Israel

21 Oct 2019; MEMO: The Israeli Knesset Research and Information Centre has revealed a huge gap between the government’s funding of Jewish and Arab students at Israeli schools, Arab48 reported yesterday.

According to the Development and Efficiency Index at the Israeli Education Ministry, the Israel students are divided into four classifications: weak, weak-intermediate, intermediate-strong and strong.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo underscored U.S.-Israeli efforts to counter Iran in talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, in an apparent attempt to ease concerns in Israel that Tehran could exploit a U.S. military pullback in Syria.

Pompeo and Netanyahu met in Jerusalem hours after Turkey agreed with the United States to pause its offensive on Kurdish forces in Syria.

17 Oct 2019; MEMO: Israel has called on the United States to maintain a military base in south-eastern Syria for strategic and geopolitical reasons, Israeli TV channel Kan reported yesterday.

17 Oct 2019; MEMO: Israeli authorities have opened a natural spring in southern Jerusalem to visitors, “but on the explicit condition that Palestinians not be allowed to enter the site”, reported Haaretz.

15 Oct 2019; MEMO: Former Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has declared that he sees himself as the best successor to Benjamin Netanyahu as Likud’s leader.

Speaking to Ynet, Barkat “for the first time declared himself as the heir to the Likud leadership when Benjamin Netanyahu ends his political life, and intends to run for prime minister as party leader.”

14 Oct 2019; MEMO: Hamas yesterday warned of a new Israeli plan to displace tens of thousands of Palestinians from the Negev.

In the statement, a copy of which sent to MEMO, the movement said that the Israeli occupation is planning to “displace about 90,000 Palestinians from 36 villages in Al-Naqab [Negev], south of historic Palestine.”

14 Oct 2019; MEMO: Former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army and senior leader in Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) party, Gabi Ashkenazi, has said that the biggest threat to Israel is the lack of unity, Arab48 reported yesterday.

He said that there is no Israeli decision to end Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip.

13 Oct 2019; MEMO: The Israeli occupation authorities on Sunday morning shut down Karam Abu Salem and Beit Hanoun crossings, southeast and north of the Gaza Strip, for Jewish holidays, Palestine Information Center reported.

The administration of Beit Hanoun crossing announced that it would be closed on Sunday for Palestinians, except for emergencies and VIPs, until 2:00 pm.

12 Oct 2019; MEMO: Chief of Israeli Mossad, Yossi Cohen, acknowledged on Thursday the assassination of Hamas leaders abroad, Mishpacha, an ultra-Orthodox Israeli newspaper reported.

11 Oct 2019; MEMO: Israel has agreed to discuss amendments to economic agreements with the Palestinians, reported Globes, in the context of a compromise enabling a transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority (PA).