In pictures: Jerusalem experiences rare snowfall

Gaza's top Islamic judge agreed on Tuesday to redraft a court ruling that prohibits women from travel without the permission of a male guardian like a father or husband.&nbsp;

Higher Sharia Council in Islamist Hamas-run Gaza on Sunday imposed restrictions that brought severe criticism from rights group for violating Palestinian laws against gender-based discrimination.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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Protests were also held outside the office of Hassan Jojo, the council's Hamas-appointed chairman, who had signed the edict into law.&nbsp;

"We have agreed to redraft this ruling," Jojo was quoted as saying on Tuesday by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

However, he did not comment on whether the language banning women to travel in the law would be struck off.&nbsp;

Hamas leaders have repeatedly rejected claims of imposing Islamic law on the Gaza strip.

The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) also denounced Sundaý's ruling, calling it violating "women's dignity and rights" and putting them at an "inferior level".&nbsp;

It also underscored that Palestinian laws bar discrimination "on the basis of race, gender, colour, religion, political opinion or disability".

Reham Owda, a Palestinian political analyst and women's&nbsp;rights expert, said the Sunday's ruling could have intended to target a recent increase in the number of women travelling outside the territory for studying or employment opportunities.&nbsp;

"The government in Gaza wanted to limit (travel) and restrict the movement of women who are ambitious from leaving in search of study or jobs, and escape the Israeli blockade," Owda said.

 
&nbsp;

Gaza's top Islamic judge agreed on Tuesday to redraft a court ruling that prohibits women from travel without the permission of a male guardian like a father or husband.

Gaza's top Islamic judge agreed on Tuesday to redraft a court ruling that prohibits women from travel without the permission of a male guardian like a father or husband. Higher Sharia Council in Islamist Hamas-run Gaza on Sunday imposed restrictions that brought severe criticism from rights group for violating Palestinian laws against gender-based discrimination. Watch | Protests were also held outside the office of Hassan Jojo, the council's Hamas-appointed chairman, who had signed the edict into law. "We have agreed to redraft this ruling," Jojo was quoted as saying on Tuesday by news agency Reuters. However, he did not comment on whether the language banning women to travel in the law would be struck off. Hamas leaders have repeatedly rejected claims of imposing Islamic law on the Gaza strip. The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) also denounced Sundaý's ruling, calling it violating "women's dignity and rights" and putting them at an "inferior level". It also underscored that Palestinian laws bar discrimination "on the basis of race, gender, colour, religion, political opinion or disability". Reham Owda, a Palestinian political analyst and women's rights expert, said the Sunday's ruling could have intended to target a recent increase in the number of women travelling outside the territory for studying or employment opportunities. "The government in Gaza wanted to limit (travel) and restrict the movement of women who are ambitious from leaving in search of study or jobs, and escape the Israeli blockade," Owda said.

Gaza judge revises ruling that bars women to travel without male permit

Israel quickly became the world leader in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, but almost all Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank are still waiting for their first doses of the inoculation.

That disparity has set off a roiling debate about Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power in one of the world’s most protracted territorial feuds.

To Israel’s critics, international law obligates Israel to give Palestinians access to vaccines comparable to what it offers its own citizens. But supporters of Israel’s policies contend that the Palestinians assumed responsibility for health services for their population when they signed the Oslo Accords in the 1990s.

While the Palestinians’ glaring vulnerability to the virus lessened somewhat this week — the Palestinian Authority officially launched a vaccination campaign by giving front-line medical workers doses received from Israel — the contrast with Israel remains striking. The disparity also reflects in part the stark inequality in access to vaccines between rich countries like Israel and other areas of the developing world.

The Palestinian vaccine campaign still lags far behind that of Israel, which with a population of about 9.2 million has already inoculated more than 3.3 million people with a first dose. They include a substantial percentage of the roughly 450,000 settlers living alongside Palestinians in the West Bank, who number between 2.5 million and 3 million.

It remains unclear precisely when the roughly 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the blockaded enclave controlled by the militant anti-Israel group Hamas, will begin to receive vaccinations.

For the small number of Palestinian doctors and nurses who received vaccines Wednesday, it was a moment of relief.

“Praise God, I feel great,” said Ayman Abu Daoud, 49, a nurse based in Bethlehem who has been administering coronavirus tests over the past 11 months. “The vaccines are giving us hope we will overcome the pandemic, but we still have a long way to go.”

Abu Daoud was one of 100 front-line medical workers in the Bethlehem region — where the first Palestinian cases in the West Bank were discovered — to receive vaccines Wednesday and Thursday, local health officials said. Dozens of other front-line health workers in the Bethlehem area were still awaiting shots, they said.

Bassil Bawatneh, director of an eye hospital near Ramallah that has been transformed into a coronavirus treatment center, called the vaccination of medical teams “a very crucial step.”

The Palestinians received their first substantial shipment of vaccines Monday when Israel gave the Palestinian Authority 2,000 Moderna doses — a measure the Israeli government approved after public health experts had recommended it. Israeli officials said they intend to hand over an additional 3,000 doses.

On Tuesday, the Health Ministry of the Palestinian Authority said the vaccination campaign would initially target front-line health workers and then expand to people older than 60 as well as those who suffer chronic illnesses.

The Palestinians received 10,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine Thursday. They expect to receive 37,440 Pfizer doses in February and hundreds of thousands of AstraZeneca doses in either late February or early March through the global-sharing initiative COVAX, according to Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the World Health Organization’s mission to the Palestinians. An additional 2 million doses of AstraZeneca are slated to arrive throughout March, Palestinian officials said.

The Palestinian Authority’s health minister, Mai al-Kaila, had said vaccines would be transferred to Gaza on Wednesday, but Israeli security officials said that the Palestinians had not submitted a formal request for permission to send vaccines there. Any request would require Israeli government approval, the officials said.

The launch of the vaccination campaign in the West Bank followed a fiery disagreement between supporters of the Israelis and Palestinians about whether Israel bears responsibility to vaccinate Palestinians.

Human rights advocates have argued that Israel is obligated under international law to provide Palestinians with access to vaccines on par with what it makes available to its own citizens. Some also argue that Israel has a moral imperative to do so as a military occupier with the means to help.

Advocates have pointed to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states occupying powers hold a duty to ensure the public health of people living under occupation to “the fullest extent” possible, especially with regard to combating epidemics and diseases.

“After 50 years of occupation with no end in sight, Israel’s duties go beyond offering spare doses,” said Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch director for Israel and Palestine, referring to the vaccine vials Israel delivered to the Palestinians on Monday.

Shakir emphasized that Israel must provide vaccines to the Palestinians irrespective of efforts by the Palestinian Authority to secure them independently and said it was unjustified to afford settlers greater access to vaccines than their Palestinian neighbors.

But Israeli officials have said that while Israel has an interest in ensuring the vaccination of Palestinians, many of them laborers who frequently come into contact with Israelis, it has no legal responsibility to do so.

“We want everyone in the area to be vaccinated, but the Palestinian Authority is the party responsible for providing for the health of Palestinians,” said Yoav Kish, Israel’s deputy health minister. “Our responsibility is to vaccinate our own population,” he said, noting that Israeli health care providers were inoculating Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem.

The Oslo Accords, interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, stated that the Palestinians would take on responsibilities for health in the West Bank and Gaza, but they also mentioned that Israel and the Palestinians should cooperate in fighting epidemics and contagious diseases.

Defenders of Israel’s policies have argued that Israeli officials moved more quickly than their Palestinian counterparts in securing deals for vaccines.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

The Palestinian Authority did not initially lead public calls for Israel to vaccinate Palestinians.

Ahmad Majdalani, the minister of social development, said the Palestinians did not publicly demand that Israel give them vaccines at first because they thought they would obtain what they needed through international donations, contacts with pharmaceutical companies and private discussions with Israeli officials.

When it became clear their strategy was not producing immediate results, Majdalani said they decided to start issuing statements demanding Israel fulfill its “international duty” by providing vaccines.

Last week, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said international law requires Israel to provide vaccines to the Palestinians, but that Palestinians were still working “to find every path to find whatever vaccine possible — whether it is English or Russian or Chinese.”

Ghassan Khatib, a political scientist at Birzeit University, argued that the Palestinians initially refrained from publicly calling on Israel to give them vaccines because they were loath to sound “self-contradictory,” seeking to obtain them independently while simultaneously ceding responsibility to Israel.

Hussein al-Sheikh, the main Palestinian official in charge of coordinating with the Israelis, said the Palestinians asked Israel for up to 10,000 doses in late December.

Israeli officials said that in addition to the thousands of vaccines Israel transferred to the Palestinians this week, it also delivered 200 doses in January to the Palestinians, but al-Sheikh denied that. 
&nbsp;

Israel quickly became the world leader in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, but almost all Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank are still waiting for their first doses of the inoculation.

