News Analysis India

Tag: Israel

  • Dua Lipa refutes antisemitic allegations after extending support to Palestinians

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: British singer and songwriter Dua Lipa recently spoke out after being accused of antisemitism due to her support of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

    According to Fox News, the singer is taking an organization to task after it paid for a full-page ad in a news outlet that called her antisemitic for her support of Palestinians, saying it used her name shamelessly to “advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations.”

    In the rambling ad, which appeared in Saturday’s newspaper in the main section, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the head of the World Values Network, named Lipa, and the models Bella and Gigi Hadid as three “mega-influencers” who have “accused Israel of ethnic cleansing” and “vilified the Jewish State.”

    Bella Hadid has previously shown her support for the Palestinian people on social media.

    Lipa took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to “reject the false and appalling allegations” and said the World Values Network twisted what she stands for.

    “I utterly reject the false and appalling allegations that were published today in the New York Times advertisement taken out by the World Values Network,” she began her post.

    pic.twitter.com/Wcdr5E1jCA
    — DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) May 22, 2021

    Dua further continued, “This is the price you pay for defending Palestinian human rights against an Israeli government whose actions in Palestine both Human Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem accuse of persecution and discrimination.”

    She concluded the post by adding, “I take this stance because I believe that everyone – Jews, Muslims and Christians – have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose. The World Values Network are shamelessly using my name to advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations of who I am and what I stand for. I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism.”

    Tensions increased in the Middle East since May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

    As per Fox News, a cease-fire was declared on Friday. The 11-day war left more than 250 dead, the vast of whom were majorly Palestinians, and also brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. 

  • Gal Gadot criticised after she calls for ‘solution’ to Israel-Palestine conflict

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Gal Gadot came under fire on social media after she posted a message of peace in the wake of the latest round of fighting between Israel and Palestine.

    Gadot, a former Israeli Defence Forces fighter, posted a statement on Twitter, saying it breaks her heart to her see her “country is at war”.

    “My heart breaks. My country is at war. I worry for my family, my friends. I worry for my people. This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long,” the 36-year-old actor wrote.

    The “Wonder Woman” star said both Israel and its “neighbour” deserve to live as “free and safe” nations.

    “I pray for the victims and their families, I pray for this unimaginable hostility to end, I pray for our leaders to find the solution so we could live side by side in peace. I pray for better days,” Gadot added.

    However, her post on Twitter was flooded with replies that criticised her of being a “propaganda” tool for Israel, given her past military service record.

    Some also called out her for using the word “neighbour” instead of referencing Palestine by name.

    The backlash was so severe and vitriolic that Gadot disabled the comments section to her tweet.

    At least 53 Palestinians and six Israelis have been killed in spiralling violence as of Wednesday as Gaza-based militants fired hundreds of rockets on Israel since Monday evening.

    Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes at Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the coastal strip.

  • Centre intervenes to ensure safety of Indians in Israel

    By Express News Service
    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after a Malayali woman was killed in clashes between Israeli  forces and Hamas in Gaza, the Centre has intervened to ensure the safety  of Indian citizens in the strife-torn region.  Soumya Santhosh from Idukki, who was working as a caregiver in Ashkelon  on the border with Gaza, was killed in a mortar attack on Tuesday  evening.

    Union Minister for External Affairs V  Muraleedharan told reporters in New Delhi that he had spoken to India’s  ambassador in Tel Aviv Sanjeev Singla and enquired about the situation.“The Centre is making the necessary interventions to ensure the safety of Indian citizens in Ashkelon and surrounding areas. The situation is  tense and the Indian Embassy is in constant touch with the Israeli  authorities,” Muraleedharan said. The minister said  the body of Soumya has been handed over to the Indian Embassy.  

    An inside view of the destroyed house“Arrangements are being made to bring her body to Kerala at the  earliest,” he said.  Muraleedharan said he had spoken  twice to the family of Soumya after the tragedy. She leaves behind a  small child which makes her demise even more tragic, the minister  remarked.

    Israel condoles deathIsrael’s ambassador to India Ron Malka condoled the death of Soumya on behalf of his country.   “I just spoke to the family of Ms Soumya Santhosh, the victim of the  Hamas terrorist strike.

