Israel

17 September 2019; AFP: Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger in Tuesday's elections, is a respected former military chief who says he can restore honour to the premier's office.

Gantz, a 60-year-old ex-paratrooper, had no previous political experience when he declared himself as Netanyahu's electoral rival in December.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis were voting Tuesday in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power.

Against the prospect of a likely indictment on corruption charges, Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in office.

He faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud. Both parties could struggle to form a majority coalition with smaller allies, though, forcing them into a potential unity government.

16 Sep 2019; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed yesterday that he did not practice incitement against Arabs in Israel, Arab48 reported.

During an interview published by the Israeli news website Walla, Netanyahu denied any wrongdoing, claiming he had no need to apologise.

“Am I inciting?” he asked. “Against [MK] Ayman Odeh?” he continued.

JERUSALEM, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he plans to annex "all" the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins Tuesday's elections.

"I intend to impose Israeli sovereignty on all blocs and settlements and sites of importance to the Jewish heritage," the prime minister told Army Radio.

He said that settlements, such as Kiryat Arba next to the Palestinian city of Hebron, "will be part of the state of Israel."

JERUSALEM, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's eastern province of Jiangsu and Israel have signed 14 deals to enhance hi-tech cooperation.

These deals, involving sectors in life science, medical devices, and smart manufacturing, were signed on Sunday during the Jiangsu (Israel) Opening and Innovation Cooperation Symposium held in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

ROSH HAAYIN, Israel (AP) — As former army chief of staff Benny Gantz campaigns to be Israel’s next leader, he is relying less on policy specifics than on the archetypal image of a military man who can rise above the political fray and defend a country that feels perpetually under siege.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A visibly frantic Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the fight of his political life as the country heads to national elections for the second time this year.

With Netanyahu locked in a razor tight race and facing the likelihood of criminal corruption charges, a decisive victory in Tuesday’s vote may be the only thing to keep him out of the courtroom. A repeat of the deadlock in April’s election, or a victory by challenger Benny Gantz, could spell the end of the career of the man who has led the country for the past decade.

13 Sep 2019; MEMO: A senior Arab official has been spying for Israel, newly released secret Israeli military documents have revealed.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that senior Israeli security and intelligence sources saying that a senior official in an Arab country has been “turned into a spy for Israel without his knowledge”.

JERUSALEM (AP) — New official data obtained by The Associated Press shows a spike in Jewish settlement construction in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem since President Donald Trump took office in 2017, along with strong evidence of decades of systematic discrimination illustrated by a huge gap in the number of construction permits granted to Jewish and Palestinian residents.

11 Sep 2019; MEMO: Former Chief of Staff of Israeli Army and fourth candidate on the list of Blue and White party, Gabi Ashkenazi, revealed yesterday that discussions are underway in the Likud camp over who will take over from incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Shehab news agency reported.