Israel News

1996, showing a joint command and control coordination not seen before.

China has refused all contact with Taiwan’s government since shortly after the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Tsai was overwhelmingly reelected in 2020.

Japan: Drink More Alcohol

With alcohol sales in Japan taking a nosedive during the coronavirus crisis, the Japanese government is trying out some unconventional methods for reviving the drinking industry. The National Tax Agency recently announced a nationwide contest for the best business ideas to put alcohol back on the map.

The campaign, dubbed “Saka Viva!” is asking young people aged 20 to 39 to come up with innovative plans for revitalizing the industry. Some ideas put forth by the Agency are promoting consumption with the help of artificial intelligence and the metaverse.

While some expect excessive drinking to be frowned upon (alcohol consumption is considered as one of the leading causes of death in the Western world), alcohol sales have dropped so much in Japan that the country is trying to revive the industry. One of the leading reasons for the massive decline is the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought multiple lockdowns to Japan. Since drinking is known as a social activity, local revenues fell by $800 million in 2020 alone, marking the largest decrease in alcohol tax revenues since 1989, according to the Japan Times.

But many in Japan aren’t taking too kindly to the idea, especially with the image of the “drunk salary man” making the rounds on social media prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. While some have criticized the government’s initiative for encouraging an unhealthy lifestyle, others have asked why they learned of the campaign from foreign media – and not a local source.

The “problem” is compounded when you look at Japan’s drinking statistics. A recent OECD study found that the Land of the Rising Sun ranks 38 out of 49 countries surveyed when it comes to drinking. In comparison, the U.S. comes in at No. 22, with 9.3 liters per capita. The minimum age for selling alcohol is 20, one of the highest across all OECD nations.

Palestinians OKed for Flying

The first flight from an Israeli airport carrying dozens of Palestinians to Cyprus took off from Ramon International Airport in southern Israel on Monday. Israel’s Arkia Airlines operated the flight.

COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for governing civil affairs in Judea and Samaria, said it was working on instating direct flights for Palestinian residents to Turkey, Dubai, and possibly Sharm el-Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula. Contrary to previous reports, however, Turkey is not currently a destination for flights from Ramon Airport.

Amir Assi, a strategic consultant working with the Arab sector, said 43 residents of the West Bank cities of Bethlehem, Jericho, Ramallah and Nablus were flown from Israel to Larnaca, Cyprus.

“They will be driven in chartered local buses to the Armistice Line that serves as a temporary border with Israel until the completion of formal peace negotiations. After a security check, they will be transferred to an Israeli bus that will take them to Ramon Airport, a drive of about two and a half hours,” he was quoted as saying.

It appears that in addition to the regular security inspection upon returning to Israel, Palestinian travelers will undergo an additional check similar to the routine security checks undertaken by all passengers flying worldwide.

They will be free to move around the terminal, enjoying all airport facilities until the plane takes off.

Despite reports of Palestinian Authority officials contacting passengers to

Fatal Fall

Rescue workers in Indonesia, assisted by Magnus, an Israel organization operating in the country, said they have recovered the body of Israeli mountain climber Boaz Ben-Anan of Tel Aviv. Ben-Anan’s body will be returned to Israel for burial despite a lack of diplomatic ties between the countries and Indonesia’s leader’s outspoken criticism of the Jewish State.

“The rescue efforts were carried out while dealing with difficult, mountainous terrain and extreme weather conditions,” the group was quoted as saying.

Indonesia, which is home to the largest population of Muslims around the world, has defended Palestinian efforts to create an independent state, while repeating anti-Semitic tropes common in the Muslim world. Ben-Anan had entered the country on a Portuguese passport, as Israel does not have ties with Indonesia.

Officials said Ben-Anan, 37, died after reaching a height of approximately 3,760 meters while climbing Mt. Rinjani, before apparently falling into a 150-meter-deep crevice. His body was recovered three days after the fatal fall.

Russia Holds Off on Closing of Jewish Agency

Russian media has reported that a local court has postponed the Kremlin’s decision on the closing of the Jewish Agency in the hopes of reaching an agreement with Israel before steps are taken to shutter the organization.

During the hearing on Friday, Jewish Agency lawyers asked the judge for additional time to gather new evidence that could prove that it hadn’t violated any laws. According to reports, officials also said the agency had already taken steps to change its policy in accordance with requests by government officials.

Despite the court overthrowing a request by the defense team to move the trial to a direct mediation process with the Russian government, the agency’s lawyer said he still hopes to move the proceedings outside of the court system.

“I hope things work out, but it’s out of our control,” attorney Andrei Grishayev said outside the courthouse.

In late June, Russia warned the Agency of its intentions to close down its operations in the country due to claims it was urging prominent Jewish residents to move to Israel as a result of the war in Ukraine.

Though Israeli officials initially saw Russia’s moves against the Jewish Agency as a diplomatic maneuver aimed at putting pressure on Jerusalem, they now consider it part of a broader Russian crackdown on all civil society. In recent years, Moscow has forced a number of international organizations to shut down or severely curtail their operations in the country.

Last week, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog spoke to Russia’s President Putin, with the two promising to continue discussing the issue.

Prime Minister Lapid has warned that banning the Jewish Agency would be “a grave event” with “consequences” for bilateral ties between the two countries, before appearing to tone down his comments and voicing optimism that the issue could be decided within the frameworks of diplomatic dialogue.

Flying Over Saudi Airspace

This week, a historic flight flew over Saudi airspace. This was the first time an Israeli commercial flight flew over Saudi airspace to a non-Gulf destination. The flight, from Ben Gurion to the Republic of Seychelles, departed after midnight on Tuesday, with the new route shortening the duration of the flight by 20 minutes.

In a statement ahead of the flight,