TS Tirumurti, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, remarked that India has always been a land of refuge.&nbsp;

He was speaking at a UNSC briefing by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday.

He added that when Zoroastrians and Jews were persecuted centuries ago, they found a welcoming home in India.

He claimed that India has always responded with compassion and understanding to Tibetans as well as our brothers and sisters from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Myanmar.&nbsp;

"India's humanitarian response to the refugee issue, particularly those facing persecution, has always been driven by the ideals of compassion and empathy. When faced with persecution centuries ago, Jews and Zoroastrians found a ready home in India. If not for India, the Zorastraian faith may not have survived. Now, both are very much part of India's proud pluralist culture and heritage, " he stated. 
&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiainUNSC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiainUNSC</a> 
 
“India’s humanitarian response to the refugee issue, particularly those facing persecution, has always been driven by the ideals of compassion and empathy” 
 
Watch 📺: Permanent Representative <a href="https://twitter.com/ambtstirumurti?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmbTSTirumurti</a> speaks at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNSC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNSC</a> briefing by <a href="https://twitter.com/Refugees?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Refugees</a> 
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— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaUNNewYork/status/1468441650653372417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/thousands-flee-myanmar-for-india-amid-fears-of-a-growing-refugee-crisis-422205">Also read | Thousands flee Myanmar for India amid fears of a growing refugee crisis</a>

The Indian Ambassador emphasised that India is now hosting a huge number of refugees, and that the programmes to aid them are totally funded by the government. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-to-provide-refuge-to-afghans-amid-deteriorating-situation-plans-afoot-405438">Also read | India to provide refuge to Afghans amid deteriorating situation, plans afoot</a>

He stated that India is dedicated to assisting refugees in returning to their homes in a dignified, safe, and long-term manner.&nbsp;

Tirumurti further said, "India assists refugees elsewhere as well notably through partnering UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East since long. India continues to remain supportive of UNRWA's role in human development and delivery of humanitarian services. We have enhanced our contribution further in recent years."

He expressed India's worry about the rising number of refugees and internally displaced individuals within the UNHCR's mission, which now stands at over 91 million.

According to Ambassador Tirumurti, preventing violent conflicts, combating terrorism, and establishing and maintaining peace through sustainable development and good governance will prevent people from being compelled to flee their homes.&nbsp;

Tirumurti emphasised that the refugee crisis is a worldwide issue that no single country can handle it alone.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

TS Tirumurti, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, remarked that India has always been a land of refuge. He was speaking at a UNSC briefing by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday.

TS Tirumurti, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, remarked that India has always been a land of refuge. He was speaking at a UNSC briefing by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday. He added that when Zoroastrians and Jews were persecuted centuries ago, they found a welcoming home in India. He claimed that India has always responded with compassion and understanding to Tibetans as well as our brothers and sisters from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. "India's humanitarian response to the refugee issue, particularly those facing persecution, has always been driven by the ideals of compassion and empathy. When faced with persecution centuries ago, Jews and Zoroastrians found a ready home in India. If not for India, the Zorastraian faith may not have survived. Now, both are very much part of India's proud pluralist culture and heritage, " he stated. #IndiainUNSC “India’s humanitarian response to the refugee issue, particularly those facing persecution, has always been driven by the ideals of compassion and empathy” Watch 📺: Permanent Representative @AmbTSTirumurti speaks at the #UNSC briefing by @Refugees @MeaIndia pic.twitter.com/QnDXqllPoF — India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) December 8, 2021 × Also read | Thousands flee Myanmar for India amid fears of a growing refugee crisis The Indian Ambassador emphasised that India is now hosting a huge number of refugees, and that the programmes to aid them are totally funded by the government. Also read | India to provide refuge to Afghans amid deteriorating situation, plans afoot He stated that India is dedicated to assisting refugees in returning to their homes in a dignified, safe, and long-term manner. Tirumurti further said, "India assists refugees elsewhere as well notably through partnering UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East since long. India continues to remain supportive of UNRWA's role in human development and delivery of humanitarian services. We have enhanced our contribution further in recent years." He expressed India's worry about the rising number of refugees and internally displaced individuals within the UNHCR's mission, which now stands at over 91 million. According to Ambassador Tirumurti, preventing violent conflicts, combating terrorism, and establishing and maintaining peace through sustainable development and good governance will prevent people from being compelled to flee their homes. Tirumurti emphasised that the refugee crisis is a worldwide issue that no single country can handle it alone. (With inputs from agencies)

'Jews, Tibetans, or Bangladeshis': We saved millions of refugees, says India at UN

&nbsp;A 73-year-old woman who was recently sorting out the letters she had received from her parents as heirloom found details of an old, underground network established by anti-Nazis to help Jews.<o:p></o:p>

Sisters, Frances Newell and Jan Newell, were aware that their late mother, Evelyn Parker, had taken part in some of the progressive causes during the second world war. However, they had not realised that their parents had helped set up such an important network.<o:p></o:p>

Evelyn Parker used to often tell her children about the time she had spent in Berlin teaching English to children of the Jewish families. During that time, they had formed a strong friendship bond with a German couple, Max and Malwine Schindler.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/how-twitters-new-private-media-policy-is-being-abused-by-anti-vaxxers-434303" hreflang="en">How Twitter's new private media policy is being abused by anti-vaxxers</a><o:p></o:p>

After their parents'&nbsp;death, Newell obtained a bundle of letters of her parents that she did not open till 2017. In those letters, the siblings found out details about an old, underground network that had been established by anti-Nazi activists to help Jewish families.<o:p></o:p>

Their mother had received a letter from the German couple in 1934 who was asking for help after losing a job at the local council in Berlin district of Neukölln. Max, the man from Berlin, had been fired for his support of the Social Democratic party (SPD in German), which was blacklisted after the Nazis took hold in Germany.<o:p></o:p>

Max had decided to set up an English-teaching school and library, which actually was a disguise of the SPD teachings. Through this, Max was sensing out students (anti-Nazi activists) out of Germany and to Britain.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/from-tiger-at-gender-reveal-party-to-a-bear-attack-here-is-a-look-at-the-top-trending-incidents-of-2021-434307">From tiger at gender reveal party to a bear attack, here is a look at the top trending incidents of 2021</a></o:p>

This disguise helped Jewish families escape the Nazi rules. Parker was usually introduced to these people as a visitor in social gatherings. "Here's this young English woman, they could say, 'we're showing her the sights, come meet her'," Frances says. "But there was an underlying story behind that – it was about resistance to the Nazis."<o:p></o:p>

Later, Parker returned to Lancashire in 1935, and continued finding families who could take in Jewish families that were escaping the Nazi rule with the help of Max.<o:p></o:p>

Frances spent more than 600 hours going through these letters to discover this underground and important network set up by her mother to help save Jewish families from the Nazi rule. "In those prewar years, they were so unbelievably optimistic. These are young people, they're full of joy and optimism. They really thought that they were going to make it, that the world was not going to take the path it did. That’s the great tragedy of it, the contrast of the early years and the tone of the latter years," Frances says.<o:p></o:p>

"In reading the letters, you got such a sense of the Schindlers as individuals, as if you knew them ... It was very clear that Mum loved them," Jan said.<o:p></o:p>

A 73-year-old woman who was recently sorting out the letters she had received from her parents as heirloom found details of an old, underground network established by anti-Nazis to help Jews.

A 73-year-old woman who was recently sorting out the letters she had received from her parents as heirloom found details of an old, underground network established by anti-Nazis to help Jews. Sisters, Frances Newell and Jan Newell, were aware that their late mother, Evelyn Parker, had taken part in some of the progressive causes during the second world war. However, they had not realised that their parents had helped set up such an important network. Evelyn Parker used to often tell her children about the time she had spent in Berlin teaching English to children of the Jewish families. During that time, they had formed a strong friendship bond with a German couple, Max and Malwine Schindler. Also read | How Twitter's new private media policy is being abused by anti-vaxxers After their parents' death, Newell obtained a bundle of letters of her parents that she did not open till 2017. In those letters, the siblings found out details about an old, underground network that had been established by anti-Nazi activists to help Jewish families. Their mother had received a letter from the German couple in 1934 who was asking for help after losing a job at the local council in Berlin district of Neukölln. Max, the man from Berlin, had been fired for his support of the Social Democratic party (SPD in German), which was blacklisted after the Nazis took hold in Germany. Max had decided to set up an English-teaching school and library, which actually was a disguise of the SPD teachings. Through this, Max was sensing out students (anti-Nazi activists) out of Germany and to Britain. Also read | From tiger at gender reveal party to a bear attack, here is a look at the top trending incidents of 2021 This disguise helped Jewish families escape the Nazi rules. Parker was usually introduced to these people as a visitor in social gatherings. "Here's this young English woman, they could say, 'we're showing her the sights, come meet her'," Frances says. "But there was an underlying story behind that – it was about resistance to the Nazis." Later, Parker returned to Lancashire in 1935, and continued finding families who could take in Jewish families that were escaping the Nazi rule with the help of Max. Frances spent more than 600 hours going through these letters to discover this underground and important network set up by her mother to help save Jewish families from the Nazi rule. "In those prewar years, they were so unbelievably optimistic. These are young people, they're full of joy and optimism. They really thought that they were going to make it, that the world was not going to take the path it did. That’s the great tragedy of it, the contrast of the early years and the tone of the latter years," Frances says. "In reading the letters, you got such a sense of the Schindlers as individuals, as if you knew them ... It was very clear that Mum loved them," Jan said.

Old letters of couple reveal underground network set up to help Jewish families escape Nazi rule

In Jerusalem, language speed dating is bringing the Jews and Palestinians closer. A small group of Israelis and Palestinians is bridging the language divide through a learning model that replicates speed dating, watch this report for more.

Language 'speed dating' in Jerusalem is bringing Jews and Arabs closer

In a city with deep political, religious, and cultural divisions, a small group of Israelis Jews and Palestinian&nbsp;Arabs in Jerusalem are attempting to break the barrier by learning Hebrew and Arabic from each other based on the idea of speed dating.

About 20 students meet weekly at a 19th-century villa. Sitting face to face, Jews and Arabs practice each other’s language by reading out from cards with simple situations, prompting a conversation between them.

When a whistle sounds every 20 minutes, participants rotate with new partners across tables arranged under colourful murals.

The project was started in 2019 by Maya Giz, a Hebrew teacher, and Sahar Mukhemar, a Palestinian sports instructor and a former student of hers.

