The Israeli military struck what it said were posts belonging to Lebanon`s Shi`ite Hezbollah movement early on Wednesday after shots were fired from the other side of the border towards its troops.

After a meeting, Lebanon`s Supreme Defence Council denounced the incident which it called "an Israeli assault" and said a complaint would be filed to the United Nations. The Lebanese army said on its Twitter account that Israeli helicopters had fired missiles at centres of a local environmental group.

Tension has been running high on the border. Last month, Israel said Iran-backed Hezbollah had carried out an infiltration attempt, which the group denied.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-vows-forceful-response-if-more-attacks-from-lebanon-323172">Also read:&nbsp;Netanyahu vows 'forceful' response if more attacks from Lebanon</a>

The Israeli military said no troops were wounded in the firing on Wednesday. Soldiers deployed illumination flares, smoke shells and live fire after the shots from the Lebanese side of the frontier, it said.

"In response, overnight, IDF attack helicopters and aircraft struck observation posts belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization in the border area," the military said in a statement, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah. The two sides last fought a deadly month-long war in 2006. Witnesses in south Lebanon said Israel had fired scores of flare munitions at border villages.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-addresses-rnc-for-trump-from-jerusalem-sparks-criticism-323199">Also read:&nbsp;Pompeo addresses RNC for Trump from Jerusalem, sparks criticism</a>

The statement from Lebanon`s defence council, which includes the president and top security officials, made no mention of any shots fired from the south towards Israel.

It said Lebanon`s army commander had briefed the council on "the denounced Israeli assault which took place last night at the southern border."

The Israeli military said it lifted a curfew it had imposed overnight.

"Israel views with great gravity Hezbollah`s firing at our forces," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday morning. "We will respond mightily to any attack on us."

The Israeli military struck what it said were posts belonging to Lebanon`s Shi`ite Hezbollah movement early on Wednesday after shots were fired from the other side of the border towards its troops.

The Israeli military struck what it said were posts belonging to Lebanon`s Shi`ite Hezbollah movement early on Wednesday after shots were fired from the other side of the border towards its troops. After a meeting, Lebanon`s Supreme Defence Council denounced the incident which it called "an Israeli assault" and said a complaint would be filed to the United Nations. The Lebanese army said on its Twitter account that Israeli helicopters had fired missiles at centres of a local environmental group. Tension has been running high on the border. Last month, Israel said Iran-backed Hezbollah had carried out an infiltration attempt, which the group denied. Also read: Netanyahu vows 'forceful' response if more attacks from Lebanon The Israeli military said no troops were wounded in the firing on Wednesday. Soldiers deployed illumination flares, smoke shells and live fire after the shots from the Lebanese side of the frontier, it said. "In response, overnight, IDF attack helicopters and aircraft struck observation posts belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization in the border area," the military said in a statement, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah. The two sides last fought a deadly month-long war in 2006. Witnesses in south Lebanon said Israel had fired scores of flare munitions at border villages. Also read: Pompeo addresses RNC for Trump from Jerusalem, sparks criticism The statement from Lebanon`s defence council, which includes the president and top security officials, made no mention of any shots fired from the south towards Israel. It said Lebanon`s army commander had briefed the council on "the denounced Israeli assault which took place last night at the southern border." The Israeli military said it lifted a curfew it had imposed overnight. "Israel views with great gravity Hezbollah`s firing at our forces," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday morning. "We will respond mightily to any attack on us."

Israel strikes Hezbollah posts in Lebanon after firing at troops, military says

Few volunteers in Israel have discovered a treasure thta may be thousands year old, said the Irael Antiquities Authority late on Monday.

The treasure consists of a stash of hundreds of gold coins that were buried deep in the ground by someone thousands of years ago. It was found by few teenager volunteers who were working at an excavation in Central Israel.

The excavation was a part of the pre-building process of a new neighbourhood that is being planned in the area.

The authorities revealed that according to initial investigation, the coins were buried around 1,100 years ago and the owner had even secured the utensil holding the coins to make sure it does not move, which points towards the fact that the owner hoped to come back for the vessel.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasure-chest-worth-1-million-found-in-rocky-mountains-304421">Also read|&nbsp;US: Treasure chest worth $1 million found in Rocky Mountains</a>

“The person who buried this treasure 1,100 years ago must have expected to retrieve it and even secured the vessel with a nail so that it would not move. We can only guess what prevented him from returning to collect this treasure,” said excavation director Liat Nadav-Ziv.

The area earlier housed workshops when the coins were placed in that area, as per old records. While the experts are studying the coins and hoping to reach some conclusion, the identity of the owner or the reason why the owner buried or never retrieved the treasure will probably remain a mystery forever.

However, the experience was "amazing" for the young volunteers.&nbsp;“I dug in the ground and when I excavated the soil, saw what looked like very thin leaves. When I looked again I saw these were gold coins. It was really exciting to find such a special and ancient treasure,”&nbsp;said Oz Cohen, one of the volunteers who found the treasure.

Few volunteers in Israel have discovered a treasure thta may be thousands year old, said the Irael Antiquities Authority late on Monday. The treasure consists of a stash of hundreds of gold coins that were buried deep in the ground by someone thousands of years ago.

Few volunteers in Israel have discovered a treasure thta may be thousands year old, said the Irael Antiquities Authority late on Monday. The treasure consists of a stash of hundreds of gold coins that were buried deep in the ground by someone thousands of years ago. It was found by few teenager volunteers who were working at an excavation in Central Israel. The excavation was a part of the pre-building process of a new neighbourhood that is being planned in the area. The authorities revealed that according to initial investigation, the coins were buried around 1,100 years ago and the owner had even secured the utensil holding the coins to make sure it does not move, which points towards the fact that the owner hoped to come back for the vessel. Also read| US: Treasure chest worth $1 million found in Rocky Mountains “The person who buried this treasure 1,100 years ago must have expected to retrieve it and even secured the vessel with a nail so that it would not move. We can only guess what prevented him from returning to collect this treasure,” said excavation director Liat Nadav-Ziv. The area earlier housed workshops when the coins were placed in that area, as per old records. While the experts are studying the coins and hoping to reach some conclusion, the identity of the owner or the reason why the owner buried or never retrieved the treasure will probably remain a mystery forever. However, the experience was "amazing" for the young volunteers. “I dug in the ground and when I excavated the soil, saw what looked like very thin leaves. When I looked again I saw these were gold coins. It was really exciting to find such a special and ancient treasure,” said Oz Cohen, one of the volunteers who found the treasure.

Young volunteers unearth 1,000 years old gold coins in Israel

The United Arab Emirates and Israel have opened telephone lines between the two on Sunday. Israeli communications minister called this move important for normalising ties between the countries.

The United Arab Emirates and Israel have opened telephone lines between the two on Sunday. Israeli communications minister called this move important for normalising ties between the countries. Also read: Turkey 'will not back down' in east Mediterranean standoff, says Erdogan On Thursday, Israel and the UAE announced an agreement that will lead to full normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The telephone calls between the two countries were not possible earlier. Israel and the UAE inaugurated the opening of the phone lines after the foreign ministers of both countries held a telephone call with each other. The UAE's Telecoms Regulatory Authority did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Israeli Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel took to Twitter and said: "I congratulate the United Arab Emirates on the unblocking." "Many economic opportunities will now open up, and these trust-building steps are important for advancing the countries' interests." The UAE's two main telecoms operators Du and Etisalat did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Inputs from Reuters)

UAE-Israel accord: Phone lines open between both countries to normalise relations

From cries of “betrayal” to fears about “falling dominoes”, the deal making the United Arab Emirates the third Arab state to forge ties with Israel stirred anger and dismay around the Middle East, but a cautious welcome from the UAE’s Gulf allies.

The mixed response highlighted new fault lines in a region where fear and distrust of Iran - shared by Israel and some Arab states - has challenged a decades-old allegiance to the Palestinian issue as a major driver of Arab policy.

Palestinians, who want to establish a state on West Bank territory captured by Israel in 1967, denounced the agreement as a betrayal of the long-held Arab stance that peace should be conditional on Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory.

The agreement, which is set to make the UAE only the third Arab state after Egypt and Jordan to make peace with Israel, calls for a temporary suspension of Israel’s planned annexation of occupied West Bank territory, but not withdrawal.

The deal, which U.S. President Donald Trump helped to broker with support from senior adviser Jared Kushner, forms a new axis with the UAE aligning itself with Israel in confronting Shi’ite Muslim Iran and Sunni Islamist radicals in the region.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-israel-uae-deal-can-trump-ensure-peace-in-west-asia-320609">Also watch|&nbsp;Gravitas: Israel-UAE deal: Can Trump ensure peace in West Asia?</a>

This is likely to heighten tensions in the Gulf, which has in the past two years seen attacks on tankers and energy assets that the United States and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran, a charge Tehran denies.

Iran’s foreign minister said the deal aimed to hand Trump a win ahead of U.S. elections in November, a view echoed by the leader of Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement.

“It’s shameful what Abu Dhabi did ... They don’t see the Zionist regime as an enemy, but an ally and what’s happening now is to help Trump in the elections,” Iran’s Mohammad Javad Zarif told Al Mayadeen TV.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a televised speech, described the UAE move as an “election favour” for both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and said more Arab states would follow suit to “satisfy” Washington.

“It is good, though painful, that the masks have fallen,” he said, describing the deal as a betrayal of Islam and Arabs.

'Fall like dominoes'

Some worshippers at Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, where Palestinians want to establish the capital of a future state, carried pictures of UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed with the word “traitor” underneath his image.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-uae-peace-deal-netanyahu-hails-new-era-for-israel-320345">Also watch|&nbsp;Israel -UAE peace deal: Netanyahu hails new era for Israel</a>

“Just like Egypt, Jordan and now Abu Dhabi, the whole Arab world will start to fall like dominoes,” said Mohammad al-Sharif, 45, a member of Israel’s Arab minority. “That Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and his dirty dogs look out for themselves and their interests and the rest of us can go to hell.”

Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary General Saeb Erekat spelled out the potential consequences for his people if a united Arab front splintered.

“The whole thing that we based our strategy on as Arabs is that the (2002) Arab peace initiative specified that once Israel withdraws, there will be peace between Arabs and Israelis.

“Netanyahu came determined, with Kushner, Trump... to change the formula, that they want Arab recognition of Israel while they continue with the occupation, and the United Arab Emirates yesterday stamped the green light for this,” Erekat said.

Turkey may shut embassy

Turkey, a powerful regional rival of the UAE, said history would not forgive the Gulf country for making a deal which undercut the 2002 Arab peace plan, which had proposed peace in return for Israeli withdrawal from all occupied territory.

