The Israeli military says Palestinian militants fired a rocket from Gaza into the country's south on Friday, the second incident in 24 hours. The rocket caused no damage or injuries.&nbsp;

In response, Israeli fighter jets and helicopters hit five sites of the militant Hamas group, which controls the Gaza Strip. There were no reports of casualties in the air raids, which the Israeli military said targeted a training site, weapons manufacturing facility and a factory producing building materials for for attack tunnels, among other targets.&nbsp;

Israel blames Hamas for any attack emanating from the Palestinian enclave.&nbsp;

Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the Islamic militant group, said the Israeli airstrikes 'will not break' Gaza.&nbsp;

Early on Friday, Israeli aircraft hit three facilities operated by Hamas in response to the previous rocket attack.&nbsp;

The Israeli response came after the military said a projectile fired from the Gaza Strip Thursday evening landed in south of the country. That rocket attacks and Israeli retaliatory raids broke weeks of relative cross-border calm. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Israeli military says Palestinian militants fired a rocket from Gaza into the country's south on Friday, the second incident in 24 hours. The rocket caused no damage or injuries.

The Israeli military says Palestinian militants fired a rocket from Gaza into the country's south on Friday, the second incident in 24 hours. The rocket caused no damage or injuries. In response, Israeli fighter jets and helicopters hit five sites of the militant Hamas group, which controls the Gaza Strip. There were no reports of casualties in the air raids, which the Israeli military said targeted a training site, weapons manufacturing facility and a factory producing building materials for for attack tunnels, among other targets. Israel blames Hamas for any attack emanating from the Palestinian enclave. Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the Islamic militant group, said the Israeli airstrikes 'will not break' Gaza. Early on Friday, Israeli aircraft hit three facilities operated by Hamas in response to the previous rocket attack. The Israeli response came after the military said a projectile fired from the Gaza Strip Thursday evening landed in south of the country. That rocket attacks and Israeli retaliatory raids broke weeks of relative cross-border calm. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel says Palestinian militants fired second rocket from Gaza in 24 hours 

The war of words between Iran and Israel over Iran's Natanz nuclear facility outage has heated up. The nuclear site that has been very active in the past few years is a Uranium enrichment site.&nbsp; 
The site was started by Iran in 2018 after former US President Donald Trump took US out of the nuclear deal with Iran The facility saw a blackout on Sunday.

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Sunday's outage was caused due to a cyberattack. Iran lost a key production facility. Iran has since blamed Israel for what it calls an act of sabotage.

"Various sources confirm that the Zionist regime was behind this incident (at Natanz). However, I am pleased that there have been no human casualties or environmental harm," said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh.

"Iran's answer will be to take revenge against the Zionist regime at the right time and place," he said.

Iran is also calling the cyber attack 'nuclear terrorism'. It could take 9 months to restore production at Natanz.

Israel has neither denied not taken responsibility of the attack. It has been seen that Israel never confirms or denies such operation.

However, Israeli media is saying a lot about this. It is widely reporting that Israel orchestrated this cyberattack. Israeli public radio even reported that Mossad was behind the operation.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not take responsibility of the attack bur chose to send Iran a message from an undisclosed location.

"The fight against Iran's nuclearisation and its proxies, the fight against the Iranian nuclearisation, the fight against the Iranian arming, is a massive task. The situation that exists today doesn't mean it will be the same situation tomorrow. It is very difficult to explain what we have done here, in this transition from nothingness, from complete helplessness that nothing compares to in the history of nations, to being the world power, yes, world power which we've built here. Definitely a regional power but in certain areas a world power," he said.

The timing of the attack on Natanz facility was significant, it took place when US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin was in Israel.

During his Israel visit, Austin spoke of America's "Ironclad" commitment to Israel.

But when he was asked specifically about Iran and the cyber attack, he didn't have very much to say.

"I'm aware of the reports. I really don't have anything to add on Natanz. In terms of, you know, our efforts to engage Iran in diplomacy on the JCPOA, those efforts will continue. And I'm very obviously supportive of the president's efforts to negotiate a way ahead there. And I'll just leave it at that," said Austin.

A week ago the US and Iran began discussing a truce in Vienna. Israel hasn't been happy about this. It doesn't want the nuclear accord to be revived. It doesn't want Joe Biden to be talking to the Iranians.

There is lot to suggest that Iran and Israel see each other as existential threats. Both countries have vowed to wipe each other off the face of the earth.

Now, with this attack, Israel has sent a message to Washington that it is determined to stop or delay any efforts to restore the Iran nuclear deal. The hardliners in tehran will push for revenge. This could complicate any future negotiations for America.

The war of words between Iran and Israel over Iran's Natanz nuclear facility outage has heated up. The nuclear site that has been very active in the past few years is a Uranium enrichment site.

The war of words between Iran and Israel over Iran's Natanz nuclear facility outage has heated up. The nuclear site that has been very active in the past few years is a Uranium enrichment site. The site was started by Iran in 2018 after former US President Donald Trump took US out of the nuclear deal with Iran The facility saw a blackout on Sunday. Sunday's outage was caused due to a cyberattack. Iran lost a key production facility. Iran has since blamed Israel for what it calls an act of sabotage. "Various sources confirm that the Zionist regime was behind this incident (at Natanz). However, I am pleased that there have been no human casualties or environmental harm," said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh. "Iran's answer will be to take revenge against the Zionist regime at the right time and place," he said. Iran is also calling the cyber attack 'nuclear terrorism'. It could take 9 months to restore production at Natanz. Israel has neither denied not taken responsibility of the attack. It has been seen that Israel never confirms or denies such operation. However, Israeli media is saying a lot about this. It is widely reporting that Israel orchestrated this cyberattack. Israeli public radio even reported that Mossad was behind the operation. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not take responsibility of the attack bur chose to send Iran a message from an undisclosed location. "The fight against Iran's nuclearisation and its proxies, the fight against the Iranian nuclearisation, the fight against the Iranian arming, is a massive task. The situation that exists today doesn't mean it will be the same situation tomorrow. It is very difficult to explain what we have done here, in this transition from nothingness, from complete helplessness that nothing compares to in the history of nations, to being the world power, yes, world power which we've built here. Definitely a regional power but in certain areas a world power," he said. The timing of the attack on Natanz facility was significant, it took place when US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin was in Israel. During his Israel visit, Austin spoke of America's "Ironclad" commitment to Israel. But when he was asked specifically about Iran and the cyber attack, he didn't have very much to say. "I'm aware of the reports. I really don't have anything to add on Natanz. In terms of, you know, our efforts to engage Iran in diplomacy on the JCPOA, those efforts will continue. And I'm very obviously supportive of the president's efforts to negotiate a way ahead there. And I'll just leave it at that," said Austin. A week ago the US and Iran began discussing a truce in Vienna. Israel hasn't been happy about this. It doesn't want the nuclear accord to be revived. It doesn't want Joe Biden to be talking to the Iranians. There is lot to suggest that Iran and Israel see each other as existential threats. Both countries have vowed to wipe each other off the face of the earth. Now, with this attack, Israel has sent a message to Washington that it is determined to stop or delay any efforts to restore the Iran nuclear deal. The hardliners in tehran will push for revenge. This could complicate any future negotiations for America.

Iran-Israel war of words ensues over Natanz nuclear facility power outage

Amid resumption of talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Israel on Sunday. He met Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz who indicated Israel's willingness to work with US over Iran issue. Gantz told Austin that Israel will work with the US to ensure any&nbsp;"new agreement"&nbsp; on Iran's nuclear programme will&nbsp;safeguard regional security.

Gantz said "we will work closely with our American allies to ensure that any new agreement with Iran will secure the vital interests of the world and the United States, prevent a dangerous arms race in our region and protect the State of Israel".&nbsp;

Stressing America's "iron-clad" bond with Israel, Austin said the US will "continue close consultations to ensure Israel's qualitative military edge and to strengthen Israel's security".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-atomic-agency-claims-nuclear-facility-hit-by-terrorism-376886">Iran atomic agency claims nuclear facility hit by 'terrorism'</a>

This is the first high-level visit from the new US administration to Israel.&nbsp;

Austin's visit comes just days after Washington said it had offered "very serious" ideas on reviving the hobbled agreement that is staunchly opposed by Israel.

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Israel under hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a fierce critic of the Iran nuclear deal, dating back to when it was being negotiated during Barack Obama's administration.

Netanyahu had applauded when former US President Donald Trump had unilaterally withdrawn from the nuclear deal in 2018. The ensuing developments involved US reimposing sanctions and Iran stepping back from some of its commitments in the deal.

In the latest breach of its undertakings in the troubled agreement, Tehran announced on Saturday that it had started up advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges.

President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated a cascade of 164 IR-6 centrifuges for producing enriched uranium, as well as two test cascades -- of 30 IR-5 and 30 IR-6S devices respectively -- at Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment plant, in a ceremony broadcast by state television.

(With AFP inputs)

Amid resumption of talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Israel on Sunday. He met Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz who indicated Israel's willingness to work with US over Iran issue.

