Israel&#39;s visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night stressed the need to strengthen the political alliances to take on &quot;Islamic radicalisation which is a threat to the international systems&quot;. &nbsp;

Netanyahu was delivering the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue 2018, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Observer Research Foundation here today. &nbsp;

The Israeli Prime Minister said his country is trying to strengthen political alliances with like-minded countries across the world, from America, Latin America, Africa, Australia and Asia, especially with democracies. &nbsp;

He emphasised that Israel&#39;s relationship with India is very special and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking it to a new level. Netanyahu&#39;s address was listened to by Prime Minister Modi who sat along with EAM Sushma Swaraj in the special front row. &nbsp;

Saying the weak do not survive, but only the strong, and only the strong are respected, Netanyahu said strong territorial power is very important and for that, the country needs to develop a strong economy. &nbsp;

He said without a strong economy, it is difficult to have territorial strength. Netanyahu noted that under Modi&#39;s leadership, the government has improved the ease of doing business index by 42 steps, which is important to strengthen the economy. &nbsp;

The Israeli Prime Minister said the government should &quot;cut the bureaucracy&quot; to make doing business easier and move up the free market. Though Modi was present at the inaugural address as a rare gesture, he did not speak. &nbsp;

And this was mentioned by Swaraj as a rare occasion when she delivered the vote of thanks. She also mentioned that India&#39;s strengthening relations with Israel and improving cooperation especially in the field of agriculture and water. &nbsp;

Earlier, welcoming the Prime Ministers of two countries and Swaraj, ORF Chairman Sunjoy Joshi said it was two years ago under the initiative of Prime Minister Modi&#39;s government that this Dialogue was curated as a platform where the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, could discover their interdependence in forging a common, shared future for the world. &nbsp;

He said the pace of change induced by technological innovation is unprecedented. It is even transforming the way humans interact, and the way businesses and communities are organised, affecting the responses of societies and nations in unpredictable ways. Joshi said Prime Minister Netanyahu leads a nation that is no stranger to volatility. &nbsp;

Yet has successfully managed to provide growth, prosperity, and security to its people in a turbulent region. From technological innovations that have ensured food and water security in a parched environment, to creating one of the most vibrant start-up eco-systems nurtured by a world-class defence and technology industry, the prowess of Israel has made light of the greatest challenges to the security and well-being of its people. &nbsp;

&quot;We indeed find ourselves in a world which promises exponential jumps in knowledge systems, possible through previously unimaginable collaborative networks across diverse cultures, societies and nations, intelligent collaborative networks that link man and machine. Sometimes, these can be a source of disruption, but managed well they can be a source of exponential growth,&quot; Joshi said. &nbsp;

&quot;And at the Raisina Dialogue we celebrate this diversity,&quot; he added. Ministerial delegations from many countries like Australia, Russia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Poland are attending this year&#39;s conference.&nbsp;

Former President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harder and former Prime Minister of Sweden, Carl Bildt, were among more than 150 speakers and over 550 delegates from around 90 countries who are participating in the Dialogue.

Saying the weak do not survive and only the strong are respected, Netanyahu said strong territorial power is very important and for that

Israel's visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night stressed the need to strengthen the political alliances to take on "Islamic radicalisation which is a threat to the international systems". Netanyahu was delivering the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue 2018, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Observer Research Foundation here today. The Israeli Prime Minister said his country is trying to strengthen political alliances with like-minded countries across the world, from America, Latin America, Africa, Australia and Asia, especially with democracies. He emphasised that Israel's relationship with India is very special and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking it to a new level. Netanyahu's address was listened to by Prime Minister Modi who sat along with EAM Sushma Swaraj in the special front row. Saying the weak do not survive, but only the strong, and only the strong are respected, Netanyahu said strong territorial power is very important and for that, the country needs to develop a strong economy. He said without a strong economy, it is difficult to have territorial strength. Netanyahu noted that under Modi's leadership, the government has improved the ease of doing business index by 42 steps, which is important to strengthen the economy. The Israeli Prime Minister said the government should "cut the bureaucracy" to make doing business easier and move up the free market. Though Modi was present at the inaugural address as a rare gesture, he did not speak. And this was mentioned by Swaraj as a rare occasion when she delivered the vote of thanks. She also mentioned that India's strengthening relations with Israel and improving cooperation especially in the field of agriculture and water. Earlier, welcoming the Prime Ministers of two countries and Swaraj, ORF Chairman Sunjoy Joshi said it was two years ago under the initiative of Prime Minister Modi's government that this Dialogue was curated as a platform where the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, could discover their interdependence in forging a common, shared future for the world. He said the pace of change induced by technological innovation is unprecedented. It is even transforming the way humans interact, and the way businesses and communities are organised, affecting the responses of societies and nations in unpredictable ways. Joshi said Prime Minister Netanyahu leads a nation that is no stranger to volatility. Yet has successfully managed to provide growth, prosperity, and security to its people in a turbulent region. From technological innovations that have ensured food and water security in a parched environment, to creating one of the most vibrant start-up eco-systems nurtured by a world-class defence and technology industry, the prowess of Israel has made light of the greatest challenges to the security and well-being of its people. "We indeed find ourselves in a world which promises exponential jumps in knowledge systems, possible through previously unimaginable collaborative networks across diverse cultures, societies and nations, intelligent collaborative networks that link man and machine. Sometimes, these can be a source of disruption, but managed well they can be a source of exponential growth," Joshi said. "And at the Raisina Dialogue we celebrate this diversity," he added. Ministerial delegations from many countries like Australia, Russia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Poland are attending this year's conference. Former President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harder and former Prime Minister of Sweden, Carl Bildt, were among more than 150 speakers and over 550 delegates from around 90 countries who are participating in the Dialogue.

Israeli PM calls for stronger political alliance to combat Islamic radicalization

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s India visit which comes within months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s path-breaking visit to Israel marks an interesting template for the bilateral relations. If the July visit set the political tone, this visit adds substance for the future. The second prime ministerial visit to India comes nearly 15 years after Atal Behari Vajpayee rolled out red carpet welcome to Ariel Sharon.&nbsp;

While strategic and economic relations have flourished since the establishment of diplomatic relations in January 1992, Indo-Israeli political engagements have been minimal and often happened when NDA government was in power. Until Modi&rsquo;s election, for example, only two External Affairs Ministers visited Israel, Jaswant Singh in July 2000 and S M Krishna in January 2012. Reciprocal visits from India did not materialise after the visits of President Ezer Weizman in 1996-97 and of Sharon in 2003.&nbsp;

For over two decades, the bilateral relations flourished or were allowed to flourish with little political exchanges between the two countries. Coalition compulsions under the UPA government and the geostrategic situation in the Middle East limited cabinet level exchanges between the two countries. During this phase much of the relations thrived because of various state governments&mdash;ruled by Congress, BJP and others, including the communist parties, who stepped and sought economic cooperation with the Jewish State.

Things changed dramatically since Modi became the prime minister. In tune with his more active engagement with foreign leaders, both bilaterally and multilaterally, Indo-Israeli engagements also expanded considerably. Since May 2014, there were two presidential visits, two prime ministerial visits and visits by External Affairs Minister, Defense Minister and Home Minister.

There were scores of other exchanges, meetings and social media exchanges and interactions between the two political leadership.

These interactions with Israel should not be seen in isolation but viewed within the larger context of Modi&rsquo;s extensive interactions with other Middle East countries.&nbsp;

Since 2014, Indian leaders --president, vice-president, prime minister or external affairs minister&mdash;have visited most of the countries. War-torn countries like Iraq, Syria and Lebanon saw the visit by MoS M J Akbar. Indeed, violence-torn Libya is the only country which did not see a political visit from India since 2014. Moreover, Prime Minister Modi had met a number of Arab-Islamic leaders during multilateral forums and he met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas twice, including hosting him in May last year.

Another interesting pattern is emerging in the Indo-Israel relations. For long military-security consideration has dominated the bilateral relations and is often seen as the core component. Important as they are, the relations are getting diversified and encompass soft, less hyper and even unattractive areas, such as agriculture and water management. The joint statement issued on Monday between the two countries, for example, talks of &ldquo;strategic cooperation in Agriculture and Water.&rdquo; Until now these issues would never make it to the front pages of the media or would have escaped popular attention.&nbsp;

This in practical terms means that Indo-Israeli relations are no longer elite issues to be confined to the national capitals or urban centers but are pushed to rural India. This decentralisation has been taking place for over two decades but now they have assumed the center stage of the bilateral relations.&nbsp;

In short, security would continue to play an important role in the Indo-Israeli relations but its meaning and scope have changed. It is no longer confined to military security and fighting terrorism but also encompasses, food security, water security, environmental security and above energy security. This transformation of the Indo-Israeli ties would play a key role in the coming years.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Indo-Israeli relations are no longer elite issues to be confined to the national capitals or urban centers but are pushed to rural India.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s India visit which comes within months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s path-breaking visit to Israel marks an interesting template for the bilateral relations. If the July visit set the political tone, this visit adds substance for the future. The second prime ministerial visit to India comes nearly 15 years after Atal Behari Vajpayee rolled out red carpet welcome to Ariel Sharon. While strategic and economic relations have flourished since the establishment of diplomatic relations in January 1992, Indo-Israeli political engagements have been minimal and often happened when NDA government was in power. Until Modi’s election, for example, only two External Affairs Ministers visited Israel, Jaswant Singh in July 2000 and S M Krishna in January 2012. Reciprocal visits from India did not materialise after the visits of President Ezer Weizman in 1996-97 and of Sharon in 2003. For over two decades, the bilateral relations flourished or were allowed to flourish with little political exchanges between the two countries. Coalition compulsions under the UPA government and the geostrategic situation in the Middle East limited cabinet level exchanges between the two countries. During this phase much of the relations thrived because of various state governments—ruled by Congress, BJP and others, including the communist parties, who stepped and sought economic cooperation with the Jewish State. Things changed dramatically since Modi became the prime minister. In tune with his more active engagement with foreign leaders, both bilaterally and multilaterally, Indo-Israeli engagements also expanded considerably. Since May 2014, there were two presidential visits, two prime ministerial visits and visits by External Affairs Minister, Defense Minister and Home Minister. There were scores of other exchanges, meetings and social media exchanges and interactions between the two political leadership. These interactions with Israel should not be seen in isolation but viewed within the larger context of Modi’s extensive interactions with other Middle East countries. Since 2014, Indian leaders --president, vice-president, prime minister or external affairs minister—have visited most of the countries. War-torn countries like Iraq, Syria and Lebanon saw the visit by MoS M J Akbar. Indeed, violence-torn Libya is the only country which did not see a political visit from India since 2014. Moreover, Prime Minister Modi had met a number of Arab-Islamic leaders during multilateral forums and he met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas twice, including hosting him in May last year. Another interesting pattern is emerging in the Indo-Israel relations. For long military-security consideration has dominated the bilateral relations and is often seen as the core component. Important as they are, the relations are getting diversified and encompass soft, less hyper and even unattractive areas, such as agriculture and water management. The joint statement issued on Monday between the two countries, for example, talks of “strategic cooperation in Agriculture and Water.” Until now these issues would never make it to the front pages of the media or would have escaped popular attention. This in practical terms means that Indo-Israeli relations are no longer elite issues to be confined to the national capitals or urban centers but are pushed to rural India. This decentralisation has been taking place for over two decades but now they have assumed the center stage of the bilateral relations. In short, security would continue to play an important role in the Indo-Israeli relations but its meaning and scope have changed. It is no longer confined to military security and fighting terrorism but also encompasses, food security, water security, environmental security and above energy security. This transformation of the Indo-Israeli ties would play a key role in the coming years. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: India-Israel relation takes a new turn beyond terrorism

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with his wife Sara today visited the 17th century Mughal monument Taj Mahal.

Netanyahu was received by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the Kheria Airport.

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A lot issues especially exchange of technology in agriculture, irrigation, water &amp; waste management in urban areas &amp; other sectors were discussed: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on meeting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu <a href="https://t.co/gA4jfRBRn5">pic.twitter.com/gA4jfRBRn5</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/953264358708015105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He was accorded a traditional welcome by Braj folk artists on his arrival at the airport, the chief minister&#39;s office said on Twitter.

The dignitaries spent some time at Hotel Amar Vilas before leaving for the monument in golf carts.

In view of the Israeli prime minister&#39;s visit, the Taj Mahal remained closed for over two hours for tourists.

