Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza must stop rocket attacks or "absorb more and more blows" as an escalation of violence raged for a second day.

"They have one choice, to stop these attacks or absorb more and more blows. Their choice," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting, adding that Israel was not seeking a further escalation, news agency AFP reported.

Two more Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in an I<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-israeli-strikes-in-gaza-climbs-to-12-261774">sraeli strike in the Gaza Strip</a>, bringing the death toll to 18.

Israel has launched airstrikes on Gaza early on Wednesday morning saying&nbsp;it is targetting rocket-launching squads and militant sites.

Israel's strikes occurred after it killed a top Palestinian militant Baha<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-kills-islamic-jihads-top-commander-in-missile-attack-261537">&nbsp;Abu Al-Atta in Gaza</a>&nbsp;belonging to Islamic Jihad early Tuesday leading to a tit-for-tat rocket attack by militants from across the border.

Netanyahu earlier&nbsp;said Al-Atta was a "ticking bomb," responsible for cross-border rocket, drone and sniper attacks. Al-Atta, 42, and his wife were killed in the pre-dawn Israeli strike.

Watch: 50 rockets fired on Israel from Gaza

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However, it appeared that Hamas, the main militant group that rules Gaza, was staying out of the fighting for now.

According to a report by Reuters, a UN Middle East envoy was on his way to Cairo to begin mediation to end the violence.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza must stop rocket attacks or "absorb more and more blows" as an escalation of violence raged for a second day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza must stop rocket attacks or "absorb more and more blows" as an escalation of violence raged for a second day. "They have one choice, to stop these attacks or absorb more and more blows. Their choice," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting, adding that Israel was not seeking a further escalation, news agency AFP reported. Two more Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll to 18. Israel has launched airstrikes on Gaza early on Wednesday morning saying it is targetting rocket-launching squads and militant sites. Israel's strikes occurred after it killed a top Palestinian militant Baha Abu Al-Atta in Gaza belonging to Islamic Jihad early Tuesday leading to a tit-for-tat rocket attack by militants from across the border. Netanyahu earlier said Al-Atta was a "ticking bomb," responsible for cross-border rocket, drone and sniper attacks. Al-Atta, 42, and his wife were killed in the pre-dawn Israeli strike. Watch: 50 rockets fired on Israel from Gaza × However, it appeared that Hamas, the main militant group that rules Gaza, was staying out of the fighting for now. According to a report by Reuters, a UN Middle East envoy was on his way to Cairo to begin mediation to end the violence. (With inputs from agencies)

'Stop attacks or absorb more blows,' says Netanyahu as 18 Palestinians die in Israeli strike in Gaza

Gravitas: Israel-Palestine tensions spike: 50 rockets launched on Israel

Abu Al-Ata killed in Gaza strike. He was planning to attack Israel.

WION Dispatch: Abu Al-Ata killed in Gaza strike

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting with Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants that erupted after Israel<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-kills-islamic-jihads-top-commander-in-missile-attack-261537"> killed their top field commander</a> in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday could prove protracted.

"Israel is not interested in escalation, but we will do everything required to protect ourselves," Netanyahu told reporters at military headquarters. "This could take time. What is needed is stamina and cool-headedness."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting with Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants that erupted after Israel killed their top field commander in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday could prove protracted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting with Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants that erupted after Israel killed their top field commander in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday could prove protracted. "Israel is not interested in escalation, but we will do everything required to protect ourselves," Netanyahu told reporters at military headquarters. "This could take time. What is needed is stamina and cool-headedness."

Netanyahu says Israel-Gaza fighting 'could take time'

The Israeli army said that Palestinian militants in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-kills-islamic-jihads-top-commander-in-missile-attack-261537">Gaza Strip pounded</a> the Jewish state with "substantial" rocket fire Tuesday after Israel killed a commander of Islamic Jihad.

"There is substantial fire," army spokesman Jonathan Conricus told journalists in a conference call.

Rockets struck the south of Israel and warning sirens wailed in Tel Aviv, although there were no immediate reports of hits on the seaside city. &nbsp;

"We are preparing for a number of days of fighting," Conricus said.

The army ordered "non-essential" workers in Tel Aviv and central Israel to stay at home like those in the Gaza border region, ordered schools and universities to close and banned public gatherings.

Israeli public radio said that more than a million pupils and students were missing their studies Tuesday.

The flareup came after a dawn strike on the Gaza home of Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu Al-Ata, 42. The group said Ata's wife was also killed.

Israel blamed Ata for recent rocket fire into its territory and said he was preparing further attacks.

The strike raised the possibility of a severe escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, which is ruled by Islamist movement Hamas, which is allied with Islamic Jihad.

Three wars have been fought between them since 2008.

Hamas in a statement threatened revenge on Israel after the strike.

The Israeli army said that Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip pounded the Jewish state with "substantial" rocket fire Tuesday after Israel killed a commander of Islamic Jihad.

The Israeli army said that Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip pounded the Jewish state with "substantial" rocket fire Tuesday after Israel killed a commander of Islamic Jihad. "There is substantial fire," army spokesman Jonathan Conricus told journalists in a conference call. Rockets struck the south of Israel and warning sirens wailed in Tel Aviv, although there were no immediate reports of hits on the seaside city. "We are preparing for a number of days of fighting," Conricus said. The army ordered "non-essential" workers in Tel Aviv and central Israel to stay at home like those in the Gaza border region, ordered schools and universities to close and banned public gatherings. Israeli public radio said that more than a million pupils and students were missing their studies Tuesday. The flareup came after a dawn strike on the Gaza home of Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu Al-Ata, 42. The group said Ata's wife was also killed. Israel blamed Ata for recent rocket fire into its territory and said he was preparing further attacks. The strike raised the possibility of a severe escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, which is ruled by Islamist movement Hamas, which is allied with Islamic Jihad. Three wars have been fought between them since 2008. Hamas in a statement threatened revenge on Israel after the strike.

Substantial fire from Palestinian militants in Gaza Strip: Israel Army

Palestinian militants fired a barrage of rockets at Israel and the Israeli military responded with a wave of pre-dawn airstrikes in Gaza killing one man on Saturday, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.

The Israeli army said it targeted sites belonging to Hamas, the Islamist militant group which rules Gaza, after Palestinians fired 10 rockets into Israel late on Friday.

Eight of them were intercepted by missile defence systems. One projectile hit a house in a town near the border, causing damage but no casualties, police said.

In southern Gaza, medical officials and locals said a small cabin was hit, killing a 27-year-old civilian and wounding two others.

None of the armed groups in Gaza claimed responsibility for firing the rockets. The Israeli military said Hamas was ultimately responsible for the attack.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars over the past decade and cross-border tensions are high and such flare-ups are not rare.

Israel pulled its troops and settlers from the narrow coastal strip in 2005 but keeps the enclave under a blockade, citing security concerns. About 2 million Palestinians live in Gaza.

Palestinian militants fired a barrage of rockets at Israel and the Israeli military responded with a wave of pre-dawn airstrikes in Gaza killing one man on Saturday, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.

Palestinian militants fired a barrage of rockets at Israel and the Israeli military responded with a wave of pre-dawn airstrikes in Gaza killing one man on Saturday, Palestinian and Israeli officials said. The Israeli army said it targeted sites belonging to Hamas, the Islamist militant group which rules Gaza, after Palestinians fired 10 rockets into Israel late on Friday. Eight of them were intercepted by missile defence systems. One projectile hit a house in a town near the border, causing damage but no casualties, police said. In southern Gaza, medical officials and locals said a small cabin was hit, killing a 27-year-old civilian and wounding two others. None of the armed groups in Gaza claimed responsibility for firing the rockets. The Israeli military said Hamas was ultimately responsible for the attack. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars over the past decade and cross-border tensions are high and such flare-ups are not rare. Israel pulled its troops and settlers from the narrow coastal strip in 2005 but keeps the enclave under a blockade, citing security concerns. About 2 million Palestinians live in Gaza.

Palestinian killed, two wounded in Israel-Gaza counter strikes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-diplomats-strike-over-working-conditions-258830">Israel</a> has approved the construction of 2,342 settler homes in the occupied West Bank, settlement watchdog Peace Now said on Thursday.

It said the decision was taken on October 10 and that 59 per cent of the new homes will be erected in "settlements that Israel likely may evacuate under a peace agreement" with the Palestinians.

According to Peace Now, which closely monitors Israeli settlement building, plans for 8,337 housing units in the settlements have been approved since the beginning of the year.

It said this represented an increase of close to 50 per cent compared with 2018 when plans for 5,618 housing units were approved.

"This brings the average number of housing units approved in the three years since President Trump was elected, to 6,899 housing units, almost twice the average in the three years preceding them," said the NGO.

All settlements are considered illegal under international law and are built on land that the Palestinians see as part of their future state, but Israel distinguishes between those it has approved and those it has not.

Peace Now said that settlement construction has increased under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political survival after failing to form a coalition government following September elections.

"Netanyahu continues to sabotage the possibility of a political agreement with the Palestinians by promoting more settlement construction in the West Bank, including in places where Israel may have to evacuate as part of a future agreement," Peace Now said.

Included in the 2,342 new housing units are 182 that are due to be built in Mevoot Yericho, a former outpost near Jericho which the Netanyahu government legalised before the September polls, Peace Now said.

Ramping up the construction of settlement homes is yet another dangerous step for both Israel and the Palestinians, led by a transitional prime minister whom the public did not trust in his policies.

"The next government must put a freeze on the development of settlements and to strive for immediate resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians without preconditions and to end the bloody conflict based on the principle of two states for two peoples," Peace Now added.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has tasked ex-military chief Benny Gantz to form a government after Netanyahu failed to set up a coalition for the second time this year.

Some 600,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem among around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Israel has approved the construction of 2,342 settler homes in the occupied West Bank, settlement watchdog Peace Now said on Thursday. It said the decision was taken on October 10 and that 59 per cent of the new homes will be erected in "settlements that Israel likely may evacuate under a peace agreement" with the Palestinians.