Amid resumption of talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Israel on Sunday. He met Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz who indicated Israel's willingness to work with US over Iran issue. Gantz told Austin that Israel will work with the US to ensure any "new agreement" on Iran's nuclear programme will safeguard regional security. Gantz said "we will work closely with our American allies to ensure that any new agreement with Iran will secure the vital interests of the world and the United States, prevent a dangerous arms race in our region and protect the State of Israel". Stressing America's "iron-clad" bond with Israel, Austin said the US will "continue close consultations to ensure Israel's qualitative military edge and to strengthen Israel's security". Also Read | Iran atomic agency claims nuclear facility hit by 'terrorism' This is the first high-level visit from the new US administration to Israel. Austin's visit comes just days after Washington said it had offered "very serious" ideas on reviving the hobbled agreement that is staunchly opposed by Israel. × Israel under hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a fierce critic of the Iran nuclear deal, dating back to when it was being negotiated during Barack Obama's administration. Netanyahu had applauded when former US President Donald Trump had unilaterally withdrawn from the nuclear deal in 2018. The ensuing developments involved US reimposing sanctions and Iran stepping back from some of its commitments in the deal. In the latest breach of its undertakings in the troubled agreement, Tehran announced on Saturday that it had started up advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges. President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated a cascade of 164 IR-6 centrifuges for producing enriched uranium, as well as two test cascades -- of 30 IR-5 and 30 IR-6S devices respectively -- at Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment plant, in a ceremony broadcast by state television. (With AFP inputs)

Israel indicates willingness to work with US over Iran

Israel on Thursday said it has formally decided not to cooperate with an International Criminal Court war crimes investigation into the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The ICC's chief prosecutor announced on March 3 that she had opened a full investigation into the situation in the Israeli-occupied territories, infuriating Israel, which not a member of The Hague-based court.

The ICC sent a deferral notice on March 9, giving Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) a month to inform judges whether they are investigating crimes similar to those being probed by the ICC.

Had Israel informed the court that it was carrying out its probe into alleged war crimes perpetrators, it could have asked for a deferral.

Ahead of the deadline, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying the government had agreed "to not cooperate" with the ICC.

Israel would instead send a letter to the court "completely rejecting the claim that Israel commits war crimes", it said.

The letter would also "reiterate Israel's unequivocal position that The Hague tribunal has no authority to open an investigation against it".

"The state of Israel is committed to the rule of law... and expects the court to refrain from violating its sovereignty and authority," the statement reads.

'Hypocrisy'

The PA, based in the occupied West Bank, has been a state party to the ICC since 2015.

The Palestinians have welcomed the investigation and said they will not seek any deferral.

The world's only permanent war crimes tribunal, the ICC was set up in 2002 to try humanity's worst crimes where local courts are unwilling or unable to step in.

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has said her probe will cover the situation since 2014 in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

It will mainly focus on the 2014 Gaza war but also look at the deaths of Palestinian demonstrators from 2018 onwards.

After a five-year preliminary probe, Bensouda said there was a "reasonable basis" to believe crimes were committed by both sides -- by the Israeli military, Hamas Islamists who have controlled Gaza since 2007 and Palestinian armed groups.

Hamas has welcomed the ICC probe and argued that its attacks on Israel were justified acts of "resistance".

Netanyahu, a vocal critic of the ICC, on Thursday, accused the court of "hypocrisy" of targeting Israeli troops who "fight with high moral conduct against terrorists".

The long-serving premier has previously lambasted the decision to open the probe as the "essence of anti-Semitism" and declared Israel was "under attack".

Thursday's statement marked the first time that Netanyahu had made it clear Israel would not directly engage with the ICC.

The United States has also criticised the ICC investigation and voiced support for its ally Israel.

The ICC last week welcomed US President Joe Biden's lifting of sanctions imposed by Donald Trump on Bensouda, saying it signalled a new era of cooperation with Washington.

The Trump administration imposed financial sanctions and a visa ban on Bensouda last year after she launched an investigation into alleged war crimes by US military personnel in Afghanistan.

Israel on Thursday said it has formally decided not to cooperate with an International Criminal Court war crimes investigation into the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israel on Thursday said it has formally decided not to cooperate with an International Criminal Court war crimes investigation into the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The ICC's chief prosecutor announced on March 3 that she had opened a full investigation into the situation in the Israeli-occupied territories, infuriating Israel, which not a member of The Hague-based court. The ICC sent a deferral notice on March 9, giving Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) a month to inform judges whether they are investigating crimes similar to those being probed by the ICC. Had Israel informed the court that it was carrying out its probe into alleged war crimes perpetrators, it could have asked for a deferral. Ahead of the deadline, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying the government had agreed "to not cooperate" with the ICC. Israel would instead send a letter to the court "completely rejecting the claim that Israel commits war crimes", it said. The letter would also "reiterate Israel's unequivocal position that The Hague tribunal has no authority to open an investigation against it". "The state of Israel is committed to the rule of law... and expects the court to refrain from violating its sovereignty and authority," the statement reads. 'Hypocrisy' The PA, based in the occupied West Bank, has been a state party to the ICC since 2015. The Palestinians have welcomed the investigation and said they will not seek any deferral. The world's only permanent war crimes tribunal, the ICC was set up in 2002 to try humanity's worst crimes where local courts are unwilling or unable to step in. ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has said her probe will cover the situation since 2014 in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. It will mainly focus on the 2014 Gaza war but also look at the deaths of Palestinian demonstrators from 2018 onwards. After a five-year preliminary probe, Bensouda said there was a "reasonable basis" to believe crimes were committed by both sides -- by the Israeli military, Hamas Islamists who have controlled Gaza since 2007 and Palestinian armed groups. Hamas has welcomed the ICC probe and argued that its attacks on Israel were justified acts of "resistance". Netanyahu, a vocal critic of the ICC, on Thursday, accused the court of "hypocrisy" of targeting Israeli troops who "fight with high moral conduct against terrorists". The long-serving premier has previously lambasted the decision to open the probe as the "essence of anti-Semitism" and declared Israel was "under attack". Thursday's statement marked the first time that Netanyahu had made it clear Israel would not directly engage with the ICC. The United States has also criticised the ICC investigation and voiced support for its ally Israel. The ICC last week welcomed US President Joe Biden's lifting of sanctions imposed by Donald Trump on Bensouda, saying it signalled a new era of cooperation with Washington. The Trump administration imposed financial sanctions and a visa ban on Bensouda last year after she launched an investigation into alleged war crimes by US military personnel in Afghanistan.

Israel refuses to work with ICC on war crimes probe, says 'no authority'

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to Israel, Germany, Britain and the NATO headquarters in Belgium in the coming week for talks with government and military leaders, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

The highest ranked official of the administration of President Joe Biden to visit Israel, Austin will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, where discussions will cover "shared priorities" and reaffirm Washington's commitment to Israel maintaining military superiority over its neighbors, according to a Pentagon statement.

In Europe, he will hold talks with German defense minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Chancellery Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Dr. Jan Hecker, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and British defense minister Ben Wallace.

Austin will leave Washington on Saturday, but the dates for his stops in each country were not given.

The trip coincides with rising tensions between Israel and Iran just as the Biden administration tries to engage Tehran over returning to the nuclear pact effectively torn up by former president Donald Trump.

In Europe it comes as Russia has sent shivers across the continent with the massing of a troops and war equipment along its border with Ukraine.

"Russia now has more troops on the border of Ukraine than at any time since 2014," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday, saying Biden was "increasingly concerned."

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to Israel, Germany, Britain and the NATO headquarters in Belgium in the coming week for talks with government and military leaders, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to Israel, Germany, Britain and the NATO headquarters in Belgium in the coming week for talks with government and military leaders, the Pentagon announced Thursday. The highest ranked official of the administration of President Joe Biden to visit Israel, Austin will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, where discussions will cover "shared priorities" and reaffirm Washington's commitment to Israel maintaining military superiority over its neighbors, according to a Pentagon statement. In Europe, he will hold talks with German defense minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Chancellery Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Dr. Jan Hecker, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and British defense minister Ben Wallace. Austin will leave Washington on Saturday, but the dates for his stops in each country were not given. The trip coincides with rising tensions between Israel and Iran just as the Biden administration tries to engage Tehran over returning to the nuclear pact effectively torn up by former president Donald Trump. In Europe it comes as Russia has sent shivers across the continent with the massing of a troops and war equipment along its border with Ukraine. "Russia now has more troops on the border of Ukraine than at any time since 2014," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday, saying Biden was "increasingly concerned."

Pentagon chief Austin to visit Israel, Germany, Britain

American multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer has halted a shipment of 700,000 COVID vaccines scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday following the country's failure to pay for the last 2.5 million doses shipped there.

Calling Israel a ‘banana republic,’ Pfizer has frozen further deliveries of the Covid-19 vaccine until it gets paid for the last doses.

Pfizer Officials said that they couldn’t understand how something like this could happen in an organized country.

According to Reuters, the Israeli government sought to buy around 36 million more Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses, which would cost the country around 3.5 billion shekels (around $1.05 million). 
 
But these plans - as well as a motion to approve funds to pay for the 700,000 COVID vaccines - were halted when Netanyahu and defence minister Benny Gantz got into a political tiff over judicial appointments. 
 
The vaccine, approved by the Western nations last year, uses mRNA technology.

It is approved for people aged 16 and above in the US and the European Union.&nbsp;

A real-world study of 1.2 million people in Israel found that the vaccine is 94 per cent effective.&nbsp;

Israel has recorded over 834,000 COVID cases and 6,243 deaths to date.

(With inputs from agencies)

American multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer has halted a shipment of 700,000 COVID vaccines scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday following the country's failure to pay for the last 2.

American multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer has halted a shipment of 700,000 COVID vaccines scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday following the country's failure to pay for the last 2.5 million doses shipped there. Calling Israel a ‘banana republic,’ Pfizer has frozen further deliveries of the Covid-19 vaccine until it gets paid for the last doses. Pfizer Officials said that they couldn’t understand how something like this could happen in an organized country. According to Reuters, the Israeli government sought to buy around 36 million more Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses, which would cost the country around 3.5 billion shekels (around $1.05 million). But these plans - as well as a motion to approve funds to pay for the 700,000 COVID vaccines - were halted when Netanyahu and defence minister Benny Gantz got into a political tiff over judicial appointments. The vaccine, approved by the Western nations last year, uses mRNA technology. It is approved for people aged 16 and above in the US and the European Union. A real-world study of 1.2 million people in Israel found that the vaccine is 94 per cent effective. Israel has recorded over 834,000 COVID cases and 6,243 deaths to date. (With inputs from agencies)

Pfizer halts delivery of Covid-19 vaccines to ‘banana republic’ Israel after country fails to pay

Iran has arrested an ‘Israeli spy’ and a number of other people, who were in contact with foreign intelligence services, Iranian state media reported on Monday, without giving the nationality of those arrested.

"An Israeli spy has been arrested in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province ... also other spies, who were in contact with several countries’ intelligence services have been arrested as well," it quoted an Intelligence Ministry official as saying.&nbsp;

Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the report.

The Islamic Republic does not recognise Israel and has accused it of being behind acts of sabotage and assassinations of nuclear scientists.

An Iranian convicted of spying for US and Israeli intelligence was executed in 2020.&nbsp;

Iran has blamed Israel for last year’s killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was seen by Western intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert Iranian nuclear weapons programme.&nbsp;

Tehran has denied seeking to build a nuclear arsenal. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the killing.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran has arrested an ‘Israeli spy’ and a number of other people, who were in contact with foreign intelligence services, Iranian state media reported on Monday, without giving the nationality of those arrested.

Iran has arrested an ‘Israeli spy’ and a number of other people, who were in contact with foreign intelligence services, Iranian state media reported on Monday, without giving the nationality of those arrested. "An Israeli spy has been arrested in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province ... also other spies, who were in contact with several countries’ intelligence services have been arrested as well," it quoted an Intelligence Ministry official as saying. Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the report. The Islamic Republic does not recognise Israel and has accused it of being behind acts of sabotage and assassinations of nuclear scientists. An Iranian convicted of spying for US and Israeli intelligence was executed in 2020. Iran has blamed Israel for last year’s killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was seen by Western intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert Iranian nuclear weapons programme. Tehran has denied seeking to build a nuclear arsenal. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the killing. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran arrests 'Israeli spy', others in touch with foreign intelligence: Report

Hinting at the possibility of Israel signing more peace accords with other nations, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, said, "There is a lot of talk about different countries. I would guesstimate Oman, who also has a young leader interested in peaceful relations with Israel."&nbsp;

Speaking at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, she said there have been "incredible overtures" and "'under the radar cooperation'' in the context of normalisation with Indonesia, which has one of the largest Muslim population in the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The countries doing under the radar normalisation with Israel will be the countries who will be going for official normalisation in a year or so, according to the politician. "About 200 Israeli companies were trading with UAE under the radar for years before official normalisation of ties,” added Hassan-Nahoum.&nbsp;

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Speaking at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> in Dubai, Israeli politician <a href="https://twitter.com/FleurHassanN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FleurHassanN</a> shed light on what Abraham Accords meant for Israelis on the ground<a href="https://t.co/vHVsUAkxzx">https://t.co/vHVsUAkxzx</a>
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Israel also wants normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia. "There is a desire to begin under the radar engagement with Saudi Arabia in the form of exchange in innovation through Bahrain," she revealed.&nbsp; 
The deputy mayor expressed hope that these initiatives will continue to accelerate and said Israel has always been ready for peace with all the neighbours, including Palestinians with open hands.&nbsp;

"Israel wants peace and is always ready to make painful compromises to get it. Every parent has to send their sons to army at the age of 18. I am sending my son in six months. No parent would want to if there is a choice." &nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Hassan-Nahoum, there is only one way forward, which is peace and co-existence. &nbsp;Israel looks to bring peace to the whole region and wants a peaceful Palestine, she added. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hinting at the possibility of Israel signing more peace accords with other nations, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, said, "There is a lot of talk about different countries.

Hinting at the possibility of Israel signing more peace accords with other nations, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, said, "There is a lot of talk about different countries. I would guesstimate Oman, who also has a young leader interested in peaceful relations with Israel." Speaking at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, she said there have been "incredible overtures" and "'under the radar cooperation'' in the context of normalisation with Indonesia, which has one of the largest Muslim population in the world. The countries doing under the radar normalisation with Israel will be the countries who will be going for official normalisation in a year or so, according to the politician. "About 200 Israeli companies were trading with UAE under the radar for years before official normalisation of ties,” added Hassan-Nahoum. Speaking at #WIONGlobalSummit in Dubai, Israeli politician @FleurHassanN shed light on what Abraham Accords meant for Israelis on the groundhttps://t.co/vHVsUAkxzx — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × Israel also wants normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia. "There is a desire to begin under the radar engagement with Saudi Arabia in the form of exchange in innovation through Bahrain," she revealed. The deputy mayor expressed hope that these initiatives will continue to accelerate and said Israel has always been ready for peace with all the neighbours, including Palestinians with open hands. "Israel wants peace and is always ready to make painful compromises to get it. Every parent has to send their sons to army at the age of 18. I am sending my son in six months. No parent would want to if there is a choice." According to Hassan-Nahoum, there is only one way forward, which is peace and co-existence. Israel looks to bring peace to the whole region and wants a peaceful Palestine, she added.

Israeli politician hints at peace accords with Oman, Indonesia at WION Global Summit

It is hard for any Middle East peace accord to have an effect on ground until grievances of people in Palestine were addressed, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Yemen Mustapha Noman said on Wednesday at &nbsp;WION's Global Summit 2021 in Dubai.

"Unless the grievances of the people in Palestine are solved justly, I think any agreement that will happen in future will also not be reflected on the ground," he said.

Noman was speaking at a session titled Peace Deals &amp; the Shifting Sands of West Asia, specifically answering a question on the Abraham Accords on normalisation of ties between Israel and key Arab states.

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The Abraham Accords of 2020 resulted in normalisation of ties of Israel with Bahrain as well as UAE.

Bahrain and UAE became the key Arab states to establish ties with Israel after decades of enmity. &nbsp;The Abraham Accords were brokered by the US during last few months of Donald Trump's presidency.&nbsp;They were largely considered to be a thaw in frosty relations between Israel and Arab countries.

However, Mustapha Noman said that he was "not very optimistic".

"The issue will always be there unless we tackle the matter unless we really work hard towards a two-state solution," he said.

It is hard for any Middle East peace accord to have an effect on ground until grievances of people in Palestine were addressed, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Yemen Mustapha Noman said on Wednesday at WION's Global Summit 2021 in Dubai.

It is hard for any Middle East peace accord to have an effect on ground until grievances of people in Palestine were addressed, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Yemen Mustapha Noman said on Wednesday at WION's Global Summit 2021 in Dubai. "Unless the grievances of the people in Palestine are solved justly, I think any agreement that will happen in future will also not be reflected on the ground," he said. Noman was speaking at a session titled Peace Deals & the Shifting Sands of West Asia, specifically answering a question on the Abraham Accords on normalisation of ties between Israel and key Arab states. × The Abraham Accords of 2020 resulted in normalisation of ties of Israel with Bahrain as well as UAE. Bahrain and UAE became the key Arab states to establish ties with Israel after decades of enmity. The Abraham Accords were brokered by the US during last few months of Donald Trump's presidency. They were largely considered to be a thaw in frosty relations between Israel and Arab countries. However, Mustapha Noman said that he was "not very optimistic". "The issue will always be there unless we tackle the matter unless we really work hard towards a two-state solution," he said.

Addressing Palestinian grievances necessary: Former Yemen minister tells WION Global Summit

Israel is highly likely to have been behind an attack in the Mediterranean this week that damaged an Iranian container ship, an Iranian investigator said on Saturday, Iran's media reported.&nbsp;

The Shahr e Kord vessel was hit by an explosive object which caused a small fire, but no one on board was hurt, Iran said on Friday. Two maritime security sources said initial indications suggested the ship was intentionally targeted by an unknown source.&nbsp;

"Considering the geographical location and the way the ship was targeted, one of the strong possibilities is that this terrorist operation was carried out by the Zionist regime (Israel)," an unnamed member of the Iranian team investigating the incident was quoted as saying by semi-official Nournews.&nbsp;

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz declined to comment directly about the incident when addressing a webinar on Saturday hosted by his Blue and White party, but he said, Iran regularly sent weapons to its proxies in the region.&nbsp;

"We foil arms supplies and other things relating to operational development and military capabilities by air, sea and land," Gantz said. "And by this, I am not saying whether we did or did not do this or that."&nbsp;

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said reports confirmed an act of sabotage in violation of international law, state media said. "Measures to identify the perpetrators of this sabotage action are on the agenda," he said.&nbsp;

The Iranian investigator said explosive projectiles could have been fired from an aerial vehicle, hitting containers on the ship's deck.&nbsp;

Iran's state-run shipping company IRISL said it would take legal action to identify the perpetrators of the attack, which it called terrorism and naval piracy.&nbsp;

The incident came two weeks after an Israeli-owned ship the MV HELIOS RAY was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman.&nbsp;

The cause was not immediately clear, although a US defence official said the blast left holes in both sides of the vessel's hull. Israel accused Iran of being behind the explosion, a charge the Islamic Republic denied.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Israel is highly likely to have been behind an attack in the Mediterranean this week that damaged an Iranian container ship, an Iranian investigator said on Saturday, Iran's media reported.

