The officer was pulled into the crowd and knocked to the ground, according to Berlin police spokesperson Florian Naat, who spoke to the German news agencies. Emergency responders administered initial treatment, including the use of a defibrillator, before rushing the officer to a hospital in serious condition. Several other officers sustained injuries, with at least one diagnosed with a broken hand. Approximately 30 protesters were detained during the clashes.

Alexander Throm (56), a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and spokesperson for internal affairs in the Bundestag, condemned the attackers as "pro-Palestinian thugs" and demanded their expulsion if they are foreign nationals. In an interview with Bild, Throm stated, "Police officers represent our state. Those who attack them express contempt for our country. Foreigners who do so jeopardize their right to remain in Germany."

Eine Gruppe Polizisten läuft in die Nakba-Day-Demo in Berlin hinein – schubsend, prügelnd, um sich schlagend. Ganz vorne mit dabei: Polizist BE24111. Schwere Verletzungen erhaltend, laut Polizeibericht. Doch die Bilder zeigen etwas anderes. #nakba77 #b1505pic.twitter.com/V2SYk3Vrgs

— kater hofmann (@KaterHofmann) May 18, 2025

Throm referenced the coalition agreement that formed the current government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, noting that it mandates permanent deportation for crimes carrying prison sentences or those motivated by antisemitism. "This means revoking residency rights – no ifs, no buts," he said. He added that the CDU and Social Democratic Party (SPD) have agreed to impose harsher penalties for assaults on police and emergency personnel, emphasizing, "We must finally respond to such criminals with the full force of the law and unwavering resolve."

Witnesses reported hearing chants during the protest such as "Israel, child murderer," "Yalla, yalla intifada," and "From the river to the sea." Protesters also hurled cans, bottles, and other objects at police, with some officers sprayed with red paint.

Felix Klein (57), Germany's federal commissioner for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism, joined the calls for action. "The massive antisemitic incitement, the creation of an extremely violent atmosphere, and the displays of force in public spaces by so-called 'pro-Palestinian' groups constitute an unacceptable abuse of fundamental democratic rights, which I condemn in the strongest terms," Klein said.

He continued, "This antisemitic incitement helps no one in the Gaza Strip and harms the legitimate concerns of Palestinians. The perpetrators must now be swiftly identified and held accountable."

The incident has intensified debates over public safety and immigration policies in Germany, with the coalition vowing to crack down on violence and hate speech at demonstrations.

The post Violent 'Nakba Day' clashes in Berlin spark deportation calls appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Meretz lawmaker Esawi Frej said Tuesday that Israel has to negotiate with Hamas directly, sans mediator.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter 

Speaking with Tel Aviv-based 103FM Radio, Frej, who serves as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's regional cooperation minister, questioned the need for mediators when dealing with the terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip, saying Israel should handle the issue by itself.

As a matter of policy, Israel does not negotiate with terrorists and any talks with Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, or Hezbollah are conducted through mediators. Egypt has spearheaded any negotiations with Hamas for years, while Israel is usually assisted by an EU member-state when dealing with Hezbollah.

"The PLO was a terrorist group and [its leader Yasser] Arafat was an archterrorist. And [Benjamin] Netanyahu and [Ehud] Barak and [Yitzhak] Rabin all met with him and reached deals," Frej contended.

"Why do we need mediators to talk to Hamas? We should be talking to them directly, not through third-parties," he said.

Asked about potential fresh hostilities vis-à-vis the terrorist groups in Gaza, the minister said, "This ritual we started from 2005 until now – [terror] tunnels, missiles, demonstrations, balloons, wars, civilians being killed, the suffering and anguish of residents – this ritual keeps repeating itself.

"Unless we have the courage to think outside the box on how to resolve things, we are doomed to repeat them."

Finding a way to afford relief to Gaza, which is plagued by a dire economic crisis, "is also the right thing to do. Try to strike peace – that's also one way to go."

He noted that Meretz "has every confidence that the IDF knows how to handle" Hamas border riots – a tool the terrorist group said it would employ to pressure Israel to concede to its demands in the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire talks.

He further sent his wishes for a speedy recovery for Border Police officer Barel Hadaria Shmueli, 21,  who was critically injured on Saturday during a border riot.

Asked if the IDF should eliminate the terrorism who shot Shmueli, Frej said," I say as a Meretz member – we trust the IDF whose job it is to defend. Every soldier must defend himself, and every fighter has orders that he receives according to the situation" on the ground.

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

The post 'Israel doesn't need mediators to negotiate with Hamas,' Meretz MK contends appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Israeli authorities charged Thursday Spanish woman Juana Ruiz Sanchez under the country's anti-terrorism laws, accusing her of funneling large sums of donations from European governments to a banned Palestinian terrorist organization.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Sanchez's indictment was the culmination of a more than year-long investigation into financing for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The group is regarded by Israel, the United States, Canada, and European Union as a terrorist organization.

