Six Palestinian prisoners who made a daring escaping from an Israeli prison in September were formally indicted Sunday, Israel's justice ministry said.

The men were charged with escaping from the high-security Gilboa prison in northern Israel while five others were accused of assisting them, a statement said.

The inmates,&nbsp;five from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group and one belonging to the armed branch of the Palestinian Authority's Fatah faction, had been held for attacks against Israel.

They escaped by digging a tunnel under a sink.

One of them, Mahmud Abdullah Ardah, said after he was recaptured that he had used spoons, plates and even the handle of a kettle to dig the tunnel.

The six -- hailed as heroes by Palestinians -- were recaptured in batches during a major Israeli manhunt in September.

In addition to Ardah, an Islamic Jihad member and the alleged mastermind of the escape, they include Zakaria Zubeidi who headed the Fatah armed wing.

The other four are Ayham Kamamji, Munadel Infeiat, Yaqub Qadri and Mohammad Ardah.

Lawyers for two of the prisoners said they had begun to dig the tunnel in December.

Israel has launched an investigation into how they pulled off their daring escaping. 
&nbsp;

Six Palestinian prisoners who made a daring escaping from an Israeli prison in September were formally indicted Sunday, Israel's justice ministry said. The men were charged with escaping from the high-security Gilboa prison in northern Israel while five others were accused of assisting them, a statement said.

Six Palestinian prisoners who made a daring escaping from an Israeli prison in September were formally indicted Sunday, Israel's justice ministry said. The men were charged with escaping from the high-security Gilboa prison in northern Israel while five others were accused of assisting them, a statement said. The inmates, five from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group and one belonging to the armed branch of the Palestinian Authority's Fatah faction, had been held for attacks against Israel. They escaped by digging a tunnel under a sink. One of them, Mahmud Abdullah Ardah, said after he was recaptured that he had used spoons, plates and even the handle of a kettle to dig the tunnel. The six -- hailed as heroes by Palestinians -- were recaptured in batches during a major Israeli manhunt in September. In addition to Ardah, an Islamic Jihad member and the alleged mastermind of the escape, they include Zakaria Zubeidi who headed the Fatah armed wing. The other four are Ayham Kamamji, Munadel Infeiat, Yaqub Qadri and Mohammad Ardah. Lawyers for two of the prisoners said they had begun to dig the tunnel in December. Israel has launched an investigation into how they pulled off their daring escaping.

Israel indicts Palestinian jail breakers

Israel and Bahrain cemented their year-old deal to establish diplomatic ties on Thursday, with the King of Bahrain hosting Israel's foreign minister who for the first time opened an embassy in the capital of Manama.

Israel, Bahrain set up diplomatic ties, cemented their year-old deal.

More than one million Israelis will lose their Green Pass after a policy change states that a COVID-19 booster shot is required six months after receiving the first two jabs.

Over 1 million Israelis to lose green pass

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid flew to Bahrain on the highest-level Israeli visit to the Gulf state since the countries established formal relations last year.

Israel foreign minister Yair Lapid visits Bahrain; focus on bilateral deals, talks on economy

Israel’s new prime minister appealed to the international community to stand together against Iran, accusing Tehran of marching toward the development of a nuclear weapon and threatening to act alone if the world does not take action. Watch this report for more details.

PM Bennett lambasts Iran for backing terror against Israel

At least four Palestinian gunmen were killed in shootouts with Israeli security forces during a sweeping West Bank arrest operation cracking down on the Islamic militant group. Watch this report for more details.

Israeli Military guns down 4 Hamas terrorists in fight

Israeli PM Naftali Bennett is all set to address the UNGA session, it will be his first speech as a PM at the forum of global leaders.

Israeli PM Naftali Bennett to address his first UNGA speech

U.S. as approved $1 Billion to replenish Israel's Iron Dome, but democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar & Rashida Tlaib are objecting. They want U.S. to stop funding Israel for alleged 'human rights abuses'. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas US Edition: 'Progressive Democrats' object to Iron Dome funding

Israel & Jordan are cooperating on climate change. They have taken steps to tackle drought.

Israel, Jordan cooperate on climate change

Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel has completed 100 days in office. Has Bennett finally fill the void after Netanyahu departure? Watch this bulletin for more.

