Netanyahu meets with the Prime Minister of Moldova
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Thursday (9th) with Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip in Jerusalem.
The two discussed the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Moldova in the areas of water, agriculture, green energy and medicine.
(israelnn.com)
‘Blue Flag’ international flight exercise concludes
Numerous aeroplanes from 8 different countries participated in the largest international exercise to take place in Israeli history, codenamed “Blue Flag.” The forces simulated extreme military situations and studied flight techniques, mutual cooperation and “coalition” flights. 100 aircraft performed 1000 sorties during the exercises.
The flight exercises continued for two weeks, ending Thursday (9th).
(timesofisrael.com)
Palestinian arrested at entrance to Kokhav Ya’akov carrying 2 knives and Koran
Police arrested a Palestinian man at the entrance to Kokhav Ya’akov in Binyamin with a bag containing two knives and a Koran.
An initial investigation turned out that he was planning to transfer the bag to someone else who was going to use it to carry out a terror attack.
(ynetnews.com)
Israelis stop visiting South Korea over fear of ‘Madman’ Kim Jong Un
According to a recent survey, Israelis are more likely than any other nationality to avoid travel to South Korea amidst escalating threats from North Korea. Maybe it is because they themselves have been exposed to so much conflict.
The survey, conducted by the worldwide hotel booking organization Hotels Combined, found that 33% of Israelis would cancel or avoid travel plans to South Korea under the present circumstances.
Israelis enjoy warm relations with South Korea, and many Israelis travel there for both business and pleasure.
From neighboring Middle Eastern countries the number of visitors to South Korea dropped by a comparable 31% over the past several months.
By comparison, 17% of Japanese were less likely to visit South Korea at this time.
(israeltoday.co.il)
Amid reconciliation push, Palestinians mark 13 years since Arafat’s death
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on Thursday (9th) held rallies to mark the 13th anniversary of the death of revered former leader Yasser Arafat.
This year’s events came as rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas seek to carry out a landmark reconciliation deal signed last month that aims to end their 10-year rift.
(afp.com)
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait urge citizens to leave Lebanon as tensions heat up
Saudi Arabia urged its citizens to leave Lebanon “immediately,” and avoid traveling to the small Middle Eastern state on Thursday (9th). “The Kingdom advised all citizens not to travel to Lebanon from any other international destinations,” said the statement reported by Al-Arabiya. Bahrain and Kuwait also issued similar warnings.
The calls for citizens to leave come amid a war of words between Saudi Arabia, Iran and Hizbullah and in the wake of the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Saturday (4th).
(jpost.com; reuters.com)
‘There’s no more Lebanon, there’s Iran’
Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz on Thursday (9th) discussed the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Iran’s threatening takeover of large areas surrounding the State of Israel.
As far as Lebanon, Katz said, “What happened with Hariri revealed the true face of Hizbullah and what we are claiming and the whole world now sees: Hariri was merely a fig leaf; in fact Lebanon is Hizbullah and Hizbullah is Iran – we see this as a red line.”
“What the world must understand,” said Katz, “there is no Lebanon, there is Hizbullah, and therefore we must severely sanction Lebanon in order to disarm Hizbullah.”
(israelnn.com)
Egypt’s president warns Iran to stop ‘meddling’ in Middle East
Egyptian President Abdel-Fatteh el-Sisi said on Wednesday (8th) that Iran must stop ‘meddling’ in the Middle East and the security of Arab Gulf countries must not be threatened.
In a meeting with a group of journalists, el-Sisi also pledged support for Saudi Arabia in its standoff with Iran.
(israelhayom.com)
Poll: Most Israeli Arabs say they feel part of Israeli society – Prof. Tamar Hermann
54% of israeli Arabs say they feel part of Israeli society, but 67% say Israel has no right to be defined as the national home of the Jewish people, according to a survey released Tuesday (7th) by the Israel Democracy Institute.
69% of Jews and 74% of Arabs report that they have been employed where Jews and Arabs work together and that 90% of Jews and 95% of Arabs defined the relationship between the employees as good or very good.
(idi.org.il)
Calls to move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem ahead of new deadline – Michael Wilner
A House subcommittee held a hearing on Wednesday (8th) on moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In December, President Trump will have to decide whether to order the move or delay it for another six months. Dore Gold, a former top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, testified before the panel and highlighted Israel’s protection of holy sites to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.
Gold told the Jerusalem Post after the hearing, “We have an administration that wants to do this. We’re not pulling wisdom teeth – it’s important to clarify that this is in the Israeli interest….It’s important for them to hear Israelis take a strong stand on this.”
(jpost.com)