“We may also take a step in the direction of suspending diplomatic ties with the Abu Dhabi leadership or pulling back our ambassador,” President Tayyip Erdogan said after Friday prayers, adding that he could close Turkey’s embassy.

But, in a region beset with other challenges including civil wars, poverty and economic crisis, some people appeared to have other concerns.

At Istanbul’s landmark Hagia Sophia, converted by Erdogan to a mosque last month in a move which he portrayed as a step towards restoring “freedom” to Al Aqsa in Jerusalem, worshippers who spoke to Reuters were unaware of the announcement.

Incentive for peace

Egypt and Jordan, which signed peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively and enjoy close ties with the UAE, both welcomed the agreement. Jordan said the pact could make a beneficial impact if it spurred Israel to accept a Palestinian state on land it took in the 1967 Middle East war.

“If Israel deals with it as an incentive to end occupation..., it will move the region towards a just peace,” Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.

Oman and Bahrain praised the accord but Saudi Arabia, which has in the past led Arab policy towards Israel and hosts Islam’s two holiest sites, has remained silent, as have Kuwait and Qatar.

Jordan’s former foreign minister, Marwan al-Muasher, said it was possible other Gulf states could follow Abu Dhabi’s lead. But none of those could address the root problem.

“In the end it’s not the Gulf states who are living under occupation, it’s the Palestinians. And until you reach a solution with the Palestinians, it does not matter how many peace deals you make with Arab states,” he told Reuters.

From cries of “betrayal” to fears about “falling dominoes”, the deal making the United Arab Emirates the third Arab state to forge ties with Israel stirred anger and dismay around the Middle East, but a cautious welcome from the UAE’s Gulf allies.

From cries of “betrayal” to fears about “falling dominoes”, the deal making the United Arab Emirates the third Arab state to forge ties with Israel stirred anger and dismay around the Middle East, but a cautious welcome from the UAE’s Gulf allies. The mixed response highlighted new fault lines in a region where fear and distrust of Iran - shared by Israel and some Arab states - has challenged a decades-old allegiance to the Palestinian issue as a major driver of Arab policy. Palestinians, who want to establish a state on West Bank territory captured by Israel in 1967, denounced the agreement as a betrayal of the long-held Arab stance that peace should be conditional on Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory. The agreement, which is set to make the UAE only the third Arab state after Egypt and Jordan to make peace with Israel, calls for a temporary suspension of Israel’s planned annexation of occupied West Bank territory, but not withdrawal. The deal, which U.S. President Donald Trump helped to broker with support from senior adviser Jared Kushner, forms a new axis with the UAE aligning itself with Israel in confronting Shi’ite Muslim Iran and Sunni Islamist radicals in the region. Also watch| Gravitas: Israel-UAE deal: Can Trump ensure peace in West Asia? This is likely to heighten tensions in the Gulf, which has in the past two years seen attacks on tankers and energy assets that the United States and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran, a charge Tehran denies. Iran’s foreign minister said the deal aimed to hand Trump a win ahead of U.S. elections in November, a view echoed by the leader of Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement. “It’s shameful what Abu Dhabi did ... They don’t see the Zionist regime as an enemy, but an ally and what’s happening now is to help Trump in the elections,” Iran’s Mohammad Javad Zarif told Al Mayadeen TV. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a televised speech, described the UAE move as an “election favour” for both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and said more Arab states would follow suit to “satisfy” Washington. “It is good, though painful, that the masks have fallen,” he said, describing the deal as a betrayal of Islam and Arabs. 'Fall like dominoes' Some worshippers at Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, where Palestinians want to establish the capital of a future state, carried pictures of UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed with the word “traitor” underneath his image. Also watch| Israel -UAE peace deal: Netanyahu hails new era for Israel “Just like Egypt, Jordan and now Abu Dhabi, the whole Arab world will start to fall like dominoes,” said Mohammad al-Sharif, 45, a member of Israel’s Arab minority. “That Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and his dirty dogs look out for themselves and their interests and the rest of us can go to hell.” Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary General Saeb Erekat spelled out the potential consequences for his people if a united Arab front splintered. “The whole thing that we based our strategy on as Arabs is that the (2002) Arab peace initiative specified that once Israel withdraws, there will be peace between Arabs and Israelis. “Netanyahu came determined, with Kushner, Trump... to change the formula, that they want Arab recognition of Israel while they continue with the occupation, and the United Arab Emirates yesterday stamped the green light for this,” Erekat said. Turkey may shut embassy Turkey, a powerful regional rival of the UAE, said history would not forgive the Gulf country for making a deal which undercut the 2002 Arab peace plan, which had proposed peace in return for Israeli withdrawal from all occupied territory. “We may also take a step in the direction of suspending diplomatic ties with the Abu Dhabi leadership or pulling back our ambassador,” President Tayyip Erdogan said after Friday prayers, adding that he could close Turkey’s embassy. But, in a region beset with other challenges including civil wars, poverty and economic crisis, some people appeared to have other concerns. At Istanbul’s landmark Hagia Sophia, converted by Erdogan to a mosque last month in a move which he portrayed as a step towards restoring “freedom” to Al Aqsa in Jerusalem, worshippers who spoke to Reuters were unaware of the announcement. Incentive for peace Egypt and Jordan, which signed peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively and enjoy close ties with the UAE, both welcomed the agreement. Jordan said the pact could make a beneficial impact if it spurred Israel to accept a Palestinian state on land it took in the 1967 Middle East war. “If Israel deals with it as an incentive to end occupation..., it will move the region towards a just peace,” Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said. Oman and Bahrain praised the accord but Saudi Arabia, which has in the past led Arab policy towards Israel and hosts Islam’s two holiest sites, has remained silent, as have Kuwait and Qatar. Jordan’s former foreign minister, Marwan al-Muasher, said it was possible other Gulf states could follow Abu Dhabi’s lead. But none of those could address the root problem. “In the end it’s not the Gulf states who are living under occupation, it’s the Palestinians. And until you reach a solution with the Palestinians, it does not matter how many peace deals you make with Arab states,” he told Reuters.

UAE's Israel deal met with Arab dismay but quiet welcome in Gulf

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's historic deal with the UAE won praise abroad - but generated discontent from right-wing supporters and settlers over the suspension of land annexation plans.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's historic deal with the UAE won praise abroad - but generated discontent from right-wing supporters and settlers over the suspension of land annexation plans. "This agreement could signal a possible crisis in the relationship of Netanyahu and many of the settlers and their supporters in the Israeli right wing," said Yohanan Plesner, director of the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think-tank. Figures on Israel's nationalist right have called for a replacement to Netanyahu. Netanyahu may have "gained a few points among centre-left voters, who like deals with the Arabs, but he lost several points with his right-wing base" whose "dream" of annexation of land has gone, said political commentator Ben Caspit, writing in Maariv newspaper. The deal announced on Thursday sees Israel pledge to suspend its planned annexation of Palestinian lands, a concession welcomed by European and some pro-Western Arab governments as a boost for hopes of peace. But Netanyahu, neck-and-neck with political rivals during the three last election campaigns, had used the issue of annexation to woo voters from the radical right and the settlers. They are fierce opponents of any return of Palestinian territories, seized by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967. 'Bitter pill' Netanyahu's unity government had announced a strategy to annex parts of the West Bank and Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territory, including the Jordan Valley, a strategic strip along the Jordanian border. That plan was given the green light in January by US President Donald Trump. But the surprise deal with the United Arab Emirates appears to put annexation on ice; Israeli, Emirati and US leaders said they had agreed "Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty" over West Bank areas. The normalisation agreement is only Israel's third with an Arab country, after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. For commentator Ben Caspit, the deal was driven by opposition to annexation by members of the ruling coalition -- such as Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi. That "forced Netanyahu to recalculate", and made him look for a way to get his supporters to swallow a "bitter pill". But since Netanyahu has said annexation of parts of the West Bank is only "postponed" and that Israel had "not given up", some see it as only a matter of time before it resumes. - 'Myth has disappeared' - In Efrata, an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, the head of the local council Oded Revivi tempered his disappointment. "All these years people thought that peace with Arab countries could not be made, as long as there was a Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria," he said, using the Jewish name for the West Bank. "We see that this myth has disappeared." Revivi, looking back over the decades since the 1967 war, believes annexation has only been paused. "It was put on hold, but nobody knows for how long," Revivi added. "We've been waiting for this for 53 years -- maybe more than 2,000 years. I'm sure it will come back to the table and much faster than you think." The nationalist right have reacted bitterly. They are angry that the deal "pauses" annexation - and thus keeps the idea alive of a viable separate Palestinian state alongside Israel. "It is tragic that Netanyahu did not seize the moment, nor have the courage to apply sovereignty even over a centimetre of the Land of Israel, but sovereignty over the territories of our homeland will come," said Naftali Bennet, leader of the radical right-wing nationalist Yamina alliance. "We cannot ignore the great dangers posed by relaunching the talks for a Palestinian state," said Bezalel Smotrich, another Yamina member, which sits in the opposition and draws much of its support from settlers. "To face the danger, the right has to present here and now an alternative" to Netanyahu's leadership, he said.

Israel's shift on annexation sparks right-wing anger

All of the countries involved with Israel-UAE deal are India's strategic partners.&nbsp;New Delhi has grown closer to Israel, UAE and the United States in the last few years. A peace deal between the three countries is good news for India. 
&nbsp; 
India may have had an indirect role to play.&nbsp;In 2014, while most of the world expressed their support for Palestine in the open and had under-the-table deals with Israel, India chose to walk a different path. It adopted a de-hyphenation policy between Israel and Palestine.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to balance its ties with Israel and Palestine and keep it independent of one another.

In 2017, PM Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel. Just months before that he hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

India's message to the world was: you need not choose between Israel and Palestine,&nbsp;diplomatic ties can be maintained with Israel while supporting the Palestinian cause.

It was India pitching itself as a responsible global leader interested in peace. New Delhi never shied from making its point loud and clear. In 2017, India voted against recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

At the same time&nbsp;it pulled up Palestine when its ambassador to Pakistan was photographed sharing the&nbsp;stage with Hafiz Saeed.

India has also balanced ties between Israel and the other Gulf nations.&nbsp;New Delhi has steered clear of taking sides in sectarian politics. India's policy of de-hyphenation, and its diplomacy in West Asia as a whole has been balanced and independent. It has allowed global validation of India's diplomacy and the peace deal benefits Indian diaspora in the region.

At least 7 million Indians work in West Asia,&nbsp;they will benefit from regional stability. Flight services between Israel and UAE is a boon. As the two countries work out bilateral trade, it may also open new avenues for India&nbsp;as both UAE and Israel are India's strategic partners.

