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Media Summary

Israel attacks Iranian-backed targets in southern Syria

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Reuters reports that Israeli helicopters fired several rockets from the Golan Heights on targets inside southern Syria, Syrian state media reported on Friday, the latest in what intelligence sources say is an increase of strikes against Iranian-backed militias.
 
The Guardian reports that an Egyptian science fiction drama that predicts Israel’s destruction has provoked an angry reaction from the Israel, including from the country’s foreign ministry, which reminded its neighbour of a decades-old peace deal.
Reuters reports that Nearly 90 per cent of US House of Representatives members have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to increase its diplomatic action at the United Nations to renew an arms embargo on Iran, congressional sources said on Thursday. Reuters reports that the Trump administration is “hopeful” the UN Security Council will extend an arms embargo on Iran before it expires in October, a top State Department envoy said on Thursday, despite a key Russian official signalling that Moscow opposed such a move.
The Independent reports that the World Health Organisation has come under fire for “appeasing” governments rather than protecting lives in northern Syria during the coronavirus pandemic, after it removed a direct appeal to re-open a key aid crossing point from a memo to the UN Security Council.
The Times and The Independent report that Germany has banned Hezbollah from its territory as armed police carried out dawn raids on four mosques and community centres that allegedly served as nerve centres for the Iranian-backed network.
The Guardian reports that Libya’s internationally recognised government has said its forces will keep fighting, after a unilateral ceasefire declaration by its eastern-based opponents in the country’s brutal civil war. The Times and The Telegraph report that Libya’s rebel general, Gen. Haftar, has declared a truce for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan after suffering a string of defeats and despite declaring military rule of the country this week.

The Financial Times reports that consultants for western business advisory companies have been flocking to Saudi Arabia — particularly since 2016, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched his economic reform plan, aiming to wean the kingdom off dependence on oil revenues.

The Times reports that Saudi Arabia has lifted the threat of execution from three young men who were convicted of crimes committed as children and for whom Britain had demanded clemency.

The Financial Times reports that the UAE must take increased measures to stamp out money laundering, the world’s main dirty money monitoring group has warned, or it risks inclusion on an international watch list.

In the Financial Times, Chloe Cornish writes about life under lockdown in Beirut, in the midst of more protests against Lebanon’s economic collapse.
In the Associated Press, Josef Federman argues that Israel is ‘setting a new standard for public protests in the age of coronavirus’, as the country waits for Israel’s Supreme Court to determine whether or not Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government is legal.

All the Israeli media focus on Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s response to the Supreme Court regarding the legality of the coalition agreement. Yediot Ahronot quotes Mandelblit who wrote, “Despite the major difficulties, they are not grounds for judicial intervention, as this would mean that a majority of MKs would not be able to initiate forming a new government in Israel that MK Netanyahu heads.” Regarding various sections of the agreement, Mandelblit wrote, “certain arrangements in the coalition agreement raise major difficulties. That said, at this time there are no grounds to disqualify the coalition agreement at this stage.” He did note that the coalition agreement “requires making major constitutional changes, including creating a new model for the regime that is unnatural for the system of government in Israel. The agreement even includes sections that seek to change the balance of power between the government and the Knesset, and between the opposition and coalition factions in the Knesset. The coalition agreement even states that during the defined period of emergency, appointments will be suspended as well as manning positions in the public service, including very senior positions in the law enforcement agencies. The agreement even seeks to instruct on the matter of the identity of the MKs who will be on the Judges Selection Committee.” The Supreme Court will hear more petitions with an extended panel of 11 judges on Sunday. However, if by next Thursday, the signatures of 61 MKs are not submitted to President Reuven Rivlin asking to assign the task of forming the government to one of the MKs, there will be a fourth election. If they recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he will have another two weeks to form the government.

 

Kan Radio News reports that according to Syrian state media, Israeli helicopters fired five missiles at targets belonging to the Syrian regime and to pro-Iranian militias in Quneitra. There was damage to property, but no casualties were reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the strike was also aimed at the western suburb of the city Daraa. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Haaretz notes this is the forth time in two weeks Israel has struck targets in Syria. Israel Hayom explains that bases and convoys run by the Hezbollah have been hit by Israel in recent years, noting that Israel has often stated it would not allow Iran to deliver “game-changing” weapons to Hezbollah. On Tuesday, Defence Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to confirm that Israel was behind an alleged airstrike on pro-Iranian forces in Syria the day before. Bennett said: “We have moved from blocking Iran’s entrenchment in Syria to forcing it out of there, and we will not stop.  We will not allow more strategic threats to grow just across our borders without taking action. We will continue to take the fight to the enemy’ s territory.”

 

All the Israeli media report the latest figures from the Health Ministry that there have now been 16,004 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Israel, with the death toll up to 223. The number of patients on ventilators has dropped to 83, while 105 patients remain in serious condition. Maariv reports that the Education Ministry’s plan for gradually reopening schools was approved yesterday, but it will be given final approval at a situation assessment meeting today of the ministerial coronavirus committee. Although the plan will make it possible to return the economy to routine, it has elicited many objections. Kindergarten and years one through three are to restart classes on Sunday but will be divided into groups of 15. The groups will be permanent and the children will be instructed to keep a safe distance from each other. The schools will be frequently disinfected and ventilated. For now, grades four and above will continue to learn online. Kan Radio News reports that last night, restrictions went into effect that were imposed by the government on 46 streets in the Central Romema neighbourhood of Jerusalem and on neighbourhoods nine and ten in the town of Hura in the Negev. The restrictions will be lifted next Sunday at midnight. The restrictions on Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet will also be extended until Sunday at midnight.