Israel quickly became the world leader in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, but almost all Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank are still waiting for their first doses of the inoculation. That disparity has set off a roiling debate about Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power in one of the world’s most protracted territorial feuds. To Israel’s critics, international law obligates Israel to give Palestinians access to vaccines comparable to what it offers its own citizens. But supporters of Israel’s policies contend that the Palestinians assumed responsibility for health services for their population when they signed the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. While the Palestinians’ glaring vulnerability to the virus lessened somewhat this week — the Palestinian Authority officially launched a vaccination campaign by giving front-line medical workers doses received from Israel — the contrast with Israel remains striking. The disparity also reflects in part the stark inequality in access to vaccines between rich countries like Israel and other areas of the developing world. The Palestinian vaccine campaign still lags far behind that of Israel, which with a population of about 9.2 million has already inoculated more than 3.3 million people with a first dose. They include a substantial percentage of the roughly 450,000 settlers living alongside Palestinians in the West Bank, who number between 2.5 million and 3 million. It remains unclear precisely when the roughly 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the blockaded enclave controlled by the militant anti-Israel group Hamas, will begin to receive vaccinations. For the small number of Palestinian doctors and nurses who received vaccines Wednesday, it was a moment of relief. “Praise God, I feel great,” said Ayman Abu Daoud, 49, a nurse based in Bethlehem who has been administering coronavirus tests over the past 11 months. “The vaccines are giving us hope we will overcome the pandemic, but we still have a long way to go.” Abu Daoud was one of 100 front-line medical workers in the Bethlehem region — where the first Palestinian cases in the West Bank were discovered — to receive vaccines Wednesday and Thursday, local health officials said. Dozens of other front-line health workers in the Bethlehem area were still awaiting shots, they said. Bassil Bawatneh, director of an eye hospital near Ramallah that has been transformed into a coronavirus treatment center, called the vaccination of medical teams “a very crucial step.” The Palestinians received their first substantial shipment of vaccines Monday when Israel gave the Palestinian Authority 2,000 Moderna doses — a measure the Israeli government approved after public health experts had recommended it. Israeli officials said they intend to hand over an additional 3,000 doses. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry of the Palestinian Authority said the vaccination campaign would initially target front-line health workers and then expand to people older than 60 as well as those who suffer chronic illnesses. The Palestinians received 10,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine Thursday. They expect to receive 37,440 Pfizer doses in February and hundreds of thousands of AstraZeneca doses in either late February or early March through the global-sharing initiative COVAX, according to Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the World Health Organization’s mission to the Palestinians. An additional 2 million doses of AstraZeneca are slated to arrive throughout March, Palestinian officials said. The Palestinian Authority’s health minister, Mai al-Kaila, had said vaccines would be transferred to Gaza on Wednesday, but Israeli security officials said that the Palestinians had not submitted a formal request for permission to send vaccines there. Any request would require Israeli government approval, the officials said. The launch of the vaccination campaign in the West Bank followed a fiery disagreement between supporters of the Israelis and Palestinians about whether Israel bears responsibility to vaccinate Palestinians. Human rights advocates have argued that Israel is obligated under international law to provide Palestinians with access to vaccines on par with what it makes available to its own citizens. Some also argue that Israel has a moral imperative to do so as a military occupier with the means to help. Advocates have pointed to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states occupying powers hold a duty to ensure the public health of people living under occupation to “the fullest extent” possible, especially with regard to combating epidemics and diseases. “After 50 years of occupation with no end in sight, Israel’s duties go beyond offering spare doses,” said Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch director for Israel and Palestine, referring to the vaccine vials Israel delivered to the Palestinians on Monday. Shakir emphasized that Israel must provide vaccines to the Palestinians irrespective of efforts by the Palestinian Authority to secure them independently and said it was unjustified to afford settlers greater access to vaccines than their Palestinian neighbors. But Israeli officials have said that while Israel has an interest in ensuring the vaccination of Palestinians, many of them laborers who frequently come into contact with Israelis, it has no legal responsibility to do so. “We want everyone in the area to be vaccinated, but the Palestinian Authority is the party responsible for providing for the health of Palestinians,” said Yoav Kish, Israel’s deputy health minister. “Our responsibility is to vaccinate our own population,” he said, noting that Israeli health care providers were inoculating Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. The Oslo Accords, interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, stated that the Palestinians would take on responsibilities for health in the West Bank and Gaza, but they also mentioned that Israel and the Palestinians should cooperate in fighting epidemics and contagious diseases. Defenders of Israel’s policies have argued that Israeli officials moved more quickly than their Palestinian counterparts in securing deals for vaccines. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) The Palestinian Authority did not initially lead public calls for Israel to vaccinate Palestinians. Ahmad Majdalani, the minister of social development, said the Palestinians did not publicly demand that Israel give them vaccines at first because they thought they would obtain what they needed through international donations, contacts with pharmaceutical companies and private discussions with Israeli officials. When it became clear their strategy was not producing immediate results, Majdalani said they decided to start issuing statements demanding Israel fulfill its “international duty” by providing vaccines. Last week, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said international law requires Israel to provide vaccines to the Palestinians, but that Palestinians were still working “to find every path to find whatever vaccine possible — whether it is English or Russian or Chinese.” Ghassan Khatib, a political scientist at Birzeit University, argued that the Palestinians initially refrained from publicly calling on Israel to give them vaccines because they were loath to sound “self-contradictory,” seeking to obtain them independently while simultaneously ceding responsibility to Israel. Hussein al-Sheikh, the main Palestinian official in charge of coordinating with the Israelis, said the Palestinians asked Israel for up to 10,000 doses in late December. Israeli officials said that in addition to the thousands of vaccines Israel transferred to the Palestinians this week, it also delivered 200 doses in January to the Palestinians, but al-Sheikh denied that.

Israel's vaccine success unleashes a debate on Palestinian inequities

After several international governments and organisations urged the Israel government to make sure the Palestinians are vaccinated, Israel's defence ministry has announced that it will be sending thousands of doses to the Palestinian authority.

Nearly 5,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines will be sent to the Palestinian Authority to make sure medical personnel can be inoculated.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/palestinian-killed-by-israel-army-in-attempted-knife-attack-in-west-bank-360403">Palestinian killed by Israel army in attempted knife attack in West Bank</a>

"I confirm we are going to send 5,000 vaccines to medical teams in the Palestinian Authority," said a spokesperson for Defence Minister Benny Gantz.

The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank city of Ramallah, has not publically sought help from the Israel government for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-in-war-with-very-low-intelligence-says-israel-minister-on-coronavirus-vaccination-359920">We are in war with very low intelligence, says Israel minister on coronavirus vaccination</a>

However, the Palestine Liberation Organization has alleged Israel for the shortage of vaccines and has urged international organisations to "hold Israel to account" and has also requested the international community to ensure all Palestinians living under Israeli occupation get properly vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has announced plans to procure vaccines from four providers, including Russia's Sputnik V.

The United Nations and Jordan's King Abdullah II also urged the Netanyahu-led government to provide vaccination to the 2.8 million Palestinians in the West Bank and two million in Gaza.

After several international governments and organisations urged the Israel government to make sure the Palestinians are vaccinated, Israel's defence ministry has announced that it will be sending thousands of doses to the Palestinian authority.

After several international governments and organisations urged the Israel government to make sure the Palestinians are vaccinated, Israel's defence ministry has announced that it will be sending thousands of doses to the Palestinian authority. Nearly 5,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines will be sent to the Palestinian Authority to make sure medical personnel can be inoculated. Also read| Palestinian killed by Israel army in attempted knife attack in West Bank "I confirm we are going to send 5,000 vaccines to medical teams in the Palestinian Authority," said a spokesperson for Defence Minister Benny Gantz. The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank city of Ramallah, has not publically sought help from the Israel government for the COVID-19 vaccines. Also read| We are in war with very low intelligence, says Israel minister on coronavirus vaccination However, the Palestine Liberation Organization has alleged Israel for the shortage of vaccines and has urged international organisations to "hold Israel to account" and has also requested the international community to ensure all Palestinians living under Israeli occupation get properly vaccinated. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has announced plans to procure vaccines from four providers, including Russia's Sputnik V. The United Nations and Jordan's King Abdullah II also urged the Netanyahu-led government to provide vaccination to the 2.8 million Palestinians in the West Bank and two million in Gaza.

Israel to send 5,000 vaccine doses to Palestinians: Health ministry

Israeli army said on Sunday that it had killed a Palestinian who carried out knife attack in West Bank.

"A knife attack was reported at the Gush Etzion junction, south of Bethlehem," the army said in a statement. "The attacker was neutralised."

The incident took place at a bus station. Israeli military said that the the attacker ran at the soldiers holding a stick with three knive attached to it. No military personnel were wounded in the attack.

Gush Etzion, the area where the incident took place is a bloc of two dozen Israeli settlements and outposts near Bethlehem

There is frequent friction at the nearby junction, which has been the site of numerous so-called lone wolf Palestinian attacks. 
Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War.&nbsp;

There are currently about 475,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank living in communities considered illegal by most of the international community, alongside some 2.8 million Palestinians.

(With agency inputs)

Israeli army said on Sunday that it had killed a Palestinian who carried out knife attack in West Bank. "A knife attack was reported at the Gush Etzion junction, south of Bethlehem," the army said in a statement.

Israeli army said on Sunday that it had killed a Palestinian who carried out knife attack in West Bank. "A knife attack was reported at the Gush Etzion junction, south of Bethlehem," the army said in a statement. "The attacker was neutralised." The incident took place at a bus station. Israeli military said that the the attacker ran at the soldiers holding a stick with three knive attached to it. No military personnel were wounded in the attack. Gush Etzion, the area where the incident took place is a bloc of two dozen Israeli settlements and outposts near Bethlehem There is frequent friction at the nearby junction, which has been the site of numerous so-called lone wolf Palestinian attacks. Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. There are currently about 475,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank living in communities considered illegal by most of the international community, alongside some 2.8 million Palestinians. (With agency inputs)

Palestinian killed by Israel army in attempted knife attack in West Bank

India has reiterated its position on the Israel-Palestine conflict and pointed out its consistent support to "Palestinian nation-building efforts" during a discussion on the issue at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Speaking at the meet, India's envoy to UN &nbsp;T.S. Tirumurti highlighted New Delhi's "human resource development and institutional building" for Palestine and has "currently undertaking several projects in many sectors, including health, education and, the technology of around USD 72 million."

India has also provided over 250 scholarships for Palestinian youth and officials on an annual basis. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Tirumurti said, "India has supplied critical life-saving drugs and medical equipment to Palestine as assistance."

On the peace process, the Indian envoy reaffirmed its India's policy for "just and comprehensive solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict", welcoming "all peaceful efforts to achieve the two-State solution, through direct negotiations between the two parties."

New Delhi's policy on the issue has been supporting for a sovereign and independent Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

India has reiterated its position on the Israel-Palestine conflict and pointed out its consistent support to "Palestinian nation-building efforts" during a discussion on the issue at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

India has reiterated its position on the Israel-Palestine conflict and pointed out its consistent support to "Palestinian nation-building efforts" during a discussion on the issue at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Speaking at the meet, India's envoy to UN T.S. Tirumurti highlighted New Delhi's "human resource development and institutional building" for Palestine and has "currently undertaking several projects in many sectors, including health, education and, the technology of around USD 72 million." India has also provided over 250 scholarships for Palestinian youth and officials on an annual basis. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Tirumurti said, "India has supplied critical life-saving drugs and medical equipment to Palestine as assistance." On the peace process, the Indian envoy reaffirmed its India's policy for "just and comprehensive solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict", welcoming "all peaceful efforts to achieve the two-State solution, through direct negotiations between the two parties." New Delhi's policy on the issue has been supporting for a sovereign and independent Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

Consistently supported Palestinian nation-building efforts, says India's Tirumurti

A blast in a residential area of Hamas-ruled Gaza strip injured more than 20 people, said Palestinian officials. The explosion took place inside home of a member of Gaza's armed groups.

"An explosion occurred in a house in Beit Hanoun this morning, resulting in a number of injuries," the interior ministry said.

An investigation had been launched into the cause of the blast but it is understood to be accidental. AFP cited medical sources who said that 20 people were injured and condition of 2 of them is serious.

Witnesses said several homes were damaged as a result of the explosion in the home of an "activist". Police cordoned off the area.

There was no immediate official explanation of the explosion, but the Israeli military said it was the result of militants "storing weapons in residential homes".

Houses "have been turned into warehouses for weapons... and missiles for terrorist organisations, and those who pay the price in the end are innocent civilians," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said on Twitter.

Islamist group Hamas seized control of Gaza from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in a near civil war in 2007.

Since then, Hamas has fought three devastating wars with Israel, which has maintained a crippling blockade on the territory of some two million people.

A blast in a residential area of Hamas-ruled Gaza strip injured more than 20 people, said Palestinian officials. The explosion took place inside home of a member of Gaza's armed groups.

