An ultra-Orthodox Jewish lawmaker resigned from the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;legislature on Wednesday after drawing rabbis&#39; wrath for attending his&nbsp;gay&nbsp;nephew&#39;s&nbsp;wedding.

Yigal Guetta of the Shas party said in an&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;radio interview earlier this week that he and his family had gone to the celebration, held two years ago in Israel, because he wanted his sister&#39;s son to be happy, although&nbsp;gay&nbsp;marriage violated his own religious beliefs.

A letter published on Monday by five prominent&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;rabbis said same-sex marriage is an &quot;abomination&quot;. Accusing Guetta of &quot;desecrating God&#39;s will&quot;, they called on his party to fire him.

Guetta made no immediate public statement after his resignation was confirmed by party officials.

The newspaper Haaretz quoted a source close to the politician as saying he had refused to apologise and decided to quit, to avoid being asked to do so by Shas&#39;s own religious sages, who set party policy.

Same-sex&nbsp;weddings held in Israel are not sanctioned by the state, and only Orthodox rabbis can issue marriage licences. Couples may marry without a license, but the union won&#39;t be officially recognised.

Israel does recognise same-sex couples who marry abroad and any other non-Orthodox weddings performed outside of the country.

Yigal Guetta of the Shas party said in an?Israeli?radio interview earlier this week that he and his family had gone to the celebration, held two years ago in Israel, because he wanted his sister's son to be happy, although?gay?marriage violated his own religious beliefs.

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish lawmaker resigned from the Israeli legislature on Wednesday after drawing rabbis' wrath for attending his gay nephew's wedding. Yigal Guetta of the Shas party said in an Israeli radio interview earlier this week that he and his family had gone to the celebration, held two years ago in Israel, because he wanted his sister's son to be happy, although gay marriage violated his own religious beliefs. A letter published on Monday by five prominent Israeli rabbis said same-sex marriage is an "abomination". Accusing Guetta of "desecrating God's will", they called on his party to fire him. Guetta made no immediate public statement after his resignation was confirmed by party officials. The newspaper Haaretz quoted a source close to the politician as saying he had refused to apologise and decided to quit, to avoid being asked to do so by Shas's own religious sages, who set party policy. Same-sex weddings held in Israel are not sanctioned by the state, and only Orthodox rabbis can issue marriage licences. Couples may marry without a license, but the union won't be officially recognised. Israel does recognise same-sex couples who marry abroad and any other non-Orthodox weddings performed outside of the country.

Israeli legislator quits in dispute over nephew's gay wedding

The Syrian Army said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had hit a military site in Hama province in the country&#39;s west.&nbsp;

The Syrian Army said two soldiers had died in the attack and that the strike had done damage near the town of Masyaf.&nbsp;

&quot;Israeli warplanes at 2:42am today fired a number of missiles from Lebanese air space, targeting one of our military positions near Masyaf, which led to material damage and the deaths of two members of the site,&quot; AFP reported the Syrian Army as saying in a statement.&nbsp;

Reuters reported the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying the strike hit a Scientific Studies and Research Centre facility, an agency which the United States describes as Syria&#39;s chemical weapons manufacturer.

Reuters added that the strike took place the morning after UN investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April.

Reuters said an Israeli army spokeswoman refused to discuss the reported strike.&nbsp;

But that Israeli officials have in the past admitted to Israel hitting weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Reuters added that in an interview to Haaretz last month, former Israeli air force chief Amir Eshel said Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the past five years.

It added that Israel sees a red line in the shipment to Hezbollah of anti-aircraft missiles, precision ground-ground missiles and non-conventional (chemical) weapons.

The Syrian Army said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had hit a military site in Hama province in the country's west. The Syrian Army said two soldiers had died in the attack and that the strike had done damage near the town of Masyaf. "Israeli warplanes at 2:42am today fired a number of missiles from Lebanese air space, targeting one of our military positions near Masyaf, which led to material damage and the deaths of two members of the site," AFP reported the Syrian Army as saying in a statement. Reuters reported the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying the strike hit a Scientific Studies and Research Centre facility, an agency which the United States describes as Syria's chemical weapons manufacturer. Reuters added that the strike took place the morning after UN investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April. Reuters said an Israeli army spokeswoman refused to discuss the reported strike. But that Israeli officials have in the past admitted to Israel hitting weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters added that in an interview to Haaretz last month, former Israeli air force chief Amir Eshel said Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the past five years. It added that Israel sees a red line in the shipment to Hezbollah of anti-aircraft missiles, precision ground-ground missiles and non-conventional (chemical) weapons.

Israeli warplanes hit military facility, says Syrian Army

Carrot juice and gunfire

Israel is a country that stuns you with its beauty and incongruity. And that&rsquo;s an understatement. Our chopper (called BDS, not weird at all!) landed on Mount Bental in the Golan Heights. It&rsquo;s a dormant volcano where lava seeps from the base and not the top of the mountain, leaving the soil around it rich with minerals. There are lush vineyards as far as the eye can see. The Instagram happy lot had just turned on their selfie cameras when we were beckoned to the other side.

There was a UN convoy practicing a drill. The young Irish officers refused to talk. But a few minutes down the road we met more soldiers, men, and women, resting with their backpacks and machine guns, lying under olive trees, posing for cameras. War, perhaps, is just a state of mind for some.&nbsp;

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A female soldier smiling for the photograph shows for some war is just a state of mind. Photo credit: Palki Sharma (Others)
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We were headed to cafe Kofi Annan, packed with tourists and students. Kofi Annan in Hebrew sounds like &lsquo;coffee on the clouds&rsquo;. Apt. around tables laden with salads, coffee, carrot juice, pizzas and oranges, animated conversation ebbed and flowed. It was like any other cafe, except that you heard booming sounds intermittently.

It&rsquo;s the ISIS fighting, said our guide. He passed on a pair of binoculars. In the distance, you could see the Syrian border. This is the only place in the world or one of the only since I don&rsquo;t know better, where you can see the full theatre of war, live and unedited, perched on barstools.

After a while, the sounds ceased. It&rsquo;s lunch break for the fighters, we were told. Of course. Ideology gives only so much sustenance.&nbsp;

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Tourists on the Golan Heights looking able to see the Syrian border. Photo credit: Palki Sharma (Others)
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The scene reminded me of Tom Friedman&rsquo;s description of the Lebanese war in the 80s. An American friend of his was invited for dinner on Christmas Eve. Amid artillery salvos and machine gun fire that shook the neighborhood, the hostess put off serving dinner hoping that things would calm down. After a while, she asked, &ldquo;Would you like to eat now or wait for the cease-fire?&rdquo; I thought it was a bit exaggerated. Not anymore. It&rsquo;s a coping mechanism.

For a country that has lived under the constant shadow of war when it&rsquo;s not fighting one, this perhaps is the only way to survive and thrive. The Israelis have turned it into a fine art, complete with blooming hydrangeas in the kitchen garden and lace doilies on the window sill.&nbsp;

More power to Merav!

We were led into a fine dining restaurant with sparkling wine goblets and oversized lampshades. We were to meet a member of Knesset from the ruling coalition. Merav Ben Ari was to brief us on policy and politics. She walked in pushing a pram. Her three-month-old daughter gurgled greetings as the mother shook hands with us. She&rsquo;s the first lawmaker in Israel to have conceived a baby with a gay friend and opted for shared parenting out of wedlock. At the risk of soundly too credulous and callow, I have to say I cannot imagine a politician in India, much less a woman, doing this and being cheered for it.&nbsp;

She discussed the corruption allegations against Prime Minister Netanyahu while burping her baby and forking her ravioli. The picture was almost inspirational - a working mother, unapologetic about tending to her baby while meeting a delegation, not expected to prove her dedication to her profession while balancing it with &#39;life&#39;. &nbsp;Envy.&nbsp;

All the exhortations about leaning in and claiming your space seemed fraudulent. It&rsquo;s not really a choice for most women where I come from. It&rsquo;s an offer with pre-conditions foisted on them. Most struggle to convince their bosses that they are committed professionals and to their children that they are committed mothers while living in the constant guilt that they might end up being neither.

Ben Ari gave me hope. But unfortunately, I did not follow much of what she said. My contemplative mood coupled with an overdose of cheesecakes that had me looking forward to a nap on the bus to our next destination.

Palki Sharma&nbsp;traveled to Israel for the AJC&#39;s Project Interchange 2017.&nbsp;

The Israelis have turned war into a fine art, complete with blooming hydrangeas in the kitchen garden and lace doilies on the window sill.

Carrot juice and gunfire Israel is a country that stuns you with its beauty and incongruity. And that’s an understatement. Our chopper (called BDS, not weird at all!) landed on Mount Bental in the Golan Heights. It’s a dormant volcano where lava seeps from the base and not the top of the mountain, leaving the soil around it rich with minerals. There are lush vineyards as far as the eye can see. The Instagram happy lot had just turned on their selfie cameras when we were beckoned to the other side. There was a UN convoy practicing a drill. The young Irish officers refused to talk. But a few minutes down the road we met more soldiers, men, and women, resting with their backpacks and machine guns, lying under olive trees, posing for cameras. War, perhaps, is just a state of mind for some. A female soldier smiling for the photograph shows for some war is just a state of mind. Photo credit: Palki Sharma (Others) × We were headed to cafe Kofi Annan, packed with tourists and students. Kofi Annan in Hebrew sounds like ‘coffee on the clouds’. Apt. around tables laden with salads, coffee, carrot juice, pizzas and oranges, animated conversation ebbed and flowed. It was like any other cafe, except that you heard booming sounds intermittently. It’s the ISIS fighting, said our guide. He passed on a pair of binoculars. In the distance, you could see the Syrian border. This is the only place in the world or one of the only since I don’t know better, where you can see the full theatre of war, live and unedited, perched on barstools. After a while, the sounds ceased. It’s lunch break for the fighters, we were told. Of course. Ideology gives only so much sustenance. Tourists on the Golan Heights looking able to see the Syrian border. Photo credit: Palki Sharma (Others) × The scene reminded me of Tom Friedman’s description of the Lebanese war in the 80s. An American friend of his was invited for dinner on Christmas Eve. Amid artillery salvos and machine gun fire that shook the neighborhood, the hostess put off serving dinner hoping that things would calm down. After a while, she asked, “Would you like to eat now or wait for the cease-fire?” I thought it was a bit exaggerated. Not anymore. It’s a coping mechanism. For a country that has lived under the constant shadow of war when it’s not fighting one, this perhaps is the only way to survive and thrive. The Israelis have turned it into a fine art, complete with blooming hydrangeas in the kitchen garden and lace doilies on the window sill. More power to Merav! We were led into a fine dining restaurant with sparkling wine goblets and oversized lampshades. We were to meet a member of Knesset from the ruling coalition. Merav Ben Ari was to brief us on policy and politics. She walked in pushing a pram. Her three-month-old daughter gurgled greetings as the mother shook hands with us. She’s the first lawmaker in Israel to have conceived a baby with a gay friend and opted for shared parenting out of wedlock. At the risk of soundly too credulous and callow, I have to say I cannot imagine a politician in India, much less a woman, doing this and being cheered for it. She discussed the corruption allegations against Prime Minister Netanyahu while burping her baby and forking her ravioli. The picture was almost inspirational - a working mother, unapologetic about tending to her baby while meeting a delegation, not expected to prove her dedication to her profession while balancing it with 'life'. Envy. All the exhortations about leaning in and claiming your space seemed fraudulent. It’s not really a choice for most women where I come from. It’s an offer with pre-conditions foisted on them. Most struggle to convince their bosses that they are committed professionals and to their children that they are committed mothers while living in the constant guilt that they might end up being neither. Ben Ari gave me hope. But unfortunately, I did not follow much of what she said. My contemplative mood coupled with an overdose of cheesecakes that had me looking forward to a nap on the bus to our next destination. Palki Sharma traveled to Israel for the AJC's Project Interchange 2017.

There is an Israel beyond the gunfire

Israeli police on Monday detained Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz and four other suspects for questioning in an investigation of fraud, a source briefed on the case said.

Israeli authorities put Steinmetz under house arrest last December, releasing him two weeks later without charge, in a probe of bribery allegations relating to the activities of his mining firm BSG Resources in Africa. BSGR denied any wrongdoing.

At the time, police said he and other Israelis living abroad were alleged to have paid tens of millions of dollars to senior public officials in the West African state of Guinea to advance their business.

In a statement on Monday, Israeli police said five suspects were detained for questioning under caution on suspicion of money laundering, fraudulent filing of corporate documents, fraud and corporate breach of trust, obstruction of justice and bribery.

A source briefed on the investigation said that one of the suspects was Steinmetz. Israeli media reports identified him as being among those detained and questioned. An Israeli law office representing the businessman declined to comment.

Police said the detainees, who were not identified in the statement, are suspected of having &quot;acted together and methodically with the prime suspect in order to create and present fictitious contracts and deals ... on a foreign country in order to transfer funds and launder money&quot;.

The statement, which did not name the foreign nation, said that &quot;in line with the developments in the investigation, a decision will be made whether to bring any of those involved to court for a discussion of the case&quot;.

Searches were carried out in the suspects&#39; homes and offices, police said.

BSGR last December said the investigation had been initiated by the government of Guinea, which launched a review of mining contracts signed before 2011 as part of international efforts to improve transparency.

In its review, the West African nation investigated how BSGR obtained the rights to the Simandou deposit, the world&#39;s largest untapped iron ore reserves, in 2008.

Israeli authorities put Steinmetz under house arrest last December, releasing him two weeks later without charge, in a probe of bribery allegations relating to the activities of his mining firm BSG Resources in Africa. BSGR denied any wrongdoing

Israeli police on Monday detained Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz and four other suspects for questioning in an investigation of fraud, a source briefed on the case said. Israeli authorities put Steinmetz under house arrest last December, releasing him two weeks later without charge, in a probe of bribery allegations relating to the activities of his mining firm BSG Resources in Africa. BSGR denied any wrongdoing. At the time, police said he and other Israelis living abroad were alleged to have paid tens of millions of dollars to senior public officials in the West African state of Guinea to advance their business. In a statement on Monday, Israeli police said five suspects were detained for questioning under caution on suspicion of money laundering, fraudulent filing of corporate documents, fraud and corporate breach of trust, obstruction of justice and bribery. A source briefed on the investigation said that one of the suspects was Steinmetz. Israeli media reports identified him as being among those detained and questioned. An Israeli law office representing the businessman declined to comment. Police said the detainees, who were not identified in the statement, are suspected of having "acted together and methodically with the prime suspect in order to create and present fictitious contracts and deals ... on a foreign country in order to transfer funds and launder money". The statement, which did not name the foreign nation, said that "in line with the developments in the investigation, a decision will be made whether to bring any of those involved to court for a discussion of the case". Searches were carried out in the suspects' homes and offices, police said. BSGR last December said the investigation had been initiated by the government of Guinea, which launched a review of mining contracts signed before 2011 as part of international efforts to improve transparency. In its review, the West African nation investigated how BSGR obtained the rights to the Simandou deposit, the world's largest untapped iron ore reserves, in 2008.

Israeli police detain billionaire Steinmetz in fraud probe

Palestinians were set to return to pray at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site on Thursday after Israeli authorities removed controversial new security measures, potentially ending a nearly two-week crisis that sparked deadly unrest.

Muslim authorities announced a boycott of the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, was to end on Thursday afternoon after&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;removed remaining new security measures.

The compound includes the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and the golden-topped Dome of the Rock. Palestinians had boycotted it since the security measures were installed following a July 14 attack nearby that killed two policemen.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas joined calls for worshippers to return to the site.

&quot;The prayers will happen, God willing, inside the Al-Aqsa mosque,&quot; Abbas told a press conference.

