Tens of thousands rally against Netanyahu government in Jerusalem
Jerusalem Reuters Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Jerusalem on Sunday against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and against exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service, in scenes reminiscent of mass street protests last year. Protest groups, including some that led the mass demonstrations that rocked Israel in 2023, organised the rally outside parliament, […]
Israel’s Netanyahu officially tapped to form government
Tel Aviv, IsraelAP Israel’s President officially tapped former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government on Sunday, opening the door for the likely return to power of the long-serving leader after a one-year hiatus. With Netanyahu comes what’s expected to be Israel’s most right-wing coalition ever. Elections earlier this month indicated a clear win […]
Israel’s premier calls for unity after Netanyahu victory
Jerusalem AP Israel’s Prime Minister on Sunday issued a plea for national unity, days after he was defeated in national elections by the former premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, with the backing of a far-right ultranationalist party. In a memorial ceremony for the assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid warned of the deep […]
Israeli paramedics: two dead in synagogue bleacher collapse
Jerusalem, IsraelAP Israeli medics said at least two people were killed and more than 150 injured after a bleacher collapsed at an uncompleted West Bank synagogue on Sunday, the eve of a major Jewish holiday. The bleacher was packed with ultra-Orthodox worshippers and collapsed during prayers at the beginning of Shavuot. A spokesman for Magen […]
Israeli state watchdog to investigate religious festival stampede
Jerusalem, IsraelReuters Israel’s government watchdog said on Monday it would open an investigation into the deaths of 45 people crushed in a stampede at a Jewish religious festival last week. State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman said his office, which audits the government, would look into the circumstances surrounding the event at Mount Meron in the Galilee […]
Israel observes day of mourning for religious festival dead
Jerusalem, IsraelReuters Israel observed a day of mourning on Sunday for 45 people crushed to death at a Jewish religious festival, with flags lowered to half-staff and questions raised about accountability for one of the country’s worst civilian disasters. In accordance with Jewish tradition, funerals were held with as little delay as possible. More than […]
Updated: Dozens killed in stampede at Israeli religious festival
Updated 3.30pm (AEDT)Mount Meron, IsraelReuters At least 44 people were crushed to death at an over-crowded religious bonfire festival in Israel on Friday, medics said, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “heavy disaster”. The crush occurred as tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews thronged to the Galilee tomb of 2nd-century sage Rabbi […]
Israeli politics: Ultra-Orthodox unrest threatens Netanyahu re-election hopes
JOSEF FEDERMAN, of Associated Press, reports on how skyrocketing coronavirus infections and resistance to safety measures among ultra-Orthodox communities may impact the upconing election…