Sanchez, who is married to a Palestinian, has worked for Health Work Committees, a Palestinian organization that provides medical services in the territory.

She was indicted on Israeli terrorism-financing offenses and other charges. The HWC's senior accountant, former accountant and former purchasing department manager were expected to be charged with similar offenses in the coming days, according to the Shin Bet.

Sanchez, 62, had been held by Israeli authorities under administrative detention since her arrest at her home near Bethlehem on April 13.

Spain's Foreign Ministry, which has provided her with consular assistance, said it would continue talking to Israeli authorities to improve detention conditions for Sanchez. The ministry also said Spain has controls to prevent aid money from reaching military groups.

"We are open to examine any information that our partners want to share with us," it said.

Sanchez's hearing is scheduled for Monday. In the meantime, she remains in jail. She denies all the charges.

The Shin Bet began investigating the PFLP's finances following an August 2019 attack when terrorists detonated an explosive device and killed 17-year-old Rina Shnerb, and wounded her brother and father, an Israeli official said.

The investigation found at least seven Palestinian charities had funneled tens of millions of euros donated by European governments and organizations for humanitarian purposes to PFLP coffers.

The Israeli official said the probe found that the HWC, along with other aid organizations, including the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and Addameer, "act under PFLP leadership and in accordance with the organization's directives, as a cover for promoting the PFLP's activities and funding."

The Health Works Committees did not respond to requests for comment and PFLP representatives declined comment.

The Foreign Ministry has called on European governments to step up oversight of donations to Palestinian organizations to ensure they don't wind up funding groups outlawed by the EU.

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

The post Israel charges Spanish woman with aiding terrorist group appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The first round of direct talks between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran signaled a possible de-escalation following years of animosity that often spilled into neighboring countries and at least one still-raging war. But few expect quick results.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The talks, hosted by Iraq earlier this month, were confirmed Tuesday to The Associated Press by an Iraqi and a Western official in Baghdad.

They came as the Biden administration paves the way for re-opening diplomatic channels in the region. Saudi Arabia is recalibrating its regional position after losing an unflinching supporter in President Joe Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump. Iran, meanwhile, has calculated that a gradual detente with Riyadh, a long-time US ally, will work in its favor during renewed nuclear talks with Washington and world powers.

Saudi Arabia has sought talks with Iran as the kingdom tries to end its years-long war in Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. In recent months, the Houthis have increasingly launched missiles and bomb-laden drones at the kingdom, targeting crucial sites and oil infrastructure. Ending that war could be a bargaining chip for the Iranians as they seek sanctions relief from nuclear talks in Vienna.

The hosting of Saudi-Iran talks is also a significant step for Iraq, which has ties with both the US and Iran and has often borne the brunt of Saudi-Iran rivalry.

A senior Iraqi official said recent trips by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to Riyadh and the United Arab Emirates have been key in bringing Iranian and Saudi interlocutors to the table.

Details of the initial meeting, first reported by The Financial Times, have been sparse. The thorny subject of the Yemen war figured prominently, the Iraqi official said. The Saudi-Iran rivalry has played out on multiple fronts, mostly in Yemen, as well as in Iraq and Lebanon – both home to powerful Iran-backed militias. A breakthrough in Iran-Saudi talks could have far-reaching repercussions in those countries and across the region.

It was not clear how much progress, if any, was made in the talks, but the Western diplomat suggested there will be more meetings. The pro-Iran Lebanese newspaper, al-Akhbar, said a new round of talks would be held in Baghdad next week, following a "very positive" first meeting.

"My understanding is that these talks will be ongoing and mediated by Baghdad," the diplomat said. Both the diplomat and Iraqi official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the secretive contacts with the media. They declined to elaborate, saying they wanted to give Iraqi mediation efforts a chance to succeed.

Neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia have offered official confirmation that the talks took place, though Iranian officials have alluded to them, and welcomed them.

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

The post Headed toward peace? Iran and Saudi Arabia hold talks appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The French government bears "significant" responsibility for "enabling a foreseeable genocide," a report commissioned by the Rwandan government concludes about France's role in the horror during which an estimated 800,000 people were slaughtered in 1994.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The report comes amid efforts by Rwanda to document the role of French authorities before, during, and after the genocide, part of the steps taken by France's President Emmanuel Macron to improve relations with the central African country.

The 600-page report says that France "did nothing to stop" the massacres in April and May 1994, and in the years after the genocide tried to cover up its role and even offered protection to some perpetrators.

The report concludes that in years leading up to the genocide, former French President Francois Mitterrand and his administration had knowledge of preparations for the massacres, yet kept supporting the government of then-Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana despite the "warning signs."

