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SvennoJ 6 days ago
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France accuses Israel of harming ties after French officials detained by Israeli forces

Israeli forces entered the Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives, a holy site under French administration in occupied East Jerusalem, and briefly detained two French officials with diplomatic status.

France accused Israel of harming bilateral ties between the countries following Thursday’s incident, which occurred as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was due to visit the compound. The site is one of four administered by France in Jerusalem and is deemed part of France.

Israeli authorities had been told not to enter the site before Barrot’s visit, and they were aware the two detained men were from the consulate and had diplomatic status, the Reuters news agency reports, citing unnamed French diplomatic sources.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has said an argument arose between Israeli forces and the French guards, but the pair were released immediately after they identified themselves as diplomats.



Israeli soldier who fired grenades in Gaza to celebrate Trump victory will be ‘disciplined’

The Israeli military said it will take action against a soldier who was featured firing an automatic grenade launcher at buildings in the Gaza Strip to celebrate Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, The Associated Press news agency reports.

In a video circulated widely on social media, the soldier is seen sitting behind what appears to be a US-made MK19 grenade launcher and, turning to a video camera, declares: “This is on the occasion of Donald Trump’s presidency. God bless America! God bless Israel!”

He then cheers as he fires a burst of at least six grenades towards what appears to be already heavily bombed residential buildings in Gaza. Laughter can be heard in the background as the camera turns towards the ruins of buildings in the distance and the sound of the grenades detonating.

The Israeli army said the soldier’s actions were “severe” and do not align with its values, the AP reports. “The soldier will be disciplined by his commanders,” the military said in a statement.

A slap on the wrist, not even. Still nobody 'disciplined' for Hind's murder nor the WCK murders. This guy will just get reminded not to post his war crimes on twitter.


Netanyahu appoints new ambassador to the US: Report

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Yechiel Leiter, his former chief of staff, as the new ambassador to the United States.

Here are some fast facts about Leiter:

  • The Jerusalem Post states Leiter was born in Pennsylvania.
  • The newspaper reported after his son was killed fighting in Gaza, he penned a letter to President Biden calling him not to pressure Israel to stop its war on Gaza. “[My son] gave his life so the barbarians wouldn’t get through the gates of our democracies, of our Judeo-Christian Western values,” he wrote.
  • The Herzl Institute, where he is a resident scholar, says Leiter has authored three books and numerous articles on Zionism and Israel.
  • The Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs states he served in senior government positions in education, finance, and transportation.
  • He has a doctorate in political philosophy from the University of Haifa.

Michael Herzog, the current Israeli ambassador, is expected to leave his post on January 20 when Donald Trump is inaugurated as president of the United States.