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Israel Summit Shows Ties With Arabs Moving From Ceremony to Substance, The New York Times
Israel’s meeting with top diplomats from four Arab countries and the United States, set to start on Sunday, is one of the strongest signs yet that the country is beginning to reap the dividends of normalization deals reached two years ago, a profound realignment of Middle Eastern powers that has been accelerated by the war in Ukraine.
Islamic State Claims Killing of 2 in Israel, 2nd Rampage in a Week, AP
The militant Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Monday after a pair of Arab gunmen killed two Israeli police officers and wounded four others in central Israel before they were killed by police, authorities said. Israeli leaders condemned the killings and pointed to the timing. Sunday’s attack came on the eve of a special meeting between the foreign ministers of four Arab nations and the United States in the Israeli Negev. It was the second deadly attack carried out by Arab assailants in an Israeli city in less than a week. Both attacks came ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Blinken, Bennett Discuss Iran Deal, Settler Violence, Ukraine War Ahead of Israel Summit, Haaretz
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to take steps to de-escalate tensions with the Palestinians, including curbing settlement expansion, settler violence and halting evictions of Palestinians from their homes, in the run-up to Ramadan.
Man Shot Dead in Southern Israel, the 20th Killing in the Arab Community This Year, The Times of Israel
A 28-year-old resident of the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva in southern Israel was shot and killed overnight, police said Sunday morning. Police were called to Tel Sheva after locals residents reported hearing gunshots in the area.
Blinken Says Israel and U.S. See ‘Eye to Eye’ on Preventing Nuclear Iran, Haaretz
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed to work together to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons on Sunday, though differences between the two allies persisted.
Israel’s Bennett Continues Mediation Efforts Between Russia, Ukraine, Al-Monitor
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke this week on the phone with both the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, continuing his diplomatic efforts to mediate between the sides. On Wednesday, he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A day earlier, Bennett spoke with Zelenskyy.
Israel Approves Four Jewish Desert Communities in Tense Committee Meeting, Haaretz
Israel has approved the establishment of five new communities in Israel’s Negev desert, in a committee session Sunday that descended into a screaming match following strong opposition among left-wing cabinet members.
Zelenskiy Has Made Israelis Take a Hard Look at Themselves, Bloomberg
Zev Chafets reflects, “As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers around the world, his words have inspired standing ovations. But his message to members of the Israeli parliament on Sunday was contentious. He accused the government and lawmakers of moral blindness in failing to come to Ukraine’s aid. His first example was the extremely stingy cap Israel has placed on the number of refugee entry permits. He has a point and one lawmakers should heed. Israel could do better, both for Ukrainian refugees and, ultimately, itself.”
Why Can’t My Sister Sleep at Night? Because Soldiers Keep Raiding Our Home, +972 Mag
Basil al-Adraa recounts, “It’s 2 a.m. on March 17th, and Israeli soldiers have invaded my village again in the occupied West Bank. They’re in a jeep, tossing stun grenades toward houses while all the residents are asleep. They throw one under someone’s front window, then drive a short distance and throw another at the next house. I watch them do this four times. There is no apparent reason for the soldiers to be throwing the grenades; there were no riots or clashes that preceded their entry. But the grenades explode and awaken the whole village — including my eight-year-old sister Tasnim, who wakes up terrified.”