Aircraft debris believed to have come from an EgyptAir crash in May has washed up on a beach near Tel Aviv, an official in the Israeli premier&#39;s office said Friday. 
 
&quot;Debris have been collected and there is a high probability that these originate from the Egyptian plane,&quot; the official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s office said. 
 
Netanyahu has instructed that the plane parts found on a beach in the coastal town of Netanya on Thursday be handed over to Egypt, he said. 
 
Experts are still investigating the cause of the May 19 crash of the Airbus A320 which went down in the eastern Mediterranean on a flight from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. 
 
Investigators have said the plane&#39;s wreckage showed signs of fire, while a data recorder has confirmed that smoke alarms had been activated. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Experts are still investigating the cause of the May 19 crash of the Airbus A320 which went down in the eastern Mediterranean

Aircraft debris believed to have come from an EgyptAir crash in May has washed up on a beach near Tel Aviv, an official in the Israeli premier's office said Friday. "Debris have been collected and there is a high probability that these originate from the Egyptian plane," the official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said. Netanyahu has instructed that the plane parts found on a beach in the coastal town of Netanya on Thursday be handed over to Egypt, he said. Experts are still investigating the cause of the May 19 crash of the Airbus A320 which went down in the eastern Mediterranean on a flight from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. Investigators have said the plane's wreckage showed signs of fire, while a data recorder has confirmed that smoke alarms had been activated. (AFP)

Probable EgyptAir crash debris recovered on Israeli beach

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas called on the United Nations (UN) Security Council today to reject a key report by the diplomatic Quartet that condemned both Israeli settlement building and Palestinian incitement to violence. 
 
The report published last Friday by the European Union (EU), Russia, the United Nations and the United States (US) was criticised by both Israel and the Palestinians as being unfair. 
 
The report is due to be presented for discussion at the UN Security Council in the coming weeks, though a date has not yet been set. 
 
In a statement, however, Abbas said that the report &quot;does not further the cause for peace.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We hope that the Security Council does not support this report,&quot; he added. 
 
Palestine Liberation Organisation secretary general Saeb Erekat has condemned what he called an &quot;attempt to equalise the responsibilities between people under occupation and the foreign military occupier.&quot; 
 
Quartet report aims to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace process 
&nbsp; 
The report findings and recommendations are supposed to serve as the basis for reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that has been comatose since a US initiative collapsed in April 2014. 
 
But&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also rejected the report, calling it a &quot;myth&quot; that settlement building in the occupied West Bank is an obstacle to peace. There was no formal response from the Quartet but a source involved with the report said Wednesday there were positives to be drawn from the responses. 
 
&quot;If both president Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu find the report disturbing, then the report must contain some truths that both are uncomfortable with,&quot; he said. 
 
A Palestinian official said they would no longer deal with the Quartet as a body, but would continue to work with its four members individually. &quot;It is not only about the report, it is more than that -- but the report confirms how useless (the Quartet) is,&quot; the official said. 
 
There has been a growing alarm that ongoing violence and the construction of Jewish settlements on land earmarked to be part of a future Palestinian state are killing off prospects for a deal. 
 
There are currently at least 570,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians hope to make the capital of their future state. The United Nations has said settlements are illegal. 
 
In the recent wave of violence since October, there have been more than 250 attacks and attempted attacks by Palestinians that have killed at least 30 Israelis, the report said. 
 
(AFP)

The report is due to be presented for discussion at the UN Security Council in the coming weeks, though a date has not yet been set

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas called on the United Nations (UN) Security Council today to reject a key report by the diplomatic Quartet that condemned both Israeli settlement building and Palestinian incitement to violence. The report published last Friday by the European Union (EU), Russia, the United Nations and the United States (US) was criticised by both Israel and the Palestinians as being unfair. The report is due to be presented for discussion at the UN Security Council in the coming weeks, though a date has not yet been set. In a statement, however, Abbas said that the report "does not further the cause for peace." "We hope that the Security Council does not support this report," he added. Palestine Liberation Organisation secretary general Saeb Erekat has condemned what he called an "attempt to equalise the responsibilities between people under occupation and the foreign military occupier." Quartet report aims to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace process The report findings and recommendations are supposed to serve as the basis for reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that has been comatose since a US initiative collapsed in April 2014. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also rejected the report, calling it a "myth" that settlement building in the occupied West Bank is an obstacle to peace. There was no formal response from the Quartet but a source involved with the report said Wednesday there were positives to be drawn from the responses. "If both president Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu find the report disturbing, then the report must contain some truths that both are uncomfortable with," he said. A Palestinian official said they would no longer deal with the Quartet as a body, but would continue to work with its four members individually. "It is not only about the report, it is more than that -- but the report confirms how useless (the Quartet) is," the official said. There has been a growing alarm that ongoing violence and the construction of Jewish settlements on land earmarked to be part of a future Palestinian state are killing off prospects for a deal. There are currently at least 570,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians hope to make the capital of their future state. The United Nations has said settlements are illegal. In the recent wave of violence since October, there have been more than 250 attacks and attempted attacks by Palestinians that have killed at least 30 Israelis, the report said. (AFP)

Palestinian President calls on UN Security Council to reject Quartet report

Ahead of the release last week of a report on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the Quartet of Middle East mediators, the word from diplomats was that it would be hard-hitting, especially on Israel and its settlement building. 
 
The United States, the European Union and the United Nations were fed up with Israel&#39;s consistent violation of international law, which views all settlements on occupied land as illegal, diplomats said. While Russia, the fourth Quartet member, might be more restrained, Israel was set for a serious ticking off. 
 
Those concerns reached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s office. Officials briefed that he was determined to talk the Quartet down. He flew to Moscow to see President Vladimir Putin, and met US Secretary of State John Kerry and the EU&#39;s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, in Rome. 
 
In the end, after weeks of delay, the report was mild in the extreme. Israeli settlement-building was criticised but not called illegal. The prime focus was on Palestinian incitement. One regional analyst described the overall impact as &quot;banal&quot;. 
 
Palestinians were outraged. Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Quartet had attempted to &quot;equalize the responsibilities between a people under occupation and a foreign military occupier&quot;. The international community had given in, he said. 
 
Among a number of American, European and UN diplomats, there is a fair degree of sympathy with that view. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s just no appetite to go toe-to-toe with Israel and deliver a really harsh indictment,&quot; said one European ambassador. &quot;No one sees the upside to it.&quot; 
 
Privately, diplomats raise a host of concerns about Israel&#39;s actions: its restrictions on Palestinian movement, security clampdowns they say amount to collective punishment, the demolition of attackers&#39; homes, the blockade on Gaza, and settlements. But in public, there is far more restraint. 
 
Statements from European Union foreign ministers and US officials often express concern about all those issues, but they fall short of threatening action or concrete censure. It is usually much more about carrots than sticks. 
 
Growing allegiances 
 
While the European Commission has taken steps to more clearly delineate between Israel and the territories it has occupied since 1967, issuing guidelines on the labelling of settlement goods, officials say Mogherini does not want to go further, favouring a similar approach to her predecessor. 
 
Many EU member states have good and growing relations with Israel. Like Turkey, which last week agreed to restore diplomatic ties with Israel after a six-year hiatus, they see a future of expanding business, trade and energy ties. 
 
Whereas a few years ago Israel mostly had to rely on Germany, Britain and the Czech Republic to defend its interests in the EU, now it can count Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Hungary and a handful of others among potential allies. 
 
At the same time, Netanyahu has bolstered relations with Russia, talks regularly about a &quot;new horizon&quot; with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, especially when it comes to confronting Iran, and plays up Israel&#39;s high-tech links to China, India and Africa, where Netanyahu is on a four-day visit. 
 
&quot;Israel is effective at pulling the strings,&quot; said an American official who has worked on Palestinian issues for the past three years. &quot;However much frustration you feel on the ground, it doesn&#39;t lead to action from the top.&quot; 
 
Late last year, looking for ways to apply pressure on Israel over settlements, officials in the US State Department examined the possibility of suspending loan guarantees, a step last taken by the first Bush administration in the early 1990s. 
 
But they realised pulling the guarantees offered little leverage -- because of low interest rates and Israel&#39;s increased economic strength, the country wouldn&#39;t have a problem raising funds cheaply on international markets. 
 
It&#39;s not only better diplomatic ties and economic levers that have helped Israel counter criticism. The Palestinians have done little to win friends and influence opinion at a time of rising Islamist insurgency across much of the Middle East. 
 
With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, 81, now 11 years into a four-year term and showing no sign of holding elections, there is frustration over the democratic deficit. Polls show 60 percent of Palestinians want Abbas gone. 
 
There are also stark divisions between Abbas&#39;s Fatah party and the Islamist group Hamas, which controls Gaza. As long as Palestinians are unreconciled, talk of negotiating a two-state solution with Israel will remain remote at best. 
 
France&#39;s plan to hold a Middle East peace conference later this year has irritated Israel, which argues such efforts relieve the Palestinians of responsibility to negotiate directly, but the initiative is not expected to lead to change. 
 
The European Union, via funds from individual member states and the Commission&#39;s budget, continues to be the largest donor to the Palestinians, plugging holes in their deficit and providing development. But overall, support is being cut, and USAID has reduced funding, too. 
 
The Gulf states, Saudi Arabia and Turkey contribute large amounts of aid, but it is mostly aimed at keeping the idea of Palestine afloat, it does not come with diplomatic influence that shapes decisions in major capitals. Palestinians themselves tell pollsters they feel abandoned by their Arab allies. 
 
The most outspoken voice left is the United Nations, a body Israel constantly criticises yet one that can only really bring pressure to bear if the Security Council decides to act. 
 
In an op-ed sent out immediately after the Quartet report, the UN&#39;s special coordinator for the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, appeared to express frustration that the Quartet&#39;s report had not been harder hitting. 
 