The route from the Kheria Airport to the Taj Mahal was sealed and extra security arrangements were made.

According to officials, the visiting dignitary will have lunch at Hotel Amar Vilas before leaving for New Delhi.

Netanyahu arrived here on Sunday on a six-day visit.

The Israeli prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate the third edition of the geo-political conference, &#39;Raisina Dialogue&#39;, in Delhi later today.

He was accorded a traditional welcome by Braj folk artists on his arrival at the airport

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with his wife Sara today visited the 17th century Mughal monument Taj Mahal. Netanyahu was received by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the Kheria Airport. A lot issues especially exchange of technology in agriculture, irrigation, water & waste management in urban areas & other sectors were discussed: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on meeting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu pic.twitter.com/gA4jfRBRn5 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 16, 2018 × He was accorded a traditional welcome by Braj folk artists on his arrival at the airport, the chief minister's office said on Twitter. The dignitaries spent some time at Hotel Amar Vilas before leaving for the monument in golf carts. In view of the Israeli prime minister's visit, the Taj Mahal remained closed for over two hours for tourists. The route from the Kheria Airport to the Taj Mahal was sealed and extra security arrangements were made. According to officials, the visiting dignitary will have lunch at Hotel Amar Vilas before leaving for New Delhi. Netanyahu arrived here on Sunday on a six-day visit. The Israeli prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate the third edition of the geo-political conference, 'Raisina Dialogue', in Delhi later today.

Isreali PM Netanyahu, wife visit Taj Mahal, received by Yogi Adityanath

As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visits<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/teen-murti-chowk-to-be-officially-renamed-after-israeli-city-today-29453"> India, New Delhi&#39;s historic Teen Murti chowk </a>has officially been named as Teen Murti Haifa chowk.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/the-battle-of-haifa-indias-forgotten-soldiers-336#photo-21590">The battle of Haifa largely forgotten in India</a> involved Indian troops who fought the German and the Ottoman Empire troops at&nbsp;Haifa, a strategic supply base. In a series of battles, the allied troops attacked the port to liberate it on 23rd September, 1918.

India&#39;s 61st cavalry of the Indian Army celebrates 23rd September as &quot;Haifa Day&quot;. It was widely regarded as the last successful cavalry charge of the Indian army.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/the-battle-of-haifa-indias-forgotten-soldiers-336">In Pics:&nbsp;See how battle of Haifa was won</a>

PM Modi during his visit to Israel last year in July&nbsp;had paid homage to 44 Indian soldiers who had died fighting the Germans and Ottoman Empire troops at Haifa.

The battle is a testimony to the important role played by the Indians in World War-I.

During the battle, the 15the Indian service cavalry brigade composed of Indian cavalry units laid siege on the fortified port city of Haifa. The Indian units drawn from the cavalry of India&#39;s princely states of Jodhpur Lancers led the charge at Haifa, they were amply supported by the Mysore Lancers and Hyderabad Lancers.

The Ottoman and German commanders defending the port were armed with the heavy artillery and machine guns, the Mysore Lancers attacked the Austrian battery of light field guns which was stationed at the back of Haifa, cutting off reinforcements.

The Jodhpur Lancers charge was directed head-on at the Ottoman artillery which was made difficult due to the quicksand at the river alongside Haifa. &nbsp;The brave Indian-mounted units through smart manoeuvering managed to capture 30 prisoners and two machine guns and significantly&nbsp;opened an access route to Haifa.

At the end of the battle, the Indian cavalry lancers captured 1350 German and Ottoman soldiers and 17 heavy artillery guns and marched victoriously to Haifa.

The battle of Haifa largely forgotten in India involved Indian troops who fought the German and the Ottoman Empire troops at Haifa

As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visits India, New Delhi's historic Teen Murti chowk has officially been named as Teen Murti Haifa chowk. The battle of Haifa largely forgotten in India involved Indian troops who fought the German and the Ottoman Empire troops at Haifa, a strategic supply base. In a series of battles, the allied troops attacked the port to liberate it on 23rd September, 1918. India's 61st cavalry of the Indian Army celebrates 23rd September as "Haifa Day". It was widely regarded as the last successful cavalry charge of the Indian army. In Pics: See how battle of Haifa was won PM Modi during his visit to Israel last year in July had paid homage to 44 Indian soldiers who had died fighting the Germans and Ottoman Empire troops at Haifa. The battle is a testimony to the important role played by the Indians in World War-I. During the battle, the 15the Indian service cavalry brigade composed of Indian cavalry units laid siege on the fortified port city of Haifa. The Indian units drawn from the cavalry of India's princely states of Jodhpur Lancers led the charge at Haifa, they were amply supported by the Mysore Lancers and Hyderabad Lancers. The Ottoman and German commanders defending the port were armed with the heavy artillery and machine guns, the Mysore Lancers attacked the Austrian battery of light field guns which was stationed at the back of Haifa, cutting off reinforcements. The Jodhpur Lancers charge was directed head-on at the Ottoman artillery which was made difficult due to the quicksand at the river alongside Haifa. The brave Indian-mounted units through smart manoeuvering managed to capture 30 prisoners and two machine guns and significantly opened an access route to Haifa. At the end of the battle, the Indian cavalry lancers captured 1350 German and Ottoman soldiers and 17 heavy artillery guns and marched victoriously to Haifa.

Battle of Haifa: How Jodhpur, Mysore and Hyderabad Lancers beat the Germans in World War-I

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-un-vote-will-not-affect-ties-netanyahu-on-jerusalem-29519" target="_blank">One negative UN vote will not affect ties with India: Netanyahu on Jerusalem</a>

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on a six-day visit to India, said on Sunday that even though the Jewish state was &quot;disappointed&quot; by India&#39;s vote at the UN against Israel on Jerusalem, one negative vote will not affect ties between the two nations. &quot;Yes, naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forward,&quot; Netanyahu said when asked to comment on India&#39;s vote at UN against the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/im-not-a-racist-i-am-the-least-racist-person-says-trump-29518" target="_blank">&#39;I&#39;m not a racist, I am the least racist person,&#39; says Trump</a>

After he allegedly called immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and nations in Africa belonging to &quot;shithole countries&quot;, US President Trump declared he is not a racist, adding that he is the &quot;least racist person&quot;. The US president was widely condemned for his reported remarks last week by lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum. The president, however, defended himself during a meeting with reporters in Washington declaring that he is the &quot;least racist&quot; person even as debate continued on his alleged vulgar remarks.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bigg-boss-11-tv-star-shilpa-shinde-wins-the-show-29512" target="_blank">Bigg Boss 11: TV star Shilpa Shinde wins the show</a>

Shilpa Shinde was crowned the winner of reality TV series Bigg Boss 11, beating Hina Khan through live voting on Sunday night. A favourite from the beginning, Shilpa&#39;s win was predicted by several media houses as they conducted early polls for their viewers. The show that premiered on October 1 last year, had its finale on Sunday in Lonavala, with Shilpa and Hina competing for the winner&#39;s title. The other two finalists, inmates Vikas Gupta and Puneesh Sharma was evicted due to less number of votes polled for them.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/aziz-ansari-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-after-victim-shares-text-messages-29522" target="_blank">Aziz Ansari accused of sexual misconduct</a>

A New York-based photographer has accused Hollywood actor Aziz Ansari of sexual misconduct after they went on a date last year, reports said. The 23-year-old women claimed that it was a &quot;violating night and a painful one&quot; after the Master of None actor continuously pressured her into having sex. She further stated that the actor ignored her verbal and non-verbal hints and was in hurry all through dinner to get her someplace else.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/plane-skids-off-turkish-runway-on-black-sea-coast-passengers-unhurt-29505" target="_blank">Plane skids off Turkish runway on Black Sea coast, passengers unhurt</a>

A Pegasus Airlines plane skidded off the runway of a Turkish coastal airport and ended up halfway down a steep slope into the Black Sea, causing panic among passengers. The incident happened on Saturday night at Trabzon airport in north-east Turkey. No passengers or crew were hurt, Turkish media reported on Sunday.

One negative UN vote will not affect ties with India: Netanyahu on Jerusalem Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on a six-day visit to India, said on Sunday that even though the Jewish state was "disappointed" by India's vote at the UN against Israel on Jerusalem, one negative vote will not affect ties between the two nations. "Yes, naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forward," Netanyahu said when asked to comment on India's vote at UN against the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. 'I'm not a racist, I am the least racist person,' says Trump After he allegedly called immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and nations in Africa belonging to "shithole countries", US President Trump declared he is not a racist, adding that he is the "least racist person". The US president was widely condemned for his reported remarks last week by lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum. The president, however, defended himself during a meeting with reporters in Washington declaring that he is the "least racist" person even as debate continued on his alleged vulgar remarks. Bigg Boss 11: TV star Shilpa Shinde wins the show Shilpa Shinde was crowned the winner of reality TV series Bigg Boss 11, beating Hina Khan through live voting on Sunday night. A favourite from the beginning, Shilpa's win was predicted by several media houses as they conducted early polls for their viewers. The show that premiered on October 1 last year, had its finale on Sunday in Lonavala, with Shilpa and Hina competing for the winner's title. The other two finalists, inmates Vikas Gupta and Puneesh Sharma was evicted due to less number of votes polled for them. Aziz Ansari accused of sexual misconduct A New York-based photographer has accused Hollywood actor Aziz Ansari of sexual misconduct after they went on a date last year, reports said. The 23-year-old women claimed that it was a "violating night and a painful one" after the Master of None actor continuously pressured her into having sex. She further stated that the actor ignored her verbal and non-verbal hints and was in hurry all through dinner to get her someplace else. Plane skids off Turkish runway on Black Sea coast, passengers unhurt A Pegasus Airlines plane skidded off the runway of a Turkish coastal airport and ended up halfway down a steep slope into the Black Sea, causing panic among passengers. The incident happened on Saturday night at Trabzon airport in north-east Turkey. No passengers or crew were hurt, Turkish media reported on Sunday.

WION morning news brief, January 15, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/israel-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-to-arrive-in-india-today-29448"> six-day visit to India</a>, said on Sunday that even though the Jewish state was &quot;disappointed&quot; by India&#39;s vote at the UN against Israel on Jerusalem, one negative vote will not affect ties between the two nations.

&quot;Yes, naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forward,&quot; Netanyahu said when asked to comment on India&#39;s vote at UN against the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

&quot;I don&#39;t think one vote affects a general trend you can see in many other votes and these visits,&quot; he told a media conclave in an interview.

India and 127 other countries last month voted in the United Nations General Assembly in favour of a resolution opposing the US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The resolution was approved with 127-9 at the UN General Assembly.&nbsp; 
 
The Israeli prime minister also described India-Israel relationship as a &quot;marriage made in heaven&quot; and said he hoped that his visit to India will strengthen cooperation between the two countries in various areas like technology, agriculture and other spheres that are changing the world.

&quot;First of all, there is a special relationship between the two countries, between their people and then between the leaders. The partnership between India and Israel is a marriage made in heaven but consecrated on earth,&quot; Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said PM Modi was a &quot;great leader&quot; and was &quot;impatient to bring future to his people&quot;.

The Israeli prime minister said his country was developing rapidly and is creating industries &quot;out of thin air&quot;.

He said given India&#39;s importance in being a major auto dealer, it would be important for India and Israel to have a good tie-up between car manufacturers.&nbsp;

Asked about his agreement with Modi on counter-terrorism, Netanyahu said the doctrine of counter-terrorism included having the intelligence to prevent it.

&quot;You fight terrorism by fighting it,&quot; Netanyahu said.

&quot;Our defence relationship is quite significant and comprises many things. I think the key word here is defence. We want to defend ourselves, we are not aggressive nations. We are very committed to making sure that none can commit an aggression against the either one of us,&quot; he said. 
 
