Increase in cases of COVID-19 in Israel, vaccines to be available after Sukkot

The Ministry of Health updated on Thursday that there is a moderate increase in the number of patients who have been hospitalized with the coronavirus in Israel.

Most of them are in light condition, but there is also an increase in the number of patients in serious condition, as well as a very moderate increase in mortality from the virus.

  • The statement from the Ministry of Health said that there are a number of variants of the virus, both in Israel and in the world, that cause morbidity, with the dominant variants in Israel being subvariants of Omicron.

The ministry recommends that the entire population be vaccinated, especially for patients suffering from immunosuppression for any reason.

In the first phase, which will begin after the holiday of Sukkot, Israelis 12 years of age and older will be able to be vaccinated, with people at risk for severe illness from the virus receiving preference, regardless of the type of vaccine or the number of doses they have received in the past. After that, when an additional supply of vaccines arrives, the populations that can be vaccinated will be expanded.

The Ministry of Health recommends that a booster dose be received in the fall months, as much as possible at the same time as receiving the flu shots. Later and when additional vaccine shipments arrive, the populations that can be vaccinated will be expanded.

Source: Arutz Sheva

Header: Israelis wait to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, at a vaccination center operated by the Tel Aviv Municipality with Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov), at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, December 31, 2020. Photo by Miriam ALster/Flash90 *** Local Caption ***

IDF unveils new ‘Barak’ tank

The Defense Ministry and IDF today (Tuesday) unveiled for the first time the new ‘Barak’ tank.

The joint statement reads:

  • “Sensing and front-end processing capabilities based on artificial intelligence, the ability to reveal the enemy and create targets for combat troops on the battlefield, full combat in closed ranges based on 360-degree peripheral observation and a “pilots” helmet for the commander, multi-touch screens, advanced operation controllers, adaptation to changing combat situations and improved survivability – these are just some of the capabilities of the new tank that was recently brought to service in the IDF.”

Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said:

  • “It is very meaningful that during the period when we mark 50 years since the ‘Yom Kippur War’, and the heroic battles fought during this war by the soldiers of the Armored Corps in defense of our country- we receive further proof of the relevance and power of the tank as an essential tool. The Barak tank is very innovative – it takes our maneuvering capabilities to another level, and it is a clear expression of our technological capabilities. I would like to express my appreciation to the engineers of the Tank and APC Administration, the Israeli Ground Forces and all those involved in the professional process.”

The 5th generation Barak, the first battle tank of the IDF, was developed by the Tank and APC Directorate in the Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with the Weapons Department of the Israeli Ground Forces and the Armored Corps.

The tank incorporates systems from Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the ELTA Systems Ltd. of Israel Aerospace Industries, and additional defense industries from Qiryat Shemona to Mitzpe Ramon.

  • The first mass-produced Barak Tanks were received this month in the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade and will become the main battle tanks of the Armored Corps and weapon systems for deciding maneuvers.

The exposure, operation and processing capabilities of the Barak will cause a dramatic change on the battlefield.

The commander will be equipped with a combat helmet developed by “Elbit Systems”, similar to pilot helmets, which will display on the lens all of the relevant combat data, when they are anchored in the combat space.

  • The system will allow 360-degree scanning by moving the head and locating targets in real time with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. To this will be added an improved tank and artillery sight with advanced observation and night capabilities, with an improved net cross. New capabilities that will allow the tank crew to fight in closed ranges, with better protection throughout the entire battle, partly thanks to the advanced defense system ‘WindGuard” manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, whose role is to deal with anti-tank missiles. The tank’s fire capabilities have also undergone a significant upgrade.

The Barak Tank will enhance the capabilities needed to expose an enemy and will enable combat against an enemy with a low profile and in all combat situations on the current and future battlefield, against the set of threats that exist for the maneuvering force. The Barak will be equipped with a commander’s sight and a gunner and with continuous and up-to-date intelligence collection, fusion and sharing capabilities. The Barak will allow the battalion combat team to fight continuously at a fast pace while exposing the enemy, combined with the activation of independent, organic or spatial fire, which will increase the achievements of the combat team. The “Barak” Tank has capabilities and means to close circles of fire between all the forces fighting on land and in the air, in a way that will reduce time and increase accuracy in battle.

The Barak Tank will have the ability to quickly produce and extract information and transfer it to strike assemblies, as part of a target bank, as well as the ability to transfer intelligence in real time between the branches. For this purpose, the Barak Tank was equipped with a wide and reliable sensor infrastructure, which will allow it to grasp an area in a more extensive way, acquire targets in the environment and close circles of fire in short and precise times.

  • The Barak Tank will be equipped with advanced connectivity capabilities for other tanks and weapons on the battlefield. The Barak Tank will also be equipped with touch screens, similar to smartphone devices and the use of unique applications with simple operation for the future recruiting generations, which will allow easy and accessible operation for the tank crew.

The restoration and maintenance center in the Technological and Logistics Directorate (J4) is the body entrusted with the production of the Barak Tank. From steel plates into a powerful tank that constitutes a significant part of land maneuvering,

The restoration and maintenance center takes a significant part in the project and enables the production of the most advanced tanks in the world and their delivery directly to the operational end.

IMOD Director General, MG (res) Eyal Zamir said:

  • “For the past four decades, Merkava Tanks have formed the backbone of the Armored Corps and on-ground fighting, today we are entering a new era on the ground’s battlefield, the era of the Barak. The Barak Tank is the most advanced combat machine of its kind In the world, which will bring to the IDF, the Israeli Ground Forces and the soldiers of the Armored Corps fire capabilities, AI, intelligence, connectivity between tools and active defense, a breakthrough on the modern battlefield.
  • “I congratulate the engineers of the Tank and APC Administration, the experts of the Armored Corps, the Israeli Ground Forces and the Merkava Industries, who made the technological leap together. On this occasion, it is necessary to mention “Talik” MG, Israel Tal who began the development and building of Israel’s Merkava Project and the Deputy Chief of the General Staff during the Yom Kippur War, thanks to his vision, today we are privileged to inaugurate the fifth generation of battle tanks of the Merkava model.”

