Since the election of both President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the debate on the downfall of the Israel-U.S. alliance re received significant media attention. Particularly following the U.S. Administration’s insistence of an Israeli freeze on settlements, pundits heightened concerns that the strategic alliance between the two countries was reaching its end. […]
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Islamic holy month Ramadan when Muslims around the globe fast from dawn until dusk. In an effort to show respect for religious Muslims, IDF chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered soldiers to follow etiquette and refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking around Palestinians during […]
Israeli military technology firm Rafael will sell the Indian army $1 billion worth of anti-aircraft systems with a range of 45 kilometers, making Israel the largest military supplier to India. The technology is capable of destroying aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Last year, India bought $270 million worth of the technology. Previously, Russia provided […]
The State Department issued the following statement on the new Palestinian Authority-only travel visas: We are aware that the Government of Israel has recently begun employing restrictive measures for people entering the West Bank via Allenby Bridge, such as the use of a Palestinian Authority only stamp. We have included information on this new policy […]
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak travelled to Washington this week to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss the Israel-Arab peace process, Palestinian faction reconciliation, and attempts to secure the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Preceding the meeting, Mubarak granted numerous interviews with the U.S. media, most notably with PBS anchor Charlie Rose. Mubarak’s talks with Obama are significant because […]
A new INSS report provides an initial examination of the recent Fatah convention and elections, which ousted numerous old guard party members from the organization’s leadership ranks. Primarily, the article focuses on the effects of the conference on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas who sought to legitimize his term in office through support at the conference. […]
Figures of the second quarter released by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics provide a promising indication that the economic conditions in the country are rebounding. The Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter rose 1-percent, after dropping 1.4-percent and 3.2-percent in the previous two quarters. Moreover, the Consumer Price Index rose 1.1-percent, primarily due […]
The Israeli government began issuing two different tourist visas at the border, with one granting entrance to mainland Israel and the other to Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, according to a new post on the U.S. consulate website. Previously, upon entering Israel at a border crossing, a traveller would receive a general visa for Israel and could […]
After a day of police mobilization and an urgent military head-count, the alleged abduction of an IDF soldier proved false. Even though an eye witness said she saw a soldier forcefully taken in an automobile from central Israel and a terror group claimed responsibility for the incident, the IDF found no soldier unaccounted for. Upon […]
A female soldier in the IDF reportedly witnessed the forced abduction of a male soldier into an automoble by two men, Israeli news is now reporting. The IDF is still investigating if any soldiers are unaccounted for and initiated the road blocks as a precaution. The “Al-Quds Army,” a perviously unknown group, claimed responsibility for the […]
The Facts: Police security checks in central Israel are leading to severe traffic jams. The intensive police pressence focusses on Petah Tikva, the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem road, and Ben Gurion Airport. The checks, occuring since the afternoon, involve police searching each car and asking who is inside. The Rumors: Some Israelis are saying that a terror […]
The H1N1 virus doesn’t seem to be going away in Israel or in Palestinian controlled areas. The rate of infection in Israel has risen 3.6 percent in two weeks, infecting a total of 2,148 people in the entire country thus far. In order to combat the spread of the illness, the rabbinate is taking measures […]
Well, the recount of votes for seats on the Fatah Central Committee shook things up a bit. Notably, the recount pushed a prominent supporter of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, At-Tayyib Abdul Rahim, onto the panel, extending the elected part of the committee from 18 to 19 seats. Abdul Rahim previously said he would not seek […]
The Israeli government did a U-turn on its policy involving negotiations with Syria, stating that Jerusalem would only agree to direct talks with Damascus instead of moderated talks through Turkish officials. Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon stated in an interview with Reuters that moderated talks were clearly failing and that only through direct negotiations could […]
The Israeli, Turkish, and U.S. navies will participate in a joint exercise over the Meditaranean next week to practice strategies for ensuring safety at sea. The operation, launched annually for the last ten years, will involve eight ships, three search and rescue aircraft, and four helicopters. More importantly, though, the exercise is the first joint operation […]