Israel has approved the construction of 2,342 settler homes in the occupied West Bank, settlement watchdog Peace Now said on Thursday. It said the decision was taken on October 10 and that 59 per cent of the new homes will be erected in "settlements that Israel likely may evacuate under a peace agreement" with the Palestinians. According to Peace Now, which closely monitors Israeli settlement building, plans for 8,337 housing units in the settlements have been approved since the beginning of the year. It said this represented an increase of close to 50 per cent compared with 2018 when plans for 5,618 housing units were approved. "This brings the average number of housing units approved in the three years since President Trump was elected, to 6,899 housing units, almost twice the average in the three years preceding them," said the NGO. All settlements are considered illegal under international law and are built on land that the Palestinians see as part of their future state, but Israel distinguishes between those it has approved and those it has not. Peace Now said that settlement construction has increased under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political survival after failing to form a coalition government following September elections. "Netanyahu continues to sabotage the possibility of a political agreement with the Palestinians by promoting more settlement construction in the West Bank, including in places where Israel may have to evacuate as part of a future agreement," Peace Now said. Included in the 2,342 new housing units are 182 that are due to be built in Mevoot Yericho, a former outpost near Jericho which the Netanyahu government legalised before the September polls, Peace Now said. Ramping up the construction of settlement homes is yet another dangerous step for both Israel and the Palestinians, led by a transitional prime minister whom the public did not trust in his policies. "The next government must put a freeze on the development of settlements and to strive for immediate resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians without preconditions and to end the bloody conflict based on the principle of two states for two peoples," Peace Now added. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has tasked ex-military chief Benny Gantz to form a government after Netanyahu failed to set up a coalition for the second time this year. Some 600,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem among around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Israel approves more than 2,300 settler homes in West Bank: Report

By Martin Beck

With no clear winner in September’s Israeli elections, both the incumbent prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his only serious contender, Benny Gantz, will now set about trying to form a governing coalition. Both are tarnished by the result.

Contrary to elections held in April when Netanyahu’s right-wing party, Likud, and Gantz’s centrist alliance, Kahol Lavan or “Blue and White”, were tied, this time Gantz is one seat ahead of Netanyahu, according to official results released after 90 per cent&nbsp;of the vote had been counted.

But Gantz’s 32 seats – three fewer than in April – plus those of his two centrist-left alliance partners (the Democratic Union and Labor-Gesher) add up to only 43. This is far from the 61 seats necessary to form a government backed by a majority of 120 deputies in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Yet, Netanyahu’s bloc that consists of the two ultra-orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, and the parties of the far-right Yamina alliance, add up to only 55 seats. To further complicate matters, the two groups that aren’t fully affiliated with one of the blocs are not political allies: the Joint List of mostly Arab parties gained 13 seats, while the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu – the party headed by Netanyahu’s former ally Avigdor Lieberman – won nine seats.

As there is no Likud politician in sight who would be capable of subverting Netanyahu to form a national unity government, for the time being both Gantz and Netanyahu remain in the race for the premiership.

So what does this stalemate mean for the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and the Middle East region more widely?

The stakes for Palestinians 
​​​​​​​ 
Palestinians who have lived under Israeli occupation in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since 1967 have the most at stake. Whatever government is formed, it will not only rule Israeli citizens who were eligible to vote but also those Palestinians living in the occupied territories who weren’t – something I’ve argued implies that Israel is not a democracy.

In another sense, the elections have little significance for the Palestinians living under occupation. The idea of withdrawing the Israeli army from Palestinian territories and accepting a sovereign and viable state of Palestine is as alien to Gantz as it is to Netanyahu.

Whether Israeli governments in the late 20th century seriously considered the possibility of a two-state solution remains debatable. Yet, so far in the 21st century, the game played by Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation has not been about negotiating “peace” in the form of untroubled relations between Israel and a Palestinian state. Rather, it’s been about pretend-negotiating peace – and avoiding blame for, predictably, failed rounds of talks.

Contrary to Gantz, Netanyahu announced he would annex major parts of the West Bank including all Jewish settlements and most of the Jordan Valley. However, as the West Bank has been ruled and colonised by Israel for half a century, its annexation would be little more than a symbolic policy and wouldn’t fundamentally change the situation on the ground.

In August, Gantz vowed to “pound Gaza” in the event of military confrontations. Under his premiership, Israel’s rule over the coastal strip might be implemented in an even more oppressive way than it has been so far this decade.

United against Iran 
 
With regards to wider regional policies, Gantz is in line with Netanyahu and they share a strong stand against Iran. In February, referring to Iran, Gantz said: “On my watch, there will be no appeasement.”

Gantz has also endorsed Israel’s policy of containing Iran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah inside Lebanon and in Syria. Since 2013, Israel has frequently launched air strikes against Iranian-backed militia posts in Syria, whose activities are crucial for the Bashar al-Assad regime’s relentless fight for survival.

Until recently, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Syria had not spilled beyond its borders. But by launching an attack with two drones in Beirut on August 25, Israel violated this tacit agreement. In the aftermath, despite some skirmishes and aggressive rhetoric, both Lebanon and Israel showed restraint. But similar incidents in future could lead to further escalation – something Netanyahu might welcome if he were hoping to make a mark early in another premiership.

Regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, US President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century”, expected to be released shortly, probably won’t be more than the symbolic funeral of an idea – the two-state solution – that has been clinically dead for years. Much more intriguing is whether the plan might boost the ongoing normalisation of the Arab world’s relations with Israel and foster the tacit anti-Iranian alliance between Saudi Arabia and Israel in the making.

There is a lot at stake for Netanyahu now. Probably only a law granting Israel’s prime minister full immunity from prosecution could save Netanyahu from being indicted for corruption, and such a law will only pass if he manages to remain in power.

It remains to be seen in the coming days and weeks of coalition negotiations whether a tottering Netanyahu will win what is probably his last major political battle and stay in power against all the odds – and what role foreign policy towards the Middle East will play in his coalition-building strategy.

(Martin Beck is Professor, Centre for Contemporary Middle East Studies, University of Southern Denmark)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/israeli-election-has-no-clear-winner-what-political-deadlock-means-for-the-middle-east-123124">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By Martin Beck With no clear winner in September’s Israeli elections, both the incumbent prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his only serious contender, Benny Gantz, will now set about trying to form a governing coalition.

By Martin Beck With no clear winner in September’s Israeli elections, both the incumbent prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his only serious contender, Benny Gantz, will now set about trying to form a governing coalition. Both are tarnished by the result. Contrary to elections held in April when Netanyahu’s right-wing party, Likud, and Gantz’s centrist alliance, Kahol Lavan or “Blue and White”, were tied, this time Gantz is one seat ahead of Netanyahu, according to official results released after 90 per cent of the vote had been counted. But Gantz’s 32 seats – three fewer than in April – plus those of his two centrist-left alliance partners (the Democratic Union and Labor-Gesher) add up to only 43. This is far from the 61 seats necessary to form a government backed by a majority of 120 deputies in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Yet, Netanyahu’s bloc that consists of the two ultra-orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, and the parties of the far-right Yamina alliance, add up to only 55 seats. To further complicate matters, the two groups that aren’t fully affiliated with one of the blocs are not political allies: the Joint List of mostly Arab parties gained 13 seats, while the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu – the party headed by Netanyahu’s former ally Avigdor Lieberman – won nine seats. As there is no Likud politician in sight who would be capable of subverting Netanyahu to form a national unity government, for the time being both Gantz and Netanyahu remain in the race for the premiership. So what does this stalemate mean for the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and the Middle East region more widely? The stakes for Palestinians Palestinians who have lived under Israeli occupation in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since 1967 have the most at stake. Whatever government is formed, it will not only rule Israeli citizens who were eligible to vote but also those Palestinians living in the occupied territories who weren’t – something I’ve argued implies that Israel is not a democracy. In another sense, the elections have little significance for the Palestinians living under occupation. The idea of withdrawing the Israeli army from Palestinian territories and accepting a sovereign and viable state of Palestine is as alien to Gantz as it is to Netanyahu. Whether Israeli governments in the late 20th century seriously considered the possibility of a two-state solution remains debatable. Yet, so far in the 21st century, the game played by Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation has not been about negotiating “peace” in the form of untroubled relations between Israel and a Palestinian state. Rather, it’s been about pretend-negotiating peace – and avoiding blame for, predictably, failed rounds of talks. Contrary to Gantz, Netanyahu announced he would annex major parts of the West Bank including all Jewish settlements and most of the Jordan Valley. However, as the West Bank has been ruled and colonised by Israel for half a century, its annexation would be little more than a symbolic policy and wouldn’t fundamentally change the situation on the ground. In August, Gantz vowed to “pound Gaza” in the event of military confrontations. Under his premiership, Israel’s rule over the coastal strip might be implemented in an even more oppressive way than it has been so far this decade. United against Iran With regards to wider regional policies, Gantz is in line with Netanyahu and they share a strong stand against Iran. In February, referring to Iran, Gantz said: “On my watch, there will be no appeasement.” Gantz has also endorsed Israel’s policy of containing Iran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah inside Lebanon and in Syria. Since 2013, Israel has frequently launched air strikes against Iranian-backed militia posts in Syria, whose activities are crucial for the Bashar al-Assad regime’s relentless fight for survival. Until recently, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Syria had not spilled beyond its borders. But by launching an attack with two drones in Beirut on August 25, Israel violated this tacit agreement. In the aftermath, despite some skirmishes and aggressive rhetoric, both Lebanon and Israel showed restraint. But similar incidents in future could lead to further escalation – something Netanyahu might welcome if he were hoping to make a mark early in another premiership. Regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, US President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century”, expected to be released shortly, probably won’t be more than the symbolic funeral of an idea – the two-state solution – that has been clinically dead for years. Much more intriguing is whether the plan might boost the ongoing normalisation of the Arab world’s relations with Israel and foster the tacit anti-Iranian alliance between Saudi Arabia and Israel in the making. There is a lot at stake for Netanyahu now. Probably only a law granting Israel’s prime minister full immunity from prosecution could save Netanyahu from being indicted for corruption, and such a law will only pass if he manages to remain in power. It remains to be seen in the coming days and weeks of coalition negotiations whether a tottering Netanyahu will win what is probably his last major political battle and stay in power against all the odds – and what role foreign policy towards the Middle East will play in his coalition-building strategy. (Martin Beck is Professor, Centre for Contemporary Middle East Studies, University of Southern Denmark) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Israeli election has no clear winner – what political deadlock means for the Middle East

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-polls-netanyahu-gantz-in-deadlock-as-unity-government-looms-250456">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>'s long grip on power appeared in jeopardy on Wednesday after elections left him tied with his main challenger Benny Gantz raising the prospect of tough negotiations to build a unity government or even the end of the Israeli premier's record-long rule.