Israel is highly likely to have been behind an attack in the Mediterranean this week that damaged an Iranian container ship, an Iranian investigator said on Saturday, Iran's media reported. The Shahr e Kord vessel was hit by an explosive object which caused a small fire, but no one on board was hurt, Iran said on Friday. Two maritime security sources said initial indications suggested the ship was intentionally targeted by an unknown source. "Considering the geographical location and the way the ship was targeted, one of the strong possibilities is that this terrorist operation was carried out by the Zionist regime (Israel)," an unnamed member of the Iranian team investigating the incident was quoted as saying by semi-official Nournews. Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz declined to comment directly about the incident when addressing a webinar on Saturday hosted by his Blue and White party, but he said, Iran regularly sent weapons to its proxies in the region. "We foil arms supplies and other things relating to operational development and military capabilities by air, sea and land," Gantz said. "And by this, I am not saying whether we did or did not do this or that." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said reports confirmed an act of sabotage in violation of international law, state media said. "Measures to identify the perpetrators of this sabotage action are on the agenda," he said. The Iranian investigator said explosive projectiles could have been fired from an aerial vehicle, hitting containers on the ship's deck. Iran's state-run shipping company IRISL said it would take legal action to identify the perpetrators of the attack, which it called terrorism and naval piracy. The incident came two weeks after an Israeli-owned ship the MV HELIOS RAY was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman. The cause was not immediately clear, although a US defence official said the blast left holes in both sides of the vessel's hull. Israel accused Iran of being behind the explosion, a charge the Islamic Republic denied. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel likely behind container ship attack: Iranian investigator  

Yehya Al-Sinwar&nbsp;has been re-elected to head Hamas in the Gaza Strip for a second term, officials said on Wednesday, reflecting his control over both political and military wings of the Islamist group that rules the Palestinian enclave.&nbsp;

Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza since 2017, was freed in a 2011 prisoner swap with Israel after spending more than 20 years behind bars on charges that included killing suspected informants against Palestinian militants.&nbsp;

While he supports Hamas' opposition to co-existence with Israel,&nbsp;Sinwar&nbsp;has maintained a relatively stable standoff across the Gaza border.&nbsp;

He has also sought improved ties with Egypt, which maintains restrictions along its frontier with Gaza, a small Mediterranean coastal territory.&nbsp;

"Sinwar's&nbsp;victory shows the man maintains a strong grip on things inside the movement, especially within its vital components such as the military wing," said Gaza political analyst Adnan Abu Amer.&nbsp;

"The win will enable&nbsp;Sinwar&nbsp;to pursue his policies, whether inside Gaza or with regional countries and the handling of the conflict with Israel."&nbsp;

Sinwar's&nbsp;main challenger in the election, which is only open to&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;members including those in Israeli prisons, was Nizar Awadallah, a long-time official and co-negotiator of the 2011 swap deal.&nbsp;

In a statement issued by Awadallah, he stressed his support for&nbsp;Sinwar, saying: "We stand by his side in every position to achieve the goals of our project and our movement."&nbsp;

Hamas has yet to elect a leader for the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Sources said his identity would be kept secret as protection against Israel or the administration of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas rival.&nbsp;

Filling the position of Hamas’s political chief, who also speaks for its military wing, will require more time. The overall leader of Hamas is Ismail Haniyeh, who is also based in Gaza.&nbsp;

Haniyeh is facing a challenge this time by the former head of the group, Khaled&nbsp;Meshaal, who lives in Qatar.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Yehya Al-Sinwar has been re-elected to head Hamas in the Gaza Strip for a second term, officials said on Wednesday, reflecting his control over both political and military wings of the Islamist group that rules the Palestinian enclave.

Yehya Al-Sinwar has been re-elected to head Hamas in the Gaza Strip for a second term, officials said on Wednesday, reflecting his control over both political and military wings of the Islamist group that rules the Palestinian enclave. Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza since 2017, was freed in a 2011 prisoner swap with Israel after spending more than 20 years behind bars on charges that included killing suspected informants against Palestinian militants. While he supports Hamas' opposition to co-existence with Israel, Sinwar has maintained a relatively stable standoff across the Gaza border. He has also sought improved ties with Egypt, which maintains restrictions along its frontier with Gaza, a small Mediterranean coastal territory. "Sinwar's victory shows the man maintains a strong grip on things inside the movement, especially within its vital components such as the military wing," said Gaza political analyst Adnan Abu Amer. "The win will enable Sinwar to pursue his policies, whether inside Gaza or with regional countries and the handling of the conflict with Israel." Sinwar's main challenger in the election, which is only open to Hamas members including those in Israeli prisons, was Nizar Awadallah, a long-time official and co-negotiator of the 2011 swap deal. In a statement issued by Awadallah, he stressed his support for Sinwar, saying: "We stand by his side in every position to achieve the goals of our project and our movement." Hamas has yet to elect a leader for the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Sources said his identity would be kept secret as protection against Israel or the administration of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas rival. Filling the position of Hamas’s political chief, who also speaks for its military wing, will require more time. The overall leader of Hamas is Ismail Haniyeh, who is also based in Gaza. Haniyeh is facing a challenge this time by the former head of the group, Khaled Meshaal, who lives in Qatar. (With inputs from agencies)

Sinwar re-elected as Hamas chief in Gaza 

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to make his first official visit to the UAE on Thursday following an agreement between the two countries to establish ties, Israeli media reported.

A senior official in Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the reports by Israeli public radio, Haaretz newspaper and other outlets.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-austria-and-denmark-establish-vaccine-supply-alliance-368066">&nbsp;Israel, Austria and Denmark establish vaccine-supply alliance</a>

The reported visit would take place less than two weeks before Netanyahu faces re-election, Israel's fourth vote in less than two years.&nbsp;

The veteran prime minister, in power since 2009, has sought to highlight his credentials as Israel's top statesman as part of his re-election pitch.&nbsp;

According to the Israeli reports, Netanyahu will meet with the UAE's leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at Abu Dhabi's airport.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-bahrain-leaders-discuss-vaccine-plant-netanyahu-visit-to-gulf-state-366232">&nbsp;Israel, Bahrain leaders discuss vaccine plant, Netanyahu visit to Gulf state</a>

He will then return to Jerusalem for talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the vaccination effort against Covid-19.

The United Arab Emirates normalised ties with the Jewish state last September, making it the first Arab country to sign on to the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by former US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

The deal made the UAE only the third majority Arab state to establish ties with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan subsequently joined the Abraham Accords.&nbsp;

Netanyahu had been set to visit UAE and Bahrain in February, but the trip was put off after Israel imposed travel limitations to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to make his first official visit to the UAE on Thursday following an agreement between the two countries to establish ties, Israeli media reported.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to make his first official visit to the UAE on Thursday following an agreement between the two countries to establish ties, Israeli media reported. A senior official in Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the reports by Israeli public radio, Haaretz newspaper and other outlets. Also read | Israel, Austria and Denmark establish vaccine-supply alliance The reported visit would take place less than two weeks before Netanyahu faces re-election, Israel's fourth vote in less than two years. The veteran prime minister, in power since 2009, has sought to highlight his credentials as Israel's top statesman as part of his re-election pitch. According to the Israeli reports, Netanyahu will meet with the UAE's leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at Abu Dhabi's airport. Also read | Israel, Bahrain leaders discuss vaccine plant, Netanyahu visit to Gulf state He will then return to Jerusalem for talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the vaccination effort against Covid-19. The United Arab Emirates normalised ties with the Jewish state last September, making it the first Arab country to sign on to the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by former US President Donald Trump. The deal made the UAE only the third majority Arab state to establish ties with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan subsequently joined the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu had been set to visit UAE and Bahrain in February, but the trip was put off after Israel imposed travel limitations to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Israel's Netanyahu to make first official trip to UAE Thursday: Reports

Israel estimates that hundreds of its citizens might be subject to war crimes probes by the International Criminal Court, whose jurisdiction it rejects, and is working on how to protect them, the Defence Minister said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Including himself among Israelis, who could be threatened with arrest, Benny Gantz said, "I was never afraid to go across enemy lines, I will continue to stand wherever I have to."&nbsp;

The Hague-based tribunal ruled last month that it has jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. The ruling could lead to criminal investigations of Israel and of Palestinian militant groups including Hamas.&nbsp;

Israel is not a member of the court and rejects its jurisdiction, a position backed by its close ally the United States. Palestinians have welcomed the ruling as a chance for justice for victims of Israeli attacks.&nbsp;

In an interview on Israel's fortified border with Gaza, Gantz, who also holds Israel's justice portfolio, called the ruling a 'negative development', and added, "We have our own teams working in different (places) to try (and) influence (the ICC)."&nbsp;

Gantz was the military's chief of staff during a 2014 war between Israel and militants in Hamas-controlled Gaza. The ICC has pointed to that conflict as a potential issue to be probed.&nbsp;

Asked how many Israelis, including himself, might expect to be subject to arrest should the probe lead to criminal investigations, Gantz said, "I guess several hundred, but we will take care of everybody."&nbsp;

Gantz called that 'an estimate', declining to say if Israel had drawn up a list of officials. Israel will provide legal assistance to any implicated Israelis and will give them legal warnings regarding travel if necessary, Gantz said.&nbsp;

Asked if he himself might change his travel plans in light of the ICC probe, Gantz said, "So far, no."&nbsp;

Israel estimates that hundreds of its citizens might be subject to war crimes probes by the International Criminal Court, whose jurisdiction it rejects, and is working on how to protect them, the Defence Minister said on Tuesday.