(With inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that even though the Jewish state was 'disappointed' by India's vote at the UN against Israel on Jerusalem, one negative vote will not affect ties between the two nations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on a six-day visit to India, said on Sunday that even though the Jewish state was "disappointed" by India's vote at the UN against Israel on Jerusalem, one negative vote will not affect ties between the two nations. "Yes, naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forward," Netanyahu said when asked to comment on India's vote at UN against the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "I don't think one vote affects a general trend you can see in many other votes and these visits," he told a media conclave in an interview. India and 127 other countries last month voted in the United Nations General Assembly in favour of a resolution opposing the US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The resolution was approved with 127-9 at the UN General Assembly. The Israeli prime minister also described India-Israel relationship as a "marriage made in heaven" and said he hoped that his visit to India will strengthen cooperation between the two countries in various areas like technology, agriculture and other spheres that are changing the world. "First of all, there is a special relationship between the two countries, between their people and then between the leaders. The partnership between India and Israel is a marriage made in heaven but consecrated on earth," Netanyahu said. Netanyahu said PM Modi was a "great leader" and was "impatient to bring future to his people". The Israeli prime minister said his country was developing rapidly and is creating industries "out of thin air". He said given India's importance in being a major auto dealer, it would be important for India and Israel to have a good tie-up between car manufacturers. Asked about his agreement with Modi on counter-terrorism, Netanyahu said the doctrine of counter-terrorism included having the intelligence to prevent it. "You fight terrorism by fighting it," Netanyahu said. "Our defence relationship is quite significant and comprises many things. I think the key word here is defence. We want to defend ourselves, we are not aggressive nations. We are very committed to making sure that none can commit an aggression against the either one of us," he said. (With inputs from PTI)

One negative UN vote will not affect ties with India: Netanyahu on Jerusalem

In 1924, When Mohammad Iqbal wrote the famous song &ldquo;Sare Jahan Se achcha&rdquo;, he mentioned in one of the stanzas:

&nbsp;

&quot;यूनान मिस्र रोमा, सब मिट गए जहाँ से, बाकि रहा है अब तक नामो निशां हमारा&nbsp;

कुछ बात है की हस्ती मिटती नहीं हमारी, दौरे ज़मां रहा है दुश्मन जहाँ हमारा&quot;

&nbsp;

Which means our enemies have been attacking us for so long but there is something in us which ensured that our existence is still there and not finished like many other civilisations, including Greece, Egypt and Rome.

&nbsp;

When I met some of my Israeli friends a few years back and tried to understand their struggle, I realised that that this line is not only applicable to Indians but also on Jews. When I read out the verse written above to them, one of them was so impressed that he noted it down in his diary. He told that it is written for the Jews who like Indians were repeatedly targeted and once was on the verge of extinction. The brave communities of both countries bounced back and now counted among the top superpowers of the world.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We recognised the country in 1950 but could not make much headway till the end of the twentieth century thanks to the political mindset of our leaders who thought that by supporting Israel they will lose their Muslim vote bank and this jeopardised the relations for many decades.

&nbsp;

Prime Minister Nehru was so much concerned that he did not even allow Israel to open a consulate in Delhi, and permission was given only for a small office in Bombay. India opened its embassy in Tel Aviv as late as in 1992. Since then the relationship is progressing and growing rapidly. Today Indo- Israel partnership has reached the level where India is the biggest importer of military equipment from the Middle Eastern country.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The current visit of Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, is in clear response to the visit of Mr Narendra Modi to their country in July 2017 which was the first ever visit of an Indian prime minister to Israel. Indian prime ministers did not visit one of the superpowers of the world in the 67 years of recognising it. Despite repeated attempts by Israel to establish the relations, our previous governments have been silent on this.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The visit of Mr Netanyahu is important because it is the second visit of an Israeli prime minister to India after 2003 visit of Ariel Sharon.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As we know Mr Benjamin Netanyahu is a former soldier and that too from the elite Special Forces of Israel called Sayaret Matkal. He had multiple battle injuries during his duties and, despite all that, topped his courses at Harvard and then at MIT. He further carried the reputation built by his brother Yoni Netanyahu who was the commander of Operation Entebbe and died during an action.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Interestingly, Benjamin commanded the same Sayaret Matkal Unit years later. He is a fourth time prime minister out of which last three terms have been consecutive since 2009. Being a Special Forces Operative, he is a man of strong will and understands the importance of Indo- Israel relationship well.

&nbsp;

Today a large inventory of India&rsquo;s military equipment comes from Israel which includes almost 80 per cent of its unmanned aerial vehicles, upgradation suites for its aircrafts, anti-aircraft missile systems, high- tech communication and surveillance equipment, Phalcon AWACS and many more.

&nbsp;

The intelligence sharing agreement between the two countries has been there in place since long. RAW and MOSSAD had not only been sharing valuable intelligence but also conducting joint operations at few places.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

So, what is the future of the relationship now?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Both the countries share the long history and represents the two oldest religions of the world. Most of the cultural aspects are also same. And the most important aspect is that both the countries are facing trouble due to radical and fundamentalist Islam. Both saw the worst face of terrorism for long and both country has capabilities and desire to uproot the terrorism from the globe.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Unfortunately, the start of the relationship was quite late. It started during the NDA regime of Mr Vajpayee and flourished after Mr Narendra Modi took over. It was evident from the words of Mr Netanyahu when he received Mr Modi in July 2017 that &ldquo;We have Been waiting for you&rdquo;. The announcement had a ring of truth as previous governments did not understand the importance of the relations.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Israel despite all this, supported us in the wars of 1965, 1971 and during Operation Vijay in 1999 with much needed political support and military aid. Israel has continued to provide us with a reliable alternative to Russia when it comes to defence production. It is helping India develop its own technology in support of the Make in India Campaign. The emerging ties between India and Israel has caused panic among Pakistan and China, while the voices from Middle East countries have been muted.

&nbsp;

The bilateral relationship is based on three crucial areas of cooperation: Defence, trade and politics. In each of these arenas, relationship with Israel is paying rich dividends. While the defence cooperation has reached about 9 billion USD, the trade between the countries has crossed 5 billion USD. The third aspect of political connect was clearly visible when Mr Modi broke the protocol to receive Mr Netanyahu on 14th January 2018.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is expected that the relationship will grow more in the economic and in the educational sector where there are endless opportunities. We have a wide canvas to colour and it depends upon the outlook of the government as to what kind of future it wants. The future of Indo-Israel relationship is bright and shining.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India-Israel relationship will grow more in the economic and in the educational sector where there are endless opportunities.

In 1924, When Mohammad Iqbal wrote the famous song “Sare Jahan Se achcha”, he mentioned in one of the stanzas: "यूनान मिस्र रोमा, सब मिट गए जहाँ से, बाकि रहा है अब तक नामो निशां हमारा कुछ बात है की हस्ती मिटती नहीं हमारी, दौरे ज़मां रहा है दुश्मन जहाँ हमारा" Which means our enemies have been attacking us for so long but there is something in us which ensured that our existence is still there and not finished like many other civilisations, including Greece, Egypt and Rome. When I met some of my Israeli friends a few years back and tried to understand their struggle, I realised that that this line is not only applicable to Indians but also on Jews. When I read out the verse written above to them, one of them was so impressed that he noted it down in his diary. He told that it is written for the Jews who like Indians were repeatedly targeted and once was on the verge of extinction. The brave communities of both countries bounced back and now counted among the top superpowers of the world. We recognised the country in 1950 but could not make much headway till the end of the twentieth century thanks to the political mindset of our leaders who thought that by supporting Israel they will lose their Muslim vote bank and this jeopardised the relations for many decades. Prime Minister Nehru was so much concerned that he did not even allow Israel to open a consulate in Delhi, and permission was given only for a small office in Bombay. India opened its embassy in Tel Aviv as late as in 1992. Since then the relationship is progressing and growing rapidly. Today Indo- Israel partnership has reached the level where India is the biggest importer of military equipment from the Middle Eastern country. The current visit of Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, is in clear response to the visit of Mr Narendra Modi to their country in July 2017 which was the first ever visit of an Indian prime minister to Israel. Indian prime ministers did not visit one of the superpowers of the world in the 67 years of recognising it. Despite repeated attempts by Israel to establish the relations, our previous governments have been silent on this. The visit of Mr Netanyahu is important because it is the second visit of an Israeli prime minister to India after 2003 visit of Ariel Sharon. As we know Mr Benjamin Netanyahu is a former soldier and that too from the elite Special Forces of Israel called Sayaret Matkal. He had multiple battle injuries during his duties and, despite all that, topped his courses at Harvard and then at MIT. He further carried the reputation built by his brother Yoni Netanyahu who was the commander of Operation Entebbe and died during an action. Interestingly, Benjamin commanded the same Sayaret Matkal Unit years later. He is a fourth time prime minister out of which last three terms have been consecutive since 2009. Being a Special Forces Operative, he is a man of strong will and understands the importance of Indo- Israel relationship well. Today a large inventory of India’s military equipment comes from Israel which includes almost 80 per cent of its unmanned aerial vehicles, upgradation suites for its aircrafts, anti-aircraft missile systems, high- tech communication and surveillance equipment, Phalcon AWACS and many more. The intelligence sharing agreement between the two countries has been there in place since long. RAW and MOSSAD had not only been sharing valuable intelligence but also conducting joint operations at few places. So, what is the future of the relationship now? Both the countries share the long history and represents the two oldest religions of the world. Most of the cultural aspects are also same. And the most important aspect is that both the countries are facing trouble due to radical and fundamentalist Islam. Both saw the worst face of terrorism for long and both country has capabilities and desire to uproot the terrorism from the globe. Unfortunately, the start of the relationship was quite late. It started during the NDA regime of Mr Vajpayee and flourished after Mr Narendra Modi took over. It was evident from the words of Mr Netanyahu when he received Mr Modi in July 2017 that “We have Been waiting for you”. The announcement had a ring of truth as previous governments did not understand the importance of the relations. Israel despite all this, supported us in the wars of 1965, 1971 and during Operation Vijay in 1999 with much needed political support and military aid. Israel has continued to provide us with a reliable alternative to Russia when it comes to defence production. It is helping India develop its own technology in support of the Make in India Campaign. The emerging ties between India and Israel has caused panic among Pakistan and China, while the voices from Middle East countries have been muted. The bilateral relationship is based on three crucial areas of cooperation: Defence, trade and politics. In each of these arenas, relationship with Israel is paying rich dividends. While the defence cooperation has reached about 9 billion USD, the trade between the countries has crossed 5 billion USD. The third aspect of political connect was clearly visible when Mr Modi broke the protocol to receive Mr Netanyahu on 14th January 2018. It is expected that the relationship will grow more in the economic and in the educational sector where there are endless opportunities. We have a wide canvas to colour and it depends upon the outlook of the government as to what kind of future it wants. The future of Indo-Israel relationship is bright and shining. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: India and Israel see a new era of brotherhood

The iconic Teen Murti Chowk and Teen Murti Marg on Sunday was renamed after the Israeli city Haifa, following Israel PM Netanyahu&#39;s visit to India.&nbsp;

The Israeli prime minister and PM Narendra Modi headed to the Teen Murti monument in Delhi where they laid a wreath at the monument, commemorating the role of three Indian regiments who fought at the battle of Haifa over a century ago.&nbsp;

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a six-day tour to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/israel-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-to-arrive-in-india-today-29448" target="_blank">Indi</a>a.

The decision of the name change was first announced last year in April, after PM Modi&#39;s visit to Israel.&nbsp;

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had taken the decision in this regard at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.&nbsp;

The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

The brigade carried out the victorious assault on the fortified city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I.

There are various accounts of this battle - all narrate the valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned city protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria-Hungary.&nbsp;

The liberation of Haifa cleared a supply route for the Allies to the city through the sea.

Forty-four Indian soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the city in World War I.

Till date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates September 23 as its Raising Day or &quot;Haifa Day.&quot; 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

The iconic chowk has been renamed Teen Murti Haifa Chowk

The iconic Teen Murti Chowk and Teen Murti Marg on Sunday was renamed after the Israeli city Haifa, following Israel PM Netanyahu's visit to India. The Israeli prime minister and PM Narendra Modi headed to the Teen Murti monument in Delhi where they laid a wreath at the monument, commemorating the role of three Indian regiments who fought at the battle of Haifa over a century ago. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a six-day tour to India. The decision of the name change was first announced last year in April, after PM Modi's visit to Israel. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had taken the decision in this regard at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade. The brigade carried out the victorious assault on the fortified city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I. There are various accounts of this battle - all narrate the valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned city protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria-Hungary. The liberation of Haifa cleared a supply route for the Allies to the city through the sea. Forty-four Indian soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the city in World War I. Till date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates September 23 as its Raising Day or "Haifa Day." (With inputs from PTI)

Delhi's Teen Murti Chowk renamed after Israeli city of Haifa

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called for the closure of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, days after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut Palestinian aid.

Israel has long viewed the UN agency, known as UNRWA, as biased against it, an allegation the agency strongly denies, saying it is only providing necessary services to Palestinians.