The founders say that the meetings help the Palestinians improve their Hebrew language skills required for dealing with Israeli officials, and the Jews gain a better understanding of Arabic.

“Palestinians in Jerusalem don’t study Hebrew in school, in any way. And it's the same for Israelis - if they do study Arabic, it's an Arabic you can't use. Therefore, we came up with this initiative, you can call it a civil initiative, that directly meets this need of the ability to communicate with each other in each other's language. Out of this, the real important thing emerges - the meeting and the acquaintance,” Giz told news agency Reuters.

Sahar Mukhemar, the project co-founder and co-manager, said the basic objective of the project is to popularise Hebrew language within Arabs and vice-versa.

“The reason I wanted to create this thing, I felt this need within me personally, was the absence of the Hebrew language within Arabs for many reasons. For example, if they need to go to a hospital or mall or just need to get by with the language. So, I felt this need within me when I learned Hebrew, I saw that the students themselves need to practice the language and not only learn it, and from here came the idea to address the need for language exchange, Arabs and Jews together,” Mukhemar told Reuters.

Most Palestinians in Jerusalem live in the city’s east, an area captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Only basic Hebrew is studied in East Jerusalem schools. That makes it difficult for Palestinians to reach a very high skill level in the language.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a city with deep political, religious, and cultural divisions, a small group of Israelis Jews and Palestinian Arabs in Jerusalem are attempting to break the barrier by learning Hebrew and Arabic from each other based on the idea of speed dating.

In a city with deep political, religious, and cultural divisions, a small group of Israelis Jews and Palestinian Arabs in Jerusalem are attempting to break the barrier by learning Hebrew and Arabic from each other based on the idea of speed dating. About 20 students meet weekly at a 19th-century villa. Sitting face to face, Jews and Arabs practice each other’s language by reading out from cards with simple situations, prompting a conversation between them. When a whistle sounds every 20 minutes, participants rotate with new partners across tables arranged under colourful murals. The project was started in 2019 by Maya Giz, a Hebrew teacher, and Sahar Mukhemar, a Palestinian sports instructor and a former student of hers. The founders say that the meetings help the Palestinians improve their Hebrew language skills required for dealing with Israeli officials, and the Jews gain a better understanding of Arabic. “Palestinians in Jerusalem don’t study Hebrew in school, in any way. And it's the same for Israelis - if they do study Arabic, it's an Arabic you can't use. Therefore, we came up with this initiative, you can call it a civil initiative, that directly meets this need of the ability to communicate with each other in each other's language. Out of this, the real important thing emerges - the meeting and the acquaintance,” Giz told news agency Reuters. Sahar Mukhemar, the project co-founder and co-manager, said the basic objective of the project is to popularise Hebrew language within Arabs and vice-versa. “The reason I wanted to create this thing, I felt this need within me personally, was the absence of the Hebrew language within Arabs for many reasons. For example, if they need to go to a hospital or mall or just need to get by with the language. So, I felt this need within me when I learned Hebrew, I saw that the students themselves need to practice the language and not only learn it, and from here came the idea to address the need for language exchange, Arabs and Jews together,” Mukhemar told Reuters. Most Palestinians in Jerusalem live in the city’s east, an area captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Only basic Hebrew is studied in East Jerusalem schools. That makes it difficult for Palestinians to reach a very high skill level in the language. (With inputs from agencies)

Breaking barriers: Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem learn each other’s language—‘speed dating’ style

It’s been 80 years since Nazi soldiers laid siege to the city of Leningrad, Russia, during the Holocaust, but memories of the desperation haven’t faded away for Russian Jews like Raisa Khusid, who survived starvation and bombardment.

Food was so scarce, Khusid recalled in an interview on Tuesday, that one of her uncles fed them unimaginable things.

"He was actually going outside after the rain to collect the worms," Khusid said through a Russian translator on Zoom.

But only now is Khusid, 80, who lives outside Chicago, eligible for pension benefits from the German government as part of an expanding restitution programme for Holocaust survivors, according to the main negotiating organisation for those benefits.

The group, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, better known as the Claims Conference, announced on Wednesday that it had secured an additional $767 million in benefits for Holocaust survivors. During the past 70 years, the group estimated, the German government has set aside more than $90 billion for Holocaust survivors.

As part of the most recent negotiations, the Claims Conference said, Germany agreed to recognise the extreme suffering of Russian Jews who had endured the more than two-year Nazi siege of Leningrad, which is now St. Petersburg, Russia.

Because Leningrad had not been occupied by the Nazis during the blockade, which lasted from September 1941 to January 1944, previous restitution efforts met with resistance from German officials, said Stuart E. Eizenstat, the group’s longtime top negotiator.

"They said, ‘Look, well, the non-Jews suffered,’" Eizenstat, a former U.S. ambassador to the European Union, said on Tuesday. "We were able to show them Nazi flyers that were dropped that said that Jews were the cause of the siege. So their level of persecution was greater. "

Eizenstat, an expert adviser to the State Department on Holocaust issues under three presidents, commended German negotiators for budging on the issue.

"We’re dealing with people who weren’t even born during the Holocaust," he said, adding that negotiators used Zoom because of the coronavirus pandemic. "They still recognise their moral responsibility."

The German Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.

Khusid, who moved to the United States in 2010 to live near her daughter, is one of an estimated 4,500 Holocaust survivors who lived through the siege of Leningrad and is eligible for a pension, the Claims Conference said.

The pensions will pay an annual benefit of about $5,200 or 4,500 euros, according to the group.

An additional 2,000 Holocaust survivors who hid in France and Romania will also qualify for the pensions, which the organisation said had an income-eligibility scale — the annual limits are about $52,000, 45,000 euros in Europe and 168,000 shekels in Israel.

Eizenstat, a former US deputy treasury secretary, pointed out that more than 50% of all Holocaust survivors were currently living at or near poverty levels. The problem, he said, is particularly acute in Eastern Europe.

"Many of these have no extended families," he said. "These pensions are lifelines. We’re talking about people who have to choose between food and medicine and some socialization."

An additional 1,700 survivors who were children during the Holocaust and had previously received one-time payments will now be eligible for supplemental hardship payments of 1,200 euros in 2021 and 2022, the organisation said.

The subject of reparations for Holocaust survivors has been a contentious one in both Germany and Israel over the decades, Eizenstat said, noting that Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, acknowledged that the country was responsible for the crimes of the Nazis.

"This was an unprecedented statement by a defeated power in a war," Eizenstat said, "to say that they felt responsible for the civilian deaths caused by the defeated power."

But in a 1952 speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, Menachem Begin, a future prime minister, sharply criticised the reparations and questioned how survivors could accept money from people with blood on their hands.

Eizenstat didn’t see it that way.

"I believe that what Germany has done is truly historic and inspiring," he said. "No one could have possibly imagined how far Germany would have come in recognition of its past."

Khusid said that her grandparents had been buried alive by the Nazis and that an uncle who had once brought the family food had starved to death. Another uncle came from Moscow to help her family escape, which involved crossing the treacherous Lake Ladoga during the winter.

"A lot of times, people were shot while trying to escape," she said, adding that her grandchildren struggle to understand her ordeal when she explains it to them.

Eizenstat said that his work was not done, however.

"People say, ‘How long are you going to do this?’" he said. "Well, Hitler wanted a 1,000-year Reich. The least we can do is until the last survivor breathes their last breath."

It’s been 80 years since Nazi soldiers laid siege to the city of Leningrad, Russia, during the Holocaust, but memories of the desperation haven’t faded away for Russian Jews like Raisa Khusid, who survived starvation and bombardment.

It’s been 80 years since Nazi soldiers laid siege to the city of Leningrad, Russia, during the Holocaust, but memories of the desperation haven’t faded away for Russian Jews like Raisa Khusid, who survived starvation and bombardment. Food was so scarce, Khusid recalled in an interview on Tuesday, that one of her uncles fed them unimaginable things. "He was actually going outside after the rain to collect the worms," Khusid said through a Russian translator on Zoom. But only now is Khusid, 80, who lives outside Chicago, eligible for pension benefits from the German government as part of an expanding restitution programme for Holocaust survivors, according to the main negotiating organisation for those benefits. The group, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, better known as the Claims Conference, announced on Wednesday that it had secured an additional $767 million in benefits for Holocaust survivors. During the past 70 years, the group estimated, the German government has set aside more than $90 billion for Holocaust survivors. As part of the most recent negotiations, the Claims Conference said, Germany agreed to recognise the extreme suffering of Russian Jews who had endured the more than two-year Nazi siege of Leningrad, which is now St. Petersburg, Russia. Because Leningrad had not been occupied by the Nazis during the blockade, which lasted from September 1941 to January 1944, previous restitution efforts met with resistance from German officials, said Stuart E. Eizenstat, the group’s longtime top negotiator. "They said, ‘Look, well, the non-Jews suffered,’" Eizenstat, a former U.S. ambassador to the European Union, said on Tuesday. "We were able to show them Nazi flyers that were dropped that said that Jews were the cause of the siege. So their level of persecution was greater. " Eizenstat, an expert adviser to the State Department on Holocaust issues under three presidents, commended German negotiators for budging on the issue. "We’re dealing with people who weren’t even born during the Holocaust," he said, adding that negotiators used Zoom because of the coronavirus pandemic. "They still recognise their moral responsibility." The German Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. Khusid, who moved to the United States in 2010 to live near her daughter, is one of an estimated 4,500 Holocaust survivors who lived through the siege of Leningrad and is eligible for a pension, the Claims Conference said. The pensions will pay an annual benefit of about $5,200 or 4,500 euros, according to the group. An additional 2,000 Holocaust survivors who hid in France and Romania will also qualify for the pensions, which the organisation said had an income-eligibility scale — the annual limits are about $52,000, 45,000 euros in Europe and 168,000 shekels in Israel. Eizenstat, a former US deputy treasury secretary, pointed out that more than 50% of all Holocaust survivors were currently living at or near poverty levels. The problem, he said, is particularly acute in Eastern Europe. "Many of these have no extended families," he said. "These pensions are lifelines. We’re talking about people who have to choose between food and medicine and some socialization." An additional 1,700 survivors who were children during the Holocaust and had previously received one-time payments will now be eligible for supplemental hardship payments of 1,200 euros in 2021 and 2022, the organisation said. The subject of reparations for Holocaust survivors has been a contentious one in both Germany and Israel over the decades, Eizenstat said, noting that Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, acknowledged that the country was responsible for the crimes of the Nazis. "This was an unprecedented statement by a defeated power in a war," Eizenstat said, "to say that they felt responsible for the civilian deaths caused by the defeated power." But in a 1952 speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, Menachem Begin, a future prime minister, sharply criticised the reparations and questioned how survivors could accept money from people with blood on their hands. Eizenstat didn’t see it that way. "I believe that what Germany has done is truly historic and inspiring," he said. "No one could have possibly imagined how far Germany would have come in recognition of its past." Khusid said that her grandparents had been buried alive by the Nazis and that an uncle who had once brought the family food had starved to death. Another uncle came from Moscow to help her family escape, which involved crossing the treacherous Lake Ladoga during the winter. "A lot of times, people were shot while trying to escape," she said, adding that her grandchildren struggle to understand her ordeal when she explains it to them. Eizenstat said that his work was not done, however. "People say, ‘How long are you going to do this?’" he said. "Well, Hitler wanted a 1,000-year Reich. The least we can do is until the last survivor breathes their last breath."

