Israel news

Israelis urged to 'uphold Jewish values' after Tel Aviv asylum seeker protests

By Jennifer Lipman, May 25, 2012

Jewish organisations have reacted with horror after protests in Tel Aviv over asylum seekers descended into a violent riot.

The demonstration, held in the impoverished Hatikva neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, saw around 1,000 people take to the streets to call for the removal of African asylum seekers.

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Tel Aviv tour for Cirque du Soleil

By Sarai Sinai, May 24, 2012

A contemporary yet magical entertainment extravaganza is coming to Israel this summer.

Renowned for its daring and graceful performances inspired from around the world, Cirque du Soleil will be bringing its acts to Tel Aviv this August 2012.

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Globe director's Dromgoole's 1967 Israel Habima links

By Jennifer Lipman, May 24, 2012

Habima's performance of The Merchant of Venice will not be the Globe's artistic director's first brush with Shakespeare with an Israeli spin.

As a toddler, Dominic Dromgoole joined his director father in Israel where he was working on Habima's production of Othello.

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Family destroyed in fatal car crash in Israel

By Jennifer Lipman, May 22, 2012

Eight members of the same family have died after a car accident in northern Israel.

Rafael Attias, a teacher, was with his wife and seven of their children when the brakes on the car failed as they drove near to Tiberias.

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Israel's Bar Refaeli is number one on Maxim 'hot list'

By Sarai Sinai, May 22, 2012

Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli has been ranked number one in Maxim magazine's annual "Hot 100" list.

Ms Refaeli, who has modeled for top lingerie and swimwear companies, including Victoria's Secret, has graced the covers of magazines including Sports Illustrated and Marie Claire.

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Netanyahu warns 'no concessions' ahead of Iran nuclear meeting

By Jennifer Lipman, May 22, 2012

Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his belief that Iran intends to destroy Israel using nuclear weapons.

The Israeli Prime Minister, speaking the day before an international meeting , focused on Tehran's nuclear ambitions, takes place in Baghdad, called for steps to be taken to ensure Iran does not get an atomic bomb.

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Israeli band in Azerbaijan for 2012 Eurovision Song Contest

By Jennifer Lipman, May 21, 2012

If some of the musicians performing at this year's Eurovision Song Contest would have trouble locating the host country, Azerbaijan, on a map, for one singer the competition has been something of a homecoming.

Ran Shem-Tov, the lead singer of Israel's entry – rock band Izabo – has revealed that his grandfather came from Baku, the Azari capital.

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Test for Israeli coalition over IDF law

By Anshel Pfeffer, May 17, 2012

The new Netanyahu-Mofaz coalition got off to a rocky start this week with major disputes over a new law on national service for yeshivah students and the future of settler outposts in the West Bank.

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Sean Penn planning his first trip to Israel

By Jennifer Lipman, May 16, 2012

Sean Penn is to visit Israel as part of his work for humanitarian aid organisations.

The actor, who is on screen this year as the rock-star son of a Holocaust survivor in This Must be the Place.

The announcement follows a meeting involving Mr Penn and IOsrael's deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon in Los Angeles last week.

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Iran and Syria ordered to pay family of teenage Tel Aviv bomb victim

By Jennifer Lipman, May 16, 2012

Syria and Iran have been ordered by a US court to pay £200 million to the family of a Florida teenager who was killed in a suicide bomb attack in a Tel Aviv.

Daniel Wultz was 16 when he was killed in the Islamic Jihad attack on a restaurant during the Pesach holiday. Eleven people died in the blast, and Daniel's father, Yekutiel, was severely wounded.

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IOC: No silence for Munich at London Games

By Marcus Dysch, May 15, 2012

The International Olympic Committee has confirmed it will not hold a minute’s silence at this summer’s games to mark the 40th anniversary of the terrorist attack at the Munich Olympics.

Israel’s deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon had written to the IOC last month supporting the widows of two of the victims after they called for a specific memorial during the London Olympics.

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Israeli author wins British fiction prize

By Jennifer Lipman, May 15, 2012

A novel about the friendship between a Jewish child and prostitute at a brothel during the Holocaust has been honoured with a £10,000 for fiction.

Israeli author Aharon Appelfeld was named the winner of this year's Independent Foreign Fiction Award. His book, Blooms of Darkness, triumphed over five others including Umberto Eco's The Prague Cemetery.

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Deal reached with Israel over Palestinian hunger strike

By Jennifer Lipman, May 14, 2012

A deal has been reached between the Palestinian prisoners engaged in a hunger strike and the Israeli authorities, according to a Palestinian official.

Some 1,600 prisoners, many detained for terrorism or crimes against civilians, have been on hunger strike for four weeks to protest alleged solitary confinement, poor prison conditions and detention without trial.

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Jailed former president Katzav denied another appeal hearing

By Jennifer Lipman, May 14, 2012

Israel’s disgraced former president has been denied an appeal hearing in his rape case.
Moshe Katzav.

Nearly five years after he resigned from the presidency in the wake of the allegations against him, Supreme Court Justice Esther Hayut ruled that the points raised by katzav’s legal team did not warrant another hearing.

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Israel's Shimon Peres in hospital for hernia surgery

By Jennifer Lipman, May 11, 2012

Shimon Peres is being treated in hospital for a hernia.

The Israeli President, 89 in August, was in Canada this week on a state visit, and returned earlier today. On arrival in Tel Aviv he was admitted to the Sheba Medical Centre to undergo surgery.

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Abbas issues warning as hunger strikes continue

By Sandy Rashty, May 11, 2012

Palestinian groups and Israeli politicians have warned of clashes between security forces and protesters if one of the prisoners currently on hunger strike dies.

Some 1,600 prisoners currently on administrative detention in Israel, some for crimes against civilians, are on hunger strike to protest alleged solitary confinement, poor prison conditions and detention without trial.

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Israeli lacrosse team looks to Europe

By Jennifer Lipman, May 11, 2012

A British-born lacrosse player is hoping to fulfil a dream this summer and compete on Israel's behalf in the European Championships.

Tash Kalmanson, who moved to Israel last year and is studying for an MA in Jewish studies at Tel Aviv University, has been selected to play on the Israeli woman's team at the competition in Amsterdam in June.

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Dad knifed for saying 'be quiet' in horror weekend

By Ben Hartman, May 10, 2012

A bloody weekend in which five Israelis were murdered has shocked the nation and left the police, the government and the school system scrambling to provide answers to the public.

Late on Friday night in Beersheva, Gadi Vichman, 36, was having trouble getting his two-year-old daughter to sleep because of the noise coming from a group of youths drinking in the courtyard below.

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Missing Homeland? Help is at hand

By Jennifer Lipman, May 10, 2012

British audiences will soon be able to fill the gap left by the series end of the Israeli-inspired drama Homeland, at a new festival celebrating highlights of Israel's small and big screens.

On June 14 the inaugural London Israeli Film & Television Festival will open, giving British viewers a rare glimpse of the work of Israel's directors, writers and actors.

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Israel rebooted: Bibi's coalition deal

By Anshel Pfeffer, May 10, 2012

The political earthquake that shook Israel in the middle of the night this week has sent shockwaves well beyond the confines of the Knesset.

Benjamin Netanyahu is now one of the most powerful prime ministers ever to lead Israel, and many commentators are wondering if he is now sufficiently empowered to alter the course of Middle East history.

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