In a sign of the demanding negotiations to come, sources in Netanyahu's office said that he was cancelling a planned trip next week to the UN General Assembly in New York due to the "political context" in Israel.

He had been due to meet his "friend" US President Donald Trump on the fringes of the international gathering to discuss a defence treaty between the two allies.

But Israel's longest-serving premier is staying home as he battles to retain his grip on power.

Watch: Lengthy coalition talks loom as Israel election results point to deadlock

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With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud had 32 seats, while Gantz's Blue and White took 33 places in Israel's 120-member parliament.

Gantz's slim lead, however, gave no obvious path for either party to form a majority coalition, raising the possibility of negotiations towards a unity government.

"There are only two options, a government led by me or a dangerous government dependent on the Arab parties," Netanyahu told a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday night.

"In these times, more than ever, when we face enormous security and political challenges, it cannot be that there will be a government that depends on anti-Zionist Arab parties," he said.

Throughout his campaign, Netanyahu warned, as he has in previous elections, that left-wing and Arab voters were showing up in large numbers to try to oust him.

Media said the mainly Arab Joint List alliance was set to become the third-largest bloc in parliament with 13 seats.

End of 'Netanyahu era'?

"The Netanyahu era is over," said Ahmed Tibi, one of the list's leaders. "If Gantz calls, we shall tell him our conditions for supporting him."

If the initial results hold, it will be a major setback for Netanyahu, who hoped to form a right-wing coalition similar to his current administration as he faces the possibility of a corruption indictment in the weeks ahead.

Gantz, addressing supporters in Tel Aviv, called for a "broad unity government" but cautioned that he was waiting for final results. "We will act to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people," the former armed forces chief said.

"We will begin negotiations and I will speak with everyone." Ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman could prove to be kingmaker, with the reported results giving his secular-nationalist party Yisrael Beitenu nine seats.

He has not declared in favour of either of the two leading contenders. 
"There is only one option for us," he has stated.&nbsp;

"That is to form a broad, liberal, national unity government" with Yisrael Beitenu, Blue and White and Likud.&nbsp;

Such a government would not include the ultra-Orthodox Jews.

The staunch secularist Lieberman has long campaigned against what he sees as their undue clout which he accuses of seeking to impose Jewish religious law on Israel's secular population.

He would also not partner with Arab parties.

'Disease of hatred'

"Israel has a problem," the top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot newspaper wrote Wednesday. "We have been afflicted with the disease of hatred." 
"Some people want to sharpen the divisions and to see a clear division between 'left' and 'right' but that is precisely the way to worsen the disease."

Whatever the shape of the next Israeli government, the Palestinians are prepared to talk peace, said their foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki.

"Whoever will be able to form a government, we are ready to sit with him or her in order to restart the negotiations," Maliki told reporters in Oslo, accompanying president Mahmud Abbas on a two-day visit.

But Abbas later gave a blunt assessment of Palestinian preferences for a new Israeli government.&nbsp;

"Our position: against Netanyahu," he said.

Arab turnout

Israel's Arab parties have traditionally not endorsed anyone for prime minister.

"The main difference in this vote is the turnout among Arab citizens," Joint List leader Ayman Odeh told journalists outside his home in the northern city of Haifa.

"There's no doubt that this is what made the difference. Without that, Netanyahu would already be prime minister."

The election was the second in five months for Israel.&nbsp;

President Reuven Rivlin, who must appoint someone to attempt to form the next government, said there was a "need to avoid a third".

Netanyahu suffered one of the biggest defeats of his political career after the previous elections in April.

His Likud along with its right-wing and religious allies won a majority, but he failed to form a coalition and opted for a second election rather than risk having Rivlin choose someone else to try.

The stakes could not be much higher for 69-year-old Netanyahu, who many believe will seek immunity from prosecution should he survive as prime minister.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long grip on power appeared in jeopardy on Wednesday after elections left him tied with his main challenger Benny Gantz raising the prospect of tough negotiations to build a unity government or even the end of the Israeli premier's record-long rule.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long grip on power appeared in jeopardy on Wednesday after elections left him tied with his main challenger Benny Gantz raising the prospect of tough negotiations to build a unity government or even the end of the Israeli premier's record-long rule. In a sign of the demanding negotiations to come, sources in Netanyahu's office said that he was cancelling a planned trip next week to the UN General Assembly in New York due to the "political context" in Israel. He had been due to meet his "friend" US President Donald Trump on the fringes of the international gathering to discuss a defence treaty between the two allies. But Israel's longest-serving premier is staying home as he battles to retain his grip on power. Watch: Lengthy coalition talks loom as Israel election results point to deadlock With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud had 32 seats, while Gantz's Blue and White took 33 places in Israel's 120-member parliament. Gantz's slim lead, however, gave no obvious path for either party to form a majority coalition, raising the possibility of negotiations towards a unity government. "There are only two options, a government led by me or a dangerous government dependent on the Arab parties," Netanyahu told a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday night. "In these times, more than ever, when we face enormous security and political challenges, it cannot be that there will be a government that depends on anti-Zionist Arab parties," he said. Throughout his campaign, Netanyahu warned, as he has in previous elections, that left-wing and Arab voters were showing up in large numbers to try to oust him. Media said the mainly Arab Joint List alliance was set to become the third-largest bloc in parliament with 13 seats. End of 'Netanyahu era'? "The Netanyahu era is over," said Ahmed Tibi, one of the list's leaders. "If Gantz calls, we shall tell him our conditions for supporting him." If the initial results hold, it will be a major setback for Netanyahu, who hoped to form a right-wing coalition similar to his current administration as he faces the possibility of a corruption indictment in the weeks ahead. Gantz, addressing supporters in Tel Aviv, called for a "broad unity government" but cautioned that he was waiting for final results. "We will act to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people," the former armed forces chief said. "We will begin negotiations and I will speak with everyone." Ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman could prove to be kingmaker, with the reported results giving his secular-nationalist party Yisrael Beitenu nine seats. He has not declared in favour of either of the two leading contenders. "There is only one option for us," he has stated. "That is to form a broad, liberal, national unity government" with Yisrael Beitenu, Blue and White and Likud. Such a government would not include the ultra-Orthodox Jews. The staunch secularist Lieberman has long campaigned against what he sees as their undue clout which he accuses of seeking to impose Jewish religious law on Israel's secular population. He would also not partner with Arab parties. 'Disease of hatred' "Israel has a problem," the top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot newspaper wrote Wednesday. "We have been afflicted with the disease of hatred." "Some people want to sharpen the divisions and to see a clear division between 'left' and 'right' but that is precisely the way to worsen the disease." Whatever the shape of the next Israeli government, the Palestinians are prepared to talk peace, said their foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki. "Whoever will be able to form a government, we are ready to sit with him or her in order to restart the negotiations," Maliki told reporters in Oslo, accompanying president Mahmud Abbas on a two-day visit. But Abbas later gave a blunt assessment of Palestinian preferences for a new Israeli government. "Our position: against Netanyahu," he said. Arab turnout Israel's Arab parties have traditionally not endorsed anyone for prime minister. "The main difference in this vote is the turnout among Arab citizens," Joint List leader Ayman Odeh told journalists outside his home in the northern city of Haifa. "There's no doubt that this is what made the difference. Without that, Netanyahu would already be prime minister." The election was the second in five months for Israel. President Reuven Rivlin, who must appoint someone to attempt to form the next government, said there was a "need to avoid a third". Netanyahu suffered one of the biggest defeats of his political career after the previous elections in April. His Likud along with its right-wing and religious allies won a majority, but he failed to form a coalition and opted for a second election rather than risk having Rivlin choose someone else to try. The stakes could not be much higher for 69-year-old Netanyahu, who many believe will seek immunity from prosecution should he survive as prime minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu's 10-year-long rule threatened by deadlocked Israeli polls

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-polls-benjamin-netanyahus-10-year-long-rule-threatened-by-deadlocked-israeli-polls-250475">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> called on Thursday on his main rival, former general Benny Gantz, to join him in a broad, governing coalition after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/benjamin-netanyahu-cancels-un-visit-over-post-poll-political-context-250452">Israel's election </a>ended with no clear winner.

A spokeswoman for Gantz, leader of the centrist Blue and White party, had no immediate response to the surprise offer from Netanyahu, head of the right-wing Likud party.

The change of strategy reflected Netanyahu's weakened position after he failed again in Tuesday's election, which followed an inconclusive ballot in April, to secure a parliamentary majority.
<img alt="Israel" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c503763-0b03-404a-b548-9e9703232f10" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_9.jpg" />
"During the election campaign, I called for the establishment of a right-wing government but to my regret, the election results show that this is impossible," Netanyahu said.

"Benny, we must set up a broad unity government, as soon as today. The nation expects us, both of us, to demonstrate responsibility and that we pursue cooperation."

On Wednesday, Gantz said he hoped for a "good, desirable unity government". But he has also ruled out forming one with a Netanyahu-led Likud, citing looming corruption charges against the prime minister. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Thursday on his main rival, former general Benny Gantz, to join him in a broad, governing coalition after Israel's election ended with no clear winner.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Thursday on his main rival, former general Benny Gantz, to join him in a broad, governing coalition after Israel's election ended with no clear winner. A spokeswoman for Gantz, leader of the centrist Blue and White party, had no immediate response to the surprise offer from Netanyahu, head of the right-wing Likud party. The change of strategy reflected Netanyahu's weakened position after he failed again in Tuesday's election, which followed an inconclusive ballot in April, to secure a parliamentary majority. "During the election campaign, I called for the establishment of a right-wing government but to my regret, the election results show that this is impossible," Netanyahu said. "Benny, we must set up a broad unity government, as soon as today. The nation expects us, both of us, to demonstrate responsibility and that we pursue cooperation." On Wednesday, Gantz said he hoped for a "good, desirable unity government". But he has also ruled out forming one with a Netanyahu-led Likud, citing looming corruption charges against the prime minister. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.

Benjamin Netanyahu urges rival Benny Gantz to form a unity government with him

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

The Israeli army targeted Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to a drone attack from the Palestinian enclave, the military said.