Israeli officials also criticise the agency&#39;s method of classifying refugees, with descendants also eligible to register.

&quot;UNRWA is an organisation that perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem,&quot; Netanyahu said at the beginning of his weekly cabinet meeting.

He said that while millions of other refugees around the world were cared for by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Palestinians have their own body which also treats &quot;great-grandchildren of refugees -- who aren&#39;t refugees.&quot;

&quot;This absurd situation must be ended,&quot; Netanyahu said.

In June, Netanyahu said he had raised the issue with Washington&#39;s UN envoy Nikki Haley.

On Wednesday, Trump threatened to cut aid worth more than $300 million annually to the Palestinians in a bid to force them to negotiate.

The United States has long provided the Palestinian Authority with much-needed budgetary support and security assistance, as well as an additional $304 million for UN programmes in the West Bank and Gaza.

A Friday report on Israeli Channel 10 television said the US had frozen a payment due to UNRWA, but a spokesman for the UN organisation said on Saturday that they &quot;have not been informed directly of a formal decision either way by the US administration.&quot;

UNRWA runs hundreds of schools for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

It also distributes aid and provides teacher training centres, health clinics and social services.

Many analysts, including Israelis, warn that closing the agency without having an effective replacement could lead to further poverty and perhaps violence.

&quot;While UNRWA is far from perfect, the Israeli defence establishment, and the Israeli government as a whole, have over the years come to the understanding that all the alternatives are worse for Israel,&quot; Peter Lerner, a former spokesman for the Israeli military, wrote in an opinion piece in Haaretz newspaper last week.

&quot;In an extreme situation, the administration of those refugees could fall on Israel&#39;s shoulders.&quot;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Israel has long viewed the UN agency, known as UNRWA, as biased against it, an allegation the agency strongly denies, saying it is only providing necessary services to Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called for the closure of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, days after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut Palestinian aid. Israel has long viewed the UN agency, known as UNRWA, as biased against it, an allegation the agency strongly denies, saying it is only providing necessary services to Palestinians. Israeli officials also criticise the agency's method of classifying refugees, with descendants also eligible to register. "UNRWA is an organisation that perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem," Netanyahu said at the beginning of his weekly cabinet meeting. He said that while millions of other refugees around the world were cared for by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Palestinians have their own body which also treats "great-grandchildren of refugees -- who aren't refugees." "This absurd situation must be ended," Netanyahu said. In June, Netanyahu said he had raised the issue with Washington's UN envoy Nikki Haley. On Wednesday, Trump threatened to cut aid worth more than $300 million annually to the Palestinians in a bid to force them to negotiate. The United States has long provided the Palestinian Authority with much-needed budgetary support and security assistance, as well as an additional $304 million for UN programmes in the West Bank and Gaza. A Friday report on Israeli Channel 10 television said the US had frozen a payment due to UNRWA, but a spokesman for the UN organisation said on Saturday that they "have not been informed directly of a formal decision either way by the US administration." UNRWA runs hundreds of schools for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. It also distributes aid and provides teacher training centres, health clinics and social services. Many analysts, including Israelis, warn that closing the agency without having an effective replacement could lead to further poverty and perhaps violence. "While UNRWA is far from perfect, the Israeli defence establishment, and the Israeli government as a whole, have over the years come to the understanding that all the alternatives are worse for Israel," Peter Lerner, a former spokesman for the Israeli military, wrote in an opinion piece in Haaretz newspaper last week. "In an extreme situation, the administration of those refugees could fall on Israel's shoulders."

Netanyahu calls for closure of UN Palestinian refugee agency

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Iranian anti-government protesters on Monday, while denying as &quot;laughable&quot; Tehran&#39;s apparent accusations that Israel was behind the demonstrations.

Five days of protests in Iran have posed the boldest challenge to its clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009. At least ten people have been reported killed as some confrontations with police turned violent.

&quot;I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom,&quot; Netanyahu said in a video posted on his Facebook page.

&quot;Brave Iranians are pouring into the streets. They seek freedom. They seek justice. They seek the basic liberties that have been denied them for decades. Iran&#39;s cruel regime wastes tens of billions of dollars spreading hate,&quot; he said in remarks that echoed similar praise from U.S. President Donald Trump.

On Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quoted by state media as apparently blaming Iran&#39;s arch enemies, the United States and Israel, for provoking unrest.

&quot;Our success in the political arena against the United States and the Zionist regime was unbearable to (Iran&#39;s enemies). Iran&#39;s success in the region was unbearable to them. Don&#39;t you expect that they would seek revenge? Don&rsquo;t you think they would provoke some people?&quot; Rouhani was quoted as saying in a meeting with lawmakers.

Netanyahu said Rouhani&#39;s suggestion that Israel was involved was &quot;not only false -- it&#39;s laughable&quot;.

Netanyahu added that more Western countries should condemn Tehran for trying to put down the protests.

&quot;Sadly many European governments watch in silence as young heroic Iranians are beaten in the streets. That&#39;s just not right. And I, for one, will not stay silent,&quot; he said.

On Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quoted by state media as apparently blaming Iran's arch enemies, the United States and Israel, for provoking unrest

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Iranian anti-government protesters on Monday, while denying as "laughable" Tehran's apparent accusations that Israel was behind the demonstrations. Five days of protests in Iran have posed the boldest challenge to its clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009. At least ten people have been reported killed as some confrontations with police turned violent. "I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom," Netanyahu said in a video posted on his Facebook page. "Brave Iranians are pouring into the streets. They seek freedom. They seek justice. They seek the basic liberties that have been denied them for decades. Iran's cruel regime wastes tens of billions of dollars spreading hate," he said in remarks that echoed similar praise from U.S. President Donald Trump. On Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quoted by state media as apparently blaming Iran's arch enemies, the United States and Israel, for provoking unrest. "Our success in the political arena against the United States and the Zionist regime was unbearable to (Iran's enemies). Iran's success in the region was unbearable to them. Don't you expect that they would seek revenge? Don’t you think they would provoke some people?" Rouhani was quoted as saying in a meeting with lawmakers. Netanyahu said Rouhani's suggestion that Israel was involved was "not only false -- it's laughable". Netanyahu added that more Western countries should condemn Tehran for trying to put down the protests. "Sadly many European governments watch in silence as young heroic Iranians are beaten in the streets. That's just not right. And I, for one, will not stay silent," he said.

Netanyahu wishes success to Iran protesters, denies Israeli involvement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Guatemala with a &quot;God bless you&quot;&nbsp;on Monday&nbsp;for deciding to move its embassy to Jerusalem, while the Palestinians said the Central American country was &quot;on the wrong side of history&quot;.

In an official Facebook post&nbsp;on Sunday, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said he had chosen to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv - siding with the United States in a dispute over Jerusalem&#39;s status - after talking to Netanyahu.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Dec. 6, reversing decades of U.S. policy and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies.

On Thursday, 128 countries rebuked Trump by backing a non-binding UN&nbsp;General Assembly resolution calling on the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem.

&quot;God bless you, my friend, President Jimmy Morales, God bless both our countries, Israel and Guatemala,&quot; Netanyahu said, switching to English, in remarks to a weekly meeting of his Likud party faction in parliament.

Guatemala and neighbouring Honduras were two of only a handful of countries to join Israel and the United States, which has pledged to move its embassy to Jerusalem, in voting against the U.N. resolution.

The United States is an important source of assistance to Guatemala and Honduras, and Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that supported the U.N. resolution.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a state they want to establish in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki as saying that Morales was &quot;dragging his country to the wrong side of history by committing a flagrant violation of international law&quot;.

Prior to 1980, Guatemala - along with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, The Netherlands, Panama, Venezuela and Uruguay - maintained an embassy in Jerusalem.

Israel&#39;s passage in June 1980 of a law proclaiming Jerusalem its &quot;indivisible and eternal capital&quot; led to a UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution calling upon those countries to move their embassies to Tel Aviv, prompting their transfer.

Israel&#39;s ambassador to Guatemala, Matty Cohen, said on Army Radio that no date had been set for the embassy move, &quot;but it will happen after&quot; the United States relocates its own embassy to Jerusalem. US&nbsp;officials have said that move could take at least two years.

In an official Facebook post on Sunday, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said he had chosen to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv - siding with the United States in a dispute over Jerusalem's status - after talking to Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Guatemala with a "God bless you" on Monday for deciding to move its embassy to Jerusalem, while the Palestinians said the Central American country was "on the wrong side of history". In an official Facebook post on Sunday, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said he had chosen to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv - siding with the United States in a dispute over Jerusalem's status - after talking to Netanyahu. US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Dec. 6, reversing decades of U.S. policy and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies. On Thursday, 128 countries rebuked Trump by backing a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution calling on the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem. "God bless you, my friend, President Jimmy Morales, God bless both our countries, Israel and Guatemala," Netanyahu said, switching to English, in remarks to a weekly meeting of his Likud party faction in parliament. Guatemala and neighbouring Honduras were two of only a handful of countries to join Israel and the United States, which has pledged to move its embassy to Jerusalem, in voting against the U.N. resolution. The United States is an important source of assistance to Guatemala and Honduras, and Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that supported the U.N. resolution. The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a state they want to establish in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki as saying that Morales was "dragging his country to the wrong side of history by committing a flagrant violation of international law". Prior to 1980, Guatemala - along with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, The Netherlands, Panama, Venezuela and Uruguay - maintained an embassy in Jerusalem. Israel's passage in June 1980 of a law proclaiming Jerusalem its "indivisible and eternal capital" led to a UN Security Council resolution calling upon those countries to move their embassies to Tel Aviv, prompting their transfer. Israel's ambassador to Guatemala, Matty Cohen, said on Army Radio that no date had been set for the embassy move, "but it will happen after" the United States relocates its own embassy to Jerusalem. US officials have said that move could take at least two years.

'God bless you', Netanyahu tells Guatemalan president over Jerusalem embassy move

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to play tour guide to Christian pilgrims on Sunday in a message relayed from Jerusalem, whose recognition as Israel&#39;s capital by US President Donald Trump has split global Christian opinion.

A Christmas Eve video on Twitter showed Netanyahu against the backdrop of East Jerusalem, an area laden with Jewish, Christian and Muslim shrines that Israel captured in a 1967 war and which Palestinians want as their own future capital.

In the message, titled &quot;Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel!&quot; he described Israel as a haven for its 2 percent Christian minority because, he said, &quot;We protect the rights of everyone to worship in the holy sites behind me.&quot;

Netanyahu named several Christian pilgrimage sites in Israel - including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem&#39;s Old City - which would take visitors &quot;in the footsteps of Jesus and the origin of our Judeo-Christian heritage.&quot;

&quot;For those of you who come to Israel, I&#39;m going to take a guided tour. In fact, I&#39;ll be your guide on this guided tour,&quot; Netanyahu said. This would happen Christmas next year he said, without going into the logistics.

Trump&#39;s December 6 announcement on Jerusalem reversed decades of US policy on leaving the city&#39;s status to Israeli-Palestinian negotiation. The move angered Muslims and was rejected by most world powers.

US evangelicals who see God&#39;s hand in the modern-day return of Jews to a biblical homeland were buoyed. But Pope Francis called for the status quo in the city to be respected, and several other Christian denominations were opposed.

&quot;The international consensus strengthens our cause and imbues our people with steadfastness,&quot; Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah said at a ceremony in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, traditional site of Jesus&#39; birth.

East Jerusalem, Hamdallah said, &quot;is a Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Christian city, and there will be no Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital, and without this there will be no peace in the region nor in the whole world.&quot;

In the message, titled 'Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel!', the Israeli PM described Israel as a haven for its 2 percent Christian minority

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to play tour guide to Christian pilgrims on Sunday in a message relayed from Jerusalem, whose recognition as Israel's capital by US President Donald Trump has split global Christian opinion. A Christmas Eve video on Twitter showed Netanyahu against the backdrop of East Jerusalem, an area laden with Jewish, Christian and Muslim shrines that Israel captured in a 1967 war and which Palestinians want as their own future capital. In the message, titled "Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel!" he described Israel as a haven for its 2 percent Christian minority because, he said, "We protect the rights of everyone to worship in the holy sites behind me." Netanyahu named several Christian pilgrimage sites in Israel - including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem's Old City - which would take visitors "in the footsteps of Jesus and the origin of our Judeo-Christian heritage." "For those of you who come to Israel, I'm going to take a guided tour. In fact, I'll be your guide on this guided tour," Netanyahu said. This would happen Christmas next year he said, without going into the logistics. Trump's December 6 announcement on Jerusalem reversed decades of US policy on leaving the city's status to Israeli-Palestinian negotiation. The move angered Muslims and was rejected by most world powers. US evangelicals who see God's hand in the modern-day return of Jews to a biblical homeland were buoyed. But Pope Francis called for the status quo in the city to be respected, and several other Christian denominations were opposed. "The international consensus strengthens our cause and imbues our people with steadfastness," Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah said at a ceremony in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, traditional site of Jesus' birth. East Jerusalem, Hamdallah said, "is a Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Christian city, and there will be no Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital, and without this there will be no peace in the region nor in the whole world."