Also, better diplomatic environment in the Arab world is always good news for New Delhi&nbsp;given that India is home to the world's second-largest Muslim population.

All of the countries involved with Israel-UAE deal are India's strategic partners. New Delhi has grown closer to Israel, UAE and the United States in the last few years.

All of the countries involved with Israel-UAE deal are India's strategic partners. New Delhi has grown closer to Israel, UAE and the United States in the last few years. A peace deal between the three countries is good news for India. India may have had an indirect role to play. In 2014, while most of the world expressed their support for Palestine in the open and had under-the-table deals with Israel, India chose to walk a different path. It adopted a de-hyphenation policy between Israel and Palestine. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to balance its ties with Israel and Palestine and keep it independent of one another. In 2017, PM Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel. Just months before that he hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. India's message to the world was: you need not choose between Israel and Palestine, diplomatic ties can be maintained with Israel while supporting the Palestinian cause. It was India pitching itself as a responsible global leader interested in peace. New Delhi never shied from making its point loud and clear. In 2017, India voted against recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. At the same time it pulled up Palestine when its ambassador to Pakistan was photographed sharing the stage with Hafiz Saeed. India has also balanced ties between Israel and the other Gulf nations. New Delhi has steered clear of taking sides in sectarian politics. India's policy of de-hyphenation, and its diplomacy in West Asia as a whole has been balanced and independent. It has allowed global validation of India's diplomacy and the peace deal benefits Indian diaspora in the region. At least 7 million Indians work in West Asia, they will benefit from regional stability. Flight services between Israel and UAE is a boon. As the two countries work out bilateral trade, it may also open new avenues for India as both UAE and Israel are India's strategic partners. Also, better diplomatic environment in the Arab world is always good news for New Delhi given that India is home to the world's second-largest Muslim population.

How India benefits from Israel-UAE peace deal

US President Donald Trump today announced a "historic peace agreement" between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HUGE breakthrough today! Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1293922936609546240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

After making the surprise announcement, Trump told reporters that diplomatic breakthroughs between Israel and its Muslim neighbors in the region were also expected.

The White House said President Trump, PM Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of UAE spoke today and agreed to the "full normalization of relations between Israel and UAE."

The "historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region," it said, adding,"it is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the UAE and Israel to chart a new path."

The UAE's ambassador to Washington Yousef al-Otaiba said the peace deal with Israel was a "win for diplomacy" and a "significant advance in Arab-Israeli relations".

"Today's announcement is a win for diplomacy and for the region. It is a significant advance in Arab-Israeli relations that lowers tensions and creates new energy for positive change," Yousef al-Otaiba said.

US President Donald Trump today announced a "historic peace agreement" between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. HUGE breakthrough today! Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates!

US President Donald Trump today announced a "historic peace agreement" between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. HUGE breakthrough today! Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2020 × After making the surprise announcement, Trump told reporters that diplomatic breakthroughs between Israel and its Muslim neighbors in the region were also expected. The White House said President Trump, PM Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of UAE spoke today and agreed to the "full normalization of relations between Israel and UAE." The "historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region," it said, adding,"it is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the UAE and Israel to chart a new path." The UAE's ambassador to Washington Yousef al-Otaiba said the peace deal with Israel was a "win for diplomacy" and a "significant advance in Arab-Israeli relations". "Today's announcement is a win for diplomacy and for the region. It is a significant advance in Arab-Israeli relations that lowers tensions and creates new energy for positive change," Yousef al-Otaiba said.

Trump announces 'peace agreement' between Israel, UAE

Israeli aircraft attacked targets in Syria on Monday, the military said, describing the strikes as retaliation for an attempted bombing of the border fence by an enemy squad.

In Damascus, the state-run news agency Sana said Israeli helicopters rocketed Syrian army positions near Quneitra in the south but caused only material damage. It also said air defences had gone into action near the Syrian capital.

Tensions have risen along&nbsp;Israel's northern front since a fighter with the Iranian-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah was killed in an apparent&nbsp;Israeli air strike in Syria two weeks ago.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-strikes-syrian-army-bases-after-golan-heights-attack-318018/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Monday's strikes hit Syrian observation posts, intelligence collection systems, anti-aircraft batteries and command-and-control bases, an&nbsp;Israeli military statement said.

Syrian state media said&nbsp;Israeli helicopters fired at Syrian checkpoints in al-Qunaitra, on the Golan Heights, causing material losses. There was no immediate word of any casualties.

The&nbsp;Israeli military said it was responding to an attempt by a group of four people to plant explosives on a patrolled fence along the Golan armistice line between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and Syria.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-strikes-hamas-sites-after-gaza-rocket-intercepted-317820/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In that incident, reported by&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;early on Monday, the military fired on the squad. Surveillance video showed the group engulfed in an explosion. An&nbsp;Israeli military spokesman referred to them as "former terrorists," suggesting they had been killed.

The military spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus, said it was too soon to say if the squad belonged to any organization, but that&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;held "the Syrian regime accountable".

There was no comment from Syria on the fence incident.

The overnight encounter occurred at the same spot where until two years ago,&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;had operated a field hospital to treat Syrians who had been wounded in the Syrian civil war, Conricus told reporters.

Israel&nbsp;had noticed "irregular activity" in that area for about a week and had a commando team waiting there in ambush, Conricus said.

Last month, Israeli army helicopters struck military targets in southern Syria in retaliation for earlier "munitions" fire towards Israel.

Israel did not directly blame Syrian forces for the munitions fire, but said it held the Damascus government responsible.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Israeli aircraft attacked targets in Syria on Monday, the military said, describing the strikes as retaliation for an attempted bombing of the border fence by an enemy squad.

Israeli aircraft attacked targets in Syria on Monday, the military said, describing the strikes as retaliation for an attempted bombing of the border fence by an enemy squad. In Damascus, the state-run news agency Sana said Israeli helicopters rocketed Syrian army positions near Quneitra in the south but caused only material damage. It also said air defences had gone into action near the Syrian capital. Tensions have risen along Israel's northern front since a fighter with the Iranian-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah was killed in an apparent Israeli air strike in Syria two weeks ago. Monday's strikes hit Syrian observation posts, intelligence collection systems, anti-aircraft batteries and command-and-control bases, an Israeli military statement said. Syrian state media said Israeli helicopters fired at Syrian checkpoints in al-Qunaitra, on the Golan Heights, causing material losses. There was no immediate word of any casualties. The Israeli military said it was responding to an attempt by a group of four people to plant explosives on a patrolled fence along the Golan armistice line between Israel and Syria. In that incident, reported by Israel early on Monday, the military fired on the squad. Surveillance video showed the group engulfed in an explosion. An Israeli military spokesman referred to them as "former terrorists," suggesting they had been killed. The military spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus, said it was too soon to say if the squad belonged to any organization, but that Israel held "the Syrian regime accountable". There was no comment from Syria on the fence incident. The overnight encounter occurred at the same spot where until two years ago, Israel had operated a field hospital to treat Syrians who had been wounded in the Syrian civil war, Conricus told reporters. Israel had noticed "irregular activity" in that area for about a week and had a commando team waiting there in ambush, Conricus said. Last month, Israeli army helicopters struck military targets in southern Syria in retaliation for earlier "munitions" fire towards Israel. Israel did not directly blame Syrian forces for the munitions fire, but said it held the Damascus government responsible.

Israel launches air strikes on Syria after thwarted border attack

The Israeli army on Monday said it targeted a group of four people who had planted explosives along the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights.

Soldiers spotted the group near a frontier outpost overnight and, backed by air support, "fired simultaneously towards the squad of four terrorists, a hit was identified", the military said.

No Israelis were wounded. An army spokesman said it was too soon to say if the squad belonged to any organization, but that Israel held "the Syrian regime accountable".

There was no immediate comment from Syria.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pm-netanyahu-slams-media-over-protests-against-him-317743">Also read:&nbsp;Israel PM Netanyahu slams media over protests against him</a>

Tensions have risen in recent weeks along the Israel-Syria frontier after a fighter of the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah was killed in an apparent Israeli strike on the edge of Damascus.

Israel has since boosted its forces on its northern front, where it borders Lebanon and Syria.

The overnight encounter occurred at the same spot where until two years ago, Israel had operated a field hospital to treat Syrians who had been wounded in the Syrian civil war, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, an army spokesman, told reporters.

The army had noticed "irregular activity" in that area for about a week and had a commando team waiting there in ambush, Conricus said.

A search of the area was being carried out.

The Israeli army on Monday said it targeted a group of four people who had planted explosives along the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights. Soldiers spotted the group near a frontier outpost overnight and, backed by air support, "fired simultaneously towards the squad of four terrorists, a hit was identified", the military said.

The Israeli army on Monday said it targeted a group of four people who had planted explosives along the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights. Soldiers spotted the group near a frontier outpost overnight and, backed by air support, "fired simultaneously towards the squad of four terrorists, a hit was identified", the military said. No Israelis were wounded. An army spokesman said it was too soon to say if the squad belonged to any organization, but that Israel held "the Syrian regime accountable". There was no immediate comment from Syria. Also read: Israel PM Netanyahu slams media over protests against him Tensions have risen in recent weeks along the Israel-Syria frontier after a fighter of the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah was killed in an apparent Israeli strike on the edge of Damascus. Israel has since boosted its forces on its northern front, where it borders Lebanon and Syria. The overnight encounter occurred at the same spot where until two years ago, Israel had operated a field hospital to treat Syrians who had been wounded in the Syrian civil war, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, an army spokesman, told reporters. The army had noticed "irregular activity" in that area for about a week and had a commando team waiting there in ambush, Conricus said. A search of the area was being carried out.

Israel hits squad that placed explosives along Syria frontier, army says

A court ordered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son on Sunday to refrain from harassing several individuals helping lead protests against his father, after he tweeted their personal addresses.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/benjamin-netanyahu-irked-by-last-supper-sculpture-calls-it-equivalent-to-death-threat-316961">Also read:&nbsp;Benjamin Netanyahu irked by Last Supper sculpture; calls it 'equivalent to death threat'</a>

Yair Netanyahu, who has caused controversy for past social media posts, was also ordered to delete the tweet and to "refrain from harassing" the individuals concerned for six months, according to a ruling from Jerusalem Magistrates' Court judge Dorit Feinstein.

Reacting to the ruling, Yair Netanyahu, 29, said Feinstein had "totally ignored" evidence presented by his defence, including of threats against him by protest leaders.&nbsp;

A bombastic defender of his father, Yair Netanyahu caused controversy in 2018 when he was recorded seemingly drunk outside a strip club talking about a natural gas deal reached by the Israeli government.