Israeli PM Naftali Bennett completes 100 days, had dethroned Netanyahu in May 2021

According to a report from The New York Times, Israeli agents killed Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh,late last year using a remote-controlled machine gun and artificial intelligence.Fakhrizadeh had been a target of Israel for more than a decade, as the country viewed him as the leader of Iran's efforts to build a nuclear bomb.

Israeli agents killed Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Report

Former Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu mocked Joe Biden on Sunday as he repeated a previously debunked claim that the US president had dozed off during a meeting with new Israeli leader Naftali Bennett last month. Watch this report for more details.

Israel's  former PM Netanyahu appears to mock Biden

Succot, known in Israel as the festival of Tabernacles, is a Jewish festival that takes place after Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) in the Jewish calendar. Watch this video for more details.

The festival of Succot is back in Israel

For several years, there have been numerous clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. Lately, both the people have been exchanging rocket fires, missiles, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Many wars have been declared and several ceasefires have been imposed. In most cases, both sides have claimed victory in the conflicts. &nbsp;

As a result, there have been loss of life and property. Even after suffering a lot in these clashes, there doesn’t seem to be an end to the hostilities in the future in any way as people of both sides may not be ready to reconcile. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Let’s explore the issue in detail. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The conflict arose long time ago when the world leaders decided to come up with a Jewish state in the region to give the community a separate state to ensure their prosperity. This land, which was to be their homeland, was inhabited by a Jewish minority and Arab majority. &nbsp;

Watch:

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The British carved out Israel from the region called as Palestine at that time as it was under their rule. For Jews, it was their ancestral home. And as Palestinian Arabs also claimed it, this did not go down well with them and gave birth to the conflict. The tension between the two sides seems to not reduce with time. &nbsp;

Several Jews fleeing Europe arrived in the region between 1920s and 1940s. After the Holocaust of World War Two, they sought a homeland. &nbsp;

The UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states in 1947. It also made Jerusalem, an international city. Violence between Jews and Arabs has begun since then. &nbsp;

The plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by the Arab side. So, it could not be implemented. &nbsp;&nbsp;

After being unable to solve the problem, the British left in 1948. And Jewish leaders declared the creation of the state of Israel. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Many Palestinians objected and a war followed after the troops from neighbouring Arab countries invaded. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/iran-training-terrorists-to-carry-out-attacks-israel-defence-minister-412554" hreflang="en">Iran training terrorists to carry out attacks: Israel defence minister</a>

By the time, fighting ended in a ceasefire, Israel controlled most of the territory. Several Palestinians were forced to flee in the Al Nakba, or the "Catastrophe". &nbsp;

Jordan occupied land known as West Bank while Egypt occupied Gaza. Jerusalem was divided between Israeli forces in the West, and Jordanian forces in the East. &nbsp;

As there was no peace agreement, more wars followed. &nbsp;

In 1967, another war was fought and Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as most of the Syrian Golan Heights, Gaza and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula. It was a major win for Israel. &nbsp;

Most Palestinians live in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in neighbouring Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. &nbsp;

Israel has not allowed them to return to their homes. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Israel still occupies the West Bank and pulled out of Gaza but the UN still regards it as an occupied territory. &nbsp;

Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its capital and Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, which may come up in future. &nbsp;

In a nutshell, the conflict doesn’t seem to end any time soon as there are several issues both sides don’t seem to get on the same page. &nbsp;

These include the issue of Palestinian refugees, whether Jewish settlements in the West Bank should stay or be removed, can both share Jerusalem and should a Palestinian state be created alongside Israel. &nbsp;

For more than 25 years, peace talks have been taking place on and off but so far, the conflict seems to only grow.&nbsp;

For several years, there have been numerous clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. Lately, both the people have been exchanging rocket fires, missiles, etc. Many wars have been declared and several ceasefires have been imposed.