A blast in a residential area of Hamas-ruled Gaza strip injured more than 20 people, said Palestinian officials. The explosion took place inside home of a member of Gaza's armed groups. "An explosion occurred in a house in Beit Hanoun this morning, resulting in a number of injuries," the interior ministry said. An investigation had been launched into the cause of the blast but it is understood to be accidental. AFP cited medical sources who said that 20 people were injured and condition of 2 of them is serious. Witnesses said several homes were damaged as a result of the explosion in the home of an "activist". Police cordoned off the area. There was no immediate official explanation of the explosion, but the Israeli military said it was the result of militants "storing weapons in residential homes". Houses "have been turned into warehouses for weapons... and missiles for terrorist organisations, and those who pay the price in the end are innocent civilians," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said on Twitter. Islamist group Hamas seized control of Gaza from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in a near civil war in 2007. Since then, Hamas has fought three devastating wars with Israel, which has maintained a crippling blockade on the territory of some two million people.

Gaza blast injures more than 20 people

The Israel Prison Service said Sunday it will begin <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccinating</a> all incarcerated people against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>, including Palestinians, following calls from right groups, Palestinian officials and Israel's attorney general.&nbsp;

Israel has given at least one vaccine dose to more than two million of its citizens, a pace widely described as the world's fastest per capita.&nbsp;

But the Jewish state faced harsh criticism when Public Security Minister Amir Ohana said Palestinian prisoners would be the last to get innoculated.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/13-in-israel-experience-facial-paralysis-after-receiving-covid-19-vaccine-report-356985">13 in Israel experience facial paralysis after receiving Covid-19 vaccine: Report</a>

Israel's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit wrote to Ohana condemning the comment as "tainted with illegality", Israel's Ma'ariv newspaper reported.&nbsp;

Israeli and global rights groups, including Amnesty International, as well as the Palestine Liberation Organization have also issued public calls for Israel to vaccinate the estimated 4,400 Palestinians held in its jails. &nbsp;

According to the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, about 250 Palestinians in Israeli prisons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. &nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-european-unions-pfizer-vaccine-deliveries-to-be-delayed-for-next-3-4-weeks-356982">Covid-19: European Union's Pfizer vaccine deliveries to be delayed 'for next 3-4 weeks'</a>

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced last week that the first vaccine doses would be distributed to prisons over the coming days.

The prison service issued a statement Sunday saying, "following the vaccination of staff... the vaccination of detainees will begin in prisons in accordance with medical and operational protocol established by the Prison Service."

A prison service spokesperson told AFP the directive applied to "all prisoners, without distinction".

Reacting to the announcement, a spokesman for the Hamas Islamists, who control the Gaza Strip, said Israel "had an obligation to provide vaccines to prisoners".

Human Rights Watch on Sunday also called on Israel to provide vaccinations for the 2.8 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the two million Palestinians in Israeli-blockaded Gaza.&nbsp;

Israel and Palestine director for HRW, Omar Shakir, particularly criticised the practice of vaccinating Jewish settlers in the West Bank, but not their Palestinian neighbours.&nbsp;

"Nothing can justify today's reality in parts of the West Bank, where people on one side of the street are receiving vaccines, while those on the other do not, based on whether they're Jewish or Palestinian," Shakir said.

"Everyone in the same territory should have equitable access to the vaccine, regardless of their ethnicity," he added.&nbsp;

The Palestinian Authority has said it has signed contracts with four vaccine providers, including the maker's of Russia's Sputnik V.

The PA said it expects to have sufficient doses to vaccinate 70 percent of the Palestinian population, in both the West Bank and Gaza, with doses expected by mid-March.&nbsp;

The Israel Prison Service said Sunday it will begin vaccinating all incarcerated people against COVID-19, including Palestinians, following calls from right groups, Palestinian officials and Israel's attorney general.

The Israel Prison Service said Sunday it will begin vaccinating all incarcerated people against COVID-19, including Palestinians, following calls from right groups, Palestinian officials and Israel's attorney general. Israel has given at least one vaccine dose to more than two million of its citizens, a pace widely described as the world's fastest per capita. But the Jewish state faced harsh criticism when Public Security Minister Amir Ohana said Palestinian prisoners would be the last to get innoculated. Also read| 13 in Israel experience facial paralysis after receiving Covid-19 vaccine: Report Israel's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit wrote to Ohana condemning the comment as "tainted with illegality", Israel's Ma'ariv newspaper reported. Israeli and global rights groups, including Amnesty International, as well as the Palestine Liberation Organization have also issued public calls for Israel to vaccinate the estimated 4,400 Palestinians held in its jails. According to the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, about 250 Palestinians in Israeli prisons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Also read| Covid-19: European Union's Pfizer vaccine deliveries to be delayed 'for next 3-4 weeks' Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced last week that the first vaccine doses would be distributed to prisons over the coming days. The prison service issued a statement Sunday saying, "following the vaccination of staff... the vaccination of detainees will begin in prisons in accordance with medical and operational protocol established by the Prison Service." A prison service spokesperson told AFP the directive applied to "all prisoners, without distinction". Reacting to the announcement, a spokesman for the Hamas Islamists, who control the Gaza Strip, said Israel "had an obligation to provide vaccines to prisoners". Human Rights Watch on Sunday also called on Israel to provide vaccinations for the 2.8 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the two million Palestinians in Israeli-blockaded Gaza. Israel and Palestine director for HRW, Omar Shakir, particularly criticised the practice of vaccinating Jewish settlers in the West Bank, but not their Palestinian neighbours. "Nothing can justify today's reality in parts of the West Bank, where people on one side of the street are receiving vaccines, while those on the other do not, based on whether they're Jewish or Palestinian," Shakir said. "Everyone in the same territory should have equitable access to the vaccine, regardless of their ethnicity," he added. The Palestinian Authority has said it has signed contracts with four vaccine providers, including the maker's of Russia's Sputnik V. The PA said it expects to have sufficient doses to vaccinate 70 percent of the Palestinian population, in both the West Bank and Gaza, with doses expected by mid-March.

Israel Prison Service to vaccinate Palestinian inmates

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Friday announced dates for the first Palestinian elections in more than 15 years, setting legislative polls for May 22 and a July 31 presidential vote.

Abbas's Fatah party, which controls the Palestinian Authority based in the occupied West Bank, and the Hamas Islamists, who hold power in Gaza, have for years expressed interest in taking Palestinians back to the polls.

A long-standing rivalry between the two main Palestinian factions was seen as a leading factor in stalling progress towards a new vote.

But Fatah and Hamas have been engaged in unity talks in recent months, reaching an agreement in principle in September to hold elections in 2021.

Hamas on Friday "welcomed" Abbas's announcement, stressing that the "Palestinian people have the right choose their own leaders and representatives".

A statement on the official Palestinian Wafa news agency said Abbas has signed "a presidential decree concerning elections", specifying the May and July dates.

The 2005 Palestinian presidential vote saw Abbas elected with 62 percent support to replace the late Yasser Arafat.

There has been no indication from Fatah as to whether the 85-year-old Abbas intends to seek re-election.

A rare poll by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Research carried out last year said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would beat Abbas in a presidential election.

- East Jerusalem -

The statement from Abbas said he expects polls will be held "in all governorates of Palestine, including east Jerusalem", which was annexed by Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War but is considered occupied territory.

Israel bans all Palestinian Authority activity in east Jerusalem, and there was no indication the Jewish state would allow a Palestinian vote within the city.

Israel's right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces his own re-election contest in March, describes Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital".

The last Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 saw Hamas win an unexpected landslide.

The polls resulted in a brief unity government but it soon collapsed and in 2007, bloody clashes erupted in the Gaza Strip between the two principal Palestinian factions, with Hamas ultimately seizing control of Gaza.

The densely populated strip is home to two million Palestinians, while 2.8 million live in the West Bank.

Numerous attempts at reconciliation, including a prisoner exchange agreement in 2012 and a short-lived coalition government two years later, have failed to close the rift.

But experts have said intra-Palestinian reconciliation talks have taken on greater urgency following a series of US-brokered normalisation agreements signed between Israel and four Arab states.

The deals to normalise ties with Israel signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan were condemned across the Palestinian political spectrum.

They also broke with decades of Arab League consensus against recognition of Israel until it reached an agreement to end the Palestinian conflict that including the creation of Palestinian state, with a capital in East Jerusalem.

Palestinian leaders have also voiced hope that the incoming administration of US President-elect Joe Biden will lead to renewed diplomacy on the Palestinian cause.

The PA cut ties with President Donald Trump's administration, accusing it of egregious bias towards Israel.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Friday announced dates for the first Palestinian elections in more than 15 years, setting legislative polls for May 22 and a July 31 presidential vote.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Friday announced dates for the first Palestinian elections in more than 15 years, setting legislative polls for May 22 and a July 31 presidential vote. Abbas's Fatah party, which controls the Palestinian Authority based in the occupied West Bank, and the Hamas Islamists, who hold power in Gaza, have for years expressed interest in taking Palestinians back to the polls. A long-standing rivalry between the two main Palestinian factions was seen as a leading factor in stalling progress towards a new vote. But Fatah and Hamas have been engaged in unity talks in recent months, reaching an agreement in principle in September to hold elections in 2021. Hamas on Friday "welcomed" Abbas's announcement, stressing that the "Palestinian people have the right choose their own leaders and representatives". A statement on the official Palestinian Wafa news agency said Abbas has signed "a presidential decree concerning elections", specifying the May and July dates. The 2005 Palestinian presidential vote saw Abbas elected with 62 percent support to replace the late Yasser Arafat. There has been no indication from Fatah as to whether the 85-year-old Abbas intends to seek re-election. A rare poll by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Research carried out last year said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would beat Abbas in a presidential election. - East Jerusalem - The statement from Abbas said he expects polls will be held "in all governorates of Palestine, including east Jerusalem", which was annexed by Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War but is considered occupied territory. Israel bans all Palestinian Authority activity in east Jerusalem, and there was no indication the Jewish state would allow a Palestinian vote within the city. Israel's right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces his own re-election contest in March, describes Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital". The last Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 saw Hamas win an unexpected landslide. The polls resulted in a brief unity government but it soon collapsed and in 2007, bloody clashes erupted in the Gaza Strip between the two principal Palestinian factions, with Hamas ultimately seizing control of Gaza. The densely populated strip is home to two million Palestinians, while 2.8 million live in the West Bank. Numerous attempts at reconciliation, including a prisoner exchange agreement in 2012 and a short-lived coalition government two years later, have failed to close the rift. But experts have said intra-Palestinian reconciliation talks have taken on greater urgency following a series of US-brokered normalisation agreements signed between Israel and four Arab states. The deals to normalise ties with Israel signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan were condemned across the Palestinian political spectrum. They also broke with decades of Arab League consensus against recognition of Israel until it reached an agreement to end the Palestinian conflict that including the creation of Palestinian state, with a capital in East Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders have also voiced hope that the incoming administration of US President-elect Joe Biden will lead to renewed diplomacy on the Palestinian cause. The PA cut ties with President Donald Trump's administration, accusing it of egregious bias towards Israel.

Palestinian president announces long-awaited elections

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced parliamentary and presidential elections on Friday (January 15), the first in 15 years, in an effort to heal long-standing internal divisions.

Palestinians announce first elections in 15 years, on eve of Biden era

The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of shirking a duty to ensure vaccines are available in occupied territory.

