasn’t good enough for the fans who demand that he change his name. During Mohammed’s first training session fans chanted "Mohamed is dead" and "Ali is dead."

Unlike his predecessors, Hogeg seems unwilling to back down. He has threatened to sue the fans for tarnishing Beitar’s already battered reputation and demand up to $500,000 in damages. Lawyers for Hogeg have written to fans demanding an apology.

"They are very good fans; they are very loyal. They love the club and what it represents ... but they're racist and that's a big problem,” Hogeg said.

Convinced that the militants are a minority that imposes its will on the majority of Beitar fans, Hogeg takes the high road at a time that the likes of him threaten to become an endangered species.

"I was surprised to find that Mohamed is not Muslim, but I don't care. Why should it matter? He's a very good player. As long as the player that comes respects the city, respects what he represents, respects Israel, can help the team and wants to play then the door will be open. If those radical fans will fight against it, they will lose. They will simply lose," Hogeg said. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

The contrast could not be starker. As Israel plays a dangerous game of US politics by restricting or banning visits by controversial Democratic members of Congress to seemingly please US President Donald J Trump’s prejudiced electoral instincts, the owner of a notorious Jerusalem soccer club draws a line in the sand in confronting his racist fan base.

The contrast could not be starker. As Israel plays a dangerous game of US politics by restricting or banning visits by controversial Democratic members of Congress to seemingly please US President Donald J Trump’s prejudiced electoral instincts, the owner of a notorious Jerusalem soccer club draws a line in the sand in confronting his racist fan base. The contrast takes on added significance as prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu woes Israel’s far-right in advance of elections on September 17 given that storied club Beitar Jerusalem has long been seen as a stronghold for his Likud party. Netanyahu’s barring of Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar was as much a response to Trump’s tweeted suggestion that they should not be allowed to visit Israel as it was catering to his right-wing base that includes Beitar’s fans. Beitar is the only Israeli squad to have never hired a Palestinian player. Its fans, famous for their racist slogans and bullying tactics, have made life impossible for the few Muslim players that the club contracted in its history. Netanyahu and Moshe Hogeg, the Beitar owner and tech entrepreneur who founded social mobile photo and video sharing website Mobli and crypto transactions platform Sirin Labs, are both treading on slippery ground. Netanyahu, who initially raised out of respect for the US Congress no objection to the planned visit by Tlaib and Omar, has ensured that Israel for the first time in decades can no longer be sure of bi-partisan support in the Congress and beyond and is likely to become a partisan issue in the run-up to next year’s US presidential election. His pandering to Trump sparked rare criticism from the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC), Israel’s most powerful and influential lobby in the United States even though AIPAC agrees that Tlaib and Ilham support the Boycott, Diversification and Sanctions (BDS) movement that targets Israel. "We disagree with Reps. Omar and Tlaib's support for the anti-Israel and anti-peace BDS movement, along with Rep. Tlaib's calls for a one-state solution. We also believe every member of Congress should be able to visit and experience our democratic ally Israel first hand," AIPAC tweeted. A breakdown of bi-partisan support for Israel may not be what Netanyahu wants, but it may be, in a twist of irony, what Israel needs. It would spark a debate in the United States with a potential fallout in Israel about whether Netanyahu’s annexationist policy and hard-line approach towards Palestinian aspirations serve Israel’s longer-term best interests. Israel’s toughening stand was evident on Tuesday when police broke up an annual soccer tournament among Palestinian families in East Jerusalem on assertions that it was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority, which is barred from organising events in the city. The tournament’s organiser denied any association with the Authority. In a dismissive statement, Israeli public security minister Gilad Erdan’s office scoffed: “We’re talking about scofflaws who lie and blame the agency that enforces the law when they know full well that the Palestinian Authority is involved in the event that Minister Erdan ordered halted.” The incident was emblematic of an environment that prompted columnist and scholar Peter Beinart, writing in The Forward, a more than 100-year old, left-wing Jewish weekly, to argue that “The United States has a national interest in ensuring that Israel does not make permanent its brutal occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip. By taking on La Familia, a militant Beitar Jerusalem fan group that has driven the club’s discriminatory policy, Hogeg is going not only against Netanyahu’s policies that emphasise Israeli Jewish nationalism at the expense of the rights of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship as well as those subject to occupation. Ali Mohammed is Beitar Jerusalem’s latest acquisition. The only Muslim thing about him is his name. Mohammed is a Nigerian Christian. That wasn’t good enough for the fans who demand that he change his name. During Mohammed’s first training session fans chanted "Mohamed is dead" and "Ali is dead." Unlike his predecessors, Hogeg seems unwilling to back down. He has threatened to sue the fans for tarnishing Beitar’s already battered reputation and demand up to $500,000 in damages. Lawyers for Hogeg have written to fans demanding an apology. "They are very good fans; they are very loyal. They love the club and what it represents ... but they're racist and that's a big problem,” Hogeg said. Convinced that the militants are a minority that imposes its will on the majority of Beitar fans, Hogeg takes the high road at a time that the likes of him threaten to become an endangered species. "I was surprised to find that Mohamed is not Muslim, but I don't care. Why should it matter? He's a very good player. As long as the player that comes respects the city, respects what he represents, respects Israel, can help the team and wants to play then the door will be open. If those radical fans will fight against it, they will lose. They will simply lose," Hogeg said. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Soccer woes: Israel plays a game of US politics

