Czech President Milos Zeman is undergoing treatment that will require time, his wife Ivana Zemanova told reporters on Thursday, but gave no details about his diagnosis or condition.

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Zeman, 77, was taken into an intensive care unit at a Prague hospital on Sunday, a day after a parliamentary election which will eventually require him to appoint a new prime minister.

"I can only confirm that he is undergoing treatment that requires time," Zemanova told reporters in a briefing at the Prague Castle, where no questions were allowed. "I am asking you for patience and the necessary time for him to gather strength."

Zeman's condition has been the subject of wide speculation in the media amid a lack of detailed information from his office or doctors. He had previously been in hospital for eight days ending Sept. 22.

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This can no longer be called a coincidence but rather a well-scripted maneuver that has been employed time and again by medium-size political parties in Central Europe.

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This maneuver involves having small parliamentary factions banding together – despite their ideological differences – just so they could topple strong right-wing leaders, something they could not do so at the ballot box. This, these parties reckon, would finally end their losing streak against the popular prime ministers, who are often portrayed as populist (and some are) because they have been pursuing a nationalist agenda that departs from the EU's official policies.

In a way, European nations have started to import the Israeli model of unseating a prime minister through a so-called "healing coalition" comprising an alphabet soup of parties that have yet to properly justify the name of their newfound alliance.

This is a clash between a conservative camp that seeks to promote clear national and religious objectives on the one hand, and a political array that has mixed approaches to such matters and has become fed up with being out of power. The latter camp is willing to bend its principles in order to implement a global, multicultural policy championed by the European Union.

In Hungary, the large opposition bloc formed to unseat Prime Minister Viktor Orban has just started its second round of voting for the person who would be their nominee against him in the general elections, whose repercussions will be heard all across the EU. Orban, who heads the Christian-democratic Fidesz party that no longer caucuses with the right-wing European People's Party in the European Parliament, has served as prime minister for 15 years. He has been at the forefront of the fight to close the EU's borders to massive immigration from Muslim countries. He has managed to pass reforms that bolstered his hold on power and also enhanced the Christian and conservative character of the country by countering the Progressive influences of the European Union.

Orban is also one of Israel's best friends in the European Union, and his government has occasionally blocked the organization from adopting anti-Israeli resolutions. His challenger will be decided among three contenders who vie to lead the united opposition comprising six parties that span from the Left to the radical right-wing party Jobbik party. The polls suggest that the race between Orban and the winner in these "anyone-but-Orban" primaries will be close.

In Austria, the chancellor recently resigned over a police investigation against him and his associates over alleged "bribery for positive coverage." He was essentially forced out after it had become apparent that an "anyone-but-Kurz" bloc was in the works and could involve defectors from his own coalition: The Greens. They had threatened to partner with the opposition parties, including the populist right-wing party Freedom Party of Austria (FPO).

Just two years ago the Greens joined Kurz's coalition despite his policies against immigration and Islam, but that didn't stop the Greens from actively threatening to ditch Kurz in favor of the FPO.

Kurz, a great friend of Israel, has stepped down temporarily in order to avert the "chaos"  that would have been ensued had the "anyone-but-Kurz" bloc materialized.

Meanwhile, in the Czech general elections, a coalition of liberal and conservative-leaning pro-EU parties managed to squeak out a victory over Prime Minister Andrej Babiš' party. The main bloc of the anti-Babiš' alliance,  called SPOLU ("Together"), is led by Petr Fiala, a former minister, and professor of political science. His success over Babis, another great friend of Israel, is due to the supposed conflict of interests the incumbent has and his alleged financial improprieties. Czech President Miloš Zeman, who will have the ultimate decision over who gets to form a government, poses the only obstacle to unseating Babiš'. Zeman, who has more in common with Babiš' than with Fiala, has recently been hospitalized.

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Czech President Milos Zeman was receiving treatment in an intensive care unit on Sunday, creating uncertainty at a time when he is due to lead political talks about forming a new government after a parliamentary election took place.

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Director Miroslav Zavoral of the Central Military Hospital in Prague said Zeman, 77, was admitted due to complications related to an undisclosed chronic condition. "We know the diagnosis precisely, which allows us to target treatment," Zavoral said, adding that he did not have the president's approval to disclose details of the diagnosis.

Zavoral did not say how serious the president's condition was.

In the Czech Republic, the president leads talks with party leaders after elections to find a workable majority. Under the constitution, his authority to appoint the prime minister passes to the speaker of the lower house if the presidential position is vacated.