For several years, there have been numerous clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. Lately, both the people have been exchanging rocket fires, missiles, etc. Many wars have been declared and several ceasefires have been imposed. In most cases, both sides have claimed victory in the conflicts. As a result, there have been loss of life and property. Even after suffering a lot in these clashes, there doesn’t seem to be an end to the hostilities in the future in any way as people of both sides may not be ready to reconcile. Let’s explore the issue in detail. The conflict arose long time ago when the world leaders decided to come up with a Jewish state in the region to give the community a separate state to ensure their prosperity. This land, which was to be their homeland, was inhabited by a Jewish minority and Arab majority. Watch: × The British carved out Israel from the region called as Palestine at that time as it was under their rule. For Jews, it was their ancestral home. And as Palestinian Arabs also claimed it, this did not go down well with them and gave birth to the conflict. The tension between the two sides seems to not reduce with time. Several Jews fleeing Europe arrived in the region between 1920s and 1940s. After the Holocaust of World War Two, they sought a homeland. The UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states in 1947. It also made Jerusalem, an international city. Violence between Jews and Arabs has begun since then. The plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by the Arab side. So, it could not be implemented. After being unable to solve the problem, the British left in 1948. And Jewish leaders declared the creation of the state of Israel. Many Palestinians objected and a war followed after the troops from neighbouring Arab countries invaded. Also Read | Iran training terrorists to carry out attacks: Israel defence minister By the time, fighting ended in a ceasefire, Israel controlled most of the territory. Several Palestinians were forced to flee in the Al Nakba, or the "Catastrophe". Jordan occupied land known as West Bank while Egypt occupied Gaza. Jerusalem was divided between Israeli forces in the West, and Jordanian forces in the East. As there was no peace agreement, more wars followed. In 1967, another war was fought and Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as most of the Syrian Golan Heights, Gaza and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula. It was a major win for Israel. Most Palestinians live in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in neighbouring Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Israel has not allowed them to return to their homes. Israel still occupies the West Bank and pulled out of Gaza but the UN still regards it as an occupied territory. Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its capital and Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, which may come up in future. In a nutshell, the conflict doesn’t seem to end any time soon as there are several issues both sides don’t seem to get on the same page. These include the issue of Palestinian refugees, whether Jewish settlements in the West Bank should stay or be removed, can both share Jerusalem and should a Palestinian state be created alongside Israel. For more than 25 years, peace talks have been taking place on and off but so far, the conflict seems to only grow.

Will Israelis, Palestinians ever reconcile, bring conflict to an end  

Israel&nbsp;carried out air&nbsp;strikes&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;Strip on Sunday in response to Palestinian&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;fire&nbsp;into its territory, the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;military&nbsp;said.

Tension between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and the Palestinians has risen over the past week, after six Palestinian militants escaped from a maximum security&nbsp;Israeli jail on Monday.&nbsp;Israeli forces have since captured four of the inmates.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/911-attacks-fbi-releases-newly-declassified-record-412485">Also read |&nbsp;9/11 attacks: FBI releases newly declassified record</a>

Drawing&nbsp;Israeli air&nbsp;strikes,&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;militants&nbsp;fired a&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;into&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;when two of the prisoners were apprehended and then again on Saturday, after two more escaped inmates were caught. The&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;military&nbsp;said it struck targets belonging to Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules&nbsp;Gaza. There were no reports of casualties.

A fragile truce between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and Hamas ended 11 days of fierce fighting in May in which at least 250 Palestinians and 13 in&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;were killed.

Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in response to Palestinian rocket fire into its territory, the Israeli military said. Tension between Israel and the Palestinians has risen over the past week, after six Palestinian militants escaped from a maximum security Israeli jail on Monday.

Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in response to Palestinian rocket fire into its territory, the Israeli military said. Tension between Israel and the Palestinians has risen over the past week, after six Palestinian militants escaped from a maximum security Israeli jail on Monday. Israeli forces have since captured four of the inmates. Also read | 9/11 attacks: FBI releases newly declassified record Drawing Israeli air strikes, Gaza militants fired a rocket into Israel on Friday when two of the prisoners were apprehended and then again on Saturday, after two more escaped inmates were caught. The Israeli military said it struck targets belonging to Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules Gaza. There were no reports of casualties. A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas ended 11 days of fierce fighting in May in which at least 250 Palestinians and 13 in Israel were killed.