Israel estimates that hundreds of its citizens might be subject to war crimes probes by the International Criminal Court, whose jurisdiction it rejects, and is working on how to protect them, the Defence Minister said on Tuesday. Including himself among Israelis, who could be threatened with arrest, Benny Gantz said, "I was never afraid to go across enemy lines, I will continue to stand wherever I have to." The Hague-based tribunal ruled last month that it has jurisdiction over the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. The ruling could lead to criminal investigations of Israel and of Palestinian militant groups including Hamas. Israel is not a member of the court and rejects its jurisdiction, a position backed by its close ally the United States. Palestinians have welcomed the ruling as a chance for justice for victims of Israeli attacks. In an interview on Israel's fortified border with Gaza, Gantz, who also holds Israel's justice portfolio, called the ruling a 'negative development', and added, "We have our own teams working in different (places) to try (and) influence (the ICC)." Gantz was the military's chief of staff during a 2014 war between Israel and militants in Hamas-controlled Gaza. The ICC has pointed to that conflict as a potential issue to be probed. Asked how many Israelis, including himself, might expect to be subject to arrest should the probe lead to criminal investigations, Gantz said, "I guess several hundred, but we will take care of everybody." Gantz called that 'an estimate', declining to say if Israel had drawn up a list of officials. Israel will provide legal assistance to any implicated Israelis and will give them legal warnings regarding travel if necessary, Gantz said. Asked if he himself might change his travel plans in light of the ICC probe, Gantz said, "So far, no."

Israel to protect hundreds of personnel against ICC probe 

Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union, have broken ranks with Brussels to form an alliance with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

The move by the two EU member states comes amid rising anger over delays in ordering, approving and distributing vaccines that have left the 27-member bloc trailing far behind Israel's world-beating vaccination campaign.&nbsp;

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said while the principle that the EU procures vaccines for member states was correct, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had been too slow to approve them and lambasted pharmaceutical companies' supply bottlenecks.&nbsp;

"We must therefore prepare for further mutations and should no longer be dependent only on the EU for the production of second-generation vaccines," the conservative chancellor said in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Danish Prime Minister Danish Mette Frederiksen was also critical of the EU's vaccine programme.&nbsp;

“I don’t think it can stand alone, because we need to increase capacity. That is why we are now fortunate to start a partnership with Israel," she told reporters on Monday.&nbsp;

When asked if Denmark and Austria wanted to take unilateral action in obtaining vaccines, Frederiksen said: “You can call it that.”&nbsp;

Kurz and Frederiksen are due to travel to Israel this week to see Israel's rapid vaccine roll-out up close.&nbsp;

A growing number of EU countries have placed side orders for doses of vaccines from Russia and China, even though the EMA is yet to rule on whether they are both safe and effective.&nbsp;

Slovakia on Monday ordered two million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. It expects half to arrive this month as it looks to step up vaccinations amid a surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths.&nbsp;

Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union, have broken ranks with Brussels to form an alliance with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus.

Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union, have broken ranks with Brussels to form an alliance with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus. The move by the two EU member states comes amid rising anger over delays in ordering, approving and distributing vaccines that have left the 27-member bloc trailing far behind Israel's world-beating vaccination campaign. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said while the principle that the EU procures vaccines for member states was correct, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had been too slow to approve them and lambasted pharmaceutical companies' supply bottlenecks. "We must therefore prepare for further mutations and should no longer be dependent only on the EU for the production of second-generation vaccines," the conservative chancellor said in a statement on Tuesday. Danish Prime Minister Danish Mette Frederiksen was also critical of the EU's vaccine programme. “I don’t think it can stand alone, because we need to increase capacity. That is why we are now fortunate to start a partnership with Israel," she told reporters on Monday. When asked if Denmark and Austria wanted to take unilateral action in obtaining vaccines, Frederiksen said: “You can call it that.” Kurz and Frederiksen are due to travel to Israel this week to see Israel's rapid vaccine roll-out up close. A growing number of EU countries have placed side orders for doses of vaccines from Russia and China, even though the EMA is yet to rule on whether they are both safe and effective. Slovakia on Monday ordered two million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. It expects half to arrive this month as it looks to step up vaccinations amid a surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths.

Austria, Denmark break ranks with EU to produce vaccines with Israel

Israel Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Friday that 50 per cent of the country's population has received at least one jab of coronavirus vaccine. He added that 35 per cent have received the full two-dose course.

Israel counts East Jerusalem Palestinians, who have been included in the vaccine campaign that began on Dec. 19, as part of the 9.3 million population. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip are not part of the Israeli campaign.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu has set an aim of vaccinating all Israeli over the age of 16 by end of March when he is up for re-election.

He says that would allow for a post-pandemic reopening of the country in April.

But the Health Ministry has been worried by waning turnout for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

To counteract this, it has been limiting access to some leisure sites that have reopened to people who present a "Green Pass" on an app showing they have been fully vaccinated.

(With AFP inputs)

Israel Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Friday that 50 per cent of the country's population has received at least one jab of coronavirus vaccine. He added that 35 per cent have received the full two-dose course.

Israel Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Friday that 50 per cent of the country's population has received at least one jab of coronavirus vaccine. He added that 35 per cent have received the full two-dose course. Israel counts East Jerusalem Palestinians, who have been included in the vaccine campaign that began on Dec. 19, as part of the 9.3 million population. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip are not part of the Israeli campaign. Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu has set an aim of vaccinating all Israeli over the age of 16 by end of March when he is up for re-election. He says that would allow for a post-pandemic reopening of the country in April. But the Health Ministry has been worried by waning turnout for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. To counteract this, it has been limiting access to some leisure sites that have reopened to people who present a "Green Pass" on an app showing they have been fully vaccinated. (With AFP inputs)

Half of the population received one dose of COVID vaccine, says Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday discussed the Gulf state's possible involvement in establishing a vaccine plant in Israel, Netanyahu's office said.&nbsp;

The two leaders also discussed a possible visit by Netanyahu to Bahrain once coronavirus restrictions would allow it, it said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The Bahraini regent also stated that he was interested in examining the possibility of Bahrain joining an investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant that is planned to be established in Israel together with other countries," the statement said.&nbsp;

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on September 15, in a US-sponsored deal forged in part over shared concerns about Iran. The deal angered the Palestinians, who have long demanded statehood before any such regional rapprochement.&nbsp;

Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election on March 23, said on Wednesday he was in talks with the heads of Pfizer and Moderna to open facilities in Israel. Neither company responded to Reuters requests for comment.&nbsp;

Israel has been importing Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Inc Covid-19 vaccines.&nbsp;

Israel expects trade with Bahrain to be around $220 million in 2021, not including possible defence and tourism deals.&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday discussed the Gulf state's possible involvement in establishing a vaccine plant in Israel, Netanyahu's office said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday discussed the Gulf state's possible involvement in establishing a vaccine plant in Israel, Netanyahu's office said. The two leaders also discussed a possible visit by Netanyahu to Bahrain once coronavirus restrictions would allow it, it said in a statement. "The Bahraini regent also stated that he was interested in examining the possibility of Bahrain joining an investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant that is planned to be established in Israel together with other countries," the statement said. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on September 15, in a US-sponsored deal forged in part over shared concerns about Iran. The deal angered the Palestinians, who have long demanded statehood before any such regional rapprochement. Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election on March 23, said on Wednesday he was in talks with the heads of Pfizer and Moderna to open facilities in Israel. Neither company responded to Reuters requests for comment. Israel has been importing Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Inc Covid-19 vaccines. Israel expects trade with Bahrain to be around $220 million in 2021, not including possible defence and tourism deals.

Israel, Bahrain leaders discuss vaccine plant, Netanyahu visit to Gulf state

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened cabinet rivals on Monday for their first discussion of Israeli strategy against the Iranian nuclear programme since US President Joe Biden took office pledging to pursue diplomacy with Tehran.&nbsp;

Netanyahu's meeting with Defence Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi followed his first phone call with the US leader last week, and came a month before Israel holds another election triggered by coalition infighting.&nbsp;

Israeli officials said the conservative Netanyahu, bracing for discord with Biden's Democratic administration on Iran, wanted to present a united front with the centrist Gantz and Ashkenazi.&nbsp;

"This is a matter that is supremely important, certainly more than politicking," an Israeli official said. "We have to ensure everyone is on board and not tempted to speak out of turn in hope of getting more votes."&nbsp;

Under Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, it undertook to limit its disputed uranium enrichment programme in exchange for a lifting of international sanctions.&nbsp;

When he tussled with then-US President Barack Obama over the deal, Netanyahu faced dissent from some of his own national security advisers. Obama's successor, Donald Trump, quit the deal in 2018, asserting that it was one-sided in Iran's favour, and reimposed sanctions on Tehran - moves welcomed by Netanyahu.&nbsp;

Biden, who was Obama's vice president, wants to rejoin the accord, a prospect Netanyahu and the current Israeli military chief have closed ranks against, as long as Iran ends violations since 2018 and returns to full compliance.&nbsp;

Also on the agenda of Monday's meeting was the possible appointment of a special Israeli envoy on the Iranian issue.&nbsp;