It also said on Sunday it expects to receive its first COVID-19 vaccine doses in March under a deal with drugmaker AstraZeneca.

While Israel has already become the world leader in vaccinations per capita, Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip have yet to secure their first supplies.

Yasser Bozyeh, the Palestinian general director of public health, told Reuters that in addition to reaching an agreement in principle with AstraZeneca, the Palestinians had also sought supplies from Moderna, Johnson &amp; Johnson and Russia, which has developed the Sputnik V vaccine.

Supplies would also come through a World Health Organisation vaccine programme for poor and middle income countries.

To this end, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Israel had been "ignoring its duties as an occupation power and committing racial discrimination against the Palestinian people, depriving them of their right to healthcare."

"The search by the Palestinian leadership to secure the vaccines from various sources doesn`t exempt Israel from its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people in providing the vaccines," it said.

Under interim peace accords with Israel, the Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank. Hamas Islamists run the Gaza Strip.

Israel's vaccination programme covers the country's Arab citizens and Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem.

On the West Bank, it has given vaccines to Israeli settlers, but not to Palestinian residents, who receive health services from the Palestinian Authority.

Human rights groups including Amnesty International say Israel has a legal obligation to provide vaccines for Palestinians under occupation. Israeli officials, however, say they could share vaccines with the Palestinians once Israel`s own needs are met.

A WHO official said on Sunday the organisation had held "informal discussions" with Israel over allocating some supplies to the Palestinians to inoculate health workers. The official, Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the WHO office in the Palestinian territories, said Israel indicated it would explore the option.

(with inputs)

The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of shirking a duty to ensure vaccines are available in occupied territory. It also said on Sunday it expects to receive its first COVID-19 vaccine doses in March under a deal with drugmaker AstraZeneca.

The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of shirking a duty to ensure vaccines are available in occupied territory. It also said on Sunday it expects to receive its first COVID-19 vaccine doses in March under a deal with drugmaker AstraZeneca. While Israel has already become the world leader in vaccinations per capita, Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip have yet to secure their first supplies. Yasser Bozyeh, the Palestinian general director of public health, told Reuters that in addition to reaching an agreement in principle with AstraZeneca, the Palestinians had also sought supplies from Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Russia, which has developed the Sputnik V vaccine. Supplies would also come through a World Health Organisation vaccine programme for poor and middle income countries. To this end, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Israel had been "ignoring its duties as an occupation power and committing racial discrimination against the Palestinian people, depriving them of their right to healthcare." "The search by the Palestinian leadership to secure the vaccines from various sources doesn`t exempt Israel from its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people in providing the vaccines," it said. Under interim peace accords with Israel, the Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank. Hamas Islamists run the Gaza Strip. Israel's vaccination programme covers the country's Arab citizens and Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. On the West Bank, it has given vaccines to Israeli settlers, but not to Palestinian residents, who receive health services from the Palestinian Authority. Human rights groups including Amnesty International say Israel has a legal obligation to provide vaccines for Palestinians under occupation. Israeli officials, however, say they could share vaccines with the Palestinians once Israel`s own needs are met. A WHO official said on Sunday the organisation had held "informal discussions" with Israel over allocating some supplies to the Palestinians to inoculate health workers. The official, Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the WHO office in the Palestinian territories, said Israel indicated it would explore the option. (with inputs)

Palestinians accuse Israel of shirking duty to supply vaccines to occupied territory

An Israeli security officer shot a Palestinian who threw a knife towards him in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israel`s military said, and Palestinian officials said the man had been killed.

The incident occurred at a road junction situated near a cluster of Israeli settlements southwest of the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, the military said in a statement.

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"(A) community security officer spotted a suspect approaching the junction. Following the suspicion, the security officer and an IDF (Israeli military) soldier operated to stop the suspect by firing into the air," the statement said.

"The suspect threw a knife at the officer, who responded with fire and neutralised the suspect," the statement added.

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The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man`s death, but said it did not have details of his identity.

Israel captured and occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East War. Palestinians seek the territory for a future state that would include the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

An Israeli security officer shot a Palestinian who threw a knife towards him in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israel`s military said, and Palestinian officials said the man had been killed.

An Israeli security officer shot a Palestinian who threw a knife towards him in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israel`s military said, and Palestinian officials said the man had been killed. The incident occurred at a road junction situated near a cluster of Israeli settlements southwest of the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, the military said in a statement. Also read| Iran's allegations are 'nonsense', says Israeli minister "(A) community security officer spotted a suspect approaching the junction. Following the suspicion, the security officer and an IDF (Israeli military) soldier operated to stop the suspect by firing into the air," the statement said. "The suspect threw a knife at the officer, who responded with fire and neutralised the suspect," the statement added. Also read| How Israel became a world leader in vaccinating against COVID-19 The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man`s death, but said it did not have details of his identity. Israel captured and occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East War. Palestinians seek the territory for a future state that would include the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

Israeli officer shoots dead alleged Palestinian assailant in West Bank

Israel has targetted a number of sites in Gaza in response to Palestinian militants firing rockets into the south of the country.

The Israeli Defence Force Saturday said that three Hamas targets -- including a rocket manufacturing site, underground infrastructure, and a military post -- had been struck.

"Hamas will bear the consequences for all terror emanating from Gaza," the IDF said in a tweet.

Sirens had sounded earlier in the southern port city of Ashkelon and the area surrounding the Gaza Strip.

"Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory," a statement from the army said on Friday.

The rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defence System.

Israeli emergency medical services said a few people were treated for going into shock.

The latest fire from the&nbsp;Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave came over a month after one rocket was fired from the coastal strip into Israel.

Hamas, considered a terrorist group by Israel, seized control of Gaza from the rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 in a near civil war. Since then Hamas has fought three devastating wars with Israel in the coastal territory where about two million Palestinians live.

Israel has since maintained a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip to prevent Hamas from arming.

(with inputs from AFP)

Israel has targetted a number of sites in Gaza in response to Palestinian militants firing rockets into the south of the country. The Israeli Defence Force Saturday said that three Hamas targets -- including a rocket manufacturing site, underground infrastructure, and a military post -- had been struck.

Israel has targetted a number of sites in Gaza in response to Palestinian militants firing rockets into the south of the country. The Israeli Defence Force Saturday said that three Hamas targets -- including a rocket manufacturing site, underground infrastructure, and a military post -- had been struck. "Hamas will bear the consequences for all terror emanating from Gaza," the IDF said in a tweet. Sirens had sounded earlier in the southern port city of Ashkelon and the area surrounding the Gaza Strip. "Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory," a statement from the army said on Friday. The rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defence System. Israeli emergency medical services said a few people were treated for going into shock. The latest fire from the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave came over a month after one rocket was fired from the coastal strip into Israel. Hamas, considered a terrorist group by Israel, seized control of Gaza from the rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 in a near civil war. Since then Hamas has fought three devastating wars with Israel in the coastal territory where about two million Palestinians live. Israel has since maintained a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip to prevent Hamas from arming. (with inputs from AFP)

Israel targets Hamas sites after Gaza militants fire rockets

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Ankara wants to establish better ties with Israel, but slammed the Jewish state's policy on Palestine, calling it "unacceptable".

Speaking with reporters, Erdogan also said that Turkey is engaging with Israel at intelligence level, but said Israel's Palestine approach is a "red line" for Ankara.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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"Regarding this matter, our talks with Israel at intelligence level have not been halted. It continues," Erdogan was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. &nbsp;

"And there is also Israel's Palestine policy which is our red line."

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He also said Turkey is facing some trouble with Israel at the top level, and if that would not have been the case their bilateral ties could have been "very different".&nbsp;

Both countries share strong commercial ties, but their relations took a hit in recent years and in 2018 both nations expelled each other's envoys.&nbsp;

Ankara has also been critical of Israel's occupation in the West Bank and the manner in which the Jewish state treats the Palestinians.&nbsp;

Erdogan also said that it is "impossible" for Turkey to accept Israel's policy on Palestine, and said Israel's "merciless" acts and stance on Palestine is unacceptable.&nbsp;

"It is impossible for us to accept Israel's Palestine policies. It is impossible for us to accept Israel's stance against our Palestinian brothers. Their merciless acts there and their stance on Palestinian territory are unacceptable," said the Turkish president.&nbsp;

Israel has this year established ties with four Muslim nations and said on Wednesday that it is working to add another Muslim state in the list.

Previously, Ankara has criticised US-brokered peace deal of Israel with UAE, Morocco, Sudan and Bahrain this year. 
&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Ankara wants to establish better ties with Israel, but slammed the Jewish state's policy on Palestine, calling it "unacceptable".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Ankara wants to establish better ties with Israel, but slammed the Jewish state's policy on Palestine, calling it "unacceptable". Speaking with reporters, Erdogan also said that Turkey is engaging with Israel at intelligence level, but said Israel's Palestine approach is a "red line" for Ankara. Watch | "Regarding this matter, our talks with Israel at intelligence level have not been halted. It continues," Erdogan was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. "And there is also Israel's Palestine policy which is our red line." Also read | Israel imposes another lockdown after detecting new COVID-19 strain He also said Turkey is facing some trouble with Israel at the top level, and if that would not have been the case their bilateral ties could have been "very different". Both countries share strong commercial ties, but their relations took a hit in recent years and in 2018 both nations expelled each other's envoys. Ankara has also been critical of Israel's occupation in the West Bank and the manner in which the Jewish state treats the Palestinians. Erdogan also said that it is "impossible" for Turkey to accept Israel's policy on Palestine, and said Israel's "merciless" acts and stance on Palestine is unacceptable. "It is impossible for us to accept Israel's Palestine policies. It is impossible for us to accept Israel's stance against our Palestinian brothers. Their merciless acts there and their stance on Palestinian territory are unacceptable," said the Turkish president. Israel has this year established ties with four Muslim nations and said on Wednesday that it is working to add another Muslim state in the list. Previously, Ankara has criticised US-brokered peace deal of Israel with UAE, Morocco, Sudan and Bahrain this year.

Turkey wants to establish better ties with Israel, but Palestine policy is 'unacceptable': Erdogan

Tensions erupt as Morocco & Israel normalise ties. United States gifts new map of Morocco to King Mohammed VI. Watch this video to know more.

Islamist groups support Palestinians, govt coalition parties back Israel deal

Israel Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Sunday said that landmark Abraham Accords were like an 'opportunity' and that they were not struck at the 'expense' of the Palestinians. He was speaking at a regional security conference in Manama, Bahrain.

"The Abraham accords do not come at the expense of the Palestinians. Quite the opposite, they are an opportunity that should not be missed," he said in a virtual address.

The Abrham Accords, through which UAE and Bahrain broke decades of Arab consensus were decried by Palestinian leaders as a "stab in the back". The consensus among Arab countries meant that they would be no relations between them and Israel until it made peace with the Palestinians

Israeli foreign minister on Sunday said that the diplomati shift could help resolve Israel-Palestine conflict.

