The statement clarified that a criminal investigation has been launched regarding the video's publication, with potential involvement of Military Advocate General personnel being probed. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approved the chief military prosecutor's leave request, "pending clarification of additional details on the matter," the statement said.

In July 2024, the Military Police initiated an investigation into suspected abuse of a Palestinian terrorist at the Sde Teiman facility. Throughout the investigation, a video recording the soldiers' purported conduct leaked to media outlets, displaying an assault on the terrorist by five reserve soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention center. The accused soldiers rejected the suspicions, asserting they acted to control a terrorist who assaulted them and that the force they employed was proportionate. Right-wing sources argued the leak harms Israel as a moral nation.

Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the decision, saying, "Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir informed me that following a criminal investigation proceeding in the Sde Teiman recording leak matter, and examination of Military Prosecution personnel involvement in the matter, the decision was made that the chief military prosecutor would take leave. I welcome and back the decision – we're talking about a serious matter that generated a blood libel against IDF soldiers domestically and internationally, and it must be examined and investigated completely."

The attorney general's office also announced an investigation would commence, with the High Court of Justice updated on the development. "Following information obtained recently, the attorney general decided to instruct the opening of a criminal investigation concerning offenses related to publishing the video from the Sde Teiman matter. At this stage, as the investigation continues, no additional details can be disclosed."

MK Tzvi Succot reacted on X to the IDF spokesperson's announcement regarding the investigation's launch. "Amid Israel's most difficult war in history, the chief military prosecutor opted to accuse IDF fighters as though they participated in raping terrorists. The video leaked from investigation materials in the chief military prosecutor's custody, along with the groundless charges the chief military prosecutor circulated about the fighters, transformed into insane anti-Israel propaganda globally during wartime – straight to jail!"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin also commented, noting the timing with legislation passage dividing the attorney general's position. "It's no coincidence that right after passing the bills concerning legal counsel to the government in preliminary Knesset reading, we learned about the decision to authorize launching a criminal investigation in the Sde Teiman matter, and about the chief military prosecutor's leave. Appointing the Shin Bet chief and the Public Ombudsman for Judges, along with promoting legal legislation and the resolute struggle to reveal truth and apply equal enforcement, are generating historic transformation before our eyes. I'll persist fearlessly until justice is entirely achieved."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated, "The investigation concerning Sde Teiman and the chief military prosecutor's 'leave' departure represents a dramatic shift in protecting democracy from criminal behavior disguised as legal action. Everyone implicated in the matter should be held accountable, including the Attorney General herself, who initially attempted to sabotage the investigation with a deceptive High Court of Justice statement."

At Honenu, the organization defending several soldiers charged in the Sde Teiman matter, officials praised the investigation's opening regarding the video leak. The organization now weighs stopping the mediation procedure in the case and demanding indictment withdrawal against Unit 100 fighters. Attorneys Adi Keidar, Nati Rom, and Moshe Polsky described this as an essential measure, arguing the video leak aimed to tarnish the fighters' standing and harmed the IDF's and state's reputation.

Simultaneously, Honenu's lawsuit against Channel 12 News, reporter Guy Peleg, and the IDF for 2 million shekels ($564,000) in defamation damages regarding the video's publication is currently under consideration. The attorneys additionally insisted that all personnel connected to the matter's investigation be removed from their roles.

The post IDF's top lawyer steps aside after terrorist interrogation leak appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The BBC reported Wednesday morning that Cohen announced he will independently launch the ice cream as part of a personal series focused on social and political issues that the company is barred from addressing. Cohen said the flavor will be watermelon sorbet – the watermelon has emerged as a symbol of Palestinian identity in recent years because its colors match the Palestinian flag – red, white, and black.

"I'm doing what they couldn't," Cohen said in an Instagram video. "I'm making a watermelon-flavoured ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing the damage that was done there." Cohen added he is inviting the public to propose names for the ice cream and suggest mix-in ideas.

This marks another episode in the continuing confrontation between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever, which purchased the company in 2000. Disputes have flared previously over the brand's social policy, and in 2021, Ben & Jerry's announced it would cease selling its products in areas under Israeli control in the West Bank. In response, Unilever sold the local franchise to an Israeli entrepreneur, which allowed continued sales of the ice cream in Judea and Samaria.