Israeli forces opened fire at a group of Palestinian gunmen as they tried to cross the Gaza border, the military said on Sunday (August 18). Palestinian health officials said three of the men were killed.

Netanyahu's warning to Hamas, ''Israel could call a wide-scale operation in Gaza''

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday barred US Democratic congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from making a planned trip to Israel, shortly after US President Donald Trump called on his ally not to let them in.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday barred US Democratic congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from making a planned trip to Israel, shortly after US President Donald Trump called on his ally not to let them in. Tlaib and Omar, the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, are members of their party's progressive wing and sharp critics both of Trump and of Israel's policy toward the Palestinians. The moves, which were immediately condemned by many Democratic leaders in the United States as well as Palestinians, could help whip up support among Trump and Netanyahu's conservative voter bases as they head into election campaigns. Israel holds a national election on September 17 and Trump faces re-election in November 2020. Tlaib and Omar have voiced support for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement over Israel's policies toward Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under Israeli law, BDS backers can be denied entry to Israel. Omar called Thursday's decision an "affront" and "an insult to democratic values." Israel had initially chosen to allow the visit. A source who took part in consultations Netanyahu held with cabinet members and advisers on Wednesday told that Israel backtracked due to pressure from Trump. The pressure was reported by the Axios news site on Saturday but denied by the White House. "In a discussion held two weeks ago all the officials were in favour of letting them in but, after Trump's pressure, they reversed the decision," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. In a tweet on Thursday, Trump wrote: "It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit ... They are a disgrace!" Asked if he had spoken to Netanyahu about the planned visit, Trump told reporters: "I don't want to comment about who I spoke to, but I think my social media statement pretty well speaks for itself." "But I did speak to people over there," he added. Trump's request appeared to contravene a US government policy that says the United States seeks "equal treatment and freedom to travel" for all US citizens regardless of ethnicity. It says those denied entry should be given a written explanation by Israel.

Israel bars US Democratic lawmakers under pressure from Trump

Israel decided on Friday to allow <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-urges-israel-to-bar-visit-by-us-congresswomen-ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-243211">US congresswoman Rashida Tlaib</a> - a critic of Israeli policy towards the Palestinians - to visit family in the occupied West Bank on humanitarian grounds after barring her from making an official visit to Israel.

Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-bars-us-democratic-lawmakers-under-pressure-from-trump-243257">he would not allow Tlaib and fellow Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar</a>, to make a planned trip to Israel.

However, Netanyahu said that if Tlaib submitted a request to visit family on humanitarian grounds, Israel would consider it as long as she promised not to promote a boycott against Israel.

Tlaib and Omar have voiced support for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement which opposes the Israeli occupation and policies toward Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under Israeli law, BDS backers can be denied entry to Israel.

Tlaib sent a letter to Israel's Interior Ministry on Thursday requesting permission to visit relatives, including her grandmother, who is in her 90s. It could be her last opportunity to see her, she said.

"I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit," Tlaib wrote in the request, which was circulated by the website Ynet and other Israeli media.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement it "decided on Friday to approve the entry of US&nbsp;Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for a humanitarian visit to her 90-year-old grandmother."

Tlaib's office could not be reached for comment, and it was not immediately clear when she might travel.

Tlaib and Omar are the first two Muslim women to be elected to Congress, and the Detroit-born Tlaib is also the first Palestinian-American congresswoman.

Both are members of their party's progressive wing and sharp critics both of Trump and Israeli policy.

Their official visit was to have included visits to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians envisage as part of an independent state along with Gaza.

Israel had initially chosen to allow the visit, but changed course on Thursday after Trump called on his ally not to let them in.

Trump has in recent months accused Tlaib, Omar and two other first-term Democratic congresswomen of colour - dubbed "the Squad" - of hostility to Israel in a barrage condemned by critics as racist and widely seen as a way to drum up votes for 2020.