The Israeli strikes late Saturday came after two days of cross-border exchanges of fire in which two Palestinian teenagers were killed.

An Egyptian delegation meanwhile arrived in the Gaza Strip on Sunday as part of efforts to keep alive a fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, a Hamas source said.

The truce was negotiated by Egyptian and UN officials with aid from Qatar to end several severe flare-ups of violence in recent months.

Following a Saturday drone attack, Israeli fighter jets and a drone "struck a number of Hamas military targets, including offensive naval equipment and two military compounds," the army said.

It said it "holds Hamas responsible for all that transpires in the Gaza Strip and emanates from it."

A security source in Gaza said Israeli "warplanes raided four positions" of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing, in central and northern Gaza, causing damage but "no injuries."

According to the army, a drone launched from southern Gaza had crossed into Israeli airspace, dropped "what seems to be an explosive device" near the security fence and damaged a military vehicle before returning to Gaza.

An Israeli aircraft targeted the squad that launched the drone, but there were no injuries in that raid.

On Friday, two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli fire during clashes on the Gaza border, while another 46 sustained bullet wounds, according to Gaza's health ministry.

The Israeli army said thousands of Palestinians took part in "especially violent" demonstrations along the border, with some throwing "firebombs and explosive devices" at soldiers.

Hours later, Palestinian militants fired five rockets at southern Israel, hitting open fields, and Israel attacked Hamas positions in response, according to the army.

Also Saturday, Israeli forces apprehended four infiltrators from Gaza, three of them aged just 13.

Palestinians have been holding regular mass protests along the fortified border since March 2018.

The protesters have called on Israel to end its crippling siege of the coastal enclave and demanded the right to return to lands their families fled during the war that accompanied the creation of Israel in 1948.

Israel says any such return would mean its end as a Jewish state and accuses Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas of using the protests as cover for attacks.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

There have been concerns about a possible violent escalation in the run-up to Israel's September 17 general election.

The Israeli army targeted Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to a drone attack from the Palestinian enclave, the military said. The Israeli strikes late Saturday came after two days of cross-border exchanges of fire in which two Palestinian teenagers were killed.

The Israeli army targeted Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to a drone attack from the Palestinian enclave, the military said. The Israeli strikes late Saturday came after two days of cross-border exchanges of fire in which two Palestinian teenagers were killed. An Egyptian delegation meanwhile arrived in the Gaza Strip on Sunday as part of efforts to keep alive a fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, a Hamas source said. The truce was negotiated by Egyptian and UN officials with aid from Qatar to end several severe flare-ups of violence in recent months. Following a Saturday drone attack, Israeli fighter jets and a drone "struck a number of Hamas military targets, including offensive naval equipment and two military compounds," the army said. It said it "holds Hamas responsible for all that transpires in the Gaza Strip and emanates from it." A security source in Gaza said Israeli "warplanes raided four positions" of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing, in central and northern Gaza, causing damage but "no injuries." According to the army, a drone launched from southern Gaza had crossed into Israeli airspace, dropped "what seems to be an explosive device" near the security fence and damaged a military vehicle before returning to Gaza. An Israeli aircraft targeted the squad that launched the drone, but there were no injuries in that raid. On Friday, two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli fire during clashes on the Gaza border, while another 46 sustained bullet wounds, according to Gaza's health ministry. The Israeli army said thousands of Palestinians took part in "especially violent" demonstrations along the border, with some throwing "firebombs and explosive devices" at soldiers. Hours later, Palestinian militants fired five rockets at southern Israel, hitting open fields, and Israel attacked Hamas positions in response, according to the army. Also Saturday, Israeli forces apprehended four infiltrators from Gaza, three of them aged just 13. Palestinians have been holding regular mass protests along the fortified border since March 2018. The protesters have called on Israel to end its crippling siege of the coastal enclave and demanded the right to return to lands their families fled during the war that accompanied the creation of Israel in 1948. Israel says any such return would mean its end as a Jewish state and accuses Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas of using the protests as cover for attacks. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. There have been concerns about a possible violent escalation in the run-up to Israel's September 17 general election.

Israel attacks Gaza targets following drone raid

Living in Gaza is not easy. More than a decade of Israeli-enforced blockade has brought the tiny coastal enclave on its keens. Tel Aviv sealed its borders with Gaza after Hamas came to&nbsp;power in 2007.

Tel Aviv considers Hamas a terrorist organization and suffered greatly from its terror attacks. Israel says the closure is the only way to safeguard Israel but it is the entire population&nbsp;of Gaza which is, in fact, paying the price of this decision.

For the two million people living there, earning a salary is more often a dream than a reality with youth unemployment close to 60 per cent and nearly half the population surviving on humanitarian aid.&nbsp;

Leaving Gaza is extremely difficult since the movement of people is highly restricted and even formal foreign institutional invitations may not be enough to get you out. Many have tried several times - both using official and illegal channels.

More than 30,000 Palestinians abandoned Gaza in the last decade and as long as the situation remains the same, many will keep trying, despite the risks. The illegal way is expensive and dangerous, it can cost up to $3,000 per person with neither the&nbsp;guarantee of succeeding nor of remaining alive.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-west-asia-post-gaza-youth-to-risk-their-lives-fleeing-from-dire-reality-248264/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

If citizens of Gaza want to get out legally, they must submit their application to the Israeli security which decides if the case stands or not. It can take weeks to receive an answer, which is very often negative, moreover, corruption within Gaza is an obstacle too with officers demanding bribes to submit applications.

The very few who succeed are afraid to travel back to Gaza to meet their families, there is no guarantee that they will be allowed out again. No wonder the Palestinian coastal enclave is often referred to as the world’s largest open air jail but leaving is never a happy choice.

The majority of Palestinians who manage to leave Gaza, do so out of necessity as they see it as the only option to actually build a future but wherever they are, they consider Gaza their home and their dream is to be able to see it free and prosperous one day.

About Football in Iraq

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-west-asia-post-soccer-crazy-iraqi-youth-draw-their-idols-on-their-hair-248265/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">
People in West Asia love football. They follow it with great passion and Spanish clubs are among the most popular all across the region, even in Iraq. People in West Asia love Ronaldo so much that customers in a barber shop in Iraq rely on the expert hands of the owner Marwan to etch Ronaldo’s face into their hair.

Marwan graduated from an art&nbsp;institute and has found a smart way to put his skills at work in a country where the youth are passionate about soccer and crazy enough to walk around with their idols on their head.

But this haircut is not for everybody, it is a work of art and it takes skill&nbsp;and time, also it can cost up to $50. Marwan is a soccer fan too and while he creates stylish and creative haircuts with his hands, his mind dreams big.
</div>

Living in Gaza is not easy. More than a decade of Israeli-enforced blockade has brought the tiny coastal enclave on its keens. Tel Aviv sealed its borders with Gaza after Hamas came to power in 2007.

Living in Gaza is not easy. More than a decade of Israeli-enforced blockade has brought the tiny coastal enclave on its keens. Tel Aviv sealed its borders with Gaza after Hamas came to power in 2007. Tel Aviv considers Hamas a terrorist organization and suffered greatly from its terror attacks. Israel says the closure is the only way to safeguard Israel but it is the entire population of Gaza which is, in fact, paying the price of this decision. For the two million people living there, earning a salary is more often a dream than a reality with youth unemployment close to 60 per cent and nearly half the population surviving on humanitarian aid. Leaving Gaza is extremely difficult since the movement of people is highly restricted and even formal foreign institutional invitations may not be enough to get you out. Many have tried several times - both using official and illegal channels. More than 30,000 Palestinians abandoned Gaza in the last decade and as long as the situation remains the same, many will keep trying, despite the risks. The illegal way is expensive and dangerous, it can cost up to $3,000 per person with neither the guarantee of succeeding nor of remaining alive. Watch Video: If citizens of Gaza want to get out legally, they must submit their application to the Israeli security which decides if the case stands or not. It can take weeks to receive an answer, which is very often negative, moreover, corruption within Gaza is an obstacle too with officers demanding bribes to submit applications. The very few who succeed are afraid to travel back to Gaza to meet their families, there is no guarantee that they will be allowed out again. No wonder the Palestinian coastal enclave is often referred to as the world’s largest open air jail but leaving is never a happy choice. The majority of Palestinians who manage to leave Gaza, do so out of necessity as they see it as the only option to actually build a future but wherever they are, they consider Gaza their home and their dream is to be able to see it free and prosperous one day. About Football in Iraq People in West Asia love football. They follow it with great passion and Spanish clubs are among the most popular all across the region, even in Iraq. People in West Asia love Ronaldo so much that customers in a barber shop in Iraq rely on the expert hands of the owner Marwan to etch Ronaldo’s face into their hair. Marwan graduated from an art institute and has found a smart way to put his skills at work in a country where the youth are passionate about soccer and crazy enough to walk around with their idols on their head. But this haircut is not for everybody, it is a work of art and it takes skill and time, also it can cost up to $50. Marwan is a soccer fan too and while he creates stylish and creative haircuts with his hands, his mind dreams big.

The West Asia Post: Gaza youth risk their lives to flee from dire reality

Living in Gaza is not easy... More than a decade of an Israeli-enforced blockade has brought the tiny coastal enclave on its keens... Tel Aviv sealed its borders with Gaza after Hamas took power in 2007... Tel Aviv considers Hamas a terrorist organization and suffered greatly from its terror attacks... Israel says the closure is the only way to safeguard Israel... But the entire populace of Gaza is paying the price of this decision... For the two million people living there, earning a salary is more often a dream than a reality...Youth unemployment is close to 60%... Nearly half of the population relies on humanitarian aid to survive... Leaving Gaza is extremely difficult... Movement of people is highly restricted... And even formal foreign institutional invitations may not be enough to get you out... Many have tried several times - both using official and illegal channels... More than 30,000 Palestinians abandoned Gaza in the last decade and as long as the situation remains the same... Many will keep trying, despite the risks... The illegal way is expensive and dangerous... It can cost up to 3,000 USD per person with neither a guarantee of succeeding nor remaining alive... If citizens of Gaza want to get out legally, they must submit their application to the Israeli security which decides if the case stands or not... It can take weeks to receive an answer, which is very often negative... Corruption within Gaza is an obstacle too... With officers demanding bribes to submit applications... The very few who succeed are afraid to travel back to Gaza to meet their families... There is no guarantee that they will be allowed out again... No wonder the Palestinian coastal enclave is often referred to as the world’s largest open-air jail... But leaving is never a happy choice... The majority of Palestinians who manage to leave Gaza, do so out of necessity... They see it as the only option to actually build a future... But wherever they are, they consider Gaza their home... And their dream is to be able to see it free and prosperous one day...