Commanding Officer of the Israeli Ground Forces, MG Tamir Yadai:

  • “The Barak Merkava Tank is a source of pride and an expression of the strength of the IDF, the Ministry of Defense, the Tank and APC Administration and the defense industries in Israel. The Barak Tank incorporates ground-breaking technologies, which enable soldiers of the Armored Corps unique defense and attack capabilities that improve maneuverability tremendously. The reception of the Barak Tanks alongside the Eitan AFV and the Namer is part of the process of equipping ourselves with the best and most adapted tools that will allow the Israeli Ground Forces to operate at a high rate of operations and significantly reduce the attrition ratio”

Head of the Ministry’s Defense Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate, Brig. Gen. Oren Giber:

  • “In the development of the Barak, Israel sets a very high standard of technological excellence. A battle tank that is a unique weapon system, based on a high-quality sensing array, artificial intelligence engines, and an adapted and intuitive operating interface. The Barak Tank was designed based on a concept of anti-fragility, with the aim of providing the IDF soldiers a weapon system with built-in flexibility, which will allow them to win in all combat situations. I am proud of the genius of the development and the strength of the commitment of the people of the Merkava and Armored Vehicles Directorate, the weapon system division of the Israeli Ground Forces and of the Israeli defense industry, which is unparalleled in the world, and I wish to bless the soldiers of the Armored Corps with the blessing that they have risen and succeeded because it is also clear to us, the developers of the Armored Combat Vehicles, that today, as in the past, it is the man in the tank who will win.”

Commanding Officer of the Armored Corps, Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim:

  • “A few days before a new year, and in the 50th year mark of the Yom Kippur War, the Armored Corps is equipping itself with the Barak Tank, which is the pride of the Israeli industry, a tank that is an Israeli design. In my eyes, this is far more exhilarating, that in the year in which we celebrate the heroism of the 1973’s generation of the soldiers of the Armored Corps, who stopped the attacks of the Arab armies with their bodies, demonstrated bravery and a fighting spirit worthy of mentioning, this is a historic event. The Barak Tank is based on breakthrough technologies. Combining these technologies with the quality of our people, the soldiers of the Armored Corps, will result in a tremendous advantage in continental superiority, and in defeating our enemy in the following systems. I am proud of the privilege to be at the head of the corps at such a historic moment.”

Commanding Officer of the 401st Armored Brigade, COL Beni Aharon: “In the last year, the 401st Armored Brigade dealt with the absorption and assimilation of the Barak Tank into the brigade. The brigade invested in learning the capabilities of the tank against the nature of combat and its use in battle, in the training of the crew members and those in charge, and in the cooperation of the tank with other advanced anti-tank weapons, such as the Namer and the Engineering Namer. The absorption of the tank is a tremendous opportunity to improve operational effectiveness in preparation for the next campaign and a significant force multiplier for the IDF, the Israeli Ground Forces and the Armored Corps. The 401st Armored Brigade sees the Barak Tank as a historic event and a national mission for victory in the next campaign. We were privileged to be the first Armored Brigade to receive the Barak Tank and therefore a great responsibility rests on our shoulders – our mission is to fulfill it with distinction.”

Source: Arutz Sheva

Netanyahu meets Erdogan: ‘Our ties are improving’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Tuesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

  • This is the first meeting between the two leaders since 2016.

The Prime Minister said at the start of the meeting, “Our ties are improving.”

The meeting lasted about an hour. The Prime Minister was accompanied by the head of the Mossad, David Barnea.

  • The Prime Minister’s Office stated following the meeting that Netanyahu and Erdogan “discussed the promotion of relations in various fields as well as regional and international issues, including the normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”
  • It also added that Netanyahu thanked Erdogan for the cooperation between the security organizations of the two countries that resulted in thwarting the malicious intentions of terrorist groups to harm Israeli tourists in Istanbul.

In addition, the two mutually invited each other for visits to Israel and Turkey and it was agreed that these visits will be coordinated and will take place soon.

  • Netanyahu was supposed to visit Turkey this past July and meet with Erdogan, but canceled the visit after undergoing a procedure to implant a pacemaker.
  • Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with the Turkish President this past February, and Netanyahu spoke with him on the phone in June and congratulated him on his election victory.

Israel and Turkey formally announced last year that they would normalize relations by returning the ambassadors and consuls, after years of tensions.

  • In December, Israel’s Ambassador to Turkey, Irit Lillian, presented her credentials to Erdogan. In March, the new Turkish Ambassador to Israel, Şakir Özkan Torunlar, presented his credentials to President Herzog.

Source: Arutz Sheva

Netanyahu to meet Zelenskyy on sidelines of UN General Assembly

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the first time since the Russian attack on his country, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Kan 11 News reported on Tuesday.

  • The meeting between the two leaders follows disappointment in Kyiv over the scale of the Israeli aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia.

According to the report, the office of the President of Ukraine invited Netanyahu to a meeting in Kyiv, but Netanyahu chose to decline it.

  • Israel has delivered several tons of humanitarian assistance and defensive equipment to Ukraine during the war, but has stopped short of selling advanced weapons to Kyiv, fearing such a move could create tension with Russia and harm Israeli security interests in Syria.
  • Zelenskyy was critical of the previous government and denounced the lack of aid from Israel during the war with Russia, saying his country got “nothing” from Israel.

In February, the Ukrainian President expressed hope that Israel would choose Ukraine’s side in his country’s war against Russia.

  • Last week, Netanyahu spoke with Zelenskyy about the continuation of Israeli aid to Ukraine, including to Ukrainian refugees staying in Israel, and also about the continuation of aid in the development and promotion of civil defense systems.

The Prime Minister also raised the need to ensure as much as possible the arrival of worshipers to Uman this year in order to ensure freedom of worship.