Israel strikes Gaza in retaliation for rocket fire, military says

Four Palestinian prisoners who managed to break out from Israeli prison have now appeared in court after they were recaptured.

Four Palestinian prisoners appear in court after they were recaptured

6 Palestinian prisoners escaped from a high-security Israeli jail leading to the launch of a massive manhunt by authorities. On The West Asia Post this week, Ghadi Francis decodes this Hollywood-style prison break.

The West Asia Post: A tunnel, a napping guard and a massive manhunt

The Israeli army made&nbsp;more&nbsp;arrests&nbsp;Friday of&nbsp;relatives&nbsp;of six escaped&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;prisoners, an advocacy body said, as troops kept up a massive manhunt in the occupied West Bank.&nbsp;

Israel&nbsp;has poured troops into the&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;territory since Monday's breakout by six militants from the high security Gilboa&nbsp;prison&nbsp;in northern&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;through a tunnel dug beneath a sink in a cell.

Two brothers and a sister of suspected mastermind Mahmud Ardah were arrested on Friday morning in the village of Arraba near Jenin in the northern West Bank, the&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;Prisoners Club said.&nbsp;

Ardah, a member of militant group Islamic Jihad, has been imprisoned for life since 1996 over his role in deadly attacks.

Other&nbsp;relatives&nbsp;of the six fugitives, all from the Jenin area, were arrested on Wednesday and are being held in detention, according to the&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;advocacy group.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-says-biden-jinping-hold-first-phone-call-in-seven-months-411977">Also read |&nbsp;White House says Biden, Jinping hold first phone call in seven months</a>

The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the Friday&nbsp;arrests.&nbsp;

Speaking on a visit to a checkpoint between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and the West Bank, Defence Minister Benny Gantz vowed: "Sooner or later, we'll lay our hands on those we seek."

Gantz stressed that&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;did not want to see its reinforced military presence in the territory lead to any escalation.

"It's six people out of the millions living here," he said. "We need to be able to deal with these six and their accomplices without disrupting the other balances here.

"I hope this day will end quietly, either way the (army) is prepared for any development," Gantz said.&nbsp;

Palestinians have been celebrating the breakout with demonstrations in both the West Bank and the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, some of which have been accompanied by rioting.&nbsp;

Islamic Jihad and Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, have called for a "Day of Rage" in the West Bank on Friday.&nbsp;

An Israeli injunction is in effect against publishing details of the jailbreak investigation, even as Israeli media report on the scramble to recover from the embarrassing lapse.

On Thursday, Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev said he and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had agreed to form a commission of inquiry led by a retired judge.

The Israeli army made more arrests Friday of relatives of six escaped Palestinian prisoners, an advocacy body said, as troops kept up a massive manhunt in the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli army made more arrests Friday of relatives of six escaped Palestinian prisoners, an advocacy body said, as troops kept up a massive manhunt in the occupied West Bank. Israel has poured troops into the Palestinian territory since Monday's breakout by six militants from the high security Gilboa prison in northern Israel through a tunnel dug beneath a sink in a cell. Two brothers and a sister of suspected mastermind Mahmud Ardah were arrested on Friday morning in the village of Arraba near Jenin in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners Club said. Ardah, a member of militant group Islamic Jihad, has been imprisoned for life since 1996 over his role in deadly attacks. Other relatives of the six fugitives, all from the Jenin area, were arrested on Wednesday and are being held in detention, according to the Palestinian advocacy group. Also read | White House says Biden, Jinping hold first phone call in seven months The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the Friday arrests. Speaking on a visit to a checkpoint between Israel and the West Bank, Defence Minister Benny Gantz vowed: "Sooner or later, we'll lay our hands on those we seek." Gantz stressed that Israel did not want to see its reinforced military presence in the territory lead to any escalation. "It's six people out of the millions living here," he said. "We need to be able to deal with these six and their accomplices without disrupting the other balances here. "I hope this day will end quietly, either way the (army) is prepared for any development," Gantz said. Palestinians have been celebrating the breakout with demonstrations in both the West Bank and the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, some of which have been accompanied by rioting. Islamic Jihad and Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, have called for a "Day of Rage" in the West Bank on Friday. An Israeli injunction is in effect against publishing details of the jailbreak investigation, even as Israeli media report on the scramble to recover from the embarrassing lapse. On Thursday, Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev said he and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had agreed to form a commission of inquiry led by a retired judge.

