Tag: Israels

Israel’s economy minister Nir Barkat calls for Indian investors

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New Delhi: Visiting Israeli Minister of Economy Nir Barkat has called for more Indian investors in Israel and mentioned that the acquirement of the strategic Israeli port of Haifa by Adani Group is a “testimony that we trust the Indian business people.”
“I think it’s a fact that Israel allowed an Indian company to acquire one of the two ports Israel has. It’s a testimony that we trust the Indian business people. We trust the Indian government,” he said in an interview with ANI.
“I want to welcome more investors to invest in Israel. It’s in the benefit, best interest of both sides, both countries and people and we believe it’s a good investment and we want to make sure that the return on investment is such that more investors from India will come to invest in Israel’s high-tech startup infrastructure. We’d love that,” he added.

Last July, Adani in partnership with Israel’s Gadot Group, secured rights to buy 100 per cent shares of Haifa Port Company Ltd. The Port of Haifa is the second largest port in Israel in terms of shipping containers and the biggest in shipping tourist cruise ships.
Earlier this month, former Ambassador of Israel to India Ron Malka was appointed as Executive Chairman of the Haifa Port owned by Adani Group and its Israeli partner Gadot Group.
On India’s G20 Presidency, the minister said that G20 is a big accomplishment of India.
Speaking further about combating the terror challenges together, the minister said terrorism is a global challenge and Israel is working with India to combat the menace. Talking about Iran, the minister said “we will never surrender to terror.”
“Terrorism is not just an Israeli challenge. It’s a global challenge. We knew, we are working together with India on how to make a better world, how to have better agriculture, food, water, health, and how to use technology to have a better world. But, unfortunately, the terrorists want to wipe Israel off the map. They are working together with Iran and Iran is funding global terrorism in our region,” the minister said.

“They are funding Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and regimes in Syria and other places, and they pose a threat to Israel. And just the other week or two weeks ago, unfortunately, the terrorists killed three members of a family, just because they were Jews. Just for being Jews, they were murdered. Israel has developed a very clear message, we will never surrender to terror and if God forbid the proxies in Lebanon and the Iranian proxies will try to target Israel, we will hit Iran,” he added.
The Israeli Minister also spoke on how India and Israel share a lot of experience in security and in counterterrorism.
“Israel has demonstrated that we know how to strike peace with Egypt for 40 years, with Jordan for 25 years now. Thank God, we have the Abraham Accord. And the last thing I would say on this point is that both Israel and India have similar challenges, here in a tough neighbourhood. We are challenged together and that’s why we share a lot of our experience in security and in counterterrorism together on how to become offensive because the best defence is offence and we share that knowledge with our friends here in India,” he said.
Further speaking on the opportunity of collaboration and India-Israel ties, the Minister said that he was inspired by the collaboration between the Israeli economy and the Indian economy and added that Israelis love Indians and Indians love Israelis.
On the Free trade agreement, the Minister said that he believes that the big opportunity is in the business world and will check out the opportunity to do a Free Trade Agreement, side-by-side with the business development between the nations adding that he is very optimistic that “we’ll be able to do really good deals together”.
“It’s about sharing best practices. I just finished the meeting with Minister Piyush, discussing the collaborative work that we need to do together. Each side brings its knowledge and experience, skills to this relationship. Israel brings technology, entrepreneurship, ideas that are usually fresh and new and the scope and the size of India are certainly relevant for us Israelis. Once we know how to solve and create joint ventures together in India and market to a big country like India, then it’s easier to go to the rest of the world,” the Israeli economy minister said.
Talking about the recent protests in his country, the minister said that he was proud of his democracy and that “we’ll have to sit together and figure out how we make those reforms in a way that is accepted widely by the Israeli public”.
“I’m proud of our democracy. Like other big democracies in the world, we saw a big dispute in England between Pro Brexit and against Brexit. In the United States, there are challenges between Republicans and Democrats. We’re a real democracy in the fact that people are willing and want to go and demonstrate in the street. They care about our country. And we’ll sort it out. We’ve sorted bigger issues in our lives before. We believe in democracy. We believe that the changes we want to bring are going to improve the democracy. Other people think otherwise, we’ll have to sit together and figure out how we make those reforms in a way that is accepted widely by the Israeli public. You know that there are ups and downs in every country,” the minister said.
Talking further about the Israel – Palestine conflict, the Minister said that the “Palestinians will have to get to an understanding to recognize Israel and that we have our right to exist” and “when they come up with the real will to do peace, we will strike peace with the Palestinians”.
On being asked when India can expect other ministers including Netanyahu to visit the country, the minister said that “he is going to recommend friends in the government, that it’s a big opportunity of doing a lot of business in India”.
“I’ll speak to the foreign minister that I believe will come shortly. And I strongly recommend, Prime Minister Netanyahu to come and pay a visit and see Modi again here in India and hopefully, we could propose some really important progress on the way we do business together in the near future. I am thrilled and excited about the opportunity and I’m going back home, extremely happy and inspired by this trip,” the minister said.
Expressing his happiness over his India visit, the minister applauded India’s religious tolerance and was happy to see India scaling and growing.
“It’s a huge opportunity and the love that I received here in India is second to no other place in the world and it’s just wonderful. I also said that the religious tolerance here is something that is very special. The tolerance between people. I was mayor of the city of Jerusalem, which is very tolerant. In one-quarter of a square mile, you have more mosques, synagogues and churches than anywhere in the world and the fact that all of these religions are respected. You can go walk the streets and see practising Muslims, Christians and Jews, practising their religion side-by-side. That reminds me of that kind of tolerance. I’m very happy to see how India is scaling and growing,” he added.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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#Israels #economy #minister #Nir #Barkat #calls #Indian #investors
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 19, 2023
Palestinians mark int’l Quds Day in Gaza against Israel’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