Source: Arutz Sheva

Is COVID coming back? Israel Health Ministry recommends masks

The Ministry of Health said on Tuesday evening that there is a moderate increase in the number of people hospitalized from coronavirus in Israel.

  • “The ministry constantly monitors the morbidity trends and variants of the coronavirus and, as of this moment, a moderate increase in the number of hospitalized patients is evident in Israel. Both in Israel and in the world, there are a number of variants that cause morbidity,” it said.

Ahead of the holidays and as a result of the increase in morbidity, the Ministry of Health recommends that if a person is in a high-risk group or wishes to reduce the risk of infection, use of a mask in closed places with many people is advised.

It is also recommended that a mask be used when meeting with people who are in high-risk groups.

  • The Ministry of Health stated that it is important for a patient with symptoms to remain in isolation until the symptoms pass, and added that if a sick person needs to go outside, it is recommended that he wear a mask.

It was also noted that “it is important to maintain awareness and be tested at home for early detection when there is a suspicion of illness. The ministry is preparing to provide dedicated vaccines against the new subvariants in the near future.”

Source: Arutz Sheva

Putin blasts tycoon who fled to Israel

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the former head of the state-funded Rusnano corporation, Anatoly Chubais, may have relocated to Israel due to fears of legal consequences over financial irregularities.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Tuesday, Putin said he had been shown a photo of Chubais, “where he is no longer Anatoly Borisovich, but Moysha Israelievich, living somewhere over there.”

“What is he doing this for, I don’t understand. Why did he flee?” the president asked rhetorically.

  • He suggested Chubais’ reason for leaving revolved around an alleged “huge financial hole” at Rusnano, the company he headed for 12 years.

Putin noted that there are currently no criminal cases related to alleged financial irregularities, but that perhaps Chubais was concerned that some could emerge.

The businessman “clearly didn’t excel at the helm of a big company that was created to foster nanotechnology, at least from an economic [and] financial perspective,” Putin said.

  • When asked by TASS for a response to the remarks, Chubais said he would “rather not comment on anything [President Vladimir Putin] said.”

Chubais occupied a number of senior offices under former President Boris Yeltsin, including that of finance minister. He headed Rusnano from 2008 until 2020, before becoming Putin’s special representative coordinating relations with international organizations.

Last March, soon after the start of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, several Western media outlets reported that Chubais had left the country.

Putin officially relieved him of his duties at the end of the same month. This May, some Israeli media claimed that Chubais and his wife had requested long-term residence permits in the Middle Eastern state.

Putin also pointed the finger at the co-founder of Russian tech giant Yandex, Arkady Volozh, who has lived in Israel since 2015 and has not visited Russia since the conflict with Ukraine broke out.

The Russian leader said that while people have the right to take up residence wherever they please, they should have respect for the country where they made a name for themselves.

  • Putin described Volozh as a “talented” man and wished him well, despite the tech entrepreneur last month criticizing Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. The president added, however, that if a person had received their education and achieved success in Russia, “they should have a sense of conscience toward the country that gave them everything.”

Source: RT

These are the top baby names in Israel for 5783

The Population and Immigration Authority published data about the most popular names for boys and girls that were given to babies who were born in the past Jewish year, 5783.

In first place for names for boys in the general population is Mohammad (1,666), after that are the names Adam (1,187), Joseph (1,186), and David (924).

In fifth place came the name Ariel (837), after that, Lavi (775), and after it, Omer (762). The name Refael tied for eighth, and after it came Ahmad (686) and Daniel (679).

In first place for girls’ names came Avigail (969), in second place came Tamar (847), directly behind was Miriam (806). After them came Sara (710), Yael (704), Ayala (662), Noa (653), Lia (642), Adel (606), and Maya (595).

  • In Jerusalem, 11,396 boys and 10,784 girls were born in the past year.
  • In Bnei Brak, boys were also in the lead, with 3,931 compared to 3,712 girls.
  • In Tel Aviv, 3,440 boys and 3,232 girls were born. In Beit Shemesh, 2,909 boys and 2,781 girls were born, in Ashdod, 1,999 boys, and 1,931 girls were born.
  • In Netanya, 1,691 boys were born compared to 1,622 girls, in Haifa, 1,664 boys compared to 1,579 girls, in Rishon Lezion, 1,586 boys were born compared to 1,535 girls and in Modi’in Illit, 1,568 boys compared to 1,502 girls.
  • Petach Tikva is considered the outlier, there 1,802 girls were born, and only 1,782 boys were.

Source: Arutz Sheva

Haredim slam Netanyahu for ‘heresy’ against God in Ukraine comment; MK blasts Zionism

  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu elicited outrage in Haredi circles Sunday after saying, in comments intended to dissuade religious Israelis from traveling to Ukraine this weekend, that “God has not always protected us, not on European soil and not on Ukrainian soil.”

The remarks appeared to spark a coalition crisis, featuring some of the most strongly worded infighting since the current coalition was formed in December.

The premier made the statement as a warning to the public against participating in the annual pilgrimage to Uman in Ukraine over Rosh Hashanah, amid the ongoing war there.

  • Despite travel warnings last year about the dangers of war and other obstacles, over 20,000 pilgrims traveled to celebrate Rosh Hashanah in Uman, the burial site of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, a revered Hasidic rabbi who died in 1810.
  • In recent years worshipers have been undeterred by the coronavirus pandemic or the war in the country, and many are gearing up to visit this year as well.

But Netanyahu’s statement — an obvious reference to the Holocaust and possibly centuries of antisemitism and pogroms — was swiftly met with intense condemnation and repudiation from ultra-Orthodox politicians and other public figures, with some accusing the prime minister of “heresy” and one MK launching a diatribe against “the idolatry of power, vulgarity and assimilation of the secular regime.”