Israel arrests more relatives of Palestinian jail breakers

In the aftermath of the high security jail break this week, Israeli troops have arrested at least five family members of the escapees in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian prisoners' group said on Wednesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

On Monday, six Palestinians prisoners had fled after digging a hole under the sink in a Gilboa prison cell in northern Israel. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Police sweep northwest Indiana school after getting report of active shooter

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In the lookout of the prisoners, Israel has deployed several drones, installed road checkpoints and sent an army mission to Jenin, the West Bank hometown of many men, who have been locked up for their roles in attacks on the Jewish state. &nbsp;

According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, two brothers of Mahmud Ardah, who has been described as the mastermind of the escape in local media, have been held. &nbsp;

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The Israeli army has also nabbed three others -- fellow family member Dr Nidal Ardah, along with the brother of a second fugitive and the father of Munadel Infeiat, who is another escapee. &nbsp;

All three of these escapees belong to the Islamic Jihad armed group. &nbsp;

Prisoners' group spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh told AFP that others could also have been arrested, while some had been only briefly detained.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In the aftermath of the high security jail break this week, Israeli troops have arrested at least five family members of the escapees in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian prisoners' group said on Wednesday.

In the aftermath of the high security jail break this week, Israeli troops have arrested at least five family members of the escapees in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian prisoners' group said on Wednesday. On Monday, six Palestinians prisoners had fled after digging a hole under the sink in a Gilboa prison cell in northern Israel. Watch: Police sweep northwest Indiana school after getting report of active shooter × In the lookout of the prisoners, Israel has deployed several drones, installed road checkpoints and sent an army mission to Jenin, the West Bank hometown of many men, who have been locked up for their roles in attacks on the Jewish state. According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, two brothers of Mahmud Ardah, who has been described as the mastermind of the escape in local media, have been held. Also Read: Guinea’s military releases political prisoners after pressure from West African leaders The Israeli army has also nabbed three others -- fellow family member Dr Nidal Ardah, along with the brother of a second fugitive and the father of Munadel Infeiat, who is another escapee. All three of these escapees belong to the Islamic Jihad armed group. Prisoners' group spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh told AFP that others could also have been arrested, while some had been only briefly detained. (With inputs from agencies)

After high security jail break, Israel nabs Palestinian escapees’ family members

On Wednesday evening, Palestinian protesters opened fire at Israeli soldiers during protests near Ramallah in support of the six Palestinian militants who escaped from an Israeli high-security prison.

500 Palestinians gather in Jerusalem to support jail escapees

Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza on Monday night. However, there were no reports of casualties.

Israel launches airstrikes on Gaza

Do we need to take a Wuhan virus vaccine booster shot? Many countries are already offering one. Israel is offering booster shots to children as young as 12. Are booster shots being given for protection or profit? WION's Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Booster shot: Do we really need one?

Israeli forces have been searching for six Palestinian prisoners who managed to escape from a high-security facility in northern Israel.

Israeli forces search for six Palestinian prisoners

Israel carried out airstrike against Gaza on Monday night as a retaliation after incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave started fires.

Israeli army blamed Hamas for the balloons and said that it targeted locations that belonged to the militant group.

"Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck a Hamas rocket manufacturing workshop, as well as a Hamas military compound in Khan Yunis," the Israeli army said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The strikes were in response to Hamas launching incendiary balloons into Israeli territory," the statement added.&nbsp;

The army also fired artillery in north Gaza, as per witnesses. AFP quoted medical sources in the Palestinian enclave to say that no one was killed.

Earlier in the day, Israeli firefighters had said that incendiary balloons had caused three bushfires at sites close to the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;

Launching the makeshift devices is a common tactic of militants in Gaza, which Israel has blockaded for nearly 15 years.

Israel frequently responds with airstrikes.

Monday's strikes come after six Palestinians broke out of an Israeli prison earlier in the day through a tunnel, triggering a massive manhunt.