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Gaza: Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza marked the International Quds Day with protests against Israeli police raids into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam.
Raising Palestinian flags and displaying the image of the Al-Aqsa mosque, protestors grouped across the besieged Palestinian enclave and chanted slogans slamming “Israeli violations against Jerusalem and the Palestinian worshippers in the area”.
Quds Day is a pro-Palestinian event initiated by Iran in 1979 and observed annually on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which falls on April 14 this year.

During a demonstration, senior Popular Front party official Louay al-Qaryouti delivered a speech on behalf of Palestinian factions, in which he called for unified Arab and Islamic efforts to confront Israel’s occupation and stay committed to the Palestinian cause, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Gaza-ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said in a statement that “Quds Day represents an opportunity to unify efforts in support of the steadfastness of the Jerusalemites, the stationed, and the defenders of the holiest place”.
Earlier in the month, the Israeli forces carried out raids for two consecutive days on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, firing teargas canisters and stun grenades to disperse Palestinian worshipers.
The Israeli raids came during a sensitive time when Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan with prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, while Jews were commemorating the Passover holiday.
The raids were condemned by countries in the Middle East and triggered an escalation of conflicts along Israel’s borders.

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#Palestinians #mark #intl #Quds #Day #Gaza #Israels #storming #AlAqsa #Mosque
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 15, 2023
Israel’s PM rescinds firing of Defence Minister amid security concerns

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Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has withdrawn his decision to dismiss the Defence Minister whom he had recently said to fire for outspoken criticism of a controversial judiciary overhaul plan.
In a televised press conference on Monday, Netanyahu said that he decided to keep Yoav Gallant in his position, citing the escalating violence in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.
“I decided to put the differences we had behind us,” Netanyahu said, adding “Gallant remains in his position and we will continue to work together for the security of the citizens of Israel.”

While having embroiled for weeks in an internal debate over the contentious plan to reform its judicial system, Israel faced two Palestinian attacks that cost the lives of four people and barrages of rockets from Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip amid escalating tensions with Palestinians in recent days.
Netanyahu announced the removal of Gallant, a senior member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, on March 26 after the minister called for a pause in the judicial overhaul that would weaken the powers of the Supreme Court and expand the authorities of the government.
Despite the announcement, Gallant technically remained in his ministerial post because Netanyahu never made the necessary formal steps needed for the firing to take place.
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of Israelis held rallies across the country for the 14th week, calling on Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition government to cancel the reform plan.

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#Israels #rescinds #firing #Defence #Minister #security #concerns
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 11, 2023
Tensions remain along Israel’s borders with Lebanon, Gaza Strip

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Jerusalem: Tensions have remained high despite an easing of the fightings between Israel and militants in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, lowering fears of a major escalation in the region.
On Friday night, a tourist was killed and five others were injured during a shooting and run-over attack in the Israeli capital city of Tel Aviv, reports Xinhua news agency.
The attacker was identified as an Arab citizen of Israel from Kafr Qasim, east of Tel Aviv, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV news reported.

Also on Friday, two British-Israeli sisters, aged 16 and 20, were killed in a drive-by shooting in the northern West Bank, and their mother was critically injured, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service.
Friday’s Ramzan prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem concluded without any major incidents after consecutive nights of violence.
Israel lifted the high alert level in the south, which had required residents in communities near the Gaza Strip to stay indoors and close to shelters.
However, Israel’s Chief of the General Staff called up reservists, particularly from the Air Force, citing concerns of further escalation.
Following the attack in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the border police and military to call up reserve forces “in the wake of terrorist attacks,” according to a statement issued by his office.