&quot;Most Palestinians have lived with the humiliation of occupation all their lives,&quot; he wrote. &quot;They do not need the Quartet to tell them about the devastating impact of the illegal settlement enterprise on their lives, their economy and their legitimate aspirations for an independent, sovereign state.&quot; 
 
Notably, Mladenov&#39;s passionately argued piece was not widely picked up, appearing on the UN website and a handful of regional newspapers. 
 
(Reuters)

Israel can count Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Hungary and a handful of others among potential allies

Ahead of the release last week of a report on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the Quartet of Middle East mediators, the word from diplomats was that it would be hard-hitting, especially on Israel and its settlement building. The United States, the European Union and the United Nations were fed up with Israel's consistent violation of international law, which views all settlements on occupied land as illegal, diplomats said. While Russia, the fourth Quartet member, might be more restrained, Israel was set for a serious ticking off. Those concerns reached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Officials briefed that he was determined to talk the Quartet down. He flew to Moscow to see President Vladimir Putin, and met US Secretary of State John Kerry and the EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, in Rome. In the end, after weeks of delay, the report was mild in the extreme. Israeli settlement-building was criticised but not called illegal. The prime focus was on Palestinian incitement. One regional analyst described the overall impact as "banal". Palestinians were outraged. Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Quartet had attempted to "equalize the responsibilities between a people under occupation and a foreign military occupier". The international community had given in, he said. Among a number of American, European and UN diplomats, there is a fair degree of sympathy with that view. "There's just no appetite to go toe-to-toe with Israel and deliver a really harsh indictment," said one European ambassador. "No one sees the upside to it." Privately, diplomats raise a host of concerns about Israel's actions: its restrictions on Palestinian movement, security clampdowns they say amount to collective punishment, the demolition of attackers' homes, the blockade on Gaza, and settlements. But in public, there is far more restraint. Statements from European Union foreign ministers and US officials often express concern about all those issues, but they fall short of threatening action or concrete censure. It is usually much more about carrots than sticks. Growing allegiances While the European Commission has taken steps to more clearly delineate between Israel and the territories it has occupied since 1967, issuing guidelines on the labelling of settlement goods, officials say Mogherini does not want to go further, favouring a similar approach to her predecessor. Many EU member states have good and growing relations with Israel. Like Turkey, which last week agreed to restore diplomatic ties with Israel after a six-year hiatus, they see a future of expanding business, trade and energy ties. Whereas a few years ago Israel mostly had to rely on Germany, Britain and the Czech Republic to defend its interests in the EU, now it can count Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Hungary and a handful of others among potential allies. At the same time, Netanyahu has bolstered relations with Russia, talks regularly about a "new horizon" with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, especially when it comes to confronting Iran, and plays up Israel's high-tech links to China, India and Africa, where Netanyahu is on a four-day visit. "Israel is effective at pulling the strings," said an American official who has worked on Palestinian issues for the past three years. "However much frustration you feel on the ground, it doesn't lead to action from the top." Late last year, looking for ways to apply pressure on Israel over settlements, officials in the US State Department examined the possibility of suspending loan guarantees, a step last taken by the first Bush administration in the early 1990s. But they realised pulling the guarantees offered little leverage -- because of low interest rates and Israel's increased economic strength, the country wouldn't have a problem raising funds cheaply on international markets. It's not only better diplomatic ties and economic levers that have helped Israel counter criticism. The Palestinians have done little to win friends and influence opinion at a time of rising Islamist insurgency across much of the Middle East. With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, 81, now 11 years into a four-year term and showing no sign of holding elections, there is frustration over the democratic deficit. Polls show 60 percent of Palestinians want Abbas gone. There are also stark divisions between Abbas's Fatah party and the Islamist group Hamas, which controls Gaza. As long as Palestinians are unreconciled, talk of negotiating a two-state solution with Israel will remain remote at best. France's plan to hold a Middle East peace conference later this year has irritated Israel, which argues such efforts relieve the Palestinians of responsibility to negotiate directly, but the initiative is not expected to lead to change. The European Union, via funds from individual member states and the Commission's budget, continues to be the largest donor to the Palestinians, plugging holes in their deficit and providing development. But overall, support is being cut, and USAID has reduced funding, too. The Gulf states, Saudi Arabia and Turkey contribute large amounts of aid, but it is mostly aimed at keeping the idea of Palestine afloat, it does not come with diplomatic influence that shapes decisions in major capitals. Palestinians themselves tell pollsters they feel abandoned by their Arab allies. The most outspoken voice left is the United Nations, a body Israel constantly criticises yet one that can only really bring pressure to bear if the Security Council decides to act. In an op-ed sent out immediately after the Quartet report, the UN's special coordinator for the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, appeared to express frustration that the Quartet's report had not been harder hitting. "Most Palestinians have lived with the humiliation of occupation all their lives," he wrote. "They do not need the Quartet to tell them about the devastating impact of the illegal settlement enterprise on their lives, their economy and their legitimate aspirations for an independent, sovereign state." Notably, Mladenov's passionately argued piece was not widely picked up, appearing on the UN website and a handful of regional newspapers. (Reuters)

Diplomatic ties help Israel defang international criticism

An El Al Boeing 747 flight from New York landed at its Tel Aviv destination on Tuesday after a bomb threat led France and Switzerland to send warplanes to escort the Israeli airliner over their territory. 
 
No emergency was declared at Tel Aviv&#39;s Ben-Gurion airport, where the El Al jet touched down, a Reuters TV cameraman at the scene said. 
 
The Israel Airports Authority said the Swiss air force had scrambled F-18 aircraft to escort the plane &quot;because of a bomb threat&quot;. The Swiss Air Force said it had deployed an air police &quot;hot mission&quot; to accompany a flight. 
 
Sky Guide, a Swiss air navigation service provider, said the bomb threat was received when the El Al aircraft was over France. It said the flight was accompanied by French fighter jets before it crossed into Swiss air space. 
 
An El Al spokeswoman declined to give details about what she described as an anonymous threat, or comment on why the airline, considered one of the most security-conscious in the world, had not opted for an emergency landing en route to Tel Aviv. 
 
Alluding to the question of whether the airline had deemed the threat credible, she said: &quot;You can understand on your own, if the plane (continued) on its way.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

No emergency was declared at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport, where the El Al jet touched down

An El Al Boeing 747 flight from New York landed at its Tel Aviv destination on Tuesday after a bomb threat led France and Switzerland to send warplanes to escort the Israeli airliner over their territory. No emergency was declared at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport, where the El Al jet touched down, a Reuters TV cameraman at the scene said. The Israel Airports Authority said the Swiss air force had scrambled F-18 aircraft to escort the plane "because of a bomb threat". The Swiss Air Force said it had deployed an air police "hot mission" to accompany a flight. Sky Guide, a Swiss air navigation service provider, said the bomb threat was received when the El Al aircraft was over France. It said the flight was accompanied by French fighter jets before it crossed into Swiss air space. An El Al spokeswoman declined to give details about what she described as an anonymous threat, or comment on why the airline, considered one of the most security-conscious in the world, had not opted for an emergency landing en route to Tel Aviv. Alluding to the question of whether the airline had deemed the threat credible, she said: "You can understand on your own, if the plane (continued) on its way." (Reuters)

El Al flight lands at Tel Aviv destination after bomb threat

Israel on Sunday barred the Hebron governor from entering its territory after he visited the family of a Palestinian who killed a US-Israeli teenage girl in her sleep, officials said. 
 
On Thursday, 19-year-old Mohammed Nasser Tarayra broke into the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba in the West Bank on the outskirts of Hebron and killed 13-year-old Israeli-American Hallel Yaffa Ariel before being shot dead by a security guard. 
 
The murder sparked outrage and prompted Israel to lock down Hebron, a flashpoint city in the occupied Palestinian territory.&nbsp; 
 
The decision to bar mayor Kamal Humeid from Israel was taken by the coordinator of government activities in the territories (COGAT), the Israeli defence ministry unit which manages civilian affairs for Palestinians in the West Bank and liaises with Gaza. 
 
A statement said Humeid had paid a condolence visit to Tarayra`s family and was therefore &quot;barred from entering Israel&quot; and that he had been stripped of &quot;his privileges&quot;, without elaborating. 
 
Humeid said on Facebook he does not enjoy any special privileges and has &quot;no business in Israel&quot; that would lead him to enter the Jewish state. 
 
A day after Thursday&#39;s attack, 48-year-old Israeli Michael Mark was killed after his car was fired on by a suspected Palestinian gunman south of Hebron. 
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the cabinet on Sunday that a series of measures had been taken &quot;including aggressive ones which had not been used in the past&quot; to respond to such attacks. 
 
&quot;This includes the lockdown of the entire Hebron district,&quot; home to 700,000 people, he said. 
 
Netanyahu said the army had also revoked the Israeli work permits of residents of Beni Naim, the home village of Palestinian assailants. 
 
Other measures, he said, include a &quot;massive&quot; bolstering of Israeli troops and an investigation into family members of Palestinian assailants &quot;and their arrest if they were involved&quot; in attacks. 
 
On Friday a relative of Tarayra, 27-year-old Sarah Tarayra, was shot dead after drawing a knife on Israeli forces in Hebron. 
 
Hebron has been one of the main focuses of a wave of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since October, with the army saying 80 of the attacks on Israelis were carried out by Palestinians from the Hebron area. 
 
Several hundred Jewish settlers live in a tightly guarded enclave in the heart of the city of more than 200,000 Palestinians, a persistent source of tensions. 
 
At least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed since October. 
 
(AFP)

Kamal Humeid visited the family of the slain 19-year-old Palestinian boy who killed a US-Israeli teenage girl.

