Israel

31 August 2023; MEMO: A court in Israel ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair yesterday to pay 130,000 shekels (around $34,000) in compensation for “slander and defamation” in a case lodged against him by Blue and White party activist Dana Kashdi. The order was made by the Magistrates’ Court in Kfar Saba.

01 September 2023; MEMO: Two former heads of the Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency have called on US President Joe Biden not to “legitimise” the Israeli government’s extremism, xenophobia and “coup” by inviting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House during his visit to the US next month.

01 September 2023; MEMO: Israel has summoned the Belgian ambassador for dressing down after a minster said that “entire [Palestinian] villages are being wiped off the map by the Israelis.” A letter of protest has also been sent to the Belgium Foreign Ministry claiming that the remarks are “libelous and defamatory.”

The comments were made by Belgium’s Minister for International Development, Caroline Gennez. Speaking to the Flemish daily De Morgen, Gennez said:

JERUSALEM, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Saudi authorities on Tuesday for taking care of Israeli passengers whose flight had to make an emergency landing in Jeddah.

Due to a technical malfunction, Air Seychelles HM022, destined for Tel Aviv and carrying 128 Israeli passengers, was forced to land on Monday night in the kingdom, with which Israel doesn't have official ties.

Later, a replacement flight was arranged to fly the passengers to their destination, said the Israeli foreign ministry in a statement.

JERUSALEM, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday urged the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to act to calm tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border to prevent a possible escalation.

The two met at the UN Headquarters in New York, according to a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Ministry.

JERUSALEM, Aug 28 (NNN-MA’AN) – Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday said, Hamas shall pay full price, if they try to carry out attacks against Israel.

“Whoever tries to hurt us, whoever finances and organises, whoever dispatches terrorists against Israel, will pay the full price,” said Netanyahu in a televised statement.

The remark came, after Hamas’ deputy political chief, Salah al-Arouri threatened a “multi-front war,” if Israel tried to assassinate more Palestinian leaders.

25 August 2023; MEMO: Accusing Israel of apartheid is not anti-Semitic, Amos Goldberg, a leading Professor of the Holocaust at Hebrew University in Jerusalem is reported saying in German newspaper, FAZ. The expert on anti-Jewish racism made his remarks in response to controversial comments made earlier this month by Germany’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Dr Felix Klein.

25 August 2023; MEMO: Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

Ben-Gvir must be dismissed and replaced, and a new minister, who wants to and can deal with the crisis, must be appointed, Gantz said.

Every minute that passes is a ticking time bomb, Gantz warned.

A number of rare ancient artefacts stolen from Yemen are to be auctioned in Israel, according to a report by Al-Quds Al-Arabi last week. Citing a Yemeni researcher who specialises in tracing looted antiquities online, Abdullah Mohsen, the report said that the public auction will take place in Tel Aviv in October.

In a Facebook post, Mohsen said that among the exhibits was a bronze frame featuring the embossed faces of two young men and it is “probably from Tamnu, Al-Awd, or Dhafar (referring to areas of ancient Yemeni civilisation).”

24 August 2023; MEMO: A significant increase in the number of Israeli citizens seeking to obtain foreign passports or residence visas has been recorded in recent months, Ynet News said on Wednesday.