From Jerusalem, Netanyahu offers Christians personal tours of Israel

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pak-tightens-security-ahead-of-jadhavs-meeting-with-family-27648">Kulbhushan Jadhav meets wife, mother at Pakistan Foreign Affairs ministry</a>

Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met his mother and wife at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad for 45 minutes today.

Pakistan confirmed Mr Jadhav&#39;s meeting with family was a &quot;humanitarian&quot; one and did not constitute &quot;consular access&quot;, a request India has repeatedly made.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/inaugurating-delhi-metros-magenta-line-pm-modi-asks-people-to-use-public-transport-save-fuel-costs-27667">Delhi Metro&#39;s Magenta Line inauguration: PM Modi asks people to use public transport &amp; save fuel costs</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday advocated the use of public transport to save on fuel and costs associated with the import of petroleum, saying travelling on a metro train should be a &quot;prestige issue&quot;.

Addressing a rally after inaugurating a 12-km stretch of Delhi Metro&#39;s Magenta Line, PM Modi said governments incur a lot of cost in creating infrastructure but when it is ready it benefits generations to come.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rk-nagar-bypoll-loss-aiadmk-removes-9-office-bearers-27657">RK Nagar </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rk-nagar-bypoll-loss-aiadmk-removes-9-office-bearers-27657">bypoll</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rk-nagar-bypoll-loss-aiadmk-removes-9-office-bearers-27657"> loss: AIADMK removes 9 office bearers</a>

The loss in RK Nagar bypoll - late chief minister Jayalalithaa&#39;s constituency - has not gone down well with her party, the AIADMK.

The party on Monday removed S Vetrivel, Thanga Tamil Selvan, Rangaswamy, Muththaiya, VP Kalairajan, Va Pugazhenthi, Nanchil Sampath, CR Saraswathi and Sholinghur Parthiban after a high-level committee meeting. The meeting was called to discuss party&#39;s performance in RK Nagar bypoll in which VK Sasikala&#39;s nephew TTV Dhinakaran emerged victorious.

These nine office-bearers were removed as they were supporting Dhinakaran, sources said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/from-jerusalem-netanyahu-offers-christians-personal-tours-of-israel-27677">From Jerusalem, Netanyahu offers Christians personal tours of Israel</a>

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to play tour guide to Christian pilgrims on Sunday in a message relayed from Jerusalem, whose recognition as Israel&#39;s capital by US President Donald Trump has split global Christian opinion.

A Christmas Eve video on Twitter showed Netanyahu against the backdrop of East Jerusalem, an area laden with Jewish, Christian and Muslim shrines that Israel captured in a 1967 war and which Palestinians want as their own future capital.

In the message, titled &quot;Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel!&quot; he described Israel as a haven for its 2 percent Christian minority because, he said, &quot;We protect the rights of everyone to worship in the holy sites behind me.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-tiger-zinda-hai-earns-rs-1149-crores-within-three-days-of-its-release-smashes-records-27661">Tiger Zinda Hai earns Rs 114.9 crores within three days of its release; smashes records</a>

2017 was a year when most big-budget films failed to create an impact at the Box Office. It was also a year where smaller-budget, content-driven films made more impact with filmgoers. Barring &quot;Baahubali 2&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;Golmaal&quot;, no other film was a stupendous success commercially. Until Salman Khan&#39;s film, &quot;Tiger Zinda Hai&quot;&nbsp;released.&nbsp;

Within three days of its release, the film has entered the esteemed Rs 100 crore club and has earned Rs 114.9 crores.&nbsp;

Kulbhushan Jadhav meets wife, mother at Pakistan Foreign Affairs ministry Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met his mother and wife at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad for 45 minutes today. Pakistan confirmed Mr Jadhav's meeting with family was a "humanitarian" one and did not constitute "consular access", a request India has repeatedly made. Delhi Metro's Magenta Line inauguration: PM Modi asks people to use public transport & save fuel costs Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday advocated the use of public transport to save on fuel and costs associated with the import of petroleum, saying travelling on a metro train should be a "prestige issue". Addressing a rally after inaugurating a 12-km stretch of Delhi Metro's Magenta Line, PM Modi said governments incur a lot of cost in creating infrastructure but when it is ready it benefits generations to come. RK Nagar bypoll loss: AIADMK removes 9 office bearers The loss in RK Nagar bypoll - late chief minister Jayalalithaa's constituency - has not gone down well with her party, the AIADMK. The party on Monday removed S Vetrivel, Thanga Tamil Selvan, Rangaswamy, Muththaiya, VP Kalairajan, Va Pugazhenthi, Nanchil Sampath, CR Saraswathi and Sholinghur Parthiban after a high-level committee meeting. The meeting was called to discuss party's performance in RK Nagar bypoll in which VK Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran emerged victorious. These nine office-bearers were removed as they were supporting Dhinakaran, sources said. From Jerusalem, Netanyahu offers Christians personal tours of Israel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to play tour guide to Christian pilgrims on Sunday in a message relayed from Jerusalem, whose recognition as Israel's capital by US President Donald Trump has split global Christian opinion. A Christmas Eve video on Twitter showed Netanyahu against the backdrop of East Jerusalem, an area laden with Jewish, Christian and Muslim shrines that Israel captured in a 1967 war and which Palestinians want as their own future capital. In the message, titled "Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel!" he described Israel as a haven for its 2 percent Christian minority because, he said, "We protect the rights of everyone to worship in the holy sites behind me." Tiger Zinda Hai earns Rs 114.9 crores within three days of its release; smashes records 2017 was a year when most big-budget films failed to create an impact at the Box Office. It was also a year where smaller-budget, content-driven films made more impact with filmgoers. Barring "Baahubali 2" and "Golmaal", no other film was a stupendous success commercially. Until Salman Khan's film, "Tiger Zinda Hai" released. Within three days of its release, the film has entered the esteemed Rs 100 crore club and has earned Rs 114.9 crores.

WION evening news brief, December 25, 2017

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-128-9-to-reject-trump-decision-on-jerusalem-27409">As 128 nations defied the Trump</a> administration and approved a motion rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, Israel&#39;s envoy to the United Nations said no&nbsp;General Assembly resolution &quot;will ever drive us from Jerusalem&quot;.

Israel&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-on-jerusalem-after-trump-warns-were-watching-27403">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu </a>blasted the UN move, saying: &quot;Israel completely rejects this preposterous resolution. Jerusalem is our capital, always was, always will be.&quot;

&quot;But I do appreciate the fact that a growing number of countries refused to participate in this theatre of the absurd. So I appreciate it,&quot; &nbsp;Netanyahu added.

US ambassador Nikki Haley slammed the UN members asserting &quot;the United States will remember this day&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;This vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN,&quot; Haley told the UN General Assembly.

Majority of 193 members rejected the UN move to recognize Jerusalem despite President Trump&#39;s threat to cut financial ties with member countries against the US move. There were 35 countries which abstained from voting.

Senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO) Hanan Ashrawi backing the UN move said: &quot;I am extremely encouraged that the vast majority of member states at the UN General Assembly did not succumb to American threats and blackmail.&quot;

&quot;128 countries told the US and Israel that what they are doing is wrong and unacceptable and they voted for Jerusalem, they did not accept the Israeli insults being hurled at them,&quot; Ashrawi said.

Ashrawi added that&nbsp;her organization will now pursue full UN membership including in other international organizations.

Guatemala, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo backed the US move, while Australia, Bhutan, Canada, Poland including Romania, Panama and several other countries abstained from voting.

Guatemala, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo backed the US move

As 128 nations defied the Trump administration and approved a motion rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Israel's envoy to the United Nations said no General Assembly resolution "will ever drive us from Jerusalem". Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the UN move, saying: "Israel completely rejects this preposterous resolution. Jerusalem is our capital, always was, always will be." "But I do appreciate the fact that a growing number of countries refused to participate in this theatre of the absurd. So I appreciate it," Netanyahu added. US ambassador Nikki Haley slammed the UN members asserting "the United States will remember this day". "This vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN," Haley told the UN General Assembly. Majority of 193 members rejected the UN move to recognize Jerusalem despite President Trump's threat to cut financial ties with member countries against the US move. There were 35 countries which abstained from voting. Senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO) Hanan Ashrawi backing the UN move said: "I am extremely encouraged that the vast majority of member states at the UN General Assembly did not succumb to American threats and blackmail." "128 countries told the US and Israel that what they are doing is wrong and unacceptable and they voted for Jerusalem, they did not accept the Israeli insults being hurled at them," Ashrawi said. Ashrawi added that her organization will now pursue full UN membership including in other international organizations. Guatemala, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo backed the US move, while Australia, Bhutan, Canada, Poland including Romania, Panama and several other countries abstained from voting.

No General Assembly resolution will drive us out of Jerusalem: Israel

When it comes to diplomatic ambiguity, India has taken the cake on Jerusalem. Consider the statement from the Ministry of External Affairs -&nbsp;

&quot;India&#39;s position on Palestine is independent and consistent. It is shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country&quot;

What does it tell you about India&#39;s position on Jerusalem? That the position remains what the last official submission said? Or that we have a position but we won&#39;t share it? Or that we&#39;ve spoken because we had to, but we&#39;d rather pretend what&#39;s happening isn&#39;t happening. To put it mildly, it&#39;s unbecoming for a country that hopes to secure a seat at the global high table. Jerusalem is the biggest point of debate in geopolitics today. To dither on it is to squander diplomatic capital.

The crisis should, instead, be made the most of. It&#39;s an opportunity for New Delhi. While Washington has undermined its role as a fair mediator, other players are jumping in. Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin, after having played a decisive role in Syria and touring Turkey and Egypt, is being seen as a strong contender willing to get his hands dirty. He is emerging as the strongest outsider in this region with a finger in every pie.

China, earlier this year, sought to play a more prominent role in the region by issuing a four-point proposal on the Palestine conflict. President Xi Jinping offered to invest in industrial parks and solar power plants in Palestine. China already has substantial investments in Israel and would have been a defence partner too, had it not been for American roadblocks. Beijing also came up with a strongly worded response to Trump&#39;s decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel, saying it will potentially flare up regional tensions. It is taking a stand.

France&#39;s Macron has been showing increasing interest in West Asia. He visited Saudi Arabia and invited Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri to his country. He told Israeli PM Netanyahu that Trump&#39;s moves are a threat to regional stability. Even Singapore has spoken out against unilateral decisions that might impede the peace process.

India, in contrast, remains conspicuous by its vague response. It&#39;s a pity because India is also the best poised to play a more substantial role. The Palestinians trust India, the first non-Arab country to have recognised the PLO&#39;s authority as &quot;the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.&quot; Isreal calls India a strategic partner and a lot of other things that made headlines this summer when Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Tel Aviv.

The bilateral defence cooperation is worth billions&nbsp;and growing. India has no political stakes in the region and can leverage its good offices with both sides. It is seen favourably by the Arab players and has ties with Iran. In short, it is a neutral player with an international stature and a reputation for being a responsible state.

The current regime in New Delhi made a lot of fuss and lofty pronouncements on doing away with hypocrisy on the Israel-Palestine issue. The Prime Minister then walked the talk by skipping a visit to Ramallah when he went to Israel. It&#39;s time to demonstrate the same position of strength by offering to resuscitate the peace process.

Fears of such a move opening the Pandora&#39;s box on Kashmir are unfounded. Kashmir is not Jerusalem. The conflict is different. The dynamics are different. India has stood firm on the contention that this is a bilateral issue and rightly refused all offers of international mediation. The West Asian players have taken no such position.

