Middle East

Enough vaccine supplies, Israel no longer wants AstraZeneca delivery

Editorial Bureau April 21, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel’s pandemic coordinator has informed that the country no longer wants AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and is exploring with the company whether a big shipment in the pipeline could be sent elsewhere. “We are trying to find the best solution.

Middle East

Israel registers Indian coronavirus variant, sees some vaccine efficacy against it

Editorial Bureau April 20, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL): Israel has registered eight cases of COVID-19 variant first identified in India. Israeli health official said that they believe the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is at least partially effective against it. An initial seven cases of the Indian variant were detected in Israel last week among people arriving from abroad and who have since undergone […]

Middle East

Israel leaves outdoor COVID mask order

Editorial Bureau April 19, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israelis went about barefaced on Sunday after the order to wear masks outdoors was cancelled in another step towards walking back to normality thanks to the country’s mass-vaccination against COVID-19. With about 81% of citizens or residents over 16 – the age group eligible for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Israel – having […]

Middle East

Israelis do not have to wear outdoor coronavirus masks anymore

Editorial Bureau April 18, 2021

JERUSALEM – In the latest addition to the measures that ensure Israel’s return to relatively normal condition, the mandatory rule of wearing face masks outdoors has been withdrawn. Boosted by a mass-vaccination campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools have also reopened. With almost 54% of its 9.3 million population having received both shots of […]

Middle East

UAE, Israel to establish quarantine-free travel corridor

Editorial Bureau March 10, 2021

DUBAI (UAE) – In order to boost bilateral exchange following a normalisation deal, United Arab Emirates and Israel’s governments have entered formal talks to establish a quarantine-free travel corridor between the two countries In order The travel corridor, which will apply to passengers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, will help facilitate travel for

Middle East

Israel witnesses reopening of restaurants on March 9 as vaccination drive continues

Editorial Bureau February 14, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel plans to reopen restaurants around March 9 as part of its journey to be back to normality as a COVID-19 vaccination campaign gains momentum, an official said on Sunday. More than 41% of Israelis have received at least one shot of Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, Israel aims to reopen hotels and gyms […]

Middle East

Israel foresees six-month Iran nuclear breakout, longer than what Blinken projected

Editorial Bureau February 2, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel’s energy minister said on Tuesday it would take Iran around six months to produce enough fissile material for a single nuclear weapon, a timeline almost twice as long as that anticipated by a senior member of the Biden administration. Israel is wary of the Biden administration’s intent to reenter the 2015 […]

Middle East

Israel’s top general says its military is reviving operational plans against Iran

Editorial Bureau January 27, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel’s top general said on Tuesday that its military was reviving its operational plans against Iran. He added that any means of US making a return to a 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran would be “wrong.” The remarks are an apparent signal to US President Joe Biden to tread cautiously in any […]

Middle East

Israel to ban passenger flights, in a move to curb COVID-19 spread

Editorial Bureau January 24, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel on Sunday decided to ban incoming and outgoing passenger flights from Monday at 22:00GMT until the end of January in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 and new coronavirus strains, Israel’s Haaretz news website reported.

Middle East

Israel approves use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine

Editorial Bureau January 5, 2021

JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel’s health ministry has given approval for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by US drugmaker Moderna Inc, the company and an Israeli official said. With this authorisation, it would be marking the vaccine’s third regulatory authorisation and the first outside North America. Moderna said in a statement on Monday, “Ministry of