Latest news with #N12
Middle East Eye
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Israeli ambassador to UAE being sent home over 'undignified' behaviour at bar: Report
Israel's ambassador to the UAE is being summoned home from his post over 'undignified' behaviour at an Emirati bar that upset the UAE, according to Hebrew media reports. Israel's government was forced to recall its ambassador to the Gulf state, Yossef Avraham Shelley, after the UAE said it was no longer willing to accept him as ambassador, Israel's Channel 12 news reported on Tuesday. Hebrew news site N12 reported earlier that Shelley antagonised the UAE by showing up to a bar in the Gulf state with several Israelis, including women, and acting in a way that UAE officials told Israel was 'unacceptable and even harmed our dignity'. The UAE normalised ties with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords brokered by US President Donald Trump. Abu Dhabi has emerged as Israel's closest Arab partner in the region amid an uproar over Israel's war on Gaza, which leading human rights groups and scholars have declared is a genocide. The UAE is the one Arab country that Israel's foreign minister has been able to visit since the war in Gaza erupted. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar travelled to the UAE in January 2025 before a temporary ceasefire in Gaza was reached. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The UAE's move would be remarkable in its own right. The tiny Gulf state is home to 10 million people, of whom just 10 percent are Emirati citizens. The country counts South Asian labourers, British expats, Russian oligarchs and flashy influencers among its residents. Dubai is known for being the Gulf region's nightlife capital. Hebrew media reported last week that Shelley was out on a Friday night in Abu Dhabi with friends and acted in an 'undignified' manner that 'crossed the boundaries of personal space' on Friday evening. Shelley previously served as Israeli ambassador to Brazil, where he was at the centre of two scandals. In one case, Shelley was photographed having dinner with former Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro. The image of their dinner on Instagram appeared to show lobster scribbled out in black. Jewish kosher diet rules prohibit the consumption of shellfish. In 2023, Haaretz reported that Shelley personally responded to an Israeli visa inquiry by a Brazilian woman. He told her in correspondence and in video chats that she needed to meet him in person before he would help her obtain a visa to visit Israel. In a video call with her, Shelley appeared shirtless and lying on a bed. 'When I turned on the camera, I saw he was lying on the bed, sweating,' the woman recounted. 'He said he'd just returned from a walk. It was very inappropriate. I asked him if he'd rather talk later, and he said, 'No, let's talk now.' He asked to meet with me in person and invited me to dinner in Brasilia. I felt pressured and harassed.' Shelley was later named the director general of the prime minister's office. Shelley was named ambassador to the UAE in November 2024. 'Yossi served as a very, very effective ambassador in Brazil,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the time. 'He made connections there not only with the president of Brazil, but also with the Brazilian media and did a wonderful job there. He also did important and difficult work in the Prime Minister's Office during this period.'
Metro
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
The Dark Knight Rises star Alon Aboutboul dies aged 60 ‘after collapsing on beac
Alon Aboutboul has died after he collapsed on a beach in Tel Aviv. The Israeli actor, 60, was one of the country's best-known stars, spending two decades mainly appearing in Israeli productions before being cast in Hollywood blockbusters like Munich, The Dark Knight Rises and London Has Fallen. However, it's now been reported he's died after going swimming at a beach. The publication N12 has reported that he was found dead on HaBonim Beach in Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning. His representative later confirmed his death to Metro. According to Ynet, a beachgoer said: 'It happened in an instant. He went into the water and everything seemed perfectly fine. After a few minutes, he suddenly came out of the water, approached people and said he wasn't feeling well, and then they called for help.' 'Everyone was really scared, he came out of the water and collapsed on the beach. Everyone wanted to help, and they recognised who it was when he came out of the water. This is a terrible tragedy here this morning, everyone here is in a big shock.' After he collapsed on the beach, Aboutboul received CPR but could not be revived. His cause of death is not immediately known. Soon after Israeli Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar paid tribute to the actor, posting on X: 'I was deeply pained to hear of his sudden death. 