    I expressed my sorrow for their unfortunate loss  and extended my condolences on behalf of the state of Israel. The whole  country is mourning her loss and we are here for them,” he said in a  series of tweets.Malka said his heart goes out to  Soumya’s nine-year-old son Adone who lost his mother at a young age. He  said the attack reminded him of Moshe Tzvi Holtzberg — a two-and-a-half- year-old Israeli boy — whose parents were killed during the 26/11 Mumbai  attacks. 

    CM writes to CentreChief  Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and  sought his intervention in bringing back Soumya’s body and ensuring the safety of Indian citizens in the region. Pinarayi said Principal Secretary (Norka) K Ellangovan has spoken to the Indian  ambassador in Israel. “The principal secretary has urged the  ambassador to ensure that Soumya’s family who is shattered by her loss is given adequate compensation,” he said. Paying tributes to Soumya, the  chief minister said he shares the grief  with her family and friends.  

    CHENNITHALA’S LETTER TO AMBASSADORLeader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala wrote to the Indian Ambassador in Israel urging his urgent intervention in the repatriation  of Soumya’s body to Kerala. Chennithala also urged the Indian envoy to ensure the safety of all those Indians working in Israel.

  • Special flight to bring over 200 Indians stuck in Israel to Delhi today

    By Express News Service
    KOCHI: Following an SOS from Indians stuck in Israel, after that country suspended international flights from January 25 to slow the spread of Covid-19, the two governments have agreed to arrange a special flight from Tel Aviv to New Delhi on Monday.

    Around 250 Indians, including several from Kerala working as care-givers, were left stranded in Israel after the flight ban. “The flight has been approved as a very special case for sector Tel Aviv to Delhi only,” read a message from Air India Israel to passengers.

    The travellers were required to register with the Indian embassy there, besides registering their names with the Israel Ministry of Health website within 24 hours from departure. “We have been told that our tickets are confirmed. We are all set to return to India,” said Jaison Varghese, a Keralite who was stuck in Israel for the past two months after he lost his job.

    The Israeli government, which initially banned flights by foreign airlines till January 31, later extended the ban to February 21, and then to March 6.  The Indians feared that the ban would go on till the Passover, which falls on April 4. “A large number of Malayali men and women lost their jobs in Israel as care-givers, and many of them are stuck there,” said Bessy Siby, a native of Changanassery, who reached Kerala via Frankfurt on Friday. “The Frankfurt route was very expensive and we had to take a transit visa too,” said Bessy, whose job contract in Israel ended on January 15.  Jaison said, though the Indian embassy had told them that flight tickets are confirmed, he is keeping his fingers crossed.

  • Not surprised at evil attack as we were on high alert for a few weeks: Israeli envoy

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A day after a blast outside its Embassy here, Israel’s ambassador to India Ron Malka said there are enough reasons to believe it was a terrorist attack but they are not surprised at the event as the alert level had been increased for the past few weeks following intelligence inputs.

    In an interview with PTI, he also said the investigations will look into all possible angles, including whether there are any links to the 2012 attack on Israeli diplomats here while events around the world are also being examined to find any related operations or activities at any destination.

    ALSO READ | Blast near Israel Embassy: Delhi Police team visits site, finds most CCTVs ‘non-functional’

    “These attacks by those seeking destablisation in the (West Asia) region cannot stop us or scare us. Our peace efforts will continue uninterrupted,” he said when asked whether the attack was aimed at derailing Israel’s peace efforts with various Arab countries.

    He said Israeli authorities and the embassy are providing all assistance and every information Indian authorities probing the attack.

    A low-intensity improvised explosive device(IED) went off near the Israeli Embassy in the heart of Delhi on Friday evening but no one was injured.

    Some cars were damaged in the blast that occurred about 150 metres away from the Embassy in Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in the very high-security Lutyens’ bungalow zone.

