Israel

18 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israeli authorities are preparing a law that would prohibit any cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, and would propose five years in prison for any violations of this law, RT reported yesterday.

18 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israel's Central Elections Committee yesterday refused to disqualify Joint List bloc, an alliance of predominantly Arab parties, ahead of the Knesset elections due next month, local media reported.

Prior to looking into petitions against the Joint List, the Elections Committee disqualified Arab candidate in the Labor party Ibtisam Mara'ana following a petition filed against her by the Otzma Yehudit party.

17 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israel's Ambassador to the United States has said that Israel might not engage with President Joe Biden's strategy regarding the nuclear issue with Iran, Reuters reported on Tuesday. At the same time, Gilad Erdan urged tougher sanctions and a "credible military threat" against Iran in order to deter its nuclear programme.

JERUSALEM (AP) — In Israel, the sprint to the March 23 election is striking a notable resemblance to the American presidential brawl in 2020.

Candidates are holding virtual events or limited in-person gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some have signed up star U.S. advisers who faced off against each other during the contest between Republican incumbent Donald Trump and the Democrat who defeated him, President Joe Biden.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel held out the possibility on Tuesday that it would not engage with U.S. President Joe Biden on strategy regarding the Iranian nuclear programme, urging tougher sanctions and a “credible military threat” against its arch-enemy.

The remarks by Israel’s envoy to Washington came at a touchy juncture for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Up for re-election next month, he has revived his hard line on Iran while not yet having any direct communication with Biden.

JERUSALEM, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Cyprus signed on Sunday a deal to allow Israelis and Cypriots who have been inoculated against COVID-19 to travel between the two countries without quarantine.

The deal was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who arrived in Israel for a one-day visit earlier in the day.

"It opens up the possibility of restarting tourism in the near future. Cypriot tourists in Israel and Israeli tourists in Cyprus," Netanyahu said in a statement.

JERUSALEM (AP) — After surging ahead in the race to vaccinate its population against the coronavirus, Israel is blaming online misinformation for a sudden slowdown in the campaign. Now, officials are fighting back.

14 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not troubled that US President Joe Biden has not phoned him yet, Israel's ambassador to Washington claimed on Saturday, seeking to downplay the lack of direct contact so far, Reuters reported.

14 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israeli ministers approved arms purchases worth $9 billion with the US on Sunday, the New Arab reported.

The sizeable deal includes purchases of Chinook choppers, F-35 warplanes and aerial refuelling tankers, on top of a vast amount of bombs and munitions.

12 Feb 2021; MEMO: Plans by a member of the Abu Dhabi ruling family to purchase a 50 per cent stake in Israel's controversial Beitar Jerusalem Football Club have been frozen, following reports questioning the sheikh's finances, it was announced yesterday.