India has successfully played a constructive role in the Afghan situation. It is seen as a reliable force in rebuilding the country. It is training the military and police force. It whittled away the chance it had in Myanmar by again taking a myopic view of the Rohingya crisis. Delhi shouldn&#39;t repeat the mistake in Jerusalem. To be recognised as a global leader, it has to demonstrate leadership and the willingness to deal with sticky affairs.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

The current regime in New Delhi made a lot of fuss and lofty pronouncements on doing away with hypocrisy on the Israel-Palestine issue

When it comes to diplomatic ambiguity, India has taken the cake on Jerusalem. Consider the statement from the Ministry of External Affairs - "India's position on Palestine is independent and consistent. It is shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country" What does it tell you about India's position on Jerusalem? That the position remains what the last official submission said? Or that we have a position but we won't share it? Or that we've spoken because we had to, but we'd rather pretend what's happening isn't happening. To put it mildly, it's unbecoming for a country that hopes to secure a seat at the global high table. Jerusalem is the biggest point of debate in geopolitics today. To dither on it is to squander diplomatic capital. The crisis should, instead, be made the most of. It's an opportunity for New Delhi. While Washington has undermined its role as a fair mediator, other players are jumping in. Russia's Vladimir Putin, after having played a decisive role in Syria and touring Turkey and Egypt, is being seen as a strong contender willing to get his hands dirty. He is emerging as the strongest outsider in this region with a finger in every pie. China, earlier this year, sought to play a more prominent role in the region by issuing a four-point proposal on the Palestine conflict. President Xi Jinping offered to invest in industrial parks and solar power plants in Palestine. China already has substantial investments in Israel and would have been a defence partner too, had it not been for American roadblocks. Beijing also came up with a strongly worded response to Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel, saying it will potentially flare up regional tensions. It is taking a stand. France's Macron has been showing increasing interest in West Asia. He visited Saudi Arabia and invited Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri to his country. He told Israeli PM Netanyahu that Trump's moves are a threat to regional stability. Even Singapore has spoken out against unilateral decisions that might impede the peace process. India, in contrast, remains conspicuous by its vague response. It's a pity because India is also the best poised to play a more substantial role. The Palestinians trust India, the first non-Arab country to have recognised the PLO's authority as "the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people." Isreal calls India a strategic partner and a lot of other things that made headlines this summer when Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Tel Aviv. The bilateral defence cooperation is worth billions and growing. India has no political stakes in the region and can leverage its good offices with both sides. It is seen favourably by the Arab players and has ties with Iran. In short, it is a neutral player with an international stature and a reputation for being a responsible state. The current regime in New Delhi made a lot of fuss and lofty pronouncements on doing away with hypocrisy on the Israel-Palestine issue. The Prime Minister then walked the talk by skipping a visit to Ramallah when he went to Israel. It's time to demonstrate the same position of strength by offering to resuscitate the peace process. Fears of such a move opening the Pandora's box on Kashmir are unfounded. Kashmir is not Jerusalem. The conflict is different. The dynamics are different. India has stood firm on the contention that this is a bilateral issue and rightly refused all offers of international mediation. The West Asian players have taken no such position. India has successfully played a constructive role in the Afghan situation. It is seen as a reliable force in rebuilding the country. It is training the military and police force. It whittled away the chance it had in Myanmar by again taking a myopic view of the Rohingya crisis. Delhi shouldn't repeat the mistake in Jerusalem. To be recognised as a global leader, it has to demonstrate leadership and the willingness to deal with sticky affairs. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: India and the Jerusalem crisis, silence isn't always gold

Israeli <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-renews-call-for-wisdom-and-prudence-over-jerusalem-26389">PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit </a>to France said that &#39;&#39;Jerusalem is the capital of Israel&#39;&#39; and it has been the &quot;capital for 3,000 years&quot;.

&quot;Where else is <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israels-netanyahu-says-wont-take-lectures-from-turkeys-erdogan-26395">the capital of Israel but in Jerusalem? Where</a> is our Knesset, our parliament, where&#39;s our supreme court, the seat of our government, the prime minister&#39;s office, the president&#39;s office?, Netanyahu asked, adding,&quot;It&#39;s not in Beersheba, it&#39;s not in Ashdod, these are wonderful cities but it&#39;s in Jerusalem, it&#39;s always been our capital and Jerusalem has never been the capital of any other people.&quot;

&quot;I think the sooner the Palestinians come to grips with this reality, the sooner we&#39;ll move towards peace,&quot; he added.

&quot;I have offered continuously to (Palestinian President) Mr (Mahmoud) Abbas to sit down and negotiate peace. I do so again,&quot; the Isreali PM said.&nbsp;

This is the first time Netanyahu has declared his views in front of another head of state. Speaking to reporters in Paris, President Macron, however, sought to strike a balance saying: &quot;I would tell Netanyahu, give a chance to peace and make a gesture towards the Palestinians.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Peace doesn&#39;t depend on the United States on one side, on France on its own. It depends on the ability of the two leaders, Israeli and Palestinian, to make it happen,&quot; Macron added.

Meanwhile, violence continued in the Middle East over US President Trump&#39;s announcement to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli security guard at Jerusalem&#39;s main bus station. Elsewhere, &nbsp;violence flared near the US Embassy in Beirut as demonstrators openly set torched the &nbsp;US and Israeli flags.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan said the US move &quot;could throw a lifebuoy to terrorist and armed groups, which have begun to lose ground&quot; in the Middle East.

President Macron said that he had told PM Netanyahu that France &quot;disapproved&quot; of the recent declaration by the president of the United States on Jerusalem, adding that it ran &quot;contrary to international law&quot; and was &quot;dangerous for peace&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Dangerous for peace because it doesn&#39;t seem in the short term to benefit the cause of security, including for the Israelis themselves,&quot; Macron asserted.

When asked about discontent across the region over Trump&#39;s decision, including harsh criticism from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Netanyahu said he would not be given &quot;morality lectures&quot; by Erdogan.

 
<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MXDDOlLLitc" width="560"></iframe> 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

President Macron said that he had told PM Netanyahu that France "disapproved" of the recent declaration by the president of the United States on Jerusalem

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to France said that ''Jerusalem is the capital of Israel'' and it has been the "capital for 3,000 years". "Where else is the capital of Israel but in Jerusalem? Where is our Knesset, our parliament, where's our supreme court, the seat of our government, the prime minister's office, the president's office?, Netanyahu asked, adding,"It's not in Beersheba, it's not in Ashdod, these are wonderful cities but it's in Jerusalem, it's always been our capital and Jerusalem has never been the capital of any other people." "I think the sooner the Palestinians come to grips with this reality, the sooner we'll move towards peace," he added. "I have offered continuously to (Palestinian President) Mr (Mahmoud) Abbas to sit down and negotiate peace. I do so again," the Isreali PM said. This is the first time Netanyahu has declared his views in front of another head of state. Speaking to reporters in Paris, President Macron, however, sought to strike a balance saying: "I would tell Netanyahu, give a chance to peace and make a gesture towards the Palestinians." "Peace doesn't depend on the United States on one side, on France on its own. It depends on the ability of the two leaders, Israeli and Palestinian, to make it happen," Macron added. Meanwhile, violence continued in the Middle East over US President Trump's announcement to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli security guard at Jerusalem's main bus station. Elsewhere, violence flared near the US Embassy in Beirut as demonstrators openly set torched the US and Israeli flags. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan said the US move "could throw a lifebuoy to terrorist and armed groups, which have begun to lose ground" in the Middle East. President Macron said that he had told PM Netanyahu that France "disapproved" of the recent declaration by the president of the United States on Jerusalem, adding that it ran "contrary to international law" and was "dangerous for peace". "Dangerous for peace because it doesn't seem in the short term to benefit the cause of security, including for the Israelis themselves," Macron asserted. When asked about discontent across the region over Trump's decision, including harsh criticism from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Netanyahu said he would not be given "morality lectures" by Erdogan.

Sooner Palestinians come to grips with reality, we can move towards peace: Israeli PM Netanyahu

PM Justin Trudeau said<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-after-trumps-jerusalem-announcement-palestinians-clash-with-israeli-forces-in-west-bank-26156"> today Canada won&#39;t be moving its embassy</a> from Tel Aviv even as US President Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

&quot;We will not be moving Canada&#39;s embassy from Tel Aviv,&quot; Trudeau said.

Israeli PM Benjamin<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-now-palestinians-bring-down-trumps-mural-in-bethlehem-26148"> Netanyahu said many would </a>follow the United States, adding that contacts were underway, Reuters reported. However, he did not name the countries.

&quot;President Trump has immortalized himself in the chronicles of our capital. His name will now be held aloft, alongside other names connected to the glorious history of Jerusalem and of our people,&quot; Netanyahu said.

The United Nations Security Council is likely to meet on Friday to discuss the US decision as most countries including US allies Britain, France and Germany spoke out against US move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital&nbsp;of Israel.

The EU&#39;s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said: &quot;The European Union has a clear and united position. We believe the only realistic solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is based on two states and with Jerusalem as the capital of both.&quot;

Protests broke out in Amman in areas inhabited by Palestinian refugees, Istanbul too witnessed protests by Palestinians as several gathered the US consulate.

Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to US President.

&quot;We should call for and we should work on launching an intifada in the face of the Zionist enemy,&quot; Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech in Gaza.

He said Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs should hold rallies against the US decision on Friday, calling it a &quot;day of rage&quot;.&nbsp;

The United Nations Security Council is likely to meet on Friday to discuss the US decision as most countries including Britain, France and Germany spoke out against US move

PM Justin Trudeau said today Canada won't be moving its embassy from Tel Aviv even as US President Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "We will not be moving Canada's embassy from Tel Aviv," Trudeau said. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said many would follow the United States, adding that contacts were underway, Reuters reported. However, he did not name the countries. "President Trump has immortalized himself in the chronicles of our capital. His name will now be held aloft, alongside other names connected to the glorious history of Jerusalem and of our people," Netanyahu said. The United Nations Security Council is likely to meet on Friday to discuss the US decision as most countries including US allies Britain, France and Germany spoke out against US move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said: "The European Union has a clear and united position. We believe the only realistic solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is based on two states and with Jerusalem as the capital of both." Protests broke out in Amman in areas inhabited by Palestinian refugees, Istanbul too witnessed protests by Palestinians as several gathered the US consulate. Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to US President. "We should call for and we should work on launching an intifada in the face of the Zionist enemy," Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech in Gaza. He said Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs should hold rallies against the US decision on Friday, calling it a "day of rage".

Jerusalem as Israel's capital: Several nations would follow US decision, says PM Netanyahu

Every year, at the very end of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and at the end of the Passover Seder, Jews all over the world recite, &ldquo;Next year in Jerusalem.&rdquo; The City, older than Bible, is at the heart and mind of all practising Jews. Jerusalem, more than any other city, stands as the symbol of the &#39;Promised Land&#39; as the Jews survived expulsion by the Romans, slavery in the land of the Pharaohs and the Holocaust in Europe. At the end of the Second World War, many Jewish survivors of Hitler&#39;s concentration camps came back to settle in and around Jerusalem.&nbsp;

For long, the Jewish stakeholders around the world had been trying very hard to gain a recognition for the Holy City as Israel&#39;s capital. But they have faced tough luck so far. Even Israel&#39;s closest ally, the US had been refusing to grant capital status to Jerusalem primarily because of the sensitivity of the matter.&nbsp;

Battle for Jerusalem

Palestinians and Israelis have been fighting over Jerusalem ever since the state of Israel has been established. Israel&rsquo;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has himself asserted that Israel is in the midst of a &ldquo;battle for Jerusalem&rdquo;. While political and religious acrimony over the city has caused much bloodshed among members of both the communities, the lives of the Jerusalem&#39;s citizens have been almost inextricably intertwined.&nbsp;

The primary flashpoint in Jerusalem is the sacred compound in the Old City, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount. The religious topography there is meaningful for the current conflict. Islamic structures stand on the Haram today and are used on a daily basis. The Jewish holy places exist primarily in archaeology and memory. Worship focuses on a remaining fragment of the Second, or Herod&rsquo;s, Temple, known as the Western Wall. A fragile modus vivendi has existed since 1967 that enables Jews to pray below at the Wall and Muslims above on the esplanade.&nbsp;

Such entwined existence is ubiquitous because the two communities, over the ages, have lived there in harmony as well as in discord. So much so that when violence breaks out it has become impossible to spare anyone community from sufferings such attacks entail. In 2014, for instance, when an attack took place in West Jerusalem at a synagogue, killing four Jewish worshippers, it also resulted in the death of Israeli Druze Zidan Saif.&nbsp;

Saif, incidentally, was not an Israeli Jew.&nbsp; He belonged to a distinct branch of Islam whose members often serve in Israel&rsquo;s police or armed forces. Saif&#39;s funeral was attended by the President of Israel and a large number of ultra-orthodox Jews.&nbsp;

My city, your city, our city

President Trump&#39;s announcement in support of making Jerusalem the capital city of Israel will further weaken the fragile balance on which Jerusalem sustains itself. The decision has the potential to embroil the different religious communities in bloody violence. Particularly because just like the Israeli state, in May 2017, the Palestinian group Hamas presented a document that proposed the formation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.&nbsp;

Giving to the demand of one community over the other, particularly when one-third of the population of Jerusalem is actually Muslim, and with a large number of Christians living in the area too, tantamounts to playing with fire. But Trump to fulfill his election promises and to pacify a large number of his orthodox influential voters is ready to let an already volatile region go further the extremist way.&nbsp;

But as Trump does not seem to care, it seems similar dogged determination has taken over supporters of the Zionist cause living in Israel too.&nbsp;Shumel Rosner, an expert in the Israeli politics and Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for instance, writes in the New York Times that the Israelis will not be deterred by threats of violence or by actual violence itself. Indeed as per the words of Rosner, the US declaration in support of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel is a truly Trumansque moment. The author is here referring back to President Truman&#39;s decision to support the partition of Palestine, though the C.I.A. warned the President that &ldquo;armed hostilities between Jews and Arabs will break out if the U.N. General Assembly accepts the plan to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Whose city is it anyway?