Abbas announced a freeze on contacts with&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;last week over the dispute, including security coordination, and said on Thursday a meeting would be held on whether to lift it.

Midday prayers were again held outside the compound, with officials saying preparations had to be made for worshippers to return to it for afternoon prayers at around 4:30 pm (1330 GMT).

Before the midday prayer, there were celebrations with hundreds of people clapping and singing.&nbsp;

It became quiet later as the prayer time approached, with worshippers spreading out prayer mats on the ground.

Standoff nears end?

A tense standoff had been underway between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and Muslim worshippers at the holy site for nearly two weeks despite the removal of metal detectors on Tuesday.

Newly installed railings and scaffolding where cameras were previously mounted were also removed early on Thursday.

Police said on Thursday morning that all new security measures had now been removed.

Muslims had refused to enter the compound and prayed in the streets outside after&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;installed the new security measures.

Palestinians viewed the move as&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;asserting further control.

Israeli authorities said the metal detectors were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the compound and emerged from it to attack the officers.

Deadly unrest erupted in the days after the new measures were introduced, with clashes breaking out around the compound and in the occupied West Bank, leaving five Palestinians dead.

A Palestinian also broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank last week and stabbed four Israelis, killing three of them.

There had been concerns that Friday&#39;s main weekly Muslim prayers -- which typically draw thousands to Al-Aqsa -- would lead to serious clashes between protesters and Israeli security forces if a resolution was not found.

Celebrations at site

In the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, crowds of Palestinians gathered at the entrance of the site to celebrate the removal of the remaining security installations, with whistling and constant horns from cars.

Young men set off firecrackers as Israeli forces watched closely.

Firas Abasi said he felt like crying over the &quot;victory&quot;.

&quot;For 12 days no one has slept, no one has done anything except the Al-Aqsa mosque,&quot; he said.

Following intensive international diplomacy and warnings of the potential for wider unrest,&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;removed the metal detectors early on Tuesday.

Cameras installed after the attack on the police were also removed.

But Israeli officials said previously they were to be replaced with &quot;advanced technologies&quot; -- widely believed to be smart cameras with facial recognition technology.

The remaining installations and suspicions over what new measures&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;was planning had led Palestinian and Muslim leaders to continue to urge a boycott of the site, and worshippers had heeded their call.

It was not immediately clear if&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;would stick to reported plans to install a smart camera system in Jerusalem&#39;s Old City. Cameras are already widespread inside its walls.

Jordan is the custodian of Muslim holy sites at the compound, and King Abdullah II had called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove the security measures.

Information Minister Mohammad al-Momani on Thursday welcomed their removal, calling it an &quot;essential step towards calm.&quot;

The holy compound lies in east Jerusalem, seized by&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

The third-holiest site for Muslims and the most sacred for Jews, it is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has served as a rallying cry for Palestinians.

In 2000, a visit to the compound by then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon helped ignite the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

A tense standoff had been underway between?Israel?and Muslim worshippers at the holy site for nearly two weeks despite the removal of metal detectors on Tuesday

Palestinians were set to return to pray at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site on Thursday after Israeli authorities removed controversial new security measures, potentially ending a nearly two-week crisis that sparked deadly unrest. Muslim authorities announced a boycott of the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, was to end on Thursday afternoon after Israel removed remaining new security measures. The compound includes the revered Al-Aqsa mosque and the golden-topped Dome of the Rock. Palestinians had boycotted it since the security measures were installed following a July 14 attack nearby that killed two policemen. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas joined calls for worshippers to return to the site. "The prayers will happen, God willing, inside the Al-Aqsa mosque," Abbas told a press conference. Abbas announced a freeze on contacts with Israel last week over the dispute, including security coordination, and said on Thursday a meeting would be held on whether to lift it. Midday prayers were again held outside the compound, with officials saying preparations had to be made for worshippers to return to it for afternoon prayers at around 4:30 pm (1330 GMT). Before the midday prayer, there were celebrations with hundreds of people clapping and singing. It became quiet later as the prayer time approached, with worshippers spreading out prayer mats on the ground. Standoff nears end? A tense standoff had been underway between Israel and Muslim worshippers at the holy site for nearly two weeks despite the removal of metal detectors on Tuesday. Newly installed railings and scaffolding where cameras were previously mounted were also removed early on Thursday. Police said on Thursday morning that all new security measures had now been removed. Muslims had refused to enter the compound and prayed in the streets outside after Israel installed the new security measures. Palestinians viewed the move as Israel asserting further control. Israeli authorities said the metal detectors were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the compound and emerged from it to attack the officers. Deadly unrest erupted in the days after the new measures were introduced, with clashes breaking out around the compound and in the occupied West Bank, leaving five Palestinians dead. A Palestinian also broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank last week and stabbed four Israelis, killing three of them. There had been concerns that Friday's main weekly Muslim prayers -- which typically draw thousands to Al-Aqsa -- would lead to serious clashes between protesters and Israeli security forces if a resolution was not found. Celebrations at site In the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, crowds of Palestinians gathered at the entrance of the site to celebrate the removal of the remaining security installations, with whistling and constant horns from cars. Young men set off firecrackers as Israeli forces watched closely. Firas Abasi said he felt like crying over the "victory". "For 12 days no one has slept, no one has done anything except the Al-Aqsa mosque," he said. Following intensive international diplomacy and warnings of the potential for wider unrest, Israel removed the metal detectors early on Tuesday. Cameras installed after the attack on the police were also removed. But Israeli officials said previously they were to be replaced with "advanced technologies" -- widely believed to be smart cameras with facial recognition technology. The remaining installations and suspicions over what new measures Israel was planning had led Palestinian and Muslim leaders to continue to urge a boycott of the site, and worshippers had heeded their call. It was not immediately clear if Israel would stick to reported plans to install a smart camera system in Jerusalem's Old City. Cameras are already widespread inside its walls. Jordan is the custodian of Muslim holy sites at the compound, and King Abdullah II had called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove the security measures. Information Minister Mohammad al-Momani on Thursday welcomed their removal, calling it an "essential step towards calm." The holy compound lies in east Jerusalem, seized by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community. The third-holiest site for Muslims and the most sacred for Jews, it is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has served as a rallying cry for Palestinians. In 2000, a visit to the compound by then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon helped ignite the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

Palestinians to end boycott of Jerusalem holy site

Three gunmen were killed after they <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/jerusalem-attack-in-pictures-361#photo-22045">opened fire on Israeli police before fleeing to a nearby holy site</a>&nbsp;in Jerusalem&#39;s Old City on Friday.&nbsp;

All three attackers&nbsp;were killed by security forces, police said.

Three people were wounded in the attack, two of them critically, police added.

The attackers fled to the site known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to the Jews as the Temple Mount.

Police locked down the area and the al-Aqsa compound at the holy site was closed for Friday prayers. Gates leading to the site were sealed off.

The ancient, marble-and-stone compound houses the al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam&#39;s third-holiest site, and the 7th century Dome of the Rock. Thousands pray there every Friday.&nbsp;

No details were immediately available on the identity of the attackers.

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Three assailants opened fire on Israeli police in Jerusalem&#39;s Old City on July 14 before fleeing to a nearby highly sensitive holy site and being killed by security forces, police said. (AFP)
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Israeli police check the scene and surround a dead body (in foreground) where assailants fired shots toward Israeli forces on the al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Jerusalem&#39;s Old City. (AFP)
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Israeli security forces frisk a Palestinian youth in the Jerusalem&#39;s Old City on July 14, 2017, following an alleged attack. (AFP)
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Three attackers opened fire on Israeli police in Jerusalem's Old City before fleeing to a nearby holy site

Three gunmen were killed after they opened fire on Israeli police before fleeing to a nearby holy site in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday. All three attackers were killed by security forces, police said. Three people were wounded in the attack, two of them critically, police added. The attackers fled to the site known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to the Jews as the Temple Mount. Police locked down the area and the al-Aqsa compound at the holy site was closed for Friday prayers. Gates leading to the site were sealed off. The ancient, marble-and-stone compound houses the al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site, and the 7th century Dome of the Rock. Thousands pray there every Friday. No details were immediately available on the identity of the attackers. Three assailants opened fire on Israeli police in Jerusalem's Old City on July 14 before fleeing to a nearby highly sensitive holy site and being killed by security forces, police said. (AFP) × Israeli police check the scene and surround a dead body (in foreground) where assailants fired shots toward Israeli forces on the al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Jerusalem's Old City. (AFP) × Israeli security forces frisk a Palestinian youth in the Jerusalem's Old City on July 14, 2017, following an alleged attack. (AFP) ×

3 attackers killed after gunbattle with Israeli security forces in Jerusalem

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from his two-nation visit today which also included the historic visit to Israel, the first by an Indian Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Modi started his two-nation tour with a historic visit to Israel marking 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Later, he attended the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.&nbsp;

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the Indian Prime Minister at the airport. The two leaders signed a number of agreements.

Narendra Modi also met the Israeli business community where CEOs of Indian and Israeli businesses signed agreements worth $5 billion.&nbsp;

After concluding his historic Israel visit, the Prime Minister visited the German city of Hamburg to attend the 12th G-20 summit. At the summit, the Prime Minister urged the countries for a debate on forced migration and emphasesed on a policy framework to distinguish legal migration.

The Prime Minister also held bilateral talks with leaders of South Korea and Italy and discussed a range of issues. He also held talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May discussing ways to extradite economic offenders.

The big take away was Prime Minister Modi&#39;s meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between the two armies back home.

The big take away was Prime Minister Modi's meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between the two armies back home

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from his two-nation visit today which also included the historic visit to Israel, the first by an Indian Prime Minister. Prime Minister Modi started his two-nation tour with a historic visit to Israel marking 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Later, he attended the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the Indian Prime Minister at the airport. The two leaders signed a number of agreements. Narendra Modi also met the Israeli business community where CEOs of Indian and Israeli businesses signed agreements worth $5 billion. After concluding his historic Israel visit, the Prime Minister visited the German city of Hamburg to attend the 12th G-20 summit. At the summit, the Prime Minister urged the countries for a debate on forced migration and emphasesed on a policy framework to distinguish legal migration. The Prime Minister also held bilateral talks with leaders of South Korea and Italy and discussed a range of issues. He also held talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May discussing ways to extradite economic offenders. The big take away was Prime Minister Modi's meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between the two armies back home.

PM Modi returns after concluding two-nation tour including historic Israel visit

By Aimen Zaki

The India-Israel&nbsp;CEOs Forum is all set to receive Prime Minister Modi and his counterpart Israeli&nbsp;PM Netanyahu in Tel Aviv today. Following PM Modi&#39;s visit, Israel-India Innovative Initiative Fund has been announced to raise&nbsp;investment in the field of technology. 
 
The forum will initiate an interactive session between CEOs from Israeli and Indian companies. Two important names which are reportedly set to attend the meeting include Joseph&nbsp;Weiss of Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Uzi Landau of RAFAEL Advance Defense Systems.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/a-quick-look-inside-israels-aerospace-industries-iai-330">Also Read:&nbsp;Israeli air power and the Indian connection</a>

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Joseph Weiss had said: &quot;India has been IAI&rsquo;s partner for many years as well as a key market for us.&quot; (Others)
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Joseph Weiss of Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI)

Joseph Weiss is the CEO and President IAI. He has served in the Israeli Navy for 27 years.&nbsp;

Weiss has been associated with many defence system programs including Israel&#39;s&nbsp;new&nbsp;advanced submarine program. He headed the $1 billion Dolphin class submarine development and&nbsp;manufacturing program which is Israel&#39;s latest&nbsp;development in the field of defence.&nbsp; 
 
Before serving in the Israeli Navy, Weiss did his Mechanical Engineering from Technion and MBA from Tel Aviv University. During his tenure in the Navy, he was given big projects like managing USA&#39;s advanced&nbsp;weapon system program for the Israeli Navy.

IAI is famous for its aerospace products and the bilateral ties between the two countries can help India to acquire&nbsp;multifunctioning aircraft, drones, missiles and space-based systems.&nbsp;

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Uzi Landau, Chairman of RAFAEL Advance Defense Systems (Others)
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Uzi Landau of RAFAEL Advance Defense Systems&nbsp;

Rafael Advanced Defence System, commonly known as RAFAEL is an Israeli defence technology company&nbsp;which was founded in&nbsp;2002. Uzi Landau was appointed as the Chairman of RAFAEL before he&nbsp;served as the Minister of Tourism, and Minister of Energy and Power in the government. Landau also headed&nbsp;the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Formerly known as EMET, RAFAEL has been a pioneer in defence equipment technology which&nbsp;includes Python missiles, Spike missiles and Iron Drome defence system.&nbsp;

RAFAEL has first-hand experience at developing and manufacturing air defence, missiles defence, air-to-air defence and aerial tactical precision guided weapons. RAFAEL had signed a deal with Reliance&nbsp;Defence Ltd. for air missile systems last year.

During the Defence Expo 2016 in India, RAFAEL Executive Vice-President had said:&nbsp;&quot;Movement towards &#39;Make in India&#39; is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our technology. We would&nbsp;like to work with our Indian partner right from the beginning in manufacturing and maintenance of products&nbsp;so that we can provide an excellent solution to the armed forces.&quot; 
 
It would be interesting to watch how India will benefit from RAFAEL as India and Israel&nbsp;set their eyes on future defence deals.

The India-Israel?CEOs Forum is all set to receive Prime Minister Modi and his counterpart Netanyahu today?in Tel Aviv

By Aimen Zaki The India-Israel CEOs Forum is all set to receive Prime Minister Modi and his counterpart Israeli PM Netanyahu in Tel Aviv today. Following PM Modi's visit, Israel-India Innovative Initiative Fund has been announced to raise investment in the field of technology. The forum will initiate an interactive session between CEOs from Israeli and Indian companies. Two important names which are reportedly set to attend the meeting include Joseph Weiss of Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Uzi Landau of RAFAEL Advance Defense Systems. Also Read: Israeli air power and the Indian connection Joseph Weiss had said: "India has been IAI’s partner for many years as well as a key market for us." (Others) × Joseph Weiss of Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) Joseph Weiss is the CEO and President IAI. He has served in the Israeli Navy for 27 years. Weiss has been associated with many defence system programs including Israel's new advanced submarine program. He headed the $1 billion Dolphin class submarine development and manufacturing program which is Israel's latest development in the field of defence. Before serving in the Israeli Navy, Weiss did his Mechanical Engineering from Technion and MBA from Tel Aviv University. During his tenure in the Navy, he was given big projects like managing USA's advanced weapon system program for the Israeli Navy. IAI is famous for its aerospace products and the bilateral ties between the two countries can help India to acquire multifunctioning aircraft, drones, missiles and space-based systems. Uzi Landau, Chairman of RAFAEL Advance Defense Systems (Others) × Uzi Landau of RAFAEL Advance Defense Systems Rafael Advanced Defence System, commonly known as RAFAEL is an Israeli defence technology company which was founded in 2002. Uzi Landau was appointed as the Chairman of RAFAEL before he served as the Minister of Tourism, and Minister of Energy and Power in the government. Landau also headed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Formerly known as EMET, RAFAEL has been a pioneer in defence equipment technology which includes Python missiles, Spike missiles and Iron Drome defence system. RAFAEL has first-hand experience at developing and manufacturing air defence, missiles defence, air-to-air defence and aerial tactical precision guided weapons. RAFAEL had signed a deal with Reliance Defence Ltd. for air missile systems last year. During the Defence Expo 2016 in India, RAFAEL Executive Vice-President had said: "Movement towards 'Make in India' is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our technology. We would like to work with our Indian partner right from the beginning in manufacturing and maintenance of products so that we can provide an excellent solution to the armed forces." It would be interesting to watch how India will benefit from RAFAEL as India and Israel set their eyes on future defence deals.