Israel on Sunday barred the Hebron governor from entering its territory after he visited the family of a Palestinian who killed a US-Israeli teenage girl in her sleep, officials said. On Thursday, 19-year-old Mohammed Nasser Tarayra broke into the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba in the West Bank on the outskirts of Hebron and killed 13-year-old Israeli-American Hallel Yaffa Ariel before being shot dead by a security guard. The murder sparked outrage and prompted Israel to lock down Hebron, a flashpoint city in the occupied Palestinian territory. The decision to bar mayor Kamal Humeid from Israel was taken by the coordinator of government activities in the territories (COGAT), the Israeli defence ministry unit which manages civilian affairs for Palestinians in the West Bank and liaises with Gaza. A statement said Humeid had paid a condolence visit to Tarayra`s family and was therefore "barred from entering Israel" and that he had been stripped of "his privileges", without elaborating. Humeid said on Facebook he does not enjoy any special privileges and has "no business in Israel" that would lead him to enter the Jewish state. A day after Thursday's attack, 48-year-old Israeli Michael Mark was killed after his car was fired on by a suspected Palestinian gunman south of Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the cabinet on Sunday that a series of measures had been taken "including aggressive ones which had not been used in the past" to respond to such attacks. "This includes the lockdown of the entire Hebron district," home to 700,000 people, he said. Netanyahu said the army had also revoked the Israeli work permits of residents of Beni Naim, the home village of Palestinian assailants. Other measures, he said, include a "massive" bolstering of Israeli troops and an investigation into family members of Palestinian assailants "and their arrest if they were involved" in attacks. On Friday a relative of Tarayra, 27-year-old Sarah Tarayra, was shot dead after drawing a knife on Israeli forces in Hebron. Hebron has been one of the main focuses of a wave of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since October, with the army saying 80 of the attacks on Israelis were carried out by Palestinians from the Hebron area. Several hundred Jewish settlers live in a tightly guarded enclave in the heart of the city of more than 200,000 Palestinians, a persistent source of tensions. At least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed since October. (AFP)

Israel bars Hebron mayor over condolence visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Uganda on Monday for a rare tour of sub-Saharan Africa, seeking new trade partners and marking the 40th anniversary of a hostage rescue in which his brother died.

Speaking in Entebbe, close to the site of the 1976 airport raid in which over 100 hostages were released, Netanyahu said the visit was &quot;deeply moving&quot; and symbolised the changing relationship between Israel and Africa.

&quot;Exactly 40 years ago Israeli soldiers carried out the historic mission in Entebbe,&quot; Netanyahu said.

&quot;Forty years ago they landed in the dead of night in a country led by a brutal dictator who gave refuge to terrorists, today we landed in broad daylight to be welcomed by a president who fights terrorism.&quot;

He said his visit signalled &quot;dramatic changes in the relationship between Africa and Israel: Africa is a continent on the rise. After many decades I can say Israel is coming back to Africa and Africa is coming back to Israel&quot;.

Israel is launching a $13-million aid package to strengthen economic ties and cooperation with African countries.

Israel would also provide African states with training in &quot;domestic security&quot; and health, an Israeli statement read.

Netanyahu said he would attend an &quot;historic summit&quot; with seven African leaders while in Uganda.

After Uganda, Netanyahu will travel on to Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda.

The Arab-Israeli conflict drove a wedge between African countries and the Jewish state in the 1960s.

Following wars between Israel and its neighbours in 1967 and 1973, North African nations led by Egypt put pressure on sub-Saharan African states to cut ties with Israel, which many did.

Relations were not helped by Israel&#39;s friendship with the apartheid regime in South Africa before it fell in 1994.
 
HONOURING HIS COMMANDO BROTHER 
 
Beyond diplomacy and trade, the trip has deep personal meaning for Netanyahu.

His brother Yonatan, known by his nickname &#39;Yoni&#39;, was killed in July 1976 as he led a commando raid in Entebbe, Uganda, to free passengers aboard an Air France plane hijacked by two Palestinians and two Germans.

&quot;I learned from my brother that you need two things to defeat the terrorists: clarity and courage,&quot; Netanyahu said.

Speaking during a commemoration event close to the old terminal building, Netanyahu said the fight against terrorism continued.

&quot;When terrorism succeeds in one place it spreads to other places, and when terrorism is defeated anywhere it is weakened everywhere. This is why Entebbe... was a victory for all humanity,&quot; he said.

Netanyahu said the Entebbe raid was &quot;a watershed moment&quot; for Israel when the country learned to stand up for itself.

&quot;It was the most daring rescue mission of all time. We were powerless no more, we would do whatever it takes,&quot; he said.

Israel&#39;s dealings with Africa currently constitutes only two percent of its foreign trade, leaving plenty of room for growth.

Demand is rising for its defence expertise and products.

But it also sees African countries as potential allies, particularly at the United Nations and other international bodies, where it is regularly condemned over its occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Some African countries are keen to obtain Israeli agricultural and water technology, which the country has been promoting, say officials. Netanyahu&#39;s trip follows years of efforts to improve ties. 
 
(AFP)

Netanyahu's brother?was killed when he led the commando raid to free Israeli hostages aboard a hijacked Air France plane

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Uganda on Monday for a rare tour of sub-Saharan Africa, seeking new trade partners and marking the 40th anniversary of a hostage rescue in which his brother died. Speaking in Entebbe, close to the site of the 1976 airport raid in which over 100 hostages were released, Netanyahu said the visit was "deeply moving" and symbolised the changing relationship between Israel and Africa. "Exactly 40 years ago Israeli soldiers carried out the historic mission in Entebbe," Netanyahu said. "Forty years ago they landed in the dead of night in a country led by a brutal dictator who gave refuge to terrorists, today we landed in broad daylight to be welcomed by a president who fights terrorism." He said his visit signalled "dramatic changes in the relationship between Africa and Israel: Africa is a continent on the rise. After many decades I can say Israel is coming back to Africa and Africa is coming back to Israel". Israel is launching a $13-million aid package to strengthen economic ties and cooperation with African countries. Israel would also provide African states with training in "domestic security" and health, an Israeli statement read. Netanyahu said he would attend an "historic summit" with seven African leaders while in Uganda. After Uganda, Netanyahu will travel on to Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda. The Arab-Israeli conflict drove a wedge between African countries and the Jewish state in the 1960s. Following wars between Israel and its neighbours in 1967 and 1973, North African nations led by Egypt put pressure on sub-Saharan African states to cut ties with Israel, which many did. Relations were not helped by Israel's friendship with the apartheid regime in South Africa before it fell in 1994. HONOURING HIS COMMANDO BROTHER Beyond diplomacy and trade, the trip has deep personal meaning for Netanyahu. His brother Yonatan, known by his nickname 'Yoni', was killed in July 1976 as he led a commando raid in Entebbe, Uganda, to free passengers aboard an Air France plane hijacked by two Palestinians and two Germans. "I learned from my brother that you need two things to defeat the terrorists: clarity and courage," Netanyahu said. Speaking during a commemoration event close to the old terminal building, Netanyahu said the fight against terrorism continued. "When terrorism succeeds in one place it spreads to other places, and when terrorism is defeated anywhere it is weakened everywhere. This is why Entebbe... was a victory for all humanity," he said. Netanyahu said the Entebbe raid was "a watershed moment" for Israel when the country learned to stand up for itself. "It was the most daring rescue mission of all time. We were powerless no more, we would do whatever it takes," he said. Israel's dealings with Africa currently constitutes only two percent of its foreign trade, leaving plenty of room for growth. Demand is rising for its defence expertise and products. But it also sees African countries as potential allies, particularly at the United Nations and other international bodies, where it is regularly condemned over its occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip. Some African countries are keen to obtain Israeli agricultural and water technology, which the country has been promoting, say officials. Netanyahu's trip follows years of efforts to improve ties. (AFP)

Israeli PM starts landmark Africa trip to reboot ties and mark Entebbe rescue anniversary

Israel has approved hundreds of new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, an official said Monday, in a move likely to further raise tensions following a series of Palestinian attacks. 
 
The approval comes days after a key international report warned that Israel&#39;s settlement expansion and land confiscation were eroding the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. 
 
The report from the diplomatic Quartet, the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia, also called on Palestinians to halt attacks and incitement to violence. 
 
Under the new approval granted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, planning for 560 new homes in the large Maale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem will be allowed to move forward. 
 
The Maale Adumim mayor was informed of the decision on Sunday night, a spokesman for him told AFP. The settlement established in 1975 already includes a population of more than 37,000. 
 
Netanyahu also gave approval for the planning of 240 new homes in east Jerusalem settlement neighbourhoods, as well as for 600 units for Palestinians in the city&#39;s Beit Safafa district, media reported. 
 
The offices of Netanyahu and Lieberman refused to comment on the reports of the approvals for homes in east Jerusalem or Maale Adumim. 
 
The decision follows calls among Israelis for a harsh response to a spate of Palestinian attacks in recent days. 
 
On Thursday, 13-year-old Israeli-American Hallel Yaffa Ariel was fatally stabbed in the settlement of Kiryat Arba on the outskirts of the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron. 
 
Her 19-year-old Palestinian assailant was then shot dead by a security guard. 
 
A day later, Sarah Tarayra, 27, was shot dead after drawing a knife on Israeli forces in Hebron. She was a relative of the Kiryat Arba attacker, and both were from Bani Naim, a village just outside Hebron. 
 
Also on Friday, 48-year-old Israeli Michael Mark was killed after his car was fired on by suspected Palestinian gunmen south of Hebron. 
 
&#39;Aggressive measures&#39; 
 
Israel on Friday announced a lockdown in Hebron as it searched for the gunmen and a reduction in monthly tax payments to the Palestinian Authority after the attacks. 
 
The amount is to be cut by the equivalent of the fiscal support paid to militants&#39; families, Netanyahu&#39;s office said. 
 
Israel transfers around $127 million in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports monthly. 
 
The measures, which also included increasing Israel&#39;s military presence in the West Bank, were described by the army as &quot;the most substantial&quot; in two years. 
 
&quot;We are using various means, including aggressive measures that we have not used in the past,&quot; Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting on Sunday. 
 
&quot;This includes cordoning off the entire Hebron district -- 700,000 people,&quot; he said, referring to the city and surrounding area. 
 
Checkpoints and closures were still in place at entrances to the city on Monday. 
 
