After 22 years in a coma, Israeli woman critically wounded in 2001 Jerusalem suicide bombing dies
June 1, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli woman critically wounded in a 2001 suicide bombing at a Jerusalem restaurant has died, an Israeli hospital said Thursday. Her death marks the sixteenth fatality from that attack.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Jerusalem’s iconic citadel has opened its revamped museum after a three-year, $50 million makeover that included a restoration of its signature minaret.
The Tower of David, the ancient fortress on the western edge of the Old City, contains remnants of successive fortifications built one atop the other dating back over two millennia.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Tuesday prepared to pass a new budget — a step that could bring some stability to his coalition after a rocky start and clear the way for it to press ahead with its religious, pro-settlement agenda.
JERUSALEM (AP) — A far-right Israeli Cabinet minister visited Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site on Sunday, declaring that “we are in charge,” while the Israeli Cabinet held a rare meeting in Jerusalem’s Old City to celebrate its control of the area.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Jewish nationalists, some of them chanting “Death to Arabs” and other racist slogans, paraded on Thursday through the main Palestinian thoroughfare of Jerusalem’s Old City, in an annual display that caused new friction between Jews and Palestinians in the tense city.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday called on Palestinians to confront a flag-waving parade planned by Jewish nationalists through the main Palestinian thoroughfare in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Israeli forces shoot, kill Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials say
May 15, 2023 GMTRAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, the latest death in a spiral of violence that has rocked the region.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip agreed to an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire late Saturday, seeking to halt five days of intense fighting that killed 33 Palestinians, including at least 13 civilians.
Palestinian militants fire more rockets, as Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza despite cease-fire efforts
May 12, 2023 GMTGAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes killed a senior militant commander in the Gaza Strip and Palestinian militants fired rockets toward Jerusalem on Friday, further escalating the most violent flare-up in months despite efforts to broker a cease-fire.
Israel releases Jordan lawmaker said to have smuggled guns
May 7, 2023 GMTTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli authorities released a Jordanian lawmaker to his home country on Sunday, Israel's domestic security agency said, after he allegedly tried smuggling dozens of rifles and handguns through an Israeli-controlled border crossing.
Supporters of Israel’s judicial overhaul rally in Jerusalem
April 27, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of right-wing Israelis who support a plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judiciary flocked to Jerusalem on Thursday to rally for the proposal, which has prompted some of the biggest protests in Israel's history.
What is the latest on Netanyahu’s corruption trial?
April 27, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial has resumed after a month-long break, refocusing the spotlight on the long-serving leader's legal woes after a wave of protests over his government's plan to overhaul the country's judiciary.
Israeli police: 5 wounded in ramming near Jerusalem market
April 24, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A car ramming attack Monday near a popular Jerusalem market wounded five people and the Palestinian driver was shot and killed, Israeli police said, as the country memorialized its fallen soldiers.
Suspected shooting attack in Jerusalem wounds 2 Israeli men
April 18, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian gunman shot and wounded two Israelis in Jerusalem on Tuesday, police said, the latest bloodshed in a year-long cycle of violence that shows no sign of abating.
Meanwhile, in the northern occupied West Bank, a focus of fighting for the past year, the Israeli military conducted an arrest raid in the Jenin refugee camp, prompting Palestinian militants to open fire.
For Palestinians, holiest Ramadan night starts at checkpoint
April 18, 2023 GMTQALANDIYA CHECKPOINT, West Bank (AP) — For many Palestinians, the journey to one of Islam's most sacred sites on the holiest night of Ramadan begins in a dust-choked, garbage-strewn maelstrom.
Christian faithful celebrate ‘Holy Fire’ under restrictions
April 15, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Christian worshippers thronged the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Saturday to celebrate the ceremony of the “Holy Fire," an ancient ritual that sparked tensions this year with the Israeli police.
In first, Iran’s president addresses Palestinians in Gaza
April 15, 2023 GMTGAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Iran’s president on Friday delivered an unprecedented speech to an annual pro-Palestinian rally in the Gaza Strip — a display of Iran’s importance to the Hamas militant group that rules the territory.
Iranians mark Jerusalem Day to support Palestinians
April 14, 2023 GMTTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Tens of thousands of Iranians, some chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” marched in the capital of Tehran on Friday to mark Jerusalem Day, an annual show of support for the Palestinians.
Hezbollah chief: Israel didn’t hit Hamas in Lebanon strikes
April 14, 2023 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group on Friday claimed that Israel did not hit Hamas or Hezbollah targets in last week’s strikes on southern Lebanon.
The strikes last Friday in south Lebanon came a day after militants fired nearly three dozen rockets from there at Israel, wounding two people and causing some property damage.
Israeli police absolved in killing of Palestinian at Al-Aqsa
April 13, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli authorities said Thursday that an internal investigation into the killing of a 26-year-old Palestinian citizen of Israel earlier this month at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site found no wrongdoing by police.