Modi@CEO Forum: Meet the men behind Israel's Aerospace & Rafael defence system

By Deepali Mittal

Prime Minister&nbsp;Modi and Israeli PM Netanyahu have signed seven agreements to step-up cooperation in space, agriculture and water management as well as to fight terrorism.

The agreement on agriculture is one of the key deals <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/strategic-partnerships-in-water-agriculture-with-israel-aimed-at-doubling-farmer-incomes-jaishankar-17638">signed by the two countries as part of &nbsp;&quot;India-Israel development cooperation&quot;, </a>which is a three-year work programme in agriculture that will kick off in 2018&nbsp;till 2020.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/famous-indian-israelis-17594">Also Read: Meet&nbsp;Bezalel Eliahu Indian-Israeli floriculturist and agriculturist</a>

Israel&#39;s expertise in sustainable agricultural and rural development with limited water and natural resources has captured the imagination of the world.&nbsp;

However, this is not the first time the two nations have agreed to work together in the&nbsp;agricultural sector.&nbsp;In 2006, the Indo-Israel Agriculture Project (IIAP) was signed between the two countries and has since been carried out in three phases from 2009-12, 2012-15 and 2015-18.

The implementing partners were NHM&ndash;The National Horticulture Mission under the Indian Ministry of Agriculture&nbsp;and MASHAV, Israel&rsquo;s Agency for International Development Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

IIAP&#39;s key objectives was&nbsp;sustainable agriculture and diversification of India&#39;s&nbsp;food basket aimed at enlarging the supply of fruits and vegetables.&nbsp;

The project focused on building &quot;centres of excellence&quot;&nbsp;in various agricultural states of India, which needed to rapidly transfer knowledge and technology to the farmers. The centres&nbsp;addressed the concerns of both small and large farm holders, offering a wide range of agricultural practices&nbsp;from hi-tech poly houses and walking tunnels to net houses, which have resulted in good yields adaptable to local conditions.&nbsp;

India has so far sanctioned 26 centres of agriculture out of which 15 are functional in Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.&nbsp;

The scheme has been a huge success too, as MASHAV mentions in a report.&nbsp;The centres focusing on vegetables have been especially successful. The Gharaunda centre in Haryana has helped&nbsp;almost 20,000 farmers as&nbsp;the crop production has increased dramatically by 5 to 10 times as India has been able to&nbsp;utilise the plug-seedling technology introduced by Israel in which&nbsp;young&nbsp;plants are&nbsp;grown in small, ready-to-be-transplanted containers.

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Yields have dramatically increased by 5 to 10 times in Haryana by using Israeli technologies (Image Source: Mashav brochure of IIAP) (Others)
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The use of fertilisers and pesticides have noticeably decreased by more than half&nbsp;while water use has reduced by 65%.&nbsp;

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Use of pesticides and fertilizers reduced by more than 50% in Haryana (Image Source: Mashav brochure of IIAP) (Others)
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The Dapoli&nbsp;&quot;center of excellence&quot;&nbsp;has seen a similar improvement in crop production.&nbsp;

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20- to 60 year-old and over 12 meter high mango trees underwent a special process of rejuvenation in the Dapoli town of Maharashtra (Image Source: Mashav brochure of IIAP) (Others)
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As India deepens its relationship with Israel in the field of agriculture, farmers in India would be hoping for new technology and means to fight drought and water shortage.

India and Israel have worked towards sustainable agriculture ever since IIAP was initiated in 2009

By Deepali Mittal Prime Minister Modi and Israeli PM Netanyahu have signed seven agreements to step-up cooperation in space, agriculture and water management as well as to fight terrorism. The agreement on agriculture is one of the key deals signed by the two countries as part of "India-Israel development cooperation", which is a three-year work programme in agriculture that will kick off in 2018 till 2020. Also Read: Meet Bezalel Eliahu Indian-Israeli floriculturist and agriculturist Israel's expertise in sustainable agricultural and rural development with limited water and natural resources has captured the imagination of the world. However, this is not the first time the two nations have agreed to work together in the agricultural sector. In 2006, the Indo-Israel Agriculture Project (IIAP) was signed between the two countries and has since been carried out in three phases from 2009-12, 2012-15 and 2015-18. The implementing partners were NHM–The National Horticulture Mission under the Indian Ministry of Agriculture and MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. IIAP's key objectives was sustainable agriculture and diversification of India's food basket aimed at enlarging the supply of fruits and vegetables. The project focused on building "centres of excellence" in various agricultural states of India, which needed to rapidly transfer knowledge and technology to the farmers. The centres addressed the concerns of both small and large farm holders, offering a wide range of agricultural practices from hi-tech poly houses and walking tunnels to net houses, which have resulted in good yields adaptable to local conditions. India has so far sanctioned 26 centres of agriculture out of which 15 are functional in Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The scheme has been a huge success too, as MASHAV mentions in a report. The centres focusing on vegetables have been especially successful. The Gharaunda centre in Haryana has helped almost 20,000 farmers as the crop production has increased dramatically by 5 to 10 times as India has been able to utilise the plug-seedling technology introduced by Israel in which young plants are grown in small, ready-to-be-transplanted containers. Yields have dramatically increased by 5 to 10 times in Haryana by using Israeli technologies (Image Source: Mashav brochure of IIAP) (Others) × The use of fertilisers and pesticides have noticeably decreased by more than half while water use has reduced by 65%. Use of pesticides and fertilizers reduced by more than 50% in Haryana (Image Source: Mashav brochure of IIAP) (Others) × The Dapoli "center of excellence" has seen a similar improvement in crop production. 20- to 60 year-old and over 12 meter high mango trees underwent a special process of rejuvenation in the Dapoli town of Maharashtra (Image Source: Mashav brochure of IIAP) (Others) × As India deepens its relationship with Israel in the field of agriculture, farmers in India would be hoping for new technology and means to fight drought and water shortage.

How Israel's plug-seedling technology has changed Indian agriculture

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s visit to Israel is historic in many ways. The fact that PM Modi is the first Indian &nbsp;prime minister to visit Israel in the last 70 years, foreign policy experts interpret this as a signal that both the national governments are willing to write a new chapter by overriding any &lsquo;historical baggage&rsquo;. Evidently, the dynamics of the bilateral relationship will be premised on&nbsp;further deepening the existing ties in matters related to defence, agriculture, trade, diplomacy and water management. At outset, it was made clear&nbsp;by Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel that Indian talents and Israel technologies should write the future of growth. India not only needs Israel technologies for its&nbsp;&quot;Make in India&quot; campaign but also to promote&nbsp;Digital India and reinventing Agri(culture-digital) India.

Israel&#39;s&nbsp;technological prowess is&nbsp;so crucial to India because both countries have geopolitical and domestic imperatives, a <a href="https://thewire.in/88698/emergence-reluctant-digital-power/">reluctant digital power</a> (India) needs a strong support from a <a href="http://www.barlaw.co.il/blog/from-a-start-up-nation-to-a-cyber-security-nation-the-evolution-of-israel-as-a-security-leader/">cyber power</a> (Israel) to edge out any cyber geopolitics in South Asia. &nbsp; &nbsp;

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<h5>India not only needs Israel technologies in Make in India but also in Digital India and reinventing Agri(culture-digital) India.</h5>
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Cyber Camaraderie&nbsp;

While addressing the Cyber Week 2017, the seventh edition of an annual cybersecurity conference held at Tel Aviv University in Israel on&nbsp;June, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that cyber security is one of the key areas of cooperation to be discussed with PM Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

Indo-Israel cyber camaraderie is need of the hour, particularly because Israel has world&rsquo;s largest cyber security industry after the US.&nbsp;Many Israeli companies having a growing&nbsp;role in cyber defence technology, research and development, encryption and data protection. After China, India has the world&rsquo;s largest number of Internet users, but the digital ecosystem available to Indian users is prone to attack, and that makes Digital India initiative vulnerable.&nbsp;

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<h5>Israel has world&rsquo;s largest cyber security industry and many Israeli companies having a protuberant role in cyber defence technology, research and development, encryption and data protection.</h5>
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Bishop to Bishop 1- India has ranked <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-ranks-4th-in-online-security-breaches/articleshow/58408905.cms">4th</a> in cyber security breaches and <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/money/interview-india-ranked-fifth-in-ransomware-attacks-in-2016-pankit-desai-2438345">5th</a> in ransomware attacks. Statistically speaking,&nbsp;the costs of cyber threats are spurring up very quickly. For instance, the insane cyber attack on <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/05/insane-81m-bangladesh-bank-heist-heres-know/">Bangladesh Bank</a> costs $ 81 million and&nbsp;in 2014, the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-sony-cybersecurity-costs-idUSKBN0JN2L020141209">cyber attack on Sony</a> studio was $100 million.&nbsp;More recently, the outbreak of WannaCry ransomware attack cost the world&nbsp;$4 billion. Cyber frauds carried out&nbsp;in India was worth <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/cyber-frauds-cost-india-4-billion/article5261594.ece">$4 billion in 2013</a>&nbsp;alone, and there is nothing to root it out yet.

An estimation shows that cybercrime <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/07/cybercrime-costs-the-global-economy-450-billion-ceo.html">costs</a> the global economy $450 billion in 2016. Another estimation by the Microsoft underlines that economic loss of cyber crime would reach $3 trillion by 2020, which is just a tip of the larger iceberg. In foreseeable future, it might hold a significant risk to businesses, governments and societies. How should India and Israel address this issue?&nbsp;

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<h5>As per a report, the Israel Defense Forces has 8200, elite cyber offensive and defensive army to address potential cyber threats.</h5>
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Bishop to Bishop 2 -So far, Israel has been able to subdue&nbsp;its external threats by expanding it&rsquo;s both territorial and cyber capabilities. As per a report, the Israel Defense Forces has 8200 members strong elite cyber offensive and defensive army to address potential cyber threats. On the contrary, due to thin interests in building cyber offensive and defensive mechanisms, India has become a target of cyber attacks mostly generated from <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/news/cyber-attacks-on-india-mostly-from-china-pakistan-prasad-725195">China and Pakistan</a>. How Israel could help India in making so?

Bishop to Bishop 3 &ndash; India needs to move out from the present reluctant position to become a truly digital power. Both India and Israel need to expand their cyber diplomacy and digital economy with likeminded countries to address cyber issues in global level.&nbsp;

Lack of cyber attack attribution is a key factor to the hasty rise of cyber threats and both nations need&nbsp;to consider this while addressing the cyber security issues in a bigger picture.

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<h5>Indo-Israel cyber agreements would promulgate upon win-win theory and it can always be substantiated by the existing sheer trust and strong commitments.</h5>
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To counter China and Pakistan both online and offline, PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart should underline strong commitment during this trip. Major areas to look into are: border surveillance preferably by UAVs to avoid human fatalities and cooperation in developing India&#39;s cyber army to protect India&rsquo;s internet ecosystem from external penetrations. There is also a need for bilateral commitments to counter cyber terrorism globally.&nbsp;

In the post demonetisation period, India has eased towards building a&nbsp;digital economy but to become a sustainable cyber player, it needs to bring in an infrastructure ecosystem, capacity building, digital funding, and technology transfer to substantiate domestic projects. Indo-Israel cyber agreements will be&nbsp;promulgated upon a win-win theory, and it can always be substantiated by the existing &nbsp;trust and strong commitments.

To counter China and Pakistan both online and offline, Prime Ministers Modi and Netanyahu should underline strong commitment during this trip

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel is historic in many ways. The fact that PM Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel in the last 70 years, foreign policy experts interpret this as a signal that both the national governments are willing to write a new chapter by overriding any ‘historical baggage’. Evidently, the dynamics of the bilateral relationship will be premised on further deepening the existing ties in matters related to defence, agriculture, trade, diplomacy and water management. At outset, it was made clear by Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel that Indian talents and Israel technologies should write the future of growth. India not only needs Israel technologies for its "Make in India" campaign but also to promote Digital India and reinventing Agri(culture-digital) India. Israel's technological prowess is so crucial to India because both countries have geopolitical and domestic imperatives, a reluctant digital power (India) needs a strong support from a cyber power (Israel) to edge out any cyber geopolitics in South Asia. India not only needs Israel technologies in Make in India but also in Digital India and reinventing Agri(culture-digital) India. × Cyber Camaraderie While addressing the Cyber Week 2017, the seventh edition of an annual cybersecurity conference held at Tel Aviv University in Israel on June, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that cyber security is one of the key areas of cooperation to be discussed with PM Narendra Modi. Indo-Israel cyber camaraderie is need of the hour, particularly because Israel has world’s largest cyber security industry after the US. Many Israeli companies having a growing role in cyber defence technology, research and development, encryption and data protection. After China, India has the world’s largest number of Internet users, but the digital ecosystem available to Indian users is prone to attack, and that makes Digital India initiative vulnerable. Israel has world’s largest cyber security industry and many Israeli companies having a protuberant role in cyber defence technology, research and development, encryption and data protection. × Bishop to Bishop 1- India has ranked 4th in cyber security breaches and 5th in ransomware attacks. Statistically speaking, the costs of cyber threats are spurring up very quickly. For instance, the insane cyber attack on Bangladesh Bank costs $ 81 million and in 2014, the cyber attack on Sony studio was $100 million. More recently, the outbreak of WannaCry ransomware attack cost the world $4 billion. Cyber frauds carried out in India was worth $4 billion in 2013 alone, and there is nothing to root it out yet. An estimation shows that cybercrime costs the global economy $450 billion in 2016. Another estimation by the Microsoft underlines that economic loss of cyber crime would reach $3 trillion by 2020, which is just a tip of the larger iceberg. In foreseeable future, it might hold a significant risk to businesses, governments and societies. How should India and Israel address this issue? As per a report, the Israel Defense Forces has 8200, elite cyber offensive and defensive army to address potential cyber threats. × Bishop to Bishop 2 -So far, Israel has been able to subdue its external threats by expanding it’s both territorial and cyber capabilities. As per a report, the Israel Defense Forces has 8200 members strong elite cyber offensive and defensive army to address potential cyber threats. On the contrary, due to thin interests in building cyber offensive and defensive mechanisms, India has become a target of cyber attacks mostly generated from China and Pakistan. How Israel could help India in making so? Bishop to Bishop 3 – India needs to move out from the present reluctant position to become a truly digital power. Both India and Israel need to expand their cyber diplomacy and digital economy with likeminded countries to address cyber issues in global level. Lack of cyber attack attribution is a key factor to the hasty rise of cyber threats and both nations need to consider this while addressing the cyber security issues in a bigger picture. Indo-Israel cyber agreements would promulgate upon win-win theory and it can always be substantiated by the existing sheer trust and strong commitments. × To counter China and Pakistan both online and offline, PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart should underline strong commitment during this trip. Major areas to look into are: border surveillance preferably by UAVs to avoid human fatalities and cooperation in developing India's cyber army to protect India’s internet ecosystem from external penetrations. There is also a need for bilateral commitments to counter cyber terrorism globally. In the post demonetisation period, India has eased towards building a digital economy but to become a sustainable cyber player, it needs to bring in an infrastructure ecosystem, capacity building, digital funding, and technology transfer to substantiate domestic projects. Indo-Israel cyber agreements will be promulgated upon a win-win theory, and it can always be substantiated by the existing trust and strong commitments.

Why Israel needs to help India build a cyber army

By Aimen Zaki&nbsp;

Indian Jews living&nbsp;in different parts of Israel primarily belong&nbsp;to three&nbsp;different&nbsp;communities namely Cochin Jews,&nbsp;Paradesi&nbsp;Jews of Kerala and Bene Israel Jews who belong to&nbsp;Maharashtra. There are about 85,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel.&nbsp; 
 
After India&#39;s&nbsp;independence, several Indian Jews immigrated to Israel&nbsp;where they could secure their identities which was&nbsp;somewhat lost while they were living&nbsp;in India.