  • Minister Dr. Dahria sought prayers for the state of Chhattisgarh by offering a sheet for Ajmer Sharif

    Urban Administration Minister Dr. Shivkumar Dahria has offered a sheet in Ajmer Sharif for the prosperity and prosperity of Chhattisgarh state. Saraipali residents Janab Khan, Sheikh Wahid, Ratan Banjare, Israel Khan received the blessings by receiving a chadar through Minister Dr. Dahria. This sheet will be offered in Ajmer Sharif. Minister Dr. Dahria has sought prayers for prosperity in the state.

  • ‘Turkey Wants Better Ties With Israel But Its Palestine Policy Is Unacceptable’: Erdogan

    Turkey is in favour of improving diplomatic relations with Israel but its Palestinian policy is unacceptable to Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on December 25. While other Middle Eastern powers like UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel, Turkey has stood firm in its support for the Palestinian cause. Speaking to reporters in Istanbul, the Turkish leader stressed that there was an issue with “people at the top level” in Israel and that ties could have been “very different” if it were not for those issues.

    Ties between the two countries severed in 2018 after Ankara expelled the Israeli ambassador over the killings of Palestinians amid protests in Gaza Strip. Jerusalem retaliated by expelling the Turkish diplomat, eventually making both the countries without diplomats ill Ankara appointed one earlier in 2020.

  • Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Receives Pfizer Covid Vaccine, Says ‘excited And Proud’

    On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received Covid-19 vaccination at Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv, becoming the first  Israeli to be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. The vaccination was shown live on Israel television as Netanyahu also became the first sitting prime minister publicly known to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Netanyahu was of the opinion that this small injection is a giant leap for the health. 

    Netanyahu said that after taking the vaccine shot that he thought about reopening his country again and about returning to normalcy. In a tweet, Netanyahu also said, “We have worked hard to bring millions of vaccines to our small country. Israel is one of the first countries to be vaccinated. Tonight, more than ever, I am excited and proud to be the Prime Minister of Israel.

  • Israel’s Netanyahu Quarantined For Third Time Without Testing COVID-19 Positive

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been quarantined until Friday, December 18 after he met with a confirmed COVID-19 carrier. According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, Netanyahu has been tested twice since coming into the contact with the unknown person and has produced negative results on both occasions. 

    According to The Times of Israel, Netanyahu met with Likud Court President Michael Kleiner last Tuesday, who later tested positive for COVID-19. This is the third time Netanyahu has been quarantined without testing positive for COVID-19. It is being said that the Prime Minister’s work won’t be hampered because of him being in quarantine as he is continuing to hold meetings virtually. 

    Netanyahu could now become the first Israeli to be vaccinated by the COVID-19 vaccine that arrived in the country last week. After Israel approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first batch arrived in the country last week and the government said it would start the vaccination campaign starting December 27. Netanyahu, while receiving the drug at the airport, had said that he would not hesitate in taking the first shot if it helps in persuading the people into taking the vaccine.  

    Israel has reported more than 3,48,000 COVID-19 cases so far, of which 2,932 people have lost their lives. COVID-19 cases in Israel were on an exponential rise between September and October with the country recording its highest single-day tally on September 30 as more than 9,000 people tested positive. 

  • ‘Israel’s Vaccination Program May Begin Before December 27’: Health Min Yuli Edelstein

    Israeli Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein during a visit to an inoculation centre established by Maccabi health fund group on December 13 hinted at the possibility that country’s mass COVID-19 vaccination program may begin earlier than the proposed December 27 start date. This statement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country will begin vaccinating up to 60,000 people a day from December 27. 

    While speaking to reporters about the Israel vaccination program, the country’s Health Minister said that he has seen the advanced preparations at the inoculation centre. Yuli Edelstein also said that the country can even start vaccinating medical teams from next week. 

    Earlier, this week, the first set of doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German firm BioNTech arrived in Israel. In total, the country’s government has signed a deal for 8 million doses of the vaccine which is already being used in the United Kingdom. Apart from this, the Israeli government has also concluded deals with other manufacturers, including the US firm Moderna, for other candidate vaccines.

    The clinical trials for Israel’s domestically produced vaccine against the pandemic began on November 1. As the world continues to battle against the Coronavirus pandemic, Israel so far has recorded over 3,56,000 positive cases, out of which 2,990 people have died.