Germany sets aside an additional $767 million for holocaust survivors, officials say

Today in History: South African PM assassinated, Jews asked to wear star, more

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

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

When strong, powerful women sashay along in Dior dresses, with hopelessly expensive wine in hand while between frank conversations about their sexually liberated selves—‘Pack my vibrator!’—you are subconsciously trained to think: ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’! But the CEO of Elite World Group, Julia Haart, one of the biggest model management companies around, is no former-socialite-turned-reality television star and didn’t know the Hiltons of Hollywood, either. In her own words, an education-less Haart was married into a fundamentalist Jewish family at a tender age, to a husband she didn’t love, and with four kids, she eventually leaves behind her then family home to make something of herself: at 43!&nbsp;

 
Eight years later, Julia Haart becomes the CEO of a multi-subsidiary million-dollar brand. ‘My Unorthodox Life’ is a dive deep into Haart’s life circa 2020-21, with occasional rewind backs to how she shunned her past rigged with ‘too many rules’ and the journey she wishes to take with her new partner Silvio Scaglia.&nbsp; 
Batsheva—the eldest of four—has one foot in her orthodox community and the other, in the modern chasm her mother introduces her to. One sequence in particular encapsulates the 27 YO’s dilemma: a very well-groomed Batsheva can be seen arguing with her stringent yet affable husband Ben to let her wear pants, forbidden in their religion. The stark contrast between Haart Sr.’s world and that of Ben’s is palpable. Her mother urges her to be bold and shatter the self-imposed boundaries of her older self—and even leave her husband—Bat (as she is lovingly called) refuses both. The dust from the past is yet to settle in here, we reckon.&nbsp;

<img alt="All gloss and no gumption" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43ec252b-bf2a-4d59-878f-61fcde88a8cc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2891%29.jpg" /> 
Perhaps the most ‘out there’ character is the Standford-tutee Miriam Haart. In ‘My Unorthodox Life’, Miriam, 20, and the second youngest in the family, is bi-sexual, a first for many around her, and has no qualms about displaying her most intimate moments on camera, with a crew inside. She has been away from Monsey, New York—a safe haven for fundamentalist Jews, they claim—far too long to care, her mother reasons… or justifies? Juggling Stanford homework and a plethora of romantic interests (and Momma’s ‘yes ma’am’ duties) unabashedly is Miriam’s forte. Sass sans drama seems to be this Gen Z’s aesthetic.

 
The grips of cultural conditioning seem to be the tightest around Haart boys (also, Hendler from their father’s side) Shlomo and Aron. At 24, Shlomo is still immune to the appeals of female touch. “Oh! We were just thinking about you,” his sister Bat exclaims. “Why? Were you watching ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’?” he jokes. The tug of war between the two boys—in all fairness, Shlomo slightly more contemporary than his 14 YO brother Aron—and the rest of the family to drag them out of their supposed misery is part heartbreaking and part funny. Yet, the collective love these men have for what their mother stands up for—both good and the crass—is what makes them real (by reality TV standards).

 
Robert Brotherton’s the Chief Operating Officer of Elite and Julia’s best friend of five years. If Julia and the other women shepherd in the spices in right amount for the reality show to be a hit on Netflix (it’s already at Number 2 in Lebanon we hear), then Robert’s raunchy jokes and chirpy demeanor gives it a smooth landing. Touché!

<img alt="All decked up (again!) for the premiere" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4b6b5b72-80d1-44d8-b6a2-fea68e6deff0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%2890%29.jpg" /> 
The fundamentalist Judaism that Julia goes gung-ho about is deprived of a fair, eagle view in ‘My Unorthodox Life’. We do not question the ‘why’; just demand a ‘how’.&nbsp;

 
A while back, a similar-titled-but-not-similar-fashioned miniseries ‘Unorthodox’ had popped up on Netflix where a Hasidic Jewish woman in Brooklyn, Esther (played by a fantastic Shira Haas), brought forward the sense (and level) of patriarchal mindset this community exhibits. The in-depth research—adapted from a book, ‘Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots’—around the central theme and its various facets—the clothes, Yiddish language, the whole charade—took that series notches higher by sheer means of its crisp, matter-of-factly content. This series is more noise and less smell.

&nbsp; 
Julia Haart’s hedonistic persona, coupled with her very luxurious lifestyle and a penchant for grandiosity, makes ‘My Unorthodox Life’ an entertaining extravaganza. But, given the fact that she has turned her life had a superhero-esque U turn and rmoved herself from a setting that is plagued with oppression, it is criminal that Julia Haart didn’t harp on that.&nbsp;

 
Could the personable Haarts be the new queens of reality TV—now that the Kardashians have officially retired—no! Is the intent there? Hell, yes! Julia Haart may be the matriarch of a Rabbi-free household now, sitting pretty in her throne trying to fight ‘nepotism’ debates around her: ahem! But no one can discredit her struggles and the subsequent rise—to the very top! And, to that, we say, “shalom shalom!” &nbsp;

&nbsp;

'My&nbsp;Unorthodox Life' is streaming on Netflix.&nbsp;

When strong, powerful women sashay along in Dior dresses, with hopelessly expensive wine in hand while between frank conversations about their sexually liberated selves—‘Pack my vibrator!

When strong, powerful women sashay along in Dior dresses, with hopelessly expensive wine in hand while between frank conversations about their sexually liberated selves—‘Pack my vibrator!’—you are subconsciously trained to think: ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’! But the CEO of Elite World Group, Julia Haart, one of the biggest model management companies around, is no former-socialite-turned-reality television star and didn’t know the Hiltons of Hollywood, either. In her own words, an education-less Haart was married into a fundamentalist Jewish family at a tender age, to a husband she didn’t love, and with four kids, she eventually leaves behind her then family home to make something of herself: at 43! Eight years later, Julia Haart becomes the CEO of a multi-subsidiary million-dollar brand. ‘My Unorthodox Life’ is a dive deep into Haart’s life circa 2020-21, with occasional rewind backs to how she shunned her past rigged with ‘too many rules’ and the journey she wishes to take with her new partner Silvio Scaglia. Batsheva—the eldest of four—has one foot in her orthodox community and the other, in the modern chasm her mother introduces her to. One sequence in particular encapsulates the 27 YO’s dilemma: a very well-groomed Batsheva can be seen arguing with her stringent yet affable husband Ben to let her wear pants, forbidden in their religion. The stark contrast between Haart Sr.’s world and that of Ben’s is palpable. Her mother urges her to be bold and shatter the self-imposed boundaries of her older self—and even leave her husband—Bat (as she is lovingly called) refuses both. The dust from the past is yet to settle in here, we reckon. Perhaps the most ‘out there’ character is the Standford-tutee Miriam Haart. In ‘My Unorthodox Life’, Miriam, 20, and the second youngest in the family, is bi-sexual, a first for many around her, and has no qualms about displaying her most intimate moments on camera, with a crew inside. She has been away from Monsey, New York—a safe haven for fundamentalist Jews, they claim—far too long to care, her mother reasons… or justifies? Juggling Stanford homework and a plethora of romantic interests (and Momma’s ‘yes ma’am’ duties) unabashedly is Miriam’s forte. Sass sans drama seems to be this Gen Z’s aesthetic. The grips of cultural conditioning seem to be the tightest around Haart boys (also, Hendler from their father’s side) Shlomo and Aron. At 24, Shlomo is still immune to the appeals of female touch. “Oh! We were just thinking about you,” his sister Bat exclaims. “Why? Were you watching ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’?” he jokes. The tug of war between the two boys—in all fairness, Shlomo slightly more contemporary than his 14 YO brother Aron—and the rest of the family to drag them out of their supposed misery is part heartbreaking and part funny. Yet, the collective love these men have for what their mother stands up for—both good and the crass—is what makes them real (by reality TV standards). Robert Brotherton’s the Chief Operating Officer of Elite and Julia’s best friend of five years. If Julia and the other women shepherd in the spices in right amount for the reality show to be a hit on Netflix (it’s already at Number 2 in Lebanon we hear), then Robert’s raunchy jokes and chirpy demeanor gives it a smooth landing. Touché! The fundamentalist Judaism that Julia goes gung-ho about is deprived of a fair, eagle view in ‘My Unorthodox Life’. We do not question the ‘why’; just demand a ‘how’. A while back, a similar-titled-but-not-similar-fashioned miniseries ‘Unorthodox’ had popped up on Netflix where a Hasidic Jewish woman in Brooklyn, Esther (played by a fantastic Shira Haas), brought forward the sense (and level) of patriarchal mindset this community exhibits. The in-depth research—adapted from a book, ‘Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots’—around the central theme and its various facets—the clothes, Yiddish language, the whole charade—took that series notches higher by sheer means of its crisp, matter-of-factly content. This series is more noise and less smell. Julia Haart’s hedonistic persona, coupled with her very luxurious lifestyle and a penchant for grandiosity, makes ‘My Unorthodox Life’ an entertaining extravaganza. But, given the fact that she has turned her life had a superhero-esque U turn and rmoved herself from a setting that is plagued with oppression, it is criminal that Julia Haart didn’t harp on that. Could the personable Haarts be the new queens of reality TV—now that the Kardashians have officially retired—no! Is the intent there? Hell, yes! Julia Haart may be the matriarch of a Rabbi-free household now, sitting pretty in her throne trying to fight ‘nepotism’ debates around her: ahem! But no one can discredit her struggles and the subsequent rise—to the very top! And, to that, we say, “shalom shalom!” 'My Unorthodox Life' is streaming on Netflix.

