Israel News

Israel news features every important moment from the Jewish State involving politics, celebrities, and innovation. This is the hard hitting, fast paced news that represents the Jewish nation in an un bias frame so that truth about Israel is represented in the media. There is no other substitute for the best Israel news on the web.

Gantz fires Hendel as minister, Hauser from committee chairmanship

Vote on dissolving Knesset, elections likely delayed till next week.

Coronavirus in Israel: Death toll tops 3,000 as infection rates climb

COVID Commissioner Prof. Ash says Israel could be back to normal by March-April • Netanyahu says first vaccine to be administered on Sunday

As Biden era dawns, Netanyahu doubles down against Iran deal - analysis

The imminent changing of the guard in Washington, , and Netanyahu’s natural desire to want to start off with the president on the right foot, do not change the way he views the JCPOA.

14/12/2020
THERE IS now a broad social realization that the elderly are the main risk group that needs to be pr
Outbreaks in nursing homes worsened by bureaucratic test bungling

"On every tombstone of an elderly person who died from COVID, will it be written that they died due to the Tender Obligation Law?" Committee chairman Ofer Shelah asked.

A view of the West Bank
Knesset to hold initial vote on legalization of 65 West Bank outposts

The legislation provides a two-year time frame for the legalization of the fledgling communities.

Netanyahu to quarantine after confirmed contact with COVID-19 case

Finance Minister Israel Katz came into contact with the same confirmed case.

Likud MK David Bitan connected to ECMO machine with COVID-19

The ECMO machine pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

Rumblings in Blue and White of leadership challenge to Gantz

Benny Gantz has frequently been accused of being indecisive and to willing to bend to the circumstances dictated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Our Common Destiny scroll launched at Jerusalem ceremony

The Our Common Destiny scroll project is a joint initiative of Genesis Philanthropy Group and the State of Israel, under the auspices of President Reuven Rivlin.

Chevron fined for Leviathan gas platform air emission violation

This latest sanction follows a NIS 3.8m. fine that Noble Energy was handed last month for violating its permit for gas flow into the sea.

The logo of Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Corp Ltd, the country's largest telecom group, is seen.
Bezeq signs 5-year agreement with workers' union

About 6,000 Bezeq employees were promised all rights, with “industrial silence” among them, as well as an improvement in wages and retirement conditions.

Frank Zappa celebrated at Jerusalem Film Festival

When the composer-producer-guitarist died in 1993 at the age of 52, he left behind him a body of work that would do well to squeeze into three or four lifetimes.

14/12/2020
Israelis protest against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at Beit HaKerem neighborhood in
Black Flag: investigate movement behind "Leftist traitor" graffiti

"The violent attacks are carried out by perverted supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who view anyone who isn't a "Bibi-ist" as a traitor," reads the complaint filed to A-G Mandelblit.

By SARAH BEN-NUN
14/12/2020
Katz boasts of a ‘wall’ around COVID-19 expenses

National Economic Council chair Avi Simhon: ‘This crisis has an expiration date’

Rivlin, Pope Francis exchange Christmas, Hanukkah greetings amid COVID-19

Though they do not coincide this year, Hanukkah and Christmas are often associated with one another due to seasonal concurrence.

14/12/2020
Rivlin hosts Bahraini delegation, calls King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Due to coronavirus restrictions, the number of tourists from the UAE to Israel is minimal in comparison, but delegations are certainly coming.

Comedy show 'Eretz Nehederet' releases vaccine clip

The clip lampoons the health establishment's handling of the coronavirus crisis with its trademark black humor.

What is the future of Israel-US relations under a Biden administration?

Hear leading Middle East and US experts discuss the new realities Thursday, December 17 at 17:00 Israel time / 10:00 EST / 15:00 UK time.

An empty Knesset Plenum
Vote on dissolving Knesset, elections likely delayed till next week

Likud is seeking to stymie party funding and social media transparency stipulations in dissolution bill, wait for automatic dissolution of Knesset on Dec. 23 when budget deadline expires

The week in readers' photos

Jerusalem Post readers send us their best pics of the week

Patient creates medical hanukkiah in tribute to team who saved him

"I give them this hanukkiah with my whole heart," said Moshe Hartman.

Femma's Riddle
First Tel Aviv Jewish Film Festival goes online

The festival features premieres of films, both full-length features, documentaries and short films, from Israel and abroad.

Less than half of Israelis plan to get vaccinated for COVID-19 – survey

WHO experts have pointed to a 65%-70% vaccine coverage rate as a way to reach population immunity through vaccination.

Over 200 COVID-positive Israelis expected to return from UAE in December

Cramped flights have some worried that many Israelis would catch the disease on the plane, leaving tests unable to detect the virus so close after infection.