Candidates include Mossad spymaster Joseph (Yossi) Cohen and National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, both of whom took part in the meeting, officials said. As both answer directly to Netanyahu, Gantz had voiced worry the Defence Ministry might be excluded from future diplomacy, one official said.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened cabinet rivals on Monday for their first discussion of Israeli strategy against the Iranian nuclear programme since US President Joe Biden took office pledging to pursue diplomacy with Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened cabinet rivals on Monday for their first discussion of Israeli strategy against the Iranian nuclear programme since US President Joe Biden took office pledging to pursue diplomacy with Tehran. Netanyahu's meeting with Defence Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi followed his first phone call with the US leader last week, and came a month before Israel holds another election triggered by coalition infighting. Israeli officials said the conservative Netanyahu, bracing for discord with Biden's Democratic administration on Iran, wanted to present a united front with the centrist Gantz and Ashkenazi. "This is a matter that is supremely important, certainly more than politicking," an Israeli official said. "We have to ensure everyone is on board and not tempted to speak out of turn in hope of getting more votes." Under Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, it undertook to limit its disputed uranium enrichment programme in exchange for a lifting of international sanctions. When he tussled with then-US President Barack Obama over the deal, Netanyahu faced dissent from some of his own national security advisers. Obama's successor, Donald Trump, quit the deal in 2018, asserting that it was one-sided in Iran's favour, and reimposed sanctions on Tehran - moves welcomed by Netanyahu. Biden, who was Obama's vice president, wants to rejoin the accord, a prospect Netanyahu and the current Israeli military chief have closed ranks against, as long as Iran ends violations since 2018 and returns to full compliance. Also on the agenda of Monday's meeting was the possible appointment of a special Israeli envoy on the Iranian issue. Candidates include Mossad spymaster Joseph (Yossi) Cohen and National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, both of whom took part in the meeting, officials said. As both answer directly to Netanyahu, Gantz had voiced worry the Defence Ministry might be excluded from future diplomacy, one official said.

Netanyahu seeks Iran consensus with rivals

It is in human nature to appreciate incentives, especially when they are tasty. To attract locals to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccination</a> programme, an Israel bar has offered a barter system — a drink for a jab.

A bar in Israel doubled up as a vaccination centre in Tel Aviv and came up with an offer that nobody could refuse.

Also read|&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-first-dose-85-effective-after-2-4-weeks-study-says-364816" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-first-dose-85-effective-after-2-4-weeks-study-says-364816&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2if-J2PruAhU47XMBHR2cB2EQFjAGegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw33kQfH3Bkh7znLkp1CZmBh" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-first-dose-85-effective-after-2-4-weeks-study-says-364816" target="_blank">Pfizer first dose 85% effective after 2-4 weeks, study says</a>

Tel Aviv's Jenia gastropub, in coordination with the municipality, offered a free drink in exchange for a jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

These drinks being offered were non-alcoholic, though, as a medical precaution.

This idea came up as the Health Ministry was worried that people's motivation to get a jab of the vaccine, or even the second dose, may start declining with time.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jab-but-no-tab-israeli-bar-offers-free-drinks-with-vaccines-364877">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jab-but-no-tab-israeli-bar-offers-free-drinks-with-vaccines-364877/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

While more than 43 per cent of Israel's population has already received at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the turnout is decreasing a tad.

"I thought it is a really good opportunity to come and get the vaccine because I didn't have either the time or the ability to go to other places," said May Perez, who was one of the first to enjoy the 'shot for shot' scheme.

It is in human nature to appreciate incentives, especially when they are tasty. To attract locals to the vaccination programme, an Israel bar has offered a barter system — a drink for a jab.

It is in human nature to appreciate incentives, especially when they are tasty. To attract locals to the vaccination programme, an Israel bar has offered a barter system — a drink for a jab. A bar in Israel doubled up as a vaccination centre in Tel Aviv and came up with an offer that nobody could refuse. Also read| Pfizer first dose 85% effective after 2-4 weeks, study says Tel Aviv's Jenia gastropub, in coordination with the municipality, offered a free drink in exchange for a jab of the coronavirus vaccine. These drinks being offered were non-alcoholic, though, as a medical precaution. This idea came up as the Health Ministry was worried that people's motivation to get a jab of the vaccine, or even the second dose, may start declining with time. WATCH| While more than 43 per cent of Israel's population has already received at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the turnout is decreasing a tad. "I thought it is a really good opportunity to come and get the vaccine because I didn't have either the time or the ability to go to other places," said May Perez, who was one of the first to enjoy the 'shot for shot' scheme.

On the house: Israel bar offers free drinks with COVID-19 vaccine jabs

When the United States last tried to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, the reaction from the Israeli government was blunt and fierce. In the years preceding Iran’s 2015 agreement with Washington and several other leading powers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel repeatedly called the negotiations a “historic mistake.”

But Friday, the formal announcement that the Biden administration was seeking a return to nuclear negotiations with Iran, after the collapse of the 2015 agreement under President Donald Trump, did not provoke a sharp backlash — not just in Jerusalem, but also in the Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which also oppose too generous a rapprochement with Iran.

The muted response from Iran’s regional antagonists may mask a strong undercurrent of pessimism and behind-the-scenes pushback against the Americans’ decision. Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates remain wary of Iran’s intentions, and have signaled that they would be open to a deal only if it went well beyond the previous one — reining in Iran’s ballistic missile program, its meddling in other countries and the militias it supports in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, in addition to its nuclear program.

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Netanyahu’s office issued a brief statement avoiding direct comment on the U.S. intention to negotiate but noting that Israel was in contact with the United States.

“Israel remains committed to preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and its position on the nuclear agreement has not changed,” the statement said. “Israel believes that going back to the old agreement will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal.”

Western diplomats and former Israeli officials said that the Israelis had accepted the need to engage constructively with Washington instead of dismissing the negotiations out of hand.

Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s minister for community affairs, said the Israeli government was not intrinsically opposed to negotiations. But the talks had to yield a better deal than the one in 2015, which Israel and the Gulf countries condemned because its restrictions on Iranian nuclear activities would expire in a decade and a half and because it did nothing to restrict Iranian military activity across the Middle East.

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“We would like the negotiations to emphasize what the world would like to see: an agreement for a longer time — for at least 50 years, if not more,” Hanegbi said in an interview. “It has to be an agreement that will be valid for generations. Anything else will not achieve the goal of preventing a nuclear Iran.”

Saudi and Emirati officials, for their part, were silent Friday. Watching the Biden administration’s outreach to Tehran with resignation, the two Gulf states — which were outraged at being excluded from the last negotiations — can only hope that the United States will keep its promises to consider Gulf interests in the talks, analysts said.

“We just have to trust the new administration,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist. “We don’t have any option. They really are determined to reach out to Iran, so there’s no way that anybody could stop them.”

But he acknowledged there could be something to gain, saying, “If the end result is less confrontation with Iran, a less aggressive Iran, a less expansionist Iran, it’s a dream of a sort.”

The Israeli government’s reticence reflects a less combative approach to the Biden administration’s policymaking than with President Barack Obama’s, at least initially, said Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence.

“Practically, they will not confront the Biden administration directly,” he said. “They will wait a little bit to see whether the Iranians are reacting and how the negotiations develop.”

But behind the scenes, Israel is already lobbying the United States for an agreement that is much tougher on Iran. Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and a team of experts will soon travel to Washington to brief senior American officials about what they see as the threats still posed by Iran, hoping to persuade the United States to hold out for harsher restrictions on Iran in any deal, two senior Israeli officials said.

Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran has blatantly violated the terms of the original nuclear deal and is still taking steps to develop a nuclear warhead, the officials said, claims that Iran denies.

In Europe, Russia and China, which supported the original deal and opposed Trump’s withdrawal from it, the reaction was positive.

“The U.S.A. is giving diplomacy a chance,” Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, wrote on Twitter. “We expressly welcome and support this!”

Maas also warned Iran against taking aggressive measures at a time when diplomatic breakthroughs seemed possible. “Now the Iranian leaders must also show that they are serious,” he said.

In Russia — an ally of Iran and a signatory to the nuclear deal — the Kremlin praised how the White House had also backed away from the Trump administration effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Iran.

“Halting the call for sanctions is a good thing, on its own,” said Dmitry S. Peskov, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman. “This is an event that one can probably mark with a plus sign.”

China, which signed a trade and military pact with Iran last year and is another signatory, reiterated Friday that the United States should “unconditionally” rejoin the nuclear deal. It has opposed renegotiating a new agreement in the past.

An unconditional return “is the key to breaking the deadlock,” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, said at a news conference.

Biden administration officials said Friday that the next move was Iran’s and that they did not intend to offer concessions or incentives for Tehran to join negotiations.

“We don’t anticipate taking additional steps,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters traveling with President Joe Biden on Air Force One. A senior administration official said that any U.S. actions, such as the removal of sanctions on Iran, would have to be discussed at the negotiating table.

Iranian officials did not formally respond to Biden’s proposal Friday, although several officials said Thursday that Iran would likely join the talks. But they did reiterate their position that the United States must lift sanctions first before Iran would return to its commitments under the nuclear agreement.

“Gestures are fine,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Twitter. But to revive the nuclear talks, he said, the “U.S. must Act: LIFT sanctions. We WILL respond.”

In the Persian Gulf, U.S. allies who view Iran as a major threat were gritting their teeth over the possible talks.

Ali Shihabi, a Saudi political commentator who is viewed as being close to the government, said Saudi Arabia had been signaling to the Biden administration for months that it supported reengaging with Iran, but only if the goal was a deal with additional constraints on Iran’s regional behavior.

“The Biden people are making all the right noises,” he said, “but the proof is in the pudding.”