He has also previously posted on Facebook about alleged conspiracies against his family. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The ruling came a day after what Israeli media described as the largest protest in a decade against Netanyahu's tenure, estimating the crowd at roughly 10,000 strong.&nbsp;

Thousands of demonstrators, mainly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, have in recent weeks rallied against the premier's handling of the coronavirus crisis. Some have called for his resignation.&nbsp;

Speaking before a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the right-wing prime minister lashed out the media, accusing it of "fuelling" rather than covering "violent demonstrations."

He said&nbsp;Israel's media was behaving in "North Korean terms" with a lack of balance and unwavering support for "left-wing demonstrators."

Some of the protesters have voiced frustration over the government's pandemic response, while others have expressed broader objections to Netanyahu's stewardship, in particular noting corruption charges against the premier, which he denies.&nbsp;

Israel&nbsp;won praise for its initial response to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the government has come under criticism amid a resurgence in cases after restrictions were lifted starting in late April.&nbsp;

Netanyahu has acknowledged that the economy was re-opened too quickly.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A court ordered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son on Sunday to refrain from harassing several individuals helping lead protests against his father, after he tweeted their personal addresses.

A court ordered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son on Sunday to refrain from harassing several individuals helping lead protests against his father, after he tweeted their personal addresses. Also read: Benjamin Netanyahu irked by Last Supper sculpture; calls it 'equivalent to death threat' Yair Netanyahu, who has caused controversy for past social media posts, was also ordered to delete the tweet and to "refrain from harassing" the individuals concerned for six months, according to a ruling from Jerusalem Magistrates' Court judge Dorit Feinstein. Reacting to the ruling, Yair Netanyahu, 29, said Feinstein had "totally ignored" evidence presented by his defence, including of threats against him by protest leaders. A bombastic defender of his father, Yair Netanyahu caused controversy in 2018 when he was recorded seemingly drunk outside a strip club talking about a natural gas deal reached by the Israeli government. He has also previously posted on Facebook about alleged conspiracies against his family. The ruling came a day after what Israeli media described as the largest protest in a decade against Netanyahu's tenure, estimating the crowd at roughly 10,000 strong. Thousands of demonstrators, mainly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, have in recent weeks rallied against the premier's handling of the coronavirus crisis. Some have called for his resignation. Speaking before a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the right-wing prime minister lashed out the media, accusing it of "fuelling" rather than covering "violent demonstrations." He said Israel's media was behaving in "North Korean terms" with a lack of balance and unwavering support for "left-wing demonstrators." Some of the protesters have voiced frustration over the government's pandemic response, while others have expressed broader objections to Netanyahu's stewardship, in particular noting corruption charges against the premier, which he denies. Israel won praise for its initial response to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the government has come under criticism amid a resurgence in cases after restrictions were lifted starting in late April. Netanyahu has acknowledged that the economy was re-opened too quickly.

Court orders Netanyahu's son to stop 'harassing' protest leaders

Yair Netanyahu, 29-year-old social media-savvy son of Israel Prime Minister is making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

He wrote to WION this evening: 'I love India, Jai Hind'. The story goes back to the weekend. On Sunday, Yair Netanyahu tweeted a satirical photo. 
&nbsp; 
It was a superimposed image of Hindu deity Goddess Durga. Her many arms were raised -- showing the middle finger.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-after-offensive-tweet-netanyahus-son-responds-to-wions-story-316581/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The caption read- know your place, you despicable people. This tweet was offensive to many, especially Indians and they criticised Yair Netanyahu for insulting Hinduism.

Some Twitter users did give him the benefit of doubt. They said Yair Netanyahu may be ignorant about the Hindu faith. But overall, the response was not in his favour.

Yair was forced to take the photo down and de followed it with an apology...

'I’ve tweeted a meme from a satirical page, criticising political figures in Israel. I didn’t realize the meme also portrayed an image connected to the majestic Hindu faith. I apologize'

The political figures he referring to was Liar Ben Ari. His face was superimposed on the diety's face. Ari is the prosecutor in Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption cases. In the photo beside him was Israel's attorney general Avichai Mandelbit. His face was superimposed on that of the tiger.

&nbsp;Both Mandelbit and Ben Ari are important figures in Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption cases. The prime minister is currently under trial and faces a total of 3 cases. If convicted, the 70-year-old prime minister could be behind bars for more than a decade. This is just one of the many problems facing Netanyahu right now...

Meanwhile, problems are rising along Israel's northern border with Lebanon and Syria. Israeli forces have clashed with the Hezbollah. It is a Lebanese armed group- funded by Iran. Heavy shelling was reported after Israel claimed that it has thwarted an infiltration attempt by the Hezbollah. The latter denied it. But Netanyahu says his country will do everything necessary to defend itself, saying "My impression is that the Israeli army is well prepared for any possible scenario. We continue to take action to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in our region''.

There have been no casualties so far but the conflict can escalate any moment given the bitter enmity between the two sides. Israel and the Hezbollah had fought a month-long war back in 2006. The conflict that followed killed around 1200 people in Lebanon. Israel has lost over 121 soldiers and 44 civilians.

Israel's northern frontier happens to be among the most combustible fronts in the region.

The recent flare-up comes days after a Hezbollah member was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike. 
&nbsp;

Yair Netanyahu, 29-year-old social media-savvy son of Israel Prime Minister is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. He wrote to WION this evening: 'I love India, Jai Hind'.

Yair Netanyahu, 29-year-old social media-savvy son of Israel Prime Minister is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. He wrote to WION this evening: 'I love India, Jai Hind'. The story goes back to the weekend. On Sunday, Yair Netanyahu tweeted a satirical photo. It was a superimposed image of Hindu deity Goddess Durga. Her many arms were raised -- showing the middle finger. × The caption read- know your place, you despicable people. This tweet was offensive to many, especially Indians and they criticised Yair Netanyahu for insulting Hinduism. Some Twitter users did give him the benefit of doubt. They said Yair Netanyahu may be ignorant about the Hindu faith. But overall, the response was not in his favour. Yair was forced to take the photo down and de followed it with an apology... 'I’ve tweeted a meme from a satirical page, criticising political figures in Israel. I didn’t realize the meme also portrayed an image connected to the majestic Hindu faith. I apologize' The political figures he referring to was Liar Ben Ari. His face was superimposed on the diety's face. Ari is the prosecutor in Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption cases. In the photo beside him was Israel's attorney general Avichai Mandelbit. His face was superimposed on that of the tiger. Both Mandelbit and Ben Ari are important figures in Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption cases. The prime minister is currently under trial and faces a total of 3 cases. If convicted, the 70-year-old prime minister could be behind bars for more than a decade. This is just one of the many problems facing Netanyahu right now... Meanwhile, problems are rising along Israel's northern border with Lebanon and Syria. Israeli forces have clashed with the Hezbollah. It is a Lebanese armed group- funded by Iran. Heavy shelling was reported after Israel claimed that it has thwarted an infiltration attempt by the Hezbollah. The latter denied it. But Netanyahu says his country will do everything necessary to defend itself, saying "My impression is that the Israeli army is well prepared for any possible scenario. We continue to take action to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in our region''. There have been no casualties so far but the conflict can escalate any moment given the bitter enmity between the two sides. Israel and the Hezbollah had fought a month-long war back in 2006. The conflict that followed killed around 1200 people in Lebanon. Israel has lost over 121 soldiers and 44 civilians. Israel's northern frontier happens to be among the most combustible fronts in the region. The recent flare-up comes days after a Hezbollah member was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike.

Benjamin Netanyahu's son courts trouble with tweet, apologises

Hours after apologising to Hindus after he faced flak from some Indians who found one of his tweets to be "quite offensive", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest son Yair has responded to WION's story.

In his reponse to WION's story on its Twitter handle, junior Netanyahu wrote&nbsp;'I love India! Jai Hind!'.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahus-son-apologises-after-his-tweet-offends-indians-316471">Netanyahu's son apologises after his tweet offends Indians</a>

On Sunday, the 29-year-old Yair, who is very active on social media and often defends his father's policies, posted a picture of the Hindu goddess Durga, with the face of Liat Ben Ari, the prosecutor in his father's corruption cases, superimposed over the goddess' face.

Her many arms were also raised giving the middle finger.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/hempNhuW0u">https://t.co/hempNhuW0u</a>
— Yair Netanyahu 🇮🇱 (@YairNetanyahu) <a href="https://twitter.com/YairNetanyahu/status/1288081667366817792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

''I’ve tweeted a meme from a satirical page, critizing political figures in Israel. I didn’t realize the meme also portrayed an image conected to the majestic Hindu faith,'' he said on Twitter.

&nbsp;''As soon as I realised it from comments of our Indian friends, I have removed the tweet. I apologize,'' he added.

The Twitter users were split in their reaction over the post with some Indians harshly criticising him for the offensive tweet while others giving him the benefit of doubt and attributing it to general ignorance about the Hindu faith in the West.

Hours after apologising to Hindus after he faced flak from some Indians who found one of his tweets to be "quite offensive", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest son Yair has responded to WION's story.

Hours after apologising to Hindus after he faced flak from some Indians who found one of his tweets to be "quite offensive", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest son Yair has responded to WION's story. In his reponse to WION's story on its Twitter handle, junior Netanyahu wrote 'I love India! Jai Hind!'. Also read: Netanyahu's son apologises after his tweet offends Indians On Sunday, the 29-year-old Yair, who is very active on social media and often defends his father's policies, posted a picture of the Hindu goddess Durga, with the face of Liat Ben Ari, the prosecutor in his father's corruption cases, superimposed over the goddess' face. Her many arms were also raised giving the middle finger. https://t.co/hempNhuW0u — Yair Netanyahu 🇮🇱 (@YairNetanyahu) July 28, 2020 × ''I’ve tweeted a meme from a satirical page, critizing political figures in Israel. I didn’t realize the meme also portrayed an image conected to the majestic Hindu faith,'' he said on Twitter. ''As soon as I realised it from comments of our Indian friends, I have removed the tweet. I apologize,'' he added. The Twitter users were split in their reaction over the post with some Indians harshly criticising him for the offensive tweet while others giving him the benefit of doubt and attributing it to general ignorance about the Hindu faith in the West.

'I love India! Jai Hind!' says Yair Netanyahu in response to WION's report on 'offensive' tweet

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest son Yair has apologised to Hindus after he faced flak from some Indians who found one of his tweets to be "quite offensive".

