Latest news with #IsraeliPolice
Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, Israeli police scuffle in West Jerusalem
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, Israeli police scuffle in West Jerusalem NewsFeed A confrontation unfolded between ultra-Orthodox Jewish men and Israeli police in West Jerusalem on Wednesday. The ultra-Orthodox demonstrators were protesting the recent arrests of several men from their group for refusing military conscription orders. Video Duration 01 minutes 43 seconds 01:43 Video Duration 01 minutes 17 seconds 01:17 Video Duration 03 minutes 07 seconds 03:07 Video Duration 00 minutes 54 seconds 00:54 Video Duration 03 minutes 18 seconds 03:18 Video Duration 00 minutes 40 seconds 00:40 Video Duration 03 minutes 00 seconds 03:00
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Disputed fire by ancient church in Holy Land sparks diplomatic, religious fallout
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Israeli police late Monday dismissed reports alleging that Jewish settlers set fire to the archaeological site of the Church of St. George in the village of Taybeh in the West Bank, calling them "factually incorrect," lacking evidence and potentially misleading to the public. According to police, a probe was launched last Thursday by a specialized team within the Judea and Samaria Central Investigations Unit (YAMAR) under the direction of the district commander. An internal committee was also tasked with reviewing the timeline of events recorded in police information systems, assessing the handling of reports and complaints, and evaluating the response. "Findings gathered on the ground unequivocally show that no damage or harm was caused to the holy site itself," police said. DISPUTE OVER CHRISTIAN GROUPS' VISAS TO ISRAEL RESOLVED AFTER HUCKABEE THREAT The statement noted that a small fire had occurred in an open area near the site, but no buildings, crops or infrastructure were damaged. On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee noted on X that Taybeh was "a beautiful village made up of mostly Arab Christians. Glad [the Israel Police] continue [to] search for truth [without] regard to assumptions." Huckabee pointedly added: "I have NOT attributed the cause of fire to any person or group as we don't know for sure. The press has. I have said that regardless, it was [a] crime [and] deserves consequences." An exclusive investigation by The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL) first raised questions over the fire, having uncovered evidence that local Jewish residents had participated in firefighting efforts near the church and raised significant doubts about the cause of the blaze. TPS-IL also documented additional fires on July 7, 8 and 11 in nearby pastureland, located dozens of meters from the church compound. In each instance, a Jewish farmer with a property adjacent to the site filed complaints with police, claiming the areas where animals were grazing had been deliberately set ablaze. Last weekend, Huckabee visited Taybeh, where he called for accountability. "To commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place that is supposed to be a place of worship, it is an act of terror, and it is a crime," he said in a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. "There should be consequences, and it should be harsh consequences because it is one of the last bastions of our civilization, the places where we worship." The visit came after the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem issued a statement claiming that "radical Israelis from nearby settlements intentionally set fire near the town's cemetery and the Church of Saint George." A joint statement days earlier from the priests of the three churches in Taybeh – the Greek Orthodox Church, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church – blamed "Israeli settlers" for "deliberately ignit[ing] a fire near the town's cemetery and the historic Church of Saint George (Al-Khadr), a fifth-century site considered one of the oldest religious landmarks in Palestine." HUCKABEE DEMANDS ISRAEL 'AGGRESSIVELY INVESTIGATE' MURDER OF PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN KILLED IN 'TERRORIST ACT' Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III accused "radical Israelis from nearby settlements" of "a targeted attack." Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital that Israel must take a more assertive approach in handling incidents that could impact its international standing. "We are in the middle of the most consequential war since the founding of the state, and events like this are just as dangerous," he said. He emphasized the importance of reinforcing Israel's role in safeguarding Christian heritage and holy sites, particularly in contested areas. "This includes exposing the PLO and Hamas' ongoing war against Christian citizens, but it also requires transparency and assertiveness in showing our role as guardians of Christian sites and civilization in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem," said Diker. He also pointed to what he described as a coordinated effort by the Palestinian leadership to undermine Israel's legitimacy on the global stage, particularly through the media. "We are in the midst of an international crusade by the Palestinian leadership to uproot our legitimacy," he said. "The international media has become an ecosystem for the defamation and delegitimization of Israel. They are weaponizing every event into an existential assault." On Monday night, the Binyamin Regional Council, which administers Jewish communities in southern Samaria, confirmed the church incurred no damage. "Here I am on the outskirts of the church. You can see the apse over here. And even on the outskirts or the outer walls, there are no signs of fire," the council's international spokeswoman, Eliana Passentin, said in a video. "We are the guardians of the biblical heartland. This land was given to us by God – there is no reason for us to burn a church or to disrespect anyone else's religion," she added. Speaking to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Passentin recalled bringing visitors to the local brewery in Taybeh, which was so well-regarded that a rabbi granted it kosher certification. She noted that Israelis and Christian Arabs had coexisted peacefully in the area for years, but expressed concern that the community now identifies itself with a Palestinian state that does not formally exist. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "When I was walking around, one of the priests in Taybeh said he believed in the two-state solution and it felt as if the P.A. was putting a lot of pressure on the Christians," Passentin said. She suggested that the latest crisis was manufactured by those seeking to divide Jews and Christians, whom she described as joint guardians of Judea and Samaria. "We are striving for peace," she said. "This is the land of the Bible, and we should be building it together – not fighting or spreading false blood libels accusing Jews of burning down a church."
