Israel

25 Oct 2021; MEMO: The Israeli occupation government invited bids for the construction of 1,355 new settlement units in the illegal Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, local media reported yesterday.

JERUSALEM, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Israel's deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that the Biden administration may shelve its plan to reopen a U.S diplomatic mission for Palestinians in Jerusalem after Israel voiced opposition to such a move.

The Jerusalem consulate was subsumed into the U.S. Embassy that was moved to the contested city from Tel Aviv in 2018 by the administration of former President Donald Trump - a reversal of U.S. policy hailed by Israel and condemned by Palestinians.

JERUSALEM, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday that the five-hour meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Sochi was "very good and in-depth."

Speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting, Bennett said "the relations between Israel and Russia are very good, but it can be better. The potential for economic, scientific, cultural and technological cooperation is endless given the fact that there are approximately one million Russian-speakers in Israel."

JERUSALEM, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli study has found that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods raises the chance of developing hypertension, or high blood pressure, the University of Haifa (UH) in northern Israel said on Sunday.

The study also found that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of excess lipids in the blood (hyperlipidemia), the UH noted.

Furthermore, these foods also raise the risk of inflammation among people suffering from fatty liver disease, especially among smokers, it added.

23 Oct 2021; MEMO: During the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Friday, the latter agreed to let Israel continue its strikes in Syria, Israeli media reported.

Housing Minister Ze'ev Elkin confirmed that the two officials agreed to continue implementing the deconfliction mechanism that works to prevent Israeli and Russian forces from clashing in Syria.

TEL AVIV, October 23. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin called Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Saturday to invite him to visit St. Petersburg, Bennett’s office said, adding that the prime minister accepted the invitation and said he would be pleased to make another visit to Russia.

22 Oct 2021; MEMO: Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz today declared six prominent Palestinian human rights groups terrorists organisations which funnel donor money to outlawed groups.

TEL AVIV, October 22. /TASS/: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin lasted five hours in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday, the Israeli prime minister’s office said adding that the meeting was warm and positive, with the leaders focusing on the issues crucial in relations between the two countries.

22 Oct 2021; MEMO: Israel's Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday that "conflict" was the only way to stop Iran from reaching nuclear capability, claiming that "a confrontation with Iran is only a matter of time, and not a lot of time."

Speaking to the Walla news site, Lieberman said "no diplomatic process or agreement will stop Iran's nuclear programme", despite efforts to resume talks between Tehran and world powers over the 2015 nuclear deal.

22 Oct 2021; MEMO: A shocking account of the rape of a Palestinian woman by an Israeli officer seven years ago has emerged after the military's appeals court cleared the details of the case for publication earlier this week. The Palestinian women identified in court only as M. said that the Israeli officer abused his power by taking advantage of her need for a work permit and forced her to have sex with him.