Hebron has long been a flashpoint in the conflict, with hundreds of Jewish settlers living under heavy military guard in the heart of the city among some 200,000 Palestinians. 
 
A wave of violence since October has killed at least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. 
 
Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say. 
 
Others were shot dead by Israeli security forces during protests and clashes or killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. 
 
The violence had subsided in recent weeks, but a deadly shooting at a cafe in Tel Aviv by two Palestinians on June 8 and last week&#39;s series of attacks have raised concern. 
 
During a recent visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned Palestinian attacks as &quot;terrorism&quot; but also said Israel must act to address &quot;key underlying causes of violence.&quot; 
 
They included &quot;growing Palestinian anger, the paralysis of the peace process, the nearly a half-century of occupation,&quot; Ban said. 
 
Peace talks have been at a complete standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. 
 
(AFP)

The decision follows calls among Israelis for a harsh response to a spate of Palestinian attacks in recent days

Israel has approved hundreds of new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, an official said Monday, in a move likely to further raise tensions following a series of Palestinian attacks. The approval comes days after a key international report warned that Israel's settlement expansion and land confiscation were eroding the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. The report from the diplomatic Quartet, the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia, also called on Palestinians to halt attacks and incitement to violence. Under the new approval granted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, planning for 560 new homes in the large Maale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem will be allowed to move forward. The Maale Adumim mayor was informed of the decision on Sunday night, a spokesman for him told AFP. The settlement established in 1975 already includes a population of more than 37,000. Netanyahu also gave approval for the planning of 240 new homes in east Jerusalem settlement neighbourhoods, as well as for 600 units for Palestinians in the city's Beit Safafa district, media reported. The offices of Netanyahu and Lieberman refused to comment on the reports of the approvals for homes in east Jerusalem or Maale Adumim. The decision follows calls among Israelis for a harsh response to a spate of Palestinian attacks in recent days. On Thursday, 13-year-old Israeli-American Hallel Yaffa Ariel was fatally stabbed in the settlement of Kiryat Arba on the outskirts of the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron. Her 19-year-old Palestinian assailant was then shot dead by a security guard. A day later, Sarah Tarayra, 27, was shot dead after drawing a knife on Israeli forces in Hebron. She was a relative of the Kiryat Arba attacker, and both were from Bani Naim, a village just outside Hebron. Also on Friday, 48-year-old Israeli Michael Mark was killed after his car was fired on by suspected Palestinian gunmen south of Hebron. 'Aggressive measures' Israel on Friday announced a lockdown in Hebron as it searched for the gunmen and a reduction in monthly tax payments to the Palestinian Authority after the attacks. The amount is to be cut by the equivalent of the fiscal support paid to militants' families, Netanyahu's office said. Israel transfers around $127 million in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports monthly. The measures, which also included increasing Israel's military presence in the West Bank, were described by the army as "the most substantial" in two years. "We are using various means, including aggressive measures that we have not used in the past," Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting on Sunday. "This includes cordoning off the entire Hebron district -- 700,000 people," he said, referring to the city and surrounding area. Checkpoints and closures were still in place at entrances to the city on Monday. Hebron has long been a flashpoint in the conflict, with hundreds of Jewish settlers living under heavy military guard in the heart of the city among some 200,000 Palestinians. A wave of violence since October has killed at least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say. Others were shot dead by Israeli security forces during protests and clashes or killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. The violence had subsided in recent weeks, but a deadly shooting at a cafe in Tel Aviv by two Palestinians on June 8 and last week's series of attacks have raised concern. During a recent visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned Palestinian attacks as "terrorism" but also said Israel must act to address "key underlying causes of violence." They included "growing Palestinian anger, the paralysis of the peace process, the nearly a half-century of occupation," Ban said. Peace talks have been at a complete standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. (AFP)

Israel approves hundreds of new settler homes after attacks

A consortium led by US firm Noble Energy has approved a $265-million project to sink a new well in a major natural gas field off Israel, officials said today. 
 
Delek Drilling and Avner Oil Exploration, Israeli firms that are part of the partnership led by Noble, announced the financing for the Tamar field in the Mediterranean. 
 
&quot;The Tamar partners decided to approve a budget of about $265 million for drilling &#39;Tamar 8&#39; and connecting to existing infrastructure in the Tamar field,&quot; Delek and Avner said in a joint statement. 
 
It said the latest well would allow &quot;maximum supply from Tamar field during times of peak demand, in light of the volume of production from Tamar and the existing and expected demand for natural gas from the field&quot;. 
 
Tamar 8, the field&#39;s sixth production well, is located about 100 kilometres offshore and would reach a depth of around 3.5 kilometres below the sea bed, it said. 
 
Drilling is projected to start in the last quarter of this year. 
 
Completion of the well and its connection to the existing pipe network is expected to take four months, the statement added. 
 
The Tamar field was discovered in 2009 and began pumping in 2013. 
 
It is located some 130 kilometres off the Mediterranean port city of Haifa and has estimated reserves of up to 238 billion cubic metres. 
 
Its gas is so far being used for domestic supply within Israel. 
 
The US-led consortium is also developing Israel&#39;s mammoth Leviathan gas field and aims to bring it online in 2019. 
 
Israel hopes the development of Leviathan will allow it to export gas, which could help grease the wheels of regional diplomacy. 
 
Leviathan, discovered in 2010, is estimated to hold 1535 billion cubic metres of natural gas, along with 34.1 million barrels of condensate. 
 
Development of its own energy resources is seen as a major strategic asset for Israel, which has no oil and little water. 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
&nbsp;

Development of its own energy resources is seen as a major strategic asset for Israel, which has no oil and little water

A consortium led by US firm Noble Energy has approved a $265-million project to sink a new well in a major natural gas field off Israel, officials said today. Delek Drilling and Avner Oil Exploration, Israeli firms that are part of the partnership led by Noble, announced the financing for the Tamar field in the Mediterranean. "The Tamar partners decided to approve a budget of about $265 million for drilling 'Tamar 8' and connecting to existing infrastructure in the Tamar field," Delek and Avner said in a joint statement. It said the latest well would allow "maximum supply from Tamar field during times of peak demand, in light of the volume of production from Tamar and the existing and expected demand for natural gas from the field". Tamar 8, the field's sixth production well, is located about 100 kilometres offshore and would reach a depth of around 3.5 kilometres below the sea bed, it said. Drilling is projected to start in the last quarter of this year. Completion of the well and its connection to the existing pipe network is expected to take four months, the statement added. The Tamar field was discovered in 2009 and began pumping in 2013. It is located some 130 kilometres off the Mediterranean port city of Haifa and has estimated reserves of up to 238 billion cubic metres. Its gas is so far being used for domestic supply within Israel. The US-led consortium is also developing Israel's mammoth Leviathan gas field and aims to bring it online in 2019. Israel hopes the development of Leviathan will allow it to export gas, which could help grease the wheels of regional diplomacy. Leviathan, discovered in 2010, is estimated to hold 1535 billion cubic metres of natural gas, along with 34.1 million barrels of condensate. Development of its own energy resources is seen as a major strategic asset for Israel, which has no oil and little water. (AFP)

Israel-US consortium sinks $265 million in new gas well

Israeli troops locked down the occupied West Bank&#39;s most populous city Hebron and surrounding villages on Saturday after two Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks nearby. 
 
The crackdown comes amid a flare-up in nine months of deadly violence as the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan looms, and after the major diplomatic players called for urgent steps by both sides to revive the moribund peace process. 
 
Troops closed all exit roads from Hebron except for the main northern one through the town of Halhul towards Jerusalem, an AFP correspondent reported. 
 
The army announced on Friday that it would close off the flashpoint city and deploy two additional battalions to the area. 
 
The measures were described as the &quot;most substantial steps on the ground&quot; since 2014, when Israeli forces carried out a huge search operation in the southern West Bank for three young hitchhikers abducted and later found murdered by Palestinian militants. 
 
Hebron has been one of the main focuses of the wave of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since last October. 
 
At least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed. 
 
The army has said that around 80 of the attacks on Israelis have been carried out by Palestinians from the Hebron area. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Troops closed all exit roads from Hebron except for the main northern one through the town of Halhul towards Jerusalem

Israeli troops locked down the occupied West Bank's most populous city Hebron and surrounding villages on Saturday after two Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks nearby. The crackdown comes amid a flare-up in nine months of deadly violence as the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan looms, and after the major diplomatic players called for urgent steps by both sides to revive the moribund peace process. Troops closed all exit roads from Hebron except for the main northern one through the town of Halhul towards Jerusalem, an AFP correspondent reported. The army announced on Friday that it would close off the flashpoint city and deploy two additional battalions to the area. The measures were described as the "most substantial steps on the ground" since 2014, when Israeli forces carried out a huge search operation in the southern West Bank for three young hitchhikers abducted and later found murdered by Palestinian militants. Hebron has been one of the main focuses of the wave of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since last October. At least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed. The army has said that around 80 of the attacks on Israelis have been carried out by Palestinians from the Hebron area. (AFP)

Israel locks down West Bank city of Hebron

A Palestinian attacker fatally stabbed a US-Israeli teenager in her home at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank before being shot dead by security guards on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
The Israeli army said the young Palestinian killed the 13-year-old in her bed after breaking into her home in the Kiryat Arba settlement outside the flashpoint city of Hebron. 
 
Security personnel rushed to the house and fired on the attacker, who wounded a guard before being shot dead, it said. 
 
Girl also held US citizenship&nbsp; 
 
The girl was taken to hospital in Jerusalem in critical condition and died of her wounds.&nbsp; 
 
The State Department said later that she also held US citizenship. 
 
The attacker was identified by the Palestinian health ministry as Mohammed Nasser Tarayra, 19, from the village of Bani Naim, just outside the city, in the south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. 
 
Hallel Yaffa Ariel&#39;s family said she was attacked in her sleep, and the military released a photograph of her blood-spattered bedroom. 
 