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Antisemitic incidents in the Czech Republic continued their rise last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the bulk of the anti-Jewish hatred being expressed online, the country's Jewish community said Wednesday.

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In its annual report, the Federation of the Jewish Communities said it registered 874 antisemitic incidents in 2020, 180 more than during the previous year.

The report, however, concluded the Czech Republic remains a safe country for Jews and that antisemitism is at a relatively low level compared with other European countries. It said there was one physical attack registered in 2020, another attack on Jewish property and six other incidents that involved antisemitic threats, harassment and verbal insults.

As the online space became even more prominent amid the coronavirus pandemic, a vast majority of the incidents – 98% -- took place on the internet. Those included conspiracy theories spread by disinformation websites, individuals and antisemitic groups blaming Jews for the pandemic and claiming that vaccination serves their financial interests.

The community's report warned that antisemitism on the internet cannot be underestimated.

"The analysis of violent antisemitic attacks and the profiles of their perpetrators confirms that a violent act is almost always preceded by the radicalization and expressions of hatred vented on the internet, especially on social media," it said.

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A total of 9,589 Israelis tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, the Health Ministry reported Tuesday. The percentage of positive results of the 127,000 tests processed stood at 7.6%.

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Since the start of the COVID epidemic in Israel, over half a million – 504,269 – inhabitants of the country have tested positive for the virus.

As of Tuesday morning, 1,759 COVID patients were hospitalized nationwide. Of these, 1,027 were listed in serious condition, including 247 patients who were on ventilators. The cumulative COVID death toll in Israel stood at 3,704.

Meanwhile, as the number of new cases climbs – due in a large part to highly contagious variants from Britain and South Africa – Israel is vaccinating as quickly as possible. As of Tuesday morning, over 1.9 million people had received the first dose of the COVID vaccine, 20.5% of the population.

The Health Ministry expects that by the end of March, 5 million Israelis will have been vaccinated against coronavirus, Dr. Orly Greenfeld, medical director of the country's vaccination campaign, told reporters in a special briefing on Monday. Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Sunday that 5 million Israelis will have received at least the first dose of a COVID vaccine by the end of March.

"Together with the recovered patients and people with [COVID] antibodies, we can reach a total of 6 million people with antibodies, which will mean we can reopen a lot of what has been closed down. We are preparing a gradual, safe reopening," Greenfeld said.

"As more vaccines arrive, we will continue on to the next target groups, and expand to people ages 55-60. Of course, also teachers and special education workers and people age 60 and over who haven't been vaccinated," Greenfeld added.

Israel's healthcare providers are preparing a push to vaccinate teachers. Forms have already been sent out to educators. In fact, not only teachers, but all employees of public schools and daycare centers, will be eligible to be vaccinated.

However, despite the progress in vaccinating the population, corona coordinator Professor Nachman Ash said Tuesday in an interview to Radio 103 FM that while he hoped Israel could end the lockdown as scheduled next Thursday (Jan. 21), if the numbers of new confirmed cases and patients in serious condition did not drop, he would recommend the lockdown be extended.

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Ash also said that he expected Israel to have vaccinated 5 million people by mid-March. "I think we'll be able to vaccinate kids 12 and over within two months. We're waiting for studies and approval from the FDA," he said.

Israel's vaccination campaign, which has won international praise, has Czech President Miloš Zeman and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to reach out to Israel for advice on how to distribute and administer vaccines to its own population, which numbers some 10.6 million, as quickly as possible.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Babiš are slated to discuss the matter in the next few days.

Also on Monday, Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer Yankelevitch, has set in motion an initiative for Israel to take responsibility for vaccinating Holocaust survivors all over the world.

Yankelevitch has instructed the Shalom Corps, an organization that works under the auspices of her ministry, to begin handling the administrative aspects of the complicated program.

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The Czech Republic announced Wednesday that it would open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem. The Czech government's decision joins a wave of similar decisions to establish embassies and diplomatic offices in Jerusalem taken by various countries over the past three months, such as Kosovo, Serbia, the Dominican Republic, and Malawi.

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Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke with his Czech counterpart, Thomas Patricek, and thanked him for Prague's decision.

"This is an important step that is indicative of the friendship between the two peoples and the recognition of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people," Ashkenazi said.

The Czech Republic is the second European Union member-state, after Hungary, to open an official mission in Jerusalem. The decision goes against EU guidelines that forbid its members from recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital in any way. The Foreign Ministry has expressed hopes that this decision will pave the way for other European countries to follow suit.

"This is a joyous occasion; the result of three years of hard work. We at the embassy have not stopped talking about this at every meeting, every conversation with President Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, MKs, and [in media] interviews," Israeli Ambassador to Prague Daniel Meron told Israel Hayom. 