Hamas and Israel fought a devastating 11-day conflict in May, the worst between the two sides in years.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel carried out airstrike against Gaza on Monday night as a retaliation after incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave started fires. Israeli army blamed Hamas for the balloons and said that it targeted locations that belonged to the militant group.

Israel carried out airstrike against Gaza on Monday night as a retaliation after incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave started fires. Israeli army blamed Hamas for the balloons and said that it targeted locations that belonged to the militant group. "Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck a Hamas rocket manufacturing workshop, as well as a Hamas military compound in Khan Yunis," the Israeli army said in a statement. "The strikes were in response to Hamas launching incendiary balloons into Israeli territory," the statement added. The army also fired artillery in north Gaza, as per witnesses. AFP quoted medical sources in the Palestinian enclave to say that no one was killed. Earlier in the day, Israeli firefighters had said that incendiary balloons had caused three bushfires at sites close to the Gaza Strip. Launching the makeshift devices is a common tactic of militants in Gaza, which Israel has blockaded for nearly 15 years. Israel frequently responds with airstrikes. Monday's strikes come after six Palestinians broke out of an Israeli prison earlier in the day through a tunnel, triggering a massive manhunt. Hamas and Israel fought a devastating 11-day conflict in May, the worst between the two sides in years. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza after incendiary balloon attacks

Israel prepares to celebrate the Jewish New Year which is called Rosh Hashanah. The day marks the beginning of the Hebrew calendar.

Jews attend special penitential prayers at Western Wall as Israel celebrates Jewish New Year

Israel has reopened its schools despite a surge in COVID-19 cases. In fact, Israel has recorded the highest number of fresh cases per capita across the world with nearly 11,000 cases among its population.

Schools reopen in Israel despite COVID surge

The west may have exited the war-torn nation Afghanistan, but they continue to maintain close watch. Israel Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was the right move but was carried out poorly.

Israel says US Afghan withdrawal 'right move, badly done'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz in the West Bank city of Ramallah during which they discussed ‘security-policy, civilian and economic issues’.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz meets Palestinian Prez Abbas

Israeli&nbsp;Defence&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Benny Gantz met&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;president&nbsp;Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank on Sunday for the first official&nbsp;Israeli-Palestinian&nbsp;talks&nbsp;since Prime&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Naftali Bennett took office in June.

Gantz travelled to the West Bank city of Ramallah for security and economic discussions with the 85-year-old&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;leader, officials said on Monday.

They came hours after&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;premier Bennett returned from Washington where he met with US&nbsp;President&nbsp;Joe Biden at the White House.

"Defence&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Benny Gantz met with&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;Authority Chairman Mahmud Abbas (Sunday) evening to discuss security policy, civilian and economic issues," Israel's&nbsp;defence&nbsp;ministry said in a statement. &nbsp;

Gantz, head of a centrist party in Israel's government coalition, told Abbas "that Israel seeks to take measures that will strengthen the PA's economy. They also discussed shaping the security and economic situations in the West Bank and in Gaza," it added.&nbsp;

"They agreed to continue communicating further."

The meeting included the head of the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;military branch responsible for civil affairs in the&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;territories, Ghasan Alyan,&nbsp;senior PA official Hussein Al Sheikh and&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;intelligence chief Majid Faraj.&nbsp;

Al Sheikh confirmed the meeting on Twitter. Gantz's office said the&nbsp;defence&nbsp;minister&nbsp;and Abbas held "a one-on-one meeting" after the larger&nbsp;talks.&nbsp;

Relations between Israel and the PA, which is based in the&nbsp;Israeli-occupied West Bank, have deteriorated substantially in recent years.&nbsp;

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Former&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;prime&nbsp;minister&nbsp;Benjamin Netanyahu, in power from 2009 to 2021, was derided by Palestinians.&nbsp;

He made no substantive efforts towards resolving the decades-old conflict while overseeing a steady expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, communities regarded as illegal under international law.&nbsp;

Bennett is a hardline nationalist who opposes&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;statehood and previously led a powerful settler lobbying council.&nbsp;

His office has made clear that Israel's ideologically disparate coalition, which includes left-wingers and hawks like the premier, has no plans to initiate a new round of peace&nbsp;talks.&nbsp;

