The Obama administration is lobbying Congress to unblock $200 million in aid for the Palestinian Authority that was frozen due to its bid for U.N. recognition of statehood over U.S. and Israeli objections.
The U.S. government is considering to offer Turkey a deal in which Ankara would stop a second Gaza flotilla that is due to depart later this month in exchange for the opportunity to host an Israeli-Palestinian peace summit in Ankara, the Turkish newspaper Today\’s Zaman reported Friday.
The Israel Navy is prepared to intercept and take control of the ships participating in the new flotilla to the Gaza Strip, a senior Navy officer said Tuesday on the anniversary of the IDF operation to stop the Mavi Marmara that ended in the death of nine Turkish nationals.
The Israel Defense Forces\’ aid delegation to Japan returned home, leaving medical equipment behind for local doctors to use. The delegation, which brought 62 tons of medical supplies and 18 tons of humanitarian aid to the city of Minami-Sanriko, hard hit by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan in March, landed in Israel on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Friday to stop the impending flotilla that is supposed to set sail to the Gaza Strip in May.
Israel has sent a medical delegation to Japan to help victims of the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami. Two doctors and an Israel Defense Forces Homefront Command officer arrived Monday in Japan to determine what is required to send a full-scale medical delegation and the necessary equipment to the devastated area, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The majority of Republican freshmen in the U.S. House of Representatives have signed on to a letter committing to current levels of defense assistance to Israel. Among the 87 freshmen, 65 have signed the letter initiated by Reps. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) and Austin Scott (R-Ga.) to the party\’s House leadership.
Once idealized as a socialist paradise, Israel is increasingly becoming a country of two classes — those who have soared in the increasingly capitalist economy and those who have stumbled in its wake.
Some of the local organizations collecting donations to aid Israel in its time of crisis.
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