Jews, Muslims and Christians all the three communities have very long and intimate association with Jerusalem. For historical reasons, one community might have come before the other, but their histories overlap for a significant stretch of time.

Jews had been praying facing Jerusalem for time immemorial.&nbsp;

It is Jerusalem that matter most to the Christians, more than Bethlehem and Nazareth. This was where Christ preached, ate the Last Supper with his disciples before his death, where he was arrested, put on trial, condemned to death, crucified, and died, a man mocked and tortured by the occupying Romans. It is where, Christians believe, his tomb was found empty and he rose from the dead. Jerusalem, they say, is the &#39;sacred heart&#39; of the Christian story.

Jerusalem&#39;s pivotal place in the religious and political history of Islam is equally undeniable. According to Islamic tradition, the prophet travelled miraculously from Mecca to Jerusalem and then upwards through the seven heavens, culminating in a direct conversation with, and/or vision of, God. Before his ascension, he led all the previous prophets of God, including all the Biblical and Israelite prophets, in prayer. Islamic rule over Jerusalem lasted for 12 centuries, longer than any other rule, whether Israelite, Roman, Persian or Christian.

President Trump should have shown better judgement on the matter. He needed to have shown more nuanced appreciation towards the shared history of the region. But characteristically to his rash and provocative nature, Trump went ahead without heeding the advice of the world community.&nbsp;

We can just hope that Jerusalem in spite of its newfound recognition will continue to be a place of harmony for all peoples. And, instead of being the political capital of nation-state, it will be the emotional center of a multicultural universe. After all, the root meaning of Jerusalem is shalom- a city of peace. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

To fulfill his election promises and to pacify a large number of his orthodox influential voters, Trump is ready to let an already volatile region go further down the extremist way.?

Every year, at the very end of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and at the end of the Passover Seder, Jews all over the world recite, “Next year in Jerusalem.” The City, older than Bible, is at the heart and mind of all practising Jews. Jerusalem, more than any other city, stands as the symbol of the 'Promised Land' as the Jews survived expulsion by the Romans, slavery in the land of the Pharaohs and the Holocaust in Europe. At the end of the Second World War, many Jewish survivors of Hitler's concentration camps came back to settle in and around Jerusalem. For long, the Jewish stakeholders around the world had been trying very hard to gain a recognition for the Holy City as Israel's capital. But they have faced tough luck so far. Even Israel's closest ally, the US had been refusing to grant capital status to Jerusalem primarily because of the sensitivity of the matter. Battle for Jerusalem Palestinians and Israelis have been fighting over Jerusalem ever since the state of Israel has been established. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has himself asserted that Israel is in the midst of a “battle for Jerusalem”. While political and religious acrimony over the city has caused much bloodshed among members of both the communities, the lives of the Jerusalem's citizens have been almost inextricably intertwined. The primary flashpoint in Jerusalem is the sacred compound in the Old City, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount. The religious topography there is meaningful for the current conflict. Islamic structures stand on the Haram today and are used on a daily basis. The Jewish holy places exist primarily in archaeology and memory. Worship focuses on a remaining fragment of the Second, or Herod’s, Temple, known as the Western Wall. A fragile modus vivendi has existed since 1967 that enables Jews to pray below at the Wall and Muslims above on the esplanade. Such entwined existence is ubiquitous because the two communities, over the ages, have lived there in harmony as well as in discord. So much so that when violence breaks out it has become impossible to spare anyone community from sufferings such attacks entail. In 2014, for instance, when an attack took place in West Jerusalem at a synagogue, killing four Jewish worshippers, it also resulted in the death of Israeli Druze Zidan Saif. Saif, incidentally, was not an Israeli Jew. He belonged to a distinct branch of Islam whose members often serve in Israel’s police or armed forces. Saif's funeral was attended by the President of Israel and a large number of ultra-orthodox Jews. My city, your city, our city President Trump's announcement in support of making Jerusalem the capital city of Israel will further weaken the fragile balance on which Jerusalem sustains itself. The decision has the potential to embroil the different religious communities in bloody violence. Particularly because just like the Israeli state, in May 2017, the Palestinian group Hamas presented a document that proposed the formation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Giving to the demand of one community over the other, particularly when one-third of the population of Jerusalem is actually Muslim, and with a large number of Christians living in the area too, tantamounts to playing with fire. But Trump to fulfill his election promises and to pacify a large number of his orthodox influential voters is ready to let an already volatile region go further the extremist way. But as Trump does not seem to care, it seems similar dogged determination has taken over supporters of the Zionist cause living in Israel too. Shumel Rosner, an expert in the Israeli politics and Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for instance, writes in the New York Times that the Israelis will not be deterred by threats of violence or by actual violence itself. Indeed as per the words of Rosner, the US declaration in support of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel is a truly Trumansque moment. The author is here referring back to President Truman's decision to support the partition of Palestine, though the C.I.A. warned the President that “armed hostilities between Jews and Arabs will break out if the U.N. General Assembly accepts the plan to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.” Whose city is it anyway? Jews, Muslims and Christians all the three communities have very long and intimate association with Jerusalem. For historical reasons, one community might have come before the other, but their histories overlap for a significant stretch of time. Jews had been praying facing Jerusalem for time immemorial. It is Jerusalem that matter most to the Christians, more than Bethlehem and Nazareth. This was where Christ preached, ate the Last Supper with his disciples before his death, where he was arrested, put on trial, condemned to death, crucified, and died, a man mocked and tortured by the occupying Romans. It is where, Christians believe, his tomb was found empty and he rose from the dead. Jerusalem, they say, is the 'sacred heart' of the Christian story. Jerusalem's pivotal place in the religious and political history of Islam is equally undeniable. According to Islamic tradition, the prophet travelled miraculously from Mecca to Jerusalem and then upwards through the seven heavens, culminating in a direct conversation with, and/or vision of, God. Before his ascension, he led all the previous prophets of God, including all the Biblical and Israelite prophets, in prayer. Islamic rule over Jerusalem lasted for 12 centuries, longer than any other rule, whether Israelite, Roman, Persian or Christian. President Trump should have shown better judgement on the matter. He needed to have shown more nuanced appreciation towards the shared history of the region. But characteristically to his rash and provocative nature, Trump went ahead without heeding the advice of the world community. We can just hope that Jerusalem in spite of its newfound recognition will continue to be a place of harmony for all peoples. And, instead of being the political capital of nation-state, it will be the emotional center of a multicultural universe. After all, the root meaning of Jerusalem is shalom- a city of peace. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Trump is wrong; Israel alone can't claim Jerusalem

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

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

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

There is an Israel beyond the gunfire

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The White House signalled a sharp break with decades of support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Tuesday, on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s visit to the White House.

A senior White House official said the United States would no longer seek to dictate the terms of any eventual peace settlement&nbsp;but would support what the two sides agree to together.

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<h5>Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict</h5>
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&quot;A two-state solution that doesn&#39;t bring peace is not a goal that anybody wants to achieve,&quot; the official said on condition of anonymity.

&quot;Peace is the goal, whether that comes in the form of a two-state solution if that&#39;s what the parties want, or something else if that&#39;s what the parties want.&quot;

&quot;That&#39;s going to be up to them, we are not going to dictate what the terms of peace are going to be,&quot; said the official.

President Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict.

He has already tapped son-in-law Jared Kushner and lawyer Jason Greenblatt to lead his peace drive.

But major questions remain about how Trump will achieve that goal.

For the better part of half a century, successive US governments -- both Republican and Democrat -- have backed a two-state solution. It was the basis of peace talks at Oslo and Camp David.

But since coming to office in late January, Trump has sought to show that the United States is an unwavering ally of Israel and tried to draw a contrast with the policies of President Barack Obama.

Netanyahu won re-election in 2015 by insisting he would not accept the creation of a Palestinian state, a vow that considerably soured relations with the Obama White House. &nbsp;

Obama often warned that Israeli settlement construction could make a two-state solution impossible&nbsp;and that a one state solution would put the future of the Jewish state in question.

Trump has shied away from criticising Netanyahu&#39;s settlement policies as an impediment to peace, instead offering Israel some scope to build on land already under development.

&quot;The construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal,&quot; the White House said in a statement earlier this month.

Saeb Erakat, a senior Palestinian official, said it was not enough for Trump to say settlements were &quot;unhelpful&quot; but he must order an end to new building.

Friendly visit

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday, dined with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday and after his White House talks with Trump on Wednesday will meet lawmakers.

Aside from winning support for policies that will help him at home, the Israeli leader will also want to get the measure of Trump&#39;s appetite for better relations with Russia.

Trump has signalled his willingness to work with Russia to defeat the Islamic State group in Syria.

That could de facto mean furthering the goals of Russian allies Bashar al-Assad and Iran.

Israel sees Iran and its Lebanese ally the Hezbollah militia as its greatest existential threat, a view shared by the leaders of the main Sunni Arab states of the region.

Dennis Ross, a US diplomat who worked on Middle East policy under both Republican and Democratic administrations, said Netanyahu&#39;s diplomatic goals would at first be modest.

Israel wouldn&#39;t oppose a rapprochement with Moscow in itself&nbsp;but would urge Washington to use this as leverage to push Russia away from Iran.

&quot;What he&#39;d like to see is a distancing of Russia from Iran within Syria, maybe more of a move towards Turkey and less towards Iran in Syria,&quot; Ross told reporters on Monday.

Trump appears to have back-pedaled on a campaign threat to tear up Obama&#39;s Iran nuclear deal, which Israel bitterly opposed, but his administration has &quot;put Iran on notice.&quot;

This appears to mean a more robust stance against military provocations and a determination to impose tough sanctions on Iran&#39;s missile program and covert support for militants.&nbsp;

Observers expect Trump and Netanyahu to get on well in public. Both have much to gain politically from marking a clean break from the Obama years.

But, personal chemistry aside, the pair will only make the relationship a success if it overcomes the disagreement that poisoned ties under Obama.