"I call on the Palestinians to change their minds and enter direct negotiation with us without preconditions. This is the only way to solve this conflict," he said.&nbsp;

"We believe as Israel moves from annexation to normalisation, there is a window to solve this conflict," he said, referring to its agreement to put annexation plans on hold in return for the normalisation deal.

The United States, which brokered the Abraham Accords, has been intensively negotiating for more Arab nations to come in board, notably Saudi Arabia, the biggest Gulf power.

Saudi to sign up?

Mutual concern over Iran has gradually brought Israel and Gulf nations closer, and there were reports last month that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had held secret talks in Saudi Arabia, fuelling speculation a normalisation accord could be in the making.

Riyadh, however, denied that the meeting, reportedly between Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had occurred.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told AFP in Manama Saturday that the kingdom's position remained resolute.

"We've been quite clear that in order for us to proceed with normalisation we will need to see a settlement of the Palestinian dispute and the formation of a viable state of Palestine along the lines envisioned in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative," he said.

"Without a settlement between the Palestinians and the Israelis we are not going to see true peace and stability in the region."

Asked whether that effectively ruled out the establishment of ties with Israel any time soon, he said he was "optimistic that there is a path towards a resolution between the Palestinians and Israelis".&nbsp;

However, Prince Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi former intelligence chief who is said to be close to the top leadership, gave voice to the strong support that the Palestinian cause still has in the region, with a fiery presentation to the Manama meeting.&nbsp;

He accused Israel of depicting itself as a "small, existentially threatened country, surrounded by bloodthirsty killers who want to eradicate her from existence".

"And yet they profess that they want to be friends with Saudi Arabia," he said, outlining a history of forcible eviction of Palestinians and destroyed villages.

"You cannot treat an open wound with palliatives and painkillers. The Abraham Accords are not divine writ."

(With AFP inputs)

Israel Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Sunday said that landmark Abraham Accords were like an 'opportunity' and that they were not struck at the 'expense' of the Palestinians.

Israel Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Sunday said that landmark Abraham Accords were like an 'opportunity' and that they were not struck at the 'expense' of the Palestinians. He was speaking at a regional security conference in Manama, Bahrain. "The Abraham accords do not come at the expense of the Palestinians. Quite the opposite, they are an opportunity that should not be missed," he said in a virtual address. The Abrham Accords, through which UAE and Bahrain broke decades of Arab consensus were decried by Palestinian leaders as a "stab in the back". The consensus among Arab countries meant that they would be no relations between them and Israel until it made peace with the Palestinians Israeli foreign minister on Sunday said that the diplomati shift could help resolve Israel-Palestine conflict. "I call on the Palestinians to change their minds and enter direct negotiation with us without preconditions. This is the only way to solve this conflict," he said. "We believe as Israel moves from annexation to normalisation, there is a window to solve this conflict," he said, referring to its agreement to put annexation plans on hold in return for the normalisation deal. The United States, which brokered the Abraham Accords, has been intensively negotiating for more Arab nations to come in board, notably Saudi Arabia, the biggest Gulf power. Saudi to sign up? Mutual concern over Iran has gradually brought Israel and Gulf nations closer, and there were reports last month that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had held secret talks in Saudi Arabia, fuelling speculation a normalisation accord could be in the making. Riyadh, however, denied that the meeting, reportedly between Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had occurred. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told AFP in Manama Saturday that the kingdom's position remained resolute. "We've been quite clear that in order for us to proceed with normalisation we will need to see a settlement of the Palestinian dispute and the formation of a viable state of Palestine along the lines envisioned in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative," he said. "Without a settlement between the Palestinians and the Israelis we are not going to see true peace and stability in the region." Asked whether that effectively ruled out the establishment of ties with Israel any time soon, he said he was "optimistic that there is a path towards a resolution between the Palestinians and Israelis". However, Prince Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi former intelligence chief who is said to be close to the top leadership, gave voice to the strong support that the Palestinian cause still has in the region, with a fiery presentation to the Manama meeting. He accused Israel of depicting itself as a "small, existentially threatened country, surrounded by bloodthirsty killers who want to eradicate her from existence". "And yet they profess that they want to be friends with Saudi Arabia," he said, outlining a history of forcible eviction of Palestinians and destroyed villages. "You cannot treat an open wound with palliatives and painkillers. The Abraham Accords are not divine writ." (With AFP inputs)

Israel calls Abraham Accords an 'opportunity' for Palestinians

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday held a rare meeting with Israel foreign minister to press for restarting Israel-Palestine negotiations. The meeting came on the heels of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmud Abbas' visit to Jordan as part of and Arab tour to shore up support for Palestine.

Jordanian foreign minister, during the meeting at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank said the creation of an independent Palestinian state was key to ending the conflict with Israel.

"There is no alternative to a two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinians, he told Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, quoted by the official Petra news agency.

"It is necessary to return to the negotiating table according to international law in order to find a real solution to achieve a just peace," Safadi said.

On Friday, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz called on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table, in a video statement addressing the "Palestinian people and their leadership".

"The Middle East is changing. It is in your interest to come return to negotiate," Gantz said in the statement that was posted online with Arabic subtitles.

"Don't stay behind," he said, promising to "promote big projects" in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. 
Thursday's meeting was the first with Jordan officially reported between Safadi and Ashkenazi since the latter, a former army chief of staff, become foreign minister in May.

Jordan and Israel have been bound by a peace treaty since 1994, but relations between the two neighbours are often tense.

Eyes on Biden

Safadi said resuming Israeli- Palestinian talks was timely, "particularly in light of the Palestinian Authority's decision to resume security cooperation with Israel".

The Palestinians announced last month they were restoring coordination that they had stopped in May over Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank.

Israel put on hold its annexation plans, in return for an agreement to normalise ties with the United Arab Emirates announced in August.

Abbas held talks in Jordan last week with King Abdullah II ahead of visits to Egypt, where he met separately with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

During the tour, Arab leaders stepped up international efforts for a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on a two-state solution.

Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen since 2014, and a US peace plan announced in January has been welcomed by Israel but rejected outright by the Palestinians as biased.

The plan was among moves pushed by President Donald Trump -- including recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital"-- that have angered the Palestinians.

The Palestinians, who want to set up an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital, broke ties with the Trump administration, and are now hoping to build ties with Biden's incoming team.

(With AFP inputs)

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday held a rare meeting with Israel foreign minister to press for restarting Israel-Palestine negotiations. The meeting came on the heels of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmud Abbas' visit to Jordan as part of and Arab tour to shore up support for Palestine.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday held a rare meeting with Israel foreign minister to press for restarting Israel-Palestine negotiations. The meeting came on the heels of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmud Abbas' visit to Jordan as part of and Arab tour to shore up support for Palestine. Jordanian foreign minister, during the meeting at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank said the creation of an independent Palestinian state was key to ending the conflict with Israel. "There is no alternative to a two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinians, he told Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, quoted by the official Petra news agency. "It is necessary to return to the negotiating table according to international law in order to find a real solution to achieve a just peace," Safadi said. On Friday, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz called on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table, in a video statement addressing the "Palestinian people and their leadership". "The Middle East is changing. It is in your interest to come return to negotiate," Gantz said in the statement that was posted online with Arabic subtitles. "Don't stay behind," he said, promising to "promote big projects" in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. Thursday's meeting was the first with Jordan officially reported between Safadi and Ashkenazi since the latter, a former army chief of staff, become foreign minister in May. Jordan and Israel have been bound by a peace treaty since 1994, but relations between the two neighbours are often tense. Eyes on Biden Safadi said resuming Israeli- Palestinian talks was timely, "particularly in light of the Palestinian Authority's decision to resume security cooperation with Israel". The Palestinians announced last month they were restoring coordination that they had stopped in May over Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Israel put on hold its annexation plans, in return for an agreement to normalise ties with the United Arab Emirates announced in August. Abbas held talks in Jordan last week with King Abdullah II ahead of visits to Egypt, where he met separately with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit. During the tour, Arab leaders stepped up international efforts for a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on a two-state solution. Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen since 2014, and a US peace plan announced in January has been welcomed by Israel but rejected outright by the Palestinians as biased. The plan was among moves pushed by President Donald Trump -- including recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital"-- that have angered the Palestinians. The Palestinians, who want to set up an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital, broke ties with the Trump administration, and are now hoping to build ties with Biden's incoming team. (With AFP inputs)

Jordan, Israel go in huddle on Palestine issue

Welcoming the decision to resume coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, India has urged the leadership of both sides to use the opportunity and re-engage in direct negotiations to advance the goal of a two-state solution.

The two-state solution has for decades been the primary focus of efforts to achieve peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The solution would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel -- two states for two peoples. In theory, this would win Israel security and allow it to retain a Jewish demographic majority (letting the country remain Jewish and democratic), while granting the Palestinians a state.

Most governments and world bodies, including the UN, have set achievement of the two-state solution as official policy. This goal has been the basis of peace talks for decades.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly session on 'Question of Palestine' on Wednesday, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said the Israel-Palestine conflict is almost as old as the United Nations itself, but the aspirations of Palestinian people for a State for themselves remain unfulfilled.

"The peace negotiations between the two parties have remained stalled since 2014. Developments on the ground are not creating conditions conducive to the resumption of these negotiations. We call on parties to refrain from steps that hinder resumption of negotiations," he said.

Tirumurti said India is happy to note the decision to resume coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

"We urge the leadership of Israel and Palestine to use this opportunity and re-engage in direct negotiations to advance the goal of a two-State solution. We also call upon the Secretary-General, the members of the Middle East Quartet and the key Arab partners to take immediate steps to facilitate this dialogue," he said.

Last month, the Palestinian Authority had said it was resuming its civil and security cooperation with Israel that had been suspended since May over Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank. As per media reports, Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh wrote on Twitter that "the relationship with Israel will return to how it was" after President Mahmoud Abbas received confirmation that Israel remained committed to past agreements with the Palestinians.

Tirumurti reiterated that India remains fully supportive of a peaceful negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict achieved through direct negotiations, resulting in the establishment of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

The Indian envoy underscored that India has been steadfast in its support for the just Palestinian cause and in its solidarity with the Palestinian people, which extends beyond political support.

"It is our firm belief that even as peace is being pursued on the political track, the people of Palestine must not be forgotten," he said.

Tirumurti said India's efforts are also focused on Palestinian nation-building and strengthening institutions through the India-Palestine development partnership covering various sectors of the Palestinian economy. This includes construction of schools, hospitals, technology parks and centres for excellence.

"We see it as an essential investment to help establish a viable and sovereign Palestinian State," he said.

Over the years, India has also invested in strengthening human resource capacities of the Palestinian people through scholarships for Palestinian students pursuing higher education and training of Palestinian professionals in prestigious Indian institutes. Around 250 Palestinians benefit every year from such opportunities.

Highlighting another dimension of India's support to the Palestinian cause, Tirumurti said India quadrupled its support to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in recent years, recognising the acute crisis faced by the UN agency. India has made a multi-year pledge of USD 10 million over the next two years to contribute to a more stable and predictable funding for UNRWA.