On Thursday, militants in Lebanon fired 34 rockets at northern Israel, in the largest rocket attack since the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The attack injured two civilians and caused damage to several buildings and cars.
Israel accused Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza, of being responsible for the attack.
In response, Israel carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip late Thursday night, targeting Hamas sites.
The escalation was triggered by two consecutive days of Israeli raids at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
Israeli police forces fired gas canisters and stun grenades at Palestinian worshipers.
It came during a sensitive time when Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramzan with prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, while Jews were commemorating the Passover holiday.
Despite the heightened tensions, conflicting sides expressed a desire to avoid a full-fledged war, with Israel’s army spokesman stating that “quiet will be answered with quiet” during a press briefing.
The peacekeeping UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has appealed for calm and stated that it was in contact with Israeli and Lebanese authorities.
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#Tensions #remain #Israels #borders #Lebanon #Gaza #Strip
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 8, 2023
Israel’s leaders must find compromise on legislation that is tearing country apart, White House says

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Protests against the measures have been widespread for weeks. Opponents have characterized the plans as anti-democratic and a boost to Netanyahu’s power at a time when the prime minister himself is facing criminal charges.
“It’s an attack on the very soul and nature of our democracy,” former Prime Minister Ehud Barak said earlier this month. Barak urged Israelis to resort to mass civil disobedience to block the judicial reforms.
On Saturday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke out against the legislation; on Sunday, Netanyahu fired him, saying, “We must all stand strong against refusal.”
Protests against Gallant’s firing immediately broke out in Israel’s major cities. The Associated Press reported that “protesters in Tel Aviv blocked a main highway and lit large bonfires, while police scuffled with protesters who gathered outside Netanyahu’s private home in Jerusalem.”
The White House statement said that disagreements over Netanyahu’s current policies would not disrupt the U.S.-Israel relationship, which traditionally has been very close.
“U.S. support for Israel’s security and democracy remains ironclad,” the statement said.
Given America’s close relationship with Israel, and the Biden administration’s general hesitation to openly criticize such an important Middle Eastern ally, the White House statement on Sunday was relatively pointed.
The administration has known for a while that this Netanyahu-led coalition is an unusually extreme one, but it had hoped that Netanyahu could keep it in line. The prime minister had insisted that the far-right members of his coalition were joining him and not the other way around, and that he was in charge.

As a result, Biden administration officials had said they intended to hold him responsible for whatever happened. But they were also keenly aware of the many factors that Netanyahu is juggling, including his desire to avoid further prosecution on corruption charges — one of the reasons he is believed to have acquiesced to some of the demands of his coalition partners.
When asked on Sunday whether the administration had any immediate Israel-related plans beyond issuing the statement, U.S. officials did not offer comment.
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#Israels #leaders #find #compromise #legislation #tearing #country #White #House
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

March 27, 2023
Israel’s Netanyahu delays judicial reform after mass protests

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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday he would postpone a controversial reform that would give parliament more control over the country’s judiciary, after weeks of mass protests against the legislation.
“When there’s an option to avoid civil war through dialogue, I take a time off for dialogue,” he said in a press statement delivered shortly after 8 p.m. local time amid ongoing protests involving supporters from both sides. He added that “out of national responsibility,” he is delaying the final readings of the divisive judicial appointments bill until the next session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, which starts in early May.
Netanyahu sparked weeks of chaos with proposals to rein in Israel’s top court, while he is currently on trial for corruption himself and could benefit from the overhaul.
The proposed reform consists of a series of bills that would grant the Knesset more oversight over the country’s judiciary — including how judges are selected, what laws the Supreme Court can rule on, as well as overturning Supreme Court decisions.
Monday’s announcement follows calls for action from President Isaac Herzog, who had demanded earlier in the day that the government “halt the legislative process immediately” in a statement on Twitter.
The legal overhaul was an important part of Netanyahu’s program upon returning to power last December to head a coalition government that has been described as the most right-wing in Israel’s history.
Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has said that Netanyahu, who is standing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, should not be involved in a judicial overhaul before the end of his court cases, in case of a potential conflict of interest.
Netanyahu has denied wrongdoing, calling the corruption charges “a witch hunt.”

The judicial reform has triggered enormous protests nationwide in the past three months. On Sunday evening, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in cities across the country to oppose Netanyahu’s dismissal of his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for challenging the reform, announced by the prime minister’s office in a brief statement.
In reaction, Gallant wrote on Twitter: “The security of the state of Israel always was and will always remain my life mission.”
The growing popular dissent against the judicial overhaul grew Monday as the leader of Israel’s top trade union called for a general strike, according to French newswire AFP. According to The Times of Israel, all flights were grounded at the country’s main international airport, while public hospitals only provided emergency care.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered once again in front of parliament on Monday to protest the reforms, while far-right leaders, like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, had called their supporters to a join counter-rally in support of the reform, which was reportedly also attended by several thousand government supporters later in the day.

