From the UAE’s perspective, the purpose of the Abrahamic Accords is to provide a robust strategic foundation to foster peace and prosperity with the State of Israel and in the wider region. The UAE will not be a part in any internal electioneering in Israel, now or ever.
— د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) March 17, 2021
However, Israel’s premier denied that a trip had been planned for this week, telling local media: “I’m not going to Abu Dhabi before the election. It’s spin. I don’t know who spread it.”
Since the announcement of the Abraham Accords, which marked peace and normalization between the Gulf state and Israel in August, Netanyahu has postponed four planned visits to the UAE. Two of the postponements were the result of COVID-19 lockdowns, while another was because Bin Zayed had a scheduling conflict.
Last week, the trip was put off due to Jordan’s failure to authorize the flight path. The last-second development came amid a diplomatic imbroglio with the kingdom, triggered by the cancellation of the Jordanian crown prince’s proposed visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem after a dispute over security arrangements.
In the past year, Israel normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. Several countries are thought to be considering following suit, including Niger, Mauritania and Indonesia. Relatedly, Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that he expects Israel to make peace with four more countries in the region.
In breach of the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers, the country has started enriching uranium at its underground Natanz plant with a second type of advanced centrifuge, the IR-4, the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency revealed in a report published on Tuesday.
Last year, the Islamic Republic started moving clusters of different advanced models from an above-ground plant at Natanz to the below-ground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP). It is enriching uranium there with IR-2m centrifuges. However, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – more commonly known as the Iran Deal – only allows Tehran to enrich at the FEP with first-generation IR-1 machines.
Regional tensions continue to escalate, as Tehran has repeatedly violated the terms of the JCPOA ahead of possible talks with Washington. In February, the Biden Administration announced that it had agreed to meet with Iran and the countries that are part of the deal. If the Islamic Republic returns to compliance, Biden is also in favor of lifting sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, after it pulled the US out of the deal in 2018.
In an attempt to reduce tensions, Israeli security officials this week recommended that the government work to de-escalate a stand-off with Iran in which both sides have accused each other of recently attacking merchant ships. IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi also supports calming the situation. He is accompanying President Reuven Rivlin this week on a short trip to Germany, France, and Austria, where they will meet with the presidents of those countries to discuss Iran’s nuclear program and regional security issues.
Honoring the State of Israel in the sky. As we came in to land at Vienna, two fighters of the Austrian Air Force escorted our plane 🇦🇹🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/mWYBSp26wE
— Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) March 17, 2021
For the first time in months, the number of seriously ill Israelis suffering from COVID-19 dropped below 600, the Health Ministry announced. The latest statistics show that 586 members of the public are considered to be in serious condition. The ministry added that the number of coronavirus cases currently stands at 26,324, the lowest since late December.
The country’s success in battling the pandemic has led to a dramatic rollback in health restrictions, with most commercial businesses being open to the public. However, the Health Ministry will retain the authority to cancel a specific flight if it is believed to endanger public health.
In addition, holders of so-called “Green Passports” are now allowed to enjoy leisure activities such as cultural and sports events, as well as go to gyms and stay at hotels. Green Passport holders are individuals who have either received two injections of the Pfizer vaccine or who have recovered from the contagion.
At least 5.2 million Israelis have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while nearly 4.3 million have received both jabs.
Scientists from Haifa’s Technion university are preparing to launch three nanosatellites into space that will circle around the earth every 90 minutes. The shoebox-sized space crafts will use a total of just 1 gram of fuel per day.
The trio of satellites will leave earth on Saturday aboard a Russian rocket launched from Kazakhstan. Four hours after takeoff, they will be released 50 kilometers (30 miles) above the earth’s surface on a three-year mission. The nanosatellites will test whether they, instead of a single large satellite, can be used to monitor signals from emergency locator beacons used by ships, planes, explorers, and hikers.
Three weeks ago, researchers from Tel Aviv University launched the first nanosatellite developed by an Israeli university into space. The small craft, named TAU-SAT1, will now be joined by the three fuel-efficient satellites.
“The rocket carrying the satellites will launch from Kazakhstan,” Pini Gurfil, the mastermind behind the operation, said, adding that “some 80 years ago my father and his parents were deported from the USSR by Stalin to Kazakhstan — like others — just because they were rich Jews.”
“My grandmother died there in Kazakhstan of hunger and was buried, and now we’re launching an Israeli satellite from the same ground. So this is emotional for me, and symbolic on a national level for the Jewish state. In a way, it feels like healing from history,” Gurfil reflected.
For the second year in a row, the March of the Living will not take place in Poland and Israel but online. Participants will be able to join the largest annual international Holocaust education program from their homes, wherever they may be.
The Virtual March will be led by Holocaust survivors, President Reuven Rivlin, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Jewish Agency chairman Isaac Herzog, and former Israeli chief rabbi Israel Meir Lau.
To promote the event, participants were filmed by using innovative 3D filming technology, so it appears as if they are actually walking along the traditional marching route: the 3.2-kilometer (2 miles) path from Auschwitz to Birkenau:
As a tribute to healthcare workers who risked their lives to help those in need during the Holocaust – as well as those currently combatting the pandemic – the World Health Organization and other medical organizations will join the event.
Among the notable medical experts who will take part is Israel’s Coronavirus Commissioner, Prof. Nachman Ash.
The Virtual March will air on Thursday, April 8 at 8 AM EST (3 PM Israel time). It will be followed immediately by an online memorial ceremony with the first torch of remembrance to be lit by President Rivlin.
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