Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced Thursday evening that he refused the request of Arab families from the Palestinian Authority to enter Israel for the purpose of participating in the "Joint Remembrance Day Ceremony" held by Jewish and Arab families together.
Read more: Gallant Bans Palestinians From Entering Israel For Joint 'Memorial Day' Ceremony
A massive defense export deal worth about 1.4 billion NIS was signed between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Greek Ministry of Defense. In the deal, it was agreed on the purchase of 'Spike' missiles manufactured by Rafael, a military manufacturing company established by the Israeli government as their defense research and development arm. This deal comes as another major defensive equipment deal was signed between Israel and Finland, who most recently joined NATO.
Read more: European Union Member Greece Buys Rafael's Multi Platform "Spike" Missiles
Following the directive of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, commando soldiers from various elite Israel Defense Forces units were seen patrolling the streets of Tel Aviv along with Israeli Police officers. At the same time, an exchange of fire broke out Monday morning in one of the refugee camps in Nablus, after the Israeli security forces arrested four wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria. During the operation, an IDF officer and soldier were slightly injured by shrapnel.
Read more: Amid Heightened Security Alert, IDF Soldiers Helping Police Patrol Tel Aviv
In recent days, Israel's Federal Security Service known by its Hebrew acronym "Shin Bet" along with the Jerusalem Police are investigating the suspicion that some of the rioters who barricaded themselves in the Al-Aqsa Mosque last week brought homemade bombs along with the fireworks that were widely visible on the videos. Security sources defined the investigation, which so far has not been allowed to be fully published, as "complicated and complex".
Read more: Israeli Security Investigating Whether Pipe Bombs Were Brought Into Al Aqsa
A barrage of rockets launched Thursday afternoon into Israel from Lebanon during the first day of Passover was the heaviest seen on the northern border since 2006, during the Second Israeli-Lebanese war. The IDF informed the press that a total of 34 rockets were fired in the general direction of Israel for about half an hour. Of these, 25 were intercepted by Israeli Iron Dome systems, and five exploded in Israeli territory. The condition of the four more has not yet been clarified.
Read more: Israel Sees Largest Barrage Of Rockets From Lebanon Since 2006