My Unorthodox Life series review: Fanaticism, fashion, frill—in that order!

Israel responded to Ben &amp; Jerry's decision to stop selling ice cream in Israel-occupied territories.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office claimed that he spoke with Unilever CEO Alan Jope about the "glaring anti-Israel measure" by the ice cream maker with its&nbsp;refusal to continue operations in Palestinian areas.

"From Israel's standpoint, this action has severe consequences, legal and otherwise, and it will move aggressively against any boycott measure targeting civilians," Bennett reportedly told Jope.

On Tuesday, Israel warned Unilever of "severe consequences" and urged US states to invoke anti-boycott laws.

The announcement by Ben &amp; Jerry's came in on Monday after the company faced increasing pressure over its business with Israel and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which was handled through a licensee partner since 1987.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/israeli-companies-aided-saudi-spying-despite-khashoggi-killing-398935" hreflang="en">Israeli companies aided Saudi spying despite Khashoggi killing</a>

The ice cream maker had announced plans to not renew the license once it expires at the end of 2022. Additionally, the company hopes to stay in Israel under a new arrangement which bars sales in West Bank where Palestinians seek statehood.

Israel's settlements are seen as illegal by many governments around the world. But Israel disputes the notion based on historical links to the land and the security situation. The country has penalised anti-settlement measures under Israeli law while getting legal protection in many US states.

Unilever, a British company, has not responded to Israel's statement yet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/israeli-company-is-behind-malware-that-affected-windows-pcs-microsoft-398381" hreflang="en">Israeli company is behind malware that affected Windows PCs: Microsoft</a>

35 states in the US legislated against boycotting Israel. The country's ambassador to US , Gilad Erdan said that he has raised the matter of ice cream with governors of these states in a letter.

"Rapid and determined action must be taken to counter such discriminatory and anti-semitic actions," the letter read.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel responded to Ben & Jerry's decision to stop selling ice cream in Israel-occupied territories. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office claimed that he spoke with Unilever CEO Alan Jope about the "glaring anti-Israel measure" by the ice cream maker with its refusal to continue operations in Palestinian areas.

Israel responded to Ben & Jerry's decision to stop selling ice cream in Israel-occupied territories. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office claimed that he spoke with Unilever CEO Alan Jope about the "glaring anti-Israel measure" by the ice cream maker with its refusal to continue operations in Palestinian areas. "From Israel's standpoint, this action has severe consequences, legal and otherwise, and it will move aggressively against any boycott measure targeting civilians," Bennett reportedly told Jope. On Tuesday, Israel warned Unilever of "severe consequences" and urged US states to invoke anti-boycott laws. The announcement by Ben & Jerry's came in on Monday after the company faced increasing pressure over its business with Israel and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which was handled through a licensee partner since 1987. Also read: Israeli companies aided Saudi spying despite Khashoggi killing The ice cream maker had announced plans to not renew the license once it expires at the end of 2022. Additionally, the company hopes to stay in Israel under a new arrangement which bars sales in West Bank where Palestinians seek statehood. Israel's settlements are seen as illegal by many governments around the world. But Israel disputes the notion based on historical links to the land and the security situation. The country has penalised anti-settlement measures under Israeli law while getting legal protection in many US states. Unilever, a British company, has not responded to Israel's statement yet. Also read: Israeli company is behind malware that affected Windows PCs: Microsoft 35 states in the US legislated against boycotting Israel. The country's ambassador to US , Gilad Erdan said that he has raised the matter of ice cream with governors of these states in a letter. "Rapid and determined action must be taken to counter such discriminatory and anti-semitic actions," the letter read. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel calls Ben & Jerry's decision to stop selling ice cream in Palestine 'anti-Semitic'

Brief clashes were reported between Israeli Police and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday. No serious injuries were reported and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett ordered the Police to continue allowing jews to ascend temple mount on the first day of Tisha B'Av.

Clashes spark at Jerusalem's holy site after Palestinians opposed Jewish visits

During his Independence Day speech to the armed forces of the former Soviet republic, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, dubbed as Europe's last dictator, said that Jews 'controlled the world' and managed to force the world to remember the Holocaust.

According to the news report published in Haaretz, Lukashenko said that "the Jews managed to force the world to remember the Holocaust. The entire world grovels before them and gives in to them. They are afraid to say a single word out of place,".

"We are tolerant and likeable. We left things alone until it got to the point where others started attacking us and the memory of our efforts," he added.

He suggested that Belarus should do more to bring the Nazi occupation of Eastern Europe into international awareness. 
 
Watch | WION Edit: The lessons from the Holocaust

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-edit-the-lessons-from-the-holocaust-276361/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Israel govt said the comments were "unacceptable" and summoned the chargé d’affaires at the Belarus embassy in Israel for a meeting to discuss the incident.

During the Holocaust, 90% of Belarus' Jewish community — 800,000 individuals — were killed.

The topic of local collaboration with the occupying Germans has been a source of fierce controversy in Belarus, as it has been in other countries in the region, including Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Latvia.

Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 and is the target of US and EU sanctions, delivered the remarks at a memorial service for Soviet troops who died in World War II on July 3, Belarus Independence Day.

(With inputs from agencies)

During his Independence Day speech to the armed forces of the former Soviet republic, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, dubbed as Europe's last dictator, said that Jews 'controlled the world' and managed to force the world to remember the Holocaust.

During his Independence Day speech to the armed forces of the former Soviet republic, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, dubbed as Europe's last dictator, said that Jews 'controlled the world' and managed to force the world to remember the Holocaust. According to the news report published in Haaretz, Lukashenko said that "the Jews managed to force the world to remember the Holocaust. The entire world grovels before them and gives in to them. They are afraid to say a single word out of place,". "We are tolerant and likeable. We left things alone until it got to the point where others started attacking us and the memory of our efforts," he added. He suggested that Belarus should do more to bring the Nazi occupation of Eastern Europe into international awareness. Watch | WION Edit: The lessons from the Holocaust The Israel govt said the comments were "unacceptable" and summoned the chargé d’affaires at the Belarus embassy in Israel for a meeting to discuss the incident. During the Holocaust, 90% of Belarus' Jewish community — 800,000 individuals — were killed. The topic of local collaboration with the occupying Germans has been a source of fierce controversy in Belarus, as it has been in other countries in the region, including Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Latvia. Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 and is the target of US and EU sanctions, delivered the remarks at a memorial service for Soviet troops who died in World War II on July 3, Belarus Independence Day. (With inputs from agencies)

World bows to Jews, says Belarusian President Lukashenko in anti-Semitic outburst

A team of Israeli engineers and rescue specialists on Sunday reached the site of a Florida apartment building that partially collapsed three days ago, killing at least five people with 156 still missing.

Many members of the local Jewish community were among those affected by the tragedy in Surfside, near Miami Beach, and Israel had vowed to help with the agonizing search through the smoking mountain of debris.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-from-florida-building-collapse-climbs-to-five-394275">Death toll from Florida building collapse climbs to five</a>

The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South pancaked in the middle of the night Thursday as residents slept. Surveillance video of the collapse showed it coming down in just a few seconds.

The rescue operation has been agonizingly slow and painstaking, and fears of a much higher death toll are climbing with each passing hour, though rescuers have stressed that there may yet be survivors trapped inside the rubble.

"This is one of the best, if not the best, and the most experienced rescue teams, Israeli rescue teams," Israeli diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said as the team arrived in Surfside early Sunday.

"They've been all over the world in many similar situations."

The Israeli specialists will join rescuers armed with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs who have been working around the clock since the building came down.

Earlier, Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz had vowed the team would "make every effort to help save human life, and to offer our support to the Jewish community and to our American friends."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/makeshift-memorial-honors-missing-in-florida-building-tragedy-394278">Makeshift memorial honors missing in Florida building tragedy</a>

In Surfside, there are about 2,500 Jews. about half the town's population and many of them are members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media, though locals say the numbers have grown since the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus pandemic.</a>&nbsp;

A team from Mexico had also arrived, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett told ABC on Sunday, without giving more details.

"We don't have a resource problem," he said. "We have a luck problem. We need to get more lucky right now."

At least 18 Latin American nationals are among the missing, including Uruguayans, Argentines and Paraguayans. Canada has also said at least four of its citizens may be "affected," without elaborating.

Late Saturday, officials said they had been able to battle back a fire that for days had hampered their efforts, spreading acrid smoke throughout the site.

Families of the missing have expressed frustration and anger at the wait as concerns have grown about the building's condition before the collapse.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/florida-building-partially-collapses-emergency-search-underway-see-pics-393699">Florida building partially collapses; emergency search underway | See pics</a>

A study in the 1990s had shown land subsidence in the area, while an engineer's survey of the building in 2018 had pointed to "major structural damage" to a concrete slab beneath a ground-level pool deck, as well as "abundant" damage inside the parking garage.

Authorities have stressed that the reason for the collapse is not yet known, and could take months to determine.

US media have reported that one resident filed a class-action lawsuit against the building's owners seeking compensation for victims less than 24 hours after the tragedy.

A team of Israeli engineers and rescue specialists on Sunday reached the site of a Florida apartment building that partially collapsed three days ago, killing at least five people with 156 still missing.