The post Rwanda report blames France for 'enabling' 1994 genocide appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein warned Tuesday that the ongoing rise in corona morbidity might force the government to impose a third lockdown, saying, "There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a third outbreak. We wasted precious time and morbidity rates leave no choice but to declare a lockdown."

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter 

The Health Ministry said Tuesday that 3,594 Israelis tested positive for coronavirus over the past 24 hours, with 4.2% of tests returning positive.

Israel has recorded 380,095 coronavirus cases since the pandemic erupted in mid-March, including 3,111 deaths. Some 349,356 Israelis have recovered from the disease.

The Health Ministry has been warning that public flouting of social distancing and quarantine directives is one of the causes for the spike in infection rates.

On Tuesday, Head of Public Health Services Dr. Sharon Elrai-Price told the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee that two-thirds of Israelis do not observe home-isolation properly.

"The main threat to the public at this time is that about 66% [of those ordered] do not observe self-isolation."

Commenting on the new COVID-19 mutation discovered in the UK, she said, "We have to be very careful when a new agent that could threatens public health is introduced – we see a 70% spike in infection where it was found.

"There is no indication at this time that the mutation has arrived in Israel," she stressed, adding the Health Ministry was closely monitoring the situation.

On Monday, Edelstein said that 10 vaccination centers will begin operating in Israel's periphery areas by the end of the week.

"The residents of Kiryat Gat and Safed deserve to receive a vaccination no less than the residents of Tel Aviv and Herzliya," he asserted.

The ministry plans to open immunization centers in Nahariya, Kiryat Gat, Karmiel, Eilat, Dimona, Arad, Safed, Kiryat Shmona, Shfaram and Sderot.

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

The post 66% of Israelis flout self-isolation directives, health official says appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and President Reuven Rivlin discussed their "strong commitment to seeing justice" in the case of the former principal, Malka Leifer, during a meeting at Parliament House, officials said.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

An opposition lawmaker said Rivlin had offered to personally intervene in the case if progress is not made in court this week.

Leifer has been fighting extradition from Israel for six years and the legal wrangle to bring her before an Australian court has caused a diplomatic strain between the allies.

Rivlin has been criticized for declining an invitation to meet three of the alleged victims during his visit this week to the Australian city of Melbourne, where Leifer was the principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school until 2008.

Lawmaker Josh Burns, who represents an electorate where the three alleged victims – sisters Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper – live, said he raised their plight when Rivlin held a meeting with senior opposition lawmakers.

The Associated Press does not usually identify alleged victims of sexual abuse, but the siblings have spoken publicly about their allegations.

"I was pleased that President Rivlin advised me that if hearings scheduled this week do not see this matter progress towards Malka Leifer being extradited to Australia, he will personally meet with the Chief Justice of Israel to discuss how this matter can be expedited," Burns said in a statement, referring to President of the Supreme Court of Israel Esther Hayut.

"This matter has dragged on far too long. These victims deserve justice and I will continue to fight until Malka Leifer is back in Australia facing trial," Burns added.

Rivlin's office did not immediately respond to a request for details of any undertakings regarding the case he had given during his visit to Australia.

Erlich wrote in a letter to Rivlin through the Israeli Embassy in Australia after the president declined to meet the siblings, "We did not wish to ask you to interfere with the judicial process, only that you use your authority to ensure this case ends in a timely manner."

"Sadly, the president has underestimated the importance of this case to the Jewish and wider Australian community and the supportive encouragement that such a meeting would produce," she added.

Manny Waks, Melbourne-based chief executive of Kol v'Oz, a Jewish organization that combats child sex abuse, said it was "regrettable" that the president could not find time to meet the sisters while in Melbourne.

"It seems President Rivlin has his priorities wrong on this trip," Waks told The Australian newspaper.

Neither Morrison nor Rivlin mentioned the case during brief public comments they made in Canberra, Australia's capital, before their bilateral meeting.

Morrison praised the "stridency of the judiciary" in Israel as one of the "great principles and values that underpin freedom" for which Israel stands.

On Leifer, Rivlin told Australian Jewish News in a recent interview that he was "confident that Israel does not allow those who have committed crimes to avoid justice."

"I understand how painful and difficult the case of Malka Leifer is for the Australian Jewish community and for Australians generally," he said.

"The professional opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the State Prosecutor's Office is that the extradition should be carried out as soon as possible and are doing everything possible to expedite it," Rivlin added.

Australia requested Leifer's extradition in 2014 on 74 charges of child sex abuse and more than 60 Israeli court hearings have followed.

The Jerusalem District Court last month granted Leifer's attorneys' request to review a psychiatrists' ruling that she is fit to stand trial for extradition.

Burns, the opposition lawmaker, and government lawmaker Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, introduced a motion in Parliament earlier this month demanding Israel immediately extradite Leifer.

A date for a vote on the motion has yet to be set, but it is expected to be carried with the major parties' support.