Cochin Jews, also known as Malabar Jews were among the first to leave for&nbsp;Israel which proclaimed itself as a nation in 1948, just months after India&#39;s independence.

Initially, the Jews who migrated from India joined &#39;Moshav&#39; which is a kind of an Israeli agricultural cooperative society built by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah (immigration of Jews from the diaspora to the land of Israel).

However, in today&#39;s Israel Indians do not restrict themselves within the agricultural sector alone but are working in several other important sectors, like medicine, IT&nbsp;and they also work in the diamond trade. There are also&nbsp;many Indians who hold&nbsp;military positions and are running their own companies in Israel. 
 
There are few Indian-origin Israelis that should be celebrated, here are three national figures in Israel who are little known in India:

&nbsp;

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Liora Itzhak, the Israeli singer will be welcoming PM Modi by singing the Indian national anthem. (Facebook)
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Liora Itzhak

Liora Itzhak is an Indian-origin Israeli who was born in Israel and came to India at the age of 15 in the hope of working as a singer in Bollywood. Liora has&nbsp;diverse interests, she learned Indian classical music and&nbsp;also tried her hand at learning ghazals and bhajans.

Liora bagged her first break when she was invited to sing bandh darwaze khuli khidkiyan&nbsp;in the movie &quot;Dil ka Doctor&quot;, after that she continued with her career as a singer in Bollywood for some time.

She has worked with several&nbsp;famous Indian singers like Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu. But after living in India&nbsp;for eight long&nbsp;years, she felt homesick&nbsp;and wanted to go back to her family in Israel.

Liora has continued with her singing in Israel&#39;s music industry ever since. She is set&nbsp;to sing the Indian national anthem during Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s visit to Israel.

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Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari, director Indian Hospice in Jerusalem. (Others)
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Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari

The eldest son of late Khwaja Nazer Hassan Ansari, 90-year-old&nbsp;Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari is&nbsp;the director of the 800-year-old&nbsp;Hospice in&nbsp;Jerusalem.

Sheikh Mohammad Munir&#39;s father Khwaja Nazer&nbsp;Hassan Ansari was appointed to supervise and administer the Hospice which&nbsp;was established during the visit of Sufi Saint Baba Fareed in the holy land.

Khwaja Ansari was sent to Jerusalem from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh to facilitate and look into the matter of the Hospice.

The Hospice provides shelter to pilgrims who visit&nbsp;the holy sites in Israel. The Ansari family has been carrying forward their legacy of serving Indians since 1924.

Sheikh Munir Ansari received the Pravasi Bhartiya Saman Award in 2011.

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Bezalel Eliahu, the game-changer in Israel&#39;s agricultural sector. (Others)
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Bezalel Eliahu&nbsp;

Bezalel Eliahu is an Israeli floriculturist and agriculturist from the Malabari Jewish Community of Kerala-Cochin. Bezalel was born in&nbsp;1930 in Chendamangalam, a panchayat in Paravur Taluk in Ernakulam district in Kerala and later migrated to Israel in 1955 with his father and sister.

He&nbsp;made a huge contribution for his continuous guidance in adopting the new floriculture and horticulture techniques in Israel.

Indian-origin Bezalal learned the technique of &#39;fertigation&#39; and applied his skills to show a new way of utilising land for agriculture when&nbsp;water resources were scarce&nbsp;in Israel.

Bezalel contribution was recognised by the US&nbsp;and other countries who followed his techniques. &nbsp;

His journey from being a shepherd to an award-winning agriculturist was highly appreciated by India&nbsp;and he received the Pravasi Bhartiya Saman Award by India&#39;s former President late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2006.

He is the&nbsp;first Indian-origin Israeli to receive the award.

Liora Itzhak is an Indian-origin Israeli who was born in Israel and came to India at the age of 15

By Aimen Zaki Indian Jews living in different parts of Israel primarily belong to three different communities namely Cochin Jews, Paradesi Jews of Kerala and Bene Israel Jews who belong to Maharashtra. There are about 85,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel. After India's independence, several Indian Jews immigrated to Israel where they could secure their identities which was somewhat lost while they were living in India. Cochin Jews, also known as Malabar Jews were among the first to leave for Israel which proclaimed itself as a nation in 1948, just months after India's independence. Initially, the Jews who migrated from India joined 'Moshav' which is a kind of an Israeli agricultural cooperative society built by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah (immigration of Jews from the diaspora to the land of Israel). However, in today's Israel Indians do not restrict themselves within the agricultural sector alone but are working in several other important sectors, like medicine, IT and they also work in the diamond trade. There are also many Indians who hold military positions and are running their own companies in Israel. There are few Indian-origin Israelis that should be celebrated, here are three national figures in Israel who are little known in India: Liora Itzhak, the Israeli singer will be welcoming PM Modi by singing the Indian national anthem. (Facebook) × Liora Itzhak Liora Itzhak is an Indian-origin Israeli who was born in Israel and came to India at the age of 15 in the hope of working as a singer in Bollywood. Liora has diverse interests, she learned Indian classical music and also tried her hand at learning ghazals and bhajans. Liora bagged her first break when she was invited to sing bandh darwaze khuli khidkiyan in the movie "Dil ka Doctor", after that she continued with her career as a singer in Bollywood for some time. She has worked with several famous Indian singers like Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu. But after living in India for eight long years, she felt homesick and wanted to go back to her family in Israel. Liora has continued with her singing in Israel's music industry ever since. She is set to sing the Indian national anthem during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel. Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari, director Indian Hospice in Jerusalem. (Others) × Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari The eldest son of late Khwaja Nazer Hassan Ansari, 90-year-old Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari is the director of the 800-year-old Hospice in Jerusalem. Sheikh Mohammad Munir's father Khwaja Nazer Hassan Ansari was appointed to supervise and administer the Hospice which was established during the visit of Sufi Saint Baba Fareed in the holy land. Khwaja Ansari was sent to Jerusalem from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh to facilitate and look into the matter of the Hospice. The Hospice provides shelter to pilgrims who visit the holy sites in Israel. The Ansari family has been carrying forward their legacy of serving Indians since 1924. Sheikh Munir Ansari received the Pravasi Bhartiya Saman Award in 2011. Bezalel Eliahu, the game-changer in Israel's agricultural sector. (Others) × Bezalel Eliahu Bezalel Eliahu is an Israeli floriculturist and agriculturist from the Malabari Jewish Community of Kerala-Cochin. Bezalel was born in 1930 in Chendamangalam, a panchayat in Paravur Taluk in Ernakulam district in Kerala and later migrated to Israel in 1955 with his father and sister. He made a huge contribution for his continuous guidance in adopting the new floriculture and horticulture techniques in Israel. Indian-origin Bezalal learned the technique of 'fertigation' and applied his skills to show a new way of utilising land for agriculture when water resources were scarce in Israel. Bezalel contribution was recognised by the US and other countries who followed his techniques. His journey from being a shepherd to an award-winning agriculturist was highly appreciated by India and he received the Pravasi Bhartiya Saman Award by India's former President late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2006. He is the first Indian-origin Israeli to receive the award.

Indian-origin Israeli Liora Itzhak will sing India's national anthem during Modi's visit

By Deepali Mittal

Reena Pushkarna, the celebrity chef who has introduced Indian food to Israel by opening a chain called Tandoori, has been tasked with cooking for the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during his visit to&nbsp;Israel.

Exclusive footage inside the kitchen&nbsp;of Reena Pushkarna reveals what is on the menu for the&nbsp;prime minister.

He was introduced to her ginger tea, aka&nbsp;adrak ki chai, yesterday, July 4th, and Pushkarna prepared her special cup of tea for him today too.&nbsp;&quot;We have to have fresh ginger (adrak) all the time,&quot;&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;

Pushkarna selected all the vegetables for Modi&#39;s lunch today herself, saying she always gets fresh food to maintain hygiene and nutritional value of the food.

Pushkarna was born in New Delhi in 1958 to a Sikh father and Jewish mother. She married&nbsp;Vinod Pushkarna, a graduate of the Merchant Marine Officers Training Ship in Bombay Harbour. Vinod served as a seaman for nine years before he and Reena decided to settle down in Israel.

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She went on to say that PM Modi is a man of simple tastes who is satisfied with khichdi and adrak ki chaai (WION)
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The celebrity was born in New Delhi to a Sikh father and Jewish mother.

By Deepali Mittal Reena Pushkarna, the celebrity chef who has introduced Indian food to Israel by opening a chain called Tandoori, has been tasked with cooking for the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel. Exclusive footage inside the kitchen of Reena Pushkarna reveals what is on the menu for the prime minister. He was introduced to her ginger tea, aka adrak ki chai, yesterday, July 4th, and Pushkarna prepared her special cup of tea for him today too. "We have to have fresh ginger (adrak) all the time," she said. Pushkarna selected all the vegetables for Modi's lunch today herself, saying she always gets fresh food to maintain hygiene and nutritional value of the food. Pushkarna was born in New Delhi in 1958 to a Sikh father and Jewish mother. She married Vinod Pushkarna, a graduate of the Merchant Marine Officers Training Ship in Bombay Harbour. Vinod served as a seaman for nine years before he and Reena decided to settle down in Israel. She went on to say that PM Modi is a man of simple tastes who is satisfied with khichdi and adrak ki chaai (WION) ×

Reena Pushkarna: The chef cooking for Modi in Israel

Israeli air strikes hit several targets in the Gaza Strip governed by Hamas overnight on Monday, AFP reported.

The incident comes after Israel targeted Syrian military installations over the weekend.

Israeli air strikes were recorded in at least three locations in Gaza, Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses told Reuters.

The strikes were aimed at Hamas bases which struck near the southern city of Rafah and Gaza City, as well as open land southeast of Gaza City.

The Palestinian health ministry said there were no immediate reports of injuries, but an AFP photographer in Gaza saw at least one man bleeding being taken for treatment from a house near the base.

The Israeli army said the strikes were in &quot;response to projectile fire that hit near the Sha&#39;ar Hanegev Regional Council.&quot;

&quot;Two Israeli&nbsp;aircraft&#39;s targeted two military infrastructures belong to the Hamas terrorist organisation,&quot; it added.

Meanwhile, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has urged US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to prevent &quot;provocations&quot; against Syrian government forces.

Lavrov spoke to Rex Tillerson over the phone on Monday and called on &quot;Washington to take steps to prevent provocations against Syrian government forces carrying out operations against terrorists,&quot; a Russian foreign ministry statement said.

Israel had fired shells at Syria on Saturday as aerial video footage released by the military showed a machine gun and two tanks targeted and hit.&nbsp;

The Syrian military said Israeli rocket fire had hit a residential building but it could not be independently confirmed.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Israeli air strikes were recorded in at least three locations in Gaza

Israeli air strikes hit several targets in the Gaza Strip governed by Hamas overnight on Monday, AFP reported. The incident comes after Israel targeted Syrian military installations over the weekend. Israeli air strikes were recorded in at least three locations in Gaza, Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses told Reuters. The strikes were aimed at Hamas bases which struck near the southern city of Rafah and Gaza City, as well as open land southeast of Gaza City. The Palestinian health ministry said there were no immediate reports of injuries, but an AFP photographer in Gaza saw at least one man bleeding being taken for treatment from a house near the base. The Israeli army said the strikes were in "response to projectile fire that hit near the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council." "Two Israeli aircraft's targeted two military infrastructures belong to the Hamas terrorist organisation," it added. Meanwhile, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has urged US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to prevent "provocations" against Syrian government forces. Lavrov spoke to Rex Tillerson over the phone on Monday and called on "Washington to take steps to prevent provocations against Syrian government forces carrying out operations against terrorists," a Russian foreign ministry statement said. Israel had fired shells at Syria on Saturday as aerial video footage released by the military showed a machine gun and two tanks targeted and hit. The Syrian military said Israeli rocket fire had hit a residential building but it could not be independently confirmed.

After hitting Syrian military installations, Israel targets Gaza Strip

Palestinian militant factions denied on Saturday a claim by Islamic State that three Palestinian men who carried out a fatal shooting and stabbing attack in Jerusalem were members of the militant group.

Islamic State took responsibility for the attack on Friday, in which one Israeli police officer was killed and another wounded, according to the group&#39;s Amaq news agency.

Israeli security officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment on what the SITE intelligence monitoring group described as the first time Islamic State had claimed responsibility for an attack in Israeli-controlled territory, nor on the attackers&#39; affiliation.

However, a senior official from Hamas, the Islamic group that rules the Gaza Strip, and the People&#39;s Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said the three attackers, who were all shot dead at the scene, were their own members.

&quot;The three hero martyrs who executed the Jerusalem operation have no connection to Daesh (Islamic State), they are affiliated with the PFLP and Hamas,&quot; Hamas&#39; Izzat El-Reshiq wrote on Twitter.

The PFLP published a separate statement in which it identified two of the three attackers as members. &quot;The media office of the PFLP armed wing mourns two of its hero comrades, two freed prisoners,&quot; it said.

Israeli police said on Friday all the assailants were from Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. Two of the attackers, both from Ramallah, were between the ages of 18 and 19 and the third was a 30-year-old from Hebron, police spokeswoman Luba Simri said.

The assaults took place simultaneously in two areas near the Damascus gate of Jerusalem&#39;s walled old city.

Two Palestinians were shot dead after opening fire at and trying to stab a group of Israeli police officers at one scene, police said. At the other, a Palestinian fatally stabbed a border policewoman before being shot dead by police.

A wave of Palestinian street attacks began in October 2015 but has since slowed. Israel blames the violence on incitement by the Palestinian leadership.

The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, denies that and says assailants have acted out of desperation over Israeli occupation of land sought by Palestinians for a state.

U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sides broke down in 2014. Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War.

Islamic State claimed responsibility first after which Hamas said the three attackers had been their men

Palestinian militant factions denied on Saturday a claim by Islamic State that three Palestinian men who carried out a fatal shooting and stabbing attack in Jerusalem were members of the militant group. Islamic State took responsibility for the attack on Friday, in which one Israeli police officer was killed and another wounded, according to the group's Amaq news agency. Israeli security officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment on what the SITE intelligence monitoring group described as the first time Islamic State had claimed responsibility for an attack in Israeli-controlled territory, nor on the attackers' affiliation. However, a senior official from Hamas, the Islamic group that rules the Gaza Strip, and the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said the three attackers, who were all shot dead at the scene, were their own members. "The three hero martyrs who executed the Jerusalem operation have no connection to Daesh (Islamic State), they are affiliated with the PFLP and Hamas," Hamas' Izzat El-Reshiq wrote on Twitter. The PFLP published a separate statement in which it identified two of the three attackers as members. "The media office of the PFLP armed wing mourns two of its hero comrades, two freed prisoners," it said. Israeli police said on Friday all the assailants were from Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. Two of the attackers, both from Ramallah, were between the ages of 18 and 19 and the third was a 30-year-old from Hebron, police spokeswoman Luba Simri said. The assaults took place simultaneously in two areas near the Damascus gate of Jerusalem's walled old city. Two Palestinians were shot dead after opening fire at and trying to stab a group of Israeli police officers at one scene, police said. At the other, a Palestinian fatally stabbed a border policewoman before being shot dead by police. A wave of Palestinian street attacks began in October 2015 but has since slowed. Israel blames the violence on incitement by the Palestinian leadership. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, denies that and says assailants have acted out of desperation over Israeli occupation of land sought by Palestinians for a state. U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sides broke down in 2014. Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War.