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( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )

March 23, 2023
Biden calls Israel’s Netanyahu to express judicial plan ‘concern’

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The White House in statement added that Biden “underscored his belief that democratic values have always been, and must remain, a hallmark of the U.S.-Israel relationship, that democratic societies are strengthened by genuine checks and balances, and that fundamental changes should be pursued with the broadest possible base of popular support.”
“The President offered support for efforts underway to forge a compromise on proposed judicial reforms consistent with those core principles,” the statement said.
Netanyahu said Sunday the legal changes would be carried out responsibly while protecting the basic rights of all Israelis. His government — the country’s most right-wing ever — says the overhaul is meant to correct an imbalance that has given the courts too much power and prevented lawmakers from carrying out the voting public’s will.
Critics say it will upend Israel’s delicate system of checks and balances and slide the country toward authoritarianism. Opponents of the measure have carried out disruptive protests, and has even embroiled the country’s military, after more than 700 elite officers from the Air Force, special forces, and Mossad said they would stop volunteering for duty.
The conversation followed a Sunday meeting in Egypt between Israeli and Palestinian officials in which they pledged to take steps to lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday season. Administration officials praised the outcome of the summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. A joint communique said the sides had reaffirmed a commitment to de-escalate and prevent further violence.
Biden in the call “reinforced the need for all sides to take urgent, collaborative steps to enhance security coordination, condemn all acts of terrorism, and maintain the viability of a two-state solution,” according to the White House.
The Israeli and Palestinian delegations met for the second time in less than a month, shepherded by regional allies Egypt and Jordan, as well as the United States, to end a yearlong spasm of violence.
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#Biden #calls #Israels #Netanyahu #express #judicial #plan #concern
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

March 20, 2023
U.S. ‘deeply troubled’ by Israel’s legalizing 9 outposts

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel agreed to legalize nine settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, The Associated Press reported. This action goes against the United States’ strong opposition to “any unilateral steps that exacerbate tensions,” Price said during the State Department briefing.
The Israeli leadership under Netanyahu has faced criticism from some who say the far-right policies are racist or misogynistic. During Netanyahu’s attempt to return to power last year, after being ousted in the previous election, he tapped into far-right extremist coalitions to gain support — coalitions now represented in the new Israeli government.
The U.S. has tread lightly in addressing the new coalition government, while also keeping its ties with a historic ally. Blinken previously met with Netanyahu two weeks ago during a two-day trip.
However, the U.S. State Department’s vocal opposition should be “no surprise,” Price said.
“During his recent trip to Israel, Secretary Blinken was clear: that all parties should refrain from actions that heighten tensions and take us further away from peace,” Price said. “Israel’s decision on settlements and outposts runs directly contrary to those objectives.”
Price said the State Department was now having “intensive discussions with the parties, including Israel.” These discussions are bilateral and multilateral, he said.
“When we were there, before we were there, after we were there, last week, again today, our message on this has been clear and consistent,” Price said. “We oppose any unilateral steps that exacerbate tensions.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

February 14, 2023
Israel’s cyber security chief blames Iran for cyberattacks

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Jerusalem: Gaby Portnoy, Director-General of Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), has accused Iran of “leading an aggressive, orchestrated campaign against Israel’s cyberspace”.
Portnoy made the remarks on Tuesday at the annual CyberTech Global conference held in the coastal city of Tel Aviv with the participation of hundreds of companies, startups, government entities, and organizations, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The Israeli cyberspace experiences attacks much like other countries, except we also have Iran on top of all of them,” he said.
Portnoy claimed that the INCD in 2022 thwarted about 1,000 major cyberattacks, “which could have caused widespread and substantial damage to the Israeli economy.”
Moreover, the official also introduced at the conference the INCD’s “cyber dome” system, which he said will provide various free cybersecurity tools and services to eligible organizations through a public portal.
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#Israels #cyber #security #chief #blames #Iran #cyberattacks

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Israel’s cyber security chief blames Iran for cyberattacks

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Jerusalem: Gaby Portnoy, Director-General of Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), has accused Iran of “leading an aggressive, orchestrated campaign against Israel’s cyberspace”.
Portnoy made the remarks on Tuesday at the annual CyberTech Global conference held in the coastal city of Tel Aviv with the participation of hundreds of companies, startups, government entities, and organizations, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The Israeli cyberspace experiences attacks much like other countries, except we also have Iran on top of all of them,” he said.
Portnoy claimed that the INCD in 2022 thwarted about 1,000 major cyberattacks, “which could have caused widespread and substantial damage to the Israeli economy.”
Moreover, the official also introduced at the conference the INCD’s “cyber dome” system, which he said will provide various free cybersecurity tools and services to eligible organizations through a public portal.
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#Israels #cyber #security #chief #blames #Iran #cyberattacks

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023