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Monday, September 25, 2023

09/25 Links: The ‘Antisemitism Month’ of Arab Leaders; Canadian Speaker apologizes for honouring man who fought for Nazis; Israelis to fly visa-free to the United States

From Ian:

Israelis to fly visa-free to the United States, FM Cohen says
The United States is expected to announce this week that Israelis will no longer require a paper visa to enter the country but will be able to fly to America with a discounted electronic permit, the Foreign Ministry announced Monday night.

“This is great news for all Israeli citizens,” said Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. “Within a few weeks, Israelis will be able to visit the United States without the need for a long wait for a visa from the US Embassy.”

Instead, Israelis with biometric passports will be able to secure a visa within 72 hours of submitting their online request. Visas will be valid for up to 90 days.

Implementation of the decision is expected to take place in a few weeks, though practically, it will likely begin in November. A new "diplomatic achievement"

“Israel’s inclusion in the visa waiver program is a diplomatic achievement,” Cohen continued. “The visa waiver will contribute to the economy in general and tourism in particular, reducing bureaucracy and costs.

“I would like to thank US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State, my friend Antony Blinken, for their support and leadership in granting visa waivers to Israelis, and especially to outgoing US Ambassador Tom Nides for leading the project here in Israel,” the foreign minister continued. “I would like to especially thank the consular department of the Foreign Ministry who worked diligently in recent months to achieve this joyful outcome.”

The electronic form, priced at $21, is accessible to all Israeli citizens. To apply, individuals must complete the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) questionnaire through the US border authorities. This form is in English and encompasses essential biographical data, including name, date of birth, and passport particulars.
Why Israel-ASEAN ties matter
The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is a political and economic union consisting of 10 nations in Asia. Like the European Union (EU), the different nations have varying policies and laws and so does their relationship with Israel. Nevertheless most of them do have a good relationship with Israel and yet there is additional roadway to pave in terms of future cooperation.

ASEAN emerged in 1967 when 5 nations - Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore came forth together with the goal to foster trade ties and maintain peace with their neighbours in the Cold War era. Today, the bloc has doubled in size and comprises 10 nations that are a mix of governments ranging from monarchies, communist states and democracies. It has over 600 million people along with a very diverse linguistic and religious landscape.

Of all the ASEAN nations Singapore and Philippines probably have the best relationship with Israel. Singapore is a highly developed first world nation. During the early years of Singaporean independence, they sought assistance from Israel to build up their own army that has also instituted conscription.

In 1947, the Philippines was notably the only Asian nation among the 33 others that voted in favour of the resolution for the establishment of the state of Israel. Decades later, ties remain strong and The Philippines has 30-50 000 foreign workers in Israel and many work as caregivers for the elderly. Then president Rodrigo Duterte visited Israeli in 2018. The most traded commodity going both ways is electronics. In addition, the Singaporean and Philippines militaries both use Israeli military equipment

Most ASEAN nations do not have heavy involvement in the Israel-Palestine Arab conflict and seem to maintain a more neutral stance.
The ‘Antisemitism Month’ of Arab Leaders
There is another significant difference between antisemitism in the West and outside it that further explains the Abbas and Saeid outbursts. In the West, much of the time, antisemitism is a feature of disgruntled social movements that go through troughs and peaks in terms of their popularity, but whose grasp on power is fleeting; rarely do they win a sustained engagement with genuine political power. But in the Middle East, antisemitism emanates from the corridors of power, walking hand in hand with corruption, political repression, torture, racism and other reprehensible features of authoritarian rule.

Indeed, Abbas’s response to the group of Palestinian intellectuals and influencers who publicly objected to his latest verbal assault on the Holocaust is a perfect example of this tendency. No matter that this group forthrightly condemned Israeli “occupation” and “apartheid” in its statement, thereby repeating antisemitic tropes about Israel even as they condemned antisemitism. They had the temerity to confront Abbas, the Palestinian caudillo, over his crude, cringeworthy antisemitism, and were therefore worthy of denunciation as the “shame of the nation.” Mark as well how Abbas’s antics perfectly fit the approach of Arab dictators towards the Jewish state; when you are unpopular and when your disapproval ratings are at an eye-watering 73%, as are his, point the finger at the real culprits.

Saeid, meanwhile, operates with a similar logic. A conservative legal scholar who came to power in 2019 and has stalled Tunisia’s hesitant progress towards democracy ever since, his remarks about the floods in Libya—the fruit of Storm “Daniel,” a Jewish name that was chosen, said Saeid, because “the Zionist movement has infiltrated our minds”—are the second occasion this year that he has expressed antisemitic sentiment. On the first occasion, back in May, he told a meeting of Tunisia’s National Security Council that a deadly gun attack upon worshippers at a historic synagogue on the island of Djerba was not motivated by antisemitism. Mocking those “who talk about antisemitism when we are in the 21st century,” Saeid accused those who raised the issue of antisemitism of wanting “to sow division to benefit from this discourse.” The following day, in defiance of the actual historical record, he doubled down by pointing to supposed Jewish ingratitude, insisting that the Jews of Tunisia who survived the 1942-43 Nazi occupation did so because of the goodwill of their neighbors and not because the Allied armies trounced the Germans in North Africa.