'Last night I watched an interview with him, where he talked about filming a movie he recently participated in, and the passion for the profession that radiated from him was evident even after so many years in the field. 'Alon was an Ophir Award and Television Academy Award winner and over the years portrayed a wide range of characters to which he brought depth and emotion, leaving a deep mark on Israeli culture. May his memory be blessed.' Born in Kiryat Ata to parents of Algerian and Egyptian descent, Aboutboul had over 100 film and TV credits to his name. After graduating from high school in 1983, his first screen role came three years later – in the 1986 movie, Ricochets. Other films he went on to feature in included Two Fingers from Sidon, Every Time We Say Goodbye and Makom L'Yad Hayam. It was in 1988 that Hollywood came calling, with Aboutboul playing Nissem in Rambo III. Subsequent American movies he was seen in were Killing Streets, Deadly Heroes and The Order. In 2005 he appeared in Steven Spielberg's Munich – a film about the Mossad assassinations following the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Then, in 2008, he acted alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's Body of Lies. In 2012 he appeared in another blockbuster – playing Dr. Leonid Pavel in The Dark Knight Rises. Since then Aboutboul had been seen in Septembers of Shiraz with Salma Hayek and Adrien Brody, in which he played a revolutionary guard. The next year he played an arms dealer turned terrorist mastermind alongside Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman in London Has Fallen. On the small screen he also appeared in shows including the Israeli programmes Shabbats and Holidays, Harem, and Sirens, as well as Homeland, Snowfall, Twin Peaks, The Leftovers, and FBI: International. More Trending Earlier this year he also announced the release of new music. Just last night he'd reposted a photo of a beach on his Instagram account. Aboutboul is survived by his wife, Shir Bilia, and their four children. They lived in Israel and Los Angeles. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Hulk Hogan's son shares heartbreaking tribute after dad's 'extremely difficult' death MORE: Rock band reschedule and cancel handful of shows to 'grieve' Ozzy Osbourne MORE: American musician and satirist Tom Lehrer dies aged 97
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Six Israeli teens beaten up outside of Greek club by pro-Palestine supporters
"You can't walk the streets – there are lots of Arabs on mopeds and ATVs. Every noise of wheels, and you look up in fear," one boy told N12. A group of six Israeli teens was attacked in Rhodes, Greece, early Wednesday morning, N12 reported. The group of six young Israelis said that a group of pro-Palestinian individuals from Turkey was waiting for them outside the club. They violently assaulted them, hit them, kicked them, and recorded one of the teens during the attack. Several of the teens received light injuries. 'We immediately decided to leave, went out the back to an alley, and in hindsight, that was a mistake. Suddenly, we saw 20-25 people, looking Arab, start chasing us," one of the boys told N12. The assault occurred shortly after a demonstration on the island of Syros, in which activists tried to prevent tourists arriving from Israel on a passenger ship from entering Greece. It remains unclear whether there is any direct connection between the two events. However, the timing and the national identity of the victims have raised concerns among their families. "You can't walk the streets – there are lots of Arabs on mopeds and ATVs. Every noise of wheels, and you look up in fear," one boy added. 'An overwhelming sense of helplessness' At just past 4:30 a.m., one of the teens, Shachar Gutman, texted his parents urgently as the group chased him. He later called, explaining that he had managed to escape the scene. "I jumped over a wall, I'm hiding," he wrote, adding that he did not know where his friends were. Orit Gutman, Shachar's mother, explained her feelings of helplessness in the situation to Walla. "They were six friends on a five-day vacation. On the last night, they went to the most Israeli club on the island. That's where it happened. The moment we got his message that he was running away, we felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness," she said. "It took me straight back to the morning of October 7. For a moment, I froze. Suddenly, you find yourself asking, what's the right thing to tell your child? Run? Be quiet? Fight? We were caught in a storm." Solve the daily Crossword
L'Orient-Le Jour
6 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
How does Israel prevent Hezbollah from reorganizing?
