Israel

18 June 2019; MEMO: The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report that despite maintaining a long-term policy of not commenting on its nuclear arsenal, Israel is believed to own between 80 and 90 nuclear warheads.

18 June 2019; MEMO: Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan has “proposed a new bill that would impose a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison for those who sponsor, finance, support or organise activities for the Palestinian Authority (PA)” in occupied East Jerusalem, reported Asharq Al-Awsat.

JERUSALEM, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel's government inaugurated on Sunday a new settlement in the annexed Golan Heights named after the country's close ally, U.S. President Donald Trump.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a sign with the name of the settlement, Ramat Trump, or "Trump Heights," in Hebrew.

The ceremony was held as part of a special cabinet meeting at the site, attended by senior ministers, officials with the Golan Heights regional council, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.

16 June 2019; AFP: An Israeli court Sunday convicted the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraudulently using state funds for meals, under a plea bargain which saw her admit to lesser charges.

Sara Netanyahu was found guilty of exploiting the mistake of another person and ordered to pay a fine and compensation, in a deal approved by Jerusalem magistrates' court justice Avital Chen.

14 June 2019; MEMO: Israeli authorities are pressing ahead with plans to demolish an entire Palestinian neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, human rights NGO B’Tselem reported, which will leave 550 homeless.

Wadi Yasul, located between the neighbourhoods of Abu Tur and Silwan, is home to 72 Palestinian families.

According to B’Tselem, the Jerusalem Municipality has “issued demolition orders for all the neighbourhood homes so all the families there are facing the threat of expulsion.”

13 June 2019; MEMO: The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem yesterday rejected an Israeli Supreme Court ruling against an appeal it filed to annul the sale of a property agreed in 2004.

The deal is related to the church’s property in Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem as well as the Muslim Quarter in the occupied holy city.

13 June 2019; MEMO: Israeli police this morning arrested the director of the restoration and reconstruction department of the Islamic Waqf, which cares for the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

Bassam Al-Hallaq was detained along with Taha Oweidah, an engineer, and Mohammad Hidra, a member of the compound’s staff.

Jerusalem, Jun 13 (AFP) Israeli warplanes bombed bunkers at a Hamas base in Gaza early Thursday following the first rocket fire from the territory since early May, the military said.

Israeli aircraft targeted "underground infrastructure" at the base in the southern Gaza Strip, it said in a statement.

The strike came after Israeli air defences intercepted a rocket launched from the territory, the first since hundreds were fired in early May in a two-day flare-up which killed four Israelis and 25 Palestinians.

JERUSALEM, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli prime minister's wife Sara Netanyahu signed a plea bargain on Wednesday over allegedly misusing state funds to order gourmet meals, the State Attorney's Office said.

Under the deal, Sara Netanyahu will admit lesser charges and be convicted of receiving something by intentionally exploiting another person's mistake. She will repay 45,000 shekels (12, 573 U.S. dollars) and pay a fine of 10,000 shekels (2,794 dollars), Israel Radio reported.

The deal will be presented before judge on Sunday at the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.

12 June 2019; MEMO: A Israeli court heard yesterday that radioactive material has leaked from the Dimona nuclear reactor several times since it was built, Arab48 reported.

This was revealed during a case against the reactor filed by a former worker who is battling cancer.

According to the Israeli general radio, the reactor recognised the leaks after workers complained; no further details were given.