https://www.scmp.com/rss/518135/feed The latest news on Isaac Herzog, Israeli politician and President of Israel, including political news and updates. <br /> en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Australia is demanding criminal charges over a 2024 Israeli air strike on an aid convoy in Gaza that killed seven people, including an Australian aid worker, the country’s prime minister said on Wednesday in a case that has drawn sweeping condemnation and strained relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he conveyed the request to visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a meeting earlier in the day. Australian Zomi Frankcom was one of four World Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343184/australia-presses-israels-herzog-criminal-charges-over-strike-killing-zomi-frankcom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343184/australia-presses-israels-herzog-criminal-charges-over-strike-killing-zomi-frankcom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:10:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thousands gathered across Australia on Monday to protest the arrival of Israeli ‍President Isaac Herzog, who is on a multi-city trip aimed at expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community following a deadly mass shooting last year. Herzog is visiting Australia this week following an invitation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the aftermath of the December 14 shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach ⁠that killed 15. The visit has attracted the ire of some... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342906/israeli-president-herzogs-visit-australia-met-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342906/israeli-president-herzogs-visit-australia-met-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:47:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli President Isaac Herzog denied a claim by Donald Trump on Monday that the pair had discussed the US president’s request for a pardon on corruption charges for Israel’s premier. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of accepting luxury goods from billionaires in exchange for political favours, and of seeking to negotiate more favourable coverage from Israeli media outlets. “There has not been a conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338078/trump-says-netanyahu-pardon-its-way-president-herzogs-office-disputes-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3338078/trump-says-netanyahu-pardon-its-way-president-herzogs-office-disputes-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:17:23 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju Discussions on the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) are being revived by some of its founders even as questions persist over the political will to implement the ambitious project, with analysts saying the Gaza situation is a key hurdle in hampering progress. Unveiled in 2023, IMEC is positioned as a single economic artery connecting South Asia, the Middle East and Europe through shipping lanes, railways, energy pipelines and high-speed data cables running via the Gulf. Planners... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337145/why-india-europe-trade-corridor-stalling-even-talks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337145/why-india-europe-trade-corridor-stalling-even-talks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse World leaders voiced horror and revulsion at Sunday’s mass shooting in which 15 people were killed and dozens injured at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “shocking and distressing” attack, which Australian police are calling a “terrorist” incident, was “beyond comprehension”, after assailants fired on a gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog condemned what he called a “very cruel attack on Jews” by “vile... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3336413/world-leaders-express-horror-bondi-beach-terror-attack-vigils-are-held-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3336413/world-leaders-express-horror-bondi-beach-terror-attack-vigils-are-held-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 21:49:55 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israel was cleared on Thursday to enter the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest by the organiser, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to withdraw over the Gaza war and plunging the competition into one of the biggest rows in its history. The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the death count in Gaza and accused Israel of flouting rules meant to guard the contest’s neutrality. Israel accuses its critics of mounting a global smear campaign against it. After a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335253/israel-cleared-stay-eurovision-spain-ireland-and-others-boycott-contest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335253/israel-cleared-stay-eurovision-spain-ireland-and-others-boycott-contest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:13:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump has invited Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House in the “near future”, the prime minister’s office said on Monday, soon after Trump said Israel should maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria. A visit to the White House would mark the Israeli prime minister’s fifth since Trump returned to office in January. The two leaders have publicly projected a close relationship, though US and Israeli sources have said Trump has at times expressed frustration with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3334819/trump-invites-netanyahu-white-house-near-future-israeli-pms-office-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3334819/trump-invites-netanyahu-white-house-near-future-israeli-pms-office-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 19:44:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the country’s president on Sunday for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, arguing that criminal proceedings were hindering his ability to govern and a pardon would be good for Israel. Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister, denies the bribery, fraud, and breach of trust charges. His lawyers said in a letter to the president’s office that the prime minister still believes the legal proceedings would result in a complete... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3334687/netanyahu-corruption-trial-impossible-demand-seeks-pardon-amid-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3334687/netanyahu-corruption-trial-impossible-demand-seeks-pardon-amid-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 13:41:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo lamented that the world was seeing an unusual number of bloody conflicts during his first trip outside Italy as Catholic leader on Thursday, and he warned that a third world war was being “fought piecemeal”, with humanity’s future at risk. In his first speech given overseas since his election in May to lead the 1.4 billion-member Church, Leo, the first US pope, said “ambitions and choices that trample on justice and peace” were destabilising the world. He told political leaders in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3334417/pope-leo-warns-piecemeal-third-world-war-turkey-trip-future-humanity-stake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3334417/pope-leo-warns-piecemeal-third-world-war-turkey-trip-future-humanity-stake?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:25:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Israeli settlers torched and defaced a mosque in a Palestinian village in the central West Bank overnight, scribbling hateful messages in a show of defiance a day after some Israeli leaders condemned a recent attack by settlers against Palestinians. One wall and at least three copies of the Koran and some of the carpeting at the mosque in the Palestinian town of Deir Istiya had been torched when an AP reporter visited Thursday. On one side of the mosque, settlers had left graffitied messages... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3332693/israeli-settlers-spark-outrage-mosque-attack-west-bank-village?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3332693/israeli-settlers-spark-outrage-mosque-attack-west-bank-village?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:52:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sent a letter to Israel’s president asking him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a long-running corruption trial that has bitterly divided the country. It was the latest attempt by Trump to intervene in the case on behalf of Netanyahu, raising questions about undue American influence over internal Israeli affairs. Trump also called for a pardon for Netanyahu during a speech to Israel’s parliament last month, when he made a brief visit to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3332519/trump-urges-israeli-president-herzog-pardon-netanyahu-corruption-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3332519/trump-urges-israeli-president-herzog-pardon-netanyahu-corruption-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:49:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged controversy over his handling of the Gaza ceasefire deal on Sunday but called for the imminent release of hostages to be a moment of unity. “This is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy, because tomorrow our children will return to our borders,” Netanyahu said, quoting a biblical verse. “Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path – a path of rebuilding, a path of healing and, I hope, a path of united hearts,” he said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3328729/netanyahu-calls-israel-unite-after-imminent-hostage-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3328729/netanyahu-calls-israel-unite-after-imminent-hostage-release?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 19:03:38 +0000 Reuters Reuters A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had incited these acts – accusations that Israel called scandalous. The report came on the same day Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said “Gaza is burning” as a major new ground offensive began. Israel started its long-threatened push into the heart of Gaza City after weeks of fatal air strikes and incursions into... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3325711/un-report-finds-israel-committed-genocide-gaza-you-dehumanise-your-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3325711/un-report-finds-israel-committed-genocide-gaza-you-dehumanise-your-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Clutching pictures of hostages, waving yellow flags, banging on snare drums and shouting chants to bring captive Israelis home, tens of thousands took to Tel Aviv’s streets on Sunday to call for an end to the war in Gaza. “We’re here to make it very clear to the Israeli government that this is probably the last minute we have to save the hostages that are being held in the Hamas tunnels for almost 700 days,” Ofir Penso, a 50-year-old Arabic teacher, said. Demonstrations have been held regularly... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3322159/tens-thousands-israelis-protest-tel-aviv-calling-end-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3322159/tens-thousands-israelis-protest-tel-aviv-calling-end-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 20:48:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel has hit back at growing international criticism that it was behind chronic food shortages in Gaza, instead accusing Hamas of deliberately creating a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. More than 100 aid and human rights groups said earlier Wednesday that “mass starvation” was spreading in the Gaza Strip, while France warned of a growing “risk of famine” caused by “the blockade imposed by Israel”. The head of the World Health Organization also weighed in, saying that a “large... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3319361/mass-starvation-gaza-israel-blames-hamas-global-outcry-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3319361/mass-starvation-gaza-israel-blames-hamas-global-outcry-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 02:42:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hamas on Wednesday said it would release 10 hostages as part of Gaza ceasefire talks after Israel struck an upbeat note about the prospects for a deal to stop the fighting in the embattled Palestinian territory. The Islamist group’s statement came after four days of indirect talks brokered by Qatar and as the United States signalled its belief that agreement for a 60-day truce would be struck before the end of the week. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said part of the deal would be the return of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3317609/hamas-agrees-release-10-hostages-difficult-gaza-truce-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3317609/hamas-agrees-release-10-hostages-difficult-gaza-truce-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 21:44:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his corruption trial, saying the US would save him like it did his country. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust – all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. “Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3315869/trump-calls-netanyahus-corruption-trial-be-cancelled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3315869/trump-calls-netanyahus-corruption-trial-be-cancelled?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 03:56:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israelis expressed relief and optimism on Sunday after US President Donald Trump ordered air strikes on Iran, ten days into a war that has widespread public support. Despite daily nerve-shredding trips to bomb shelters and growing damage around the country, Israelis appeared united behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s move to attack Iran on June 13. Trump’s decision to authorise overnight bombing raids on Iran’s nuclear facilities has provided further reassurance after more than a week of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3315408/israelis-relieved-us-bombardment-iran-united-behind-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3315408/israelis-relieved-us-bombardment-iran-united-behind-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:00:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France on Monday blocked access to the stands of five Israeli arms manufacturers at the Paris Air show for displaying “offensive weapons”, according to a French government source. A black wall blocked off stands run by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics for showing “offensive weapons”, including those used in Gaza, which allegedly violated terms made with Israel, said the source. Rafael, Elbit and IAI produce guided bombs and missiles, while Uvision and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3314630/france-blocks-access-israel-arms-stands-paris-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3314630/france-blocks-access-israel-arms-stands-paris-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 11:01:28 +0000 Israel unveiled its revised submission for the Eurovision song contest on Sunday, after organisers took issue with the original entry’s reference to the October 7 Hamas onslaught. Israel agreed to change the original song “October Rain” when organisers said they would disqualify contestants who did not maintain the non-political spirit of the event. Its original lyrics included: “There’s no air left to breathe” and “They were all good children, each one of them” - apparent allusions to people... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254883/israel-unveils-revised-eurovision-song-after-lyrics-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254883/israel-unveils-revised-eurovision-song-after-lyrics-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2024 21:47:59 +0000 The Dutch King Willem-Alexander officially opened his country’s first Holocaust Museum on Sunday, as demonstrators angry at Israel’s military campaign in Gaza protested against the Israeli president, who also addressed the ceremony. “This museum shows us what devastating consequences anti-Semitism can have,” said the king at a solemn gathering at a nearby synagogue, attended also by Dutch Holocaust survivors. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the museum sent “a clear and powerful statement:... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254856/israel-presidents-presence-causes-concern-netherlands-opens-holocaust-museum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254856/israel-presidents-presence-causes-concern-netherlands-opens-holocaust-museum?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2024 11:32:12 +0000 Israel on Sunday warned that it may withdraw from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest if organisers reject the lyrics from its entry as too political. Eden Golan and her song October Rain were chosen to compete in the annual competition, which is being held in May in Malmo, Sweden. Media reports have suggested that the song, which is mostly in English with some Hebrew words, refers to the victims of Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel. That could mean the ballad and its 20-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3253168/israel-threatens-eurovision-pull-out-if-song-vetoed-too-political?