Holy Land Christians say attacks rising in far-right Israel
April 13, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — The head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land has warned in an interview that the rise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government has made life worse for Christians in the birthplace of Christianity.
Church: Israel limiting rights of ‘Holy Fire’ worshippers
April 12, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — The Greek Orthodox Church on Wednesday accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with "heavy-handed” restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the “Holy Fire” ceremony amid soaring tensions.
Israeli army kills 2 alleged Palestinian gunmen in West Bank
April 12, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military shot and killed two Palestinians who allegedly opened fire at troops from their car in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, authorities said, the latest incident in a wave of deadly violence gripping the occupied territory.
Netanyahu reverses firing of defense minister amid tension
April 10, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday reversed his decision to fire his defense minister over criticism of the government’s contentious plan to overhaul the judiciary.
Israeli military retaliates after rockets fired from Syria
April 9, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said its forces attacked targets in Syria early Sunday after six rockets were launched from Syrian territory in two batches toward Israel in a rare attack from Israel’s northeastern neighbor.
Attacks in Israel, West Bank kill 3 in worsening violence
April 7, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian assailants carried out a pair of attacks on Friday, killing three people and wounding at least six as tensions soared after days of fighting at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, officials said.
Why do Jerusalem tensions fuel regionwide unrest?
April 7, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — It's become something of a grim, springtime tradition in the Holy Land.
Israeli police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians stockpiling rocks and fireworks inside one of the most bitterly disputed holy sites on Earth.
Israel stages rare strikes in Lebanon, also hits Gaza Strip
April 7, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel launched rare strikes in southern Lebanon early Friday and pressed on with bombing targets in the Gaza Strip, marking a widening escalation in the region following violence this week at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site.
Violence erupts at Jerusalem holy site for a 2nd night
April 6, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Violence resumed for a second straight night in Jerusalem on Wednesday when Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at the Old City’s sensitive compound and Israeli police used force to remove dozens of worshippers.
Violence at Jerusalem mosque prompts fears of wider fighting
April 5, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City early Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinian youths who hurled firecrackers at them in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season.
Ex-principal of Jewish school found guilty of sexual abuse
April 3, 2023 GMTMELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The former principal of a Jewish girls school in Australia was found guilty Monday of sexually abusing two students, ending a nine-year legal battle that strained relations between the Australian and Israeli governments while antagonizing Australia’s Jewish community.
Christian faithful mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem
April 2, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Christian pilgrims participated in Palm Sunday celebrations in Jerusalem at the start of the Holy Week.
Worshipers carried palm fronds and olive branches and marched from the top of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem's historic Old City, home to holy sites of the three Abrahamic monotheistic faiths.
Israeli police fatally shoot man at Jerusalem’s holiest site
April 1, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police shot and killed a man who they alleged tried to snatch an officer’s gun at an entrance to a Jerusalem holy site early Saturday, raising fears of further violence during a time of heightened tensions at the flashpoint compound.
Israel’s Netanyahu may have tough time saving judicial plan
March 28, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put his contentious judicial overhaul plan on hold this week, he vowed to pass the package through parliament “one way or another.” But he may have a hard time keeping that promise.
Netanyahu vows to unite Israel but opponents dismiss pledge
March 24, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed to “mend the rift” in a nation deeply divided over his proposed overhaul of the country’s judiciary. But he offered no details on how he intends to do so and gave no indication that he would slow down the plan.
Palestinian killed in Israeli military raid in West Bank
March 23, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli security forces killed a Palestinian militant during a raid in the northern West Bank on Thursday, Palestinian health officials said, the latest escalation of violence in what has been the deadliest start of a year for Palestinians in the occupied territory in more than two decades.
Israeli protests disrupt visit by US defense secretary
March 8, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was forced to change the schedule of a planned visit to Israel due to anti-government protests that are expected to paralyze traffic across the country, U.S.
Israeli lawmakers advance bill on $270,000 gift to Netanyahu
March 6, 2023 GMTTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli lawmakers advanced a bill on Monday that could allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep a $270,000 donation he received from a relative to pay for his legal fees as he battles corruption charges.
Oil for Charles III’s coronation consecrated in Jerusalem
March 4, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Two senior clergymen in Jerusalem have consecrated the holy oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation, as the Anglican Church seeks to underscore the monarchy’s long history and the royal family’s links to the Middle East.
Israel says inscription in Persian pottery shard inauthentic
March 3, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel acknowledged on Friday that an inscription in clay found in the country's south bearing the name of Darius the Great, ruler of the ancient Persian Empire, was not authentic.
Palestinians: Israeli fire kills teen in West Bank
March 2, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli forces shot and killed a teenage boy Thursday in the north of the occupied West Bank, the latest in a flare-up of violence that has raged for months.