"We consider our partnership with UNRWA as an investment in peace and stability in the region," he said, thanking all member states, who supported India's membership to the Advisory Commission of UNRWA.

Addressing the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2020 Virtual Meeting on Tuesday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had expressed a "deep sense of worry about the grim realities in the occupied Palestinian Territory and the diminishing prospects of resolving the conflict, which has been with the United Nations since its very creation".

Guterres expressed hope that recent developments will encourage Palestinian and Israeli leaders to re-engage in meaningful negotiations, with the support of the international community, towards a two-state solution and will create opportunities for regional cooperation.

"Only a two-state solution that realises the legitimate national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis can lead to sustainable peace," he said, adding that the United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict.&nbsp;

Welcoming the decision to resume coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, India has urged the leadership of both sides to use the opportunity and re-engage in direct negotiations to advance the goal of a two-state solution.

Welcoming the decision to resume coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, India has urged the leadership of both sides to use the opportunity and re-engage in direct negotiations to advance the goal of a two-state solution. The two-state solution has for decades been the primary focus of efforts to achieve peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The solution would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel -- two states for two peoples. In theory, this would win Israel security and allow it to retain a Jewish demographic majority (letting the country remain Jewish and democratic), while granting the Palestinians a state. Most governments and world bodies, including the UN, have set achievement of the two-state solution as official policy. This goal has been the basis of peace talks for decades. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly session on 'Question of Palestine' on Wednesday, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said the Israel-Palestine conflict is almost as old as the United Nations itself, but the aspirations of Palestinian people for a State for themselves remain unfulfilled. "The peace negotiations between the two parties have remained stalled since 2014. Developments on the ground are not creating conditions conducive to the resumption of these negotiations. We call on parties to refrain from steps that hinder resumption of negotiations," he said. Tirumurti said India is happy to note the decision to resume coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. "We urge the leadership of Israel and Palestine to use this opportunity and re-engage in direct negotiations to advance the goal of a two-State solution. We also call upon the Secretary-General, the members of the Middle East Quartet and the key Arab partners to take immediate steps to facilitate this dialogue," he said. Last month, the Palestinian Authority had said it was resuming its civil and security cooperation with Israel that had been suspended since May over Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank. As per media reports, Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh wrote on Twitter that "the relationship with Israel will return to how it was" after President Mahmoud Abbas received confirmation that Israel remained committed to past agreements with the Palestinians. Tirumurti reiterated that India remains fully supportive of a peaceful negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict achieved through direct negotiations, resulting in the establishment of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. The Indian envoy underscored that India has been steadfast in its support for the just Palestinian cause and in its solidarity with the Palestinian people, which extends beyond political support. "It is our firm belief that even as peace is being pursued on the political track, the people of Palestine must not be forgotten," he said. Tirumurti said India's efforts are also focused on Palestinian nation-building and strengthening institutions through the India-Palestine development partnership covering various sectors of the Palestinian economy. This includes construction of schools, hospitals, technology parks and centres for excellence. "We see it as an essential investment to help establish a viable and sovereign Palestinian State," he said. Over the years, India has also invested in strengthening human resource capacities of the Palestinian people through scholarships for Palestinian students pursuing higher education and training of Palestinian professionals in prestigious Indian institutes. Around 250 Palestinians benefit every year from such opportunities. Highlighting another dimension of India's support to the Palestinian cause, Tirumurti said India quadrupled its support to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in recent years, recognising the acute crisis faced by the UN agency. India has made a multi-year pledge of USD 10 million over the next two years to contribute to a more stable and predictable funding for UNRWA. "We consider our partnership with UNRWA as an investment in peace and stability in the region," he said, thanking all member states, who supported India's membership to the Advisory Commission of UNRWA. Addressing the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2020 Virtual Meeting on Tuesday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had expressed a "deep sense of worry about the grim realities in the occupied Palestinian Territory and the diminishing prospects of resolving the conflict, which has been with the United Nations since its very creation". Guterres expressed hope that recent developments will encourage Palestinian and Israeli leaders to re-engage in meaningful negotiations, with the support of the international community, towards a two-state solution and will create opportunities for regional cooperation. "Only a two-state solution that realises the legitimate national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis can lead to sustainable peace," he said, adding that the United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict.

India urges Israel, Palestine to re-engage in direct talks to advance goal of two-state solution

Israel has released more than $1 billion in funds withheld from the Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian minister said Wednesday, weeks after coordination was renewed between the two sides.

Hussein al-Sheikh, a close aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, confirmed the receipt of nearly 3.8 billion shekels (around $1.1 billion) from Israel.

&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Israeli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Israeli</a> government transfers all financial dues of the clearance to the account of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Palestinian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Palestinian</a> Authority, amounting to three billion and 768 million shekels. <a href="https://t.co/TK9vueVzRW">https://t.co/TK9vueVzRW</a>
— حسين الشيخ Hussein Al Sheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) <a href="https://twitter.com/HusseinSheikhpl/status/1334056982043643904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In May, the Palestinians stopped coordination with Israel, with PA leader Mahmud Abbas saying it was in response to Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank.

Israel later put its annexation plans on hold, in return for an agreement to normalise ties with the United Arab Emirates, announced in August.

In halting the cooperation with Israel, the PA also stopped accepting transfer of taxes,&nbsp;particularly customs duties,&nbsp;collected by Israel on its behalf.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seeking-restart-with-biden-palestinians-eye-end-to-prisoner-payments-344402">Seeking restart with Biden, Palestinians eye end to prisoner payments</a>

The Palestinians resumed contacts with Israel last month following President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the US&nbsp;Election. Biden is opposed to annexation and has promised a more evenhanded approach to the conflict.

The taxes are a key source of revenue for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It was forced to cut the salaries it pays to tens of thousands of civil servants, worsening an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Israel's Finance Ministry said the funds were transferred following the approval of the Israeli Security Cabinet last month.

Israel said it would deduct an amount equal to what the Palestinian Authority pays to the families of prisoners and those killed in the conflict, including militants implicated in attacks that killed Israelis.

Israel says the so-called Martyrs' Fund incentivizes violence, while the Palestinians say it provides aid to needy families.

President Donald Trump's Mideast plan, unveiled in January, would have allowed Israel to annex a third of the West Bank, including all its Jewish settlements. The Palestinians immediately rejected the plan, and Abbas announced in May that he was cutting all ties to the US&nbsp;And Israel, and would no longer abide by past agreements with them.

Israel shelved its annexation plans in August after the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pause was only temporary.

Trump took unprecedented steps to support Israel and isolate the Palestinians, including moving the US&nbsp;Embassy to contested Jerusalem, cutting off aid to the Palestinians, and ending decades of US&nbsp;Opposition to Israeli settlements, which the Palestinians and much of the international community view as a violation of international law.

Biden has vowed to restore aid to the Palestinians and press both sides to resume the long-moribund peace process, without providing much detail about his approach.&nbsp;

Israel has released more than $1 billion in funds withheld from the Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian minister said Wednesday, weeks after coordination was renewed between the two sides.

Israel has released more than $1 billion in funds withheld from the Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian minister said Wednesday, weeks after coordination was renewed between the two sides. Hussein al-Sheikh, a close aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, confirmed the receipt of nearly 3.8 billion shekels (around $1.1 billion) from Israel. The #Israeli government transfers all financial dues of the clearance to the account of the #Palestinian Authority, amounting to three billion and 768 million shekels. https://t.co/TK9vueVzRW — حسين الشيخ Hussein Al Sheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) December 2, 2020 × In May, the Palestinians stopped coordination with Israel, with PA leader Mahmud Abbas saying it was in response to Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Israel later put its annexation plans on hold, in return for an agreement to normalise ties with the United Arab Emirates, announced in August. In halting the cooperation with Israel, the PA also stopped accepting transfer of taxes, particularly customs duties, collected by Israel on its behalf. Also read: Seeking restart with Biden, Palestinians eye end to prisoner payments The Palestinians resumed contacts with Israel last month following President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the US Election. Biden is opposed to annexation and has promised a more evenhanded approach to the conflict. The taxes are a key source of revenue for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It was forced to cut the salaries it pays to tens of thousands of civil servants, worsening an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Israel's Finance Ministry said the funds were transferred following the approval of the Israeli Security Cabinet last month. Israel said it would deduct an amount equal to what the Palestinian Authority pays to the families of prisoners and those killed in the conflict, including militants implicated in attacks that killed Israelis. Israel says the so-called Martyrs' Fund incentivizes violence, while the Palestinians say it provides aid to needy families. President Donald Trump's Mideast plan, unveiled in January, would have allowed Israel to annex a third of the West Bank, including all its Jewish settlements. The Palestinians immediately rejected the plan, and Abbas announced in May that he was cutting all ties to the US And Israel, and would no longer abide by past agreements with them. Israel shelved its annexation plans in August after the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pause was only temporary. Trump took unprecedented steps to support Israel and isolate the Palestinians, including moving the US Embassy to contested Jerusalem, cutting off aid to the Palestinians, and ending decades of US Opposition to Israeli settlements, which the Palestinians and much of the international community view as a violation of international law. Biden has vowed to restore aid to the Palestinians and press both sides to resume the long-moribund peace process, without providing much detail about his approach.

Israel transfers $1 billion in withheld funds to Palestinians

Young female boxers are redefining gender norms in Gaza. It's an ordinary site to spot boxing ring packed with female fighters & they are all competing for the national team in Palestine. WION brings you a report.

Palestinian girls compete in a boxing contest in Gaza

Wishing Palestine on its Independence Day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assured it that New Delhi remains supportive to "the aspirations of Palestinians" in their struggle to achieve "statehood", among other things.&nbsp;

"Greetings to FM Dr Riyad Al-Maliki and the Government and people of the State of Palestine on their Declaration of Independence Day. India remains supportive to the aspirations of Palestinians in their pursuit of statehood, peace and prosperity," Jaishankar tweeted.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-will-work-with-nordic-baltic-countries-for-greener-smarter-digital-innovation-led-future-s-jaishankar-340935">India will work with Nordic-Baltic countries for greener, smarter, digital &amp; innovation-led future: S Jaishankar</a>

India became one of the first nations in 1988 to recognise the Palestinian State.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/days-before-us-election-2020-shoes-with-donald-trumps-name-appears-in-palestine-339345">Days before US election 2020, shoes with Donald Trump's name appears in Palestine</a>

The Palestine National Council, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), declared Palestine's Independence on November 15, 1988.&nbsp;

The declaration was made by then Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from Algeria, in which he called Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Palestine.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Palestinians bid adieu to its veteran negotiator Saeb Erekat, who died from coronavirus on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Erekat's approach earned praise widely from world leaders as he had an enduring belief that negotiations could end the Middle East dispute and lead to the formation of a Palestinian state.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, called Erekat a "great fighter" for his people, while the foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said he was "an icon of the Palestinian cause".

Wishing Palestine on its Independence Day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assured it that New Delhi remains supportive to "the aspirations of Palestinians" in their struggle to achieve "statehood", among other things.