As mourners visited the family home, the girl&#39;s father said she had been sleeping late after a dance performance the night before and that he had been on his way to the house to wake her for work when he heard of the attack. 
 
She worked in his winery during the summer vacation which just started, he told AFP.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;At the first moment I thought everything was well, but I knew deep in my heart she was not alive,&quot; said Amichai Ariel, 59 and added, &quot;I shouted at her.&quot; 
 
Assailaint&rsquo;s home village sealed off after attack&nbsp; 
 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman after the attack, and the home village of the assailant was sealed off. 
 
Israeli work permits for members of Tarayra&#39;s extended family were also to be revoked and authorities began procedures aimed at demolishing his home, a measure often taken against attackers. 
 
&quot;I expect the Palestinian leadership to clearly and unequivocally condemn this vicious murder and take immediate action to stop the incitement,&quot; Netanyahu said. 
 
&quot;The entire world needs to condemn this murder just as it condemned the terrorist attacks in Orlando (Florida) and Brussels,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
The European Union (EU) also expressed its &quot;deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victim.&quot; 
 
&quot;Hallel Yaffa Ariel was brutally murdered in her home in Kiryat Arba,&quot; it said. &quot;There can be no justification for such acts of terror.&quot; 
 
Hours later in the town of Netanya, on the Mediterranean coast north of Tel Aviv, a Palestinian from the northern West Bank stabbed a man and woman, both Israelis, before being shot dead by a passing civilian, police said. 
 
 
A flashpoint city- Hebron 
 
Hebron has been a flashpoint in a spate of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since last October. 
 
Hundreds of Jewish settlers live in a tightly guarded enclave in the heart of the city of more than 200,000 Palestinians, a persistent source of tensions. 
 
In New York on Thursday, the UN envoy on Middle East peace said that a report by the diplomatic Quartet, expected to be release on Friday, demands Israel take urgent steps to halt the expansion of settlements. 
 
Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council that ongoing Israeli construction in the West Bank was one of three &quot;negative trends&quot; that must be quickly reversed to keep the hope of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal alive. 
 
Palestinian incitement to violence and the Palestinian authority&#39;s lack of control over the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip also &quot;severely undermine hopes for peace&quot;, Mladenov said. 
 
Violence since October has killed at least 212 Palestinians, 33 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. 
 
Most of the Palestinians were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. 
 
Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. 
 
Negotiations between Israel, Palestine at a standstill since 2014&nbsp; 
 
Analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement-building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. 
 
Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause of the violence. 
 
On a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories this week, UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the recent wave of attacks as &quot;terrorism&quot;. 
 
But he urged Israel to address the &quot;key underlying causes of violence&quot; including &quot;growing Palestinian anger, the paralysis of the peace process, the nearly a half-century of occupation&quot;. 
 
Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. 
 
France, however, is planning to hold an international conference before the end of the year in a bid to restart the peace process. 
 
Israel opposes the French initiative, calling instead for bilateral negotiations, while Palestinian leaders have expressed support for it. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

She was a settler. The boy broke into her home in the West Bank, stabbed her while she was in bed

A Palestinian attacker fatally stabbed a US-Israeli teenager in her home at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank before being shot dead by security guards on Thursday. The Israeli army said the young Palestinian killed the 13-year-old in her bed after breaking into her home in the Kiryat Arba settlement outside the flashpoint city of Hebron. Security personnel rushed to the house and fired on the attacker, who wounded a guard before being shot dead, it said. Girl also held US citizenship The girl was taken to hospital in Jerusalem in critical condition and died of her wounds. The State Department said later that she also held US citizenship. The attacker was identified by the Palestinian health ministry as Mohammed Nasser Tarayra, 19, from the village of Bani Naim, just outside the city, in the south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hallel Yaffa Ariel's family said she was attacked in her sleep, and the military released a photograph of her blood-spattered bedroom. As mourners visited the family home, the girl's father said she had been sleeping late after a dance performance the night before and that he had been on his way to the house to wake her for work when he heard of the attack. She worked in his winery during the summer vacation which just started, he told AFP. "At the first moment I thought everything was well, but I knew deep in my heart she was not alive," said Amichai Ariel, 59 and added, "I shouted at her." Assailaint’s home village sealed off after attack Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman after the attack, and the home village of the assailant was sealed off. Israeli work permits for members of Tarayra's extended family were also to be revoked and authorities began procedures aimed at demolishing his home, a measure often taken against attackers. "I expect the Palestinian leadership to clearly and unequivocally condemn this vicious murder and take immediate action to stop the incitement," Netanyahu said. "The entire world needs to condemn this murder just as it condemned the terrorist attacks in Orlando (Florida) and Brussels," he added. The European Union (EU) also expressed its "deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victim." "Hallel Yaffa Ariel was brutally murdered in her home in Kiryat Arba," it said. "There can be no justification for such acts of terror." Hours later in the town of Netanya, on the Mediterranean coast north of Tel Aviv, a Palestinian from the northern West Bank stabbed a man and woman, both Israelis, before being shot dead by a passing civilian, police said. A flashpoint city- Hebron Hebron has been a flashpoint in a spate of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since last October. Hundreds of Jewish settlers live in a tightly guarded enclave in the heart of the city of more than 200,000 Palestinians, a persistent source of tensions. In New York on Thursday, the UN envoy on Middle East peace said that a report by the diplomatic Quartet, expected to be release on Friday, demands Israel take urgent steps to halt the expansion of settlements. Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council that ongoing Israeli construction in the West Bank was one of three "negative trends" that must be quickly reversed to keep the hope of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal alive. Palestinian incitement to violence and the Palestinian authority's lack of control over the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip also "severely undermine hopes for peace", Mladenov said. Violence since October has killed at least 212 Palestinians, 33 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. Most of the Palestinians were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Negotiations between Israel, Palestine at a standstill since 2014 Analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement-building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause of the violence. On a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories this week, UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the recent wave of attacks as "terrorism". But he urged Israel to address the "key underlying causes of violence" including "growing Palestinian anger, the paralysis of the peace process, the nearly a half-century of occupation". Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014. France, however, is planning to hold an international conference before the end of the year in a bid to restart the peace process. Israel opposes the French initiative, calling instead for bilateral negotiations, while Palestinian leaders have expressed support for it. (AFP)

19-year-old Palestinian boy kills 13-year-old US-Israeli girl

A Palestinian attacker stabbed a 13-year-old girl to death at her home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank on Thursday before being shot dead by security guards, the Israeli army said. 
 
The army said the Palestinian killed the girl in her bed after breaking into her house in the Kiryat Arba settlement outside the city of Hebron. 
 
Security personnel rushed to the house and fired on the attacker, who wounded a guard before being shot dead, said the army. 
 
The Palestinian health ministry identified the attacker as Mohammed Nasser Tarayra, 19, from the village of Bani Naim, just outside the city. 
 
Hebron has been a flashpoint in a spate of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since October last year. 
 
Several hundred Jewish settlers live in a tightly guarded enclave in the heart of the city of more than 200,000 Palestinians, a persistent source of tensions. 
 
The violence since October has killed at least 211 Palestinians, 33 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. 
 
Most of the Palestinians were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. 
 
Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. 
 
Analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement-building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. 
 
Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause of the violence. 
 
The number of attacks has declined in recent months but the deadliest yet hit Tel Aviv earlier this month when Palestinian gunmen shot dead four people at a popular nightspot. 
 
The two attackers, cousins from the Hebron area, were arrested. 
 
(AFP)

Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause of such violence

A Palestinian attacker stabbed a 13-year-old girl to death at her home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank on Thursday before being shot dead by security guards, the Israeli army said. The army said the Palestinian killed the girl in her bed after breaking into her house in the Kiryat Arba settlement outside the city of Hebron. Security personnel rushed to the house and fired on the attacker, who wounded a guard before being shot dead, said the army. The Palestinian health ministry identified the attacker as Mohammed Nasser Tarayra, 19, from the village of Bani Naim, just outside the city. Hebron has been a flashpoint in a spate of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since October last year. Several hundred Jewish settlers live in a tightly guarded enclave in the heart of the city of more than 200,000 Palestinians, a persistent source of tensions. The violence since October has killed at least 211 Palestinians, 33 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese. Most of the Palestinians were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were killed in clashes with security forces or by Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement-building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause of the violence. The number of attacks has declined in recent months but the deadliest yet hit Tel Aviv earlier this month when Palestinian gunmen shot dead four people at a popular nightspot. The two attackers, cousins from the Hebron area, were arrested. (AFP)

Palestinian kills teen in West Bank home, shot dead: Army

Normalisation&nbsp;of&nbsp;relations&nbsp;between&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;has&nbsp;started,&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;Prime&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Binali&nbsp;Yildirim&nbsp;said&nbsp;on&nbsp;Tuesday,&nbsp;adding&nbsp;that&nbsp;an 
improvement&nbsp;in&nbsp;ties&nbsp;with&nbsp;all&nbsp;Black&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mediterranean&nbsp;countries&nbsp;was&nbsp;an&nbsp;important&nbsp;goal. 
 
&quot;We&nbsp;will&nbsp;increase&nbsp;our&nbsp;friends&nbsp;and&nbsp;reduce&nbsp;our&nbsp;enemies.&nbsp;Our&nbsp;efforts&nbsp;in&nbsp;this&nbsp;direction&nbsp;will&nbsp;continue&nbsp;without&nbsp;slowing&nbsp;down.&nbsp;Not&nbsp;only&nbsp;with&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;or&nbsp;Egypt&nbsp;but&nbsp;also&nbsp;improving&nbsp;ties&nbsp;with&nbsp;all&nbsp;Black&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mediterranean&nbsp;countries&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;our&nbsp;most&nbsp;important&nbsp;goal,&quot;&nbsp;Yildirim&nbsp;told&nbsp;members&nbsp;of&nbsp;his&nbsp;ruling&nbsp;AK&nbsp;Party&nbsp;in&nbsp;parliament. 
 