Calling renewed negotiations with Iran “a totally mind-boggling thing to do,” Mohammed Alyahya, editor-in-chief of the English website of Saudi-owned news channel Al-Arabiya, warned that lifting sanctions against Iran would mean relinquishing all the leverage the Trump administration accrued through its maximum-pressure campaign of economic punishment, leaving Tehran to do as it pleased.

“We’ve seen this movie before,” Alyahya said. “Going back to the same deal is going to yield the same exact results that the first deal did: an empowered Iran, an Iran that is going to quickly try to reclaim its regional leverage that it has lost as a result of the maximum pressure campaign. This is not a regime that will act in good faith.”

Yet amid a cooling in U.S.-Saudi relations — Biden officials have said they will recalibrate the relationship after four years of coziness between the Trump administration and the Saudis — Saudi Arabia’s official communications have emphasized the positive in dealings with the Biden administration so far, said Eman Alhussein, a Saudi analyst at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

“They want to be seen as being part of the solution to these problems,” Alhussein said, partly because of the “atmosphere of apprehension” about the kingdom’s uncertain relationship with United States.

When the United States last tried to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, the reaction from the Israeli government was blunt and fierce. In the years preceding Iran’s 2015 agreement with Washington and several other leading powers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel repeatedly called the negotiations a “historic mistake.

When the United States last tried to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, the reaction from the Israeli government was blunt and fierce. In the years preceding Iran’s 2015 agreement with Washington and several other leading powers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel repeatedly called the negotiations a “historic mistake.” But Friday, the formal announcement that the Biden administration was seeking a return to nuclear negotiations with Iran, after the collapse of the 2015 agreement under President Donald Trump, did not provoke a sharp backlash — not just in Jerusalem, but also in the Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which also oppose too generous a rapprochement with Iran. The muted response from Iran’s regional antagonists may mask a strong undercurrent of pessimism and behind-the-scenes pushback against the Americans’ decision. Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates remain wary of Iran’s intentions, and have signaled that they would be open to a deal only if it went well beyond the previous one — reining in Iran’s ballistic missile program, its meddling in other countries and the militias it supports in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, in addition to its nuclear program. Also read| Probe launched after 17-metre-long whale found dead in Israeli beach Netanyahu’s office issued a brief statement avoiding direct comment on the U.S. intention to negotiate but noting that Israel was in contact with the United States. “Israel remains committed to preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and its position on the nuclear agreement has not changed,” the statement said. “Israel believes that going back to the old agreement will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal.” Western diplomats and former Israeli officials said that the Israelis had accepted the need to engage constructively with Washington instead of dismissing the negotiations out of hand. Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s minister for community affairs, said the Israeli government was not intrinsically opposed to negotiations. But the talks had to yield a better deal than the one in 2015, which Israel and the Gulf countries condemned because its restrictions on Iranian nuclear activities would expire in a decade and a half and because it did nothing to restrict Iranian military activity across the Middle East. Also read| Jab but no tab: Israeli bar offers free drinks with vaccines “We would like the negotiations to emphasize what the world would like to see: an agreement for a longer time — for at least 50 years, if not more,” Hanegbi said in an interview. “It has to be an agreement that will be valid for generations. Anything else will not achieve the goal of preventing a nuclear Iran.” Saudi and Emirati officials, for their part, were silent Friday. Watching the Biden administration’s outreach to Tehran with resignation, the two Gulf states — which were outraged at being excluded from the last negotiations — can only hope that the United States will keep its promises to consider Gulf interests in the talks, analysts said. “We just have to trust the new administration,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist. “We don’t have any option. They really are determined to reach out to Iran, so there’s no way that anybody could stop them.” But he acknowledged there could be something to gain, saying, “If the end result is less confrontation with Iran, a less aggressive Iran, a less expansionist Iran, it’s a dream of a sort.” The Israeli government’s reticence reflects a less combative approach to the Biden administration’s policymaking than with President Barack Obama’s, at least initially, said Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence. “Practically, they will not confront the Biden administration directly,” he said. “They will wait a little bit to see whether the Iranians are reacting and how the negotiations develop.” But behind the scenes, Israel is already lobbying the United States for an agreement that is much tougher on Iran. Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and a team of experts will soon travel to Washington to brief senior American officials about what they see as the threats still posed by Iran, hoping to persuade the United States to hold out for harsher restrictions on Iran in any deal, two senior Israeli officials said. Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran has blatantly violated the terms of the original nuclear deal and is still taking steps to develop a nuclear warhead, the officials said, claims that Iran denies. In Europe, Russia and China, which supported the original deal and opposed Trump’s withdrawal from it, the reaction was positive. “The U.S.A. is giving diplomacy a chance,” Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, wrote on Twitter. “We expressly welcome and support this!” Maas also warned Iran against taking aggressive measures at a time when diplomatic breakthroughs seemed possible. “Now the Iranian leaders must also show that they are serious,” he said. In Russia — an ally of Iran and a signatory to the nuclear deal — the Kremlin praised how the White House had also backed away from the Trump administration effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Iran. “Halting the call for sanctions is a good thing, on its own,” said Dmitry S. Peskov, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman. “This is an event that one can probably mark with a plus sign.” China, which signed a trade and military pact with Iran last year and is another signatory, reiterated Friday that the United States should “unconditionally” rejoin the nuclear deal. It has opposed renegotiating a new agreement in the past. An unconditional return “is the key to breaking the deadlock,” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, said at a news conference. Biden administration officials said Friday that the next move was Iran’s and that they did not intend to offer concessions or incentives for Tehran to join negotiations. “We don’t anticipate taking additional steps,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters traveling with President Joe Biden on Air Force One. A senior administration official said that any U.S. actions, such as the removal of sanctions on Iran, would have to be discussed at the negotiating table. Iranian officials did not formally respond to Biden’s proposal Friday, although several officials said Thursday that Iran would likely join the talks. But they did reiterate their position that the United States must lift sanctions first before Iran would return to its commitments under the nuclear agreement. “Gestures are fine,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Twitter. But to revive the nuclear talks, he said, the “U.S. must Act: LIFT sanctions. We WILL respond.” In the Persian Gulf, U.S. allies who view Iran as a major threat were gritting their teeth over the possible talks. Ali Shihabi, a Saudi political commentator who is viewed as being close to the government, said Saudi Arabia had been signaling to the Biden administration for months that it supported reengaging with Iran, but only if the goal was a deal with additional constraints on Iran’s regional behavior. “The Biden people are making all the right noises,” he said, “but the proof is in the pudding.” Calling renewed negotiations with Iran “a totally mind-boggling thing to do,” Mohammed Alyahya, editor-in-chief of the English website of Saudi-owned news channel Al-Arabiya, warned that lifting sanctions against Iran would mean relinquishing all the leverage the Trump administration accrued through its maximum-pressure campaign of economic punishment, leaving Tehran to do as it pleased. “We’ve seen this movie before,” Alyahya said. “Going back to the same deal is going to yield the same exact results that the first deal did: an empowered Iran, an Iran that is going to quickly try to reclaim its regional leverage that it has lost as a result of the maximum pressure campaign. This is not a regime that will act in good faith.” Yet amid a cooling in U.S.-Saudi relations — Biden officials have said they will recalibrate the relationship after four years of coziness between the Trump administration and the Saudis — Saudi Arabia’s official communications have emphasized the positive in dealings with the Biden administration so far, said Eman Alhussein, a Saudi analyst at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. “They want to be seen as being part of the solution to these problems,” Alhussein said, partly because of the “atmosphere of apprehension” about the kingdom’s uncertain relationship with United States.

In Israel and the Gulf, reaction to US push for Iran talks is muted but wary

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world.&nbsp;

During the telephonic conversation, Biden affirmed his personal history of steadfast commitment to Israel's security and conveyed his intent to strengthen all aspects of the US-Israel partnership, including strong defence cooperation, according to an official statement issued by the White House.&nbsp;

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Netanyahu was the first leader in the Middle East to get a call from Biden, according to The Jerusalem Post. During the interaction, both leaders discussed the importance of continued close consultation on regional security issues, including Iran.&nbsp;

"Biden underscored the importance of working to advance peace throughout the region, including between Israelis and Palestinians," the statement said.&nbsp;

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Both leaders also affirmed their shared interest in continued strategic cooperation to confront the many challenges facing the region.&nbsp;

Following the interaction, Biden tweeted, "I spoke today with Israeli PM Netanyahu and affirmed the United States' steadfast commitment to our ally Israel's security. Our teams are in constant touch to strengthen US-Israel strategic cooperation on all regional security issues, including Iran." &nbsp;

Last year on December 16, US President Donald Trump had presided over the signing ceremony at the White House to establish the foundation of the peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. &nbsp;

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world.