(AFP)

A senior White House official said the United States would no longer seek to dictate the terms of any eventual peace settlement

The White House signalled a sharp break with decades of support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Tuesday, on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House. A senior White House official said the United States would no longer seek to dictate the terms of any eventual peace settlement but would support what the two sides agree to together. Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict × "A two-state solution that doesn't bring peace is not a goal that anybody wants to achieve," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Peace is the goal, whether that comes in the form of a two-state solution if that's what the parties want, or something else if that's what the parties want." "That's going to be up to them, we are not going to dictate what the terms of peace are going to be," said the official. President Trump hosts Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday and is expected to express his desire to help broker a solution to the conflict. He has already tapped son-in-law Jared Kushner and lawyer Jason Greenblatt to lead his peace drive. But major questions remain about how Trump will achieve that goal. For the better part of half a century, successive US governments -- both Republican and Democrat -- have backed a two-state solution. It was the basis of peace talks at Oslo and Camp David. But since coming to office in late January, Trump has sought to show that the United States is an unwavering ally of Israel and tried to draw a contrast with the policies of President Barack Obama. Netanyahu won re-election in 2015 by insisting he would not accept the creation of a Palestinian state, a vow that considerably soured relations with the Obama White House. Obama often warned that Israeli settlement construction could make a two-state solution impossible and that a one state solution would put the future of the Jewish state in question. Trump has shied away from criticising Netanyahu's settlement policies as an impediment to peace, instead offering Israel some scope to build on land already under development. "The construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal," the White House said in a statement earlier this month. Saeb Erakat, a senior Palestinian official, said it was not enough for Trump to say settlements were "unhelpful" but he must order an end to new building. Friendly visit Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday, dined with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday and after his White House talks with Trump on Wednesday will meet lawmakers. Aside from winning support for policies that will help him at home, the Israeli leader will also want to get the measure of Trump's appetite for better relations with Russia. Trump has signalled his willingness to work with Russia to defeat the Islamic State group in Syria. That could de facto mean furthering the goals of Russian allies Bashar al-Assad and Iran. Israel sees Iran and its Lebanese ally the Hezbollah militia as its greatest existential threat, a view shared by the leaders of the main Sunni Arab states of the region. Dennis Ross, a US diplomat who worked on Middle East policy under both Republican and Democratic administrations, said Netanyahu's diplomatic goals would at first be modest. Israel wouldn't oppose a rapprochement with Moscow in itself but would urge Washington to use this as leverage to push Russia away from Iran. "What he'd like to see is a distancing of Russia from Iran within Syria, maybe more of a move towards Turkey and less towards Iran in Syria," Ross told reporters on Monday. Trump appears to have back-pedaled on a campaign threat to tear up Obama's Iran nuclear deal, which Israel bitterly opposed, but his administration has "put Iran on notice." This appears to mean a more robust stance against military provocations and a determination to impose tough sanctions on Iran's missile program and covert support for militants. Observers expect Trump and Netanyahu to get on well in public. Both have much to gain politically from marking a clean break from the Obama years. But, personal chemistry aside, the pair will only make the relationship a success if it overcomes the disagreement that poisoned ties under Obama. (AFP)

US will no longer insist on two-state solution in Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday dismissed as &quot;futile&quot; an international conference in Paris seeking to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

&quot;The conference convening today in Paris is a futile conference,&quot; he told ministers at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

&quot;It was coordinated between the French and the Palestinians with the aim of imposing upon Israel conditions that are incompatible with our national needs,&quot; he said.

Netanyahu&#39;s government has bitterly opposed the conference, saying only direct talks with the Palestinians can end the long-running conflict.

The Palestinians have welcomed the multilateral approach, saying years of negotiations with the Israelis have not ended the occupation of the West Bank.

The conference is being held without either the Israelis or the Palestinians, but Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will meet French President Francois Hollande in the coming weeks to be briefed on the outcome, French diplomats said.

Netanyahu declined a similar invitation, they said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault formally opened the assembly of foreign ministers and representatives from around 70 countries and international organisations.

&quot;We are here to reiterate strongly that the two-state solution is the only one possible,&quot; Ayrault said.

The conference comes just five days before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed unstinting support for Israel.

Israel fears measures discussed at the conference could be taken to the UN Security Council before Trump takes office.

In a break with previous administrations, Trump has pledged to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and relocate the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Abbas warned Saturday that such a move could &quot;bury the hopes for a two-state solution&quot;.

The city&#39;s status is one of the thorniest issues in the conflict, which is why foreign embassies are currently based in Tel Aviv.

The Palestinians regard Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while Israel proclaims the entire city as its capital.

Hard-line Israeli lawmakers, including some from Netanyahu&#39;s Likud party, have said Trump&#39;s win represents an opportunity to quash the chance of Palestinians obtaining an independent state.

Netanyahu, who says he still supports a two-state solution, appeared in his comments on Sunday to be looking forward to the impending change in the White House.

&quot;This conference is among the last spasms of yesterday&#39;s world,&quot; he said. &quot;Tomorrow will look different and tomorrow is very close.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Israel says only direct talks with the Palestinians can end the long-running conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday dismissed as "futile" an international conference in Paris seeking to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "The conference convening today in Paris is a futile conference," he told ministers at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. "It was coordinated between the French and the Palestinians with the aim of imposing upon Israel conditions that are incompatible with our national needs," he said. Netanyahu's government has bitterly opposed the conference, saying only direct talks with the Palestinians can end the long-running conflict. The Palestinians have welcomed the multilateral approach, saying years of negotiations with the Israelis have not ended the occupation of the West Bank. The conference is being held without either the Israelis or the Palestinians, but Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will meet French President Francois Hollande in the coming weeks to be briefed on the outcome, French diplomats said. Netanyahu declined a similar invitation, they said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault formally opened the assembly of foreign ministers and representatives from around 70 countries and international organisations. "We are here to reiterate strongly that the two-state solution is the only one possible," Ayrault said. The conference comes just five days before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed unstinting support for Israel. Israel fears measures discussed at the conference could be taken to the UN Security Council before Trump takes office. In a break with previous administrations, Trump has pledged to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and relocate the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. Abbas warned Saturday that such a move could "bury the hopes for a two-state solution". The city's status is one of the thorniest issues in the conflict, which is why foreign embassies are currently based in Tel Aviv. The Palestinians regard Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while Israel proclaims the entire city as its capital. Hard-line Israeli lawmakers, including some from Netanyahu's Likud party, have said Trump's win represents an opportunity to quash the chance of Palestinians obtaining an independent state. Netanyahu, who says he still supports a two-state solution, appeared in his comments on Sunday to be looking forward to the impending change in the White House. "This conference is among the last spasms of yesterday's world," he said. "Tomorrow will look different and tomorrow is very close." (AFP)

Israel PM Netanyahu slams 'futile' Paris peace conference

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a pardon for a soldier convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian attacker as he lay on the ground.

Elor Azaria, whose military trial since May has deeply divided Israel, was convicted on Wednesday, with right-wing politicians defending him despite top army brass condemning his actions.

He now faces up to 20 years in prison.

Reacting to the conviction, Netanyahu called for the 20-year-old French-Israeli sergeant to be pardoned.

&quot;This has been a hard and painful day for us all -- first and foremost for Elor and his family,&quot; Netanyahu wrote on Facebook.

&quot;I support giving a pardon to Elor Azaria.&quot;

Netanyahu made waves before the trial even began by calling Azaria&#39;s father to express his sympathy.

President Reuven Rivlin&#39;s office had earlier said any talk of a pardon was premature and that an application could only be made after the judicial process had run its course.

No date has yet been announced for sentencing, and Azaria could then appeal.

Judge Colonel Maya Heller spent more than two and a half hours reading out the court decision, criticising the arguments of Azaria&#39;s lawyers.

On behalf of the three-judge panel, Heller said there was no reason for Azaria to open fire since the Palestinian was posing no threat.

She called his testimony &quot;evolving and evasive&quot;.

&quot;His motive for shooting was that he felt the terrorist deserved to die,&quot; she said.

Azaria had entered the courtroom smiling, applauded by family and supporters.

But he looked shaken as the judge spoke, and after the verdict his mother yelled: &quot;You should be ashamed of yourselves.&quot;

Protests and scuffles

Outside Israel&#39;s military headquarters in Tel Aviv, where the court announced the verdict, dozens of Azaria supporters scuffled with police.

Shabtay Oz, a retired policeman carrying a large Israeli flag, said he never imagined himself joining a demonstration.

&quot;But when I saw a soldier in cuffs after he shot a terrorist... that was the point of no return.&quot;

Right-wing leaders have called for him to be pardoned in an extraordinary public rift between politicians and the military.

Before he became defence minister in May, Avigdor Lieberman was among Azaria&#39;s supporters.

He has since backed away from his earlier stance, saying after the verdict that while he disagreed with the decision, it must be respected.

The March 24 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video and spread widely online.

It showed Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, lying on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after stabbing and wounding a soldier, according to the army.

Azaria then shoots him again in the head without any apparent provocation.

His lawyers argued the soldier may have thought the Palestinian was wearing explosives, but others said he had already been checked for a suicide belt and no one in the video appears to be acting cautiously.

The Palestinian&#39;s father told reporters in Hebron after the verdict that Azaria should be sentenced to life.

&quot;For me, a just verdict will be one that is similar to the verdicts our sons (in Israeli prisons) get,&quot; Yusri al-Sharif said.

Polarised public

The video was filmed by a Palestinian volunteer for Israeli rights group B&#39;Tselem.

&quot;The fact that one soldier was convicted today does not exonerate the Israeli military law enforcement system from its routine whitewashing of cases in which security forces kill or injure Palestinians with no accountability,&quot; B&#39;Tselem said after the verdict.

The case had been portrayed by some as a test of whether Israel&#39;s military could prosecute one of its own, though many Palestinians argued Azaria was only put on trial because of the video.

The military has said it began investigating before the video&#39;s release.

The last time an Israeli soldier was convicted of manslaughter was in 2005, Israeli media reported.

The shooting came against the backdrop of a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October 2015.

Most of the attacks were by lone-wolf assailants, many of them young people. Israel&#39;s military has said it believes a significant number of them were essentially on suicide missions.

The violence has subsided in recent months.

(AFP)

Elor Azaria was convicted for manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian attacker as he lay on the ground

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a pardon for a soldier convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian attacker as he lay on the ground. Elor Azaria, whose military trial since May has deeply divided Israel, was convicted on Wednesday, with right-wing politicians defending him despite top army brass condemning his actions. He now faces up to 20 years in prison. Reacting to the conviction, Netanyahu called for the 20-year-old French-Israeli sergeant to be pardoned. "This has been a hard and painful day for us all -- first and foremost for Elor and his family," Netanyahu wrote on Facebook. "I support giving a pardon to Elor Azaria." Netanyahu made waves before the trial even began by calling Azaria's father to express his sympathy. President Reuven Rivlin's office had earlier said any talk of a pardon was premature and that an application could only be made after the judicial process had run its course. No date has yet been announced for sentencing, and Azaria could then appeal. Judge Colonel Maya Heller spent more than two and a half hours reading out the court decision, criticising the arguments of Azaria's lawyers. On behalf of the three-judge panel, Heller said there was no reason for Azaria to open fire since the Palestinian was posing no threat. She called his testimony "evolving and evasive". "His motive for shooting was that he felt the terrorist deserved to die," she said. Azaria had entered the courtroom smiling, applauded by family and supporters. But he looked shaken as the judge spoke, and after the verdict his mother yelled: "You should be ashamed of yourselves." Protests and scuffles Outside Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv, where the court announced the verdict, dozens of Azaria supporters scuffled with police. Shabtay Oz, a retired policeman carrying a large Israeli flag, said he never imagined himself joining a demonstration. "But when I saw a soldier in cuffs after he shot a terrorist... that was the point of no return." Right-wing leaders have called for him to be pardoned in an extraordinary public rift between politicians and the military. Before he became defence minister in May, Avigdor Lieberman was among Azaria's supporters. He has since backed away from his earlier stance, saying after the verdict that while he disagreed with the decision, it must be respected. The March 24 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video and spread widely online. It showed Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, lying on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after stabbing and wounding a soldier, according to the army. Azaria then shoots him again in the head without any apparent provocation. His lawyers argued the soldier may have thought the Palestinian was wearing explosives, but others said he had already been checked for a suicide belt and no one in the video appears to be acting cautiously. The Palestinian's father told reporters in Hebron after the verdict that Azaria should be sentenced to life. "For me, a just verdict will be one that is similar to the verdicts our sons (in Israeli prisons) get," Yusri al-Sharif said. Polarised public The video was filmed by a Palestinian volunteer for Israeli rights group B'Tselem. "The fact that one soldier was convicted today does not exonerate the Israeli military law enforcement system from its routine whitewashing of cases in which security forces kill or injure Palestinians with no accountability," B'Tselem said after the verdict. The case had been portrayed by some as a test of whether Israel's military could prosecute one of its own, though many Palestinians argued Azaria was only put on trial because of the video. The military has said it began investigating before the video's release. The last time an Israeli soldier was convicted of manslaughter was in 2005, Israeli media reported. The shooting came against the backdrop of a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October 2015. Most of the attacks were by lone-wolf assailants, many of them young people. Israel's military has said it believes a significant number of them were essentially on suicide missions. The violence has subsided in recent months. (AFP)

Israel: Netanyahu urges pardon for soldier who killed Palestinian

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

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

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

Netanyahu turns to Arab peace plan to face new challenges

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