But top&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;officials have indicated a desire to boost the PA amid concern over a fresh conflict with Hamas Islamists who control Gaza, an&nbsp;Israeli-blockaded&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;territory that is separate from the West Bank.&nbsp;

Eleven days of conflict between Israel and&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;militants in Gaza in May marked the worst hostilities in the area since 2014 and unrest has persisted despite an Egypt-brokered ceasefire.&nbsp;

Abbas's PA has also come under mounting global criticism over an alleged crackdown on key rights following the death in&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;custody of a prominent activist.&nbsp;

The United Nations and European Union last week expressed alarm over a spate of arrests targeting leading critics of Abbas and the PA.&nbsp;

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz met Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank on Sunday for the first official Israeli-Palestinian talks since Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took office in June.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz met Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank on Sunday for the first official Israeli-Palestinian talks since Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took office in June. Gantz travelled to the West Bank city of Ramallah for security and economic discussions with the 85-year-old Palestinian leader, officials said on Monday. They came hours after Israeli premier Bennett returned from Washington where he met with US President Joe Biden at the White House. "Defence Minister Benny Gantz met with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmud Abbas (Sunday) evening to discuss security policy, civilian and economic issues," Israel's defence ministry said in a statement. Gantz, head of a centrist party in Israel's government coalition, told Abbas "that Israel seeks to take measures that will strengthen the PA's economy. They also discussed shaping the security and economic situations in the West Bank and in Gaza," it added. "They agreed to continue communicating further." The meeting included the head of the Israeli military branch responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, Ghasan Alyan, senior PA official Hussein Al Sheikh and Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj. Al Sheikh confirmed the meeting on Twitter. Gantz's office said the defence minister and Abbas held "a one-on-one meeting" after the larger talks. Relations between Israel and the PA, which is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, have deteriorated substantially in recent years. Also read | Attacks on LGBTQ+ community across UK sparks fear Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in power from 2009 to 2021, was derided by Palestinians. He made no substantive efforts towards resolving the decades-old conflict while overseeing a steady expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, communities regarded as illegal under international law. Bennett is a hardline nationalist who opposes Palestinian statehood and previously led a powerful settler lobbying council. His office has made clear that Israel's ideologically disparate coalition, which includes left-wingers and hawks like the premier, has no plans to initiate a new round of peace talks. But top Israeli officials have indicated a desire to boost the PA amid concern over a fresh conflict with Hamas Islamists who control Gaza, an Israeli-blockaded Palestinian territory that is separate from the West Bank. Eleven days of conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza in May marked the worst hostilities in the area since 2014 and unrest has persisted despite an Egypt-brokered ceasefire. Abbas's PA has also come under mounting global criticism over an alleged crackdown on key rights following the death in Palestinian custody of a prominent activist. The United Nations and European Union last week expressed alarm over a spate of arrests targeting leading critics of Abbas and the PA.

Palestinian president, Israeli defence minister hold rare talks

Israel&nbsp;Sunday widened access to a third coronavirus&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;jab to anyone aged&nbsp;12&nbsp;and&nbsp;up, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett insisting it was an effective way to contain an infection surge.

Moves by several nations to offer third jabs have faced criticism including from the World Health Organization, which insists poorer countries should gain wider access to&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;before wealthy ones offer&nbsp;booster&nbsp;shots.

But with&nbsp;Israel, a country of 9.3 million, approaching daily infection tallies that regularly exceed 8,000 and serious&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;cases, Bennett has pressed ahead with the&nbsp;booster&nbsp;scheme.

"The third dose of the&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;works," he said in a statement, announcing that it was now "available from age&nbsp;12&nbsp;and&nbsp;up".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/attacks-on-lgbtq-community-across-uk-sparks-fear-409311">Also read |&nbsp;Attacks on LGBTQ+ community across UK sparks fear</a>

He said that with two million Israelis having received a third shot, the results are clear as "the increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow".

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said there was no doubt that a&nbsp;booster&nbsp;shot was "effective in preventing infection, and it significantly reduces the risk of serious and fatal illnesses".

Israel, which registered 7,000 new cases on Sunday, this week passed the one million cases threshold since the pandemic began.

The latest surge has largely been blamed on the highly transmissible Delta variant.

