Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to have Turkey removed from the ceasefire talks, in a letter published on Friday. In the letter, Smotrich stated that he was surprised to have learned that representatives of Israel’s “antisemitic enemy Erdogan” are part of the peace talks, and that “Erdogan should be canceled, … Read more
Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strock complained that the government was “throwing the [war effort] in the trash to save 22 or 33” of the 133 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza in an interview with Army Radio on Wednesday. Strock insisted that her party “very much” wants to bring the hostages … Read more
In the wake of Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Zvika Klein’s exclusive visit and meetings with a series of top officials in Qatar, there have been a number of counter-perspectives shared with the Post compared to what the Qataris told Klein. These perspectives can be roughly divided into three categories: 1) those who see the Qataris … Read more
U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens says he agrees with the Kremlin that silence is essential when it comes to public discussions about prisoner exchanges. “This might be the one time that I’ll agree with the Russians,” Carstens said during an interview on Rosemary Barton Live broadcast on Sunday. He explained that fact checking every … Read more
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh blamed Israel for failing to adhere to its demands for a hostage deal, as the holy month of Ramadan opened Sunday night without the much sought-after pause to the Gaza war. “I tell you very clearly that the one who bears responsibility for not reaching an agreement is the occupation … Read more
Pro-Palestinian protests that include expressions of hatred or harassing behaviour cross a line, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday. Trudeau told a press conference in Toronto that he’s heard from too many members of Canada’s Jewish community who have seen protests at synagogues and community centres and who now feel unsafe. Nobody can be indifferent … Read more
Investigators with the Toronto Police Service (TPS) are reviewing whether illegal activity occurred during a Saturday pro-Palestinian protest that led Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s team to cancel a reception to host a visiting G7 leader, the TPS said Sunday. The Saturday evening event at the Art Gallery of Ontario was meant to cap off a … Read more
US President Joe Biden said he hoped to have a hostage deal in place by this coming Monday, March 4, as Qatar hosted delegations from Israel and Hamas. The two sides looked to inch forward toward a deal for the release of the remaining 134 hostages in Gaza. The presence of both sides for … Read more
Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointee to head up efforts to rescue the hostages will receive a yearly salary of up to NIS 500,000 shekels, but will not be a state employee or be able to direct state employees due to his pending indictment, according to a KAN news report on Thursday. Hirsch … Read more
The government of Canada did not see any evidence backing up Israel’s claim that staff employed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) colluded with Hamas before suspending funding to the agency, CBC News has learned. Government sources tell CBC that Israel still has not shared evidence with Canada to substantiate its claim that 12 employees of … Read more