  • The Shas party issued the tamest response, saying: “God has always protected the people of Israel during all its exiles and persecutions. That is the reason the people of Israel are the only ones who have miraculously survived for thousands of years while many other powerful peoples have disappeared. Of course, the condition for divine protection is faithfulness and keeping the Torah and commandments.”
  • Aryeh Ehrlich, editor of the popular Haredi magazine Mishpacha, tweeted: “When the ‘head of the religious camp’ opens his mouth to utter such egregious heresies, and all in an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the entire theory of sweet Israel collapses like a house of cards.
  • “We should not respect Bibi when such sacrilege and such base and rude comments are made against God,” he added, using the premier’s nickname.

In a follow-up post, Ehrlich added: “It’s time for [Benny] Gantz,” suggesting that the Haredi parties should switch their allegiance from Netanyahu to the head of the opposition National Unity party. In a third tweet, he said the ultra-Orthodox message had been clear:

  • “Loyalty to God is stronger than the adoration of Bibi. Netanyahu? His actions and words will drive him closer or nearer. He’s not an idol.”

Another Haredi journalist, Yossi Elituv, tweeted: “Benjamin Netanyahu, there is no shame in apologizing. By the way, a Jew who lays tefillin (Jewish prayer phylacteries) from time to time would not have fallen to such grave words of heresy. You can still repent.”

  • Likud MK Tally Gotliv, who has fallen out with the premier and voices regular criticism of her party leader, rebuked the premier, saying: “We must not calculate God’s considerations. You don’t know where God was and why this happened.”
  • She claimed that the advisers who issued the offending statement “wouldn’t have worked under me for a minute.”

But the most hostile reaction came from United Torah Judaism MK Yisrael Eichler, who blasted Netanyahu’s “ignorance” and indicated his belief that it was the “Zionists,” rather than God, who were to blame for the suffering of Jews in the Holocaust.

  • Eichler wrote that “for over a century, the God of Israel has saved the Land of Israel from the idolatry of power, vulgarity and assimilation of the secular regime.”

The Germans were halted on the way to conquer Israel by extraordinary miracles, not because of the Zionists, Eichler argued.

But the most hostile reaction came from United Torah Judaism MK Yisrael Eichler, who blasted Netanyahu’s “ignorance” and indicated his belief that it was the “Zionists,” rather than God, who were to blame for the suffering of Jews in the Holocaust.

Eichler wrote that “for over a century, the God of Israel has saved the Land of Israel from the idolatry of power, vulgarity and assimilation of the secular regime.”

The Germans were halted on the way to conquer Israel by extraordinary miracles, not because of the Zionists, Eichler argued.

Eichler’s harangue was decried, in turn, by Likud and opposition MKs, as well as by the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.

  • “We would be happy to host MK Eichler at Yad Vashem to learn about the rabbinic, Zionist and secular leaderships during and after the Holocaust,” the Jerusalem museum said in a statement. “Then he would maybe avoid disseminating baseless words of contempt.”
  • Education Minister Yoav Kisch, from Netanyahu’s ruling party, called on Eichler to “take back the anti-Zionist defamatory words he wrote,” adding that he was “ashamed” of the UTJ lawmaker’s remarks as the grandson of a Zionist soldier who fought the Nazis.
  • Fellow Likud MK Dan Illouz said: “MK Eichler, I am shocked by your words. Several days before the Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashanah), I would suggest engaging more in love of Israel than in baseless conspiracies that incite against entire communities.”

Illouz argued that “the Torah itself taught us to form an army” and that “I haven’t met a single person willing to give up the protection of IDF soldiers when they go to pray in Hebron, even though God is also protecting him through those soldiers.”

  • “Demanding care in acts that pose mortal danger, as the prime minister did, is not ignorance — it’s a healthy Jewish viewpoint,” he continued. The Canada-born Illouz argued that antisemitism and other threats were still prevalent abroad, and that “the very existence” of the Israel military also protects Diaspora Jews.
  • MK Naama Lazimi of the opposition Labor party said: “This is the most antisemitic and anti-Zionist text I’ve read at this time, and it is coming from a member of this government… Even without the [judicial] coup and the destruction they’re bringing upon us, a coalition and government that includes these people has no right to exist. There is no explanation that can enable such a racist and sick text.”
  • Avigdor Liberman, head of the right-wing secularist Yisrael Beytenu opposition party, hailed the secular Zionist leadership of Israel’s first few decades, lamenting that today,

“instead of a secular leadership we’ve received a perverted leadership,” similarly calling for the government’s collapse.

In his comments at the weekly cabinet meeting earlier Sunday, Netanyahu said: “Israeli citizens who are traveling to Ukraine must take personal responsibility for their travel at this time,” adding: “God has not always protected us, not on European soil and not on Ukrainian soil.”

  • The prime minister noted that during his recent conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader stressed that the city does not have enough shelters for its own population in case of a Russian attack, let alone tourists.
  • Netanyahu said that when Israel comes under missile attacks, people head for shelter and have protection, “but [in Ukraine] — there are no shelters and there is no protection.”

Despite his warnings and the ongoing general warning against travel to Ukraine, the government approved NIS 4 million ($1 million) in aid to those who are making the trip.

The money is intended to fund assistance for Israelis at the land borders to Ukraine (the country’s airspace has been closed down since the start of Russia’s invasion last February).

No final decision on Ukraine’s policy toward Israeli pilgrims has been made.

In August, Jerusalem officials reportedly dismissed as baseless a threat by Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel that Kyiv would close its borders to Israeli pilgrims making their way to Uman in retaliation for Israel deporting Ukrainians.

The deportations relate to Ukrainians coming into the country ostensibly as tourists, not as refugees, in cases where Israel suspects they are planning to remain or seek employment illegally.

  • Last week the US Embassy in Jerusalem shared a State Department message warning American citizens against traveling to Uman, which it said “has been the site of multiple Russian missile attacks as recent as June.”

The State Department’s travel advisory for all of Ukraine is Level 4: Do Not Travel.