A team of Israeli engineers and rescue specialists on Sunday reached the site of a Florida apartment building that partially collapsed three days ago, killing at least five people with 156 still missing. Many members of the local Jewish community were among those affected by the tragedy in Surfside, near Miami Beach, and Israel had vowed to help with the agonizing search through the smoking mountain of debris. Also read | Death toll from Florida building collapse climbs to five The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South pancaked in the middle of the night Thursday as residents slept. Surveillance video of the collapse showed it coming down in just a few seconds. The rescue operation has been agonizingly slow and painstaking, and fears of a much higher death toll are climbing with each passing hour, though rescuers have stressed that there may yet be survivors trapped inside the rubble. "This is one of the best, if not the best, and the most experienced rescue teams, Israeli rescue teams," Israeli diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said as the team arrived in Surfside early Sunday. "They've been all over the world in many similar situations." The Israeli specialists will join rescuers armed with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs who have been working around the clock since the building came down. Earlier, Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz had vowed the team would "make every effort to help save human life, and to offer our support to the Jewish community and to our American friends." Also read | Makeshift memorial honors missing in Florida building tragedy In Surfside, there are about 2,500 Jews. about half the town's population and many of them are members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media, though locals say the numbers have grown since the coronavirus pandemic. A team from Mexico had also arrived, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett told ABC on Sunday, without giving more details. "We don't have a resource problem," he said. "We have a luck problem. We need to get more lucky right now." At least 18 Latin American nationals are among the missing, including Uruguayans, Argentines and Paraguayans. Canada has also said at least four of its citizens may be "affected," without elaborating. Late Saturday, officials said they had been able to battle back a fire that for days had hampered their efforts, spreading acrid smoke throughout the site. Families of the missing have expressed frustration and anger at the wait as concerns have grown about the building's condition before the collapse. Also read | Florida building partially collapses; emergency search underway | See pics A study in the 1990s had shown land subsidence in the area, while an engineer's survey of the building in 2018 had pointed to "major structural damage" to a concrete slab beneath a ground-level pool deck, as well as "abundant" damage inside the parking garage. Authorities have stressed that the reason for the collapse is not yet known, and could take months to determine. US media have reported that one resident filed a class-action lawsuit against the building's owners seeking compensation for victims less than 24 hours after the tragedy.

Israeli rescuers reach Florida building collapse, 156 still missing

The Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has apologised for equating the mandatory wearing of safety masks in the US House of Representatives to the horrors of the Holocaust.&nbsp;

“I’m truly sorry for offending people with remarks about the Holocaust,” Taylor Greene told reporters outside the Capitol on Monday, saying she had visited Washington’s US Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier in the day. “There’s no comparison and there never will be.“

Greene opened her news conference saying: "I just always want to remind everyone I'm very much a normal person." 
 
Watch | WION Edit: The lessons from the Holocaust

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-edit-the-lessons-from-the-holocaust-276361/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

She said she had gone to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier on Monday. She also mentioned that when she was 19, she went to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where the Nazis massacred over 1 million Jews.&nbsp;

Earlier on May 23, Greene had slammed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on mandatory mask issue saying, “This woman [Pelosi] is mentally ill. You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star, and they were treated as second-class citizens — so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.”

Her comments had also been denounced by Republican congressional leaders.

During World War II, the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was a genocide of European Jews.

Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its allies murdered around six million Jews in German-occupied Europe, accounting for roughly two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has apologised for equating the mandatory wearing of safety masks in the US House of Representatives to the horrors of the Holocaust.

The Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has apologised for equating the mandatory wearing of safety masks in the US House of Representatives to the horrors of the Holocaust. “I’m truly sorry for offending people with remarks about the Holocaust,” Taylor Greene told reporters outside the Capitol on Monday, saying she had visited Washington’s US Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier in the day. “There’s no comparison and there never will be.“ Greene opened her news conference saying: "I just always want to remind everyone I'm very much a normal person." Watch | WION Edit: The lessons from the Holocaust She said she had gone to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier on Monday. She also mentioned that when she was 19, she went to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where the Nazis massacred over 1 million Jews. Earlier on May 23, Greene had slammed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on mandatory mask issue saying, “This woman [Pelosi] is mentally ill. You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star, and they were treated as second-class citizens — so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.” Her comments had also been denounced by Republican congressional leaders. During World War II, the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was a genocide of European Jews. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its allies murdered around six million Jews in German-occupied Europe, accounting for roughly two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population. (With inputs from agencies)

US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene compares COVID-19 masks to Holocaust, apologises

Pictures: Homecoming to Israel for 'lost' Jews in India delayed by COVID-19

Thousands are rallying in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence between Jews and Arabs.&nbsp;

The demonstration on Saturday night was one of several held across Israel to call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of 11 days of fighting in Gaza that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday.&nbsp;

Demonstrators marched through the city and later gathered in the central&nbsp;Habima&nbsp;Square to hear from politicians and artists.&nbsp;

Ayman Odeh, the leader of the main Arab party in parliament, called for a Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel. Odeh said:&nbsp;"There are two peoples here. Both deserve the right to self-determination."&nbsp;

Israeli author David Grossman said that the battle today is not between Arabs and Jews, but between those on both sides,&nbsp;who strive to live in peace and in a fair partnership, and those on both sides,&nbsp;who are fed by hatred and violence.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Thousands are rallying in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence between Jews and Arabs. The demonstration on Saturday night was one of several held across Israel to call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of 11 days of fighting in Gaza that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday.

Thousands are rallying in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, calling for coexistence between Jews and Arabs. The demonstration on Saturday night was one of several held across Israel to call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of 11 days of fighting in Gaza that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday. Demonstrators marched through the city and later gathered in the central Habima Square to hear from politicians and artists. Ayman Odeh, the leader of the main Arab party in parliament, called for a Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel. Odeh said: "There are two peoples here. Both deserve the right to self-determination." Israeli author David Grossman said that the battle today is not between Arabs and Jews, but between those on both sides, who strive to live in peace and in a fair partnership, and those on both sides, who are fed by hatred and violence. (With inputs from agencies)

Tel Aviv rally calls for Jewish-Arab coexistence 

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said that her government&nbsp;will never tolerate 'anti-Semitic' protests in the territory of Germany. 
 
The statement comes after protests outside synagogues at which demonstrators shouted anti-Jewish slogans and burned Israeli flags over the escalating conflict in the Middle East. 
 
"Anyone who attacks a synagogue or defiles Jewish symbols shows that for them it is not about criticising a state or the policies of a government, but about aggression and hate towards a religion and the people who belong to it," Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said, adding that "our democracy will not tolerate anti-Semitic demonstrations." 
 
On Wednesday (May 12), the German government had also condemned&nbsp;the&nbsp;incessant rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israeli cities in the strongest terms", saying they "could not be justified".

"Israel has the right to self-defence against these attacks," he added.

Before the Nazis came to power, Germany had a Jewish population of about 500,000. The country’s population of 83 million now includes some 200,000 Jews. Many of them are immigrants from the former Soviet Union who were taken in after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, a gesture of atonement for Nazi crimes.

Last year, during the 70th anniversary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel had said that many German Jews still do not feel safe and that anti-Semitism in Germany "never disappeared."

"Many Jews do not feel safe, do not feel respected in our country. This is one part of today's reality and it causes me grave concern," Merkel had said.&nbsp;

In Germany, a Central Council of Jews was founded in 1950 to represent Jews who had survived the Nazi Holocaust. Noting that many Holocaust survivors couldn’t imagine a future in Germany, the council originally was envisioned as a provisional entity to help them emigrate.

But the decades since German reunification in 1990, in particular, have seen the Jewish community in Germany gain size and strength.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said that her government will never tolerate 'anti-Semitic' protests in the territory of Germany. The statement comes after protests outside synagogues at which demonstrators shouted anti-Jewish slogans and burned Israeli flags over the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said that her government will never tolerate 'anti-Semitic' protests in the territory of Germany. The statement comes after protests outside synagogues at which demonstrators shouted anti-Jewish slogans and burned Israeli flags over the escalating conflict in the Middle East. "Anyone who attacks a synagogue or defiles Jewish symbols shows that for them it is not about criticising a state or the policies of a government, but about aggression and hate towards a religion and the people who belong to it," Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said, adding that "our democracy will not tolerate anti-Semitic demonstrations." On Wednesday (May 12), the German government had also condemned the incessant rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israeli cities in the strongest terms", saying they "could not be justified". "Israel has the right to self-defence against these attacks," he added. Before the Nazis came to power, Germany had a Jewish population of about 500,000. The country’s population of 83 million now includes some 200,000 Jews. Many of them are immigrants from the former Soviet Union who were taken in after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, a gesture of atonement for Nazi crimes. Last year, during the 70th anniversary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel had said that many German Jews still do not feel safe and that anti-Semitism in Germany "never disappeared." "Many Jews do not feel safe, do not feel respected in our country. This is one part of today's reality and it causes me grave concern," Merkel had said. In Germany, a Central Council of Jews was founded in 1950 to represent Jews who had survived the Nazi Holocaust. Noting that many Holocaust survivors couldn’t imagine a future in Germany, the council originally was envisioned as a provisional entity to help them emigrate. But the decades since German reunification in 1990, in particular, have seen the Jewish community in Germany gain size and strength. (With inputs from agencies)

Gaza conflict fallout: Germany will not tolerate 'anti-Semitic' protests, says Merkel's spokesman

The clashes in Israel have turned into an ethnic conflict. It's no longer just Hamas vs Israel. It's now Jews vs Arabs with lynching attempts being reported from both sides. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Civil war in Israel

Israel's president warned of a civil war between the country's Arabs and Jews as fury and fear over shelling exchanges with Palestinian militants in Gaza ignited violence in Israel's streets.

Israeli President Netanyahu warns of civil war as Jews, Arabs clash over Gaza violence

Israel observes day of mourning for 45 people crushed to death at Jewish religious festival

At least 44 people have been killed in northern Israel due to massive stampede at a densely packed Jewish pilgrimage site on Friday. The disaster occurred in Meron at the site of the reputed tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, where mainly ultra-Orthodox Jews flock to mark the Lag BaOmer holiday.

At least 44 killed in stampede at Israel pilgrimage site, several injured

Protesters gathered in several French cities Sunday to denounce a court's refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a "delirious fit" due to heavy marijuana use.

The decision infuriated the victim's family as well as Jewish groups, and prompted President Emmanuel Macron to urge a change in French law to ensure people face responsibility for violent crimes while under the influence of drugs.

Sarah Halimi was pushed out the window of her Paris flat by neighbour Kobili Traore, 27, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest" in Arabic).

Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="Woman's murder by alleged harasser in Kuwait sparks protest, outrage">Woman's murder by alleged harasser in Kuwait sparks protest, outrage</a>

The country's highest court said this month that while the murder was anti-Semitic, Traore could not be held criminally responsible since he had acted in a state of dementia.

He has been in psychiatric care since Halimi's death.

"The clamour has risen and hope has returned. That hope is all of you here," Halimi's brother William Attal told a crowd of several thousand at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris.

The MP who leads Macron's Republic on the Move party, Christophe Castaner, addressed the protest, which was also attended by opposition leaders and by several well-known actors.

Former French first lady Carla Bruni, wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, also appeared at the Paris rally, as did Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who said the city would soon name a street in Halimi's memory.