Israeli policewoman stabbing: Islamic State, Hamas fight to claim responsibility

US President Donald Trump visits Jerusalem Monday to seek ways to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, a goal that has eluded his predecessors but which he says could be easier than &quot;people have thought&quot;.

Trump&#39;s visit is part of his first trip abroad as president and follows an initial stop in Saudi Arabia, where he urged Islamic leaders to take a stand against violence committed in the name of religion.

It also comes as he contends with a raft of problems back home, including a special counsel investigating whether his associates colluded with Russia.

Trump is due in Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon and, ahead of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will tour two iconic sites in Jerusalem, a city holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews.

His first stop will be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

Afterwards, he is expected to become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray and located in east Jerusalem.

The Western Wall visit drew controversy before Trump even left Washington, when US officials declined to say whether it belonged to Israel.

&quot;Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel,&quot; Netanyahu said late Sunday. &quot;The Temple Mount and the Western Wall will always remain under Israeli sovereignty.&quot;

Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in moves never recognised by the international community.&nbsp;

It later annexed east Jerusalem and claims the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Trump will meet Netanyahu at 6&nbsp;pm (1500 GMT).

&nbsp;

Enormous challenge&nbsp;

&quot;I will discuss with President Trump ways to strengthen even further the first and strongest alliance with the US,&quot; Netanyahu said Sunday. &quot;We will strengthen security ties, which are strengthening daily, and we will also discuss ways to advance peace.&quot;

The United States is Israel&#39;s most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid annually.

On Tuesday, Trump will meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem in the West Bank, visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem and give a speech at the Israel Museum.

Any leader would face an enormous challenge in seeking to bring the Israelis and Palestinians together for meaningful talks, and Trump&#39;s inexperience and domestic political struggles will only add to it.

He has spoken of his self-described deal-making prowess in declaring that the &quot;ultimate deal&quot; is possible, vowing &quot;we will get it done&quot;.

&quot;It is something that I think is frankly maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,&quot; Trump said when meeting Abbas in Washington earlier this month.

Trump has sent mixed signals about how he will approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He cast uncertainty over years of international efforts to foster a two-state solution when he met Netanyahu at the White House in February.

Criticism of Iran 
At that meeting, he said he would support a single state if it led to peace, delighting Israeli right-wingers who want to see most of the West Bank annexed.

At the same time, he urged Israel to hold back on settlement building in the West Bank, a longstanding concern of Palestinians and much of the world.

Trump advocated during his campaign breaking with decades of precedent and moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, deeply alarming Palestinians.

He has since said the move was still being looked at.

Trump&#39;s seeming openness to at least some of Abbas&#39;s concerns has given Palestinians more reason for hope than many may have expected, but still reason to remain wary, some analysts say.

On the Israeli side, Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in the country&#39;s history, and members of his coalition were elated with Trump&#39;s election. Some even called for an end to the idea of a Palestinian state.

Trump&#39;s actions since have left them disappointed, with the embassy remaining in Tel Aviv -- at least for now -- and the White House seeking to restart peace efforts.

In Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Trump told dozens of Muslim leaders the time had come for &quot;honestly confronting the crisis of Islamic extremism&quot;.

He also lashed out at Iran, accusing Tehran of fuelling &quot;the fires of sectarian conflict and terror&quot; and calling for its international isolation.

After Israel and the Palestinian territories, Trump will head to the Vatican along with Brussels and Italy for NATO and G7 meetings.

(AFP)

Achieving peace between Israel and Palestine has eluded his predecessors, but Trump said it could be easier than 'people have thought'

US President Donald Trump visits Jerusalem Monday to seek ways to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, a goal that has eluded his predecessors but which he says could be easier than "people have thought". Trump's visit is part of his first trip abroad as president and follows an initial stop in Saudi Arabia, where he urged Islamic leaders to take a stand against violence committed in the name of religion. It also comes as he contends with a raft of problems back home, including a special counsel investigating whether his associates colluded with Russia. Trump is due in Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon and, ahead of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will tour two iconic sites in Jerusalem, a city holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews. His first stop will be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Afterwards, he is expected to become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray and located in east Jerusalem. The Western Wall visit drew controversy before Trump even left Washington, when US officials declined to say whether it belonged to Israel. "Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel," Netanyahu said late Sunday. "The Temple Mount and the Western Wall will always remain under Israeli sovereignty." Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in moves never recognised by the international community. It later annexed east Jerusalem and claims the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Trump will meet Netanyahu at 6 pm (1500 GMT). Enormous challenge "I will discuss with President Trump ways to strengthen even further the first and strongest alliance with the US," Netanyahu said Sunday. "We will strengthen security ties, which are strengthening daily, and we will also discuss ways to advance peace." The United States is Israel's most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid annually. On Tuesday, Trump will meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem in the West Bank, visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem and give a speech at the Israel Museum. Any leader would face an enormous challenge in seeking to bring the Israelis and Palestinians together for meaningful talks, and Trump's inexperience and domestic political struggles will only add to it. He has spoken of his self-described deal-making prowess in declaring that the "ultimate deal" is possible, vowing "we will get it done". "It is something that I think is frankly maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years," Trump said when meeting Abbas in Washington earlier this month. Trump has sent mixed signals about how he will approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He cast uncertainty over years of international efforts to foster a two-state solution when he met Netanyahu at the White House in February. Criticism of Iran At that meeting, he said he would support a single state if it led to peace, delighting Israeli right-wingers who want to see most of the West Bank annexed. At the same time, he urged Israel to hold back on settlement building in the West Bank, a longstanding concern of Palestinians and much of the world. Trump advocated during his campaign breaking with decades of precedent and moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, deeply alarming Palestinians. He has since said the move was still being looked at. Trump's seeming openness to at least some of Abbas's concerns has given Palestinians more reason for hope than many may have expected, but still reason to remain wary, some analysts say. On the Israeli side, Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in the country's history, and members of his coalition were elated with Trump's election. Some even called for an end to the idea of a Palestinian state. Trump's actions since have left them disappointed, with the embassy remaining in Tel Aviv -- at least for now -- and the White House seeking to restart peace efforts. In Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Trump told dozens of Muslim leaders the time had come for "honestly confronting the crisis of Islamic extremism". He also lashed out at Iran, accusing Tehran of fuelling "the fires of sectarian conflict and terror" and calling for its international isolation. After Israel and the Palestinian territories, Trump will head to the Vatican along with Brussels and Italy for NATO and G7 meetings. (AFP)

Trump heads to Jerusalem looking for Israeli-Palestinian peace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Jerusalem will always be the capital of the Jewish state, speaking ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump.

&quot;Tonight, I say to the whole world and in the clearest way possible, Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel,&quot; Netanyahu said in front of thousands of concert-goers.

&quot;The Temple Mount and the Western Wall will always remain under Israeli sovereignty.&quot;

The Western Wall is the last remnant of the supporting wall of the second Jewish temple, built by King Herod and destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

The holiest site where Jews can pray, it is in the Old City of east Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by the international community.

It is situated below the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam&#39;s third holiest site, referred to by Jews as the Temple Mount.

Trump is on Monday expected to become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall.

Netanyahu was speaking at festivities marking the 50th anniversary of Israel&#39;s conquest of east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War.

Preparations for Trump&#39;s visit have led to criticism from Israeli right-wingers after US officials declined to say whether the Western Wall was part of Israel.

The legal and diplomatic status of Jerusalem is one of the key points in the Middle East conflict.

Israel considers the entire city to be its eternal and indivisible capital, but the Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

(AFP)

'Tonight, I say to the whole world and in the clearest way possible, Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel,' Netanyahu said in front of thousands of concert-goers

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Jerusalem will always be the capital of the Jewish state, speaking ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump. "Tonight, I say to the whole world and in the clearest way possible, Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel," Netanyahu said in front of thousands of concert-goers. "The Temple Mount and the Western Wall will always remain under Israeli sovereignty." The Western Wall is the last remnant of the supporting wall of the second Jewish temple, built by King Herod and destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The holiest site where Jews can pray, it is in the Old City of east Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by the international community. It is situated below the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site, referred to by Jews as the Temple Mount. Trump is on Monday expected to become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall. Netanyahu was speaking at festivities marking the 50th anniversary of Israel's conquest of east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War. Preparations for Trump's visit have led to criticism from Israeli right-wingers after US officials declined to say whether the Western Wall was part of Israel. The legal and diplomatic status of Jerusalem is one of the key points in the Middle East conflict. Israel considers the entire city to be its eternal and indivisible capital, but the Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. (AFP)

Jerusalem will always be Israel's capital: Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel has released thousands of previously classified official documents charting political decisions during the 1967 Six-Day War when it occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Made public by the Israel State Archives ahead of the 50th anniversary of the June 5-10 conflict, the 150,000 pages contain minutes of the wartime security cabinet and transcripts of other ministerial meetings, a government statement said.

At the end of the fighting with Egypt, Jordan and Syria the Jewish state was left in control of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem, part of the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula.

The Golan and east Jerusalem were subsequently annexed but the moves were never recognised by the international community.&nbsp;Fifty years later the West Bank remains occupied and the Gaza Strip is under a tight Israeli blockade.

The publication gives access to unpublished information on the war, long the object of research and historical writing.

&quot;For the first time in 50 years it will be possible to closely follow the dynamic within the government regarding the Six-Day War,&quot; chief archivist Yaakov Lazovik said in the statement.

&quot;What were the ministers&#39; initial positions regarding the future of the territories?&quot;

On June 15, 1967, five days after the end of the war, ministers of the security cabinet discussed various options for the newly occupied territories, with then foreign minister Abba Eban describing continued Israeli rule as a potential &quot;powder keg&quot;.

&quot;We are sitting here with two populations, one of them endowed with all the civil rights and the other denied all rights,&quot; he was quoted as saying in extracts published by Israeli daily Haaretz.

&quot;The world will side with a liberation movement of that one and a half million&quot; under occupation, he said.

The possibility of expelling them was mentioned, with Levy Eshkol, the Israeli prime minister at the time, saying that &quot;if it were up to us, we would send all the Arabs to Brazil.&quot;

His justice minister, Yaakov Shimshon Shapira, objected.

&quot;They are inhabitants of this land, and today you are ruling over it. There is no reason to take Arabs who were born here out of here and transfer them to Iraq,&quot; he said.

Eshkol was unconvinced.

&quot;We didn&#39;t sneak in here. We said that the Land of Israel is ours by right,&quot; he wrote.

The documents reflect the government&#39;s thinking during the war and euphoria after the destruction of the Egyptian air force and the Israeli victories on the Jordanian and Syrian fronts.

(AFP)

The publication gives access to unpublished information on the war, long the object of research and historical writing

Israel has released thousands of previously classified official documents charting political decisions during the 1967 Six-Day War when it occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Made public by the Israel State Archives ahead of the 50th anniversary of the June 5-10 conflict, the 150,000 pages contain minutes of the wartime security cabinet and transcripts of other ministerial meetings, a government statement said. At the end of the fighting with Egypt, Jordan and Syria the Jewish state was left in control of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem, part of the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. The Golan and east Jerusalem were subsequently annexed but the moves were never recognised by the international community. Fifty years later the West Bank remains occupied and the Gaza Strip is under a tight Israeli blockade. The publication gives access to unpublished information on the war, long the object of research and historical writing. "For the first time in 50 years it will be possible to closely follow the dynamic within the government regarding the Six-Day War," chief archivist Yaakov Lazovik said in the statement. "What were the ministers' initial positions regarding the future of the territories?" On June 15, 1967, five days after the end of the war, ministers of the security cabinet discussed various options for the newly occupied territories, with then foreign minister Abba Eban describing continued Israeli rule as a potential "powder keg". "We are sitting here with two populations, one of them endowed with all the civil rights and the other denied all rights," he was quoted as saying in extracts published by Israeli daily Haaretz. "The world will side with a liberation movement of that one and a half million" under occupation, he said. The possibility of expelling them was mentioned, with Levy Eshkol, the Israeli prime minister at the time, saying that "if it were up to us, we would send all the Arabs to Brazil." His justice minister, Yaakov Shimshon Shapira, objected. "They are inhabitants of this land, and today you are ruling over it. There is no reason to take Arabs who were born here out of here and transfer them to Iraq," he said. Eshkol was unconvinced. "We didn't sneak in here. We said that the Land of Israel is ours by right," he wrote. The documents reflect the government's thinking during the war and euphoria after the destruction of the Egyptian air force and the Israeli victories on the Jordanian and Syrian fronts. (AFP)

Ahead of 50th anniversary, Israel declassifies six-day war archives

Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone, a spokesman said Wednesday, as controversy brewed over the US president&#39;s sharing of intelligence with Russia that came from Israel.

A spokesman in Netanyahu&#39;s office confirmed the phone call took place on Tuesday afternoon but did not say who initiated it.

Trump is due to visit Israel next week.

&quot;There was a call yesterday between the president and prime minister for about 20 minutes,&quot; the spokesman said. &quot;The only topic discussed was the upcoming visit.&quot;

Israel meanwhile sought to contain fallout from Trump&#39;s sharing of its intelligence with Russia, while not commenting directly on the move.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman lauded security ties between the United States and his country, saying it would continue to be &quot;unprecedented&quot; in scope.

But he made no mention of Trump divulging intelligence to Russia that a US administration official said had originally come from Israel.

The United States is Israel&#39;s most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid each year.

The Washington Post reported late Monday that Trump revealed what it said was highly classified information on the Islamic State group (IS) during a meeting last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow&#39;s Washington ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

It said that Trump told Lavrov about a specific IS bomb threat.

A US administration official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity that the original intelligence came from Israel, which was initially reported by the New York Times.

(AFP)

The two leaders spoke for 20 minutes after a report suggested that White House shared Israeli intel with Russia

Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone, a spokesman said Wednesday, as controversy brewed over the US president's sharing of intelligence with Russia that came from Israel. A spokesman in Netanyahu's office confirmed the phone call took place on Tuesday afternoon but did not say who initiated it. Trump is due to visit Israel next week. "There was a call yesterday between the president and prime minister for about 20 minutes," the spokesman said. "The only topic discussed was the upcoming visit." Israel meanwhile sought to contain fallout from Trump's sharing of its intelligence with Russia, while not commenting directly on the move. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman lauded security ties between the United States and his country, saying it would continue to be "unprecedented" in scope. But he made no mention of Trump divulging intelligence to Russia that a US administration official said had originally come from Israel. The United States is Israel's most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid each year. The Washington Post reported late Monday that Trump revealed what it said was highly classified information on the Islamic State group (IS) during a meeting last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow's Washington ambassador Sergey Kislyak. It said that Trump told Lavrov about a specific IS bomb threat. A US administration official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity that the original intelligence came from Israel, which was initially reported by the New York Times. (AFP)

Trump, Netanyahu speak by phone amid controversy over intel sharing with Russia

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in New Delhi on Sunday&nbsp;on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process.

Ahead of Abbas&#39; visit, India reiterated its &quot;political support&quot; to the Palestinian cause and had said it continued to assist developmental projects there.

The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues, external affairs ministry said.

Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit, the ministry added.

A delegation-level discussion between President Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will be held on May 16.

&quot;India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties. Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance,&quot; the ministry had said in a release on Saturday.&nbsp;

The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhi&#39;s relations with Palestine.

In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so.

During his trip to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida tomorrow to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park, being built by India in Palestine, and the Indian IT industry.