Source: TOI

  • Lazar Berman contributed to this report.

Sales of Russian ice cream booming in Israel

Russia’s Vologda Region has exported more than 50 tons of ice cream to Israel since the beginning of the year, Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor reported this week.

According to the report, shipments have already surpassed the figure for the whole of 2022, which stood at 48.6 tons.

  • A fresh delivery of Vologda ice cream was reportedly shipped to Israel from St. Petersburg on August 23.

The report noted growing demand in Israel for Vologda vanilla ice cream in a waffle cup with chocolate icing. Ice cream bars with chocolate, almonds, and caramel are also in high demand, according to Rosselkhoznadzor.

Vologda annually produces 30,000 tons of ice cream.

It is known for its diversity of flavors and is delivered to ten foreign countries, according to the region’s official website.

The product is also notable for its natural taste free from vegetable fats, as it is produced in cooperation with local farmers who can guarantee high-quality dairy products.

Russia has been boosting ice cream supplies to the global market, INCLUDING AFRICA, WHERE EXPORTS TOTALED 600,000 TONS IN 2022.

Source: RT

Israel confirms first case of new COVID-19 variant

Israel on Sunday confirmed the first case of a new variant of COVID-19, BA.2.86, which has been nicknamed by scientists on social media as Pirola, i24NEWS reported.

This past Thursday, the World Health Organization said it is closely monitoring the new variant which has been detected in Israel, Denmark and the United States.

  • The WHO classified BA.2.86 as being under surveillance “due to the large number (more than 30) of spike gene mutations it carries”.
  • “The potential impact of the BA.2.86 mutations are presently unknown and undergoing careful assessment,” the WHO said.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed it is also closely monitoring the variant.

  • “As we learn more about BA.2.86, CDC’s advice on protecting yourself from COVID-19 remains the same,” the agency said.

The new variant has 36 mutations from the currently-dominant XBB.1.5 strain.

The CDC said that “as we learn more about BA.2.86, CDC’s advice on protecting yourself from COVID-19 remains the same.”

Source: Arutz Sheva

USA Approves: Israel launches largest-ever defense deal

The Israeli Ministry of Defense, German Federal Ministry of Defense, and Israel Aerospace Industries will sign the landmark $3.5 billion defense agreement, marking Israel’s largest ever defense deal.

  • Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the Director General of the Israel Ministry of Defense, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir and Director of the IMOD Directorate of Defense R&D (DDR&D), Brig. Gen. (Res.) Dr. Daniel Gold were notified today (Thursday) by the U.S. Department of State that the U.S. government has approved Israel’s request for Germany to procure the Arrow 3 missile defense system from Israel.

The Arrow 3 Missile defense system is designed to intercept exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles.

  • With its exceptional long-range interception capabilities, operating at high altitudes above the atmosphere, it stands as the top interceptor of its kind. The system employs a hit-to-kill approach for intercepting incoming threats. The Arrow 3 system is co-developed and co-produced by the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) and the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The industrial team is led by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Arrow 3 is the leading missile defense system of its kind for the interception of exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles.

After receiving approval from the U.S. government, senior officials from the Israeli and German Ministries of Defense will partake in a ceremony to sign a Letter of Commitment (LOC),

that marks the commencement of the agreement. The allocated commitment of $600 million will facilitate the immediate initiation of work on the project.

After signing the letter of commitment, the Israeli and German Ministries of Defense together with Israel Aerospace Industries will finalize the agreement’s details.

  • Once approvals from both parliaments are obtained, the full contract will be ready to sign by the end of 2023.

The negotiations for the procurement agreement are led by the Director of the DDR&D IMDO, Mr. Moshe Patel, together with President and CEO of IAI, Mr. Boaz Levy, and Head of the Arrow 3 to Germany Program, Col. Carsten Koepper.

  • Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) serves as the primary contractor, responsible for the development of the weapons system, Arrow interceptors, and radar detection system. Elbit Systems developed the BMC command and control system. Additionally, Tomer – A Government-Owned Company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Stark Aerospace, Inc, – A U.S. subsidiary of IAI are the main subcontractors responsible for the development and manufacturing of the Arrow 3 interceptor.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant:

  • “The U.S. government’s approval of the delivery of the ‘Arrow 3’ missile defense system [to Germany] is an expression of confidence in the excellent capabilities of Israel’s defense industries. This is a significant decision, which will contribute to Israel’s force buildup and economy. It is also particularly meaningful to every Jewish person, that Germany is acquiring Israeli defense capabilities.
  • “We are proud of this defense agreement – the largest in Israel’s history. This is an opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation to our industries – the engineers at ‘Israel Aerospace Industries’ who have broken new records as a result of their creativity and talent. ‘Arrow – 3’ is a groundbreaking system, the most advanced of its kind in the world, as well as a force multiplier in Israel’s air defense – soon in Europe as well.”
  • “Our cooperation with the U.S. government is essential to the system’s development process and to the achievement of this significant agreement. This reflects once again the powerful defense ties between the U.S. and Israel. I would like to express my appreciation to my friend, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, for the United States’ central role in this process.”

Director General of the Israel Ministry of Defense, Brig. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir:

  • “This historic agreement holds far-reaching implications for decades to come. It strengthens the defense relations between Israel and Germany in various areas, as discussed in recent meetings with the State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Defense, Mr. Benedikt Zimmer. Part of the proceeds will be dedicated to bolstering Israeli defense systems. This landmark deal, the largest defense export agreement in our country’s history, will propel Israeli defense exports to a new record, following last year’s remarkable achievement of 12.5 billion dollars. The Arrow 3 agreement reinforces our unwavering alliance with the USA, encompassing strategic, political-defense, and industrial cooperation. Notably, system components currently manufactured in the USA for Israel will also be produced for Germany, further strengthening our partnerships with the U.S. industrial base.”