The West Asia Post: Gaza youth to risk their lives fleeing from dire reality

Explosions hit two police checkpoints in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing three officers and wounding several other Palestinians, the Hamas-run interior ministry said, declaring a state of emergency after the blasts.

Such attacks on Hamas, which has the most powerful armed apparatus in the enclave, were rare.

Interior ministry spokesman, Eyad Al-Bozom, said security forces were making progress in their pursuit of those behind the explosions, but he did not disclose further details.

"The sinful hands that carried out this crime will not escape punishment," said Bozom.

A spokesman for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-aircraft-strikes-gaza-after-palestinian-mortar-fire-246069">Israeli military</a> said he knew of no involvement by Israel in the back-to-back incidents in Gaza city at a time of simmering cross-border confrontations with Hamas, the Palestinian enclave's ruling Islamists.

The first blast destroyed a motorcycle as it passed a police checkpoint, witnesses said. Two police officers were killed and a third Palestinian wounded. It was not immediately clear if the riders were among the casualties.

The second explosion, less than an hour later, killed one officer and wounded several people at a police checkpoint elsewhere in the city, the interior ministry said. The ministry declared a state of emergency throughout Gaza, putting security forces on alert.

Hamas, which took over Gaza in a 2007 civil war with the forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has at times faced internal opposition from more stringent Islamist militants aligned with al Qaeda or Islamic State.

Explosions hit two police checkpoints in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing three officers and wounding several other Palestinians, the Hamas-run interior ministry said, declaring a state of emergency after the blasts.

Explosions hit two police checkpoints in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing three officers and wounding several other Palestinians, the Hamas-run interior ministry said, declaring a state of emergency after the blasts. Such attacks on Hamas, which has the most powerful armed apparatus in the enclave, were rare. Interior ministry spokesman, Eyad Al-Bozom, said security forces were making progress in their pursuit of those behind the explosions, but he did not disclose further details. "The sinful hands that carried out this crime will not escape punishment," said Bozom. A spokesman for the Israeli military said he knew of no involvement by Israel in the back-to-back incidents in Gaza city at a time of simmering cross-border confrontations with Hamas, the Palestinian enclave's ruling Islamists. The first blast destroyed a motorcycle as it passed a police checkpoint, witnesses said. Two police officers were killed and a third Palestinian wounded. It was not immediately clear if the riders were among the casualties. The second explosion, less than an hour later, killed one officer and wounded several people at a police checkpoint elsewhere in the city, the interior ministry said. The ministry declared a state of emergency throughout Gaza, putting security forces on alert. Hamas, which took over Gaza in a 2007 civil war with the forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has at times faced internal opposition from more stringent Islamist militants aligned with al Qaeda or Islamic State.

Explosions hit Gaza police checkpoints, three dead: Officials

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/benjamin-netanyahu-hints-israel-behind-attacks-on-iran-backed-militia-depots-in-iraq-244973">Israel&nbsp;</a>said on Monday it was cutting by half the amount of&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;it supplies to&nbsp;Gaza's only power plant, in response to&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;attacks from the Palestinian territory.

Three&nbsp;rockets were fired from the Hamas Islamist-run enclave at southern&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;on Sunday and two were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system, the military said.&nbsp;

There was no claim of responsibility. After&nbsp;the&nbsp;attack,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-says-air-strike-in-syria-sent-no-immunity-message-to-iran-245618">Israel&nbsp;launched an airstrike</a> against what the military described as a Hamas military compound.

No casualties were reported on either side of the volatile border.

In a statement, COGAT, a unit in the Defence Ministry that coordinates civilian issues with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;Strip, said "cutting the amount of diesel in half will significantly reduce" the plant's output.

It said the measure, "following the firing of&nbsp;rockets ... and the continued violation of stability and security" will be in effect until further notice. 
Gaza&nbsp;has long suffered from a shortage of electricity and chronic blackouts.

&nbsp;A new power line from&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;has been proposed to alleviate the situation.

Mohammad Thabet, the spokesman for the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;power company, described the&nbsp;Israeli decision as collective punishment.

"We already are in a crisis and now the&nbsp;Israeli decision will make it worse. It will have a grave impact on the lives of 2 million people and vital services such as hospitals," Thabet told Reuters.

Currently, residents get six hours of electricity followed by 12 hours of blackout.

Thabet said the&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;cuts would decrease power time to only four-hour periods.

In a series of border confrontations in recent weeks,&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;said it killed at least eight Palestinian militants who tried to infiltrate its territory.

Israeli and Egyptian blockades have brought the&nbsp;Gazan economy to the brink of collapse.

Recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas’s rival in the West Bank, have worsened the situation. 
&nbsp;

Israel said on Monday it was cutting by half the amount of fuel it supplies to Gaza's only power plant, in response to rocket attacks from the Palestinian territory.

Israel said on Monday it was cutting by half the amount of fuel it supplies to Gaza's only power plant, in response to rocket attacks from the Palestinian territory. Three rockets were fired from the Hamas Islamist-run enclave at southern Israel on Sunday and two were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system, the military said. There was no claim of responsibility. After the attack, Israel launched an airstrike against what the military described as a Hamas military compound. No casualties were reported on either side of the volatile border. In a statement, COGAT, a unit in the Defence Ministry that coordinates civilian issues with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, said "cutting the amount of diesel in half will significantly reduce" the plant's output. It said the measure, "following the firing of rockets ... and the continued violation of stability and security" will be in effect until further notice. Gaza has long suffered from a shortage of electricity and chronic blackouts. A new power line from Israel has been proposed to alleviate the situation. Mohammad Thabet, the spokesman for the Gaza power company, described the Israeli decision as collective punishment. "We already are in a crisis and now the Israeli decision will make it worse. It will have a grave impact on the lives of 2 million people and vital services such as hospitals," Thabet told Reuters. Currently, residents get six hours of electricity followed by 12 hours of blackout. Thabet said the fuel cuts would decrease power time to only four-hour periods. In a series of border confrontations in recent weeks, Israel said it killed at least eight Palestinian militants who tried to infiltrate its territory. Israeli and Egyptian blockades have brought the Gazan economy to the brink of collapse. Recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas’s rival in the West Bank, have worsened the situation.

Israel reduces Gaza fuel supply after rocket attack

Rocket at Music Festival intercepted in Israel. Israel strikes Hamas after the incident

Rocket at Music Festival intercepted

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''

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip, the Palestinian health ministry said Sunday, hours after three rockets were fired at Israel from the blockaded enclave.

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip, the Palestinian health ministry said Sunday, hours after three rockets were fired at Israel from the blockaded enclave. The ministry said another Palestinian was hospitalised in the shooting that came after the Israeli army said an attack helicopter and tank had fired at "armed suspects" along the barrier that separates Israel from Gaza. "We just identified a number of armed suspects from Gaza approaching the security fence with Israel. We fired towards them," the army said a statement posted on its Twitter account. The latest violence came after Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired three rockets at southern Israel late Saturday, the Israeli army said, in the second such attack in 24 hours. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said two of the projectiles had been intercepted by its Iron Dome aerial defence system but it did not specify what happened to the third rocket. Air raid sirens had sounded in the southern town of Sderot and its surroundings. On Friday Palestinians in Gaza fired a rocket at Sderot, in what the army said was the first such attack since July 12. In response, Israeli warplanes struck at least three targets in the Gaza Strip early on Saturday but caused no casualties, a Palestinian security source said. The strikes hit a Hamas observation post in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, an unidentified target near Gaza City and open ground near Deir El Balah in the central part of the territory, the source said. An Israeli army statement mentioned only two strikes, against "underground targets belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the northern and central Gaza Strip". Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, ruled by Islamist movement Hamas, have fought three wars since 2008. And since March 2018, regular protests and clashes have erupted along the border of the blockaded coastal enclave. At least 305 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since then, the majority during demonstrations and clashes. Seven Israelis have also been killed in Gaza-related violence over the same period.

Three Palestinians killed by Israeli troops at Gaza border: Ministry

Israel on Saturday said that it has shot down two out of three rockets fired from the Gaza strip.

"Three rockets were fired from #Gaza at #Israel, two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System. This is the second consecutive night rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli civilians," the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, sirens were heard in several Israeli settlements.

The launches from Gaza continued for the second day in a row, reported Sputnik.

This comes a day after 77 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-army-says-killed-4-armed-palestinians-on-gaza-border-241954">Palestinians were killed following clashes with Israeli soldiers</a> in Gaza Strip, the territory's Health Ministry said.

The Gaza Strip has witnessed massive protests for over a year.&nbsp;

Since last year, the Palestinians have been staging weekly demonstrations demanding an end to Israel's 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has affected nearly two million people from getting access to basic needs.

Around 270 people have died and a thousand others injured in clashes with Israeli forces in the Gaza protests.

For decades, Israel has conflicted with Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Israel on Saturday said that it has shot down two out of three rockets fired from the Gaza strip. "Three rockets were fired from #Gaza at #Israel, two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System.

Israel on Saturday said that it has shot down two out of three rockets fired from the Gaza strip. "Three rockets were fired from #Gaza at #Israel, two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System. This is the second consecutive night rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israeli civilians," the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) wrote on Twitter. Earlier in the day, sirens were heard in several Israeli settlements. The launches from Gaza continued for the second day in a row, reported Sputnik. This comes a day after 77 Palestinians were killed following clashes with Israeli soldiers in Gaza Strip, the territory's Health Ministry said. The Gaza Strip has witnessed massive protests for over a year. Since last year, the Palestinians have been staging weekly demonstrations demanding an end to Israel's 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has affected nearly two million people from getting access to basic needs. Around 270 people have died and a thousand others injured in clashes with Israeli forces in the Gaza protests. For decades, Israel has conflicted with Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Israel shoots down 2 out of 3 rockets fired from Gaza

Israeli warplanes struck at least three targets in the Gaza Strip early on Saturday but caused no apparent casualties, a Palestinian security source said. The strikes, which came after Palestinians fired a rocket from the territory at southern Israel late Friday, hit a Hamas observation post in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, an unidentified target near Gaza City and open ground near Deir El Balah in the central part of the territory, the source said.