On Sunday, the 29-year-old Yair, who is very active on social media and often defends his father's policies, posted a picture of the Hindu goddess Durga, with the face of Liat Ben Ari, the prosecutor in his father's corruption cases, superimposed over the goddess' face. Her many arms were also raised giving the middle finger.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
הצייצן הבטלן עשה עכשיו שריפה גם עם ההודים, ומתנצל. <a href="https://t.co/tUeuMv5sCc">pic.twitter.com/tUeuMv5sCc</a>
— Ben Caspit בן כספית (@BenCaspit) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenCaspit/status/1287764290699755522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"I've tweeted a meme from a satirical page, criticising political figures in Israel. I didn't realise the meme also portrayed an image connected to the majestic Hindu faith. As soon as I realised it from comments of our Indian friends, I have removed the tweet. I apologise," Yair said in a tweet.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelbit's face was superimposed over that of a tiger accompanying the goddess under a caption that said, "know your place you despicable people".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-israel-to-jointly-develop-rapid-covid-19-testing-kits-315481">India, Israel to jointly develop rapid COVID-19 testing kits</a>

The Twitter users were split in their reaction over the post with some Indians harshly criticising him for the offensive tweet while others giving him the benefit of doubt and attributing it to general ignorance about the Hindu faith in the West.

Yair, who has been at the centre of several controversies, was appreciated by some Israelis for "showing courage in apologising for his mistake", but was also condemned in equal measure by others for "being irresponsible".

Earlier this month, Yair issued an apology to journalist Dana Weiss for appearing to suggest the top news anchor had attained her position through sexual favours, according to a local media report.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's trial on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes opened in May in a Jerusalem court. 
He has said that the allegations are baseless and that he is a victim of a wide-ranging conspiracy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest son Yair has apologised to Hindus after he faced flak from some Indians who found one of his tweets to be "quite offensive".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eldest son Yair has apologised to Hindus after he faced flak from some Indians who found one of his tweets to be "quite offensive". On Sunday, the 29-year-old Yair, who is very active on social media and often defends his father's policies, posted a picture of the Hindu goddess Durga, with the face of Liat Ben Ari, the prosecutor in his father's corruption cases, superimposed over the goddess' face. Her many arms were also raised giving the middle finger. הצייצן הבטלן עשה עכשיו שריפה גם עם ההודים, ומתנצל. pic.twitter.com/tUeuMv5sCc — Ben Caspit בן כספית (@BenCaspit) July 27, 2020 × "I've tweeted a meme from a satirical page, criticising political figures in Israel. I didn't realise the meme also portrayed an image connected to the majestic Hindu faith. As soon as I realised it from comments of our Indian friends, I have removed the tweet. I apologise," Yair said in a tweet. Attorney General Avichai Mandelbit's face was superimposed over that of a tiger accompanying the goddess under a caption that said, "know your place you despicable people". Also read: India, Israel to jointly develop rapid COVID-19 testing kits The Twitter users were split in their reaction over the post with some Indians harshly criticising him for the offensive tweet while others giving him the benefit of doubt and attributing it to general ignorance about the Hindu faith in the West. Yair, who has been at the centre of several controversies, was appreciated by some Israelis for "showing courage in apologising for his mistake", but was also condemned in equal measure by others for "being irresponsible". Earlier this month, Yair issued an apology to journalist Dana Weiss for appearing to suggest the top news anchor had attained her position through sexual favours, according to a local media report. Prime Minister Netanyahu's trial on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes opened in May in a Jerusalem court. He has said that the allegations are baseless and that he is a victim of a wide-ranging conspiracy.

Netanyahu's son apologises after his tweet offends Indians

Demonstrations continue to rage in Israel after thousands more gather to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Saturday. These demonstrators gathered outside Israeli PM's residence.&nbsp;

In pics:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/israel-protests-soar-over-governments-inadequate-coronavirus-response-and-corruption-315104#crime-minister-315097">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/israel-protests-soar-over-governments-inadequate-coronavirus-response-and-corruption-315104#crime-minister-315097">Israel: Protests soar over government's inadequate coronavirus response and corruption</a>

These protests have been on for a few weeks now and target Netanyahu's government for its failure to handle the coronavirus crisis. Corruption charges against Netanyahu have added more fuel to these protests.&nbsp;

Many demonstrators held placards to criticise the Prime Minister. “Bibi, go home,” read one sign held by a protester. Another placard read “Everyone can see that the emperor has lost his clothes.”

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israelis-demanding-netanyahus-resignation-protestors-accuse-pm-of-mishandling-the-virus-315158/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Wearing protective masks, the demonstrators marched from Netanyahu's official residence to Israel's parliament, holding up signs that read "Crime Minister" and calling on the five-term premier to step down.

Last week, Israel police used water cannons to disperse the crowd in Jerusalem. Israel is reporting an average of 2,000 coronavirus cases daily.&nbsp;

The pandemic has battered the country's economy after the unemployment rate shot to nearly 20 per cent.&nbsp;

In an apparent bid to quell public anger, Netanyahu this week announced plans to send cash to all Israelis -- a measure criticised by some experts who said the economy needed targeted assistance, not a nationwide payout. &nbsp;

Demonstrations continue to rage in Israel after thousands more gather to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Saturday. These demonstrators gathered outside Israeli PM's residence.

Demonstrations continue to rage in Israel after thousands more gather to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Saturday. These demonstrators gathered outside Israeli PM's residence. In pics: Israel: Protests soar over government's inadequate coronavirus response and corruption These protests have been on for a few weeks now and target Netanyahu's government for its failure to handle the coronavirus crisis. Corruption charges against Netanyahu have added more fuel to these protests. Many demonstrators held placards to criticise the Prime Minister. “Bibi, go home,” read one sign held by a protester. Another placard read “Everyone can see that the emperor has lost his clothes.” × Wearing protective masks, the demonstrators marched from Netanyahu's official residence to Israel's parliament, holding up signs that read "Crime Minister" and calling on the five-term premier to step down. Last week, Israel police used water cannons to disperse the crowd in Jerusalem. Israel is reporting an average of 2,000 coronavirus cases daily. The pandemic has battered the country's economy after the unemployment rate shot to nearly 20 per cent. In an apparent bid to quell public anger, Netanyahu this week announced plans to send cash to all Israelis -- a measure criticised by some experts who said the economy needed targeted assistance, not a nationwide payout.

Israelis continue to protest against government's response to coronavirus crisis

An Israeil firm that claims it has find a cure for diabetes has said it will send a request for initiation of human clinical trials next month in the UK.&nbsp;

Betalin Therapeutics says it has created micro pancreas that will free diabetics from the need of insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring. The company says the "bio-artificial" pancreas can be used by type-1 diabetis patients and people with type-2 disease who require insulin injections.&nbsp;

Betalin Therapeutics aims to begin human testing early in 2021 and expects to launch it in the market in 2024, reports Guardian.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/1-in-10-hospitalised-covid-19-patients-with-diabetes-dies-study-301734">1 in 10 hospitalised Covid-19 patients with diabetes dies: Study</a>

The innovation is based on a biological scaffold, adapted from pig lung tissue. These hold beta cells which release insulin according to a patient's blood sugar levels.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-new-orleans-coronavirus-death-rate-is-leaping-diabetes-obesity-a-reason-290201">Why New Orleans coronavirus death rate is leaping? Diabetes, obesity a reason</a>

These artificial pancreas are very small and is implanted from the thigh using local anaesthesia.

"Our unique technology allows the body to heal itself,"&nbsp;said Nikolai Kunicher, the chief executive of the Israeli company said, adding that right now there focus is diabtetes but they intend to use this technology for other diseases too.&nbsp;

According to the International Diabetes Federation, over 460 million people around the world suffer from diabetes, however not all of them have been diagnosed.&nbsp;

A World Health Organization (WHO) study in 2016 said diabetes was the seventh most common cause of death, ahead of road injuries. 
&nbsp;

An Israeil firm that claims it has find a cure for diabetes has said it will send a request for initiation of human clinical trials next month in the UK. Betalin Therapeutics says it has created micro pancreas that will free diabetics from the need of insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring.

An Israeil firm that claims it has find a cure for diabetes has said it will send a request for initiation of human clinical trials next month in the UK. Betalin Therapeutics says it has created micro pancreas that will free diabetics from the need of insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring. The company says the "bio-artificial" pancreas can be used by type-1 diabetis patients and people with type-2 disease who require insulin injections. Betalin Therapeutics aims to begin human testing early in 2021 and expects to launch it in the market in 2024, reports Guardian. Also read | 1 in 10 hospitalised Covid-19 patients with diabetes dies: Study The innovation is based on a biological scaffold, adapted from pig lung tissue. These hold beta cells which release insulin according to a patient's blood sugar levels. Also read | Why New Orleans coronavirus death rate is leaping? Diabetes, obesity a reason These artificial pancreas are very small and is implanted from the thigh using local anaesthesia. "Our unique technology allows the body to heal itself," said Nikolai Kunicher, the chief executive of the Israeli company said, adding that right now there focus is diabtetes but they intend to use this technology for other diseases too. According to the International Diabetes Federation, over 460 million people around the world suffer from diabetes, however not all of them have been diagnosed. A World Health Organization (WHO) study in 2016 said diabetes was the seventh most common cause of death, ahead of road injuries.

Israeli firm says pancreas to cure diabetes ready for trials in UK

Israel: Protests soar over government's inadequate coronavirus response and corruption

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, an Iranian national, who was accused of spying on the US and Israeli intelligence has been executed on Monday, according to local news agencies.

The spy was arrested in 2018 after he was accused of spying on former&nbsp;Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani.

The execution of the alleged spy took place at a time when the Iranian locals have been verbally and physically protesting against the death sentences given to three nationals who have been accused of participating and leading the 'anti-government' protests in November 2019. The executions were suspended after a hashtag, loosely translated to "Don’t execute" in English, started widely trending on Twitter.

The judiciary had made it clear that the death sentence was not for&nbsp;involvement in killing of the leader&nbsp;of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force,&nbsp;Soleimani, who was accused of being the mastermind of the attacks by Iran-aligned militias on US forces in the region and was later assassinated in January 2020 in a US drone strike. Mahmoud was alleged of supplying information about Soleimani's whereabouts to the US, according judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili.

Officials have not cleared the air around whether Mahmoud was one of the 17 CIA spies captured last year by Iran. However, Mahmoud was revealed to be a spy of the CIA and Mossad by&nbsp;Esmaili in a televised news conference.

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, an Iranian national, who was accused of spying on the US and Israeli intelligence has been executed on Monday, according to local news agencies.