Cohen will launch the series under the Ben's Best brand, which he created in 2016 to support Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. Cohen said the brand will address social issues that Unilever's management prevents Ben & Jerry's from engaging with publicly.

Last month, co-founder Jerry Greenfield retired from the company after decades, arguing its independence had been undermined. Cohen referenced the retirement at the time and said, "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with Unilever was breaking it." Cohen said he himself plans "to continue to work inside the company to advocate for its independence so that it can actualize the social mission, the values that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years."

The post Ben & Jerry's co-founder launches 'Palestinian watermelon sorbet' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The affair commenced in late May, when Anthony Aguilar, a former US special forces operative who served as a contractor and was dismissed from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), claimed, following his termination, that he witnessed the child being killed by IDF fire near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food distribution site. According to his account, the child – then referred to as "Amir" – arrived at the site carrying food bags, thanked him with a kiss on the hand and cheek, and ran back to his family. Aguilar recounted that shortly thereafter, chaos erupted, and following fire from the IDF, he discovered the child "dead from gunshots to the chest and leg."

His testimony was broadcast on major networks, published on MSNBC and Dialogue Works, and even transmitted directly to Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. Within a brief period, "Abboud" became a symbol against the alleged "violations" by Israel and the foundation, which were suspected of collaboration in killing Palestinian civilians.

At GHF, they identified contradictions in Aguilar's testimony, who altered the location of the incident multiple times, and decided to initiate an independent investigation at the end of July. Through interviews with locals and cross-referencing biometric data and facial photos, the organization's representatives successfully located Abboud's mother, Najla, and the child himself. Both were identified with certainty, documented on cameras playing with organization personnel, and approximately two weeks ago were transferred in a covert operation to a protected distribution site.

Last weekend, under heavy security measures, the child, his mother, and additional family members were evacuated from Gaza to a secure location. "Being outside Gaza is nice," Abboud said excitedly, as translated by an organization representative.

MY STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF GHF:

When this lie was brazenly, cravenly shared from the press to the halls of Congress, our team set out to find this little boy — whatever it took. Not to show the truth or to prove our point, but to save the kid's life. These lies endangered his… https://t.co/Z7woxgSYnw

— Rev. Johnnie Moore ن (@JohnnieM) September 4, 2025

Foundation chairman, Reverend Johnnie Moore Jr., issued a decisive statement: "We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Aboud is safe, and that this story ends in hope. That outcome was never guaranteed, and it's thanks to the courage and persistence of our team of American heroes; While this story ends happily, it could have ended in tragedy. Too many people, including in the press and civil society, were quick to spread unverified claims without asking the most basic questions."

Foundation spokesman Chapman Fay also clarified that "Abboud and his mother have been transferred to a safe place, and we believe they are on their way to a new life." Mother Najla acknowledged: "My son and I have suffered greatly, but we are grateful to God. I thank everyone who helped and stood by us."

The affair embarrassed Israel's critics, after it became clear that one of the prominent examples presented as evidence of intentional harm to civilians was based on false information. The foundation called upon the public and decision-makers to "ask themselves what other claims they heard about the organization are nothing but lies."

The incident joins a series of cases in which false accusations were disseminated about Israel during the Gaza war, and illustrates how critical fact-checking by media outlets is before disseminating information, especially when human lives are involved.

The post Gaza child reportedly killed by Israeli forces found alive, safe appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The 49-year-old Zubeidi ranks as the highest-profile Palestinian terrorist freed in the hostage exchange that secured Israeli hostages' release during Gaza's temporary ceasefire this year. Throughout the early 2000s, he commanded Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades operations affiliated with Fatah, orchestrating attacks that killed Israeli civilians while Palestinians celebrated him as a resistance hero.

Though he abandoned terrorism years later to co-establish a theater, Israeli authorities arrested him again in 2019 for violating amnesty terms. During his incarceration, he reinforced his reputation by escaping through a hand-dug tunnel in 2021, though Israeli security forces recaptured him within days.

In his New York Times interview, Zubeidi acknowledged that his career as a terrorist commander and theater director accomplished nothing toward Palestinian statehood goals. None of these approaches succeeded, he admitted, and they may never achieve their intended objectives. "We have to reconsider our tools," Zubeidi stated during the interview. "We founded a theater, and we tried cultural resistance — what did that do? We tried the rifle, we tried shooting. There's no solution," he said.