Wishing Palestine on its Independence Day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assured it that New Delhi remains supportive to "the aspirations of Palestinians" in their struggle to achieve "statehood", among other things. "Greetings to FM Dr Riyad Al-Maliki and the Government and people of the State of Palestine on their Declaration of Independence Day. India remains supportive to the aspirations of Palestinians in their pursuit of statehood, peace and prosperity," Jaishankar tweeted. Also read | India will work with Nordic-Baltic countries for greener, smarter, digital & innovation-led future: S Jaishankar India became one of the first nations in 1988 to recognise the Palestinian State. Also read | Days before US election 2020, shoes with Donald Trump's name appears in Palestine The Palestine National Council, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), declared Palestine's Independence on November 15, 1988. The declaration was made by then Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from Algeria, in which he called Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Palestine. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Palestinians bid adieu to its veteran negotiator Saeb Erekat, who died from coronavirus on Tuesday. Erekat's approach earned praise widely from world leaders as he had an enduring belief that negotiations could end the Middle East dispute and lead to the formation of a Palestinian state. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, called Erekat a "great fighter" for his people, while the foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said he was "an icon of the Palestinian cause".

India remains supportive to the aspirations of Palestinians in their pursuit of statehood: Jaishankar

The Gaza Strip has seen it all: war, destruction, and now even wild animals.&nbsp; Baker Naseem Abu Jamea hosts two lion cubs - the 75-day-old Fathy and Filisteen (Palestine).

The cubs can be seen on the roof of an apartment block in a city in Gaza, where they could be seen munching on chickens and children flocking around them clicking selfies.

Animal experts are worried about the cubs being around humans. "It is my hobby, I was attached to them and I love to have them.. I hope one day I can have my own zoo”, Abu Jamea, 27, told Reuters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/israel-uncovers-tunnel-from-gaza-military-says-holds-hamas-responsible-336760" hreflang="en">Israel uncovers tunnel from Gaza, military says holds Hamas responsible</a>

Jamea added that he received the cubs from a local zoo, but not share further details with Reuters.

He also dismissed risks of injury or attacks, while people and kids around him played with the cubs. "When you raise them as babies, a harmony will grow between both of you and (they) will not hurt you," he said.

Amir Khalil, a veterinarian told Reuters that he was alarmed to hear of the cubs living around humans. He has made several trips to Gaza to represent “Four Paws”, the animal welfare organisation. "I advise the Gaza authorities to take away those lions," Khalil told Reuters. "At the age of six months a lion becomes more dangerous as his size gets bigger and his muscles become stronger”, he added.

Khalil also added how raising them around humans may deprive them of care, food, and medical care, which in turn could cause health issues. Khalil also feared for the cubs' own welfare.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/two-rockets-fired-from-gaza-as-israel-uae-bahrain-sign-trump-brokered-accords-327792" hreflang="en">Two rockets fired from Gaza as Israel, UAE, Bahrain sign Trump-brokered accords</a>

"Raising lions at home may deprive them of health, sufficient food and medical care and may result in acute health problems. Especially to the muscles, joints and bones," he said.

The zoos in Gaza have complained of a decline in the number of visitors, claiming it hampers their ability to feed the animals, and to look after the animals.

Hassan Azzam, the director of veterinary services at Gaza’s agriculture ministry claimed that they hadn’t received any complaints, but that they further intended to investigate.

"Palestinian law does not permit raising wild animals in people's homes," he told Reuters. "Wild animals must be kept in proper zoo houses”, Wissam Al-Qarra said.

The Gaza Strip has seen it all: war, destruction, and now even wild animals. Baker Naseem Abu Jamea hosts two lion cubs - the 75-day-old Fathy and Filisteen (Palestine).

The Gaza Strip has seen it all: war, destruction, and now even wild animals. Baker Naseem Abu Jamea hosts two lion cubs - the 75-day-old Fathy and Filisteen (Palestine). The cubs can be seen on the roof of an apartment block in a city in Gaza, where they could be seen munching on chickens and children flocking around them clicking selfies. Animal experts are worried about the cubs being around humans. "It is my hobby, I was attached to them and I love to have them.. I hope one day I can have my own zoo”, Abu Jamea, 27, told Reuters. Also read: Israel uncovers tunnel from Gaza, military says holds Hamas responsible Jamea added that he received the cubs from a local zoo, but not share further details with Reuters. He also dismissed risks of injury or attacks, while people and kids around him played with the cubs. "When you raise them as babies, a harmony will grow between both of you and (they) will not hurt you," he said. Amir Khalil, a veterinarian told Reuters that he was alarmed to hear of the cubs living around humans. He has made several trips to Gaza to represent “Four Paws”, the animal welfare organisation. "I advise the Gaza authorities to take away those lions," Khalil told Reuters. "At the age of six months a lion becomes more dangerous as his size gets bigger and his muscles become stronger”, he added. Khalil also added how raising them around humans may deprive them of care, food, and medical care, which in turn could cause health issues. Khalil also feared for the cubs' own welfare. Also read: Two rockets fired from Gaza as Israel, UAE, Bahrain sign Trump-brokered accords "Raising lions at home may deprive them of health, sufficient food and medical care and may result in acute health problems. Especially to the muscles, joints and bones," he said. The zoos in Gaza have complained of a decline in the number of visitors, claiming it hampers their ability to feed the animals, and to look after the animals. Hassan Azzam, the director of veterinary services at Gaza’s agriculture ministry claimed that they hadn’t received any complaints, but that they further intended to investigate. "Palestinian law does not permit raising wild animals in people's homes," he told Reuters. "Wild animals must be kept in proper zoo houses”, Wissam Al-Qarra said.

Meet Fathy and Filisteen, lion cub pets of a Palestinian baker

The EU on Thursday called on Israel to cease demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and lift a threat to demolish Palestinian schools, calling them "an impediment towards the two-state solution".

The statement, issued by the spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, came two days after Israeli bulldozers razed a Bedouin village near Tubas in the Jordan Valley, leaving its nearly 80 inhabitants homeless.

Israel's army stated the homes were "built illegally" in an area used for military training.&nbsp;

The EU statement said that half the Palestinians made homeless in the demolition were children.

"This large-scale demolition confirms once again the regrettable trend of confiscations and demolitions since the beginning of the year," it said.

It added that Israel has also threatened to raze 52 Palestinian schools, including one in Ras Al-Teen in the West Bank that was co-funded by the EU and EU member states.

"The EU calls for the protection of children, including ensuring their right to education in a safe and secure school environment," the statement said, noting that education is a basic human right.

"The EU reiterates its call on Israel to halt all such demolitions, including of EU-funded structures, in particular in light of the humanitarian impact of the current coronavirus pandemic," it said.

The EU on Thursday called on Israel to cease demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and lift a threat to demolish Palestinian schools, calling them "an impediment towards the two-state solution".

The EU on Thursday called on Israel to cease demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and lift a threat to demolish Palestinian schools, calling them "an impediment towards the two-state solution". The statement, issued by the spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, came two days after Israeli bulldozers razed a Bedouin village near Tubas in the Jordan Valley, leaving its nearly 80 inhabitants homeless. Israel's army stated the homes were "built illegally" in an area used for military training. The EU statement said that half the Palestinians made homeless in the demolition were children. "This large-scale demolition confirms once again the regrettable trend of confiscations and demolitions since the beginning of the year," it said. It added that Israel has also threatened to raze 52 Palestinian schools, including one in Ras Al-Teen in the West Bank that was co-funded by the EU and EU member states. "The EU calls for the protection of children, including ensuring their right to education in a safe and secure school environment," the statement said, noting that education is a basic human right. "The EU reiterates its call on Israel to halt all such demolitions, including of EU-funded structures, in particular in light of the humanitarian impact of the current coronavirus pandemic," it said.

EU calls for halt to Israeli demolition of Palestinian buildings

A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli soldiers in return fireafter he shot at them. Israel's army made an announcement in this regard. The incident took place in West Bank.

"Troops who were at a military post adjacent to the southern exit of the city of Nablus spotted an assailant driving out of the city armed with a pistol who fired at them, and responded with fire ... The assailant has been neutralised," a statement said.&nbsp;

Israeli soldiers were not injured. The identity of the killed Palestinian man is not yet known.

Israeli forces, who have occupied the West Bank since 1967, are regularly targeted in the Palestinian territory.&nbsp;

Typically young Palestinians use knives, cars and -- less frequently -- guns to attack Israeli troops.&nbsp;

(With AFP inputs)

A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli soldiers in return fireafter he shot at them. Israel's army made an announcement in this regard. The incident took place in West Bank.

A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli soldiers in return fireafter he shot at them. Israel's army made an announcement in this regard. The incident took place in West Bank. "Troops who were at a military post adjacent to the southern exit of the city of Nablus spotted an assailant driving out of the city armed with a pistol who fired at them, and responded with fire ... The assailant has been neutralised," a statement said. Israeli soldiers were not injured. The identity of the killed Palestinian man is not yet known. Israeli forces, who have occupied the West Bank since 1967, are regularly targeted in the Palestinian territory. Typically young Palestinians use knives, cars and -- less frequently -- guns to attack Israeli troops. (With AFP inputs)

Palestinian killed after shooting at Israeli soldiers

Support for the Democrat candidate and former Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is growing in every part of the world, and&nbsp;the Republican candidate and current President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is taking a hit a few days before the upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a>.

In such a move to show support for Joe Biden, a Palestinian shoemaker is stamping Donald Trump's name in Arabic calligraphy on the footwear&nbsp;he produces and sells as an insult to the US President.&nbsp;The shoemaker is now quite popular among his Palestinian-American customers since he started making shoes with Trump's name on it.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-announces-executive-order-to-protect-fracking-at-us-election-rally-339339">Donald Trump announces executive order to protect fracking at US election rally</a>

He says the footwear a person wears is one of the most important things in one's apparel and attracts a lot of eyes and speaks volumed about the person. "When you observe body language, the lowest thing is the shoe. So the best thing to do is to put... Trump on the shoes of Palestinians,"&nbsp;said the 57-year-old Imad Haj-Muhammad.

"Shoes touch the ground, dust and dirt. So if we write someone's name on them and that also gets dirty, then it shows... how you value that person," he continued.

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Watch | Palestinian shoemaker's unique protest against US President in which he has written <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump</a>'s name on the shoes 
 
In Arab culture, writing a person's name on a shoe is considered as a demeaning gesture 
 
Priyanka Sharma (<a href="https://twitter.com/PriyankaSh25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PriyankaSh25</a>) with the latest updates <a href="https://t.co/sDurSWkZAU">pic.twitter.com/sDurSWkZAU</a>
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He says he put Trump's name on the shoes because he "assaulted our people" and "sold Jerusalem to Israel". The Palestinian man wants an apology from the President, his American customers or the win of the Democratic candidate Joe Biden&nbsp;to remove Trump's name from the shoes. "The apology is for my people because the insult was against my people... and my Islamic nation," he said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-final-weekend-before-nov-3-vote-trump-and-biden-press-closing-arguments-339318" hreflang="en">On final weekend before Nov 3 vote, Trump and Biden press closing arguments</a>

Haj-Muhammad also has a sign outside his shop asking the American and French citizens to apologise for the statements and actions made by their leaders, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron, before entering the shop. While his anger towards Macron will not go away easily, he claims he is ready to remove the American poster if Joe Biden wins the election and reverses Trump's decisions.