Israeli warplanes struck at least three targets in the Gaza Strip early on Saturday but caused no apparent casualties, a Palestinian security source said. The strikes, which came after Palestinians fired a rocket from the territory at southern Israel late Friday, hit a Hamas observation post in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, an unidentified target near Gaza City and open ground near Deir El Balah in the central part of the territory, the source said. An Israeli army statement mentioned only two strikes, against "underground targets belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the northern and central Gaza Strip." It did not elaborate. The army said that Friday night's rocket launch at southern Israel was the first since July 12. A military statement said the rocket was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defence system, after air raid sirens sounded in the southern town of Sderot and its surroundings. Earlier Friday, the Palestinian health ministry said that 32 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli live fire during weekly protests along the Gaza border. An Israeli army spokeswoman told that about 5,600 people demonstrated along the border, some throwing hand grenades and explosive devices toward soldiers and attempting to reach the border fence. She said that troops responded with "riot dispersal means" but she was unaware of any live fire. Regular protests along the border began in March 2018. At least 302 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza or the border area since then, the majority during demonstrations or associated clashes. Seven Israelis have been killed in Gaza-related violence over the same period. The protests have declined in intensity in recent months after UN and Egyptian officials brokered an informal truce between Israel and Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas. Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, have fought three wars since 2008.

Israeli warplanes hit Gaza after Palestinian rocket attack

Thousands of Palestinians rallied in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (June 26) condemning the economic conference in Bahrain.

Palestinians across Gaza and the West Bank angered by Bahrain conference

The Trump administration sought on Wednesday to win support for an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-economy-first-approach-to-mideast-peace-built-on-big-money-projects-229587">economic plan</a> it says will be a foundation for Israeli-Palestinian peace but which Palestinians and many other Arabs dismiss as pointless without a political solution to the decades-old conflict.

US President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/economic-plan-necessary-pre-condition-for-middle-east-peace-kushner-230435">Jared Kushner</a> opened an international meeting in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-bahrain-united-states-to-launch-economic-part-of-mideast-peace-plan-amid-skepticism-230273">Bahrain</a> on Tuesday evening by urging Palestinians, whose leadership is boycotting the event, to think outside the "traditional box" for an economic pathway that he said was a precondition for peace.

International Monetary Fund managing director, Christine Lagarde, told the first panel session that the Fund's experience in conflict-riven countries around the world showed it can be a struggle to generate economic growth in such an environment.

Watch: Jared Kushner flags off the Israel-Palestine Peace conference in Bahrain

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Neither the Israeli nor Palestinian governments are attending the event. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, said Israel was open to the proposal.

In Gaza on Tuesday, the Islamist group Hamas and its rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas convened a gathering of leaders and activists in a rare show of unity to voice their rejection of the Manama conference.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh criticised Arab states participating in the workshop, which 300 delegates are attending including Israeli and Palestinian businessmen.

The conference aimed to finish off the Palestinian cause under the cover of economic and financial benefits, he said.

"The (Palestinian) people, who have been fighting for one hundred years, did not commission anyone to concede or to bargain. Jerusalem is ours, the land is ours, and everything is ours," Haniyeh said.

Although US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates discreetly support the plan, several Arab states, such as Lebanon, have stayed away while others including Jordan and Egypt, the two Arab nations that have reached peace with Israel, have sent deputy ministers.

The presence of Sunni Muslim Gulf states in Manama showed they want to encourage closer ties to Israelis - with whom they share a common foe in Shi'ite Iran - that have largely been under the table, said David Makovsky, a US-based Middle East expert attending the event.

"(But) it's clear they won't bypass the Palestinians and do anything they don't want," he told Reuters.

Hard sell

Washington hopes wealthy Gulf oil producers will bankroll the plan, which expects donor nations and investors to contribute $50 billion to Palestinian and neighbouring Arab state economies.

Saudi minister of state Mohammed Al-Sheikh told the panel that Kushner's plan was bolstered by inclusion of the private sector as a similar proposal, relying heavily on state funding, had been attempted during the Oslo interim peace deals of the 1990s that eventually collapsed.

"While I accept that peace is essential, back then it was the hope of peace that got them actually excited and moving," Al-Sheikh said.

But the "economy first" approach toward reviving the moribund peace process could be a hard sell as the political details of the plan, almost two years in the making, remain secret.

On Tuesday Riyadh reiterated that any peace deal should be based on a Saudi-led Arab peace initiative that calls for a Palestinian state drawn along borders which predate Israel's capture of territory in the 1967 Middle East war, as well as a capital in East Jerusalem and refugees' right of return - points rejected by Israel.

Kushner said on Monday the plan would not adhere to the Arab initiative.

It is not clear whether the Trump team plans to abandon the "two-state solution", which involves creation of an independent Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel.

The United Nations and most countries back the two-state solution, which has underpinned every peace plan for decades, but Trump's team has consistently refused to commit to it.

Any solution must settle long-standing issues such as the status of Jerusalem, mutually agreed borders, Israel's security concerns, Palestinian demands for statehood, and the fate of Israel's settlements and military presence in territory where Palestinians want to build that state.

Palestinian leaders are refusing to engage with the White House, accusing it of pro-Israel bias. Breaking with the international consensus, Trump in 2017 recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, infuriating the Palestinians and other Arabs.

Across the great divide

The IMF says unemployment stands at 30 per cent in the West Bank and 50 per cent in Gaza, the economy of which has suffered years of Israeli and Egyptian blockades as well as recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas' rival in the Israeli-occupied West bank.

Among the 179 proposed infrastructure and business projects is a $5 billion transportation corridor to connect the West Bank and Gaza, according to documents reviewed by Reuters. Some of them have been floated before and stalled for lack of underlying political or security agreements.

"The economic vision has to be linked to resolving the entire conflict, and this doesn't bring the Israelis and Palestinians any closer together. So I'm not optimistic this plan can materialize anytime soon," Makovsky said.

Even at a break between sessions in Bahrain, differences between the two sides of the Israeli-Arab divide could be seen.

Israeli businessman Shlomi Fogel was in conversation with a UAE businesswoman. Asked for their views on Kushner’s approach of tackling economic issues first, Fogel said,&nbsp;"If we wait for the politicians, it will take forever. We could do parts of this economic plan with the right support."

The Dubai-based businesswoman suggested, however, that the plan was too ambitious to be put into effect anytime soon.

"There were efforts like Oslo that didn’t work out - and that was because of the Israelis," she said. "You can’t assume the economics will work if the politics don't move."

The Trump administration sought on Wednesday to win support for an economic plan it says will be a foundation for Israeli-Palestinian peace but which Palestinians and many other Arabs dismiss as pointless without a political solution to the decades-old conflict.

The Trump administration sought on Wednesday to win support for an economic plan it says will be a foundation for Israeli-Palestinian peace but which Palestinians and many other Arabs dismiss as pointless without a political solution to the decades-old conflict. US President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner opened an international meeting in Bahrain on Tuesday evening by urging Palestinians, whose leadership is boycotting the event, to think outside the "traditional box" for an economic pathway that he said was a precondition for peace. International Monetary Fund managing director, Christine Lagarde, told the first panel session that the Fund's experience in conflict-riven countries around the world showed it can be a struggle to generate economic growth in such an environment. Watch: Jared Kushner flags off the Israel-Palestine Peace conference in Bahrain × Neither the Israeli nor Palestinian governments are attending the event. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, said Israel was open to the proposal. In Gaza on Tuesday, the Islamist group Hamas and its rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas convened a gathering of leaders and activists in a rare show of unity to voice their rejection of the Manama conference. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh criticised Arab states participating in the workshop, which 300 delegates are attending including Israeli and Palestinian businessmen. The conference aimed to finish off the Palestinian cause under the cover of economic and financial benefits, he said. "The (Palestinian) people, who have been fighting for one hundred years, did not commission anyone to concede or to bargain. Jerusalem is ours, the land is ours, and everything is ours," Haniyeh said. Although US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates discreetly support the plan, several Arab states, such as Lebanon, have stayed away while others including Jordan and Egypt, the two Arab nations that have reached peace with Israel, have sent deputy ministers. The presence of Sunni Muslim Gulf states in Manama showed they want to encourage closer ties to Israelis - with whom they share a common foe in Shi'ite Iran - that have largely been under the table, said David Makovsky, a US-based Middle East expert attending the event. "(But) it's clear they won't bypass the Palestinians and do anything they don't want," he told Reuters. Hard sell Washington hopes wealthy Gulf oil producers will bankroll the plan, which expects donor nations and investors to contribute $50 billion to Palestinian and neighbouring Arab state economies. Saudi minister of state Mohammed Al-Sheikh told the panel that Kushner's plan was bolstered by inclusion of the private sector as a similar proposal, relying heavily on state funding, had been attempted during the Oslo interim peace deals of the 1990s that eventually collapsed. "While I accept that peace is essential, back then it was the hope of peace that got them actually excited and moving," Al-Sheikh said. But the "economy first" approach toward reviving the moribund peace process could be a hard sell as the political details of the plan, almost two years in the making, remain secret. On Tuesday Riyadh reiterated that any peace deal should be based on a Saudi-led Arab peace initiative that calls for a Palestinian state drawn along borders which predate Israel's capture of territory in the 1967 Middle East war, as well as a capital in East Jerusalem and refugees' right of return - points rejected by Israel. Kushner said on Monday the plan would not adhere to the Arab initiative. It is not clear whether the Trump team plans to abandon the "two-state solution", which involves creation of an independent Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel. The United Nations and most countries back the two-state solution, which has underpinned every peace plan for decades, but Trump's team has consistently refused to commit to it. Any solution must settle long-standing issues such as the status of Jerusalem, mutually agreed borders, Israel's security concerns, Palestinian demands for statehood, and the fate of Israel's settlements and military presence in territory where Palestinians want to build that state. Palestinian leaders are refusing to engage with the White House, accusing it of pro-Israel bias. Breaking with the international consensus, Trump in 2017 recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, infuriating the Palestinians and other Arabs. Across the great divide The IMF says unemployment stands at 30 per cent in the West Bank and 50 per cent in Gaza, the economy of which has suffered years of Israeli and Egyptian blockades as well as recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas' rival in the Israeli-occupied West bank. Among the 179 proposed infrastructure and business projects is a $5 billion transportation corridor to connect the West Bank and Gaza, according to documents reviewed by Reuters. Some of them have been floated before and stalled for lack of underlying political or security agreements. "The economic vision has to be linked to resolving the entire conflict, and this doesn't bring the Israelis and Palestinians any closer together. So I'm not optimistic this plan can materialize anytime soon," Makovsky said. Even at a break between sessions in Bahrain, differences between the two sides of the Israeli-Arab divide could be seen. Israeli businessman Shlomi Fogel was in conversation with a UAE businesswoman. Asked for their views on Kushner’s approach of tackling economic issues first, Fogel said, "If we wait for the politicians, it will take forever. We could do parts of this economic plan with the right support." The Dubai-based businesswoman suggested, however, that the plan was too ambitious to be put into effect anytime soon. "There were efforts like Oslo that didn’t work out - and that was because of the Israelis," she said. "You can’t assume the economics will work if the politics don't move."