As well as being an antisemite, Saeid is also a racist who has whipped up feelings against black migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa. In a speech in February, he claimed that “hordes of irregular migrants” had come to Tunisia “with all the violence, crime and unacceptable practices that entails.” He argued that this was an “unnatural” situation, part of a criminal plan designed to “change the demographic make-up” and turn Tunisia into “just another African country that doesn’t belong to the Arab and Islamic nations anymore.” Following this rant, angry mobs attacked African migrants in several cities, while the police detained up to 1,000, deporting many of them.

This Islamist and Arabist form of supremacism—with its disdain for Africa’s black majority population and its barely concealed loathing of Jews—is no less threatening than any other form of bigotry. As long as it is left unchecked and unchallenged, we can anticipate many more “Antisemitism Months” from Arab and Muslim national leaders.




Seth Frantzman: Abraham Accords opened Israel to the Middle East's 'most dynamic trading hub'
The third anniversary of the Abraham Accords has come at a time when a lot of media coverage has focused on the possibility of progress in Israel and Saudi Arabia ties. This could potentially be very important.

On another level, the Accords have also led to a lot of opportunities for Israeli companies in the Gulf.

Recently, The Jerusalem Post spoke with Dorian Barak, an investor and entrepreneur resident in Israel and the UAE. He is the president and co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council.

Dorian Barak: Abraham Accords have far exceeded their expectations
“Looking back three years, the Accords have far exceeded their expectations from a commercial perspective. We have about $3 billion dollars in annual bilateral trade between Israel and the UAE. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t count all the services, tourism and other non-goods trade that is being conducted in, with and through the UAE - not just with Emiratis, but with trading partners from across the Middle East, South Asia and beyond. In total, this far exceeds $3 billion, and the UAE-Israel Business Council forecasts this to exceed $5 billion by the end of 2025.”

This is very important. “That is the unspoken and unseen progress of the Abraham Accords. Israelis have been welcomed in the region’s most dynamic trading hub.” A lot of companies from places like India and even countries Israel doesn’t have diplomatic relations with are doing business in the UAE.

“There is a tremendous amount of third-country trade that takes place through the UAE, making use of the country’s excellent infrastructure, logistics and transportation links. That’s what makes the UAE such a convenient business hub,” Barak says.

He says that “trade between Israel and the region has been normalized we are seeing a blossoming of commercial ties; both with countries Israel had relations with, such as Egypt and Jordan, and with new markets as well where there are no official relations. The stigma has been taken away, in large part, and many people from these countries now feel comfortable engaging with Israelis.”

There is a lot of new discussion about economic ideas that can knit the Middle East into a trading corridor that stretches from India via the Middle East to Europe. This concept was discussed at the G20. But is it realistic? “In terms of something that inspires the imagination, it is a brilliant idea. I have difficulty seeing how it becomes concrete in the short or medium term. Not just because it passes through so many countries, but also because the infrastructure implications of this are so enormous,” Barak says.
Seth Frantzman: Abraham Accords Anniversary: A wave of business for the new Middle East
The Abraham Accords anniversary this month has increasing importance because of the focus on the next phases that may take place in the region. An important expert in the United Arab Emirates who has always been a keen observer of the Accords is Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).

The DMCC is a “unique combination of Free Zone status, state of the art commercial and residential property and top-tier commodities and financial services,” the organization notes on its website. The ‘Post’ has interviewed Ahmed Bin Sulayem in the past and we took the anniversary as an opportunity to look back and forward at the importance of the Accords.

“The Abraham Accords marked a turning point in our region's history, setting the stage for transformative opportunities across sectors,” he says, discussing his assessment after three years. “In Dubai, the influx of Israeli companies across diverse sectors and scales reflects a promising trend.

Given the synergies between the UAE and Israel markets, the blossoming bilateral business collaborations are entirely foreseeable. The Accords have underscored the potential that emerges when nations unite around a shared vision, catalyzing positive transformation. As we enter the fourth year of this remarkable journey, I believe we have only seen the beginning.”

He also says the Abraham Accords also unleashed a wave of business opportunities, positioning the UAE as a gateway for Israeli enterprises to access global markets. “Dubai's reputation as a global business hub provides Israeli entrepreneurs with a platform to explore new markets, foster cross-cultural partnerships, and tap into a diverse pool of talent,” he notes.

This is important because it connects to Israel’s strengths in technological innovation and its vibrant start-up culture, he says. “The deepening ties facilitated by the Accords are ushering in not just economic collaboration but also fostering a surge in cultural and knowledge exchange.