More than 6,950 people have died from the virus in&nbsp;Israel.

Israel Sunday widened access to a third coronavirus vaccine jab to anyone aged 12 and up, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett insisting it was an effective way to contain an infection surge.

Israel Sunday widened access to a third coronavirus vaccine jab to anyone aged 12 and up, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett insisting it was an effective way to contain an infection surge. Moves by several nations to offer third jabs have faced criticism including from the World Health Organization, which insists poorer countries should gain wider access to vaccines before wealthy ones offer booster shots. But with Israel, a country of 9.3 million, approaching daily infection tallies that regularly exceed 8,000 and serious Covid cases, Bennett has pressed ahead with the booster scheme. "The third dose of the vaccine works," he said in a statement, announcing that it was now "available from age 12 and up". Also read | Attacks on LGBTQ+ community across UK sparks fear He said that with two million Israelis having received a third shot, the results are clear as "the increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow". Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said there was no doubt that a booster shot was "effective in preventing infection, and it significantly reduces the risk of serious and fatal illnesses". Israel, which registered 7,000 new cases on Sunday, this week passed the one million cases threshold since the pandemic began. The latest surge has largely been blamed on the highly transmissible Delta variant. More than 6,950 people have died from the virus in Israel.

Israel offers COVID-19 vaccine booster to ages 12 and up

After the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to not start booster programme yet, Israel has announced that it will be administering the third shot to all citizens above the age of 12.<o:p></o:p>

Israel’s newly-elected Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took this decision as he claims the booster shots are an effective way to contain the wide spread of the Delta variant. <o:p></o:p>

Announcing that the booster shot will now be available for everyone aged 12 and above, Bennett assured locals that the "third dose of the vaccine works".

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vaccine-inequity-continues-to-remain-a-cause-of-concern-408227">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vaccine-inequity-continues-to-remain-a-cause-of-concern-408227/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

To back up his claim, he said that nearly two million Israel nationals have received the third booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine and the results can be seen in the fact that the "increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow".<o:p></o:p>

Israel’s Health Minister, Nitzan Horowitz, supported his PM’s claim and said the experts have concluded that there is no doubt that the booster shot is “effective in preventing infection, and it significantly reduces the risk of serious and fatal illnesses”.<o:p></o:p>

Experts seem to agree with the PM but have also noted that some other factors might also be contributing to the decline of the Delta spread. <o:p></o:p>

"The numbers are still very high but what has changed is that the very high increase in the rate of infections and severe cases has diminished, as has the pace at which the pandemic is spreading," said Eran Segal, data scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an adviser to the government. "This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptake in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week, possibly up to 100,000, who now have natural immunity," Segal said.<o:p></o:p>

This announcement has come a few days after the country started administering booster shots to the adult population — becoming the first country in the world to do so.<o:p></o:p>

After the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to not start booster programme yet, Israel has announced that it will be administering the third shot to all citizens above the age of 12.

After the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to not start booster programme yet, Israel has announced that it will be administering the third shot to all citizens above the age of 12. Israel’s newly-elected Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took this decision as he claims the booster shots are an effective way to contain the wide spread of the Delta variant. Announcing that the booster shot will now be available for everyone aged 12 and above, Bennett assured locals that the "third dose of the vaccine works". WATCH | To back up his claim, he said that nearly two million Israel nationals have received the third booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine and the results can be seen in the fact that the "increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow". Israel’s Health Minister, Nitzan Horowitz, supported his PM’s claim and said the experts have concluded that there is no doubt that the booster shot is “effective in preventing infection, and it significantly reduces the risk of serious and fatal illnesses”. Experts seem to agree with the PM but have also noted that some other factors might also be contributing to the decline of the Delta spread. "The numbers are still very high but what has changed is that the very high increase in the rate of infections and severe cases has diminished, as has the pace at which the pandemic is spreading," said Eran Segal, data scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an adviser to the government. "This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptake in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week, possibly up to 100,000, who now have natural immunity," Segal said. This announcement has come a few days after the country started administering booster shots to the adult population — becoming the first country in the world to do so.

Israel to start booster shot for all citizens aged above 12

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