Director of the Directorate of Defense R&D in the IMoD, Brig. Gen. (res.) Dr. Daniel Gold:

  • “The American approval marks a momentous milestone in the strategic relationship between Israel and the United States, particularly in the realm of missile defense. The joint programs with the U.S. on the advanced Arrow 3 defense system strengthens our national defense, and will now provide additional capability for Germany, extending the capability into new frontiers. The collaboration with the U.S. enhances Israel’s national resilience across multiple levels and simultaneously fosters new opportunities, while upholding our technological-defense superiority and qualitative edge.”

President and CEO of IAI, Mr. Boaz Levy:

  • “We at Israel Aerospace Industries are happy to have received approval from the U.S. Department of State, alongside our partners in the project, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, to develop the world’s finest air defense system, Arrow 3, for Germany. We express our gratitude to the German Parliament for placing their trust in us by selecting a system manufactured by IAI. I have no doubt that equipping Germany with this system will provide the optimal response to the security and protection needs of its citizens and its surroundings. IAI has already commenced the initial stages of the transaction in collaboration with the Israel Missile Defense Organization in the DDR&D, aligning with the objectives set by the German Parliament and in close coordination with our American partners.”

Source: Arutz Sheva

Ukraine considering measures against ‘pro-Russia’ Israel – media

Ukraine is considering taking steps against Israel in retaliation for its failure to show enough support, the Kyiv Post [formerly known as the Kiev Post] newspaper has reported, citing an anonymous security source.

  • The English-language diaspora journal claims that among the measures allegedly under consideration is the expulsion of Israel from high-level meetings, about Ukraine, at the US Air Force Base at Ramstein, Germany, due to fears the Middle Eastern state may leak information to Russia.

On Thursday, the Kyiv Post quoted an unnamed staffer from Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council as saying that the “Israeli authorities never provided any real help.”

According to the media outlet, officials in Kiev are unhappy about what they see as the Jewish state’s “unfriendly actions towards Ukraine and pro-Russian position on the international arena.”

  • In addition, the unnamed Ukrainian security staffer told the Post that there is a “real danger” that information discussed with Israel at the Ramstein meetings “will probably fall into the possession of the aggressor state.”
  • Known officially as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the regular gatherings at the air base in Germany see representatives from 30 NATO members and 24 other countries coordinate military aid donations to Kiev.
  • In addition to having Israel banned from the Ramstein meetings, Ukraine may nullify the visa-free regime with the Middle Eastern state in the coming weeks, with the foreign ministry currently preparing a submission to the Cabinet of Ministers, the newspaper added.

Also this week, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgeny Kornichuk claimed that approximately 10% of Ukrainian visitors find themselves deported from Israel without any explanation.

  • The diplomat also slammed the country’s latest decision to terminate health-insurance benefits for Ukrainian refugees in Israel.

In June, Ukraine’s Embassy in Tel Aviv posted a statement on its Facebook account, accusing the host country of “complete inaction in providing Ukraine with defensive assistance.”

  • The diplomats insisted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was coming up with “entirely fictional and speculative assumptions” to justify the lack of such deliveries to Kiev.

Ukraine has on multiple occasions requested Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, with the latter rejecting the plea. Netanyahu’s government cited, among other things, concerns that the technology could end up in the hands of Iranians should it be transferred to Ukraine.

Kiev’s representatives went on to claim that the “current Israeli government has chosen the path of close cooperation with Russia,” citing the agreement to establish a branch office of the Russian consulate in West Jerusalem, and a booming trade between the two.

“In reality, on the ground, the so-called ‘neutrality’ of the Israeli government should be viewed as a clear pro-Russian position,” the embassy’s statement concluded at the time.

Source: RT

Israel announces evacuations from Ethiopia

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his government to evacuate more than 200 people from the violence-plagued Amhara region of Ethiopia.

The order concerns 204 Israeli citizens and Ethiopian Jews in the northern cities of Gondar and Bahir Dar, according to a video statement by Netanyahu on Friday.

  • He said the evacuees were transported on four special flights to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and would be flown from there to Israel. “We will receive them here with warmth and welcome,” he added. “Welcome to the state of Israel.”

Gondar and Bahir Dar, the regional capital, are among six cities in Amhara that have been wracked by fighting between government troops and local Fano militiamen. There have reportedly been a large number of civilian casualties. The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency in Amhara last week.

The fighting broke out earlier this month, creating Ethiopia’s biggest security crisis since a civil war ended in the neighboring Tigray region in November.

  • The unrest reportedly stems from the government’s decision in April to dismantle regional security forces across the country, a move that could leave Amhara vulnerable to attack from neighboring regions.

Ethiopian Jews, known as the Beta Israel, have lived in northern and northwestern regions of the East African country for centuries.

Much of that community has migrated to Israel in recent decades. People with one or more Jewish grandparents are able to settle in Israel and obtain citizenship under the country’s Law of Return.

  • Israel pulled off a secret rescue of about 15,000 Ethiopian Jews in less than 24 hours during a civil war in 1991. The so-called Operation Solomon was followed by smaller evacuations in later years.

Source: RT

Israel ends free medical care for Ukrainians

Ukraine’s government has rebuked Israel for halting a program to provide free medical care to Ukrainian refugees who are residing in the Middle Eastern country amid Kiev’s bloody conflict with Russia.

  • “We are deeply concerned and disappointed by Israel’s decision to cancel health insurance for the war refugees from Ukraine,” Ukrainian Ambassador Evgeny Korniychuk said on Thursday in a statement.
  • “Not only has the Israeli government declined to provide Ukraine with protective means against attacks on its civilians by the Russians, but now they have also decided to halt the provision of medical aid in Israel for refugees who escaped due to fears arising from the violent actions perpetrated by the Russians.”

The Israeli Finance Ministry, facing a budget shortfall, reportedly decided on Wednesday to withhold the transfer of additional funds for giving free medical care to Ukrainians.

