Israel

Israel's prime minister said Tuesday that the country has reached an "historic agreement" with neighboring Lebanon over their shared maritime border after months of U.S.-brokered negotiations.

Premier Yair Lapid called the deal an "historic achievement that will strengthen Israel's security, inject billions into Israel's economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border."

A Turkish Consulate employee outside its premises in Jerusalem, August 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/ATEF SAFADI

The two countries pledged to appoint ambassadors and consul generals, announcement that follows normalisation attempts by both sides in recent months involving high-level visits from senior officials.

President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday to open the first visit to the Middle East of his presidency, a whirlwind four-day trip in which he will hold talks with Israeli, Palestinian, and Saudi Arabian officials.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will visit Türkiye next week, his office said on June, days after he urged Israelis to leave that country over threats of attacks by Iranian operatives.

The European Union, Israel and Egypt have signed a memorandum of understanding for the export of gas from the Jewish state through the Arab Republic to Europe, Al Jazeera reported, quoted by BGNES.

According to the document, the agreement is for three years with an automatic extension for another two years.

A view of Istanbul. Photo: Pixabay/Sulox32

"We call on Israelis not to fly to Istanbul, and if it is not necessary, do not fly to Turkey," he added. "If you are already in Istanbul, return to Israel as soon as possible… If you planned a flight to Istanbul, cancel … No vacation is worth your life." Lapid told the Israeli parliament.

Israel condemned Norway's decision to label products from Israeli settlements with their place of origin.    

A statement from Israel's foreign ministry said the position "will adversely affect bilateral relations between Israel and Norway, as well as Norway's relevance to promoting relations between Israel and the Palestinians".    

Greece sees planned undersea cable from Egypt, and another from Israel via Cyprus as important projects for Europe’s energy security

The raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli parliament member Itamar Ben-Gvir and radical Jewish groups under the protection of the Israeli police, as well as the attempts of these groups to worship in this area, are a "clear violation" of the status quo of Al-Haram Al-Sharif and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Foreign Ministry said on May 29.

Israeli forces launched a manhunt Friday for attackers who killed three people in the central city of Elad as the country marked the anniversary of its founding, in the latest incident of deadly violence.