As a young terrorist, Zubeidi possessed clearer objectives and determination to attack Israel. Following failed peace negotiations in the early 2000s, he joined Jenin's terror cells, believing violence would achieve Palestinian statehood. As protests evolved into the armed second intifada uprising, Zubeidi joined the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's terror wing in Jenin, rapidly ascending to command positions.

Palestinian terrorists killed approximately 1,000 Israelis during the five-year intifada through suicide bombings and shooting attacks on buses, nightclubs, hotels, and cafes. While Zubeidi denies direct involvement in murders, Israeli authorities accused him of ordering multiple deadly attacks, including a shooting at political party offices that killed several people. Prosecutors charged him with 24 terror-related offenses, primarily involving violence, though no verdict was reached before his release.

"His release is dangerous," Bella Avraham, whose husband died in that attack, told Israeli media after Zubeidi's February release. "I expect the state to hunt him down until his last day."

Over time, Zubeidi adopted different approaches to opposing Israel. When Israeli and Palestinian leaders attempted to restore calm, Israel offered 2007 amnesty to hundreds of terrorists, including Zubeidi, conditional on abandoning weapons.

Zubeidi accepted the deal, telling reporters then that the intifada had failed. He shifted focus to a theater he had recently co-founded with a leftist Israeli actor and Swedish activist. The Freedom Theater in Jenin organized drama workshops for local youth; however, Zubeidi maintained that ending Israeli control remained his ultimate goal. He didn't intend to replace armed terrorism but rather to provide it with intellectual and cultural support.

"The media said Zakaria moved from armed struggle to cultural struggle," Zubeidi told the newspaper, referring to himself in third person. "But it's not about being one thing or another," he added. "How did I open the theater door? I broke it with my rifle."

Regarding his prison escape, the Palestinian terrorist told The New York Times it ultimately achieved little and led to harsher conditions for Palestinian prisoners, with him being placed in solitary confinement. He stated that the intifada failed to dislodge Israel, while the Palestinian Authority, the semiautonomous body cooperating with Israel to administer West Bank Palestinian cities, has also failed to achieve statehood through peaceful approaches. Zubeidi blamed Israel for the impasse. "There is no peaceful solution and there is no military solution," he said. "Why? Because the Israelis don't want to give us anything." He added, "It's impossible to uproot us from here. And we don't have any tools to uproot them."

The post Infamous Palestinian terrorist admits 'there is no peaceful solution' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Social media erupted first with furious posts. "Remove this symbol of death from here," Senator Ivan Moreira Barros, representing the Los Lagos region where Puerto Montt serves as capital, declared on X. He also addressed Chilean President Gabriel Boric directly, stating "You support Palestinian rights in the face of genocide, so make sure this happens."

Following the digital campaign came physical action. Unidentified vandals sprayed the menorah with red paint, scrawled "murderers" across it in bold letters and damaged its foundation.

Only a handful confronted this cowardly vandalism and blatant antisemitism. The nation's Jewish community filed protests while Israeli Ambassador to Chile Gil Artzyeli issued condemnation statements targeting Moreira Barros and other politicians participating in the incitement campaign – yet among Chilean politicians, virtually only Rodrigo Wainraihgt, Puerto Montt's mayor elected merely two months prior, openly opposed these manifestations of hatred and bigotry.

"I clearly supported Jews' right to celebrate Hanukkah peacefully and quietly, which is why I sharply criticized this act and those responsible for it," Wainraihgt told Israel Hayom during his current visit to Israel as part of a Latin American mayors' delegation that also attended the "Muniexpo 2025" local government conference.

Following the menorah vandalism episode, leftist forces in his city and nation have branded Wainraihgt an "Israel supporter," labeling him "pro-Zionist," "genocide supporter," "friend of the Jews" and worse. "I'm neither pro-Israeli nor pro-Palestinian," he stated. "I consider myself neutral. Unlike others, I listen to both sides before forming opinions about a country I don't truly know and a problem where I lack expertise. This is precisely why I wanted to come here and witness reality firsthand."

Wainraihgt faced intense criticism for his decision to tour Israel (he was the sole Chilean accepting the invitation), yet he remains undeterred. "There were numerous personal attacks from various people on social media, but I'm acting for my city's benefit and my people's welfare. For this purpose I remain courageous and unmoved by those who merely sit on the sidelines and criticize."