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, an Iranian national, who was accused of spying on the US and Israeli intelligence has been executed on Monday, according to local news agencies. The spy was arrested in 2018 after he was accused of spying on former Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani. The execution of the alleged spy took place at a time when the Iranian locals have been verbally and physically protesting against the death sentences given to three nationals who have been accused of participating and leading the 'anti-government' protests in November 2019. The executions were suspended after a hashtag, loosely translated to "Don’t execute" in English, started widely trending on Twitter. The judiciary had made it clear that the death sentence was not for involvement in killing of the leader of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, Soleimani, who was accused of being the mastermind of the attacks by Iran-aligned militias on US forces in the region and was later assassinated in January 2020 in a US drone strike. Mahmoud was alleged of supplying information about Soleimani's whereabouts to the US, according judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili. Officials have not cleared the air around whether Mahmoud was one of the 17 CIA spies captured last year by Iran. However, Mahmoud was revealed to be a spy of the CIA and Mossad by Esmaili in a televised news conference.

Iranian spy, accused of spying on US and Israel, executed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s corruption trial resumed on Sunday.

The second hearing of the trial, which Netanyahu and other defendants in the case were not obliged to attend, is focusing on an additional time given to his lawyers to study the investigation material, reported Xinhua.

Netanyahu`s trial over bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases began on May 24.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-police-fire-water-cannons-to-disperse-anti-govt-protests-314356">Also read:&nbsp;Israeli police fire water cannons to disperse anti-govt protests</a>

Hundreds of protesters calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign over his corruption charges gathered outside his official residence in Jerusalem on Saturday evening (local time), for the fourth time this week.

A law enforcement spokesman was quoted by Sputnik as saying that Israeli police have detained 28 people for disrupting public order during protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu is charged in three separate cases of corruption, fraud and influence peddling.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s corruption trial resumed on Sunday. The second hearing of the trial, which Netanyahu and other defendants in the case were not obliged to attend, is focusing on an additional time given to his lawyers to study the investigation material, reported Xinhua.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s corruption trial resumed on Sunday. The second hearing of the trial, which Netanyahu and other defendants in the case were not obliged to attend, is focusing on an additional time given to his lawyers to study the investigation material, reported Xinhua. Netanyahu`s trial over bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases began on May 24. Also read: Israeli police fire water cannons to disperse anti-govt protests Hundreds of protesters calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign over his corruption charges gathered outside his official residence in Jerusalem on Saturday evening (local time), for the fourth time this week. A law enforcement spokesman was quoted by Sputnik as saying that Israeli police have detained 28 people for disrupting public order during protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is charged in three separate cases of corruption, fraud and influence peddling.

Israeli Prime Minister's corruption trial resumes

Israelis hug trees to fill void of embracing friends and families during COVID times

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in Tel Aviv, angered by what they say has been an inept government response to the economic hits they have taken during the coronavirus crisis.

In keeping with restrictions on public gatherings, police limited the number of people allowed into Tel Aviv`s Rabin square for the rally as nearby streets filled with demonstrators wearing face masks.

"I have 40 workers with no income, no money," said Michal Gaist-Casif, vice president of a sound and lighting company.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-reports-its-highest-daily-coronavirus-infections-312327">Also read:&nbsp;Israel reports its highest daily coronavirus infections</a>

"We need the government to pump in money until we`re back to normal. We haven`t been working since mid-March through April, May, June and July, and August is looking to be a catastrophe."

Israeli media said thousands attended the rally. No official figure for the number of protesters was given.

Unemployment in Israel has soared to 21 per cent&nbsp;since the country went into partial lockdown in March and aid packages promised by the government have been slow to come through, frustrating Israelis who fear they are on the verge of economic collapse.

Alarmed by a new spike in COVID-19 cases which surged after the economy began reopening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week reimposed a series of restrictions in a bid to contain infections, shutting down a slew of businesses again.

With less than half of the $29 billion previously pledged in aid paid out and anger building, Netanyahu announced a new welfare package on Thursday, saying the measures would provide an economic safety net for the coming year. 
In the past few weeks, protesters from across the political spectrum have taken to the streets with demands for speedier compensation from the coalition government, which they see as overstaffed and ineffectual.

"People feel helpless, there`s no response. They are enraged and want the government to take responsibility," said Roee Cohen, president of the Israel Chamber of Independent Organizations and Businesses.

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in Tel Aviv, angered by what they say has been an inept government response to the economic hits they have taken during the coronavirus crisis.

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in Tel Aviv, angered by what they say has been an inept government response to the economic hits they have taken during the coronavirus crisis. In keeping with restrictions on public gatherings, police limited the number of people allowed into Tel Aviv`s Rabin square for the rally as nearby streets filled with demonstrators wearing face masks. "I have 40 workers with no income, no money," said Michal Gaist-Casif, vice president of a sound and lighting company. Also read: Israel reports its highest daily coronavirus infections "We need the government to pump in money until we`re back to normal. We haven`t been working since mid-March through April, May, June and July, and August is looking to be a catastrophe." Israeli media said thousands attended the rally. No official figure for the number of protesters was given. Unemployment in Israel has soared to 21 per cent since the country went into partial lockdown in March and aid packages promised by the government have been slow to come through, frustrating Israelis who fear they are on the verge of economic collapse. Alarmed by a new spike in COVID-19 cases which surged after the economy began reopening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week reimposed a series of restrictions in a bid to contain infections, shutting down a slew of businesses again. With less than half of the $29 billion previously pledged in aid paid out and anger building, Netanyahu announced a new welfare package on Thursday, saying the measures would provide an economic safety net for the coming year. In the past few weeks, protesters from across the political spectrum have taken to the streets with demands for speedier compensation from the coalition government, which they see as overstaffed and ineffectual. "People feel helpless, there`s no response. They are enraged and want the government to take responsibility," said Roee Cohen, president of the Israel Chamber of Independent Organizations and Businesses.

Israelis protest against government response to coronavirus

Israel has decided to reimpose restrictions and partial lockdown in the country after the number of positive coronavirus saw a surge in the past few weeks.

The Israeli government has announced an immediate temporary closure of&nbsp;&nbsp;bars, night clubs, gyms and event halls and all other cultural events.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-miracle-mask-sonovia-expects-99-coronavirus-success-after-lab-test-307664">Also read|&nbsp;Israel's miracle mask: Sonovia expects 99% coronavirus success after lab test</a>

"The pandemic is spreading - that`s as clear as day. It is rising steeping daily and it is dragging with it, contrary to what we had been told, a trail of critically ill patients," Netanyahu said.

The maximum capacity in restaurants, which was earlier increased to 50, has been brought down to 20 for indoor seating and 30 for outdoor seating.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-lawmaker-who-was-spotted-without-masks-tests-positive-700-employees-quarantined-303293">Also read|&nbsp;Israel's lawmaker who was spotted without masks tests positive; 700 employees quarantined</a>

The Israeli government had reopened the economy last month to save its crippling economy which was causing a rapid increase in the unemployment rate.

Attendance at synagogues was also capped at 19 worshippers, and buses would be allowed to carry only up to 20 passengers, the statement said.

The sudden increase in the coronavirus cases is believed to be a result of locals flouting the social distancing rules and not wearing face masks outdoors. The local government is urging people to not step out until it is important, and to maintain social distance and wear face masks at all times when outdoors.

Israel has decided to reimpose restrictions and partial lockdown in the country after the number of positive coronavirus saw a surge in the past few weeks. The Israeli government has announced an immediate temporary closure of bars, night clubs, gyms and event halls and all other cultural events.

Israel has decided to reimpose restrictions and partial lockdown in the country after the number of positive coronavirus saw a surge in the past few weeks. The Israeli government has announced an immediate temporary closure of bars, night clubs, gyms and event halls and all other cultural events. Also read| Israel's miracle mask: Sonovia expects 99% coronavirus success after lab test "The pandemic is spreading - that`s as clear as day. It is rising steeping daily and it is dragging with it, contrary to what we had been told, a trail of critically ill patients," Netanyahu said. The maximum capacity in restaurants, which was earlier increased to 50, has been brought down to 20 for indoor seating and 30 for outdoor seating. Also read| Israel's lawmaker who was spotted without masks tests positive; 700 employees quarantined The Israeli government had reopened the economy last month to save its crippling economy which was causing a rapid increase in the unemployment rate. Attendance at synagogues was also capped at 19 worshippers, and buses would be allowed to carry only up to 20 passengers, the statement said. The sudden increase in the coronavirus cases is believed to be a result of locals flouting the social distancing rules and not wearing face masks outdoors. The local government is urging people to not step out until it is important, and to maintain social distance and wear face masks at all times when outdoors.

Israel reimposes restrictions amid rising coronavirus cases

Fast and furious: Countries that rushed to unlock economy now fear second wave of COVID-19

After a mysterious&nbsp;fire broke out at the&nbsp;Natanz nuclear site in Iran, Iranian officials have blamed it on cyber sabotage. However, Israel's Defence Minister retaliated by saying that Israel is not "necessarily" behind every mysterious incident.

"Not every incident that transpires in Iran necessarily has something to do with us. All those systems are complex, they have very high safety constraints and I'm not sure they always know how to maintain them," said Benny Gantz.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-threatens-retaliation-after-what-it-calls-possible-cyber-attack-on-nuclear-site-310563">Also read:&nbsp;Iran threatens retaliation after what it calls possible cyber attack on nuclear site</a>

The one-storey underground Natanz site was partly burned in a fire on Thursday. The building is the monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency as it is believed to be a focus point of the country's uranium enrichment programme.

Israel is believed to be the region's only nuclear power. The country has pledged to never allow Iran to obtain any form of atomic weapons and&nbsp;says its atomic programme is peaceful.

The comment from Israel came after reports stated that Iran thinks the reason behind this fire could either be a cyber sabotage, or simply Israel or the US. However, the statements were issued by unnamed sources in a news wire agency, and the sources did not offer any evidence to support their words.

Last month, Israeli security cabinet minister Zeev Elkin said Iran had attempted to mount a cyber attack on Israel`s water system in April.

There has not been a reply from Iran, as of now. Investigations are underway.

(With inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

After a mysterious fire broke out at the Natanz nuclear site in Iran, Iranian officials have blamed it on cyber sabotage. However, Israel's Defence Minister retaliated by saying that Israel is not "necessarily" behind every mysterious incident.