"It will also be a way of doing her justice," Hidalgo said.

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti confirmed Sunday that a new penal responsibility law would be presented by end May to fill a "legal void".

But France's CSM judiciary council rejected the government's "disparagement" on Sunday and insisted that judges had correctly applied the law in a "painful" case.

Between 1,500 and 2,000 people also marched at a protest in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, while around 600 gathered outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Strasbourg, authorities said.

Jewish groups say the court ruling has made Jews less safe in France, while lawyers representing Halimi's family have said they will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.&nbsp;

French Jews have been repeatedly targeted by jihadists in recent years, most notably in 2012, when an Islamist gunman shot dead three children and a teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Toulouse.

In 2015, a pro-Islamic State radical gunned down four people at a Jewish supermarket in Paris.

Protesters gathered in several French cities Sunday to denounce a court's refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a "delirious fit" due to heavy marijuana use.

Protesters gathered in several French cities Sunday to denounce a court's refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a "delirious fit" due to heavy marijuana use. The decision infuriated the victim's family as well as Jewish groups, and prompted President Emmanuel Macron to urge a change in French law to ensure people face responsibility for violent crimes while under the influence of drugs. Sarah Halimi was pushed out the window of her Paris flat by neighbour Kobili Traore, 27, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest" in Arabic). Have a look | Woman's murder by alleged harasser in Kuwait sparks protest, outrage The country's highest court said this month that while the murder was anti-Semitic, Traore could not be held criminally responsible since he had acted in a state of dementia. He has been in psychiatric care since Halimi's death. "The clamour has risen and hope has returned. That hope is all of you here," Halimi's brother William Attal told a crowd of several thousand at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris. The MP who leads Macron's Republic on the Move party, Christophe Castaner, addressed the protest, which was also attended by opposition leaders and by several well-known actors. Former French first lady Carla Bruni, wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, also appeared at the Paris rally, as did Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who said the city would soon name a street in Halimi's memory. "It will also be a way of doing her justice," Hidalgo said. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti confirmed Sunday that a new penal responsibility law would be presented by end May to fill a "legal void". But France's CSM judiciary council rejected the government's "disparagement" on Sunday and insisted that judges had correctly applied the law in a "painful" case. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people also marched at a protest in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, while around 600 gathered outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Strasbourg, authorities said. Jewish groups say the court ruling has made Jews less safe in France, while lawyers representing Halimi's family have said they will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. French Jews have been repeatedly targeted by jihadists in recent years, most notably in 2012, when an Islamist gunman shot dead three children and a teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Toulouse. In 2015, a pro-Islamic State radical gunned down four people at a Jewish supermarket in Paris.

Protests in France over no trial for Jewish woman's killer

Holocaust Remembrance Day: A look at Israel's hidden memorial

A politician named after Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has come to power — in Namibia.

Adolf Hitler Uunona, who goes by Adolf Uunona, won a local election in the northern part of the former German colony and has insisted that unlike his namesake, he has no plans for world domination.

He defeated his opponent by 1,196 votes to 213 in the race for local councillor in Ompundja, a constituency in the Oshana region, official results showed.

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Namibia is a former German colony, so it is not unusual for streets, places and people to have German names.

He told Bild, the German tabloid, that his father named him without realising the connotations.

"As a child, I saw it as a totally normal name," he added. “Only as a teenager did I understand that this man wanted to conquer the whole world."

(With inputs from agencies)

A politician named after Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has come to power — in Namibia. Adolf Hitler Uunona, who goes by Adolf Uunona, won a local election in the northern part of the former German colony and has insisted that unlike his namesake, he has no plans for world domination.

A politician named after Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has come to power — in Namibia. Adolf Hitler Uunona, who goes by Adolf Uunona, won a local election in the northern part of the former German colony and has insisted that unlike his namesake, he has no plans for world domination. He defeated his opponent by 1,196 votes to 213 in the race for local councillor in Ompundja, a constituency in the Oshana region, official results showed. WATCH| × Namibia is a former German colony, so it is not unusual for streets, places and people to have German names. He told Bild, the German tabloid, that his father named him without realising the connotations. "As a child, I saw it as a totally normal name," he added. “Only as a teenager did I understand that this man wanted to conquer the whole world." (With inputs from agencies)

Adolf Hitler Uunona wins election in Namibia, but is not seeking ‘world domination’

Jews population in Europe has declined by more than 60 per cent in the last 50 years and only 0.1 per cent of the continent's population comprises Jews, a study has shown.

According to a study by the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research, now only about 9 per cent of the total Jewish population globally resides in Europe, which was 90 per cent in the latter part of the 19th century but was of similar levels about 1,000 years ago.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-in-the-pandemic-jews-flown-to-jerusalem-for-burial-296465">Even in the pandemic, Jews flown to Jerusalem for burial</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

It said 1.3 million Jews live in Europe in 2020, nearly 0.1 per cent of the continent's population and two-thirds of these people live in the UK, Germany and France.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-covid-19-continues-to-spread-jews-urged-not-to-kiss-the-western-wall-287073">As COVID-19 continues to spread, Jews urged not to kiss the Western Wall</a>

"Jews have not only been an integral part of European history and culture but are actually one of its oldest and original component groups," the report said, as quoted by The Guardian.

"However, throughout history, the inherent weakness of a landless and powerless minority vis-a-vis territorially based societies and their constituted powers often put the Jewish people in a condition of dependency and instability, and translated into powerful ups and downs in the Jewish presence."

The Holocaust under Hitler in the first half of the 20th century which led to killings of about 6 million Jews reduced Jews' population to around 11 million, the study noted.

It said in the last decades of the 20th century, the "opening of the doors of the Soviet Union" led to over 1.8 million Jews leaving eastern Europe between 1969 and 2020, which ultimately caused "a drastic shift in the Jewish population's centre of gravity from the east to the west of the continent".

In 1880, 88 per cent of the world's Jews resided in Europe. By 1945, this percentage had declined to 35 per cent and then to 26 per cent and 9 per cent in 1970 and 2020 respectively, the study said.

Jews population in Europe has declined by more than 60 per cent in the last 50 years and only 0.1 per cent of the continent's population comprises Jews, a study has shown.

Jews population in Europe has declined by more than 60 per cent in the last 50 years and only 0.1 per cent of the continent's population comprises Jews, a study has shown. According to a study by the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research, now only about 9 per cent of the total Jewish population globally resides in Europe, which was 90 per cent in the latter part of the 19th century but was of similar levels about 1,000 years ago. Also read | Even in the pandemic, Jews flown to Jerusalem for burial It said 1.3 million Jews live in Europe in 2020, nearly 0.1 per cent of the continent's population and two-thirds of these people live in the UK, Germany and France. Also read | As COVID-19 continues to spread, Jews urged not to kiss the Western Wall "Jews have not only been an integral part of European history and culture but are actually one of its oldest and original component groups," the report said, as quoted by The Guardian. "However, throughout history, the inherent weakness of a landless and powerless minority vis-a-vis territorially based societies and their constituted powers often put the Jewish people in a condition of dependency and instability, and translated into powerful ups and downs in the Jewish presence." The Holocaust under Hitler in the first half of the 20th century which led to killings of about 6 million Jews reduced Jews' population to around 11 million, the study noted. It said in the last decades of the 20th century, the "opening of the doors of the Soviet Union" led to over 1.8 million Jews leaving eastern Europe between 1969 and 2020, which ultimately caused "a drastic shift in the Jewish population's centre of gravity from the east to the west of the continent". In 1880, 88 per cent of the world's Jews resided in Europe. By 1945, this percentage had declined to 35 per cent and then to 26 per cent and 9 per cent in 1970 and 2020 respectively, the study said.

Jewish population declined over 60% in Europe in last 50 years: Study

India's National Security Advisor has said that India is a "civilizational" state which has existed since times. Speaking at Parmarth Niketan in Uttarakhand, he highlighted how India as "Rastra" or civilisation existed, but as a "Rajya" or nation came to being in 1947.

NSA Doval said, "Our state, India is a civilizational state, its not based on religion, not based on language, nor ethnicity but on a civilization."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reacted-early-and-well-on-covid-19-world-economic-forum-chief-klaus-schwab-337764">Also read|&nbsp;India reacted early and well on COVID-19: World Economic Forum chief Klaus Schwab</a>

He lauded India's saints and the role the played in nation building and gave examples of how Jews as a civilisation existed for 2,000 years but got a state in 1947, while how civilisations like Egypt disappeared.

While not mentioning any regional tensions, he said, "To save the nation is important....we will fight only where we are getting threats". Adding," We will fight, on our soil and outside, but not for selfish motives or vested interest but for Parmarth or larger good"

He also called on to spread the message of India's spirituality.

India's National Security Advisor has said that India is a "civilizational" state which has existed since times. Speaking at Parmarth Niketan in Uttarakhand, he highlighted how India as "Rastra" or civilisation existed, but as a "Rajya" or nation came to being in 1947.

India's National Security Advisor has said that India is a "civilizational" state which has existed since times. Speaking at Parmarth Niketan in Uttarakhand, he highlighted how India as "Rastra" or civilisation existed, but as a "Rajya" or nation came to being in 1947. NSA Doval said, "Our state, India is a civilizational state, its not based on religion, not based on language, nor ethnicity but on a civilization." Also read| India reacted early and well on COVID-19: World Economic Forum chief Klaus Schwab He lauded India's saints and the role the played in nation building and gave examples of how Jews as a civilisation existed for 2,000 years but got a state in 1947, while how civilisations like Egypt disappeared. While not mentioning any regional tensions, he said, "To save the nation is important....we will fight only where we are getting threats". Adding," We will fight, on our soil and outside, but not for selfish motives or vested interest but for Parmarth or larger good" He also called on to spread the message of India's spirituality.

India is a civilisational state, not based on religion or language: NSA Doval

A group of United Arab Emirates officials became the first Gulf Arab delegation ever to visit in Israel on Tuesday, cementing a normalisation deal in an occasion that Israel and US&nbsp;officials described as historic but the Palestinians called "shameful".

The UAE and Gulf neighbour Bahrain became the first Arab states in a quarter of a century to establish formal ties with Israel despite ongoing differences over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The deals, forged largely over shared fears of Iran, were brokered by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump ahead of next month's US&nbsp;presidential election.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/israel-bahrain-formalise-diplomatic-ties-336286" hreflang="en">Israel, Bahrain formalise diplomatic ties</a>

"We are making history in a way that will stand for generations," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in welcoming Emirati Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq al-Mari and Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Humaid al-Tayer.

