An Iranian activist who called for the resignation of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was sentenced to 18 years in prison, according to Radio Free Europe. Fatemeh Sepehri, a vocal critic of Khamenei, was handed down the jail term this week, according to her brother Asghar Sepehri, who tweeted that his sister had told him

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has told MPs that the UK has not engaged with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and has “no current plans to do so”, the Jewish Chronicle reported on Friday. According to the report, in a letter to MPs published on Thursday by the Council for Arab-British Understanding, Cleverly wrote,

US first lady Jill Biden gave one of the clearest indications yet that President Joe Biden will run for a second term, telling The Associated Press in an exclusive interview on Friday that there”s “pretty much” nothing left to do but figure out the time and place for the announcement. “He says he”s not done,”

Demonstrators hold up signs with slogans such as ‘death to the dictator’ in capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, which has been a focal point of recent unrest

At press conference marking year since invasion, Ukrainian leader says he recognizes Israel’s ‘complex’ situation vis-a-vis Russia, cites improvement in Kyiv’s ties with Jerusalem

New York”s Division of Human Rights (DHR) has launched an investigation with far reaching implications into whether the CUNY law faculty is guilty of discrimination against Jews for passing a pro-BDS resolution in 2022. The probe, which was described by the agency as an “active investigation,” was confirmed to Kingsborough Community College professor Jeffrey Lax,

Mossad chief David Barnea permitted Mossad service members to participate in demonstrations against the judicial reform, provided they meet certain conditions, Channel 12 News revealed on Friday. According to the report, Barnea held a consultation on the issue attended by legal advisors who examined the issue and, based on the law and civil service regulations,

Intel agency’s chief David Barnea said to give okay to lower-ranking employees to join demonstrations; Netanyahu says he wants ‘to punch’ protesters, compares them to anti-vaxxers

An emergency summit will be held in Jordan on Sunday, ahead of the Ramadan holiday and in an attempt to stop the escalation between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, Kan 11 News reported on Friday. According to the report, the summit was initiated by the United States, Jordan and Egypt – and will include Palestinian

In a Republican primary matchup between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, DeSantis wins by 24 points in a hypothetical field of nine candidates, a new poll found. The Wednesday WPA Intelligence survey revealed that 40 percent of GOP primary voters across the country favour DeSantis to be the party”s nominee for

Special counsel Jack Smith has asked a federal judge to compel the testimony of former US Vice President Mike Pence before a federal grand jury investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News on Friday. The motion to compel was filed in D.C. District Court on Friday and comes

Belgian MP Dries Van Langenhove, who stepped down in early February after controversy surrounded his connection to far-right chat groups, will be tried for Holocaust denial, according to the Brussels Times. Van Langenhove, who represented the Flemish far-right Vlaams Belang party, will stand trial before the Correctional Court for Holocaust denial, announced the prosecutor”s office

State TV says Tehran expected to ship ‘radars and defense missiles’ to its ally in Damascus; White House warns Russia may supply fighter jets to Iran as their security ties grow

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday expressed hope that Israel would choose Ukraine”s side in his country”s war against Russia. Speaking at a press conference marking one year since the start of the war, Zelenskyy said in response to a question from an i24NEWS correspondent, “For a while, during the war, I wanted to get

The US Treasury Department announced on Friday to mark the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine that it would implement “one of its most significant sanctions actions to date” on parties supporting Russia”s war effort. The far reaching sanctions will reportedly target the Russian metal and mining sector, its financial institutions, its military supply

Interior Ministry backs off effort to gain control of the reserve, which it argued would lead to improved synchronization between the fund and local authorities

Military says dozens taking part in riot, adds troops responding with tear gas and live fire in some cases to disperse crowd

Tourism minister boycotts vote over plan to end VAT tax exemption for tourists; PM’s plan for free education for kids under 3 not included, but ministers commit to advancing it

Avi Berkowitz, who helped broker Abraham Accords, marries Gabrielle Posner at Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, one of three houses of worship at new interfaith compound in Abu Dhabi

After visiting Moroccan airbase, Tomer Bar says the two air forces will ‘strengthen partnerships,’ hold joint air exercises

Iran is making preparations to shutter the British embassy in Tehran as a retaliatory move over the revelation that it was plotting to target Jews and Iranian anti-regime activists in the UK with assassination squads, the Jewish Chronicle reported. At a private London meeting with ambassadors from Gulf nations, Iran also said it would place

German lawmakers are warning that the number of attendees at neo-Nazi rallies in the country has doubled since 2022, Zeit reported. The Bundestag found that right-wing extremist groups were able to secure a massive number of new recruits in the last year, with the report noting that numbers at demonstrations have more than doubled. According

Israel National News’ Israel desk is stopping its round-the-clock news updates at this time in honor of the Sabbath. Jerusalem candle lighting time is 16:53 on Friday. Israel National News’ North American desk will continue to keep you informed until just before candle lighting time in New York at 17:23 EST. The time posted automatically

