Campaigning in Israel’s general election is entering its final week, with polls indicating there will be no end to the deadlock which has paralysed the country’s politics for the past two years. Nonetheless, with “Bibi fatigue” apparently affecting some sections of the electorate, Benjamin Netanyahu’s long domination of the political Read more…
Israel delivered its five millionth vaccine jab on Monday as the country began a significant easing of covid-19 restrictions ahead of this month’s general election. This week also saw the official start of a programme to vaccinate 120,000 Palestinians who work in Israel. The Jewish state continues to lead the Read more…
On Wednesday 3 March LFI chair Steve McCabe MP and LFI chair in the Lords Baroness Ramsay addressed the Zionist Federation’s annual lobby day for Israel. This year’s lobby day focussed on the UN’s bias against Israel with many speakers urging the UK government to do more to tackle Read more…
Israeli Magen David Adom paramedics today began vaccinating Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Those targetted for the covid jabs – which are being carried out at the Qalandiya crossing – are residents of Israel but live beyond the security barrier which cuts through the eastern half of the city. Israel also agreed with Read more…
A group of 130 former army commanders and senior officials in the secret services and intelligence community publicly called for Benny Gantz to pull out of next month’s general election – or risk helping Benjamin Netanyahu remain in power. Gantz, a former IDF commander, currently serves as defence minister in Read more…
Gaza’s humanitarian crisis could be eased by the announcement last weekend of a major deal between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli energy company Delek to supply natural gas to the coastal enclave’s sole power plant. The agreement was announced by Qatar’s envoy to Gaza – a key intermediary between Read more…
Labour Friends of Israel were delighted to host a parliamentary briefing on Israel’s vaccine roll-out and what lessons the UK can learn from it. The speakers at the event were Dr Asher Shalmon, Director of the International Relations Division in Israel’s Ministry of Health, senior member of the COVID-19 Emergency Response Team and Dr Adam Cutler, Deputy Head of Read more…
Labour Friends of Israel are delighted to be hosting a webinar on the upcoming Israeli election with David Horovitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel, on Wednesday 10 March 7:00-8:00pm. On March 23 Israelis will head to the polls for their fourth general election in less than two years. Read more…
The contours of the choice before Israeli voters on 23 March became clearer last week as parties submitted their final electoral lists, with centre-left rivals to the Labor party dropping out, the far-right consolidating and the main Israeli-Arab alliance splintering. What happened Last Thursday was the deadline for parties to Read more…
Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in Jerusalem’s District Court to formally enter a plea of not guilty as his trial on corruption charges resumed this week. The prime minister is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. He is the first serving Israeli prime minister to go on Read more…
Iran is stepping up its breaches of the 2015 nuclear deal despite Joe Biden’s efforts to salvage the accord. A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency obtained by Reuters this week confirms that Tehran is installing more efficient centrifuges to enrich uranium at its underground plant at Natanz. Speeding-up uranium enrichment Read more…
LFI chair Steve McCabe MP and LFI Parliamentary Officers took part in a debate marking Holocaust Memorial Day in the House of Commons on Thursday 28 January. This annual debate is an opportunity for Parliamentarians from across the House to unite in remembering the victims, honouring survivors, and remembering where Read more…