Esawi Frej

Defense Minister Benny Gantz (left) attends a conference in the Eshkol region, southern Israel. on July 13, 2021; Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech regarding COVID-19, at the Palestinian Authority headquarters, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on May 5, 2020. (Flash90)

December 9, 2021, 10:21 pm

Gantz could meet PA chief Abbas soon to ‘calm tensions,’ minister says

Issawi Frej indicates defense minister may travel to Ramallah to discuss strengthening PA and curbing wave of Palestinian terror attacks

By TOI staff

The abandoned Atarot Airport, north of Jerusalem, on November 25, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

December 6, 2021, 6:20 pm

Panel delays East Jerusalem Atarot airport housing project that sparked US ire

District Committee orders survey on environmental impact of new Haredi neighborhood near industrial zone, which could be lengthy process; Lapid promises non-controversial solution

By Jacob Magid and Aaron Boxerman

A vendor offers mobile phone contracts from a booth on a street in Nablus in the West Bank on November 15, 2016. (Sebi Berens/Flash90)

November 24, 2021, 2:20 pm

Daily Briefing Nov. 24 – How Israel is dialing up efforts to strengthen the PA

Arab affairs reporter Aaron Boxerman on the pledge to permit long-restricted Palestinian 4G cell service; editor David Horovitz on the rise and fall of Atarot’s Jerusalem Airport

By TOI staff

Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Frej at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on July 14, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

November 20, 2021, 5:03 pm

Minister predicts more normalization deals with Arab states next year

Regional Affairs Minister Issawi Frej says several neighboring countries ‘are waiting to sign agreements,’ with Israel in contact with almost every state in the region

By TOI staff

November 16, 2021, 12:00 am

Israel will push states to boost aid to Palestinians at donor confab, minister says

Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Frej to meet with PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh; Ramallah saw big drop in international assistance in 2021

By Aaron Boxerman

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid meeting with members of Congress in the Knesset on November 8, 2021. (Yair Lapid Twitter)

November 9, 2021, 2:56 am

Lapid meets with congressional Democrats, ending Israel’s long snub of J Street

Meeting seemingly first-ever between lawmakers on trip sponsored by dovish lobby and a senior minister, after years of Netanyahu governments boycotting group

By TOI staff

Illustrative -- In this April 6, 2013 photo, a Palestinian programmer attends a workshop in the West Bank city of Ramallah (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

November 7, 2021, 3:05 pm

In first, government approves small quota of tech work permits for Palestinians

Pilot project aims to issue documents for 500 West Bank Palestinian workers by 2024; many Palestinian tech graduates are already subcontracted to Israeli firms, entrepreneur notes

By Aaron Boxerman

Meretz MK Issawi Frej, left, speaks during a plenum session at the Knesset in Jerusalem on May 23, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

October 27, 2021, 5:04 pm

Bill to memorialize Kafr Qasim massacre toppled as Arab MKs trade accusations

Doomed Joint List proposal would have seen state take responsibility for event; Meretz minister accuses opposition party of exploiting incident to embarrass coalition’s Arabs

By Aaron Boxerman

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (C) and other ministers attend a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on October 24, 2021. (Haim Zach/GPO)

October 25, 2021, 10:47 am

Coalition increasingly split on left-right lines as budget deadline looms

Meretz decries ‘unilateral steps’ in West Bank, says they undermine government; Labor says it was left out of key decisions

By Raoul Wootliff

Sudanese Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari meets with Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll in Abu Dhabi on October 13, 2021. (Foreign Ministry)

October 13, 2021, 6:34 pm

Sudanese justice minister meets with Israeli officials in UAE

Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll and Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Frej discuss joint education, culture initiatives with Nasredeen Abdulbari

By Aaron Boxerman and Lazar Berman

Israeli police stand guard at the scene of stabbing attack in Jerusalem's Old City, September 30, 2021 (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

October 4, 2021, 9:18 am

Before meeting Meretz ministers, Abbas called parents of Palestinian attackers

Palestinian Authority leader spoke with fathers of men who tried to stab police in Jerusalem, shoot troops in West Bank; Israeli opposition pans talks in Ramallah

By TOI staff

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (center) meets with Meretz ministers Nitzan Horowitz (center-left) and Isawi Frej (center-right), on October 3, 2021 (Meretz)

October 4, 2021, 1:03 am

Meretz ministers meet with PA’s Abbas to ‘keep the two-state solution alive’

‘If we lose hope, we lose the future,’ Abbas says during meeting with Nitzan Horowitz, Isawi Frej; PA President invites all other coalition members to Ramallah

By Aaron Boxerman

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, left, and Minister for Regional Cooperation Issawi Frej, right attend a Meretz faction meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on July 12, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

September 30, 2021, 4:51 pm

Two left-wing Meretz ministers to meet with Abbas in Ramallah

Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Frej confirms he and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz will sit down with Palestinian leader next week, plays down potential impact of meeting

By TOI staff

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, on May 5, 2020. (Flash90)

September 29, 2021, 11:26 pm

Abbas said to invite left-wing Meretz ministers for talks

TV report says PA chief seeking to talk politics with Nitzan Horowitz, Issawi Frej; Bennett’s office says hasn’t been asked to okay meetings

By TOI staff

Meretz MK Issawi Frej at a party conference in Tel Aviv, on January 14, 2020. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

August 10, 2021, 6:36 pm

Minister: Israel holds direct contacts with Saudis, others in Gulf to fight Iran

Issawi Frej, the regional cooperation minister, says he hopes to see ties grow; Saudi Arabia has previously said there will be no normalization without Israeli-Palestinian peace

By TOI staff