After a mysterious fire broke out at the Natanz nuclear site in Iran, Iranian officials have blamed it on cyber sabotage. However, Israel's Defence Minister retaliated by saying that Israel is not "necessarily" behind every mysterious incident. "Not every incident that transpires in Iran necessarily has something to do with us. All those systems are complex, they have very high safety constraints and I'm not sure they always know how to maintain them," said Benny Gantz. Also read: Iran threatens retaliation after what it calls possible cyber attack on nuclear site The one-storey underground Natanz site was partly burned in a fire on Thursday. The building is the monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency as it is believed to be a focus point of the country's uranium enrichment programme. Israel is believed to be the region's only nuclear power. The country has pledged to never allow Iran to obtain any form of atomic weapons and says its atomic programme is peaceful. The comment from Israel came after reports stated that Iran thinks the reason behind this fire could either be a cyber sabotage, or simply Israel or the US. However, the statements were issued by unnamed sources in a news wire agency, and the sources did not offer any evidence to support their words. Last month, Israeli security cabinet minister Zeev Elkin said Iran had attempted to mount a cyber attack on Israel`s water system in April. There has not been a reply from Iran, as of now. Investigations are underway. (With inputs from Reuters)

Israel 'not necessarily' behind every Iran incident: Israel's Defence Minister

Months of calmness was broken in Israel as&nbsp;Palestinian militants fired two rockets in the Gaza Strip, as claimed by Israeli military on Friday.

In response, Israeli aircraft attacked two military facilities for Hamas, the Islamic group ruling Gaza.

The attack from the Palestinian side came a day after&nbsp;Hamas warned of violence over Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-prime-minister-netanyahu-announces-cooperation-with-uae-to-combat-coronavirus-308634">Also read:&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announces 'cooperation' with UAE to combat coronavirus</a>

Although the Israeli military has declared the attack was from Hamas, no Palestinian militant group has yet claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks.

The Hamas group had earlier this week warned of violent retaliation if Israel continued to proceed ahead with the much-controversial&nbsp;annexation plans. The group believes such a move amounts to "a declaration of war".

The Israeli military has now said that the rocket attacks "will impede" Hamas' future abilities.

Before this attack, the&nbsp;Gaza-Israel frontier&nbsp;has remained calmed for this year, which the experts believe might have been due to the threat of the novel coronavirus.

(With inputs from PTI)

Months of calmness was broken in Israel as Palestinian militants fired two rockets in the Gaza Strip, as claimed by Israeli military on Friday. In response, Israeli aircraft attacked two military facilities for Hamas, the Islamic group ruling Gaza.

Months of calmness was broken in Israel as Palestinian militants fired two rockets in the Gaza Strip, as claimed by Israeli military on Friday. In response, Israeli aircraft attacked two military facilities for Hamas, the Islamic group ruling Gaza. The attack from the Palestinian side came a day after Hamas warned of violence over Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. Also read: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announces 'cooperation' with UAE to combat coronavirus Although the Israeli military has declared the attack was from Hamas, no Palestinian militant group has yet claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks. The Hamas group had earlier this week warned of violent retaliation if Israel continued to proceed ahead with the much-controversial annexation plans. The group believes such a move amounts to "a declaration of war". The Israeli military has now said that the rocket attacks "will impede" Hamas' future abilities. Before this attack, the Gaza-Israel frontier has remained calmed for this year, which the experts believe might have been due to the threat of the novel coronavirus. (With inputs from PTI)

Southern Israel hit by two rockets from Gaza: Israel military

Palestinians are worried their restricted access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea and its mineral-rich beaches could be cut further if Israel annexes land in the occupied West Bank.

Israel, citing support from U.S. President Donald Trump, has announced plans to extend sovereignty over parts of the West Bank - including the Jordan Valley, which partly borders the Dead Sea. Palestinians have voiced outrage at the proposal.

The Dead Sea is a popular destination where bathers float in hypersaline waters and use the nutrient-rich mud on their skin. Its shores border Israel, Jordan and the West Bank.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-thousands-march-against-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-plans-303958">Also read|&nbsp;Israel: Thousands march against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's plans</a>

"This place is a blessing for all Palestinians, but if there will be annexation it will be hard for them to reach here. They may need permits," said Musa Farah, a lifeguard at one of the small, Israeli-run resorts that dot the Dead Sea`s West Bank coast.

Even some owners of Israeli resorts - set up after Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war - are concerned they could lose customers under the annexation plan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-netanyahu-mulls-two-phase-west-bank-annexation-306513">Also read|&nbsp;Israel's Netanyahu mulls two-phase West Bank annexation</a>

"My business will be very much affected," said Dina Dagan, owner of the Biankini Village Resort. "The Israeli government should know that my business depends on the Palestinians who visit here. This place is open for Jews and Arabs."

During peace talks - stalled since 2014 - the Palestinians have sought to gain some control over part of the Dead Sea coastline and set up resorts, which they see as a potential boon for their economy.

The Palestinians have long sought a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 
Most countries view Israeli settlements in occupied territory as illegal. Israel rejects this.

Palestinians are worried their restricted access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea and its mineral-rich beaches could be cut further if Israel annexes land in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians are worried their restricted access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea and its mineral-rich beaches could be cut further if Israel annexes land in the occupied West Bank. Israel, citing support from U.S. President Donald Trump, has announced plans to extend sovereignty over parts of the West Bank - including the Jordan Valley, which partly borders the Dead Sea. Palestinians have voiced outrage at the proposal. The Dead Sea is a popular destination where bathers float in hypersaline waters and use the nutrient-rich mud on their skin. Its shores border Israel, Jordan and the West Bank. Also read| Israel: Thousands march against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's plans "This place is a blessing for all Palestinians, but if there will be annexation it will be hard for them to reach here. They may need permits," said Musa Farah, a lifeguard at one of the small, Israeli-run resorts that dot the Dead Sea`s West Bank coast. Even some owners of Israeli resorts - set up after Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war - are concerned they could lose customers under the annexation plan. Also read| Israel's Netanyahu mulls two-phase West Bank annexation "My business will be very much affected," said Dina Dagan, owner of the Biankini Village Resort. "The Israeli government should know that my business depends on the Palestinians who visit here. This place is open for Jews and Arabs." During peace talks - stalled since 2014 - the Palestinians have sought to gain some control over part of the Dead Sea coastline and set up resorts, which they see as a potential boon for their economy. The Palestinians have long sought a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Most countries view Israeli settlements in occupied territory as illegal. Israel rejects this.

Palestinians fear Israeli annexation could further limit Dead Sea access

&nbsp;Israel has signed an agreement with Moderna Inc for the future purchase of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech firm last week confirmed plans to start a trial of 30,000 volunteers of its much-anticipated vaccine in July as the company enters the final stages of testing.

It is one of several vaccines being tested around the world as drugmakers race to combat the pandemic. There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-claims-significant-breakthrough-develops-possible-covid-19-vaccine-296817/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Israel has signed with the company Moderna an arrangement that will allow us to buy vaccines," Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.

"The company is advancing its development, they claim they can achieve it by the middle of next year, we hope that they succeed," he said. Financial details were not disclosed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-says-its-spies-have-procured-coronavirus-kits-abroad-287415">Israel says its spies have procured coronavirus kits abroad</a>

Netanyahu added that Israel would continue its own efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine through the Israel Institute for Biological Research.

Israel - with a population of 9 million - has reported 19,783 novel coronavirus cases and 303 deaths. It has seen a spike in new infections since reopening schools, restaurants and many businesses last month.

Other countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have signed supply deals with British drugmaker AstraZeneca for its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Israel has signed an agreement with Moderna Inc for the future purchase of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech firm last week confirmed plans to start a trial of 30,000 volunteers of its much-anticipated vaccine in July as the company enters the final stages of testing.

Israel has signed an agreement with Moderna Inc for the future purchase of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech firm last week confirmed plans to start a trial of 30,000 volunteers of its much-anticipated vaccine in July as the company enters the final stages of testing. It is one of several vaccines being tested around the world as drugmakers race to combat the pandemic. There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19. "Israel has signed with the company Moderna an arrangement that will allow us to buy vaccines," Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office. "The company is advancing its development, they claim they can achieve it by the middle of next year, we hope that they succeed," he said. Financial details were not disclosed. Also read: Israel says its spies have procured coronavirus kits abroad Netanyahu added that Israel would continue its own efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine through the Israel Institute for Biological Research. Israel - with a population of 9 million - has reported 19,783 novel coronavirus cases and 303 deaths. It has seen a spike in new infections since reopening schools, restaurants and many businesses last month. Other countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have signed supply deals with British drugmaker AstraZeneca for its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Israel signs agreement with Moderna for potential COVID-19 vaccine

Thousands of Israelis took to streets to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin&nbsp;Netanyahu's plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, de-facto annexation of land that the Palestinians seek for a state.

The decision by the controversial Prime Minister has not gone well with all communities of Israel.

With the banner of&nbsp;"No to annexation, no to occupation, yes to peace and democracy", a lot of protestors also waved the Palestinian flag.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/israel-caught-in-the-middle-of-intensifying-rivalry-between-us-and-china-302292">Also read:&nbsp;Israel caught in the middle of intensifying rivalry between US and China</a>

The protests, organised&nbsp;&nbsp;by left-wing groups, paid heed to the precautions of coronavirus. Majority protestors were spotted wearing face masks, while some also wore gloves. Roads were marked with squares to guide people where to stand to maintain proper social distance.

The guidelines were followed keeping in mind the rising number of coronavirus positive cases in the country, post the lifting of lockdown.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-lawmaker-who-was-spotted-without-masks-tests-positive-700-employees-quarantined-303293">Also read:&nbsp;Israel's lawmaker who was spotted without masks tests positive; 700 employees quarantined</a>

While the protest saw&nbsp;attendance of thousands of people, a recent opinion poll has revealed around half of Israelis support annexation.

A video address by US Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders was also screened by the organisers in which Sanders called for justice and said,&nbsp;"It has never been more important to stand up for justice, and to fight for the future we all deserve. It’s up to all of us to stand up to authoritarian leaders and to build a peaceful future for every Palestinian and every Israeli."

The US President Donald Trump&nbsp;has unveiled a peace plan that requires Palestinians to establish&nbsp;a state under stringent conditions, but Israelis get to retain their establishments.

Israel's PM has, meanwhile,&nbsp;set July 1 as the date to begin advancing his plan. Palestinians have rejected his plan.

Some European and Arab states, along with the United Nations, have voiced concerns against this plan, calling it illegal, and have also warned Israel of possible violence in the country, and diplomatic repercussions.

(With inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

Thousands of Israelis took to streets to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, de-facto annexation of land that the Palestinians seek for a state.

