Israel

JERUSALEM/DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Israel and Jordan have signed a declaration of intent for a water-for-energy deal, Israel's Energy Ministry said on Monday, in the first such deal between the two countries.

The project would see Jordan build 600 megawatts of solar generating capacity which would be exported to Israel, contingent upon Israel providing water-scarce Jordan with 200 million cubic metres of desalinated water.

Feasibility studies would start in 2022, said a statement from Israel's diplomatic mission in the United Arab Emirates, where the deal was signed.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A one-time confidante to Benjamin Netanyahu began testifying against him Monday in the former Israeli prime minister’s corruption trial in Jerusalem.

Nir Hefetz, a former spokesman for Netanyahu, is a key prosecution witness expected to deliver critical testimony in the trial, which revolves around accusations that Netanyahu committed fraud, breach of trust and accepted bribes. The former premier, now opposition leader, denies any wrongdoing.

JERUSALEM, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday that the country's goal is to vaccinate 50 percent of children aged 5-11 by the end of December.

The remark was made in a meeting between Bennett and general managers of the country's four health maintenance organizations, a spokesperson for Bennett said in a statement.

The managers informed Bennett of the preparation for vaccination rollout for the children.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian assailant killed one Israeli and injured four others before being fatally shot by Israeli police near the entrance to a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site Sunday, police said.

Police said the attack took place near an entrance to a contested flashpoint shrine known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. Violence surrounding the site, which is considered holy by both faiths, has triggered previous rounds of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians, most recently in May.

20 Nov 2021; MEMO: Omri Goren, the housekeeper of Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz, has been arrested and charged with espionage over offering to spy on Gantz for Iran, Israeli media reported on Friday.

According to Israeli Channel 12 news, Goren reached out to Black Shadow, a cyber-hacker group, on Telegram and proposed his help.

19 Nov 2021; MEMO: The Israeli Public Defender's Office said yesterday that the member of Defence Minister Benny Gantz's housekeeping staff who is accused of spying for Iran, had acted out of "financial duress" and had not intended to harm national security, Reuters reported.

The Public Defender's Office which assigned Gal Wolf to defend the suspect, told Kan public radio that the man had intended to extract money without actually being able to carry out any espionage.

18 Nov 2021; MEMO: Two Israelis detained last week in Turkey after they were reported for taking photos of the presidential palace in Istanbul were released and arrived in Israel on board a private jet sent by the Israeli government, local media reported this morning.

Husband and wife, Mordy and Natali Oknin, were detained last week after taking photographs for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's palace.

17 Nov 2021; MEMO: The former head of the Israeli police service in Jerusalem has been sentenced for sexual misconduct, Israel Hayom reported on Tuesday. Nissan Shaham was also accused of fraud and breach of trust, and will apparently serve just 10 months in prison, starting on 30 December.

16 Nov 2021; MEMO: Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a rare appearance at his corruption trial today but an expected courtroom encounter with an ex-aide who has turned state's witness never happened as judges postponed his testimony, Reuters reports.

16 Nov 2021; MEMO: The family of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested an extension of the state-funded security protection, the Jerusalem Post reported yesterday.

Six months of state-funded security protection for Netanyahu, his wife and his two sons, which was approved by the cabinet for the six months after he left office, is due to come to an end next month.