The country’s Welfare Ministry has called on the Finance Ministry and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to restore health care coverage for the refugees.

  • Thousands of Ukrainians, many of them Jewish, took shelter in Israel after fleeing their country when the conflict with Russia began last year. The Israeli Welfare Ministry has assisted 83,000 Ukrainians, primarily with health insurance and services, and plans to continue providing housing assistance and other benefits.

Israel also has provided humanitarian aid to Kiev, even as it has maintained neutrality on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian Embassy in Tel Aviv has repeatedly lashed out at Israel for not providing weapons and has accused Israeli officials of disregarding “moral boundaries” by maintaining relations with Russian diplomats.

Netanyahu has argued that sending military aid to Ukraine would be perilous because the weapons could “fall into Iranian hands.”

  • He noted in a June interview, “By the way, that’s not a theoretical possibility. It actually happened with the Western anti-tank weapons that we now find at our borders.”

Korniychuk has also blasted Israeli officials deporting some Ukrainians and for “taking their time” in delivering on promised aid.

He accused Netanyahu of refusing to meet with Ukrainian First Lady Elena Zelensky when she visited Israel in June, instead sending his wife, Sara Netanyahu.

The ambassador called for the Israeli government to “uphold fundamental humanitarian principles” by resuming free medical coverage for Ukrainian refugees. He told the Times of Israel earlier this week that as retaliation for West Jerusalem’s deportations of some Ukrainian tourists, Ukraine could close its borders to Israelis traveling to Uman on their religious pilgrimage for next month’s Rosh Hashanah holiday.

Source: RT

What happened to Prisoner X? New film seeks to shed light on disgraced Mossad agent

The question of the true story behind the downfall of Prisoner X — Australian-Israeli Mossad agent Ben Zygier — rattled Israel for much of 2013. But few concrete answers ever arose.

After news broke that Zygier had been secretly imprisoned and then took his own life while behind bars in 2010, contradictory rumors and reports of his activities reverberated around the world.

Did he out a Hezbollah double agent? Leak information to Australia? Or Dubai? Did he actually kill himself, or was he murdered in prison?

A new documentary from Israeli Hilla Medalia and Australian Amos Roberts, which premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival earlier this month and will air on Israel’s HOT and Australia’s ABC this fall, seeks to shed some light on the explosive story.

The question of the true story behind the downfall of Prisoner X — Australian-Israeli Mossad agent Ben Zygier — rattled Israel for much of 2013. But few concrete answers ever arose.

After news broke that Zygier had been secretly imprisoned and then took his own life while behind bars in 2010, contradictory rumors and reports of his activities reverberated around the world. Did he out a Hezbollah double agent? Leak information to Australia? Or Dubai?

  • Did he actually kill himself, or was he murdered in prison?

A new documentary from Israeli Hilla Medalia and Australian Amos Roberts, which premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival earlier this month and will air on Israel’s HOT and Australia’s ABC this fall, seeks to shed some light on the explosive story.

In interviews with friends, journalists, his attorney and through recreated testimony from an anonymous Mossad operative, “Prisoner X” explores how Zygier evolved from a young idealistic Zionist growing up in Melbourne to a young father of two accused of treason and driven to suicide in solitary confinement.

The film tells a dynamic and gripping story for those unfamiliar with the plot, but provides few new details or theories about the life and death of Zygier. So much has been written in the decade since the explosive story was first uncovered, with so many different theories floated, that it is difficult to discern if there was new or simply repackaged information.

At times frustratingly yet understandably vague, the documentary is also often quietly devastating, tracing the life of a young man with so much promise, which ended in so much tragedy.

Amid the many theories, the film does appear to reach some conclusions, including that Zygier took his own life, and was not killed; that whatever crime he was charged with was likely due to a mistake, rather than intentional betrayal; and that Israeli authorities mistreated and abandoned a mentally unstable Zygier, leading to his wholly preventable death.

“I can tell you – without of course getting into the details – that Ben was very far from the boundary that I set for myself of those I would not represent,” said Zygier’s lawyer, Moshe Mazur in the film. “He was not a traitor.”

Multiple people interviewed in the documentary suggest that the theories floated about Zygier’s betrayal were a smokescreen for his true activities, which allegedly were carried out in Iran.

  • Most seemed to agree that Zygier had worked undercover for a company in Italy that had dealings in Iran and that his downfall was linked to the time he spent at Monash University in Melbourne, where he revealed the wrong information to the wrong people.

Yet stories repeatedly circulated that Zygier outed informants in Lebanon or thwarted an operation to retrieve the bodies of three Israeli soldiers missing for decades.

“What doesn’t quite fit is that the people that were exposed as being Mossad informants – nothing really bad happened to them,” opined Australian reporter Jason Koutsoukis, who was one of the first to be tipped off about Zygier’s double life.

Australian journalist Rafael Epstein, who knew Zygier as a child and wrote a 2014 book about the case, suggested that the narrative that emerged was about a story that’s “murky, it’s not of strategic interest to Israel. It provides a simple reason for why Ben should be in jail. It just didn’t ring true,” he said. “It’s a good story for Mossad because it also gives nothing away about one of Israel’s most important espionage areas, which is Iran.”

None of Zygier’s family members appeared in the documentary: not his parents, sister, wife nor his children, who are now teenagers.

Australian reporter Trevor Bormann said he was filming a news segment from the cemetery in Melbourne where Zygier is buried when he encountered parents Geoffrey and Louise.

The question of the true story behind the downfall of Prisoner X — Australian-Israeli Mossad agent Ben Zygier — rattled Israel for much of 2013. But few concrete answers ever arose.

After news broke that Zygier had been secretly imprisoned and then took his own life while behind bars in 2010, contradictory rumors and reports of his activities reverberated around the world. Did he out a Hezbollah double agent? Leak information to Australia? Or Dubai? Did he actually kill himself, or was he murdered in prison?

