Netanyahu in Court on Corruption Trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court in Tel Aviv for the 4th time, Wednesday, to testify in his corruption trial. 

Netanyahu’s hearing session was scheduled for Tuesday but was canceled after he embarked on a secret visit to Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) in Syria’s demilitarized zone in the occupied Golan Heights.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Netanyahu’s session on Wednesday is expected to focus on a case known as “4000” in which the prime minister is accused of providing regulatory favors to Shaul Elovitch, then-owner of Bezeq Telecom Company and the Walla news site, in exchange for favorable coverage for him and his wife.

Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant in the country’s history, faces accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which he denies according to Anadolu.

Netanyahu also faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November over atrocities in Gaza.  

Continue reading
1,200 Spanish Lawyers Demand an Arms Embargo on Israel

On 17 December 2024, a coalition of over 1,200 Spanish jurists—including lawyers, judges, and prosecutors—gathered outside the Spanish Parliament in Madrid to present a petition urging the government to enforce a comprehensive arms embargo against “Israel”. The petition reflects growing concerns within Spain’s legal community regarding the ethical and legal implications of continuing military relations with “Israel”, particularly in light of recent conflicts and allegations of human rights violations.

This initiative aligns with a broader movement within Spain advocating for a reassessment of its military engagements with “Israel”. Notably, Spain had previously suspended arms sales to “Israel” in October 2023, a decision reaffirmed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has called on the international community to halt arms exports to “Israel” to prevent further escalation in the region according to the Safa Press Agency.

Continue reading
Lebanon Tells Israel to Stop Violating The Ceasefire

The Israeli army on Tuesday committed at least 12 more violations of cease-fire in Lebanon that took effect last month to end more than a year of cross-border warfare with Hezbollah, state media reported.

According to the official Lebanese National News Agency (NNA), the violations concentrated in the districts of Tyre, Marjayoun and Hasbaiyya in southern Lebanon, and in the districts of Rachaiya and Western Bekaa in the country’s east.

The violations included airstrikes, drones and fighter jets flights, destruction of homes, bulldozing streets and artillery shelling according to Anadolu.

In the Tyre district, an Israeli drone strike targeted a car in the town of Majdalzoun that left three people injured.

The Israeli army also bulldozed a number of roads and destroyed a home in the town of Naqoura. Several homes were also destroyed in the town of Kfarkela.

While artillery struck the towns of Kfarshouba, Halta and Sheba in the Hasbaiyya district, warplanes flew over the districts of Rachaiya and Western Bekaa at a medium altitude.

Lebanese authorities have reported around 248 Israeli violations of the truce since it came into force on Nov. 27.

Since then, according to an Anadolu tally based on Health Ministry figures, at least 30 people have been killed and 37 others injured in Israeli attacks.

Under the terms of the cease-fire, Israel is required to withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line – a de facto border – in phases, while the Lebanese army is to deploy in southern Lebanon within 60 days.

Over 4,000 people were killed and more than 16,500 injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, and over 1 million others displaced since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Continue reading