In 2025 Chile, even neutrality constitutes taking sides. Under Boric's populist leftist leadership, the nation has embraced aggressive anti-Israel policies. In early June, the president announced withdrawing the country's military attachés from Israel, considering military import suspensions, supporting legal proceedings against Israel in The Hague, backing arms embargoes and banning imports from Judea and Samaria. Previously, he recalled Chile's ambassador from Israel, effectively reducing diplomatic relations between the nations to near-complete suspension.

"The president repeatedly claims there's 'genocide' in Gaza while ignoring Hamas's actions, a murderous terror organization seeking not only Israel's elimination but the entire Western world's destruction," Wainraihgt, a Renovación Nacional (National Renewal) party member from Chile's center-Right, expressed regarding Boric. "He ignores the murders, rapes and Israeli suffering. Through his statements and actions he severely damaged relations between two countries that previously maintained very friendly ties based on extensive technological, military and academic cooperation."

"I hope our next president will restore Chile-Israel relations," Wainraihgt stated. The country anticipates general elections in November 2025. Constitutional restrictions prevent Boric from seeking another term, while his support ratings have plummeted following progressive social and economic policies. The Gaza war won't dominate the presidential campaign, yet regardless of the next president's identity, Israel will likely remain a target of government criticism.

A primary factor is Chile's Palestinian minority's political influence, numbering approximately 500,000 people (from roughly 20 million nationally) – the highest Palestinian concentration outside the Arab world. This large, vocal and assertive minority significantly impacts the young South American democracy's internal politics.

Major Chilean cities have witnessed numerous turbulent anti-Israel demonstrations, both before October 7 and especially following the Hamas massacre. Anti-Israel rhetoric is extreme, aggressive and deliberately conflates "Israel," "Zionism," "Jews," "imperialism," "occupation," "genocide" and other code words that Latin America's extreme left frequently employs to inflame emotions.

The Palestino soccer club from the country's premier league exemplifies this phenomenon, transforming every match into a public anti-Israel display, including featuring a "liberated Palestine" map on players' jerseys – replacing the number 1.

The combination of Palestinian lobby activities with Marxist and anti-American ideology that has consistently flourished in Chile, both before and after Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, created an explosive mixture making Boric's administration the continent's most extreme symbol of anti-Israeli policy.

"The Palestinian community contains an extreme minority wanting to drag us into confrontation with Israel," Wainraihgt acknowledged. "But we cannot permit this. We must not abandon dialogue and joint efforts. I hope post-election Chile will renew good relations with Israel, which are important and stronger than any single president's politics."

Wainraihgt described how alongside his visit's human dimension, including touring the Nova memorial site and kibbutzim severely damaged on October 7 ("As a father of three children, my emotions were overwhelming. I witnessed bloodstains where they murdered a father before his children's eyes and heard testimonies about the horrific acts innocent young people endured who simply wanted to dance"), his primary objective involves establishing connections with Israeli companies and organizations to help his city advance technologically.

"We have much to learn from Israel," he said. "You possess extensive knowledge, tools and experience in technological and innovative initiatives that transformed and improved your economy and society. This inspires admiration. Puerto Montt and the Los Lagos region host major industries like salmon exports, but we want to advance other important sectors too, requiring us to embrace innovation concepts, advanced academic research and current technology. Without these elements we cannot truly progress."

"I believe shared interests can bridge any dispute," he added. "From the Israeli side I observed tremendous willingness to help and cooperate, despite the problematic situation between our governments. I'm departing with an extensive list of contacts and experts who offered assistance – this alone provides reason for optimism. If state-level problems exist, then local government and citizen levels can restore relations. This approach can repair what was nearly broken – and I hope during my next visit here, peace will return, the world will address extreme groups like Hamas, and genuine coexistence will emerge. Until then, I hope my city advances and Chile returns to normalcy."

The post Chilean mayor defies most anti-Israel South American nation to visit Israel appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Yet this longing for normalcy emboldened not peace-seekers, but rather our Palestinian attackers. It signaled to them that we sovereign Jews may be compelled to surrender entirely. And as our attackers made it clear that Israel giving them land would not lead to peace, many Israelis abandoned the Left's approach. They now sought to spare themselves and their loved ones from what they had come to deem a dangerous delusion.

Having detached itself from the imperative of self-preservation, the Israeli Left became marginalized. But while much of its voter pool evaporated, its desperate longing for normalcy did not. The only thing that changed was how the Left came to frame its longing.