"I'd like to give credit where credit is due. We are grateful to Czech President Milos Zeman and Foreign Minister Thomas Patricek, who were the main driving force behind the project," he said.

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The Czech parliament on Wednesday moved to classify the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, according to a statement from Israel's Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi hailed the move made by Israel's longtime ally and urged other countries in the European Union bloc to follow suit.

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"I call on the European Union and additional countries to recognize Hezbollah in all its forms as a terrorist organization," Ashkenazi said in the statement.

While the EU designates Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist entity, its political arm is still able to operate in most parts of the continent.

Earlier this year, arguably the bloc's most influential partner, Germany, moved to ban the group outright from its soil as it conducted raids on Hezbollah members operating in the country.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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And even though the Czech Republic's cultural attractions are due to reopen next month, with global tourism at a standstill the community is looking at ways to cut spending elsewhere to keep funding the programs for the elderly.

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 The Jewish quarter – dating back 1,000 years – has long been one of Prague's most popular destinations, with historic synagogues and one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe drawing visitors from around the globe.

The ticket revenue and rents from tenants such as restaurants fund meals, medical treatment and nursing care to the several hundred elderly members of Prague's Jewish community, many of them Holocaust survivors, such as 90-year-old Petr Brandejsky.

"I am very grateful for what the community is providing," he said in his flat where he receives food deliveries during the lockdown instead of daily lunches at a community center.

A big chunk of the group's revenue comes from the Jewish Museum. Comprising of several synagogues and the cemetery, it attracted 721,000 visitors in 2018, generating 203 million crowns ($8 million) in admission fees.

Frantisek Banyai, chairman of the Jewish community, said it was critical to keep providing services for the most vulnerable members and that the group may need to look to cut funding to other areas, such as investments and restoration projects.

"The loss of tourist revenue is substantial," said Banyai, whose community today numbers around 1,500 compared with 39,000 before the Nazis started deportations in 1941.

"You cannot shut these services, you have to keep providing them."

But even with cultural venues set to open on May 11, the closed borders and lack of foreign tourists mean the museum's outlook is uncertain, Jewish Museum Director Leo Pavlat said.

"Even after the borders open, we need to take into account the economic downfall caused by the pandemic and it is likely that tourism will be paralyzed," Pavlat told Reuters, as he walked among the thousands of headstones in the cemetery that is normally full of tourists.

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The radars, which are made by the Israel Aerospace Industries subsidiary Elta Systems, will be operational by 2023.

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The ELM-2084-type MADR radars are the detection systems for the Iron Dome batteries that Israel uses to intercept rockets fired by Palestinian terrorists.

The radars are compatible with NATO's defense systems and will be incorporated, inter alia, into the alliance's command and control systems.

"This agreement will deepen and strengthen the cooperation and relations with our Czech partners," said Brig. Gen. (ret.) Yair Kulas, head of the International Cooperation Directorate at the Defense Ministry.

He noted the deal was "an expression of confidence in the capabilities of the Israeli defense establishment and defense industries and highlights the significance of Israeli technology in the face of the threats shared by the international community. We hope to see this agreement opening the door for further cooperation with our Czech partners and with additional NATO states."

Czech Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar said in a statement that the deal "is one of the key modernization projects on behalf of the Czech Armed Forces and specifically the Air Defense branch. I am very happy that by signing the agreement, we start the process of ending our dependence on obsolete Russian machinery and at the same time, acquire modern and battle-tested systems from a long-term strategic partner, which Israel indeed is. I am also pleased with the possibilities the agreement opens to the Czech defense companies."

IAI VP and CEO of ELTA Yoav Tourgeman issued a statement saying, "We are proud and honored to supply the best combat-proven multi-mission radar to the Czech armed forces. These radars will propel forward the Czech air force capabilities and enable it to confront the most advanced aerial threats. We believe that the MADR program will pave the path to additional cooperation between the Israeli and Czech defense industries."

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Sunday's match ended with a score of 11-1 in Israel's favor.

On its way to the historic milestone, Israel played against Italy and the Czech Republic in a tournament that reached its peak over the weekend, with Israel almost eliminated Friday.

Ultimately, though, Israel managed to get a ticket to Tokyo after winning 5 out of 6 games in the tournament.

Israel is the only country so far that has managed to win a spot at the Summer Games in this field. Japan, as the host, automatically qualified.

Only five other national baseball teams will get to compete for a medal in the summer games.

The Israeli baseball squad comprises mostly American Jews who already play in leagues in the United States.

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