President Herzog Made a Historic Visit to the UAE (United Arab Emirates) This Week, Following the Signing of The Abraham Accords Back During The Trump Administration: This is the first visit of an Israeli President to the Gulf country. During his visit the Houthis fired a missile from Yemen towards Abu Dhabi, but that did not affect the presidential visit.
Later this week, Israel minister of defense, Gantz travelled to Bahrain in the Gulf, and signed a mutual defense treaty between Bahrain and Israel. While in Bahrain, Ganz received the update on the killing of the Islamic State militant groups’ ISIS leader in Syria by the Americans. The US Army has a base in Bahrain.
A Series of Price Rises Resulted in a barrage of Criticism Against Both the Government and the Large Food Corporations: The petrol/gasoline price in Israel broke a seven year price record. Electricity prices were also raised. This was justified by the global market price of oil and due to difficulties in marine transport.
In addition, the main food corporations decided to raise the prices of food, also due to raised transportation costs. The Minister of the Treasury and the Minister of Economy and Energy reached out to the CEOs’ of the big corporations and asked them not to raise food prices.
Many consumers decided to boycott some brands, mainly pasta, due to the decision to raise prices. The proposed boycotts, caused some companies to postpone price increases.
Meanwhile the criticism against the government grew, as part of the political opposition policy.
Esther Pollard, Wife of Ex Jewish-American Spy Died of COVID: Jonathan Pollard was convicted of espionage in 1987 while serving as an intelligence analyst for the United States Government. Pollard was sentenced to life in prison. He spied for Israel which had a negative effect on the relations between the two countries. Israel tried over the years to convince successive American Presidents to release him. He was finally released in November 2015 on parole. When his parole expired in November, 2020 he was able to leave the US and he moved with his wife to Israel. He received Israeli citizenship in 1995 while in prison. Many attended the funeral of his wife, who worked endlessly for his release.
It is important to mention that a new TV documentary series on the Pollard case was aired earlier this week on Kan 11 in Israel.
Israeli Politicians, Jurists, Journalists and Social Media Activists Respond to the Amnesty Report Accusing Israel of Apartheid Policies For Palestinians
Amnesty International published a 211 page report earlier this week, claiming that Israels system of oppression and domination of Palestinians amounts to apartheid against Palestinians living in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The report reviews hundreds of Israeli measures and policies that affect Palestinians, including cases of land expropriation, unlawful killings, forced displacement, restrictions on movement and denial of citizenship rights. The international human rights group also called on the International Criminal Court in The Hague to add an investigation of apartheid to its ongoing examination of Israel's alleged war crimes.
Yair Lapid, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs slammed the report as biased against Israel, and an attempt “to defame and delegitimize Israel”. Israeli jurists and human rights experts were divided, especially on the reports’ accusations of apartheid including Palestinian citizens of Israel who enjoy substantially equal rights. Some claimed that the report ignores the historical context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israel’s right to defend itself against acts of terror. Others claimed that Israel cannot ‘dance at two weddings’, by creating a de facto binational state, with different sets of laws and policies for Jews and millions of Palestinians sharing the same territory while claiming to be a democracy.
Cypriot Supreme Court Clears British Woman Sentenced by Lower Court for False Gang-Rape Allegations by Israeli Nationals. Israeli Feminists Who Supported Her Respond
The young woman, a British national, was 19 when she reported the gang rape in Ayia Napa, a Cypriot resort, by more than 10 Israeli youth and young adults. The local police launched an investigation but decided to close the case against the alleged rapists and filed charges against her for filing a false complaint. She was found guilty by a lower court and was given a four month suspended sentence for making up the allegations and causing public mischief.
Israeli feminists who supported the rape victim throughout the court hearings responded on social media to the Cypriot Supreme Court decision, stating that they always believed her, and that following the court’s decision the Cyprus police should reopen the investigation against the 12 Israeli men. They also alleged that the young woman was forced to change her initial complaint, which resulted in the release of her alleged rapists, due to pressure from Israeli politicians.
She had claimed that she was gang-raped by up to 12 Israeli tourists in a hotel room in Ayia Napa, Cyprus in July 2019.
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