Netanyahu denounces protesters after salon siege of his wife
March 2, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies on Thursday denounced protesters as “anarchists” after they massed outside a Tel Aviv salon where his wife was getting her hair done — a chaotic end to a day of demonstrations against the government's plan to overhaul the judiciary.
Israeli protesters clash with police, confront PM’s wife
March 1, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police on Wednesday fired stun grenades and water cannons at demonstrators who blocked a Tel Aviv highway and protesters scuffled with police near the Israeli leader’s home as weeks of anti-government protests turned violent for the first time.
Prestigious Dan David Prize names 9 historians as winners
February 28, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Nine emerging scholars of history from around the world were announced Tuesday as winners of the prestigious Dan David Prize, with each awardee receiving $300,000 to advance their work.
Netanyahu gets funding boost under shadow of economic woes
February 23, 2023 GMTTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli parliamentary committee on Thursday approved new funding for Benjamin Netanyahu and his family, giving the prime minister a boost in personal spending at a time when he is facing mass protests over his policies and as the economy is on shaky ground.
Ahmed Qureia, top Palestinian negotiator with Israel, dies
February 23, 2023 GMTRAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Ahmed Qureia, a former Palestinian prime minister and one of the architects of interim peace deals with Israel, has died at age 85.
A key player in the 1993 Oslo peace accords, Qureia witnessed the rise of the dream of Palestinian statehood that surged during the negotiations.
Israel approves law to strip Arab attackers of citizenship
February 15, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a law to strip Arabs convicted in nationalistic attacks of their Israeli citizenship or residency and deport them if they have accepted stipends from the Palestinian Authority.
Netanyahu launches contentious overhaul as thousands protest
February 13, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis on Monday protested outside the parliament building in a show of force against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his government formally launched its contentious plan to overhaul the country’s legal system.
Israeli police seal up home of Jerusalem attacker’s family
February 12, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline government on Sunday agreed to legalize nine settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, saying the move was a response to recent Palestinian violence.
Arab leaders warn Israeli actions threaten regional turmoil
February 12, 2023 GMTCAIRO (AP) — Dozens of leaders and senior officials from Arab and Islamic countries warned on Sunday Israeli actions in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank could worsen regional turmoil, as violence surges between Israel and the Palestinians.
Palestinian man, Israeli child die as bloodshed rises
February 12, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli settler shot and killed a Palestinian in the northern West Bank on Saturday, Palestinian health officials said, while an 8-year-old child died of injuries suffered a day before in a car-ramming attack in Jerusalem.
Israeli police: 2 killed, 5 wounded in Jerusalem car-ramming
February 10, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian plowed a car into a crowded bus stop in east Jerusalem on Friday, killing two people, including a 6-year-old, and injuring five others before being shot and killed, Israeli police and medics said, the latest escalation as violence grips the contested capital.
Israel steps up Jerusalem home demolitions as violence rises
February 8, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Ratib Matar’s family was growing. They needed more space.
Before his granddaughters, now 4 and 5, were born, he built three apartments on an eastern slope overlooking Jerusalem’s ancient landscape.
Canadian endocrinologist among Wolf Prize winners
February 7, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A Canadian endocrinologist whose research has helped develop therapies for diabetes and obesity and three chemists whose work has advanced the understanding of RNA were announced Tuesday as winners of Israel's prestigious Wolf Prize.
Israeli police: American arrested for vandalizing church
February 2, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police on Thursday arrested an American tourist after he allegedly knocked down and broke a statue of Jesus in a church in Jerusalem's Old City.
Images on social media showed the statue laying horizontally on the floor after apparently being pulled down from a stand at the church.
Blinken urges Israel-Palestinian calm as violence soars
January 30, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel and the Palestinians on Monday to ease tensions following a spike in violence that has put the region on edge. The bloodshed has alarmed the Biden administration as it attempts to find common ground with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new right-wing government.
Palestinian gunman kills 7 near Jerusalem synagogue
January 28, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian gunman opened fire outside an east Jerusalem synagogue Friday night, killing seven people, including a 70-year-old woman, and wounding three others before he was shot and killed by police, officials said.
Lutherans ordain first Palestinian woman pastor in Holy Land
January 22, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A Lutheran church ceremony in Jerusalem on Sunday ordained the first Palestinian female pastor in the Holy Land.
Sally Azar will head the English-speaking congregation at the Church of the Redeemer, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land said.
Israeli high court: Netanyahu must fire key Cabinet ally
January 18, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must fire a key ally from the country’s new Cabinet, presenting the Israeli leader with a potential coalition crisis and deepening a rift over the power of the courts.
Armenian museum reopens in Jerusalem’s Old City
January 16, 2023 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — A hundred years after taking in scores of children whose parents were killed in the Armenian genocide, a 19th-century orphanage in Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter has reopened its doors as a museum documenting the community's rich, if pained, history.