(PTI)

Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are expected to be signed during the visit,

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. Ahead of Abbas' visit, India reiterated its "political support" to the Palestinian cause and had said it continued to assist developmental projects there. The visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process, and regional and international issues, external affairs ministry said. Several MoUs on cooperation in various areas are also expected to be signed during the visit, the ministry added. A delegation-level discussion between President Abbas and Prime Minister Modi will be held on May 16. "India and Palestine enjoy historically close and friendly ties. Apart from the political support to the Palestinian cause, India continues to support developmental projects in Palestine by extending technical and financial assistance," the ministry had said in a release on Saturday. The statement assumes significance given that there have been commentaries on the increasing proximity between the Modi government and Israel which may have a bearing on New Delhi's relations with Palestine. In July, Modi will travel to Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so. During his trip to India, Abbas will visit C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) in Noida tomorrow to forge cooperation between Palestine-India Techno Park, being built by India in Palestine, and the Indian IT industry. (PTI)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in India on four-day visit

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned the &quot;illegal&quot; detention of two Israeli citizens by Hamas, releasing new details about the men who are believed to be mentally ill.

The Islamist movement which runs Gaza is believed to have held Hisham al-Sayed and Avraham Mengistu since April 2015 and September 2014 respectively, after they sneaked into the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

Both men suffer from serious mental health issues, the report said.

Hamas media has claimed the two were soldiers, but HRW said Mengistu was rejected from Israel&#39;s military on medical grounds and Sayed was discharged after a few months.

HRW said a third Israeli citizen, Jumaa Abu Ghanima, entered Gaza in July 2016, but there is no further information on him and it is unclear if he was arrested or joined a militant group.

Hamas has never officially confirmed it is holding Sayed and Mengistu, but videos the group has published on social media have included their images.

The Islamist group, which took control of Gaza in 2007, has not released any details on their condition or allowed rights groups to visit them.

Israel bans its nationals from entering Gaza for security reasons.

HRW said Hamas is demanding the release of a number of its members from Israeli jails before it will release information about the men.

&quot;No demand can justify disappearing and bartering over the lives of men, particularly those with serious mental health conditions,&quot; said Omar Shakir, HRW director for Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Shakir said Hamas should either release the men or provide evidence of their alleged crimes.

&quot;While they are being detained they must treat them humanely and provide them with contact with their families,&quot; he told AFP.

Sayed&#39;s father Sha&#39;aban said his son, a Bedouin Muslim, has schizophrenia and had previously disappeared to Jordan and even Gaza multiple times, eventually being returned by the authorities.

&quot;We just want to ask Hamas why are they holding him? What is the reason?&quot; he told AFP.

&quot;They say he is a soldier, an officer, in the Israeli army. This is a lie.&quot;

Hamas did not immediately respond to AFP&#39;s request for comment.

HRW said Mengistu, an Israeli Jew of Ethiopian descent, climbed over a fence along the Gaza-Israel border to enter the enclave.

Sayed is believed to have walked across a relatively open area of the heavily fortified border.

Last year, old images of the two men appeared in a Hamas video along with pictures of two soldiers who they claim were kidnapped alive in the 2014 war with the Jewish state.

The Israeli army said the two soldiers were killed, but that Hamas has the bodies.

In 2011 Israel exchanged more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier Hamas had detained for five years.

Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008.

(AFP)

The Islamist movement which runs Gaza is believed to have held Hisham al-Sayed and Avraham Mengistu since April 2015 and September 2014 respectively

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned the "illegal" detention of two Israeli citizens by Hamas, releasing new details about the men who are believed to be mentally ill. The Islamist movement which runs Gaza is believed to have held Hisham al-Sayed and Avraham Mengistu since April 2015 and September 2014 respectively, after they sneaked into the blockaded Palestinian enclave. Both men suffer from serious mental health issues, the report said. Hamas media has claimed the two were soldiers, but HRW said Mengistu was rejected from Israel's military on medical grounds and Sayed was discharged after a few months. HRW said a third Israeli citizen, Jumaa Abu Ghanima, entered Gaza in July 2016, but there is no further information on him and it is unclear if he was arrested or joined a militant group. Hamas has never officially confirmed it is holding Sayed and Mengistu, but videos the group has published on social media have included their images. The Islamist group, which took control of Gaza in 2007, has not released any details on their condition or allowed rights groups to visit them. Israel bans its nationals from entering Gaza for security reasons. HRW said Hamas is demanding the release of a number of its members from Israeli jails before it will release information about the men. "No demand can justify disappearing and bartering over the lives of men, particularly those with serious mental health conditions," said Omar Shakir, HRW director for Israel and the Palestinian territories. Shakir said Hamas should either release the men or provide evidence of their alleged crimes. "While they are being detained they must treat them humanely and provide them with contact with their families," he told AFP. Sayed's father Sha'aban said his son, a Bedouin Muslim, has schizophrenia and had previously disappeared to Jordan and even Gaza multiple times, eventually being returned by the authorities. "We just want to ask Hamas why are they holding him? What is the reason?" he told AFP. "They say he is a soldier, an officer, in the Israeli army. This is a lie." Hamas did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. HRW said Mengistu, an Israeli Jew of Ethiopian descent, climbed over a fence along the Gaza-Israel border to enter the enclave. Sayed is believed to have walked across a relatively open area of the heavily fortified border. Last year, old images of the two men appeared in a Hamas video along with pictures of two soldiers who they claim were kidnapped alive in the 2014 war with the Jewish state. The Israeli army said the two soldiers were killed, but that Hamas has the bodies. In 2011 Israel exchanged more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier Hamas had detained for five years. Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008. (AFP)

Human Rights Watch condemns 'illegal' detention of two Israelis by Hamas

Israel&nbsp;shot down what it identified only as&nbsp;&quot;a target&quot; over the occupied Golan Heights on Thursday, hours after Syria accused them of hitting a military position near Damascus airport.

&quot;The Patriot Aerial Defence System intercepted a target above the Golan Heights,&quot; the official Israeli army Twitter account said, without elaborating.

A military spokeswoman refused to comment on Israeli media reports that the object was a drone.

Syria&#39;s state news agency SANA said earlier that several Israeli missiles hit near Damascus airport at dawn.

Israel&nbsp;has not confirmed or denied the reported Damascus attack.

But Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said it was consistent with&nbsp;Israel&#39;s policy to prevent arms transfers through to Hezbollah, while stopping short of confirming his country was behind the incident.

&quot;We are acting to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon by Iran,&quot; Katz told army radio.

&quot;When we receive serious information about the intention to transfer weapons to Hezbollah, we will act. This incident is totally consistent with this policy.&quot;

In Moscow, the Kremlin called for restraint and the foreign ministry condemned the attack.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say if&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;had warned Moscow of the strike, saying only that their defence ministries &quot;are in constant dialogue&quot;.

In Moscow, visiting Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that the Jewish state would not allow &quot;concentration of Iranian or Hezbollah forces on the Golan border,&quot; Lieberman&rsquo;s office said.

Israel&nbsp;has conducted multiple air strikes in Syria since that country&#39;s civil war erupted in 2011, most of which it has said targeted arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah, which is a key supporter of the Syrian regime.

Last month, it said it had carried out several strikes near the Syrian desert city of Palmyra, targeting what it said were &quot;advanced weapons&quot; belonging to Hezbollah.

The strikes prompted Syria to launch ground-to-air missiles, one of which was intercepted over Israeli territory in the most serious flare-up between the two neighbours since the Syrian civil war began six years ago.

Israel&nbsp;seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control.

The two countries are still technically at war, although the border remained largely quiet for decades until 2011, when the Syrian conflict broke out.

(AFP)

This comes hours after Syria accused Israel of hitting a military position near Damascus airport

Israel shot down what it identified only as "a target" over the occupied Golan Heights on Thursday, hours after Syria accused them of hitting a military position near Damascus airport. "The Patriot Aerial Defence System intercepted a target above the Golan Heights," the official Israeli army Twitter account said, without elaborating. A military spokeswoman refused to comment on Israeli media reports that the object was a drone. Syria's state news agency SANA said earlier that several Israeli missiles hit near Damascus airport at dawn. Israel has not confirmed or denied the reported Damascus attack. But Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said it was consistent with Israel's policy to prevent arms transfers through to Hezbollah, while stopping short of confirming his country was behind the incident. "We are acting to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon by Iran," Katz told army radio. "When we receive serious information about the intention to transfer weapons to Hezbollah, we will act. This incident is totally consistent with this policy." In Moscow, the Kremlin called for restraint and the foreign ministry condemned the attack. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say if Israel had warned Moscow of the strike, saying only that their defence ministries "are in constant dialogue". In Moscow, visiting Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that the Jewish state would not allow "concentration of Iranian or Hezbollah forces on the Golan border," Lieberman’s office said. Israel has conducted multiple air strikes in Syria since that country's civil war erupted in 2011, most of which it has said targeted arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah, which is a key supporter of the Syrian regime. Last month, it said it had carried out several strikes near the Syrian desert city of Palmyra, targeting what it said were "advanced weapons" belonging to Hezbollah. The strikes prompted Syria to launch ground-to-air missiles, one of which was intercepted over Israeli territory in the most serious flare-up between the two neighbours since the Syrian civil war began six years ago. Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control. The two countries are still technically at war, although the border remained largely quiet for decades until 2011, when the Syrian conflict broke out. (AFP)

Israel shoots down 'target' over Golan heights: Army

An Israeli attack on a Syrian camp for pro-government forces killed three fighters near the Golan Heights today, an official from the forces said.

The official told AFP that two fighters were also wounded in the attack on the Al-Fawwar camp near Quneitra in southwestern Syria, adding that it was unclear whether the damage was inflicted by an air strike or shelling.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed today&#39;s attack but had no further details.

Israel&#39;s army on Friday said it targeted positions inside Syria in retaliation for mortar fire that hit the northern part of the Golan Heights.

Syria&#39;s official news agency SANA said Israel had struck a Syrian army position in the province of Quneitra on the Golan plateau, &quot;causing damage&quot;.

The Syrian government labels rebel groups and jihadists fighting the regime as &quot;terrorists&quot; and accuses Israel of backing them.

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control.

The two countries are still technically at war, although the border remained largely quiet for decades until 2011, when the Syrian conflict broke out.

The Israeli side is hit sporadically by what are usually deemed to be stray rounds, and Israel has recently taken to opening fire in retaliation.

(AFP)

An official said two fighters were also wounded in the attack, but said it was unclear whether an air strike or shelling caused the damage

An Israeli attack on a Syrian camp for pro-government forces killed three fighters near the Golan Heights today, an official from the forces said. The official told AFP that two fighters were also wounded in the attack on the Al-Fawwar camp near Quneitra in southwestern Syria, adding that it was unclear whether the damage was inflicted by an air strike or shelling. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed today's attack but had no further details. Israel's army on Friday said it targeted positions inside Syria in retaliation for mortar fire that hit the northern part of the Golan Heights. Syria's official news agency SANA said Israel had struck a Syrian army position in the province of Quneitra on the Golan plateau, "causing damage". The Syrian government labels rebel groups and jihadists fighting the regime as "terrorists" and accuses Israel of backing them. Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control. The two countries are still technically at war, although the border remained largely quiet for decades until 2011, when the Syrian conflict broke out. The Israeli side is hit sporadically by what are usually deemed to be stray rounds, and Israel has recently taken to opening fire in retaliation. (AFP)

Israeli attack on Syria military camp kills three

The Israeli military said a car driven by a Palestinian deliberately rammed two Israeli soldiers, killing one and injuring the other, in the occupied West Bank on Thursday.

The death brings to 39 the number of Israelis killed in a wave of Palestinian street attacks that began in October 2015, while at least 242 Palestinians have been killed in Israel and the Palestinian Territories over the past 18 months.

The driver was detained after the incident near the Jewish settlement of Ofra, the army said in a statement. Witnesses told Israeli media that as he approached a bus stop, he accelerated and directed the vehicle at two soldiers waiting there.

Israeli government development of settlements in the West Bank has been a focus of friction with Palestinians and contributed to the breakdown of peace talks. Israel disputes the view that the settlements are illegal, and argues it has biblical and historical ties to the land.

Israel says at least 162 of the Palestinians killed had launched stabbing, shooting or ramming attacks. Others died during clashes and protests.

Israel has accused the Palestinian leadership of inciting the violence. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, denies incitement and charges that in many cases, Israel has used excessive force in thwarting attackers armed with rudimentary weapons.

Photos from the scene of Thursday&#39;s incident showed the driver, bound, blindfolded and guarded by a soldier, seated next to his damaged car, in the undergrowth behind the bus stop. The vehicle had Palestinian licence plates.

Five days ago, Israeli paramilitary police officers shot dead a Palestinian after he stabbed three Israelis in Jerusalem&#39;s Old City.

(Reuters)

Witnesses told Israeli media that as the driver approached a bus stop, he accelerated and directed the vehicle at two soldiers waiting there

The Israeli military said a car driven by a Palestinian deliberately rammed two Israeli soldiers, killing one and injuring the other, in the occupied West Bank on Thursday. The death brings to 39 the number of Israelis killed in a wave of Palestinian street attacks that began in October 2015, while at least 242 Palestinians have been killed in Israel and the Palestinian Territories over the past 18 months. The driver was detained after the incident near the Jewish settlement of Ofra, the army said in a statement. Witnesses told Israeli media that as he approached a bus stop, he accelerated and directed the vehicle at two soldiers waiting there. Israeli government development of settlements in the West Bank has been a focus of friction with Palestinians and contributed to the breakdown of peace talks. Israel disputes the view that the settlements are illegal, and argues it has biblical and historical ties to the land. Israel says at least 162 of the Palestinians killed had launched stabbing, shooting or ramming attacks. Others died during clashes and protests. Israel has accused the Palestinian leadership of inciting the violence. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, denies incitement and charges that in many cases, Israel has used excessive force in thwarting attackers armed with rudimentary weapons. Photos from the scene of Thursday's incident showed the driver, bound, blindfolded and guarded by a soldier, seated next to his damaged car, in the undergrowth behind the bus stop. The vehicle had Palestinian licence plates. Five days ago, Israeli paramilitary police officers shot dead a Palestinian after he stabbed three Israelis in Jerusalem's Old City. (Reuters)

Israeli soldier killed in Palestinian car ramming in West Bank: Army

The Palestinians reacted angrily on Friday after the Israeli cabinet approved the building of the first officially sanctioned new settlement in the occupied West Bank in more than 20 years.&nbsp;

The security cabinet gave its unanimous backing to the new settlement late on Thursday as what is widely seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history presses ahead with settlement expansion in defiance of international criticism.&nbsp;

Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said the move showed &quot;blatant disregard for Palestinian human rights&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Israel is more committed to appeasing its illegal settler population than to abiding by the requirements for stability and a just peace,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

The new settlement will be constructed near the former wildcat Jewish outpost known as Amona, which was razed in February in accordance with an Israeli High Court order.&nbsp;

It will be the first entirely new settlement that an Israeli government has approved in more than 20 years.

In recent years, construction had focused instead on expanding existing settlements.

The international community regards all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as illegal and the biggest obstacle to Middle East peace, and the former US administration of Barack Obama had put up serious opposition to their expansion.

But right-wing Israeli leaders have been emboldened by the far less critical stance of US President Donal Trump.

The anti-settlement NGO Peace Now said the announcement of the new settlement showed that the government was leading Israelis and Palestinians towards &quot;apartheid&quot;.&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in discussions with the Trump administration on how to move ahead with further settlement construction.&nbsp;

Trump has pledged unstinting support for Israel but has also urged Netanyahu to &quot;hold back on settlements for a little bit&quot; while his administration looks for ways to restart Israeli-Palestinian talks.&nbsp;

Netanyahu had previously pledged to build a new settlement for the Amona residents evicted in February.

&quot;I promised to create a new community and we are going to respect that commitment and create it today,&quot; he said ahead of Thursday`s security cabinet meeting.