Israeli gymnast wins gold at European Championships

Artem Dolgopyat also won the bronze medal for vault, and Israeli Alexander Myakinin won bronze on the high bar.

Chicken coop
Most Israelis think gov't should ban cages, minimize animal suffering

93% of the Israeli public believe that locking up animals in crowded cages for their entire lives is considered animal abuse, a new survey found.

Israel's IIBR to partner with ESIL innovation lab on pollutant detection

ESIL also announced that it will invest in four to six new start-ups that work in the field of sustainability and the environment every year.

Candle lighting ceremony at Western Wall Tunnels
US delegation participates in Western Wall candle lighting ceremony

The delegation was taken on a tour of the new excavations in the Western Wall Tunnels where they encountered Jerusalem’s rich past and the deep connection between the Jewish nation and its capital.

Politicians may bypass gov't, ask Knesset to legalize West Bank outposts

At issue are the fate of over 70 unauthorized fledgling communities built over the last three decades.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz attends a cabinet meeting, December 2019.
Katz pushes ‘Cap Law,’ leaving hospitals angry over ‘budgetary neglect’

Part of the Arrangements Law, dictates how health care providers and hospitals secure payments • suggested mental health, “payment-per-bed" reforms spark anger

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin speaks at a meeting of the Central Elections Committee, July 7, 2020
Knesset speaker aims to stop vote on dispersing Knesset

If Levin blocks the bill, the Knesset will automatically disperse on December 23 and initiate elections on March 23.

13/12/2020
Benny Gantz
Gantz demands appointments to key posts

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit urged Netanyahu and Gantz over the weekend to make key appointments, including a new state prosecutor and police chief.

An elderly Bhutanese prays as he walks around a Bu
If Bhutan were a child, it would be the reclusive kid in class - analysis

Were Bhutan a kid in high school, it would be that small, reclusive, rather odd kid with the crew-cut in class that nobody knows too much about.

13/12/2020
BLUE AND WHITE leader Benny Gantz and Elazar Stern (r) in December
WATCH: Gantz bestows awards upon Jewish fighters of World Wars

What you may have dreamed of when you fought before and after the establishment of the state, has risen and become a reality," said Gantz.

Suzanne Harroch, a Moroccan Jewish singer from Rabat, looks through a photo album during an intervie
Israelis of Moroccan origin can ‘bridge’ and strengthen ties with Rabat

"It is not a coincidence that in Morocco there was no Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox [communities]. It is because the leadership said ‘we accepted everyone,'" said Shimon Ohayon.

View of the construction site of 'Mechir Lamishtaken' at Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in Jerusalem on
Israel increases foreign workers quota for construction industry

In 2020, there was a drastic decrease in the number of construction projects to about 30,000 housing units compared to about 60,000 starts in 2019.

Brickstone vaults into Dubai with $2m. investment for safe complex

The company is working for the first time in Dubai to set up a safe complex that will operate without human hand contact

Israel-United Arab Emirates business relations begin to flourish

It seems that not a day goes by without reading reports on Dubai and its fellow UAE members

By NIR KIPNISS
13/12/2020
The 34th Israel Film Festival in LA goes online amid COVID-19

This year the board of directors of the Israel Film Festival has selected Meir Fenigstein, the festival’s founder and executive director, to receive the 2020 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award.

Israeli pianist David Geilsammer creates musical labyrinth

Labyrinth is a study in opposites, how they attract and even enhance one another.

By SARAH HERSHENSON
13/12/2020
Before training for 2021 Olympics, Israeli athletes get their flu shots

With hope that the pandemic is near its end, Israel's Olympic athletes are looking toward the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Suspected cyberattack targets Israeli shipping software service

The National Cyber Directorate is concerned that the attackers are from a foreign country and are aiming to disrupt the entire industry.

13/12/2020
Jerusalem's iconic King David Hotel celebrates 90th anniversary

The oldest luxury hotel in Israel and one of the most veteran hotels in the country, the King David officially opened for business in early 1931.

Finance Ministry reports moderate recovery in job market

Before the second lockdown, 17% of those on unpaid leave reported in August that they are expecting to return to their jobs. In October, that number dropped to 13%.

NO SHAME: You may have eaten sufganiyot blanketed in sugar over Hanukkah – and that’s OK.
'Abu Dhabi' doughnut a Hanukkah hit in Israel

The new product, Itzik Kadosh said on Sunday, was a way "to appreciate the peace process" upon which Israel and the UAE have embarked.

By REUTERS
13/12/2020
Haifa's Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art celebrates 60th anniversary

The museum, which was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, celebrated its anniversary in November with a special event.

Iranian hackers claim to have broken into Israeli start-up Habana Labs

Intel acquired Habana Labs for a whopping $2 billion in December 2019.

