Category Archives: Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu holds secret meeting with Saudi crown prince

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Israeli PM flew to Saudi Arabia to meet Mohammed bin Salman and the US’s Mike Pompeo

Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced trip to Saudi Arabia over the weekend to meet the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, according to an Israeli cabinet member.

The Sunday night visit would mark the first reported meeting between leaders of the long-time foes, one that Israel has been pushing for in its efforts for regional acceptance despite previously being considered a far-fetched ambition.

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US poll chaos is a boon for the enemies of democracy the whole world over

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While Democrats and Republicans squabble in Washington, injustice and violence reigns from Palestine to Mozambique

Believe it or not, the world did not stop turning on its axis because of the US election and ensuing, self-indulgent disputes in the land of the free-for-all. In the age of Donald Trump, narcissism spreads like the plague.

But the longer the wrangling in Washington continues, the greater the collateral damage to America’s global reputation – and to less fortunate states and peoples who rely on the US and the western allies to fly the flag for democracy and freedom.

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Yitzhak Rabin: ‘He never knew it was one of his people who shot him in the back’

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Twenty-five years after the death of the Israeli prime minister, those who were there recall the night two bullets altered the destiny of two nations

They wanted him to wear a bulletproof vest, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Afterwards, they wished they’d pushed him harder – they should have insisted – but he was the prime minister and his mind was made up. He refused to believe a fellow citizen might pose a mortal threat.

And so a quarter of a century ago, on the night of 4 November 1995, Yitzhak Rabin stood before a vast and grateful crowd in Tel Aviv at a peace rally, protected by nothing more than a jacket, tie and white cotton shirt. The size of the rally had surprised him: he was a shy man, awkward with attention, and he had doubted that thousands of Israelis would come out to show support for him and his attempt to make peace with the Palestinians. He told aides he feared the city’s central plaza – not yet called Rabin Square – would be empty.

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Sudan and Israel agree US-brokered deal on normalising relations

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Donald Trump seeks to score points from deal; Palestinians call it ‘a new stab in the back’

Israel and Sudan have agreed to work towards normalising relations in a deal brokered by the US that would make Sudan the third Arab country to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past two months.

Donald Trump sealed the agreement in a phone call on Friday with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, his Sudanese counterpart, Abdalla Hamdok, and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s transitional military council.

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Painful but effective? UK can look to Israel for example of short lockdown

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Israel imposed ‘circuit breaker’-style lockdown at same time UK ministers ignored advice to do just that

Days before UK ministers rejected advice to impose a shortened “circuit breaker” lockdown in late September, Israel made the opposite decision and enforced the unpopular and painful policy to stem the spiralling number of virus infections.

The country of 9 million – less than 15% of the population of Britain – was shut down for a second time, with Israeli officials arguing it was essential to halt infections or risk overloading hospitals.

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Israeli politicians argue over Covid curbs on protests and prayers

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Sombre Yom Kippur provides only a temporary pause to debate about tighter lockdown

Israeli politicians are considering whether to tighten an already paralysing second coronavirus lockdown by bringing in controversial measures to limit people’s ability to protest and pray together.

Life in the country of 9 million ground to a halt on Sunday night and into Monday for Yom Kippur, the annual Jewish Day of Atonement when much of the country shuts down, with people fasting for 25 hours, TV and radio stations going silent, and large sections of secular society forgoing driving and turning off their phones.

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Protesters in Jerusalem call for Benjamin Netanyahu to step down – video

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Demonstrators rallied in Jerusalem, demanding the resignation of the Israeli prime minister over charges of corruption and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Protests have been a regular occurrence during the summer, with participants saying tightened restrictions as a result of the pandemic are being used as an excuse to curb demonstrations

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Stained relations? Israeli PM accused of taking dirty laundry on state trips

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Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife said to pack soiled clothes to be cleaned on foreign trips

While black-tie banquets, lavish royal receptions and priceless gifts are the most obvious extravagances of international diplomacy, Israel’s leader and his wife have spotlighted a lesser-known perk of the state visit: free dry cleaning.

Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu have developed a reputation for lugging bags and suitcases of dirty clothes on foreign trips to be laundered at another country’s expense, a practice noticed by staff at the White House guesthouse, according to the Washington Post.

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Trump’s pre-election diplomatic offensive glosses over awkward realities

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The ‘Abraham accords’ merely make public once-furtive friendships between Israel and Gulf monarchies, while bigger problems remain

The White House was festooned with the flags of four nations. There were trumpet blasts, multiple signatures on various pieces of paper, and much weighty talk about blood and history – everything you might expect from a peace deal.

And not just any peace deal. The agreements signed in Washington on Tuesday were titled the Abraham Accords, implying a epochal reconciliation between Judaism, Islam and Christianity, three faiths with shared Middle East ancestry.

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‘It’s going to be peace in the Middle East’: Trump on historic accords – video

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A historic agreement signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House will, according to Donald Trump, ‘be peace to the Middle East.’

They signed agreements to establish formal relations, ending a decades-old taboo in Arab diplomacy as power and priorities shift in the region.