Thousands of Israelis took to streets to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to extend sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, de-facto annexation of land that the Palestinians seek for a state. The decision by the controversial Prime Minister has not gone well with all communities of Israel. With the banner of "No to annexation, no to occupation, yes to peace and democracy", a lot of protestors also waved the Palestinian flag. Also read: Israel caught in the middle of intensifying rivalry between US and China The protests, organised by left-wing groups, paid heed to the precautions of coronavirus. Majority protestors were spotted wearing face masks, while some also wore gloves. Roads were marked with squares to guide people where to stand to maintain proper social distance. The guidelines were followed keeping in mind the rising number of coronavirus positive cases in the country, post the lifting of lockdown. Also read: Israel's lawmaker who was spotted without masks tests positive; 700 employees quarantined While the protest saw attendance of thousands of people, a recent opinion poll has revealed around half of Israelis support annexation. A video address by US Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders was also screened by the organisers in which Sanders called for justice and said, "It has never been more important to stand up for justice, and to fight for the future we all deserve. It’s up to all of us to stand up to authoritarian leaders and to build a peaceful future for every Palestinian and every Israeli." The US President Donald Trump has unveiled a peace plan that requires Palestinians to establish a state under stringent conditions, but Israelis get to retain their establishments. Israel's PM has, meanwhile, set July 1 as the date to begin advancing his plan. Palestinians have rejected his plan. Some European and Arab states, along with the United Nations, have voiced concerns against this plan, calling it illegal, and have also warned Israel of possible violence in the country, and diplomatic repercussions. (With inputs from Reuters)

Israel: Thousands march against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's plans

Israel reopened its economy after the country saw a decrease in the number of positive coronavirus cases. However, days after the country started functioning&nbsp;normally, a spike in positive cases was seen.

Now,&nbsp;Israel's parliament has cancelled meetings scheduled for Thursday, and asked nearly&nbsp;700 employees to stay at home after a lawmaker tested positive for the coronavirus, local media reported.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-schools-to-stay-open-despite-covid-19-outbreak-at-high-school-302143">Also read:&nbsp;Israeli schools to stay open despite COVID-19 outbreak at high school</a>

The Israeli government had earlier allowed restaurants, bars, schools, offices, tourist attractions and other businesses to reopen to help the crippling economy.

Following the orders, the parliament, too, had started functioning again. However,&nbsp;a lawmaker from the Joint List, Samy Abu Shehadeh, announced on Thursday that he has tested positive.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/israel-caught-in-the-middle-of-intensifying-rivalry-between-us-and-china-302292">Also read:&nbsp;Israel caught in the middle of intensifying rivalry between US and China</a>

"I appeal to anyone who was in my immediate area to go in isolation and do a test. I ask everyone to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Health,"&nbsp;he tweeted.

"We must all internalise that the campaign is not over yet. The virus still exists between us and the supposed return to routine helps the virus spread in a big and fast way," he added.

He claimed to have come in contact with thousands of people since the economy has reopened, and has urged people to quarantine themselves and take care.

He had been spotted at various events, cafeterias, mourning gatherings, offices and families of coronavirus victims&nbsp;without a mask.

Several lawmakers have entered quarantine since the outbreak of the pandemic but only Yaakov Litzman, who was the Health Minister before the formation of the new government on May 17, was diagnosed positive with the COVID-19.

(With inputs from PTI)

Israel reopened its economy after the country saw a decrease in the number of positive coronavirus cases. However, days after the country started functioning normally, a spike in positive cases was seen.

Israel reopened its economy after the country saw a decrease in the number of positive coronavirus cases. However, days after the country started functioning normally, a spike in positive cases was seen. Now, Israel's parliament has cancelled meetings scheduled for Thursday, and asked nearly 700 employees to stay at home after a lawmaker tested positive for the coronavirus, local media reported. Also read: Israeli schools to stay open despite COVID-19 outbreak at high school The Israeli government had earlier allowed restaurants, bars, schools, offices, tourist attractions and other businesses to reopen to help the crippling economy. Following the orders, the parliament, too, had started functioning again. However, a lawmaker from the Joint List, Samy Abu Shehadeh, announced on Thursday that he has tested positive. Also read: Israel caught in the middle of intensifying rivalry between US and China "I appeal to anyone who was in my immediate area to go in isolation and do a test. I ask everyone to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Health," he tweeted. "We must all internalise that the campaign is not over yet. The virus still exists between us and the supposed return to routine helps the virus spread in a big and fast way," he added. He claimed to have come in contact with thousands of people since the economy has reopened, and has urged people to quarantine themselves and take care. He had been spotted at various events, cafeterias, mourning gatherings, offices and families of coronavirus victims without a mask. Several lawmakers have entered quarantine since the outbreak of the pandemic but only Yaakov Litzman, who was the Health Minister before the formation of the new government on May 17, was diagnosed positive with the COVID-19. (With inputs from PTI)

Israel's lawmaker who was spotted without masks tests positive; 700 employees quarantined

Israel allowed citizens to return back to their day-to-day life as infections decreased. However, the country saw an increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases a day after Israel reopened.

However,&nbsp;Israeli schools will remain open despite a COVID-19 outbreak at a high school, the health ministry said on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/palestinian-shot-dead-in-jerusalem-by-israeli-police-301985">Also read:&nbsp;Palestinian shot dead in Jerusalem by Israeli police</a>

As the country saw more than 100 coronavirus cases after the country reopened, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that coronavirus curbs would be reimposed if infection rates increase. Majority of the new cases&nbsp;originated at one Jerusalem high school.

In a televised address, Netanyahu said it was still too early to say whether this showed a change in trend. The next few days would be examined to see whether there was a significant rise in infection rates that would require policy change, he said.

"It's too early to say whether there is a change in trend but it is not too early to say that there is a breakdown in discipline," Netanyahu said.

The Education Minister&nbsp;Yoav Gallant assured that a special team will make sure all educational institutions follow proper protocols of social distancing.

Israel has reported a total of some 17,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 284 deaths.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Israel allowed citizens to return back to their day-to-day life as infections decreased. However, the country saw an increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases a day after Israel reopened.

Israel allowed citizens to return back to their day-to-day life as infections decreased. However, the country saw an increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases a day after Israel reopened. However, Israeli schools will remain open despite a COVID-19 outbreak at a high school, the health ministry said on Saturday. Also read: Palestinian shot dead in Jerusalem by Israeli police As the country saw more than 100 coronavirus cases after the country reopened, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that coronavirus curbs would be reimposed if infection rates increase. Majority of the new cases originated at one Jerusalem high school. In a televised address, Netanyahu said it was still too early to say whether this showed a change in trend. The next few days would be examined to see whether there was a significant rise in infection rates that would require policy change, he said. "It's too early to say whether there is a change in trend but it is not too early to say that there is a breakdown in discipline," Netanyahu said. The Education Minister Yoav Gallant assured that a special team will make sure all educational institutions follow proper protocols of social distancing. Israel has reported a total of some 17,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 284 deaths. (With inputs from Reuters)

Israeli schools to stay open despite COVID-19 outbreak at high school

Israeli police officers&nbsp;shot a Palestinian in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, as per the local media.

The Palestinian was suspected of carrying a weapon, but was later found to have been unarmed, according to local media reports. However, the police has not confirmed if the suspect was unarmed. He was declared dead immediately after.

"Police units on patrol there spotted a suspect with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol. They called upon him to stop and began to chase after him on foot, during the chase officers also opened fire at the suspect," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/defiant-netanyahu-goes-on-trial-in-israel-charged-with-corruption-300799">Also read:&nbsp;Defiant Netanyahu goes on trial in Israel charged with corruption</a>

The local media also speculated that the suspect might have been mentally challenged. The police has not confirmed this speculation.

Tension has risen in recent weeks with Israel saying it hopes to move ahead with a plan to extend sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank - a de-facto annexation of land the Palestinians seek for a state.

This Friday, too,&nbsp;the Israeli military reported that&nbsp;its troops in the West Bank shot&nbsp;a Palestinian attacker who had tried to run them over with a car. The attacker was declared dead.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Israeli police officers shot a Palestinian in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, as per the local media. The Palestinian was suspected of carrying a weapon, but was later found to have been unarmed, according to local media reports.

Israeli police officers shot a Palestinian in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, as per the local media. The Palestinian was suspected of carrying a weapon, but was later found to have been unarmed, according to local media reports. However, the police has not confirmed if the suspect was unarmed. He was declared dead immediately after. "Police units on patrol there spotted a suspect with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol. They called upon him to stop and began to chase after him on foot, during the chase officers also opened fire at the suspect," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Also read: Defiant Netanyahu goes on trial in Israel charged with corruption The local media also speculated that the suspect might have been mentally challenged. The police has not confirmed this speculation. Tension has risen in recent weeks with Israel saying it hopes to move ahead with a plan to extend sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank - a de-facto annexation of land the Palestinians seek for a state. This Friday, too, the Israeli military reported that its troops in the West Bank shot a Palestinian attacker who had tried to run them over with a car. The attacker was declared dead. (With inputs from Reuters)

Palestinian shot dead in Jerusalem by Israeli police

Chinese Ambassador to Israel Du Wei was found dead Sunday in his apartment in a Tel Aviv suburb, according to Israeli media.

Police have launched an investigation into his death. According to new updates by the officials, case is being investigated as death by natural causes.&nbsp;

"Police are investigating this as death by natural causes," an Israeli official briefed on the matter told Reuters.

Wei, 58, was found dead in his bed and appears to have died in his sleep. Du Wei left behind a wife and a son. He was appointed as China’s envoy to Israel in February.&nbsp;

A police spokesman confirmed the ambassador's death at the residence in coastal Herzliya, adding only that police were at the scene "as part of the regular procedure".&nbsp;

(Inputs from agency)

Chinese Ambassador to Israel Du Wei was found dead Sunday in his apartment in a Tel Aviv suburb, according to Israeli media. Police have launched an investigation into his death.

Chinese Ambassador to Israel Du Wei was found dead Sunday in his apartment in a Tel Aviv suburb, according to Israeli media. Police have launched an investigation into his death. According to new updates by the officials, case is being investigated as death by natural causes. "Police are investigating this as death by natural causes," an Israeli official briefed on the matter told Reuters. Wei, 58, was found dead in his bed and appears to have died in his sleep. Du Wei left behind a wife and a son. He was appointed as China’s envoy to Israel in February. A police spokesman confirmed the ambassador's death at the residence in coastal Herzliya, adding only that police were at the scene "as part of the regular procedure". (Inputs from agency)

Chinese ambassador to Israel found dead in his home, likely due to natural causes: Officials

israel-0

Israel, News on Israel, stories on Israel, articles on Israel, Israel stories at Wion, Israel news, Israel latest news

israel 0