Yildirim&nbsp;was&nbsp;speaking&nbsp;a&nbsp;day&nbsp;after&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;announced&nbsp;the&nbsp;restoration&nbsp;of&nbsp;diplomatic&nbsp;ties&nbsp;with&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and&nbsp;following&nbsp;a&nbsp;letter&nbsp;from&nbsp;Turkish President&nbsp;Tayyip&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;to&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;President&nbsp;Vladimir&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;which&nbsp;expressed&nbsp;regret&nbsp;over&nbsp;the&nbsp;downing&nbsp;of&nbsp;a&nbsp;warplane&nbsp;last&nbsp;year,&nbsp;seeking&nbsp;to mend&nbsp;strained&nbsp;alliances. 
 
&quot;Communication&nbsp;between&nbsp;two&nbsp;leaders&nbsp;(Tayyip&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;and&nbsp;Vladimir&nbsp;Putin)&nbsp;which&nbsp;was&nbsp;continuing,&nbsp;finally&nbsp;gave&nbsp;results.&nbsp;It&nbsp;seems&nbsp;that&nbsp;mutual&nbsp;correspondence&nbsp;seems&nbsp;to&nbsp;thaw&nbsp;relations&nbsp;between&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;and&nbsp;Turkey.&nbsp;Thus&nbsp;we&nbsp;can&nbsp;say&nbsp;normalisation&nbsp;of&nbsp;relations&nbsp;with&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;has&nbsp;started&quot;&nbsp;Yildirim&nbsp;added. 
 
Kremlin&nbsp;spokesman&nbsp;Dmitry&nbsp;Peskov,&nbsp;however,&nbsp;told&nbsp;journalists&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;conference&nbsp;call&nbsp;on&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;it&nbsp;would&nbsp;take&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;a&nbsp;few&nbsp;days&nbsp;to&nbsp;mend&nbsp;Russia&#39;s&nbsp;relations&nbsp;with&nbsp;Ankara. 
 
Russian&nbsp;President&nbsp;Vladimir&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;had&nbsp;said&nbsp;an&nbsp;apology&nbsp;from&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;condition&nbsp;for&nbsp;repairing&nbsp;relations&nbsp;between&nbsp;the&nbsp;two&nbsp;countries, which&nbsp;were&nbsp;poisoned&nbsp;when&nbsp;the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;jet&nbsp;was&nbsp;shot&nbsp;down&nbsp;near&nbsp;the&nbsp;Syrian-Turkish&nbsp;border&nbsp;in&nbsp;November. 
 
Putin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;will&nbsp;hold&nbsp;a&nbsp;telephone&nbsp;conversation&nbsp;at&nbsp;Moscow&#39;s&nbsp;initiative&nbsp;on&nbsp;Wednesday,&nbsp;Peskov&nbsp;added. 
 
?(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

'Improving?ties with?all?Black?Sea?and?Mediterranean?countries?will?be our?most?important?goal,? says Turkish PM Binali?Yildirim

Normalisation of relations between Turkey and Russia has started, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday, adding that an improvement in ties with all Black Sea and Mediterranean countries was an important goal. "We will increase our friends and reduce our enemies. Our efforts in this direction will continue without slowing down. Not only with Russia or Egypt but also improving ties with all Black Sea and Mediterranean countries will be our most important goal," Yildirim told members of his ruling AK Party in parliament. Yildirim was speaking a day after Turkey announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel and following a letter from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to Russian President Vladimir Putin which expressed regret over the downing of a warplane last year, seeking to mend strained alliances. "Communication between two leaders (Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin) which was continuing, finally gave results. It seems that mutual correspondence seems to thaw relations between Russia and Turkey. Thus we can say normalisation of relations with Russia has started" Yildirim added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, told journalists on a conference call on Tuesday it would take more than a few days to mend Russia's relations with Ankara. Russian President Vladimir Putin had said an apology from Erdogan was the condition for repairing relations between the two countries, which were poisoned when the Russian jet was shot down near the Syrian-Turkish border in November. Putin and Erdogan will hold a telephone conversation at Moscow's initiative on Wednesday, Peskov added. ?(Reuters)

Turkey steps up to mend strained ties with Russia

Six years after a deadly raid on an aid flotilla soured relations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday lauded a highly anticipated deal reached the previous day to restore ties with Turkey. 
 
Netanyahu, speaking after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, said the agreement would have major implications for the Israeli economy, with his country seeking export partners for its natural gas. &nbsp;&quot;I think it&#39;s an important step here to normalise relations,&quot; Netanyahu told reporters. 
 
He described it as having &quot;immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I mean positive, immense implications,&quot; he said. 
 
Kerry also hailed the deal as a &quot;positive step&quot;. 
 
&#39;The deal represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey&#39; &nbsp; 
Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim were scheduled to hold separate press conferences in Rome and Ankara on the deal at 1000 GMT.&nbsp; 
 
A senior Turkish official also confirmed the agreement, saying in a reference to the Israeli raid that it &quot;represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey, which assumed a principled and determined stance after the Mavi Marmara attack.&quot; 
 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke on phone last night, with the Turkish leader explaining the agreement`s main points, a statement from the Palestinian presidency said. 
 
Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Friday in anticipation of the agreement. 
 
Both Israel, Turkey were pushing to complete the deal &nbsp; 
Both sides have been pushing to complete the deal in recent months, with Israel in search of a potential customer for its offshore gas exports and NATO member Turkey wanting to restore its regional clout, analysts say. 
 
The United States has also pushed for the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group.&nbsp; 
 
Previously close relations between Israel and Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on the Gaza Strip. 
 
Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. All of those killed were Turkish nationals. 
 
 
Deal evokes mixed responses in Israel 
Within Israel, the deal was given a mixed response, with one newspaper quoting a soldier from the Mavi Marmara raid as saying &quot;it&#39;s nothing less than spitting in our face.&quot; 
 
The deal includes Israel paying some $20 million into a fund for compensation for the Turkish victims&#39; families.&nbsp;&quot;We were sent to stop a terrorist flotilla. That was the mission,&quot; Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. 
 
&quot;How is it possible today to pay compensation to terrorists who tried to murder us on board the ship? What message does that send to the rest of the troops?&quot; The deal is to result in the restoration of ambassadors, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. 
 
The talking point: Hamas and Gaza&nbsp; 
Two of Turkey&#39;s key conditions for normalisation &ndash; &nbsp;an apology and compensation &ndash; were largely met earlier, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the main obstacle.Reports in recent days described a compromise on the issue.&nbsp; 
 
Under the reported terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. 
 
Turkey&#39;s aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. 
 
Turkey has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out activities against Israel from its country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday. 
 
Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. 
 
Netanyahu has also come under pressure within Israel not to agree to the deal if it does not include provisions for Hamas to hand over four missing Israelis, including the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza.&nbsp; 
 
The Israeli official said Erdogan agreed to instruct &quot;all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel`s missing citizens.&quot; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

The US also pushed the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation from both in the fight against Islamic State

Six years after a deadly raid on an aid flotilla soured relations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday lauded a highly anticipated deal reached the previous day to restore ties with Turkey. Netanyahu, speaking after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, said the agreement would have major implications for the Israeli economy, with his country seeking export partners for its natural gas. "I think it's an important step here to normalise relations," Netanyahu told reporters. He described it as having "immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly". "I mean positive, immense implications," he said. Kerry also hailed the deal as a "positive step". 'The deal represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey' Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim were scheduled to hold separate press conferences in Rome and Ankara on the deal at 1000 GMT. A senior Turkish official also confirmed the agreement, saying in a reference to the Israeli raid that it "represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey, which assumed a principled and determined stance after the Mavi Marmara attack." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke on phone last night, with the Turkish leader explaining the agreement`s main points, a statement from the Palestinian presidency said. Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Friday in anticipation of the agreement. Both Israel, Turkey were pushing to complete the deal Both sides have been pushing to complete the deal in recent months, with Israel in search of a potential customer for its offshore gas exports and NATO member Turkey wanting to restore its regional clout, analysts say. The United States has also pushed for the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group. Previously close relations between Israel and Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. All of those killed were Turkish nationals. Deal evokes mixed responses in Israel Within Israel, the deal was given a mixed response, with one newspaper quoting a soldier from the Mavi Marmara raid as saying "it's nothing less than spitting in our face." The deal includes Israel paying some $20 million into a fund for compensation for the Turkish victims' families. "We were sent to stop a terrorist flotilla. That was the mission," Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. "How is it possible today to pay compensation to terrorists who tried to murder us on board the ship? What message does that send to the rest of the troops?" The deal is to result in the restoration of ambassadors, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. The talking point: Hamas and Gaza Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation – an apology and compensation – were largely met earlier, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the main obstacle.Reports in recent days described a compromise on the issue. Under the reported terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. Turkey's aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. Turkey has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out activities against Israel from its country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday. Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. Netanyahu has also come under pressure within Israel not to agree to the deal if it does not include provisions for Hamas to hand over four missing Israelis, including the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli official said Erdogan agreed to instruct "all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel`s missing citizens." (AFP)

Restoration of ties with Turkey to have positive implications on Israel's economy: Netanyahu

Israel and Turkey on Sunday reached agreement to normalise ties, senior officials from both countries said, to end a rift over the Israeli navy`s killing of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010. 
 
A formal announcement on the restoration of ties and the details of the agreement were expected on Monday at 1000 GMT by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Rome, and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Ankara. 
 
&quot;We reached an agreement with Israel to normalise bilateral relations on Sunday in Rome,&quot; a senior Turkish official said, describing the agreement as a &quot;diplomatic victory&quot; for Turkey, although Israel has not accepted to lift the Gaza blockade, one of Ankara`s three conditions for an agreement. 
 
The once-firm allies had been quietly mending fences in trade and tourism since their leaders held a conciliatory telephone call in 2013 and negotiations have intensified over the past six months to pave the way for a mutual return of ambassadors. 
 
Netanyahu travelled to Rome on Sunday to meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli and Turkish officials were also in the Italian capital to finalise the deal. 
 