(AFP)

Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said the move showed 'blatant disregard for Palestinian human rights'

The Palestinians reacted angrily on Friday after the Israeli cabinet approved the building of the first officially sanctioned new settlement in the occupied West Bank in more than 20 years. The security cabinet gave its unanimous backing to the new settlement late on Thursday as what is widely seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history presses ahead with settlement expansion in defiance of international criticism. Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi said the move showed "blatant disregard for Palestinian human rights". "Israel is more committed to appeasing its illegal settler population than to abiding by the requirements for stability and a just peace," she said. The new settlement will be constructed near the former wildcat Jewish outpost known as Amona, which was razed in February in accordance with an Israeli High Court order. It will be the first entirely new settlement that an Israeli government has approved in more than 20 years. In recent years, construction had focused instead on expanding existing settlements. The international community regards all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as illegal and the biggest obstacle to Middle East peace, and the former US administration of Barack Obama had put up serious opposition to their expansion. But right-wing Israeli leaders have been emboldened by the far less critical stance of US President Donal Trump. The anti-settlement NGO Peace Now said the announcement of the new settlement showed that the government was leading Israelis and Palestinians towards "apartheid". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in discussions with the Trump administration on how to move ahead with further settlement construction. Trump has pledged unstinting support for Israel but has also urged Netanyahu to "hold back on settlements for a little bit" while his administration looks for ways to restart Israeli-Palestinian talks. Netanyahu had previously pledged to build a new settlement for the Amona residents evicted in February. "I promised to create a new community and we are going to respect that commitment and create it today," he said ahead of Thursday`s security cabinet meeting. (AFP)

Palestinians angry at Israel's new settlement plan in occupied West Bank

The chief of Israel&#39;s armed forces said on Tuesday the death last year of the top Hezbollah military commander was an assassination by the Iranian-backed Lebanese group itself.

Hezbollah has maintained the commander, Mustafa Badreddine, was killed near Damascus by artillery fire from insurgent groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But a war monitoring group said no rebel shelling occurred in the area at that time.

&quot;According to (media) reports, he was killed by his superiors, which points to the extent of the cruelty, complexity and tension between Hezbollah and its patron, Iran,&quot; Israeli Lieutenant-General Gadi Eisenkot said.

&quot;These reports corresponded with the information we have and with our assessment,&quot; he said in a speech in central Israel.

Al Arabiya news channel said earlier this month that Iran, which like Hezbollah has forces in Syria supporting Assad in its civil war, was unhappy with Badreddine and wanted him removed from the battlefield.

Eisenkot did not give any details on the circumstances of Badreddine&#39;s death, which was reported in May 2016.

A senior Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters last week that Badreddine and Iran were at odds over &quot;how to wage the Syrian campaign&quot;. A meeting was arranged near the Damascus airport, where a Hezbollah security official shot him dead.

In Beirut, Mohammed Afif, a Hezbollah spokesman, said Israel&#39;s allegations were &quot;lies that do not deserve comment&quot;.

The US&nbsp;government believed Badreddine, 55, was in charge of Hezbollah&#39;s military operations in Syria. He was one of five Hezbollah members indicted by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2005 killing of Rafik al-Hariri, one of Lebanon&#39;s most prominent Sunni Muslim figures.

Hezbollah denied any involvement and said the charges were politically motivated.

For years, Badreddine masterminded military operations against Israel from Lebanon and overseas and managed to escape capture by Arab and Western governments.

Israel, which fought Hezbollah in a 2006 war and has targeted the group in Syria over alleged arms transfers, had called his death good news but stopped short of claiming responsibility.

In a letter, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif extended condolences &quot;for the martyrdom of this great jihadist...who embodied devotion and vigour and was legendary in his defence of high Islamic goals and his defence of the Lebanese people who resist oppression and terrorism&quot;.

(Reuters)

Hezbollah claimed he was killed in artillery fire by forces loyal to Assad, but a war monitoring group said no rebel shelling occurded there

The chief of Israel's armed forces said on Tuesday the death last year of the top Hezbollah military commander was an assassination by the Iranian-backed Lebanese group itself. Hezbollah has maintained the commander, Mustafa Badreddine, was killed near Damascus by artillery fire from insurgent groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But a war monitoring group said no rebel shelling occurred in the area at that time. "According to (media) reports, he was killed by his superiors, which points to the extent of the cruelty, complexity and tension between Hezbollah and its patron, Iran," Israeli Lieutenant-General Gadi Eisenkot said. "These reports corresponded with the information we have and with our assessment," he said in a speech in central Israel. Al Arabiya news channel said earlier this month that Iran, which like Hezbollah has forces in Syria supporting Assad in its civil war, was unhappy with Badreddine and wanted him removed from the battlefield. Eisenkot did not give any details on the circumstances of Badreddine's death, which was reported in May 2016. A senior Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters last week that Badreddine and Iran were at odds over "how to wage the Syrian campaign". A meeting was arranged near the Damascus airport, where a Hezbollah security official shot him dead. In Beirut, Mohammed Afif, a Hezbollah spokesman, said Israel's allegations were "lies that do not deserve comment". The US government believed Badreddine, 55, was in charge of Hezbollah's military operations in Syria. He was one of five Hezbollah members indicted by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2005 killing of Rafik al-Hariri, one of Lebanon's most prominent Sunni Muslim figures. Hezbollah denied any involvement and said the charges were politically motivated. For years, Badreddine masterminded military operations against Israel from Lebanon and overseas and managed to escape capture by Arab and Western governments. Israel, which fought Hezbollah in a 2006 war and has targeted the group in Syria over alleged arms transfers, had called his death good news but stopped short of claiming responsibility. In a letter, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif extended condolences "for the martyrdom of this great jihadist...who embodied devotion and vigour and was legendary in his defence of high Islamic goals and his defence of the Lebanese people who resist oppression and terrorism". (Reuters)

Israel says 2016 killing of top Hezbollah commander was inside job

The head of the United Nation&#39;s West Asia commission, Rima Khalaf,&nbsp;resigned on Friday&nbsp;after what she described as pressure from the secretary general Antonio Guterres to withdraw a report accusing Israel of imposing an &quot;apartheid regime&quot; on Palestinians, Reuters reports.

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which comprises 18 Arab states, published the report on Wednesday and said it was the first time a UN&nbsp;body had clearly made the charge, Reuters reports.

They add that UN&nbsp;Under-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf announced her resignation at a news conference in Beirut.

The Israeli news site <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4936865,00.html" target="_blank">Ynet news</a>&nbsp;reports that UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday&nbsp;that the report was published without consulting the UN secreteriat first.

They also report that Israel&#39;s foreign minister spokesman liekened the report to a Nazi propoganda publication, describing it as &quot;despicable and a blatant lie&quot;, and&nbsp;adds that the US, a staunch Israeli ally, expressed outrage at the report.

(Reuters)

The report accused Israel of imposing an 'apartheid regime' on Palestinians, the first time this charge has ever been levelled by a UN body

The head of the United Nation's West Asia commission, Rima Khalaf, resigned on Friday after what she described as pressure from the secretary general Antonio Guterres to withdraw a report accusing Israel of imposing an "apartheid regime" on Palestinians, Reuters reports. The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which comprises 18 Arab states, published the report on Wednesday and said it was the first time a UN body had clearly made the charge, Reuters reports. They add that UN Under-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf announced her resignation at a news conference in Beirut. The Israeli news site Ynet news reports that UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday that the report was published without consulting the UN secreteriat first. They also report that Israel's foreign minister spokesman liekened the report to a Nazi propoganda publication, describing it as "despicable and a blatant lie", and adds that the US, a staunch Israeli ally, expressed outrage at the report. (Reuters)

Head of UN West Asia commission resigns over report on 'apartheid' Israel

Separate decrees to prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers and limiting the number of calls to prayers have received initial support in the Israeli parliament amid intense opposition from Arab lawmakers.

Israel&#39;s attempt to muzzle mosques in the country has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and Islamic lawmakers in the country.

The controversial bills&nbsp;will have to go through three further readings before they are enshrined.

Although the bills do not directly mention mosques, it has proposed that all religious places of worship in East Jerusalem and the rest of the country will be disallowed from using loudspeakers in urban areas between 11 pm and 7 am. That means mosques will not be able to give the first call to prayer at dawn.

The bills passed 55-48 and 55-47 in the Knesset, or parliament.

They were approved amid vociferous protests from Arab lawmakers, some of whom tore copies of the bills to mark their protest. They eventually had to be ejected from the parliament.

Proponents of the bills say they are simply to prevent places of worship from disturbing residents in the vicinity.

Motti Yogev of the far-right Jewish Home, said the proposal was &quot;a social law that aims to enable people to sleep&quot;.

&quot;Loudspeakers have not been here forever, and in recent decades there are alarm clocks for whoever wants to wake up for the mosque,&quot; he said.

Ahmad Tibi of the predominantly Arab Joint List alliance of lawmakers called the measure &quot;a racist act&quot;.

&quot;This is an important Muslim religious ceremony, and (the Knesset) has never intervened in a Jewish religious event,&quot; he said.

But it is not just Arabs and Muslims who have lambasted the bills.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin previously spoke against the move.

Government watchdog groups have called the measure an unnecessary provocation that threatens freedom of religion.

At Wednesday&#39;s debate, Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin said the new law was necessary since the existing rules set a low fine that causes police to disregard noise violations.

The new proposed law sets a fine of 10,000 shekels ($2,714, 2,573 euros) to transgressors.

In Jordan, the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in annexed east Jerusalem, Information Minister Mohamed Momani condemned the bills as &quot;discriminatory&quot;.

They were contrary to &quot;Israeli commitments under the peace accord&quot; that the Jewish state signed with Jordan in 1994, he said, quoted by the official news agency Petra.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Israel's attempt to muzzle mosques in the country has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and Islamic lawmakers in the country

Separate decrees to prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers and limiting the number of calls to prayers have received initial support in the Israeli parliament amid intense opposition from Arab lawmakers. Israel's attempt to muzzle mosques in the country has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and Islamic lawmakers in the country. The controversial bills will have to go through three further readings before they are enshrined. Although the bills do not directly mention mosques, it has proposed that all religious places of worship in East Jerusalem and the rest of the country will be disallowed from using loudspeakers in urban areas between 11 pm and 7 am. That means mosques will not be able to give the first call to prayer at dawn. The bills passed 55-48 and 55-47 in the Knesset, or parliament. They were approved amid vociferous protests from Arab lawmakers, some of whom tore copies of the bills to mark their protest. They eventually had to be ejected from the parliament. Proponents of the bills say they are simply to prevent places of worship from disturbing residents in the vicinity. Motti Yogev of the far-right Jewish Home, said the proposal was "a social law that aims to enable people to sleep". "Loudspeakers have not been here forever, and in recent decades there are alarm clocks for whoever wants to wake up for the mosque," he said. Ahmad Tibi of the predominantly Arab Joint List alliance of lawmakers called the measure "a racist act". "This is an important Muslim religious ceremony, and (the Knesset) has never intervened in a Jewish religious event," he said. But it is not just Arabs and Muslims who have lambasted the bills. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin previously spoke against the move. Government watchdog groups have called the measure an unnecessary provocation that threatens freedom of religion. At Wednesday's debate, Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin said the new law was necessary since the existing rules set a low fine that causes police to disregard noise violations. The new proposed law sets a fine of 10,000 shekels ($2,714, 2,573 euros) to transgressors. In Jordan, the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in annexed east Jerusalem, Information Minister Mohamed Momani condemned the bills as "discriminatory". They were contrary to "Israeli commitments under the peace accord" that the Jewish state signed with Jordan in 1994, he said, quoted by the official news agency Petra. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Israeli parliament gives initial nod to silence mosques

The Israeli government voted on Sunday in favour of decriminalising recreational marijuana use, joining some US states and European countries who have adopted a similar approach.

&quot;On the one hand we are opening ourselves up to the future. On the other hand, we understand the dangers and will try to balance the two,&quot; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet in broadcast remarks.

According to the new policy, which must still be ratified by parliament, people caught smoking marijuana would be fined rather than arrested and prosecuted. Criminal procedures would be launched only against those caught repeatedly with the drug.

Selling and growing marijuana would remain criminal offences in Israel.

&quot;Israel cannot shut its eyes to the changes being made across the world in respect to marijuana consumption and its effects,&quot; Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said in a statement.

In the United States, 28 states have legalised marijuana for medical use and since 2012, several have also approved marijuana for recreational use.

Shaked said Israeli authorities would now put their focus on education about the possible harmful effects of drug use.

Marijuana use is fairly common in Israel. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has said that almost nine per cent of Israelis use cannabis, though some Israeli experts believe the numbers are higher.

Israeli police figures showed only 188 people were arrested in 2015 for recreational use of marijuana, a 56 per cent drop since 2010, and many of those apprehended in that time were never charged.

About 25,000 people have a licence to use the drug for medicinal purposes in Israel, one of the world leaders in medical marijuana research.

In February, a government committee gave an initial nod for the export of medical cannabis, though final legislative measures will likely take months.

(Reuters)

According to the new policy, those who smoke marijuana will be fined and only repeat offenders will be arrested

The Israeli government voted on Sunday in favour of decriminalising recreational marijuana use, joining some US states and European countries who have adopted a similar approach. "On the one hand we are opening ourselves up to the future. On the other hand, we understand the dangers and will try to balance the two," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet in broadcast remarks. According to the new policy, which must still be ratified by parliament, people caught smoking marijuana would be fined rather than arrested and prosecuted. Criminal procedures would be launched only against those caught repeatedly with the drug. Selling and growing marijuana would remain criminal offences in Israel. "Israel cannot shut its eyes to the changes being made across the world in respect to marijuana consumption and its effects," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said in a statement. In the United States, 28 states have legalised marijuana for medical use and since 2012, several have also approved marijuana for recreational use. Shaked said Israeli authorities would now put their focus on education about the possible harmful effects of drug use. Marijuana use is fairly common in Israel. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has said that almost nine per cent of Israelis use cannabis, though some Israeli experts believe the numbers are higher. Israeli police figures showed only 188 people were arrested in 2015 for recreational use of marijuana, a 56 per cent drop since 2010, and many of those apprehended in that time were never charged. About 25,000 people have a licence to use the drug for medicinal purposes in Israel, one of the world leaders in medical marijuana research. In February, a government committee gave an initial nod for the export of medical cannabis, though final legislative measures will likely take months. (Reuters)

Israel votes to decriminalise marijuana

A young Israeli soldier who killed a wounded and incapacitated Palestinian assailant was sentenced to 18 months&#39; imprisonment on Tuesday, in a show of leniency that drew Palestinian outrage after one of the most divisive trials in Israel&#39;s history.

Eleven months ago, Sergeant Elor Azaria was serving as an army medic in the town of Hebron in the occupied West Bank when two Palestinians stabbed and wounded another soldier.

One of the assailants was shot dead by troops. The other was shot and wounded. Eleven minutes later, as the wounded man, Abd Elfatah Ashareef, 21, lay on the ground unable to move, Azaria, then 19, took aim with his rifle and put a bullet in his head.

With the 50th anniversary of Israel&#39;s wartime capture of the West Bank approaching, the trial generated debate about whether the military, in accusing Azaria of violating open-fire rules and its ethical code, was out of touch with a public that has shifted to the right in its attitudes towards the Palestinians.

In one poll, nearly half of Israeli Jews said any Palestinian attacker should be killed on the spot.

A three-judge military court convicted Azaria of manslaughter last month, a crime that carries a maximum 20-year term. Prosecutors had asked for a three-to-five year sentence, noting the soldier had shot an assailant who had carried out an attack only minutes earlier.

Passing an 18-month sentence, the court said Azaria had &quot;taken upon himself to be both judge and executioner&quot; and had not expressed regret for his crime.