Two elderly women sit on a bench on Jaffa Street in downtown Jerusalem on October 26, 2020.
Coronavirus crisis continues to severely impact Israeli seniors

Over 47% of the respondents reported a poor mental state, including loneliness, depression and even feelings that "in the current situation, life has no meaning."

O’Brien in Israel after Morocco-Israel normalization, says more to come

There is speculation that Oman and Indonesia would be next.

Samuels on the floor competition for taekwondo, December 13, 2020.
14-year-old girl from Efrat makes taekwondo history

Emunah Samuels has worked her way up to European taekwondo championships, with her sights set on the 2028 Olympics.

Rami Levy to install Vertical Field farms for fresh produce

A vertical farm will be installed next to each branch, providing customers with fresh produce grown out of the company's indoor farms.

Perspective of Bedouin women highlighted in Tel Aviv photo-exhibit

The photos will give the Bedouin women an opportunity to showcase and present their perspective to the greater public, even amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Idan Raichel joins Andrea Bocelli in Dubai

Haim Bibas, the head of Israel’s federation of local authorities, said he looks forward to future cultural exchanges.

By MICHAL MICHELLE DIVON
13/12/2020
Over 3 million COVID-19 tests conducted by MDA since start of pandemic

MDA carries out testing at drive-thru testing centers, nursing homes, schools and the homes of Israeli residents who can't come to testing sites.

David Bitan in Knesset on February 5, 2018.
MK David Bitan hospitalized in ICU due to coronavirus infection

About 30 people were forced to enter quarantine after coming into contact with him.

Arkia airplane
Dream vacation turns nightmare as Israelis argue about masks on flight

"We just came back from an amazing place, one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and it took one second for us to forget all about it," one passenger said.

A Geminids meteor shower is seen above the mountain range in Nagarkot. 2017
Geminids meteor shower 2020: What to know

About 50 meteors or more per hour can be seen on a dark night during the peak of the Geminids, with optimum showers reaching as high as 150 per hour.

13/12/2020
Hadassah opens additional coronavirus ward amid rise in cases

Three coronavirus wards and one coronavirus ICU were in operation at the hospital as of Sunday.

Moshe Raveh at the scene of the Keshet Cave on Shabbat afternoon, December 12, 2020.
Teenager falls from cliff in Galilee, suffers multi-system injury

She was walking near the Keshet Cave and missed a sharp turn. "If you miss [it]," said attending EMT Moshe Raveh, "you can fall over the edge of the cliff."

By SARAH BEN-NUN
13/12/2020
Gov't hospital heads to debate future of healthcare system amid pandemic

Hanukkah candles will also be lit in honor of the holiday. The theme of the forum is aptly titled, "To light up Israel's public healthcare."

By SARAH BEN-NUN
13/12/2020
Protestors invoke Maccabee spirit on Hanukkah, call on Netanyahu to go

In Tel Aviv, protesters gathered outside of Habima Theatre and marked Hanukkah by lighting a large hanukkiah before embarking on what they called a "march of light."

Gideon Saar at UNESCO
Sa'ar rules out governments led by Netanyahu, Lapid

Lapid's spokesmen declined to comment.

12/12/2020
Two children killed in car crash near Jerusalem

On Saturday evening, Hadassah announced that Yair, the 10-year-old who was critically injured is in stable condition and fully conscious. The 25-year-old uncle is intubated and sedated.

Italian Zodiac clock
Horoscopes for Tevet 5781

The ‘great conjunction’ of Jupiter and Saturn:

By LORELAI KUDE
12/12/2020
Carefully enjoying Israel's kurkar ridges along the Mediterranean seashore

The cliff creates a beautiful shoreline with unique habitats along its rugged slopes and curved wadis.

By ITSIK MAROM
12/12/2020
L-R: Sublet co-screenwriter, Itay Segal; actor Niv Nissim; actress Hana Laslo; Jerusalem Cinemathequ
Show goes on at Jerusalem Film Festival with screening of Sublet

Fox and his producer/husband Gal Uchovsky were on hand, as was one of the movie’s stars, Niv Nissim.

Palestinian health workers wearing protective masks walk in a quarantine zone installed by the minis
Has COVID created an opportunity to negotiate prisoner swaps with Hamas?

Palestinian officials reportedly told Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar that Israel has made an offer to Hamas via the Egyptian intelligence delegation that visited the Gaza Strip earlier this week.

Silvan Shalom
Former FM Silvan Shalom: Relations with Morocco will be warm

"There is a huge community of [Jewish] Moroccans and their descendants here - almost a million people," Shalom said.

12/12/2020
Israel Police and Magen David Adom.
50-year-old woman murdered in Rehovot, 21-year-old son arrested

Police arrested the woman's son, who was found at the scene.