A group of white supremacists gathered in front of a Chabad house in Orlando, Florida during services last Friday night, harassing congregants, including elderly Jews. According to the StopAntisemitism NGO, the Goyim Defense League hate group, led by Jon Minadeo II, were filmed shouting hateful slurs at Jews in front of the Orlando synagogue. The

Proposal would let government appoint library’s Board of Trustees, with reported aim of pushing out rector who was formerly involved in preparing graft charges against Netanyahu

After pleading guilty to ethnic intimidation for plastering Hitler stickers on the Asbell Center for Jewish Life at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania shortly before Hanukkah in December 2021, a New York man has been fined $500, put on probation for one year, ordered to stay away from the center and the campus, and must attend

G-d instructed our ancestors to construct a Golden ark topped by two golden cherubs. Only several months earlier, the Jews were severely punished for fashioning a golden idol. When G-d finally invited them to build a real home for Him as a sign of His forgiveness for the golden calf, He instructed them to fashion

“Leaders,” writes Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in The Home We Build Together, “do not do the work on behalf of the people. They teach people how to do the work themselves.” These words offer an important perspective on this week”s sedra reading, Teruma, and the Torah portions that follow until the end of Exodus. To understand

The Torah reading of Terumah begins the section dealing with building the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and making the priestly clothes. These chapters are among the few in which the Torah places great emphasis on external beauty &mdash art, craftsmanship, and aesthetics.  Of particular interest is the protagonist of this unique construction: the master craftsman, Betzalel.

A delegation of nine Democratic Senators, led by Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides, visited and prayed at the Western Wall. The delegation was greeted by the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch. The rabbi explained the history and holiness of the site

For many years, it has been buffeted by questions of identity and role in the post-Cold War era and vacillations between expansion, partnerships, and building new missions such as counterterrorism and counter-extremism. Now, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is once again at the center of world affairs in the Ukraine crisis. NATO Secretary General

Brothers from an upper-class family survived with serious illness for years, and one underwent the radical procedure of trephination more than 3,500 years ago, discovery reveals

The US’ co-sponsorship of an anti-Israel UN Security Council Statement reflects the return of the State Department’s worldview to the center stage of US foreign policy-making. This was the first time, in six years, that the US enabled the UN Security Council to act against Israel. This is not merely a worldview, which is highly

Warsaw, one of its beleaguered eastern neighbor’s staunchest allies, makes announcement on anniversary of Russian invasion

The first post on Rivky Hertzel”s Instagram account &mdash which she and her husband signed up for last year ahead of a planned move to Zambia &mdash depicts a classic Chabad activity: a mock matzah bake for children that the couple organized in Lusaka, the country”s capital, ahead of last Passover. But like many Instagram

Israel’s oldest art and design school moves to downtown location, in bid to connect to capital’s diverse population

Israel’s government has approved a state budget through the year of 2024. The budget was voted on in a Cabinet meeting held today. Tourism Minister Haim Katz boycotted the meeting in protest against the amount allotted to his ministry. The Ministry of National Security received an additional 9 billion shekels. The Ministry of Heritage received

Responding to petition from lawmakers affiliated with Council for Arab-British Understanding, James Cleverly says ‘no current plans’ to engage with far-right minister

Alon Ushpiz says Israel will no longer be able to claim shield of independent judiciary to protect it from scrutiny of International Court of Justice

The Government of Israel has been ordered to formulate and submit to the High Court of Justice by April 2 its plan for demolishing and evacuating the illegal Bedouin encampment of Khan al-Ahmar – compliance with which could have serious international repercussions and jeopardize negotiations begun on January 24 to create the Hashemite Kingdom of

Over 100 servicepeople in Military Intelligence’s Special Operations Division, including several senior officers, say government plans risk ‘erasure of Israeli democracy’

Settlers celebrate decision to legalize nine unauthorized outposts, say it formalizes longstanding cooperation with government to expand settlement

Military says troops entered al-Aroub refugee camp to chase suspects who had hurled stones at Israeli motorists on nearby highway

A member of the European Parliament was turned around at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Tuesday and sent back to her native Spain after attempting to enter Israel on a diplomatic mission to the Palestinian Authority. Israeli officials cited the fact that the politician Ana Miranda, who represents the Galicia region, participated in

Sounding defiant tone as morning breaks on day of commemorations, Zelensky congratulates compatriots on resilience in Europe’s deadliest war since WWII

While waiting for the L train at Union Square one Sunday earlier this month, a commuter named Liz spotted something &mdash or rather someone &mdash whose doings had bedeviled her and a few other New Yorkers for more than a year: A white man, wearing a leather jacket and a black hoodie, scrawling a neo-Nazi

Zionist youth group joins growing number of US Jewish organizations voicing alarm over plan’s possible impact on checks and balances, minority rights

Education Minister Kisch said to advance proposal to take away independence of library, allow the government to appoint management

The Yesh Atid party would become the largest faction in the Knesset if new elections were held today, according to a new poll released Friday. The poll, conducted by Panels Politics, was published by Ma”ariv Friday morning and shows the ruling Likud party falling six seats, from 32 mandates in last November”s election to just

Accusations of ‘incitement’ by school administration follow Education Ministry warning to teachers to refrain from voicing political opinions in class