Before, the Left framed its longing as our only chance to achieve peace. After peace processes blew up in our faces, the Left repackaged its longing as our only chance at democracy. A dire warning over our essence replaced the failed promise of peace. Irrespective of peace, they argue, if we rule over millions of non-citizens, we forgo our status as a democracy.

Over the years, mainstream Israel learned to ignore the marginal Left on the topic of peace. The vast majority of Palestinians made this quite easy. They made it clear that they would not supply peace in return for concessions. But today, mainstream Israelis cannot afford to ignore the Left's repackaged longing for normalcy. Even a Left without political teeth can encourage foreign liberal audiences, who long for normalcy no less, to pressure Israel from the outside.

When former member of Knesset Yair Golan tells The Guardian that he is "not sure whether Israel right now is truly a democratic state… [because] the Right today in Israel is people who think we can annex millions of Palestinians," we should not dismiss this as Left-wingers venting to each other. Rather, we must confront such words head-on.

If a peaceful person is attacked with violence, does defending themselves mean they are no longer peaceful? Of course not. They maintain the label 'peaceful' because they are peaceful when given the chance to be. The same reasoning applies to a country that strives to be democratic. Such a country does not lose its democratic status when it rules over people who seek to destroy it.

The Jews whom Zionism made sovereign are overwhelmingly committed to democratic principles. We accepted the United Nations Partition Plan, which would have created two new countries from land that was under interim British rule. Partition would have preserved everyone's homes and would not have stymied anyone's democratic rights.

It was never implemented because opponents of Jewish sovereignty rejected it. They considered any Jewish sovereignty in their midst to be an affront to their own sense of dominance. So, under the banner of 'Palestine,' they waged a fateful struggle against such sovereignty. Far from accepting partition, proponents of this struggle promised a war of annihilation, and to this day, they try to eliminate Israel. They insist that they will kick, scream, stab, and shoot ("by any means necessary") until someone pacifies their rage by forcing the Jews to surrender.

When people attack Israel, it is right and wise for Israel to defend itself adequately, including through military rule. That Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip do not constitute an independent country is not an inevitable undemocratic feature of Israel's existence. It is rather the outcome of others' rage over Israel's existence.

Israel need not enfranchise those who seek to destroy it and kill its people. If certain individuals or groups cannot tolerate Jews being sovereign in their homeland, that should be their own problem. It is not on Jews or on anyone else to placate them. The moral onus is on those who are kicking and screaming and stabbing and shooting to stop. Adequate self-defense is good and right, and makes one responsible, not undemocratic.

People, countries, and world orders that insist unconditionally on normalcy in the name of liberalism will lose to illiberal attackers. If liberalism is to survive against illiberal attackers, it has to be willing to be abnormal when pushed against a wall.

Josh Warhit runs Warhit Media Services. He made aliyah from the United States in 2012 and served in the Nahal Brigade (infantry) in the Israel Defense Forces.

The post The danger of longing for normalcy appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Border Patrol agents in the San Diego sector recently detained three Palestinian migrants suspected of having ties to terrorist organizations after they crossed the southern border illegally, according to sources cited by the New York Post. The incident has reignited debates about border security and the vetting of individuals entering the United States.

One of the detained migrants reportedly had concerning images on their phone, including a picture of a masked individual holding an AK-47 rifle, federal law enforcement sources told the New York Post. Additionally, a Turkish migrant suspected of terror group connections was apprehended in the same operation.

The group was part of a larger contingent of migrants who surrendered to border agents in the San Diego sector. Following their detention, the suspects were transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force now investigating their cases.

The incident highlights growing concerns about potential security threats entering the US through the southern border, particularly in the San Diego area. Border Patrol agents, speaking anonymously to the New York Post, expressed frustration with their limited ability to thoroughly vet incoming migrants.

"Knowing who these guys are, we have, like, no access to anything international. Like, we really don't and it kind of sucks," one agent said. "I wanted to get into Border Patrol and protect from terrorists. And it's like, well, I probably let terrorists in the country."

The apprehensions occurred shortly after the Biden administration implemented new policies restricting asylum requests. However, these policies contain significant loopholes, particularly in the San Diego area, where migrants from over 100 countries that do not accept deportees are exempt from the restrictions.

The exemption has led to an influx of migrants from diverse regions, including countries known for ISIS recruitment, according to the New York Post report. While the overall flow of migrants has slowed due to the new restrictions and summer heat, border agents remain concerned about potential terrorists entering illegally and those already released due to lack of international information sharing.