"I will not remove the demand for an apology from the Americans unless America's decisions (to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital) is cancelled," he said. "If Biden rescinds the decision, I will remove the sign and I will be happy."

The shoes with Trump's names are available in his shop for $50 (200 shekels) and are made from pure and genuine leather inside and outside, which he claims is "more genuine than him (Trump)."

Support for the Democrat candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is growing in every part of the world, and the Republican candidate and current President Donald Trump is taking a hit a few days before the upcoming US election.

Support for the Democrat candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is growing in every part of the world, and the Republican candidate and current President Donald Trump is taking a hit a few days before the upcoming US election. In such a move to show support for Joe Biden, a Palestinian shoemaker is stamping Donald Trump's name in Arabic calligraphy on the footwear he produces and sells as an insult to the US President. The shoemaker is now quite popular among his Palestinian-American customers since he started making shoes with Trump's name on it. Also read| Donald Trump announces executive order to protect fracking at US election rally He says the footwear a person wears is one of the most important things in one's apparel and attracts a lot of eyes and speaks volumed about the person. "When you observe body language, the lowest thing is the shoe. So the best thing to do is to put... Trump on the shoes of Palestinians," said the 57-year-old Imad Haj-Muhammad. "Shoes touch the ground, dust and dirt. So if we write someone's name on them and that also gets dirty, then it shows... how you value that person," he continued. Watch | Palestinian shoemaker's unique protest against US President in which he has written #Trump's name on the shoes In Arab culture, writing a person's name on a shoe is considered as a demeaning gesture Priyanka Sharma (@PriyankaSh25) with the latest updates pic.twitter.com/sDurSWkZAU — WION (@WIONews) November 1, 2020 × He says he put Trump's name on the shoes because he "assaulted our people" and "sold Jerusalem to Israel". The Palestinian man wants an apology from the President, his American customers or the win of the Democratic candidate Joe Biden to remove Trump's name from the shoes. "The apology is for my people because the insult was against my people... and my Islamic nation," he said. Also read| On final weekend before Nov 3 vote, Trump and Biden press closing arguments Haj-Muhammad also has a sign outside his shop asking the American and French citizens to apologise for the statements and actions made by their leaders, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron, before entering the shop. While his anger towards Macron will not go away easily, he claims he is ready to remove the American poster if Joe Biden wins the election and reverses Trump's decisions. "I will not remove the demand for an apology from the Americans unless America's decisions (to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital) is cancelled," he said. "If Biden rescinds the decision, I will remove the sign and I will be happy." The shoes with Trump's names are available in his shop for $50 (200 shekels) and are made from pure and genuine leather inside and outside, which he claims is "more genuine than him (Trump)."

Days before US election 2020, shoes with Donald Trump's name appears in Palestine

An 18-year-old Palestinian died Sunday after a confrontation with Israeli forces. The army, however, said it happened while trying to flee and Palestinian officials saying he had been beaten.

The Palestinian health ministry said that Amer Abdel-Rahim Sanouber from the village of Yatma in the occupied West Bank arrived at hospital after being "severely beaten on the neck."

The Palestine Medical Complex identified Sanouber as a "martyr" who was brought to the hospital with "signs of violence and beatings on his neck from the back".

In a statement, the Palestine Liberation Organisation accused Israeli troops of "a monstrous act of brutality against a defenceless young man whose only crime was being Palestinian".

Israel's army, on its part, said soldiers responded to an incident north of Ramallah after rocks were hurled at an army vehicle. Troops "in the area were dispatched to the scene and searched the area for assailants" the army statement said.

"Initial details suggest that upon the arrival of the troops... the two suspects tried to escape by foot. While fleeing, one of the suspects apparently lost consciousness, collapsed and hit his head. The suspect was not beaten by IDF troops," the army added.

It said troops at the scene and army medical teams provided medical attention to the suspect, who was "declared dead" following several "resuscitation attempts".

An 18-year-old Palestinian died Sunday after a confrontation with Israeli forces. The army, however, said it happened while trying to flee and Palestinian officials saying he had been beaten.

An 18-year-old Palestinian died Sunday after a confrontation with Israeli forces. The army, however, said it happened while trying to flee and Palestinian officials saying he had been beaten. The Palestinian health ministry said that Amer Abdel-Rahim Sanouber from the village of Yatma in the occupied West Bank arrived at hospital after being "severely beaten on the neck." The Palestine Medical Complex identified Sanouber as a "martyr" who was brought to the hospital with "signs of violence and beatings on his neck from the back". In a statement, the Palestine Liberation Organisation accused Israeli troops of "a monstrous act of brutality against a defenceless young man whose only crime was being Palestinian". Israel's army, on its part, said soldiers responded to an incident north of Ramallah after rocks were hurled at an army vehicle. Troops "in the area were dispatched to the scene and searched the area for assailants" the army statement said. "Initial details suggest that upon the arrival of the troops... the two suspects tried to escape by foot. While fleeing, one of the suspects apparently lost consciousness, collapsed and hit his head. The suspect was not beaten by IDF troops," the army added. It said troops at the scene and army medical teams provided medical attention to the suspect, who was "declared dead" following several "resuscitation attempts".

Palestinian teen dies after confrontation with Israeli forces

A Palestinian woman has come up with a solution in a bid to trying to halt the spread of COVID-19 infections in Gaza. Watch the report to know her story.

Gaza: Palestinian woman invents device to battle the COVID-19 pandemic

This week on the West Asia Post, we look at one year of anti-government protests in Lebanon as Ghadi Francis talks to one of the main voices of the revolution. For more such stories, keep watching the West Asia post with Ghadi Francis every Friday at 8:30 PM, only on WION.

The West Asia Post; Episode 4

Sudan and Israel have agreed to normalise relations in a US-brokered deal to end decades of hostility. This was on one hand, welcomed by the allies of the United States, but on the other, stirred Palestinian anger.&nbsp;

The announcement makes Sudan the fifth Arab country to forge diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.

Sudan has technically been at war with Israel since its 1948 foundation.

"HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in the world," tweeted US President Donald Trump, who faces a November 3 election in which he is trailing in the polls.&nbsp;

"Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalisation agreement with Israel! With the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that’s THREE Arab&nbsp;countries to have done so in only a matter of weeks. More will follow!"

Germany welcomed the deal as a boost to stability in the Middle East and paid tribute to the US role in brokering it.

"The US has played a crucial role in mediating these agreements, for which it deserves thanks and recognition," the foreign ministry said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a close US ally whose country in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, hailed the agreement.&nbsp;

The United Arab Emirates, which signed a normalisation deal with Israel in September, welcomed Sudan's decision to establish relations too as "historic".

"Sudan's decision to initiate relations with the state of Israel is an important step to enhance security, and prosperity in the region," the official WAM news agency said citing the foreign ministry.&nbsp;

Bahrain, which followed the UAE in striking a normalisation deal with Israel, hailed the agreement between Sudan and Israel.

It underlined the kingdom's support for Sudan's efforts "to exercise an active and constructive role in the international community," a foreign ministry statement said.&nbsp;

Palestinian leaders, however, strongly condemned the deal, echoing their rejection of Israel's normalisation accords with the UAE and Bahrain signed in Washington last month. &nbsp;

"The State of Palestine expressed today its condemnation and rejection of the deal to normalise ties with the Israeli occupation country which usurps Palestinian land," president Mahmoud Abbas's office said in a statement.

"No one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause," it said.

The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said the deal was a "political sin" that benefited only the Israeli premier.

"It benefits only (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu," it said in a statement.

Israel's agreements with Bahrain and the UAE broke with longstanding Arab policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and were condemned by the Palestinians as a "betrayal".

Iran, which has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and remains on the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, said Sudan had paid a "shameful" price to be removed from the "phony" blacklist.

"Pay enough ransom, close your eyes on the crimes against Palestinians, then you'll be taken off the so-called 'terrorism' blacklist. Obviously the list is as phony as the US fight against terrorism. Shameful!" its foreign ministry said.&nbsp;

Sudan and Israel have agreed to normalise relations in a US-brokered deal to end decades of hostility. This was on one hand, welcomed by the allies of the United States, but on the other, stirred Palestinian anger.

Sudan and Israel have agreed to normalise relations in a US-brokered deal to end decades of hostility. This was on one hand, welcomed by the allies of the United States, but on the other, stirred Palestinian anger. The announcement makes Sudan the fifth Arab country to forge diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Sudan has technically been at war with Israel since its 1948 foundation. "HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in the world," tweeted US President Donald Trump, who faces a November 3 election in which he is trailing in the polls. "Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalisation agreement with Israel! With the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that’s THREE Arab countries to have done so in only a matter of weeks. More will follow!" Germany welcomed the deal as a boost to stability in the Middle East and paid tribute to the US role in brokering it. "The US has played a crucial role in mediating these agreements, for which it deserves thanks and recognition," the foreign ministry said. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a close US ally whose country in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, hailed the agreement. The United Arab Emirates, which signed a normalisation deal with Israel in September, welcomed Sudan's decision to establish relations too as "historic". "Sudan's decision to initiate relations with the state of Israel is an important step to enhance security, and prosperity in the region," the official WAM news agency said citing the foreign ministry. Bahrain, which followed the UAE in striking a normalisation deal with Israel, hailed the agreement between Sudan and Israel. It underlined the kingdom's support for Sudan's efforts "to exercise an active and constructive role in the international community," a foreign ministry statement said. Palestinian leaders, however, strongly condemned the deal, echoing their rejection of Israel's normalisation accords with the UAE and Bahrain signed in Washington last month. "The State of Palestine expressed today its condemnation and rejection of the deal to normalise ties with the Israeli occupation country which usurps Palestinian land," president Mahmoud Abbas's office said in a statement. "No one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause," it said. The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said the deal was a "political sin" that benefited only the Israeli premier. "It benefits only (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu," it said in a statement. Israel's agreements with Bahrain and the UAE broke with longstanding Arab policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and were condemned by the Palestinians as a "betrayal". Iran, which has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and remains on the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, said Sudan had paid a "shameful" price to be removed from the "phony" blacklist. "Pay enough ransom, close your eyes on the crimes against Palestinians, then you'll be taken off the so-called 'terrorism' blacklist. Obviously the list is as phony as the US fight against terrorism. Shameful!" its foreign ministry said.

US allies welcome Israel-Sudan peace deal, Palestinians cry foul

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

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

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

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

In a recent interview, Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Sultan accused the Palestinian leaders of failing its people. The scathing remarks signalled a first for Saudi Arabia and raised an important question. Is Saudi Arabia's support for the Palestinian cause slowly eroding? For more such stories, keep watching the West Asia post with Ghadi Francis every Friday at 8:30 PM IST, only on WION.

The West Asia Post: Is Saudi Arabia's support for Palestine eroding?

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