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Video: Israelis chant 'Death to Arabs' at Palestinian cinema workers
ALBAWABA - A video circulating on social media sparked outrage among human rights and pro-Palestine activists after capturing Israelis throwing objects at Palestinian workers inside a cinema venue in Jerusalem. According to several Hebrew sources, the Israeli youth were chanting "Death to Arabs" at the Palestinian employees, causing mayhem at the popcorn and beverages sector inside 'City Cinema.' In response, the workers snapped back and defended themselves by throwing objects back at the individuals. Many pro-Palestine activists condemned the violent interaction on social media, deeming it an act of racism and violence towards a specific group of people. תיעוד מהסינמה סיטי ירושלים: נערים התפרעו במתחם הפופקורן, השליכו חפצים לעבר העובדים תוך קריאות "מוות לערבים". אין עצורים. — יואלי ברים yoeli brim (@yoeli_brim) July 20, 2025 According to the Jerusalem Post, three workers sustained minor injuries. The suspects responsible fled the scene, resulting in no immediate detention. However, local Israeli police have launched an investigation into the issue at hand. City Cinema released a statement that said, "incidents of violence receive special attention and are handled with all means at our disposal, including security and policing intervention, as in this case." The statement added, "We call on the viewing audience and their parents to educate their children to maintain a viewing and entertainment culture that will ensure a powerful and enjoyable experience for the general public."
Al Bawaba
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Three Israeli settlers killed in suspected ramming attack near Tiberias
ALBAWABA- A suspected ramming operation near the northern Israeli city of Tiberias on Monday left three Israeli settlers dead and five others critically injured, according to Israeli ambulance services. The Israeli police confirmed that the incident is under investigation to determine whether it was a deliberate attack or a traffic-related incident. The attack marks a significant escalation in tensions within Israeli territory as violence continues unabated in Gaza. Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, Israeli airstrikes killed eight Palestinians, including two children and a fetus, in Khan Younis and Beach Camp. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the death toll from Israel's ongoing military offensive since October 7, 2023, has reached 57,680, with 137,409 others injured. The ministry continues to describe the situation as a genocide amid daily mass casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions. In response to the Israeli raids, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that its fighters had launched attacks on Israeli forces and vehicles in the Abasan al-Kabira area east of Khan Younis. The group claimed to have targeted a Merkava tank, a troop carrier, and two military bulldozers using Al-Yasin 105 missiles. During the confrontation, a fighter reportedly advanced toward Israeli soldiers, killed one, seized his weapon, and observed a helicopter landing to evacuate Israeli casualties. The group also said it struck a military excavator with two Israeli soldiers inside using an RPG and, on Saturday, detonated a powerful explosive device against a D9 bulldozer in Jabalia, northern Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry noted that just yesterday, 105 Palestinians were killed and over 370 injured, many of them children and displaced individuals seeking aid. The rising toll on both sides underscores the rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation as the conflict enters its tenth month with no signs of de-escalation.
Al Bawaba
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Israel arrests couple on charges of spying for Iran
Published July 1st, 2025 - 08:29 GMT ALBAWABA - Israeli police and the Shin Bet (General Security Service) announced on Tuesday the arrest of a couple in the central city of Ra'anana on charges of spying for Iran. Local news outlet "Ynet" quoted a joint security statement as saying that police, under the supervision of the Shin Bet, arrested today a couple in their 30s from Ra'anana on suspicion of spying against Israel on behalf of Iran. The statement also revealed that the Israeli police searched the couple's apartment and seized several phones, computers, and technology devices, as well as suspicious correspondence between the couple and the employer. Ynet also mentioned that the two suspects, whose identities have not been revealed, will be subjected to a hearing to extend their detention. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