The Department of Homeland Security is currently attempting to locate 50 migrants who entered the US with assistance from an ISIS-linked smuggling organization, as reported by the New York Post.

Federal data shows a significant increase in the number of individuals on terror watchlists apprehended at the southern border in recent years. Between fiscal years 2017 and 2020, 26 such individuals were caught. This number rose to 98 in fiscal year 2022 and 169 in fiscal year 2023.

The post 3 Palestinian terror suspects detained after crossing US border illegally appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to disrupt a baseball game in Baltimore, sparking a heated reaction from other fans in the stands. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding the war against the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip and its impact on public events in the United States.

NOW: Pro-Palestine Sociopaths Disrupt Baltimore Orioles Game

WATCH: They Get the Proper Reaction from the Fans

Follow @ShirionOrg to Stay Informed.

@claytraingaming
@EzraDrissman

Go @Orioles pic.twitter.com/sX20rGtjgW

— Shirion Collective (@ShirionOrg) June 27, 2024

Several demonstrators tried to interrupt the game, but their efforts were met with angry responses from other spectators in the stands.

Videos circulating on social media show the protesters holding Palestinian flags and chanting "Free Palestine."

The reaction from other fans was swift and forceful. Spectators can be heard shouting "Get out of here" and more explicit expletives at the demonstrators.

While freedom of expression is a protected right in the US, disrupting sporting events or other public gatherings is often met with resistance from both organizers and attendees who prefer to keep politics separate from entertainment.

The post WATCH: Pro-Palestinian protesters booed from stadium for interrupting Baltimore game appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz has slammed Spain's prime minister after his Socialist-led government suffered a defeat in the European Parliament election, suggesting it was "punishment" for his recognition of a Palestinian state and anti-Israel efforts at the International Court of Justice.

The people of Spain have punished Pedro Sanchez and Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz for "embracing Hamas murderers and rapists," which "doesn't pay off," Katz wrote on X, with an AI-generated image of the two lawmakers covered in eggs attached.

The Spanish people have punished @sanchezcastejon and @Yolanda_Diaz_ coalition with a resounding defeat in the elections.

It turns out that embracing Hamas murderers and rapists doesn't pay off.@NunezFeijoo @Santi_ABASCAL pic.twitter.com/zqTXVhar6Q

— ישראל כ"ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 10, 2024

Spain's Center-Right People's Party came out on top in Sunday's election, garnering 22 seats out of the 61 allocated to the country – dealing a blow to the prime minister. Sanchez' Socialists earned 20 seats after a campaign in which the opposition honed in on private corruption allegations against his wife and an amnesty law for Catalan pro-independence leaders passed just one week before the election. Far-right Vox, whose leader criticized Sánchez over Palestinian state recognition, finished third with six lawmakers, up from the four it had in the previous legislature.

Spain has faced a host of controversies since the Palestinian state recognition, including its own diplomats stationed in Israel refusing to move to work in Ramallah, the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, due to concerns about "quality of life and security."

The post Israel mocks Spanish PM after 'embracing Hamas rapists' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Lybian Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush has been suspended over a meeting held last week in Rome with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

While some reports said Mangoush was being investigated, during which time she would be placed on "administrative suspension," others stated she left the country on a private jet hours after the suspension and headed to Turkey.

Video: Foreign Minister Eli Cohen meets with NYC mayor Eric Adams

Libya's Foreign Ministry said that "what happened in Rome was a chance and unofficial encounter that did not involve any discussion, agreement or consultation." Mangoush "refused to meet with any party" representing Israel, while stressing "in a clear and unambiguous manner Libya's position regarding the Palestinian cause."

Libyan Presidential Council leader Mohammed Menfi said the meeting between Mangoush and Cohen did "not reflect the foreign policy of the Libyan state," and is "a violation of Libyan laws that criminalize normalization with the Zionist entity."

Cohen's office, on the other hand, hailed the talks as the "first step in the relationship between Israel and Libya."

The news brought protesters out into the streets against Israel and in solidarity with the Palestinians.

The meeting was hosted by Antonio Taiani, Italy's foreign minister. Cohen said the meeting was part of his government's efforts to expand "the circle of peace and normalization of Israel."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Libyan FM suspended, flees after meeting with Israeli minister appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.