A new documentary from Israeli Hilla Medalia and Australian Amos Roberts, which premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival earlier this month and will air on Israel’s HOT and Australia’s ABC this fall, seeks to shed some light on the explosive story.

In interviews with friends, journalists, his attorney and through recreated testimony from an anonymous Mossad operative, “Prisoner X” explores how Zygier evolved from a young idealistic Zionist growing up in Melbourne to a young father of two accused of treason and driven to suicide in solitary confinement.

The film tells a dynamic and gripping story for those unfamiliar with the plot, but provides few new details or theories about the life and death of Zygier. So much has been written in the decade since the explosive story was first uncovered, with so many different theories floated, that it is difficult to discern if there was new or simply repackaged information.

At times frustratingly yet understandably vague, the documentary is also often quietly devastating, tracing the life of a young man with so much promise, which ended in so much tragedy.

Amid the many theories, the film does appear to reach some conclusions, including that Zygier took his own life, and was not killed; that whatever crime he was charged with was likely due to a mistake, rather than intentional betrayal; and that Israeli authorities mistreated and abandoned a mentally unstable Zygier, leading to his wholly preventable death.

  • “I can tell you – without of course getting into the details – that Ben was very far from the boundary that I set for myself of those I would not represent,” said Zygier’s lawyer, Moshe Mazur in the film. “He was not a traitor.”

Multiple people interviewed in the documentary suggest that the theories floated about Zygier’s betrayal were a smokescreen for his true activities, which allegedly were carried out in Iran. Most seemed to agree that Zygier had worked undercover for a company in Italy that had dealings in Iran and that his downfall was linked to the time he spent at Monash University in Melbourne, where he revealed the wrong information to the wrong people.

Yet stories repeatedly circulated that Zygier outed informants in Lebanon or thwarted an operation to retrieve the bodies of three Israeli soldiers missing for decades.

“What doesn’t quite fit is that the people that were exposed as being Mossad informants – nothing really bad happened to them,” opined Australian reporter Jason Koutsoukis, who was one of the first to be tipped off about Zygier’s double life.

Australian journalist Rafael Epstein, who knew Zygier as a child and wrote a 2014 book about the case, suggested that the narrative that emerged was about a story that’s “murky, it’s not of strategic interest to Israel. It provides a simple reason for why Ben should be in jail. It just didn’t ring true,” he said. “It’s a good story for Mossad because it also gives nothing away about one of Israel’s most important espionage areas, which is Iran.”

None of Zygier’s family members appeared in the documentary: not his parents, sister, wife nor his children, who are now teenagers.

Australian reporter Trevor Bormann said he was filming a news segment from the cemetery in Melbourne where Zygier is buried when he encountered parents Geoffrey and Louise.

  • “I approached them, they were shocked to see me,” recounted Bormann in the film. “And Ben’s mother said something to the effect of, ‘All you’re going to do in this, is to put me in this empty plot next to my son.’”

Ultimately, more than a story about espionage gone wrong, “Prisoner X” tells a story about the state using and abandoning a young idealist, throwing him behind bars without telling a soul and burying the story alongside him. Were it not for an Australian expose published in 2013, Israelis would likely have never known about Zygier and how he took his own life in 2010 in a cell specially designed for Yigal Amir, the assassin of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

“When you see the whole picture, it is perhaps the most unnecessary death that you can think about in these circumstances,” said lawyer Mazur, adding that the State of Israel should have kept Zygier safe “also when he was overseas, and also when he was here, under their supervision.”

The rumors that the Mossad had killed Zygier were way off base, said journalist Epstein. “The truth is worse because they just didn’t give a shit about him.”

Source: Times of Israel

Header: Ben Zygier’s Australian passport (Screenshot Channel 10)

Driver rams car into judicial reform protesters in Israel

Three people were injured in Israel after a driver rammed into a crowd of protesters during a rally against the country’s highly controversial judicial reform.

Clashes with police erupted during demonstrations in several cities, resulting in dozens of arrests.

  • The incident took place on Monday night near the town of Kfar Saba, located about 16 kilometers (ten miles) northeast of Tel Aviv, where a group of demonstrators gathered to march against the sweeping judicial overhaul moving through Israel’s parliament, the Knesset.
  • In a video of the attack circulating online, a white vehicle is seen accelerating through the crowd and over a small bonfire, kicking up a plume of flames as protesters fled in panic. Three people were “lightly wounded” in the ramming, Haaretz reported, citing police.

A male suspect in his 20s was arrested, local police told the outlet. Israeli journalist Noga Tarnopolsky later described the man as a “West Bank settler.”

Thousands of Israelis turned out for protests in multiple cities as lawmakers passed the first part of the new judicial reform on Monday. The law, which imposes major limits on the Supreme Court’s oversight of government actions, has been the subject of heated debate and controversy since it was proposed earlier this year, triggering a wave of demonstrations across the country.

  • At least 34 people were arrested on Monday, while police unleashed water cannons on protesters in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, local media reported. Police in Tel Aviv said ten officers were injured during clashes there.

  • Demonstrators also blocked a number of roads and highways. The Ayalon freeway near Tel Aviv was obstructed with crowds, fires, and barricades for several hours before law enforcement intervened.

According to the Times of Israel, many remained in the area afterward, while up to 15,000 were reportedly on the Ayalon freeway at the peak of the protest.

A security guard fired a handgun into the air during a scuffle with protesters near the Hatzerim Kibbutz in southern Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported, noting that the guard and six others were arrested later on Monday night.

Following the contentious Knesset vote, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement, saying he was willing to renew talks over the reform with his opponents. Seeking to reassure critics of the bill, he insisted that “no side will take over the court.”

  • In his own video, opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the prime minister for “lies” and “empty theater,” saying he was merely aiming to “lull the protests to sleep.” The lawmaker went on to declare that Netanyahu’s “extremist and messianic government cannot tear our democracy apart in the afternoon, and in the evening say that he proposes dialogue.”

Source: RT