ON THE ISRAEL-LEBANON BORDER (AP) — On a moonlit night, some two dozen Israeli soldiers in full battle gear march near a Lebanese border village with a bomb-sniffing dog, searching for explosives and infiltrators. Suddenly the force stops. Through night-vision goggles, two suspicious men appear over the ridge, holding what looks like binoculars. Could they be undercover Hezbollah guerrillas? Lebanese … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s defense minister officially submitted his resignation on Thursday, leaving the government with the narrowest of parliamentary majorities and paving what looks like a clear path to early elections. Avigdor Lieberman dispatched a once-sentence letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, informing him of his decision to step down. The move, which takes effect in 48 hours, leaves … Read More
ASHKELON, Israel (AP) — Loren Amar was watching TV with her father around midnight when an air-raid siren warning of incoming rocket fire blared through their working-class neighborhood in southern Israel. Their old apartment had no in-house shelter, so they huddled in the stairway just before a rocket from Gaza slammed into the building next-door, sending shrapnel and debris flying … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — More than a decade before the Nazis seized power in Germany, Albert Einstein was on the run and already fearful for his country’s future, according to a newly revealed handwritten letter. His longtime friend and fellow Jew, German Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau, had just been assassinated by right-wing extremists and police had warned the noted physicist that … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — With President Donald Trump getting a cool welcome from the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, Israel’s envoy to the memorial ceremonies for the synagogue shooting victims has come to his defense, saying it was “unfair and wrong” to link him to the tragedy. Trump was greeted by hundreds of chanting protesters Tuesday, many accusing the president’s fiery rhetoric … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top ministers are squabbling, a deadline looms for contentious legislation that may bring down his government and a corruption indictment could be just around the corner. Against this backdrop, there are growing signs he may soon call for elections — possibly as early as next week, when parliament reconvenes from its summer … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli opposition lawmaker on Sunday called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dismiss his ambassador to the United States for failing to report sexual assault allegations against a top Netanyahu aide, ballooning an already embarrassing scandal for the Israeli leader. Karin Elharrar of the centrist Yesh Atid party said Ron Dermer should be recalled from Washington … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — The first-ever visit of a leader of the Philippines is sure to be touted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as another success in his campaign to enhance Israel’s relations across the globe. But critics say this outreach has come at a cost, with Netanyahu cozying up to authoritarian leaders, some of whom are guilty of human rights … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Sacha Baron Cohen is at it again. After tapping into his familiarity with Israel and his fluency in Hebrew to shape previous eccentric personas such as Borat and Bruno, the Jewish comedian has created his most stereotypical Israeli character yet — a grotesque, faux counterterrorism instructor in his new Showtime series “Who is America?” Retired Col. Erran … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Three years after he narrowly missed out on becoming prime minister of Israel, Isaac Herzog says he looks forward to becoming the “prime minister of the Jewish people” in his new role as chairman of the Jewish Agency. The longtime Cabinet minister and outgoing opposition leader to Benjamin Netanyahu may be done with politics for now. But … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he understands the criticism of his compromise agreement with Poland over its disputed Holocaust speech law, as he tried to tamp down an uproar at home in which critics have accused him of whitewashing history for political considerations. Netanyahu and his Polish counterpart issued a joint statement last week praising … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expressed hope the traditional “bipartisan spirit” of congressional hearings for judges will once again prevail in Washington, rather than the votes of recent years that have mostly divided along party lines. Speaking at a Jerusalem cinema on Thursday after the screening of “RBG,” the breakout hit documentary about her life … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — When Prince William caps his historic royal tour of the Middle East with a visit to the holy city of Jerusalem, he’ll not only be venturing into the epicenter of world religion and regional politics but also, oddly, into a long overlooked chapter of his own family. The prince will make a pilgrimage Thursday to the tomb … Read More
KIBBUTZ NIR AM, Israel (AP) — After years of rocket attacks and militant infiltrations from Gaza, residents of southern Israel are now coping with a new kind of threat: incendiary kites and balloons that have damaged farmlands and nature reserves. The crude devices launched by Palestinians inside the blockaded territory have not been lethal. But they have sparked fires that … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — The sports-crazed nation of Israel was in uproar Wednesday over Argentina’s abrupt cancellation of a World Cup warmup match following pro-Palestinian protests, with some of the country’s leaders accusing Lionel Messi and his teammates of caving to terrorism. Israel was eagerly awaiting the sold-out international friendly scheduled for Saturday night at Jerusalem’s Teddy Kollek Stadium and the … Read More