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world. During the telephonic conversation, Biden affirmed his personal history of steadfast commitment to Israel's security and conveyed his intent to strengthen all aspects of the US-Israel partnership, including strong defence cooperation, according to an official statement issued by the White House. Also Read: US charges three North Korean hackers in $1.3 billion theft spree Netanyahu was the first leader in the Middle East to get a call from Biden, according to The Jerusalem Post. During the interaction, both leaders discussed the importance of continued close consultation on regional security issues, including Iran. "Biden underscored the importance of working to advance peace throughout the region, including between Israelis and Palestinians," the statement said. Also Read: Biden's US immigration reform bill to be unveiled on Thursday Both leaders also affirmed their shared interest in continued strategic cooperation to confront the many challenges facing the region. Following the interaction, Biden tweeted, "I spoke today with Israeli PM Netanyahu and affirmed the United States' steadfast commitment to our ally Israel's security. Our teams are in constant touch to strengthen US-Israel strategic cooperation on all regional security issues, including Iran." Last year on December 16, US President Donald Trump had presided over the signing ceremony at the White House to establish the foundation of the peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Biden affirms support for normalisation of ties between Israel, Arab nations

Dr Anthony Fauci has won the $1 million Dan David Prize for defending science and advocating for vaccines now being administered to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The Israel-based Dan David Foundation on Monday named President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser as the winner of one of three prizes. It said he had earned the recognition over a lifetime of leadership on HIV research and AIDS relief, as well as his advocacy for the vaccines against Covid-19.&nbsp;

In its statement, the private foundation did not mention former President Donald Trump, who undermined Fauci's follow-the-science approach to the pandemic. But it credited Fauci with courageously defending science in the face of uninformed opposition during the challenging Covid crisis. &nbsp;

Fauci, 80, has served seven presidents and has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984.&nbsp;

In recent interviews, Fauci has acknowledged that it was difficult at times to work for Trump, who repeatedly played down the severity of the pandemic, dismissed the need for mask-wearing and often touted unproven scientific remedies, including injecting disinfectant.&nbsp;

Trump resented Fauci's flattering press coverage and reveled in calls to 'Fire Fauci!' at some of his rallies. But Fauci outlasted Trump, who lost the November election.

Dr Anthony Fauci has won the $1 million Dan David Prize for defending science and advocating for vaccines now being administered to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Anthony Fauci has won the $1 million Dan David Prize for defending science and advocating for vaccines now being administered to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic. The Israel-based Dan David Foundation on Monday named President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser as the winner of one of three prizes. It said he had earned the recognition over a lifetime of leadership on HIV research and AIDS relief, as well as his advocacy for the vaccines against Covid-19. In its statement, the private foundation did not mention former President Donald Trump, who undermined Fauci's follow-the-science approach to the pandemic. But it credited Fauci with courageously defending science in the face of uninformed opposition during the challenging Covid crisis. Fauci, 80, has served seven presidents and has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. In recent interviews, Fauci has acknowledged that it was difficult at times to work for Trump, who repeatedly played down the severity of the pandemic, dismissed the need for mask-wearing and often touted unproven scientific remedies, including injecting disinfectant. Trump resented Fauci's flattering press coverage and reveled in calls to 'Fire Fauci!' at some of his rallies. But Fauci outlasted Trump, who lost the November election.

Fauci wins $1 million Israeli prize for 'defending science'

Israel's ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, have been at the centre of the country's struggles to control the spread of coronavirus.&nbsp;

On Tuesday night Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews protesting coronavirus lockdown restrictions clashed with police officers in Jerusalem.

The crowd was protesting the enforcement of restrictions in schools and yeshivas in Haredi neighbourhoods.

Earlier on Sunday evening, a huge gathering of approximately 10,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews had filled Bnei Brak's streets, to mark the funeral of a senior rabbi who died after contracting Covid-19.

Israel Police had earlier spoken to high-ranking rabbis in the hours following the death of Rabbi Chaim Meir Wosner, a senior rabbinic authority and the dean of the Hachmei Lublin Yeshiva there to prevent mass gatherings similar to those at ultra-Orthodox funerals during the last week.

Wosner died at the age of 83. He contracted the Wuhan virus at a wedding last month. Police set up barricades around the funeral procession; protestors knocked them down and clashed with the police. This is just the latest such case of non-compliance.

Last month, similar scenes were witnessed in Jerusalem twice. Thousands of ultra-orthodox mourners attended the funerals of two prominent rabbis — both of whom were almost 100 years old and died of the Wuhan virus.

The pandemic-exhausted nation turned its rage on its supremely conservative community. Police deployed water cannons and arrested dozens of people. This happened on January 24. A crowd of orthodox Jewish demonstrators clashed with the police.

They wanted a school to be opened, to pray in synagogues, and organise mass weddings and funerals despite government restrictions. The community is being called a serial violator of rules.

The trend reflects in pandemic numbers. Orthodox Jews make up just over 10% of Israel's population of 9.2 million.

But they account for one-third of the Wuhan virus cases. They’ve been branded as Israel’s super spreaders. But action against them may be restricted to water cannons.

Israel is heading for polls, and orthodox Jews have a prominent voice. The parties they support called the Haredi religious political party often play kingmakers in Israel’s tight electoral contests.

They currently hold 16 seats in a parliament that has 120 seats.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel's ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, have been at the centre of the country's struggles to control the spread of coronavirus. On Tuesday night Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews protesting coronavirus lockdown restrictions clashed with police officers in Jerusalem.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, have been at the centre of the country's struggles to control the spread of coronavirus. On Tuesday night Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews protesting coronavirus lockdown restrictions clashed with police officers in Jerusalem. The crowd was protesting the enforcement of restrictions in schools and yeshivas in Haredi neighbourhoods. Earlier on Sunday evening, a huge gathering of approximately 10,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews had filled Bnei Brak's streets, to mark the funeral of a senior rabbi who died after contracting Covid-19. Israel Police had earlier spoken to high-ranking rabbis in the hours following the death of Rabbi Chaim Meir Wosner, a senior rabbinic authority and the dean of the Hachmei Lublin Yeshiva there to prevent mass gatherings similar to those at ultra-Orthodox funerals during the last week. Wosner died at the age of 83. He contracted the Wuhan virus at a wedding last month. Police set up barricades around the funeral procession; protestors knocked them down and clashed with the police. This is just the latest such case of non-compliance. Last month, similar scenes were witnessed in Jerusalem twice. Thousands of ultra-orthodox mourners attended the funerals of two prominent rabbis — both of whom were almost 100 years old and died of the Wuhan virus. The pandemic-exhausted nation turned its rage on its supremely conservative community. Police deployed water cannons and arrested dozens of people. This happened on January 24. A crowd of orthodox Jewish demonstrators clashed with the police. They wanted a school to be opened, to pray in synagogues, and organise mass weddings and funerals despite government restrictions. The community is being called a serial violator of rules. The trend reflects in pandemic numbers. Orthodox Jews make up just over 10% of Israel's population of 9.2 million. But they account for one-third of the Wuhan virus cases. They’ve been branded as Israel’s super spreaders. But action against them may be restricted to water cannons. Israel is heading for polls, and orthodox Jews have a prominent voice. The parties they support called the Haredi religious political party often play kingmakers in Israel’s tight electoral contests. They currently hold 16 seats in a parliament that has 120 seats. (With inputs from agencies)

Hundreds of hardline Haredim protest coronavirus enforcement in Jerusalem

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared for the trial of the ongoing corruption case against him on Monday, and once again denied all charges.

Netanyahu was charged last year with allegations of corruption as he has been accused of accepting improper gifts and trade regulatory favour with media giants in return for positive coverage.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/power-of-pink-locals-protest-against-netanyahu-in-israel-361995">Power of pink: Locals protest against Netanyahu in Israel</a>

Through these charges, he has become the first Israeli premier to be indicted in the office. However, Netanyahu has time and again denied all the accusations against him.

The tainted PM made a brief court appearance on Monday, which has been increasing in intensity a few weeks before the fourth national elections within two years.

He was asked to appear in the court to deliver an in-person response to the corruption charges. This has come almost a year after he had formally submitted his innocent plea in writing.

"I confirm the written answer submitted in my name," Netanyahu said before exiting the courtroom in his official motorcade. the 71-year-old prime minister left the courtroom within 20 minutes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-pm-netanyahu-arrives-in-court-to-respond-to-corruption-charges-362140">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-pm-netanyahu-arrives-in-court-to-respond-to-corruption-charges-362140/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Monday's brief appearance was his final hearing before the prosecution will begin presenting their evidence in the court.

Netanyahu's lawyer, Boaz Ben Zur, on Monday, accused Israel's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit of mishandling the case and as evidence claimed that several elements of the investigation have been opened without any required authorisations.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the PM still claims to be a victim of a witch-hunt. Locals have been continuously protesting against Netanyahu and demanding his resignation from the post of the Prime Minister.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared for the trial of the ongoing corruption case against him on Monday, and once again denied all charges. Netanyahu was charged last year with allegations of corruption as he has been accused of accepting improper gifts and trade regulatory favour with media giants in return for positive coverage.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared for the trial of the ongoing corruption case against him on Monday, and once again denied all charges. Netanyahu was charged last year with allegations of corruption as he has been accused of accepting improper gifts and trade regulatory favour with media giants in return for positive coverage. Also see| Power of pink: Locals protest against Netanyahu in Israel Through these charges, he has become the first Israeli premier to be indicted in the office. However, Netanyahu has time and again denied all the accusations against him. The tainted PM made a brief court appearance on Monday, which has been increasing in intensity a few weeks before the fourth national elections within two years. He was asked to appear in the court to deliver an in-person response to the corruption charges. This has come almost a year after he had formally submitted his innocent plea in writing. "I confirm the written answer submitted in my name," Netanyahu said before exiting the courtroom in his official motorcade. the 71-year-old prime minister left the courtroom within 20 minutes. WATCH| Monday's brief appearance was his final hearing before the prosecution will begin presenting their evidence in the court. Netanyahu's lawyer, Boaz Ben Zur, on Monday, accused Israel's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit of mishandling the case and as evidence claimed that several elements of the investigation have been opened without any required authorisations. Meanwhile, the PM still claims to be a victim of a witch-hunt. Locals have been continuously protesting against Netanyahu and demanding his resignation from the post of the Prime Minister.

Witch-hunt: Benjamin Netanyahu denies all corruption charges in Monday's trial

Power of pink: Locals protest against Netanyahu in Israel

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