Joshua Davidovich

Lawmakers Ayman Odeh, center right, Mossi Raz, second from right, and Ofer Cassif, right, march behind a banner reading "This is our home," in Hebrew and Arabic in Tel Aviv on Saturday, January 7, 2023. (AP/ Tsafrir Abayov)

January 24, 2023, 3:35 pm

Coalition reportedly planning bill to ease disqualification of Arabs from Knesset

Proposal by Likud MK, said agreed to by coalition heads, would expand definition of terror support to keep most Arab-led parties out of parliament, Channel 12 reports

By Joshua Davidovich

Justice Minister Yariv Levin unveils his plan for overhauling the judicial system during a press conference at the Knesset on January 4, 2023. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

January 4, 2023, 2:53 pm

Justice minister rolls out controversial plan to overhaul judiciary, shackle court

Yariv Levin unveils legislative blitz aimed at hobbling judges’ power, claiming decisions overturning government and Knesset moves are damaging democracy; opposition vows fight

By Joshua Davidovich

Minister Ron Dermer arrives at an event at the president's residence in Jerusalem, on December 29, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

December 29, 2022, 9:56 am

Despite bad blood with Democrats, Dermer said tasked as point man on Biden WH

Strategic affairs minister to also reportedly help shepherd normalization deal with Saudi Arabia; government’s first day marked by tensions with attorney general, LGBTQ protests

By Michael Bachner and Joshua Davidovich

Prime Minister Yair Lapid holds a press conference in Tel Aviv on December 22, 2022. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

December 22, 2022, 2:07 pm

‘This will end badly,’ Lapid warns as power shifts to far-right, religious coalition

Outgoing PM says weak Netanyahu and his ‘dangerous, extremist’ partners will damage army, economy, US and Diaspora ties; vows to fight from opposition; ‘Go home,’ retorts Netanyahu

By Joshua Davidovich

MK Avi Maoz, left, and Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu after signing a coalition deal on November 27, 2022. (Courtesy, Likud)

November 27, 2022, 2:24 pm

Likud inks coalition deal with far-right Noam, gives it control of ‘Jewish identity’

One-MK anti-LGBT party to also take charge of Nativ, which manages immigration from former Soviet Union, amid push by religious to cut out non-Jews with Jewish heritage

By Joshua Davidovich

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the UEFA Champions League Group H second leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Maccabi Haifa FC at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on October 25, 2022. (Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP)

October 26, 2022, 2:42 am

Lights out for Maccabi Haifa as dominant PSG clobbers Israelis 7-2

Messi and Mbappe score twice for potent Paris squad in shellacking, ending Haifa soccer squad’s long-shot hopes of advancing past the Champions League group stage for first time

By Joshua Davidovich and AFP

The expanded resort complex being built at the Dead Sea, September 2022 (Courtesy: Moshe Safdie Architects)

October 16, 2022, 9:41 am

With manmade islands and jetties, new hotel plan set to transform Dead Sea tourism

Projects in the works includes guest villas on stilts à la Maldives, spits of land reaching into the sea with a large expo dome, plus rooms along artificial inlets

By Danielle Nagler and Joshua Davidovich

Illustrative: Israel troops operate near Kfar Qaddum in the West Bank city on September 23, 2022. (Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)

September 29, 2022, 2:35 pm

US calls for probe into death of Palestinian boy, 7, during IDF operations

‘We are heartbroken by the death of an innocent child,’ says State Department deputy spokesman after Rayan Suleiman dies during Israeli search for stone throwers in West Bank town

By Joshua Davidovich

Maccabi Haifa's Surinamese midfielder Tjaronn Chery celebrates with teammates after scoring the opener during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Israel's Maccabi Haifa and France's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Sammy Ofer stadium in the city of Haifa on September 14, 2022. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP)

September 15, 2022, 3:55 am

Haifa downed by French giant PSG in Champions League after briefly taking shock lead

Maccabi loses 3-1 on goals from Messi, Mbappe and Neymar, but night still proves magical as 30,000 fans watch home team outplay powerhouse squad, at least for a little while

By Joshua Davidovich and AFP

From left, Aura Herzog, Queen Elizabeth, Chaim Herzog and Prince Edward in Britain in 1993. (Ya'acob Sa'ar/GPO)

September 8, 2022, 2:12 pm

Israeli leaders mourn Queen Elizabeth, pay homage to ‘inspirational legacy’

Lapid says Elizabeth II ‘leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of leadership,’ while Herzog notes his parents’ warm audiences with long-serving monarch

By Joshua Davidovich

Benfica's Rafa Silva, center, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League group H soccer match between Benfica and Maccabi Haifa at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. (AP/Armando Franca)

September 7, 2022, 3:10 am

Maccabi Haifa downed by Benfica 2-0 as Champions League push kicks off

Israeli team’s woes in European soccer tournament continue, with Lisbon side able to score goals in quick succession despite solid first half defense; next up: Messi and PSG

By Joshua Davidovich

Teachers and maintenance staff of the Gamla primary school in Katzrin, Golan Heights get ready for next week's school year opening on August 22, 2022. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)

August 30, 2022, 2:35 pm

Strike looms after court rejects state’s request to order teachers to work

Treasury source claims maximum offered after reports that sides still far apart on some issues, with one day to go before planned opening of school

By Joshua Davidovich

Bank of Israel chief Amir Yaron attends a press conference presenting the Israel bank's annual report in Jerusalem on March 31, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

July 4, 2022, 7:57 pm

Bank of Israel raises interest rate to 1.25% to rein in inflation

Central bank says inflation over the past 12 months reached 4.1%, with estimates showing it rising to 4.5% for 2022

By Joshua Davidovich and Ricky Ben-David

MK Gilad Kariv, left, motions as MK Itamar Ben Gvir is led out of a Knesset committee meeting on June 26, 2022. (Olivier FItoussi/Flash90)

June 27, 2022, 6:16 am

Battle lines drawn as coalition and opposition resume clash over Knesset’s fate

Government makes gains in bid to disperse parliament amid efforts by opposition to take control and install Netanyahu as prime minister, but Likud-led camp vows to keep fighting

By Carrie Keller-Lynn and Joshua Davidovich

People walk towards the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia, one of Istanbul's main tourist attractions in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Saturday, July 11, 2020. (AP/Emrah Gurel)

June 13, 2022, 2:26 pm

Report details Israelis being whisked from Istanbul as assassins awaited them

Israelis in city were called and told to leave immediately, without even gathering suitcases, after intel showing imminent danger amid Iranian attack threats, according to report

By Joshua Davidovich