US pushes Middle East economic plan in face of Palestinian protest

Israel blocked fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip Tuesday, citing new incendiary balloons from the Palestinian enclave.

The move follows "the release of arson balloons from the Gaza Strip toward the State of Israel" which caused fires across the border, the Israeli defence ministry department responsible for Palestinian civil affairs said.

Fuel transfers were halted at the Karem Shalom goods crossing on Tuesday morning and would remain blocked "until further notice," COGAT said in a statement.

Balloons with attached incendiary devices are flown over the Gaza border by Palestinian demonstrators seeking to start fires in nearby Israeli farmland.

During regular demonstrations last year the balloons started hundreds of fires, though they have been curbed in recent months.

Fuel deliveries, which are coordinated with the United Nations and paid for by Gulf state Qatar, were agreed in late 2018 as part of a truce agreement between Israel and the strip's Islamist rulers Hamas.&nbsp;

They have improved electricity supply in the strip, where residents currently receive around 12 hours of power a day, according to the UN.&nbsp;

Before the deal, the daily power supply was regularly as low as six hours.

Israel has maintained a crippling blockade of Gaza for more than a decade.

It says it is necessary to isolate Hamas, with which the Jewish state has fought three wars, but critics label it collective punishment of Gaza's two million residents.

Israel blocked fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip Tuesday, citing new incendiary balloons from the Palestinian enclave. The move follows "the release of arson balloons from the Gaza Strip toward the State of Israel" which caused fires across the border, the Israeli defence ministry department responsible for Palestinian civil affairs said.

Israel blocked fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip Tuesday, citing new incendiary balloons from the Palestinian enclave. The move follows "the release of arson balloons from the Gaza Strip toward the State of Israel" which caused fires across the border, the Israeli defence ministry department responsible for Palestinian civil affairs said. Fuel transfers were halted at the Karem Shalom goods crossing on Tuesday morning and would remain blocked "until further notice," COGAT said in a statement. Balloons with attached incendiary devices are flown over the Gaza border by Palestinian demonstrators seeking to start fires in nearby Israeli farmland. During regular demonstrations last year the balloons started hundreds of fires, though they have been curbed in recent months. Fuel deliveries, which are coordinated with the United Nations and paid for by Gulf state Qatar, were agreed in late 2018 as part of a truce agreement between Israel and the strip's Islamist rulers Hamas. They have improved electricity supply in the strip, where residents currently receive around 12 hours of power a day, according to the UN. Before the deal, the daily power supply was regularly as low as six hours. Israel has maintained a crippling blockade of Gaza for more than a decade. It says it is necessary to isolate Hamas, with which the Jewish state has fought three wars, but critics label it collective punishment of Gaza's two million residents.

Israel blocks Gaza fuel supply over fire balloons

The first stage of President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-economy-first-approach-to-mideast-peace-built-on-big-money-projects-229587">Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan</a> will be launched on Tuesday at a conference the White House touts as a bid to begin drumming up $50 billion in investment but which Palestinians deride as an "economy first" approach doomed to fail.

The two-day international meeting in Bahrain, led by Trump’s son-in-law, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jared-kushner-visits-middle-east-to-press-us-peace-plan-222381">Jared Kushner</a>, has been billed as the first part of Washington's long-delayed broader political blueprint to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which will be unveiled at a later date.

But neither the Israeli nor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/even-if-netanyahu-goes-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-will-continue-204653">Palestinian governments</a> will attend the curtain-raising event in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

There will be close scrutiny as to whether attendees such as Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf Arab states show any interest in making actual donations to a US plan that has already elicited bitter criticism from Palestinians and many others in the Arab world.

Bahrain, a close American ally and home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been making preparations for weeks.

Although the conference is supposed to focus on economics, Gulf Arab states hope their presence will also show their solidarity with the Trump administration over its hardline against Iran, a senior Gulf diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Under the plan, donor nations and investors would contribute about $50 billion over 10 years, with $28 billion going to the Palestinian territories - the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip - as well as $7.5 billion to Jordan, $9 billion to Egypt and $6 billion for Lebanon.

Among 179 proposed infrastructure and business, projects is a $5 billion transport corridor to connect the West Bank and Gaza.

"I laugh when they attack this as the ‘deal of the century,’" Kushner told Reuters, referring to the lofty nickname that Trump’s peace plan has assumed over the past two years.

"This is going to be the ‘opportunity of the century’ if they have the courage to pursue it."

Kushner, a senior Trump adviser who like his father-in-law comes from the world of New York real estate, is presenting his plan in a pair of pamphlets filled with graphs and statistics that resemble an investment prospectus.

But pushing back against critics who accuse Kushner of trying to forge a strictly “economic peace,” he told Reuters last week: “A lot of past attempts have failed. Calm down ... and keep an open mind.”

Peace to Prosperity

Even so, expectations for success are low. The Trump team concedes that the economic plan - billed "Peace to Prosperity" - will be implemented only if a political solution to one of the world’s most intractable conflicts is reached.

Any such solution would have to settle long-standing issues such as the status of Jerusalem, mutually agreed borders, satisfying Israel's security concerns and Palestinian demands for statehood, and the fate of Israel's settlements and military presence in territory Palestinians want to build that state.

In an interview with Al Jazeera set to air on Tuesday, Kushner offered a rare glimpse into the possible political contours of the plan, saying a deal would not adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi-led plan that has been the Arab consensus on the necessary elements for a Palestinian deal since 2002.

"I think we all have to recognise that if there ever is a deal, it's not going to be along the lines of the Arab Peace Initiative. It will be somewhere between the Arab Peace Initiative and between the Israeli position," Kushner told Al Jazeera.

The Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel normal ties with the Arab world in exchange for a Palestinian state drawn along borders that predate Israel's capture of territory in a 1967 war and a fair solution for Palestinian refugees. Israel has rejected some of the initiative's main provisions.

Hanging over the entire initiative are persistent questions about whether the Trump team plans to abandon the "two-state solution," a long-standing principle of Middle East peacemaking that involves the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

But the Trump team has consistently refused to commit to it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, has his own domestic problems, facing an election, and possible corruption charges after a long-running police investigation. He denies any wrongdoing.

"We'll hear the American proposition, hear it fairly and with openness," Netanyahu said on Sunday. Although no Israeli government ministers will attend, an Israeli business delegation is expected.

Palestinian leaders have boycotted the workshop, and are refusing to engage with the White House - accusing it of pro-Israel bias after a series of recent Trump decisions. Kushner told Reuters that "some" Palestinian businessmen would be present.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was scathing about its prospects of success.

"Money is important. The economy is important. But politics are more important. The political solution is more important," he said.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, has found itself in rare agreement with its arch-rival Abbas. "The Palestinian people only and no one else can represent the Palestinian cause," Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said.

Kushner insists, however, that the economic plan is intended to help draw Palestinians back to the negotiating table by showcasing the benefits a peace deal could bring.

Kushner said that even without the Israeli and Palestinian governments represented, the presence of Israeli business executives and journalists with their Arab counterparts would be significant at a time of rising tensions with Iran.

"People realize that the real threat to that region is Iran and their aggression, and Israel and a lot of the other Arab states have a lot more in common today than they did before," he said.

David Makovsky, a Washington-based Middle East expert, agreed that although the principal focus of the event was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "Iran is higher on the chain of interest right now."

However, Makovsky, whom the White House has invited as an observer, said of the Trump-Kushner plan: "No one believes you can solve this thing economically without addressing the political issues."

The first stage of President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan will be launched on Tuesday at a conference the White House touts as a bid to begin drumming up $50 billion in investment but which Palestinians deride as an "economy first" approach doomed to fail.