In a statement to the Israeli channel N12 (or Channel 12), an Israeli army commander outlined the main features of the surveillance, strikes and assassination system on Lebanese territory to prevent Hezbollah from deploying along the border between southern Lebanon and northern Israel. The officer, who was not named but was presented as the commander of the 89th Battalion of the 8th Brigade, a reserve armored brigade, appeared in a report focused on the eight months since the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, aired on Tuesday. The report's contents were translated by the Institute for Palestinian Studies. Several media outlets, including Nidaa al-Watan and Hudhud — a Palestinian media outlet specializing in tracking Israeli media reports and statements — relayed this translation. "As part of the cease-fire agreement, we gather intelligence and attack the enemy who tries to reorganize in areas near the border," the commander said. Military activities are focused on what the army calls "the security zone," he explained, though he did not describe it further, stating that Israeli soldiers were continuously updating their intelligence on the party's movements. He mentioned coordination between observation, intelligence and combat units. "We have a substantial amount of high-quality intelligence thanks to the army's advanced surveillance systems," he said. Operations follow directives issued by his higher command, which include strikes not only in southern Lebanon but also in other areas such as the Bekaa Valley or the southern suburbs of Beirut. He stated that these attacks, which the Lebanese side says are violations of the cease-fire along with the occupation of five strategic points in southern Lebanon, have killed more than 200 Hezbollah members. 'A few pockets remain' According to a tally based on figures from the Health Ministry and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (United Nations), about 280 people in total, including civilians, have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory since late November. The commander also claimed that "Hezbollah is no longer as visible in the area," and that it "keeps its distance from the border," though "a few pockets remain." According to a spokesperson contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, the party asked its members, since the beginning of the cease-fire, to avoid going to the south without urgent reason, whether to see their homes, families or for any other compelling reason. "As the person responsible for this area, I observe the Lebanese villages and I feel that Hezbollah has weakened. It no longer has the same capabilities as before Oct. 7 [2023]. It can no longer conduct attacks or harm the population," the Israeli commander told Channel 12. In addition to strikes, the military official also confirmed that the Israeli army sometimes carries out special operations inside Lebanese territory to "dismantle enemy infrastructure." He mentioned a recent operation in a southern Lebanese village to destroy "a site containing many rockets ready for launch, communication devices and instructions regarding targets." In a statement published July 9, the Israeli army said Wednesday that its soldiers entered southern Lebanon to carry out "special and targeted operations" to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure a few kilometers from the Israeli border. As recently as Sunday, the Lebanese army increased its deployment near the border village of Rmaish (Bint Jbeil) after an incursion by Israeli military vehicles. In early July, the Israeli army infiltrated Mais al-Jabal and blew up a newly renovated textile factory. While the cease-fire agreement, in effect since November, is violated daily by Israel, the United States is currently engaging Lebanon and Israel to arrive at a formula that would trigger the effective disarmament of Hezbollah and the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Talks have yet to succeed despite the third visit in several weeks from U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who is in charge of the issue.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former hostages meet Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot met with former hostages Doron Steinbrecher, Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Moran Stella Yanai, and Ilana Gritzewsky. Several female former hostages met Israeli actress Gal Gadot on Tuesday, according to a press release from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Gadot met with former hostages Doron Steinbrecher, Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Moran Stella Yanai, and Ilana Gritzewsky in Israel. In the meeting, the women shared their stories of captivity and expressed their gratitude for her activism. 'You've all been through incredibly difficult things, and I can't believe you're standing here today, continuing your lives and fighting for others," Gadot said. 'You are an inspiration, you are strength' "Watching you carry the weight for those still in captivity — you are an inspiration, and you are strength. I hope with all my heart they all come home soon.' The hostages emphasized the importance of continuing to speak out about those still remaining in captivity. 'Don't stop. We must keep talking and keep them in people's hearts and minds," said Doron Steinbrecher. At the Jerusalem Film Festival, Gadot called for an end to the Israel-Hamas War. 'The most important thing all of us wish is that we can breathe again calmly, and we will be able to do that when the hostages return home." Their meeting comes as Israeli and Palestinian delegations hold talks about a ceasefire and hostage deal. Israel and its negotiating partners are still waiting for Hamas's response to the proposed deal presented by mediators last week. N12 reported that Hamas is stalling talks, and that American mediators believe that "if there is no agreement this time, the blame will lie fully with Hamas." Solve the daily Crossword