But it said it was passing a lighter sentence than requested partly because it had been Azaria&#39;s first combat experience and his record had been unblemished up until then.

&quot;They are laughing at us,&quot; Ashareef&#39;s father, Yusri, told Reuters after the sentence was announced. The Palestinian government said the decision gave Israeli soldiers a &quot;green light&quot; to carry out &quot;executions&quot; without fear of real punishment.

It seemed unlikely that the sentence would lead to any significant outbreak of anti-Israeli violence, which has largely waned since a flurry of street attacks that began in October 2015. Palestinians have long accused Israel of using excessive force against lightly armed attackers, and harbour few expectations soldiers will be held accountable.

At his trial, Azaria said he believed the Palestinian, though motionless, still posed a danger because his knife was nearby, and that he might have been carrying explosives. &quot;He deserves to die,&quot; Azaria was quoted in the verdict as telling another soldier after pulling the trigger.

It was not immediately clear if Azaria&#39;s lawyers, one of whom described the sentence as light in remarks to reporters, would opt to appeal.

There was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on an official visit to Singapore and Australia. Shortly after Azaria&#39;s arrest, the right-wing leader took the unusual step of calling the soldier&#39;s family to express his sympathy.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, commenting on Facebook after the sentencing, said the &quot;terrorist had come to kill Jews and everyone must take this into account&quot;.

Rallies for Azaria, some backed by rightist politicians and pop singers, gathered momentum as the trial progressed. &quot;Israel&#39;s Hero&quot;, read one sign at a demonstration attended by dozens of supporters near the courtroom as the sentence was read out.

In the courtroom, in a military base in central Tel Aviv, Azaria&#39;s family and friends sang Hatikva, the Israeli national anthem, after the judges left. Azaria, confined to his camp during the trial, was ordered to begin serving his sentence on March 5.

(Reuters)

The Palestinian government said the decision gave Israeli soldiers a 'green light' to carry out 'executions' without fear of real punishment

A young Israeli soldier who killed a wounded and incapacitated Palestinian assailant was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment on Tuesday, in a show of leniency that drew Palestinian outrage after one of the most divisive trials in Israel's history. Eleven months ago, Sergeant Elor Azaria was serving as an army medic in the town of Hebron in the occupied West Bank when two Palestinians stabbed and wounded another soldier. One of the assailants was shot dead by troops. The other was shot and wounded. Eleven minutes later, as the wounded man, Abd Elfatah Ashareef, 21, lay on the ground unable to move, Azaria, then 19, took aim with his rifle and put a bullet in his head. With the 50th anniversary of Israel's wartime capture of the West Bank approaching, the trial generated debate about whether the military, in accusing Azaria of violating open-fire rules and its ethical code, was out of touch with a public that has shifted to the right in its attitudes towards the Palestinians. In one poll, nearly half of Israeli Jews said any Palestinian attacker should be killed on the spot. A three-judge military court convicted Azaria of manslaughter last month, a crime that carries a maximum 20-year term. Prosecutors had asked for a three-to-five year sentence, noting the soldier had shot an assailant who had carried out an attack only minutes earlier. Passing an 18-month sentence, the court said Azaria had "taken upon himself to be both judge and executioner" and had not expressed regret for his crime. But it said it was passing a lighter sentence than requested partly because it had been Azaria's first combat experience and his record had been unblemished up until then. "They are laughing at us," Ashareef's father, Yusri, told Reuters after the sentence was announced. The Palestinian government said the decision gave Israeli soldiers a "green light" to carry out "executions" without fear of real punishment. It seemed unlikely that the sentence would lead to any significant outbreak of anti-Israeli violence, which has largely waned since a flurry of street attacks that began in October 2015. Palestinians have long accused Israel of using excessive force against lightly armed attackers, and harbour few expectations soldiers will be held accountable. At his trial, Azaria said he believed the Palestinian, though motionless, still posed a danger because his knife was nearby, and that he might have been carrying explosives. "He deserves to die," Azaria was quoted in the verdict as telling another soldier after pulling the trigger. It was not immediately clear if Azaria's lawyers, one of whom described the sentence as light in remarks to reporters, would opt to appeal. There was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on an official visit to Singapore and Australia. Shortly after Azaria's arrest, the right-wing leader took the unusual step of calling the soldier's family to express his sympathy. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, commenting on Facebook after the sentencing, said the "terrorist had come to kill Jews and everyone must take this into account". Rallies for Azaria, some backed by rightist politicians and pop singers, gathered momentum as the trial progressed. "Israel's Hero", read one sign at a demonstration attended by dozens of supporters near the courtroom as the sentence was read out. In the courtroom, in a military base in central Tel Aviv, Azaria's family and friends sang Hatikva, the Israeli national anthem, after the judges left. Azaria, confined to his camp during the trial, was ordered to begin serving his sentence on March 5. (Reuters)

Israeli soldier gets 18 months for killing wounded, incapacitated Palestinian assailant

A year ago Israel offered Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and other Hollywood stars all-expenses paid luxury trips, but it seems they have chosen to miss their cues.&nbsp;

Campaigners are claiming victory as it appears none of the 26 Oscars stars offered a free personalised tour valued at up to $55,000 has visited.

The offer, part of gift bags given out by a marketing firm around the time of the 2016 Oscars each worth an estimated $200,000 and including other items such as ultra-expensive toilet paper, sparked a backlash.

Campaign groups accused Israel of trying to use the celebrities to gain positive coverage and downplay alleged abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories.

A few days ahead of the 2017 ceremony on February 26, it appears none of the nominees has visited themselves.

Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence did take up the offer but gave it to her parents, said the agency that came up with the idea.

&quot;This is a success,&quot; said Yousef Munayyer of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, which ran the campaign against the visits along with American organisation Jewish Voice for Peace.

&quot;I am very glad there&#39;s no evidence that people went. I think it is clear the objective of using the actors to whitewash Israel has failed.&quot;

Given several days notice, Israel&#39;s tourism ministry declined to comment or confirm which celebrities had taken up the offer.

&nbsp;

Kick Back

Ahead of the 2016 Oscars, in which DiCaprio scooped best actor for The Revenant, Israel&#39;s tourism ministry announced the nominees for the top five prizes as well as host Chris Rock would be offered individually tailored trips, including first-class flights and luxury hotels.

Israeli officials said they were seeking to show the real Israel at a time of conflict.

&quot;Every celebrity that is coming to visit us can put online a selfie somewhere and the value is huge,&quot; tourism ministry director general Amir Halevi told AFP at the time.

But US-based campaigners placed adverts in the Los Angeles Times and urged the actors to #skipthetrip on social media.

Campaigners then monitored traditional and social media to see if any of the celebrities made public trips.

&quot;So far we have not seen any,&quot; Munayyer said.

Sam Gee from exploreisrael.com agency that devised the idea said Lawrence gave the trip to her parents as a birthday gift and they have already visited.

Mark Rylance, winner of the Best Supporting Actor and a long-time critic of Israeli policies, confirmed to AFP he would not visit.

Jewish Voice for Peace spokeswoman Granate Sosnoff said it was part of a wider cultural boycott.

&quot;(Our campaign) brought tension, interrupted the normalcy of brand Israel and reminded Hollywood elites that there&#39;s a social cost of being associated with military occupation,&quot; she said.

&nbsp;

Left-wing shift

Dan Rothem, a researcher on US-Israel relations, said Israel wanted to use celebrities &quot;as a way to break the impression there is some sort of isolation or boycott&quot;.

Musicians performing in Israel are often put under pressure to boycott from activists, with Pink Floyd&#39;s Roger Waters a major campaigner against such trips.

But in recent weeks a number of global bands, including Radiohead, who are known for social activism, have announced gigs in the country, leading left-wing newspaper Haaretz to ponder if boycott moves are failing.

Last week controversy erupted over American footballers visiting Israel, with only five of the 11 players from the NFL joining a trip after the Superbowl.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said he would &quot;not be used&quot; by Israel, quoting reports the itinerary was being sculpted by the government for publicity.

&quot;When I do go to Israel -- and I do plan to go -- it will be to see not only Israel but also the West Bank and Gaza so I can see how the Palestinians, who have called this land home for thousands of years, live their lives,&quot; he said in a statement.

Academic Margaret Campbell, who has written about celebrity endorsements, said the biggest risks of backfire is &quot;that people end up with a worse idea of the brand (the country &#39;brand&#39; in this case) than before&quot;.

Chuck Norris visited Israel this month and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rothem said right-winger Norris&#39; visit would not break the &quot;right-left divide&quot;, but more traditionally left-wing Hollywood could help reverse a negative trend for Israel.

The percentage of Democrats who sympathise more with the Palestinians than with Israel has nearly doubled since 2014, research by the Pew Research Center found, and in 2016 was higher than the percentage favouring Israelis (40 per cent and 33 per cent respectively).

&quot;The left and the right in America no longer view Israel through the same prism,&quot; Rothem said.

(AFP)

Campaigners are claiming victory as it appears none of the 26 Oscars stars offered a free tour valued at up to $55,000 has visited

A year ago Israel offered Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and other Hollywood stars all-expenses paid luxury trips, but it seems they have chosen to miss their cues. Campaigners are claiming victory as it appears none of the 26 Oscars stars offered a free personalised tour valued at up to $55,000 has visited. The offer, part of gift bags given out by a marketing firm around the time of the 2016 Oscars each worth an estimated $200,000 and including other items such as ultra-expensive toilet paper, sparked a backlash. Campaign groups accused Israel of trying to use the celebrities to gain positive coverage and downplay alleged abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories. A few days ahead of the 2017 ceremony on February 26, it appears none of the nominees has visited themselves. Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence did take up the offer but gave it to her parents, said the agency that came up with the idea. "This is a success," said Yousef Munayyer of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, which ran the campaign against the visits along with American organisation Jewish Voice for Peace. "I am very glad there's no evidence that people went. I think it is clear the objective of using the actors to whitewash Israel has failed." Given several days notice, Israel's tourism ministry declined to comment or confirm which celebrities had taken up the offer. Kick Back Ahead of the 2016 Oscars, in which DiCaprio scooped best actor for The Revenant, Israel's tourism ministry announced the nominees for the top five prizes as well as host Chris Rock would be offered individually tailored trips, including first-class flights and luxury hotels. Israeli officials said they were seeking to show the real Israel at a time of conflict. "Every celebrity that is coming to visit us can put online a selfie somewhere and the value is huge," tourism ministry director general Amir Halevi told AFP at the time. But US-based campaigners placed adverts in the Los Angeles Times and urged the actors to #skipthetrip on social media. Campaigners then monitored traditional and social media to see if any of the celebrities made public trips. "So far we have not seen any," Munayyer said. Sam Gee from exploreisrael.com agency that devised the idea said Lawrence gave the trip to her parents as a birthday gift and they have already visited. Mark Rylance, winner of the Best Supporting Actor and a long-time critic of Israeli policies, confirmed to AFP he would not visit. Jewish Voice for Peace spokeswoman Granate Sosnoff said it was part of a wider cultural boycott. "(Our campaign) brought tension, interrupted the normalcy of brand Israel and reminded Hollywood elites that there's a social cost of being associated with military occupation," she said. Left-wing shift Dan Rothem, a researcher on US-Israel relations, said Israel wanted to use celebrities "as a way to break the impression there is some sort of isolation or boycott". Musicians performing in Israel are often put under pressure to boycott from activists, with Pink Floyd's Roger Waters a major campaigner against such trips. But in recent weeks a number of global bands, including Radiohead, who are known for social activism, have announced gigs in the country, leading left-wing newspaper Haaretz to ponder if boycott moves are failing. Last week controversy erupted over American footballers visiting Israel, with only five of the 11 players from the NFL joining a trip after the Superbowl. Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said he would "not be used" by Israel, quoting reports the itinerary was being sculpted by the government for publicity. "When I do go to Israel -- and I do plan to go -- it will be to see not only Israel but also the West Bank and Gaza so I can see how the Palestinians, who have called this land home for thousands of years, live their lives," he said in a statement. Academic Margaret Campbell, who has written about celebrity endorsements, said the biggest risks of backfire is "that people end up with a worse idea of the brand (the country 'brand' in this case) than before". Chuck Norris visited Israel this month and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rothem said right-winger Norris' visit would not break the "right-left divide", but more traditionally left-wing Hollywood could help reverse a negative trend for Israel. The percentage of Democrats who sympathise more with the Palestinians than with Israel has nearly doubled since 2014, research by the Pew Research Center found, and in 2016 was higher than the percentage favouring Israelis (40 per cent and 33 per cent respectively). "The left and the right in America no longer view Israel through the same prism," Rothem said. (AFP)

Hollywood celebrities snub Israel's free personalised trip offer

Iran&rsquo;s Supreme Leader called on Palestinians on Tuesday to pursue an uprising against Israel, suggesting the Israeli government was a &quot;cancerous tumour&quot; that should be confronted until Palestinians were completely liberated.

&quot;... by Allah&rsquo;s permission, we will see that this intifada will begin a very important chapter in the history of fighting and that it will inflict another defeat on that usurping regime,&quot; Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, according to his website.

The Supreme Leader&rsquo;s bellicose comments, made during a two-day conference in Tehran focused on its support for the Palestinians, come at a time of increasingly heated rhetoric between Iran, Israel and the United States.

While on a visit to Washington last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel and the United States had a &quot;grand mission&quot; to confront the threat of a nuclear Iran.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has already been highly critical of a deal hammered out between Iran and world powers, including the United States, in 2015 intended to partially lift sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Iran says its programme is for purely peaceful means.

When Iran carried out a ballistic missile test in late January, Trump&rsquo;s then national security adviser Mike Flynn said the administration was putting Iran &quot;on notice&quot;.

Ordinary Iranians have been posting their concerns about a possible military confrontation between Iran and the United States on social media.

Khamenei did not mention any Iranian military attack against Israel in his comments on Tuesday and was focused on gains that Palestinians could make in any confrontation with Israel, which he described as tumour developing into &quot;the current disaster&quot;. &nbsp;

&quot;The Palestinian intifada continues to gallop forward in a thunderous manner so that it can achieve its other goals until the complete liberation of Palestine,&quot; he said, according to the transcript of the speech posted on his website.

(Reuters)

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments?come at a time of increasingly heated rhetoric between Iran, Israel and the United States

Iran’s Supreme Leader called on Palestinians on Tuesday to pursue an uprising against Israel, suggesting the Israeli government was a "cancerous tumour" that should be confronted until Palestinians were completely liberated. "... by Allah’s permission, we will see that this intifada will begin a very important chapter in the history of fighting and that it will inflict another defeat on that usurping regime," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, according to his website. The Supreme Leader’s bellicose comments, made during a two-day conference in Tehran focused on its support for the Palestinians, come at a time of increasingly heated rhetoric between Iran, Israel and the United States. While on a visit to Washington last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel and the United States had a "grand mission" to confront the threat of a nuclear Iran. US President Donald Trump has already been highly critical of a deal hammered out between Iran and world powers, including the United States, in 2015 intended to partially lift sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. Iran says its programme is for purely peaceful means. When Iran carried out a ballistic missile test in late January, Trump’s then national security adviser Mike Flynn said the administration was putting Iran "on notice". Ordinary Iranians have been posting their concerns about a possible military confrontation between Iran and the United States on social media. Khamenei did not mention any Iranian military attack against Israel in his comments on Tuesday and was focused on gains that Palestinians could make in any confrontation with Israel, which he described as tumour developing into "the current disaster". "The Palestinian intifada continues to gallop forward in a thunderous manner so that it can achieve its other goals until the complete liberation of Palestine," he said, according to the transcript of the speech posted on his website. (Reuters)

Iran Supreme Leader calls on Palestinians to pursue uprising against Israel

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