Tlaib, 43, has roots in the West Bank village of Beit Ur Al-Fauqa, where her grandmother and extended family live.

The prospects of ending the occupation and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under the so-called two-state solution which had guided international peace-making efforts since 1993 have all but evaporated, while Israeli settlements in the territories have expanded.

The Trump administration, which is particularly close to the Netanyahu government, has touted its own peace plan but details remain vague. It fueled Palestinian anger by recognising disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017.

Israel decided on Friday to allow US congresswoman Rashida Tlaib - a critic of Israeli policy towards the Palestinians - to visit family in the occupied West Bank on humanitarian grounds after barring her from making an official visit to Israel.

Israel decided on Friday to allow US congresswoman Rashida Tlaib - a critic of Israeli policy towards the Palestinians - to visit family in the occupied West Bank on humanitarian grounds after barring her from making an official visit to Israel. Under pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would not allow Tlaib and fellow Democrat congresswoman Ilhan Omar, to make a planned trip to Israel. However, Netanyahu said that if Tlaib submitted a request to visit family on humanitarian grounds, Israel would consider it as long as she promised not to promote a boycott against Israel. Tlaib and Omar have voiced support for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement which opposes the Israeli occupation and policies toward Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under Israeli law, BDS backers can be denied entry to Israel. Tlaib sent a letter to Israel's Interior Ministry on Thursday requesting permission to visit relatives, including her grandmother, who is in her 90s. It could be her last opportunity to see her, she said. "I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit," Tlaib wrote in the request, which was circulated by the website Ynet and other Israeli media. The Interior Ministry said in a statement it "decided on Friday to approve the entry of US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for a humanitarian visit to her 90-year-old grandmother." Tlaib's office could not be reached for comment, and it was not immediately clear when she might travel. Tlaib and Omar are the first two Muslim women to be elected to Congress, and the Detroit-born Tlaib is also the first Palestinian-American congresswoman. Both are members of their party's progressive wing and sharp critics both of Trump and Israeli policy. Their official visit was to have included visits to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians envisage as part of an independent state along with Gaza. Israel had initially chosen to allow the visit, but changed course on Thursday after Trump called on his ally not to let them in. Trump has in recent months accused Tlaib, Omar and two other first-term Democratic congresswomen of colour - dubbed "the Squad" - of hostility to Israel in a barrage condemned by critics as racist and widely seen as a way to drum up votes for 2020. Tlaib, 43, has roots in the West Bank village of Beit Ur Al-Fauqa, where her grandmother and extended family live. The prospects of ending the occupation and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under the so-called two-state solution which had guided international peace-making efforts since 1993 have all but evaporated, while Israeli settlements in the territories have expanded. The Trump administration, which is particularly close to the Netanyahu government, has touted its own peace plan but details remain vague. It fueled Palestinian anger by recognising disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017.

After ban, Israel permits US Representative Rashida Tlaib to make humanitarian visit to family in West Bank

Israeli troops shot dead four heavily armed Palestinians on the Gaza border early Saturday, one of whom had managed to cross and throw a grenade at troops, the army said.

There have been frequent clashes along the Gaza border since the Palestinians began organising regular mass protests there in March 2018 but Saturday's exchange was unusual because of the weaponry the army said was involved in the Palestinian side.

"The terrorists were equipped with AK-47 assault rifles, RPG grenade launchers, and hand grenades," an army statement said.&nbsp;

A spokeswoman said: "The army opened fire after one of the terrorists scaled the barrier and hurled a grenade at the soldiers."

No casualties were reported in Israeli ranks.

Palestinian demonstrations at the Gaza border demanding the lifting of Israel's more than decade-old blockade has often led to violence and deadly response from the Israeli army.

At least 301 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since March 2018, the majority during the demonstrations.

Seven Israelis have also been killed.

The protests have declined in intensity in recent months following a truce brokered by UN officials and Egypt.&nbsp;

Under the truce, Israel agreed to take steps to ease aspects of its blockade in return for calm on the border.

Sporadic violence has continued but the Israeli army has said most of it has consisted of lone-wolf attacks.

On August 1, a Palestinian seeking to avenge his brother's death by Israeli fire entered Israel from Gaza armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and hand grenades. He was killed and three Israeli soldiers wounded, the army said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is widely seen as wanting to avoid a major flare-up in the Palestinian territories as Israel prepares for a snap general election on September 17, it's second this year.

But he is likely to face political pressure to act firmly against any significant attack.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

The border exchange came as Palestinians prepare to mark Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice.&nbsp;

Israeli troops shot dead four heavily armed Palestinians on the Gaza border early Saturday, one of whom had managed to cross and throw a grenade at troops, the army said.