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3253168/israel-threatens-eurovision-pull-out-if-song-vetoed-too-political?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Feb 2024 18:20:33 +0000 Europe must strengthen its ability to defend itself regardless of who wins the upcoming US elections or how the war in Ukraine turns out, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a global security conference in Munich on Saturday. The three-day annual global gathering of politicians, diplomats and military officers comes as worries in Europe grow about US commitment to helping Ukraine fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion and to defending its allies more broadly. Former US President Donald Trump has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3252291/europe-must-strengthen-defence-capabilities-regardless-us-elections-ukraine-war-germany?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3252291/europe-must-strengthen-defence-capabilities-regardless-us-elections-ukraine-war-germany?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:58:59 +0000 Israeli President Isaac Herzog has been targeted with a criminal complaint during a visit to Switzerland, Swiss prosecutors said on Friday, amid allegations of crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (BA) confirmed that it had received a criminal complaint against the Israeli president, who was at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos on Thursday to discuss the Gaza war. “The criminal complaints will now be examined in accordance with the usual... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3249144/israel-president-herzog-hit-criminal-complaint-switzerland-over-war-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3249144/israel-president-herzog-hit-criminal-complaint-switzerland-over-war-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000 Between 9 and 12 months old, babies learn to stand, say their first word, maybe take their first steps. As the family of Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli held in captivity in Gaza, celebrated his first birthday without him, they wondered which, if any, of the typical milestones they missed during those three months of his life. “They’re supposed to see a lot of colours, but instead he’s seeing just darkness,” said Yosi Shnaider, a cousin. “He’s supposed to be learning to walk, but he has nowhere... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3248986/crowds-gather-saddest-birthday-world-marking-infant-israeli-hostages-first-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3248986/crowds-gather-saddest-birthday-world-marking-infant-israeli-hostages-first-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2024 22:37:05 +0000 Normalising ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia is a key element of ending the war with Hamas and a game-changer for the entire Middle East, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss town of Davos. “It’s still delicate, it’s fragile, and it will take a long time, but I think that it is actually an opportunity to move forward in the world and the region towards a better future,” Herzog said. It comes days after Saudi Arabia’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3248962/davos-israels-president-says-ties-saudi-arabia-key-ending-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3248962/davos-israels-president-says-ties-saudi-arabia-key-ending-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2024 12:48:23 +0000 Chinese Premier Li Qiang will join world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week and visit Switzerland and Ireland as Beijing seeks to highlight its openness amid concerns over its slow economic recovery. Li is expected to lead a large business and government delegation to the Swiss resort, where he will address the opening ceremony on Monday, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. He will be the most senior Chinese official to join the annual gathering in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3248108/chinas-li-qiang-attend-world-economic-forum-davos-beijing-pushes-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3248108/chinas-li-qiang-attend-world-economic-forum-davos-beijing-pushes-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:59:51 +0000 The International Court of Justice will hold hearings this week on a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza war and seeking an emergency suspension of its military campaign. What is the ICJ? The ICJ, also called the World Court, is the highest United Nations legal body, established in 1945 to deal with disputes between states. It should not be confused with the treaty-based International Criminal Court, also in The Hague, which handles war crimes cases against... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3247887/what-genocide-case-against-israel-top-un-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3247887/what-genocide-case-against-israel-top-un-court?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jan 2024 03:35:34 +0000 More than half a million people in Gaza – a quarter of the population – are starving, according to a report by the United Nations and other agencies that highlights the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s bombardment and siege on the territory in response to Hamas’ October 7 attack. The extent of the population’s hunger eclipsed even the near-famines in Afghanistan and Yemen of recent years, according to figures in the report. The report warned that the risk of famine is “increasing each... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3246008/un-says-more-1-4-people-gaza-starving-because-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3246008/un-says-more-1-4-people-gaza-starving-because-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Dec 2023 06:29:24 +0000 Israeli President Isaac Herzog told ambassadors from around the world the country is prepared to agree to a second humanitarian pause in fighting in exchange for the return of more hostages held by Hamas. Hamas, the Islamic militant group considered a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union, still holds about 129 of the initial 240 or more people it abducted from Israel during its deadly attack on October 7. “I can reiterate the fact that Israel is ready for another humanitarian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3245668/israels-president-isaac-herzog-says-ready-pause-gaza-fight-exchange-more-hostages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3245668/israels-president-isaac-herzog-says-ready-pause-gaza-fight-exchange-more-hostages?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:29:06 +0000 Saudi Arabia’s coming peace deal with Yemen’s Houthi fighters, which would see Riyadh exit its neighbour’s civil war after eight years, is affecting the United States’ ability to retaliate militarily against the Iran-backed rebels’ attacks on Israeli-linked interests. The Houthis have been fighting against forces led by Saudi Arabia, a US ally, since seizing the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014. They have also targeted Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea to rally behind Palestinians amid the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3245232/fragile-saudi-peace-efforts-yemen-hamper-us-response-houthi-attacks-amid-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3245232/fragile-saudi-peace-efforts-yemen-hamper-us-response-houthi-attacks-amid-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Dec 2023 02:30:09 +0000 Visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged Israel to create safe zones for Palestinian civilians in Gaza before it resumes “major military operations” in the Hamas-ruled territory. Speaking on the seventh day of a pause in fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, Blinken also called for a further extension of the truce which included hostage and prisoner swaps and aid deliveries into the besieged Gaza Strip. “Clearly, we want to see this process continue... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3243435/blinken-urges-israel-create-safe-zones-gaza-when-fighting-resumes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3243435/blinken-urges-israel-create-safe-zones-gaza-when-fighting-resumes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:41:35 +0000 The Palestinian group Hamas said its militants carried out a shooting in Jerusalem on Thursday, killing three people despite agreeing to extend for a day a truce in Gaza and to release at least 10 more Israeli hostages. The threat of a renewed escalation in attacks came as Washington’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, met officials in Israel to seek a longer pause in the devastating conflict. The fate of the truce is hanging in the balance once again. The Israeli military said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3243414/israel-gaza-war-hamas-release-10-israeli-hostages-claim-responsibility-jerusalem-shooting-killed-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3243414/israel-gaza-war-hamas-release-10-israeli-hostages-claim-responsibility-jerusalem-shooting-killed-3?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:27:33 +0000 Elon Musk, the social media mogul assailed for his endorsement of an anti-Jewish post, toured the site of the Hamas assault on Israel on Monday and declared his commitment to do whatever was necessary to stop the spread of hatred. Musk, the owner of the X platform, Tesla and SpaceX, also watched footage assembled from Hamas bodycams, CCTV and other sources of the October 7 Hamas killing spree in which Israel says 240 people were taken captive back to Gaza. As well as meeting families of some of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3243014/elon-musk-tours-site-hamas-attack-israeli-pm-benjamin-netanyahu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3243014/elon-musk-tours-site-hamas-attack-israeli-pm-benjamin-netanyahu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:47:30 +0000 While no great power can expect to exert dominance permanently, the US response to Hamas’ horrific terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7 could prove a significant milestone in the waning of America’s influence. However, there is only limited awareness of the real reputational damage in Washington. In a recent opinion piece, President Joe Biden said the United States had “Israel’s back” and remained “the essential nation” which the world looks to, “to solve the problems of our time”. America... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242741/israel-gaza-war-how-bidens-approach-hurting-americas-reputation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242741/israel-gaza-war-how-bidens-approach-hurting-americas-reputation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:30:13 +0000 Elon Musk will meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and representatives of the families of hostages held in Gaza, in an apparent effort to defuse a growing furore over his endorsement of an antisemitic tweet. The Tesla Inc and SpaceX chief executive is slated to join a closed-door discussion Monday with the family representatives and Herzog about the need to curb online antisemitism, a spokesperson for the president’s office said in a brief statement. The billionaire has denied being racist... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3242887/elon-musk-meet-israeli-leaders-monday-israeli-tv-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3242887/elon-musk-meet-israeli-leaders-monday-israeli-tv-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Nov 2023 21:26:36 +0000 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday denounced on a visit to the Gaza Strip border what he called the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians, drawing an angry response from Israel which said the remarks gave terrorism a boost. While at the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Sanchez also called for a lasting humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza “to reverse the catastrophic situation that the people of the Strip are going through.” “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3242791/spains-sanchez-visits-gaza-strip-border-decries-indiscriminate-killing-palestinians?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3242791/spains-sanchez-visits-gaza-strip-border-decries-indiscriminate-killing-palestinians?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Nov 2023 01:23:51 +0000 The outcome of Israel’s sweeping invasion of Gaza is not hard to tell. Israel’s military strength is overwhelmingly superior to that of Hamas. But Hamas can hardly be wiped “off the face of the Earth”, as Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed. The question is, amid mounting civilian deaths, what to do even after a ceasefire? There is no panacea to what former American president Barack Obama recently described as “century-old stuff that’s coming to the fore”. As the Israeli military... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240812/why-un-not-israel-should-oversee-peacekeeping-and-security-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240812/why-un-not-israel-should-oversee-peacekeeping-and-security-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 21:30:25 +0000 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he urged Israeli leaders on Friday to allow for humanitarian pauses in their war with Hamas in Gaza to enable aid to enter the Palestinian enclave and help the effort to secure the release of hostages. But in a televised statement a short time later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back on the idea, indicating any deal was far from being struck even though talks on an agreement would continue. Blinken was in the Middle East for a second... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3240300/blinken-urges-israel-take-steps-avoid-civilian-casualties-gaza-death-toll-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3240300/blinken-urges-israel-take-steps-avoid-civilian-casualties-gaza-death-toll-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:25:19 +0000 Shani Louk, a 23-year-old German-Israeli woman captured by Hamas fighters when they stormed a music festival in the Israeli desert, is dead, Israel’s foreign ministry said on Monday. “Our hearts are broken,” the ministry wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter, as it confirmed Louk’s death. “Shani, who was kidnapped from a music festival and tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists, experienced unfathomable horrors,” it said. “May her memory be a blessing.” Louk had been missing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3239740/german-israeli-woman-shani-louk-captured-hamas-confirmed-dead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3239740/german-israeli-woman-shani-louk-captured-hamas-confirmed-dead?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:42:21 +0000 US President Joe Biden on Sunday ramped up his engagement with the continuing war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, convening a call with the leaders of Canada, France, Britain, Germany and Italy, and Pope Francis, after speaking to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House reported Biden’s separate calls with the Western leaders, Netanyahu and Pope Francis amid growing fears that the Israel-Gaza war could mushroom into a wider Middle East conflict as... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3238822/biden-holds-calls-key-western-allies-and-pope-discuss-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3238822/biden-holds-calls-key-western-allies-and-pope-discuss-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Oct 2023 22:09:58 +0000 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak landed in Tel Aviv on Thursday, hours after US President Joe Biden left, carrying similar messages of support and condolences for Israelis following the deadly Hamas attack on October 7. Welcoming Wednesday’s decision “to ensure that routes into Gaza will be opened for humanitarian aid to enter”, Sunak borrowed a phrase associated with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in World War Two, vowing to stand by Israel in its “darkest hour”. “We will stand with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3238526/israel-gaza-war-uk-stands-israel-important-help-gaza-says-pm-sunak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3238526/israel-gaza-war-uk-stands-israel-important-help-gaza-says-pm-sunak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:14:47 +0000 Egypt agreed to reopen its border crossing with the Gaza Strip to allow aid to reach Palestinians, the US said, as the humanitarian crisis worsened for the 2.3 million people trapped in the enclave and anti-Israel protests flared across the Middle East. The region remained volatile in the aftermath of an explosion at Gaza’s Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital late on Tuesday, which Palestinian officials said killed 471 people and blamed on what they said was an Israeli air strike. Israel and the US said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3238444/us-reports-deal-egypt-restart-aid-gaza-protests-rock-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3238444/us-reports-deal-egypt-restart-aid-gaza-protests-rock-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Oct 2023 03:33:53 +0000 President Joe Biden has promised unconditional support for Israel as it gears up for a ground war in the Gaza Strip. But his administration is worried that the Israeli government isn’t ready for the fallout from the massive invasion that could come at any hour. People familiar with the Biden administration’s stance say the White House fears that Israel does not have a plan for what comes next for Gaza after an invasion, and is pressing them to think beyond the immediate goal of eradicating... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3237938/us-fears-israel-has-no-plan-how-contain-fallout-looming-invasion-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3237938/us-fears-israel-has-no-plan-how-contain-fallout-looming-invasion-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Oct 2023 01:30:49 +0000 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused his signature plan to overhaul Israel’s judiciary after a day of nationwide turmoil when workers joined a general strike against the proposal and hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets. The plans by his nationalist religious coalition to hand control over judicial appointments to the executive while giving parliament the power to overturn Supreme Court rulings has ignited one of the biggest internal crises in Israeli history. Announcing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3215046/israel-government-delays-controversial-judicial-overhaul-mass-protests-rage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3215046/israel-government-delays-controversial-judicial-overhaul-mass-protests-rage?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:30:28 +0000 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition plunged into chaos on Monday, after mass overnight protests over the sacking of his defence chief piled pressure on the government to halt its bitterly contested plans to overhaul the judiciary. Netanyahu had been expected to make a televised statement on Monday morning announcing the plans had been suspended. But, amid reports that his nationalist-religious coalition risked breaking apart, Israeli TV stations said the statement was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3214932/israels-benjamin-netanyahu-sacks-defence-minister-who-opposed-judicial-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3214932/israels-benjamin-netanyahu-sacks-defence-minister-who-opposed-judicial-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Mar 2023 19:03:49 +0000 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to restore unity in Israel where divisions have widened over his government’s judicial reform programme and police fired water cannon at protesters blocking a highway in Tel Aviv. Demonstrators fear the proposed reforms, which would increase the power of politicians over the courts and are already moving through parliament, are a threat to Israeli democracy. Israel’s allies abroad have also raised concerns about the overhaul. Tens of thousands of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3214642/israel-passes-law-protecting-prime-minister-netanyahu-protests-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3214642/israel-passes-law-protecting-prime-minister-netanyahu-protests-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:21:54 +0000 Israeli protesters pressed ahead on Thursday with demonstrations against a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary, pushing back against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he rejected a compromise proposal that was meant to defuse the crisis. Despite efforts by the country’s figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, to seek a way out of the stalemate, the sides appeared to be further digging in. Netanyahu and his allies were set to barrel forward with their original plan despite... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3213815/israelis-step-protests-after-pm-netanyahu-rejects-compromise-judiciary-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3213815/israelis-step-protests-after-pm-netanyahu-rejects-compromise-judiciary-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Mar 2023 19:51:39 +0000 A senior delegation of Jewish American leaders on Wednesday paid a flash visit to Israel to urge leaders to find a compromise over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system. The arrival of some 30 leaders from the Jewish Federations of North America marked a rare foray by the American Jewish community into domestic Israeli affairs and reflected concerns that the turmoil inside Israel could spill over to Jewish communities overseas. Eric... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3213671/jewish-americans-press-israeli-leaders-compromise-judicial-system-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3213671/jewish-americans-press-israeli-leaders-compromise-judicial-system-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:20:18 +0000 Tens of thousands of Israelis – hoisting flags, blowing on horns and chanting “democracy” and “no to dictatorship”– protested outside the parliament building on Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government formally launched a contentious plan to overhaul the country’s legal system. It was the largest protest outside Israel’s parliament – the Knesset – in years and reflected the deep divisions over the plan. The proposed changes have triggered weeks of mass demonstrations, drawn cries... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3210095/tens-thousands-march-israel-netanyahu-allies-push-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3210095/tens-thousands-march-israel-netanyahu-allies-push-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Feb 2023 15:42:16 +0000