12/12/2020
58% of Arab Israelis would join protest if it highlighted communal issues

The survey was based on 501 responses, and was drawn from a sample of the Arab Israeli population in the Galilee area, the Arab Triangle and mixed Jewish-Arab cities .

Milk
Israeli lab-made dairy start-up Remilk secures $11.3 million in funding

Remilk creates their dairy substitute in a lab via a process which replicates the properties of the dairy proteins.

12/12/2020
Companies donating unused food to receive tax-break in new bill proposal

Were the bill to be approved, it would not only promote food security, but would also help damper both the economical and environmental effects of food waste.

11/12/2020
Police arrest man suspected of dog abuse in northern Israel

Police also found porcupine quills and hunting tools in the vehicle.

Anti-Netanyahu submarines sail the Yarkon as protest statue re-erected

The statue depicts an anti-Netanyahu protester waving the Israeli flag as he is blasted by a police water cannon.

11/12/2020
You’re never too old to make aliya

Some 59 years ago the Gaitos lived in Israel. Now, they are back.

By MAXINE LIPTZEN DOROT
11/12/2020
Five detained as hundreds protests Beitar Jerusalem sale to UAE royal

Fans protesting the purchase sang "Moshe Hogeg [the Beitar Jerusalem and owner] is dead" and "f**k bin Khalifa."

11/12/2020
Gideon Sa’ar’s new party could signal a Netanyahu ouster - analysis

A shift in Israel's voting pattern could allow a loss for Netanyahu.

Gadi Eisenkot
Former colleagues see Eisenkot as strong leader, unlikely politician

Eisenkot is seen as the only potential game changer who remains on the sidelines.

11/12/2020
RUNNING LOW: Israelis stand on the beach in front
Israel officially joins the International Energy Agency

The IEA is at the forefront of tackling climate change, promoting renewable energies, energy efficiency and other energy issues.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump and Morocco King Mohammed VI
Morocco, Israel normalize ties as US recognizes Western Sahara

The Trump administration viewed finalizing establishment of ties between the two countries as a prime goal in the past few weeks.

Hadassah-University Medical Center's Prof. Yossi Karko (left) and Hannah Drori, chief of the hospita
Coronavirus vaccines: Which Israelis will be jabbed first?

Medical personnel top the list, while children will be ineligible for inoculation

And then there were four: US, MidEast officials welcome Morocco deal

From the US to the UAE to Egypt, Israel and Morocco saw plenty of praise for their newly-announced normalization agreement.

Liturgical sounds from Nazareth and beyond head online

Ticket prices for all the events in the festival program range from NIS 10 to NIS 150, and offer the public access to the Zoom-broadcast concerts as well discussions with the artists.

10/12/2020
Red Sea Jazz Festival returns amid COVID-19

All we need now is for the festival to beat the COVID-19 trap.

10/12/2020
Here comes the judge: US remake of Israeli show ‘Your Honor’ debuts

The New Orleans setting, far removed from the usual locations for a crime drama such as New York and New Jersey, gives the American remake an interesting atmosphere.

Can Gideon Sa'ar reshuffle the political deck against Netanyahu?

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Likud renegade Gideon Sa’ar’s new party could be a long-term flash in the pan but a short-term kingmaker.

10/12/2020
The Spanish foreign minister’s take on solidarity with Israel

DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS: In Spain, BDS is illegal and the government adopted the IHRA definition, but banning Hezbollah and greater scrutiny of antagonistic NGOs are off the table.

UAE sheikh buying half of Beitar Jerusalem signals bad news for bigots

MIDDLE ISRAEL: Few things can be more ironic, hopeful and poetically just than Arab investors’ purchase of soccer club Beitar Jerusalem

After COVID-19, will Israeli tourism recover or relapse in 2021?

TOURISM AFFAIRS: Israelis would rather visit Dubai or the Seychelles than pay similar amounts in resorts that cannot even offer a decent meal, to say nothing of the vaunted Israeli breakfast.

Israel must annex West Bank prior to Trump exit, coalition chair says

Palestinians can continue to live here, he explained as long as they do not participate in terrorism.

Benny Gantz
Gantz delays government vote on West Bank outpost legalization

Right-wing politicians and settler leaders are pushing to advance the issue now prior to US President Donald Trump’s departure from the White House in January.

High Court of Justice prepares for hearing on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can form the
High Court demands gov't approval of Justice Ministry D-G appointment

The Attorney-General's Office asked for the court to demand that the appointment be made by the end of the month.

10/12/2020
Israeli MMA fighter’s future looks bright with the modern-day Maccabee

With new UFC contract, 29-year-old Natan Levy reflects on journey from France to the octagon

By JOSHUA HALICKMAN
10/12/2020
500 drunken elephants: The untold Hanukkah story with no Maccabees

A different kind of redemption from Greek tyranny

By ZACK ROTHBART
10/12/2020
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