Israeli troops shot dead four heavily armed Palestinians on the Gaza border early Saturday, one of whom had managed to cross and throw a grenade at troops, the army said. There have been frequent clashes along the Gaza border since the Palestinians began organising regular mass protests there in March 2018 but Saturday's exchange was unusual because of the weaponry the army said was involved in the Palestinian side. "The terrorists were equipped with AK-47 assault rifles, RPG grenade launchers, and hand grenades," an army statement said. A spokeswoman said: "The army opened fire after one of the terrorists scaled the barrier and hurled a grenade at the soldiers." No casualties were reported in Israeli ranks. Palestinian demonstrations at the Gaza border demanding the lifting of Israel's more than decade-old blockade has often led to violence and deadly response from the Israeli army. At least 301 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since March 2018, the majority during the demonstrations. Seven Israelis have also been killed. The protests have declined in intensity in recent months following a truce brokered by UN officials and Egypt. Under the truce, Israel agreed to take steps to ease aspects of its blockade in return for calm on the border. Sporadic violence has continued but the Israeli army has said most of it has consisted of lone-wolf attacks. On August 1, a Palestinian seeking to avenge his brother's death by Israeli fire entered Israel from Gaza armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and hand grenades. He was killed and three Israeli soldiers wounded, the army said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is widely seen as wanting to avoid a major flare-up in the Palestinian territories as Israel prepares for a snap general election on September 17, it's second this year. But he is likely to face political pressure to act firmly against any significant attack. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. The border exchange came as Palestinians prepare to mark Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice.

Israel army says killed 4 armed Palestinians on Gaza border

Thousand of people attended the funeral of an Israeli soldier whose body was found near a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-announces-new-homes-for-settlers-palestinians-in-west-bank-239923">Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank</a> on Thursday. The body was found near&nbsp;discovered at the Jewish settlement&nbsp;Migdal Oz on Wednesday evening.

Around 2,000 people attended 19-year-old Dvir Sorek's funeral,&nbsp;held in the Ofra settlement where the soldier's family resides.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to Migdal Oz, called the incident terrorist attack and vowed that security forces would quickly find "those who perpetrated this heinous murder".

On Wednesday, Sorek's body was found near the settlement where he had been studying at a Jewish seminary in the West Bank that combines religious studies with service in the armed forces. The body was found in civilian clothes and unarmed.

News agency Reuters reported Israeli military saying that he had been stabbed to death by a Palestinian assailant.

The soldier, who the military said was in civilian clothes and unarmed was a student in a Jewish seminary in the West Bank that combines religious studies with service in the armed forces.

Watch: Israel announces new homes in West Bank

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An Israeli military statement said the body was discovered near the settlement of Migdal Oz, north of the city of Hebron, and that the 19-year-old had been killed in a Palestinian attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Local reports say that authorities were looking into whether the soldier was killed in a failed kidnapping attempt.

The area of Hebron and surrounding Israeli settlements where the soldier's body was found have often been a flashpoint of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.

(With inputs from agencies)

Thousand of people attended the funeral of an Israeli soldier whose body was found near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank on Thursday. The body was found near discovered at the Jewish settlement Migdal Oz on Wednesday evening.

Thousand of people attended the funeral of an Israeli soldier whose body was found near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank on Thursday. The body was found near discovered at the Jewish settlement Migdal Oz on Wednesday evening. Around 2,000 people attended 19-year-old Dvir Sorek's funeral, held in the Ofra settlement where the soldier's family resides. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to Migdal Oz, called the incident terrorist attack and vowed that security forces would quickly find "those who perpetrated this heinous murder". On Wednesday, Sorek's body was found near the settlement where he had been studying at a Jewish seminary in the West Bank that combines religious studies with service in the armed forces. The body was found in civilian clothes and unarmed. News agency Reuters reported Israeli military saying that he had been stabbed to death by a Palestinian assailant. The soldier, who the military said was in civilian clothes and unarmed was a student in a Jewish seminary in the West Bank that combines religious studies with service in the armed forces. Watch: Israel announces new homes in West Bank × An Israeli military statement said the body was discovered near the settlement of Migdal Oz, north of the city of Hebron, and that the 19-year-old had been killed in a Palestinian attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Local reports say that authorities were looking into whether the soldier was killed in a failed kidnapping attempt. The area of Hebron and surrounding Israeli settlements where the soldier's body was found have often been a flashpoint of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. (With inputs from agencies)

Thousands mourn Israeli teen soldier stabbed in West Bank as PM Netanyahu vows to find killers

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