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UAE, Bahrain and Israel sign historic accords at White House event

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Trio establish formal relations at ceremony viewed as image boost for Trump and Netanyahu

Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have signed agreements to establish formal relations, ending a decades-old taboo in Arab diplomacy as power and priorities shift in the Middle East.

“Today’s signing sets history on a new course,” Donald Trump told a crowd outside the White House where the deal was signed. “This an incredible day for the world,” he said.

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Israeli government to impose second Covid-19 national lockdown

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Three-week lockdown will make Israel the first country to reimpose such stringent restrictions on a national scale

Israel’s government has decided to impose a lockdown lasting three weeks, the first country to reimpose such severe restrictions on a national scale, after a dramatic resurgence in coronavirus cases.

Fearing mass gatherings during a string of national holidays over the next month, the cabinet decided to shut down the country as of Friday, the Jewish new year, until 9 October.

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‘Enough of you’: thousands protest in call for Netanyahu to resign – video

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Israeli police moved in to clear protesters from a square in Jerusalem early on Sunday, as thousands protested outside the official residence of the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, pressing ahead with a month-long campaign demanding the embattled Israeli leader resign. Demonstrators have been protesting against his handling of the coronavirus crisis, which has led to soaring unemployment, and they say he should step down while he is on trial on corruption charges

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‘Get out of here’: thousands in Israel call for Netanyahu to resign

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Anger continues to build over prime minister’s handling of coronavirus crisis and corruption allegations

Thousands of Israelis protested outside the official residence of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night, pressing ahead with a months-long campaign demanding he resign.

Demonstrators have been protesting against Netanyahu’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, which has led to soaring unemployment, and believe he should step down while on trial for corruption charges.

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Israel faces prospect of yet another election due to budget impasse

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Netanyahu-Gantz coalition could collapse as deadline for new financial plan looms

Israel risks being thrust into a fourth round of elections and further financial strife as coalition rivals clash over meeting a Monday deadline to pass the country’s budget.

The veteran prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, secured his political survival earlier this year by clinching a coalition deal with his rival Benny Gantz. But the unhappy alliance faces imminent collapse if the two cannot agree on money matters.

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Foe of a foe – the shared interests that make UAE a ‘friend’ of Israel

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Common ground rests on a ‘peace plan’ aided by splintered Arab solidarity over Palestine

The peace deal that few saw coming had been gathering steam in plain sight. Even before the election of Donald Trump, Israel and the UAE had been inching closer, drawn together by three factors – enmity with Iran, a loathing of the Muslim Brotherhood, and a mutual belief that the agreed formula for peace with Palestinians was no longer working.

More than anything else, combating Iran became the conduit for the two sides. The adage of a foe of a foe becoming a friend has rarely been more apt. Tehran’s determination to acquire a nuclear weapon, its extensive reach into the Arab world, potential to shut off the Strait of Hormuz, and Shia Islamic revolutionary zeal, provided enough common ground for both sides to sharply deepen intelligence links to strategic levels over the past four years.

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Israel protests: thousands join weekend protests against Netanyahu’s government – video

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Thousands of Israelis took to the streets over the weekend to protest against Benjamin Netanyahu's alleged corruption and against his government's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Israeli media estimated that about 15,000 protesters arrived at the prime minister's state residence in Jerusalem, where they carried banners calling on him to resign.

The weekend's protests were reported to be the biggest in a series of weekly demonstrations near Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. Protesters also arrived outside his private house in the Israeli city of Caesarea and hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv

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Israel protests may dent Netanyahu’s ego, but do they threaten his power?

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Israeli PM says media makes demonstrations seem more significant than they are – he could have a point

Images of thousands of people in the streets and police scuffling with protesters paint a picture of an increasingly isolated prime minister whose lengthy grip over Israel may finally be loosening.

The visuals are striking, and the protests have certainly grown in size, yet whether they can hurt more than Benjamin Netanyahu’s ego is still to be seen.

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Coronavirus global report: ‘response fatigue’ fears as Mexico hits 9,000 daily cases

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Many countries that believed they were past the worst are grappling with new outbreaks, says WHO

Mexico has recorded more than 9,000 daily coronavirus cases for the first time, as the country overtook the UK with the world’s third-highest number of deaths from the pandemic after the US and Brazil.

The surging numbers were reported as the World Health Organization warned of “response fatigue” and a resurgence of cases in several countries that have lifted lockdowns.

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Thousands demonstrate against Netanyahu as Israel protests gain strength

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Crowds gathered in central Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and outside the PM’s beach house amid anger at his handling of the virus crisis and corruption

Thousands of demonstrators have gathered outside the official residence of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thronged the streets of central Jerusalem, as weeks of protests against the Israeli leader appeared to be gaining steam.

The demonstration in central Jerusalem on Saturday, along with smaller gatherings in Tel Aviv, near Netanyahu’s beach house in central Israel and at dozens of busy intersections nationwide, was one of the largest turnouts in weeks of protests.

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