They were accompanied by US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other American officials on the flight from Abu Dhabi to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The visiting party was restricted to the airport because of concerns over COVID-19.

"I think that the visit of such a high level delegation from the UAE... will show our peoples, the region and the entire world the benefit of having friendly, peaceful and normal exchanges," Netanyahu said.

Four agreements were signed - on the promotion and protection of investments, cooperation in science and innovation, civil aviation and visa exemptions.

Tayer said the deals offered "great opportunities" to "achieve prosperity for both our economies, and our people".

Citing discussions on taxation and financial relations, he said there had already been significant progress and added: "We look forward to welcoming you to the UAE in the near future."

PALESTINIAN ANGER

Washington and its allies have said the deals would foster regional peace and stability. But they have prompted anger from the Palestinians.

Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization said Tuesday's UAE visit came amid Israeli settlement expansion and was "shameful".

"The bilateral agreements that were announced today and the delegations that come and go, all of that offers the occupation strength to escalate its aggression and its crimes against the Palestinian people and increases its intransigence and arrogance," he said in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In Gaza, Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the Islamist group Hamas, said: "Such a visit will only encourage the occupation to pursue the gradual annexation of West Bank lands."

Mnuchin, the most senior US&nbsp;official to attend, called it an "historic occasion," adding: "With greater economic prosperity comes stronger security."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uae-government-delegation-heads-to-israel-for-first-official-visit-336627" hreflang="en">UAE government delegation heads to Israel for first official visit</a>

Reflecting a realignment of regional powers concerned about Iran, he added that Israel, the UAE and USA "share a similar outlook regarding threats and opportunities in the region."

Another US&nbsp;official in attendance, International Development Finance Corporation head Adam Boehler, said the three countries would set up a fund, initially projected to raise $3 billion, to encourage private-sector investment and regional cooperation.

He said he envisaged funding to enable the modernisation of Israeli-operated checkpoints for Palestinians. Israel says the checkpoints are vital for its security, while Palestinians complain that they hamper their ability to live and work.

The US officials had on Sunday joined an Israeli delegation to Bahrain for a signing ceremony to formalise ties.

The agreements signed on Tuesday followed several commercial deals signed by Israel and the UAE since mid-August.

"These agreements are of strategic and regional importance, will increase investment, trade and strengthen economic ties between the countries," said Israeli Finance Minister Israel Katz.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said the Emirati delegation had submitted a request to open an embassy in Tel Aviv and said it expected Israel to open an embassy in Abu Dhabi soon.

A group of United Arab Emirates officials became the first Gulf Arab delegation ever to visit in Israel on Tuesday, cementing a normalisation deal in an occasion that Israel and US officials described as historic but the Palestinians called "shameful".

A group of United Arab Emirates officials became the first Gulf Arab delegation ever to visit in Israel on Tuesday, cementing a normalisation deal in an occasion that Israel and US officials described as historic but the Palestinians called "shameful". The UAE and Gulf neighbour Bahrain became the first Arab states in a quarter of a century to establish formal ties with Israel despite ongoing differences over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The deals, forged largely over shared fears of Iran, were brokered by US President Donald Trump ahead of next month's US presidential election. Also read: Israel, Bahrain formalise diplomatic ties "We are making history in a way that will stand for generations," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in welcoming Emirati Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq al-Mari and Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Humaid al-Tayer. They were accompanied by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other American officials on the flight from Abu Dhabi to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The visiting party was restricted to the airport because of concerns over COVID-19. "I think that the visit of such a high level delegation from the UAE... will show our peoples, the region and the entire world the benefit of having friendly, peaceful and normal exchanges," Netanyahu said. Four agreements were signed - on the promotion and protection of investments, cooperation in science and innovation, civil aviation and visa exemptions. Tayer said the deals offered "great opportunities" to "achieve prosperity for both our economies, and our people". Citing discussions on taxation and financial relations, he said there had already been significant progress and added: "We look forward to welcoming you to the UAE in the near future." PALESTINIAN ANGER Washington and its allies have said the deals would foster regional peace and stability. But they have prompted anger from the Palestinians. Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization said Tuesday's UAE visit came amid Israeli settlement expansion and was "shameful". "The bilateral agreements that were announced today and the delegations that come and go, all of that offers the occupation strength to escalate its aggression and its crimes against the Palestinian people and increases its intransigence and arrogance," he said in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In Gaza, Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the Islamist group Hamas, said: "Such a visit will only encourage the occupation to pursue the gradual annexation of West Bank lands." Mnuchin, the most senior US official to attend, called it an "historic occasion," adding: "With greater economic prosperity comes stronger security." Also read: UAE government delegation heads to Israel for first official visit Reflecting a realignment of regional powers concerned about Iran, he added that Israel, the UAE and USA "share a similar outlook regarding threats and opportunities in the region." Another US official in attendance, International Development Finance Corporation head Adam Boehler, said the three countries would set up a fund, initially projected to raise $3 billion, to encourage private-sector investment and regional cooperation. He said he envisaged funding to enable the modernisation of Israeli-operated checkpoints for Palestinians. Israel says the checkpoints are vital for its security, while Palestinians complain that they hamper their ability to live and work. The US officials had on Sunday joined an Israeli delegation to Bahrain for a signing ceremony to formalise ties. The agreements signed on Tuesday followed several commercial deals signed by Israel and the UAE since mid-August. "These agreements are of strategic and regional importance, will increase investment, trade and strengthen economic ties between the countries," said Israeli Finance Minister Israel Katz. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the Emirati delegation had submitted a request to open an embassy in Tel Aviv and said it expected Israel to open an embassy in Abu Dhabi soon.

Israel says UAE visit 'making history' - Palestinians call it 'shameful'

Thousands of Hasidic Jews camped at the Ukraine border - because they wanted to go on a pilgrimage. The city of Seoul wants $4 million in damages from a church over a new Covid-19 outbreak. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more about the virus of blind faith.

Gravitas: Defiance in the name of faith, Putting reason above religion

As cases of the Wuhan virus spike, thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims broke social distancing rules for a pilgrimage. They camped for three nights outside the Ukrainian border. Why was it so important for them to cross the border? WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Why thousands of pilgrims were camping at Ukraine border

The winds of normalisation are gaining speed in West Asia. After United Arab Emirates, Bahrain has normalised its ties with Israel. Israel has effectively made two peace agreements with two different Arab countries in less than a month, a historic feat. It seems that more Arab nations will follow suit and make peace with Israel.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/netanyahu-sees-direct-israel-bahrain-flights-after-normalisation-deal-327243" hreflang="en">Netanyahu sees direct Israel-Bahrain flights after normalisation deal</a>

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Washington DC to attend a lavish White House ceremony to mark the establishment of full relations with UAE and Bahrain. The foreign ministers of the two countries are expected to join him.<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-saudi-arabia-normalise-ties-with-israel-327579/embed" style="width: 100%; max-width: 560px;" width="560"></iframe>

They will be signing a normalisation agreement which is being called “The Abraham Accord”. This will be Israel's third and fourth such peace treaty with Arab states. Israel signed a similar deal with Egypt in 1979, and one with Jordan in 1994. Which countries could be next in line?

Oman

A good bet is Oman, for it congratulated Israel and UAE on their agreement. In the past, Oman has played the role of interlocutor between Israel and the Arab world several times.

In 2018, Oman's late sultan Gaboos hosted Netanyahu for his first visit to the gulf in over two decades. In 2019, Netanyahu met Oman's foreign minister Yusuf Bin Alwai at the Warsaw conference.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/bahrain-partner-to-crimes-of-israel-says-iran-after-peace-agreement-327000" hreflang="en">Bahrain partner to 'crimes' of Israel, says Iran after peace agreement</a>

The new sultan also views Israel as an attractive partner in diversifying his country's economy. Just last month, the US State secretary met with sultan Haitham Bin Tariq in Muscat. Reports say that along with US, the sultan is deftly engineering a foreign policy that will accommodate Israel.

Muscat's position on the Palestine conflict, much like other Arab states has always been driven by economic and security interests. Oman has maintained secret diplomatic ties with Israel for years.

Morocco

Following Oman could be Morocco. Morocco too has often acted as a mediator between the east and west. It is said to maintain a “special relationship” with Israel.

Some 3,000 Jews live in Morocco, the largest such community in the Arab world. Besides this, the North African country's economic ties with Israel have been steadily growing.

In January this year, Morocco received three Israeli drones as part of a 48 million dollar arms deal. And in recent weeks, the Moroccan leadership has praised the Trump administration's peace plan.

Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia could also recognise Israel, which will be a huge development.

The Sheikhdom has been taking small but symbolic steps. First, it opened its airspace for all commercial flights between UAE and Israel. A significant step that not only cuts down on the flying time, but the animosity between the two sides.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/fresh-protests-break-out-in-israel-against-nethanyahus-poor-handling-of-coronavirus-327123" hreflang="en">Fresh protests break out in Israel against Nethanyahu's poor handling of coronavirus</a>

But the biggest development - The Imam of Mecca's grand mosque being accused of justifying normalisation of ties. A recent sermon at the grand mosque has caused quite a stir in the kingdom and on social media, and is being seen as a prelude to Saudi Arabia recognising Israel.

The Saudis are the de-facto leaders of the Islamic world. They are the guardians of islam's holiest sites - Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia runs the risk of inflaming Muslim sentiments by recognising a Jewish state. The kingdom's decision will be met with disdain by Islamic leaders &amp; their followers around the world.

What about Netanyahu?

Benjamin Netanyahu is set to sign the peace accord at the White House, but will it be enough to save his political career?

Despite such tremendous foreign policy breakthroughs, his own citizens are unhappy with him.

As Netanyahu departed for Washington DC, he was greeted by hundreds of demonstrators outside the Ben Gurion airport. These protesters called for Netanyahu's resignation.

They want him sacked for his alleged graft offences and his failure to manage the COVID-19 crisis.

There's growing resentment within the political establishment as well. Yaakov Litzman, Israel's former health minister and the current housing minister has resigned - a decision in protest of the Israeli government's decision to impose a general lockdown during the upcoming holiday period.

The winds of normalisation are gaining speed in West Asia. After United Arab Emirates, Bahrain has normalised its ties with Israel. Israel has effectively made two peace agreements with two different Arab countries in less than a month, a historic feat.

