Israel

27 April 2022; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett received a letter with a threat to his life and a bullet at his family's private home in the city of Ra'anana.

Taking to Twitter, Bennett stressed the need for the political conflict in Israel not to reach the level of "bullying, violence and death threats".

The Israeli prime minister called on Israeli citizens, including politicians and social media activists to take time for calm and reconciliation, and "lower the temperature on the political discourse".

27 April 2022; MEMO: Human rights groups accused the Israeli judiciary on Tuesday of providing legal cover for the army's crimes against unarmed Palestinian civilians.

JERUSALEM, Apr 25 (NNN-PNA) – The Israeli foreign minister said yesterday that, Israel is “committed” to the status quo, that bans Jews from praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the focal point of recent clashes in Jerusalem.

“Israel is committed to the status quo on the Temple Mount,” Yair Lapid said, during a press briefing, using the Israeli name of the site which is holy to both Muslims and Jews.

“Muslims pray on the Temple Mount, non-Muslims visit. There is no change,” he said. “We have no plans to divide the Temple Mount between religions.”

JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Israel in the coming months following an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Bennett's office and the White House said on Sunday.

The two leaders spoke on Sunday and Bennett briefed Biden on efforts "to stop the violence and incitement in Jerusalem," Bennett's office said in a statement, in reference to Israeli-Palestinian clashes at the holy city's Al-Aqsa mosque.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister on Sunday accused the Hamas militant group of orchestrating recent unrest at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, responding to criticism that Israeli police used heavy-handed tactics to quell the violence.

JERUSALEM, Apr 23 (NNN-WAFA) – Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel last night, with no damage or injury reported, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said.

One rocket landed in southern Israel in open territory and the other within the Gaza Strip, according to the IDF.

The incident came after a tense day in Jerusalem, where the Palestinians and the Israeli police clashed again, at the holy site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Several rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza throughout the week after several months of quiet.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel said Saturday that it would close its crossing to thousands of Gaza workers after a series of rockets were fired from the territory ruled by the militant Hamas group in recent days.

The rocket fire came amid near-daily clashes at a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site over the past week, with Palestinians hurling stones and fireworks and Israeli police entering the compound and firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Christians were celebrating the “Holy Fire” ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Saturday against a backdrop of rising tensions with Israel, which imposed new restrictions on attendance this year that it said were needed for safety.

Israel says it wants to prevent another disaster after a crowd stampede at a packed Jewish holy site last year left 45 people dead. Christian leaders say there’s no need to alter a ceremony that has been held for centuries.

22 April 2022; MEMO: Russia's Ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, yesterday warned that Moscow will respond "accordingly" if Tel Aviv supplies Kyiv with defensive gear amid his country's invasion of Ukraine, Israeli media outlets reported.

"We are carefully checking this information and will respond accordingly if it is confirmed," Viktorov told Russian state television.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police in full riot gear stormed a sensitive Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews and Muslims on Friday after Palestinian youths hurled stones at a gate where they were stationed.

The renewed violence at the site, which is sacred to Jews and Muslims, came despite Israel temporarily halting Jewish visits, which are seen by the Palestinians as a provocation. Medics said more than two dozen Palestinians were wounded before the clashes subsided hours later.