Israel, which had already offered its apologies - one of Ankara`s three conditions for a deal - for its lethal raid on the Mavi Marmara activist ship, agreed to pay out $20 million to the bereaved and injured, the Israeli official said in a briefing to Israeli reporters travelling with Netanyahu. 
 
Under the deal, Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza and carry out infrastructure projects including residential buildings and a hospital in the area, the senior Turkish official said. Concrete steps will be taken to address the water and power crisis in the city. 
 
A senior Israeli official said senior foreign ministry diplomats from both countries would separately sign parallel agreements on Tuesday. 
 
The deal, politically touchy for both countries, could pave the way for lucrative Mediterranean gas deals and a diplomatic reprieve from Turkish troubles with next-door Syria and Europe. 
 
The rare rapprochement in the Middle East, bitterly divided over Syria`s civil war, has been largely driven by increasing security risks with the rise of Islamic State and as both countries seek new alliances amid a polarised region. 
 
Israel demanded that its military officers and government officials be indemnified against prosecution on war crimes allegations. The Israeli official said the money would be paid after Turkey`s parliament passed legislation on the issue. 
 
Turkey`s Islamist-rooted President Tayyip Erdogan had cast himself as guardian of Palestinian interests and engaged Hamas, the faction that controls Gaza and is on the terrorist blacklists of Israel and Western powers. 
 
A 2011 report commissioned by UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon upheld the legality of the Gaza blockade, which Israel says is needed to stem Hamas arms smuggling. The UN inquiry also faulted Israel for its marines` use of lethal force as they stormed the Mavi Marmara and brawled with activists on the deck. 
 
Separate to the agreement, the Israeli official said Erdogan would instruct relevant Turkish agencies to resolve the issue of missing Israelis in the Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza War and believes two civilians are also missing. 
 
(Reuters)

Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza and building Residential buildings and hospitals

Israel and Turkey on Sunday reached agreement to normalise ties, senior officials from both countries said, to end a rift over the Israeli navy`s killing of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010. A formal announcement on the restoration of ties and the details of the agreement were expected on Monday at 1000 GMT by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Rome, and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Ankara. "We reached an agreement with Israel to normalise bilateral relations on Sunday in Rome," a senior Turkish official said, describing the agreement as a "diplomatic victory" for Turkey, although Israel has not accepted to lift the Gaza blockade, one of Ankara`s three conditions for an agreement. The once-firm allies had been quietly mending fences in trade and tourism since their leaders held a conciliatory telephone call in 2013 and negotiations have intensified over the past six months to pave the way for a mutual return of ambassadors. Netanyahu travelled to Rome on Sunday to meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli and Turkish officials were also in the Italian capital to finalise the deal. Israel, which had already offered its apologies - one of Ankara`s three conditions for a deal - for its lethal raid on the Mavi Marmara activist ship, agreed to pay out $20 million to the bereaved and injured, the Israeli official said in a briefing to Israeli reporters travelling with Netanyahu. Under the deal, Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza and carry out infrastructure projects including residential buildings and a hospital in the area, the senior Turkish official said. Concrete steps will be taken to address the water and power crisis in the city. A senior Israeli official said senior foreign ministry diplomats from both countries would separately sign parallel agreements on Tuesday. The deal, politically touchy for both countries, could pave the way for lucrative Mediterranean gas deals and a diplomatic reprieve from Turkish troubles with next-door Syria and Europe. The rare rapprochement in the Middle East, bitterly divided over Syria`s civil war, has been largely driven by increasing security risks with the rise of Islamic State and as both countries seek new alliances amid a polarised region. Israel demanded that its military officers and government officials be indemnified against prosecution on war crimes allegations. The Israeli official said the money would be paid after Turkey`s parliament passed legislation on the issue. Turkey`s Islamist-rooted President Tayyip Erdogan had cast himself as guardian of Palestinian interests and engaged Hamas, the faction that controls Gaza and is on the terrorist blacklists of Israel and Western powers. A 2011 report commissioned by UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon upheld the legality of the Gaza blockade, which Israel says is needed to stem Hamas arms smuggling. The UN inquiry also faulted Israel for its marines` use of lethal force as they stormed the Mavi Marmara and brawled with activists on the deck. Separate to the agreement, the Israeli official said Erdogan would instruct relevant Turkish agencies to resolve the issue of missing Israelis in the Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza War and believes two civilians are also missing. (Reuters)

Israel and Turkey agree to normalise ties

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington&#39;s key allies in the aftermath of Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. 
 
&quot;Tomorrow we&#39;ll go to Brussels and then on to London,&quot; one official said. 
 
Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. 
 
President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. 
 
Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 
 
But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. 
 
Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. 
 
From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. 
 
The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. 
 
Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted &quot;special relationship&quot; between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. 
 
Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go &quot;to the back of the queue&quot; for a US trade deal if they voted &quot;out.&quot; 
 
US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. 
 
But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. 
 
The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc.&nbsp; 
 
Kerry&#39;s trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. 
 
But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

London visit will be the first by John Kerry after the referendum when voters demanded Britain leave the world's richest trading bloc

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington's key allies in the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union. US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. "Tomorrow we'll go to Brussels and then on to London," one official said. Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted "special relationship" between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go "to the back of the queue" for a US trade deal if they voted "out." US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc. Kerry's trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table. (AFP)

Top US envoy Kerry heads to Britain amid Brexit crisis

An Israeli court today sentenced an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man to life in prison for stabbing participants at a Jerusalem Gay Pride parade, killing a 16-year-old girl and wounding others. 
 
The Jerusalem District Court convicted Yishai Schlissel in April of murder and six counts of attempted murder over the July 2015 stabbings. He was sentenced to life plus 31 years, a court statement said. 
 
The incident triggered harsh criticism of the police when it emerged that Schlissel had been released from prison only three weeks earlier after serving a 10-year sentence for a similar attack. 
 
He had also posted a letter on the Internet speaking of the &quot;abomination&quot; of a Gay Pride parade being held in the Holy City and the need to stop it, even at the cost of one`s life. 
 
Many questioned how Schlissel, 40, when he was convicted, was allowed anywhere near the parade, which saw thousands marching through central Jerusalem. 
 
Witnesses described terrifying scenes of Schlissel, dressed in the dark suit worn by ultra-Orthodox Jews, storming the parade with a knife. 
 
(AFP)

The Jerusalem District Court convicted Yishai Schlissel in April of murder and six counts of attempted murder over the July 2015 stabbings

An Israeli court today sentenced an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man to life in prison for stabbing participants at a Jerusalem Gay Pride parade, killing a 16-year-old girl and wounding others. The Jerusalem District Court convicted Yishai Schlissel in April of murder and six counts of attempted murder over the July 2015 stabbings. He was sentenced to life plus 31 years, a court statement said. The incident triggered harsh criticism of the police when it emerged that Schlissel had been released from prison only three weeks earlier after serving a 10-year sentence for a similar attack. He had also posted a letter on the Internet speaking of the "abomination" of a Gay Pride parade being held in the Holy City and the need to stop it, even at the cost of one`s life. Many questioned how Schlissel, 40, when he was convicted, was allowed anywhere near the parade, which saw thousands marching through central Jerusalem. Witnesses described terrifying scenes of Schlissel, dressed in the dark suit worn by ultra-Orthodox Jews, storming the parade with a knife. (AFP)

Jewish man who stabbed Jerusalem Gay Pride marchers sentenced to life

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;met the leader of the radical Palestinian group Hamas for unscheduled talks following reports that Ankara was close to agreeing a deal on normalising ties with Israel. 
 
Erdogan received the Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, whose group rules the Gaza Strip, at the Ottoman-era Yildiz Palace in Istanbul, the official Anadolu Agency reported, quoting presidential sources. 
 
Turkish press reports have said Israel and Turkey could hold final talks on normalising ties&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;but this is yet to be confirmed. 
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;there was a &quot;large possibility&quot; the negotiations would take place by the end of this month. 
 
Anadolu said Erdogan and Meshaal discussed how to ease the humanitarian problems of the Palestinians and how to bridge the differences between Hamas and the other main Palestinian group Fatah. 
 
The report made no reference to the Turkish talks with Israel. 
 
Previously tight relations between Israel and key NATO member Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a deadly pre-dawn raid on a six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on Gaza. 
 
Two of Turkey&#39;s key conditions for normalisation,an apology and compensation, were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. 
 
According to the Hurriyet daily, a compromise has been reached with Turkey set to send aid for Palestinians via the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to Gaza. 
 
(AFP)

Relations were downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a deadly pre-dawn raid on a Turkish flotilla trying to run the Gaza blockad

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday met the leader of the radical Palestinian group Hamas for unscheduled talks following reports that Ankara was close to agreeing a deal on normalising ties with Israel. Erdogan received the Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, whose group rules the Gaza Strip, at the Ottoman-era Yildiz Palace in Istanbul, the official Anadolu Agency reported, quoting presidential sources. Turkish press reports have said Israel and Turkey could hold final talks on normalising ties on Sunday but this is yet to be confirmed. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday there was a "large possibility" the negotiations would take place by the end of this month. Anadolu said Erdogan and Meshaal discussed how to ease the humanitarian problems of the Palestinians and how to bridge the differences between Hamas and the other main Palestinian group Fatah. The report made no reference to the Turkish talks with Israel. Previously tight relations between Israel and key NATO member Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a deadly pre-dawn raid on a six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on Gaza. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation,an apology and compensation, were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. According to the Hurriyet daily, a compromise has been reached with Turkey set to send aid for Palestinians via the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to Gaza. (AFP)

Erdogan meets Hamas leader Meshaal amidst reports of Turkey normalising ties with Israel

Hamas-ruled Gaza might soon be reconnected with the rest of the world, Israel&rsquo;s transportation said Monday proposing an artificial island.&nbsp; 
 
Asserting that the island will alleviate economic hardship in the blockaded coastal strip, Yisrael Katz said that the eight kilometre island would be linked to Gaza with a five-kilometre bridge.&nbsp; 
 