The first stage of President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan will be launched on Tuesday at a conference the White House touts as a bid to begin drumming up $50 billion in investment but which Palestinians deride as an "economy first" approach doomed to fail. The two-day international meeting in Bahrain, led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has been billed as the first part of Washington's long-delayed broader political blueprint to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which will be unveiled at a later date. But neither the Israeli nor Palestinian governments will attend the curtain-raising event in the Bahraini capital, Manama. There will be close scrutiny as to whether attendees such as Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf Arab states show any interest in making actual donations to a US plan that has already elicited bitter criticism from Palestinians and many others in the Arab world. Bahrain, a close American ally and home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been making preparations for weeks. Although the conference is supposed to focus on economics, Gulf Arab states hope their presence will also show their solidarity with the Trump administration over its hardline against Iran, a senior Gulf diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Under the plan, donor nations and investors would contribute about $50 billion over 10 years, with $28 billion going to the Palestinian territories - the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip - as well as $7.5 billion to Jordan, $9 billion to Egypt and $6 billion for Lebanon. Among 179 proposed infrastructure and business, projects is a $5 billion transport corridor to connect the West Bank and Gaza. "I laugh when they attack this as the ‘deal of the century,’" Kushner told Reuters, referring to the lofty nickname that Trump’s peace plan has assumed over the past two years. "This is going to be the ‘opportunity of the century’ if they have the courage to pursue it." Kushner, a senior Trump adviser who like his father-in-law comes from the world of New York real estate, is presenting his plan in a pair of pamphlets filled with graphs and statistics that resemble an investment prospectus. But pushing back against critics who accuse Kushner of trying to forge a strictly “economic peace,” he told Reuters last week: “A lot of past attempts have failed. Calm down ... and keep an open mind.” Peace to Prosperity Even so, expectations for success are low. The Trump team concedes that the economic plan - billed "Peace to Prosperity" - will be implemented only if a political solution to one of the world’s most intractable conflicts is reached. Any such solution would have to settle long-standing issues such as the status of Jerusalem, mutually agreed borders, satisfying Israel's security concerns and Palestinian demands for statehood, and the fate of Israel's settlements and military presence in territory Palestinians want to build that state. In an interview with Al Jazeera set to air on Tuesday, Kushner offered a rare glimpse into the possible political contours of the plan, saying a deal would not adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative, a Saudi-led plan that has been the Arab consensus on the necessary elements for a Palestinian deal since 2002. "I think we all have to recognise that if there ever is a deal, it's not going to be along the lines of the Arab Peace Initiative. It will be somewhere between the Arab Peace Initiative and between the Israeli position," Kushner told Al Jazeera. The Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel normal ties with the Arab world in exchange for a Palestinian state drawn along borders that predate Israel's capture of territory in a 1967 war and a fair solution for Palestinian refugees. Israel has rejected some of the initiative's main provisions. Hanging over the entire initiative are persistent questions about whether the Trump team plans to abandon the "two-state solution," a long-standing principle of Middle East peacemaking that involves the creation of an independent Palestinian state. But the Trump team has consistently refused to commit to it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, has his own domestic problems, facing an election, and possible corruption charges after a long-running police investigation. He denies any wrongdoing. "We'll hear the American proposition, hear it fairly and with openness," Netanyahu said on Sunday. Although no Israeli government ministers will attend, an Israeli business delegation is expected. Palestinian leaders have boycotted the workshop, and are refusing to engage with the White House - accusing it of pro-Israel bias after a series of recent Trump decisions. Kushner told Reuters that "some" Palestinian businessmen would be present. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was scathing about its prospects of success. "Money is important. The economy is important. But politics are more important. The political solution is more important," he said. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, has found itself in rare agreement with its arch-rival Abbas. "The Palestinian people only and no one else can represent the Palestinian cause," Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said. Kushner insists, however, that the economic plan is intended to help draw Palestinians back to the negotiating table by showcasing the benefits a peace deal could bring. Kushner said that even without the Israeli and Palestinian governments represented, the presence of Israeli business executives and journalists with their Arab counterparts would be significant at a time of rising tensions with Iran. "People realize that the real threat to that region is Iran and their aggression, and Israel and a lot of the other Arab states have a lot more in common today than they did before," he said. David Makovsky, a Washington-based Middle East expert, agreed that although the principal focus of the event was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "Iran is higher on the chain of interest right now." However, Makovsky, whom the White House has invited as an observer, said of the Trump-Kushner plan: "No one believes you can solve this thing economically without addressing the political issues."

In Bahrain, United States to launch economic part of Mideast peace plan amid skepticism

Qatar said on Friday that economic development needed for Israeli-Palestinian peace could not be achieved without "fair political solutions" acceptable to Palestinians, referring to a US plan set to be unveiled next month.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kushner-hopes-israel-will-look-at-peace-plan-before-any-west-bank-moves-215573">White House </a>will lay out the first part of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-trump-team-prepares-mideast-plan-palestinians-face-financial-crisis-215034">President Donald Trump's </a>long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan when it holds an international conference in Bahrain in late June.

The plan, touted by Trump as the "deal of the century," is expected to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Arab donor countries before grappling with thorny political issues at the heart of the conflict.

Palestinian officials have rebuked the US&nbsp;effort, which they believe will be heavily biased in favour of Israel.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry, in a statement, commented on the upcoming conference,&nbsp;&nbsp;"Tackling these challenges requires sincerity of intent, concerted efforts from regional and international players and appropriate political conditions for economic prosperity."

"These conditions would not be achieved without fair political solutions to the issues of the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinian issue, in accordance with a framework acceptable to the brotherly Palestinian people," the statement said.

Qatar, a close US ally and home to its largest Middle East air base, has poured millions of dollars into the impoverished Gaza strip over the past year to boost its ailing economy, and this month pledged an additional $480 million to support both Gaza and the West Bank.

The tiny Gulf state has not said whether it will attend the June 25-26 conference in Manama, which is expected to include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including some finance ministers.

Chief among the Palestinians' concerns is whether the plan will meet their core demand of calling for them to have an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip -- territory Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Trump's Middle East team, led by his senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, has declined to say whether the plan includes a two-state solution, a central goal of other recent peace efforts that are widely endorsed internationally.

Qatar said on Friday that economic development needed for Israeli-Palestinian peace could not be achieved without "fair political solutions" acceptable to Palestinians, referring to a US plan set to be unveiled next month.

Qatar said on Friday that economic development needed for Israeli-Palestinian peace could not be achieved without "fair political solutions" acceptable to Palestinians, referring to a US plan set to be unveiled next month. The White House will lay out the first part of President Donald Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan when it holds an international conference in Bahrain in late June. The plan, touted by Trump as the "deal of the century," is expected to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Arab donor countries before grappling with thorny political issues at the heart of the conflict. Palestinian officials have rebuked the US effort, which they believe will be heavily biased in favour of Israel. Qatar's Foreign Ministry, in a statement, commented on the upcoming conference, "Tackling these challenges requires sincerity of intent, concerted efforts from regional and international players and appropriate political conditions for economic prosperity." "These conditions would not be achieved without fair political solutions to the issues of the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinian issue, in accordance with a framework acceptable to the brotherly Palestinian people," the statement said. Qatar, a close US ally and home to its largest Middle East air base, has poured millions of dollars into the impoverished Gaza strip over the past year to boost its ailing economy, and this month pledged an additional $480 million to support both Gaza and the West Bank. The tiny Gulf state has not said whether it will attend the June 25-26 conference in Manama, which is expected to include representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including some finance ministers. Chief among the Palestinians' concerns is whether the plan will meet their core demand of calling for them to have an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip -- territory Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Trump's Middle East team, led by his senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, has declined to say whether the plan includes a two-state solution, a central goal of other recent peace efforts that are widely endorsed internationally.

Qatar says economic conditions for Israeli-Palestinian peace require 'fair political solutions'

Jerusalem To Israel, Gaza To Abbas: Here Are The Details Of the So-Called 'Deal Of The Century' Here is a report on the so-called 'deal of the century'; What's it? It is an American plan to bring peace to West Asia & resolve the conflict between Israel & Palestine. Parts of the plan have been leaked by various media reports.

Gravitas: Media reports unveil ‘Deal of the century’ details

The armed wing of Hamas is using increasingly complex methods of raising funds via bitcoin, researchers say, highlighting the difficulties regulators face in tracking cryptocurrency financing of outfits designated by some as terrorist groups.

Hamas shifts tactics in bitcoin fundraising, highlighting crypto risks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he would ask President Reuven Rivlin for more time to form a new coalition government, citing recent holidays and the Gaza flare-up.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-sworn-into-israels-new-parliament-after-election-victory-214818">Netanyahu's Likud won 35 seats in the April 9 general election,</a> with most party chiefs represented in the 120-seat parliament recommending that he forms the next governing coalition.

On April 17 Rivlin formally tasked him with the mission, which by law needs to be completed within 28 days -- although a 14-day extension is automatically granted upon request.

"As in past instances of forming a government, I intend on asking an extension from the president," Netanyahu said in the opening remarks of the weekly cabinet meeting.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/palestinians-voice-concern-over-netanyahu-win-215889/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Such an extension is not only acceptable but also required due to scheduling problems," he said citing a busy holiday season, including Passover and Israeli Independence Day, as well as the Gaza flare-up.

On May 4, militants in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired hundreds of rockets at Israel, prompting the army to strike dozens of targets inside the blockaded coastal enclave in response.

Four Israeli civilians and 25 Palestinians, including at least nine militants, were killed in the two-day flare-up, which ended on Monday in a tentative truce.

Netanyahu has been conducting low-intensity meetings with heads of the parties expected to join his coalition.

It is expected to include the 16 members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, the far-right national religious union, Avigdor Lieberman's nationalistic Israel Beitenu and the centre-right Kulanu.

Netanyahu's lawyers were meanwhile negotiating with the justice ministry when the premier's pre-trial hearings would take place.

The attorney general announced in February his intention to indict Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust -- pending a hearing.

Netanyahu is not required to resign if indicted, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he would ask President Reuven Rivlin for more time to form a new coalition government, citing recent holidays and the Gaza flare-up.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he would ask President Reuven Rivlin for more time to form a new coalition government, citing recent holidays and the Gaza flare-up. Netanyahu's Likud won 35 seats in the April 9 general election, with most party chiefs represented in the 120-seat parliament recommending that he forms the next governing coalition. On April 17 Rivlin formally tasked him with the mission, which by law needs to be completed within 28 days -- although a 14-day extension is automatically granted upon request. "As in past instances of forming a government, I intend on asking an extension from the president," Netanyahu said in the opening remarks of the weekly cabinet meeting. "Such an extension is not only acceptable but also required due to scheduling problems," he said citing a busy holiday season, including Passover and Israeli Independence Day, as well as the Gaza flare-up. On May 4, militants in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired hundreds of rockets at Israel, prompting the army to strike dozens of targets inside the blockaded coastal enclave in response. Four Israeli civilians and 25 Palestinians, including at least nine militants, were killed in the two-day flare-up, which ended on Monday in a tentative truce. Netanyahu has been conducting low-intensity meetings with heads of the parties expected to join his coalition. It is expected to include the 16 members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, the far-right national religious union, Avigdor Lieberman's nationalistic Israel Beitenu and the centre-right Kulanu. Netanyahu's lawyers were meanwhile negotiating with the justice ministry when the premier's pre-trial hearings would take place. The attorney general announced in February his intention to indict Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust -- pending a hearing. Netanyahu is not required to resign if indicted, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted.

Israel PM Netanyahu says needs more time to form new government

50 Rockets Were Fired Into South Israel In An Hour On Saturday; Thousands Of Israelis Took Cover In Bomb Shelters. Here'S A Quick Look At The Gaza Escalation That Unfolded Two Days After Holocaust Remembrance.

Gravitas: Gaza Escalation, How The Violence Unfolded

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