The winds of normalisation are gaining speed in West Asia. After United Arab Emirates, Bahrain has normalised its ties with Israel. Israel has effectively made two peace agreements with two different Arab countries in less than a month, a historic feat. It seems that more Arab nations will follow suit and make peace with Israel. Also read: Netanyahu sees direct Israel-Bahrain flights after normalisation deal The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Washington DC to attend a lavish White House ceremony to mark the establishment of full relations with UAE and Bahrain. The foreign ministers of the two countries are expected to join him. They will be signing a normalisation agreement which is being called “The Abraham Accord”. This will be Israel's third and fourth such peace treaty with Arab states. Israel signed a similar deal with Egypt in 1979, and one with Jordan in 1994. Which countries could be next in line? Oman A good bet is Oman, for it congratulated Israel and UAE on their agreement. In the past, Oman has played the role of interlocutor between Israel and the Arab world several times. In 2018, Oman's late sultan Gaboos hosted Netanyahu for his first visit to the gulf in over two decades. In 2019, Netanyahu met Oman's foreign minister Yusuf Bin Alwai at the Warsaw conference. Also read: Bahrain partner to 'crimes' of Israel, says Iran after peace agreement The new sultan also views Israel as an attractive partner in diversifying his country's economy. Just last month, the US State secretary met with sultan Haitham Bin Tariq in Muscat. Reports say that along with US, the sultan is deftly engineering a foreign policy that will accommodate Israel. Muscat's position on the Palestine conflict, much like other Arab states has always been driven by economic and security interests. Oman has maintained secret diplomatic ties with Israel for years. Morocco Following Oman could be Morocco. Morocco too has often acted as a mediator between the east and west. It is said to maintain a “special relationship” with Israel. Some 3,000 Jews live in Morocco, the largest such community in the Arab world. Besides this, the North African country's economic ties with Israel have been steadily growing. In January this year, Morocco received three Israeli drones as part of a 48 million dollar arms deal. And in recent weeks, the Moroccan leadership has praised the Trump administration's peace plan. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia could also recognise Israel, which will be a huge development. The Sheikhdom has been taking small but symbolic steps. First, it opened its airspace for all commercial flights between UAE and Israel. A significant step that not only cuts down on the flying time, but the animosity between the two sides. Also read: Fresh protests break out in Israel against Nethanyahu's poor handling of coronavirus But the biggest development - The Imam of Mecca's grand mosque being accused of justifying normalisation of ties. A recent sermon at the grand mosque has caused quite a stir in the kingdom and on social media, and is being seen as a prelude to Saudi Arabia recognising Israel. The Saudis are the de-facto leaders of the Islamic world. They are the guardians of islam's holiest sites - Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia runs the risk of inflaming Muslim sentiments by recognising a Jewish state. The kingdom's decision will be met with disdain by Islamic leaders & their followers around the world. What about Netanyahu? Benjamin Netanyahu is set to sign the peace accord at the White House, but will it be enough to save his political career? Despite such tremendous foreign policy breakthroughs, his own citizens are unhappy with him. As Netanyahu departed for Washington DC, he was greeted by hundreds of demonstrators outside the Ben Gurion airport. These protesters called for Netanyahu's resignation. They want him sacked for his alleged graft offences and his failure to manage the COVID-19 crisis. There's growing resentment within the political establishment as well. Yaakov Litzman, Israel's former health minister and the current housing minister has resigned - a decision in protest of the Israeli government's decision to impose a general lockdown during the upcoming holiday period.

Will other Arab countries follow suit to normalise ties with Israel?

With the salute, Swastika, skinheads, racial hate, the Neo-Nazi movement is horrifying.&nbsp;

The tragedy that happened 75 years ago must not be forgotten and the holocaust must be kept in the public consciousness.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-historic-israel-germany-air-exercise-322270/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust, Israel and Germany harbour the memory of a ghastly past.&nbsp;

Also read&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-sale-of-f-35s-to-uae-threatens-israel-peace-agreement-322003">Why sale of F-35s to UAE threatens Israel peace agreement</a>

Both the countries have come together to create a better history as Germany has welcomed Israeli air force into its airspace for the first time ever.&nbsp;

The joint exercise is much more than simulated dogfights, air-to-ground battles or chafing missile threats.&nbsp;

Both German and Israeli pilots value the joint commemoration of the holocaust more than anything even flying.&nbsp;

The most significant part of the exercise came at Dachau, where a Nazi camp built in 1933 served as a model for similar camps that followed.&nbsp;

More than 40,000 Jews were killed at Dachau during the Second World War.&nbsp;

For the Israelis, the joint flypast over the camp was an emotional moment.&nbsp;

Along with Holocaust survivors, several high-profile people witnessed the event, including Israel Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff and German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who paid tributes to the Jews who were killed at the camp.&nbsp;

"From this, let us draw the strength to continue our commitment to the security of both our nations and to defending the universal values of freedom and human dignity that were betrayed so cruelly and terribly in this place," Kramp-Karrenbauer said. &nbsp;

The camp is a reminder to Germany as it grapples with a rise in antisemitism.&nbsp;

And, the Israeli Ambassador has sought an ultimate guarantee that the horrors that this place witnessed will never happen again.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

With the salute, Swastika, skinheads, racial hate, the Neo-Nazi movement is horrifying. The tragedy that happened 75 years ago must not be forgotten and the holocaust must be kept in the public consciousness.

With the salute, Swastika, skinheads, racial hate, the Neo-Nazi movement is horrifying. The tragedy that happened 75 years ago must not be forgotten and the holocaust must be kept in the public consciousness. Watch | On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust, Israel and Germany harbour the memory of a ghastly past. Also read | Why sale of F-35s to UAE threatens Israel peace agreement Both the countries have come together to create a better history as Germany has welcomed Israeli air force into its airspace for the first time ever. The joint exercise is much more than simulated dogfights, air-to-ground battles or chafing missile threats. Both German and Israeli pilots value the joint commemoration of the holocaust more than anything even flying. The most significant part of the exercise came at Dachau, where a Nazi camp built in 1933 served as a model for similar camps that followed. More than 40,000 Jews were killed at Dachau during the Second World War. For the Israelis, the joint flypast over the camp was an emotional moment. Along with Holocaust survivors, several high-profile people witnessed the event, including Israel Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff and German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who paid tributes to the Jews who were killed at the camp. "From this, let us draw the strength to continue our commitment to the security of both our nations and to defending the universal values of freedom and human dignity that were betrayed so cruelly and terribly in this place," Kramp-Karrenbauer said. The camp is a reminder to Germany as it grapples with a rise in antisemitism. And, the Israeli Ambassador has sought an ultimate guarantee that the horrors that this place witnessed will never happen again.

Amid Neo-Nazi threat, Germany remembers dark past with Israel

An Israeli minister played down on Tuesday the likelihood of major moves to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on July 1, the planned starting point for cabinet debate on the issue.

Zeev Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, said Israel still did not have the green light it seeks from Washington to begin extending its sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, territory Palestinians seek for a state.

Palestinian leaders, the United Nations, European powers and Arab countries have all denounced any annexation of land that Israeli forces captured in a 1967 war.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/israel-leaders-netanyahu-and-gantz-at-odds-over-west-bank-annexation-plan-309532" hreflang="en">Israel leaders Netanyahu and Gantz at odds over West Bank annexation plan</a>

"Whoever painted a picture of everything happening in one day on July 1, did so at their own risk," Elkin, minister of higher education, told Army Radio when asked what would happen on Wednesday. "From tomorrow, the clock will start ticking."

No cabinet session for Wednesday has been announced.

US&nbsp;officials are in Israel as part of the White House's efforts to win consensus within its government for annexation as envisioned in an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan announced by President Donald Trump in January.

The proposal calls for Israeli sovereignty over about 30% of the West Bank - land on which Israel has built settlements for decades - as well as the creation of a Palestinian state under strict conditions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/israels-cabinet-meets-to-finalise-annexation-plans-for-occupied-west-bank-309153" hreflang="en">Israel's cabinet meets to finalise annexation plans for occupied West Bank</a>

Palestinians say the blueprint would make statehood, in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, unviable, and most world powers view Israel's settlements on occupied land as illegal. Netanyahu says the Jewish people have a legal, historic and moral claim to the West Bank, the biblical Judea and Samaria.

Netanyahu and his main coalition government partner, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, are at odds over annexation, which the right-wing prime minister has promoted.

In an interview with the YNet news site on Tuesday, Gantz repeated his call for Israel to try to enlist Palestinian and international support for the Trump plan before proceeding with a unilateral annexation move.

An Israeli minister played down on Tuesday the likelihood of major moves to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on July 1, the planned starting point for cabinet debate on the issue.

An Israeli minister played down on Tuesday the likelihood of major moves to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on July 1, the planned starting point for cabinet debate on the issue. Zeev Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, said Israel still did not have the green light it seeks from Washington to begin extending its sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, territory Palestinians seek for a state. Palestinian leaders, the United Nations, European powers and Arab countries have all denounced any annexation of land that Israeli forces captured in a 1967 war. Also read: Israel leaders Netanyahu and Gantz at odds over West Bank annexation plan "Whoever painted a picture of everything happening in one day on July 1, did so at their own risk," Elkin, minister of higher education, told Army Radio when asked what would happen on Wednesday. "From tomorrow, the clock will start ticking." No cabinet session for Wednesday has been announced. US officials are in Israel as part of the White House's efforts to win consensus within its government for annexation as envisioned in an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan announced by President Donald Trump in January. The proposal calls for Israeli sovereignty over about 30% of the West Bank - land on which Israel has built settlements for decades - as well as the creation of a Palestinian state under strict conditions. Also read: Israel's cabinet meets to finalise annexation plans for occupied West Bank Palestinians say the blueprint would make statehood, in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, unviable, and most world powers view Israel's settlements on occupied land as illegal. Netanyahu says the Jewish people have a legal, historic and moral claim to the West Bank, the biblical Judea and Samaria. Netanyahu and his main coalition government partner, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, are at odds over annexation, which the right-wing prime minister has promoted. In an interview with the YNet news site on Tuesday, Gantz repeated his call for Israel to try to enlist Palestinian and international support for the Trump plan before proceeding with a unilateral annexation move.

Israeli minister signals major West Bank annexation move not imminent

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