Aiming to lift the economic blockade it imposed on Palestinian enclave nearly a decade ago, the USD 5-billion artificial island would be set up with a seaport, hotels and airport off the Gaza strip. Israel is actively seeking investors while Katz insisted that the project will not be funded by Israel.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I do not think it is right to lock up two million people without any connection to the world,&rdquo; Katz told the foreign reporters adding, &ldquo;Israel has no interest to make life harder for the population there. But because of security concerns we can&#39;t build an airport or seaport in Gaza.&rdquo; 
 
The proposal, however, has been dubbed as &lsquo;dubious&rsquo; and politically motivated by the Palestinian authority.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Israel is actively looking for foreign investors for the proposed project

Hamas-ruled Gaza might soon be reconnected with the rest of the world, Israel’s transportation said Monday proposing an artificial island. Asserting that the island will alleviate economic hardship in the blockaded coastal strip, Yisrael Katz said that the eight kilometre island would be linked to Gaza with a five-kilometre bridge. Aiming to lift the economic blockade it imposed on Palestinian enclave nearly a decade ago, the USD 5-billion artificial island would be set up with a seaport, hotels and airport off the Gaza strip. Israel is actively seeking investors while Katz insisted that the project will not be funded by Israel. "I do not think it is right to lock up two million people without any connection to the world,” Katz told the foreign reporters adding, “Israel has no interest to make life harder for the population there. But because of security concerns we can't build an airport or seaport in Gaza.” The proposal, however, has been dubbed as ‘dubious’ and politically motivated by the Palestinian authority.

Offshore seaport to soon reconnect Gaza with world

Israel on Monday won an election to chair the United Nations&#39; legal committee, the first time that it will head one of the world body&#39;s six permanent committees since joining the UN in 1949. 
 
While it is a largely symbolic and procedural role, chairing the committee will give Israel a chance to have a higher profile in routine affairs at the United Nations. 
 
The Legal Committee, or Sixth Committee, oversees issues related to international law. The General Assembly has six standing committees that report to it, on: disarmament, economic and financial issues, human rights, decolonization, the UN &nbsp;budget, and legal issues. 
 
&quot;I am proud to be the first Israeli elected to this position,&quot; Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Israel is a world leader in international law and in fighting terrorism,&quot; he added. &quot;We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our knowledge with the countries of the world.&quot; 
 
Israel was a candidate for the regional Western European and Others Group (WEOG) and received a comfortable majority of votes - 109 out of 175 valid votes cast in the 193-nation assembly. Sweden was runner-up with 10 votes. 
 
Normally committee heads are elected by consensus without a vote. Opponents to the Israeli candidacy called for a vote, prompting a sharp reaction from the deputy US ambassador to the UN, David Pressman. 
 
&quot;Even a chair from (former leader Muammar) Gaddafi&#39;s Libya was elected by acclamation,&quot; he said in a statement. &quot;A vote should not have been called today.&quot; 
 
&quot;We need a United Nations that includes Israel, that brings Israel closer, not one that systematically pushes Israel away,&quot; he added. 
 
Israel was originally part of the Asia-Pacific Group along with other Middle Eastern and Asian nations, the majority of which are cool or openly hostile toward the Israeli state. Its transfer to WEOG gave it a chance to get elected to leadership posts and play a more active role at the UN. 
 
The chief Palestinian delegate at the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, complained about the results of the election, saying Arab and Muslim countries had tried to prevent an Israeli victory. 
 
Speaking to reporters, Mansour described Israel as &quot;the biggest violator of international law&quot; and predicted that Danon&#39;s election was &quot;threatening the work of the Sixth Committee.&quot; 
 
He said the Arab League and 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had opposed Israel&#39;s election.

The legal committee oversees issues related to International law. This will give Israel a higher profile in routine affairs at the UN

Israel on Monday won an election to chair the United Nations' legal committee, the first time that it will head one of the world body's six permanent committees since joining the UN in 1949. While it is a largely symbolic and procedural role, chairing the committee will give Israel a chance to have a higher profile in routine affairs at the United Nations. The Legal Committee, or Sixth Committee, oversees issues related to international law. The General Assembly has six standing committees that report to it, on: disarmament, economic and financial issues, human rights, decolonization, the UN budget, and legal issues. "I am proud to be the first Israeli elected to this position," Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement. "Israel is a world leader in international law and in fighting terrorism," he added. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our knowledge with the countries of the world." Israel was a candidate for the regional Western European and Others Group (WEOG) and received a comfortable majority of votes - 109 out of 175 valid votes cast in the 193-nation assembly. Sweden was runner-up with 10 votes. Normally committee heads are elected by consensus without a vote. Opponents to the Israeli candidacy called for a vote, prompting a sharp reaction from the deputy US ambassador to the UN, David Pressman. "Even a chair from (former leader Muammar) Gaddafi's Libya was elected by acclamation," he said in a statement. "A vote should not have been called today." "We need a United Nations that includes Israel, that brings Israel closer, not one that systematically pushes Israel away," he added. Israel was originally part of the Asia-Pacific Group along with other Middle Eastern and Asian nations, the majority of which are cool or openly hostile toward the Israeli state. Its transfer to WEOG gave it a chance to get elected to leadership posts and play a more active role at the UN. The chief Palestinian delegate at the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, complained about the results of the election, saying Arab and Muslim countries had tried to prevent an Israeli victory. Speaking to reporters, Mansour described Israel as "the biggest violator of international law" and predicted that Danon's election was "threatening the work of the Sixth Committee." He said the Arab League and 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had opposed Israel's election.

Israel elected to chair United Nations legal committee

Benjamin Netanyahu has turned to a 14-year-old Arab peace plan in trying to project a softer image internationally for a new governing coalition in Israel widely seen as more hardline towards Palestinian statehood.

In what some political commentators and opposition politicians called spin but a spokesman for Netanyahu dubbed &quot;an important development&quot;, the right-wing prime minister said on Monday the 2002 Saudi peace initiative had &quot;positive elements&quot;, although some revisions would have to be made.

He drew&nbsp;attention to Arab countries&#39; past offer of normal relations with Israel, in return for a full withdrawal from occupied territory, at a time when he is trying to counter a French push for an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Netanyahu&#39;s partial embrace of the Arab plan comes after far-right politician Avigdor Lieberman was sworn in as defence minister in a broadened coalition on Monday, an appointment that has raised concern at home and abroad.

Israel fears it could face strong world pressure for concessions towards the Palestinians once foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, convene in Paris on June 3 in preparation for a full conference in the autumn.

&quot;The Europeans are gathering ammunition, the danger is real.&nbsp;(Netanyahu) is bracing for all this with a regional initiative that has cost him only words for now,&quot; political commentator Ben Caspit, a frequent critic of the Israeli leader, wrote in the Maariv newspaper.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu of playing a &quot;public relations game&quot;. But Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N.&#39;s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, welcomed the Israeli leader&#39;s comments.

&quot;This can help advance negotiations on achieving a two-state solution,&quot; said Mladenov, who also referred to a public promise last week by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of warmer ties with Israel if it accepted efforts to resume peace talks with the Palestinians.

Lieberman, who also spoke in English on Monday with an international audience in mind, said he concurred with Netanyahu&#39;s comments on the regional peace proposal. There was no immediate response from Arab countries.

A spokesman for the prime minister declined to discuss what changes Israel might seek in the initiative, which speaks of a &quot;just solution&quot; for Palestinian refugees but whose terms were softened in 2013 to include possible land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians.

Zeev Elkin, a minister in Netanyahu&#39;s cabinet, said on Israel Radio that any division of Jerusalem under the plan - Israel captured the eastern part of the city in the 1967 conflict - is &quot;certainly not acceptable&quot;.

Netanyahu has also said Israel would never relinquish the strategic Golan Heights, territory it annexed in 1981 but which the world considers occupied Syrian land.

Israel Prime Minister has turned to a 14-year-old Arab peace plan to project a softer image of Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu has turned to a 14-year-old Arab peace plan in trying to project a softer image internationally for a new governing coalition in Israel widely seen as more hardline towards Palestinian statehood. In what some political commentators and opposition politicians called spin but a spokesman for Netanyahu dubbed "an important development", the right-wing prime minister said on Monday the 2002 Saudi peace initiative had "positive elements", although some revisions would have to be made. He drew attention to Arab countries' past offer of normal relations with Israel, in return for a full withdrawal from occupied territory, at a time when he is trying to counter a French push for an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu's partial embrace of the Arab plan comes after far-right politician Avigdor Lieberman was sworn in as defence minister in a broadened coalition on Monday, an appointment that has raised concern at home and abroad. Israel fears it could face strong world pressure for concessions towards the Palestinians once foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, convene in Paris on June 3 in preparation for a full conference in the autumn. "The Europeans are gathering ammunition, the danger is real. (Netanyahu) is bracing for all this with a regional initiative that has cost him only words for now," political commentator Ben Caspit, a frequent critic of the Israeli leader, wrote in the Maariv newspaper. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu of playing a "public relations game". But Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N.'s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, welcomed the Israeli leader's comments. "This can help advance negotiations on achieving a two-state solution," said Mladenov, who also referred to a public promise last week by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of warmer ties with Israel if it accepted efforts to resume peace talks with the Palestinians. Lieberman, who also spoke in English on Monday with an international audience in mind, said he concurred with Netanyahu's comments on the regional peace proposal. There was no immediate response from Arab countries. A spokesman for the prime minister declined to discuss what changes Israel might seek in the initiative, which speaks of a "just solution" for Palestinian refugees but whose terms were softened in 2013 to include possible land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians. Zeev Elkin, a minister in Netanyahu's cabinet, said on Israel Radio that any division of Jerusalem under the plan - Israel captured the eastern part of the city in the 1967 conflict - is "certainly not acceptable". Netanyahu has also said Israel would never relinquish the strategic Golan Heights, territory it annexed in 1981 but which the world considers occupied Syrian land.

Netanyahu turns to Arab peace plan to face new challenges

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