The post Rivlin backs speedy extradition for Australian alleged sex offender appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The IDF said the sites in Khan Younis belonged to Hamas, the Islamic terrorist group ruling the territory, and included weapons manufacturing and intelligence-gathering facilities.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

There were no reports of injuries from the airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip.

Blaming Hamas, the IDF said it considers "any kind of terror activity with great severity and will continue operating as necessary against attempts to harm [Israeli] civilians."

Palestinian terrorist groups resumed launching flammable balloons and balloons fixed with explosive devices on Israel recently and Hamas said it's encouraging the shootings, charging Israel of not honoring an unofficial truce meant to improve the economy in Gaza.

In trying to bolster the Egyptian and UN-mediated truce, Hamas halted the regular weekly riots along the Israel-Gaza border fence last month.

Earlier this week, a senior Hamas official said that the balloons were a signal to Israel to accelerate the informal "understandings" meant to ease the blockade on Gaza.

The official, Khalil al-Hayya, said the balloons are being launched by disgruntled individuals, not Hamas. But he said his group was "satisfied" with the launches and is ready to send more "if the occupation doesn't pick up the message."

Al-Hayya said Hamas expects Israel to allow in more medical supplies, unlimited trade between Gaza and the world, help create more jobs and extend Qatari payments for electricity and poor families.

Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade when Hamas, viewed as a terrorist organization by the US and most of the West, rose to power in a violent takeover in 2007.

The post IDF hits Hamas sites in Gaza in response to incendiary balloons appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The comments come after an agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to fend off an assault launched by Turkey on northeastern Syria last week.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

 US Vice President Mike Pence met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey on Thursday on a mission to persuade him to halt an offensive against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria, but Turkish officials said the action would continue regardless.

The assault has created a new humanitarian crisis in Syria with 200,000 civilians taking flight, a security alert over thousands of Islamic State fighters abandoned in Kurdish jails, and a political maelstrom at home for President Donald Trump.

Trump has been accused of abandoning Kurdish-led fighters, Washington's main partners in the battle to dismantle Islamic State's self-declared caliphate in Syria, by withdrawing troops from the border as Ankara launched its offensive on Oct. 9.

Trump defended his move on Wednesday as "strategically brilliant." He said he thought Pence and Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan would have a successful meeting, but warned of sanctions and tariffs that "will be devastating to Turkey's economy" otherwise.

The White House released a letter from Trump to Erdoğan from Oct. 9 that said: "Don't be a tough guy" and "Don't be a fool!" Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk said Turkey had rejected Trump's appeal to reach a deal to avoid conflict and the letter was "thrown in the trash".

A Turkish official told Reuters: "The letter Trump sent did not have the impact he expected in Turkey because it had nothing to take seriously.

"What is clear is that Turkey does not want a terrorist organization on its border and the operation will not stop because of the reaction that has been coming."

The post Syria warns Turkey it will use 'all legitimate means' against invasion appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Rivlin on Wednesday evening tapped Netanyahu, giving him 28 days to try to cobble together a governing coalition without a clear path to a majority. But Netanyahu has failed to muster enough votes to swear in a government through a confidence vote, due to the hung parliament that emerged from the Sept. 17 election.

The apparent decision to hand back the mandate means that Rivlin would have to assign someone else to form a government, most likely Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, although he too is unlikely to form a government.

The only path that could produce a governing coalition involves a unity government involving Likud and Blue and White, but the gaps are as wide as ever.

Under a unity deal, Netanyahu and Gantz would serve as prime ministers on a rotating basis. On Friday, the two parties, which received almost the same number of seats in the Sept. 17 election, failed to reach a breakthrough in their negotiations.

If Rivlin taps Gantz to form a government and he too fails to assemble a coalition, this could result in another general election, unless the Knesset selects another MK that could get a confidence vote and gets the president's blessing.

Upon receiving the task to form the next gov't @netanyahu said:
"If I don't succeed, I will return the mandate to you and with the help of G-D and Israel's citizens, and yourself Mr. President, we will establish a broad national unity government down the line." pic.twitter.com/xpmRKR5OIH

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) September 26, 2019

Blue and White accused Likud of refusing to move past its preconditions of heading the coalition with Netanyahu at the helm. Blue and White has long insisted that any unity government would have to result in Netanyahu leaving his job because of his pending indictments. This means that progress is unlikely unless one of the parties makes a dramatic concession.

Rivlin has proposed a unity government that would see equal power divided between the two parties, including a rotational deal that splits the four-year term between the parties' leaders, with Netanyahu keeping the title of prime minister but having no actual authority.

Yet Blue and White in recent days has repeatedly reiterated its position not to be part of a government headed by someone who is facing a possible indictment.

This article was originally published by i24NEWS

The post Netanyahu considering handing back presidential mandate to Rivlin appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.