This dynamic interaction spans areas such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and healthcare, presenting exciting prospects for both nations propelling them towards collective growth and advancement.”
Seth Frantzman: How Israel-Bahrain ties have flourished 3 years post-Abraham Accords
The Magazine sat down with Eitan Na’eh, Israel’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

As we look back at the Abraham Accords after three years, can you provide an update about recent events in Bahrain, such as the visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen?

We had an excellent visit by the foreign minister, who met with the crown prince, finance minister, foreign minister, and deputy minister, as well as the trade and commerce minister. He saw the energy minister and the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sport.

There are quite a few people-to-people relations projects that were discussed, as we see it as highly important.

There are many areas of cooperation, and we agree on what the way forward should be and what needs to be done in the region. There are no disagreements. There are none in bilateral or regional, whether challenges or moving forward with relationships. We want more economic ties and trade. We want to increase trade volume substantially. We think we can get there.

The foreign minister brought a delegation of 27 businesspeople, who had dozens of meetings during his stay and after he left. More are coming back after the High Holy Days. More investments were discussed, as well as the Negev Forum. We want to finalize the projects. Bahrain is leading in health. Israel in food security and education. We are seeing some initial interest by investors in Israel and the US to invest in the Abraham Accords countries. We see Bahrain as a gateway and hub.

During the visit, there was an announcement that Israeli companies will open a hub. We want to create more jobs and opportunities with Bahrainis and promote Israeli experts. It is important to us that further relationships materialize. Whether it is relationships among students, interns, or young entrepreneurs, they can learn from each other’s experiences. The Middle East is a new market.

We are seeing positive signs from the Bahraini business community. During the visit, we hosted a big event where we matched the two business communities, our delegation, and high-level industrialists, fund managers, and heads of holding companies to an event opened by the ministers.

Israeli business is expanding to the whole Gulf and India. We signed a few agreements, including one with Israel’s Securities Authority and Bahrain’s Central Bank, and others focused on cultural cooperation and people-to-people cooperation for young people under 35 years old. All in all, I think the visit has achieved most, if not all, of the goals that we have set. More people-to-people and B2B [business-to-business] and G2G [government-to-government] contacts at the highest level. It was a very good visit, and this is where relationships are going. We are busy following up on the visit with more meetings that I will hold in the coming days with all the heads of agencies to discuss how to advance on the agreed-upon issues.
Saudi delegation to visit West Bank this week as Israel normalization talk increases
A senior Saudi delegation will visit the West Bank this week for a meeting with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas as the kingdom edges closer to a normalization deal with Israel, the Reuters news agency reported Sunday.

The delegation will be led by Saudi ambassador to Jordan Nayef al-Sudairi, who was appointed last month as Riyadh’s first-ever non-resident ambassador to Palestine and its first-ever non-resident consul general to Jerusalem, the report said.

A senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh confirmed that al-Sudairi would be visiting Ramallah.

“We welcome His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the State of Palestine, who will present his official credentials to His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas within a few days,” al-Sheikh tweeted Monday.

The visit comes as Israel and Saudi Arabia move closer to inking a US-brokered deal that would see Riyadh giving up on its earlier demand for a Palestinian state before normalization. However, the Saudis are still reportedly demanding significant Israeli concessions to the Palestinians as part of the deal.

The deal has seemed to be closer to a reality in recent days, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman telling Fox News on Wednesday that “every day we get closer” to his country normalizing ties with Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu devoting much of his UN address to touting the possible deal with Riyadh and its effects on the region.

In his speech on Friday, Netanyahu said Israel was on “the cusp” of a historic peace agreement with the Saudis, a deal he said would transform the Middle East, “encourage other Arab states to normalize their relations with Israel,” as well as “enhance the prospects of peace with the Palestinians.”

Still, the Saudis continue to insist publically on the need for a Palestinian state.


Canada under fire for applauding 'literal Nazi' in parliament during Zelenskyy visit
Canadian Jewish organizations and social media critics are slamming the Canadian Parliament for giving a man who fought for the Nazis a standing ovation during an event featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the country.

"FSWC is appalled that Canada’s Parliament gave a standing ovation to a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi military unit during the Second World War implicated in the mass murder of Jews and others. An apology and explanation is owed," the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to educating people on the Holocaust, wrote on X, previously known as Twitter.

Video and photos show the Canadian Parliament erupted into cheers on Friday during Zelenskyy’s visit to the country’s capital of Ottawa, when Canadian lawmakers also honored Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian immigrant who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, according to the Toronto Star. That division was also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, which fought for the Nazis as its paramilitary arm under the Schutzstaffel organization, according to the outlet.

"The fact that a veteran who served in a Nazi military unit was invited to and given a standing ovation in Parliament is shocking. At a time of rising antisemitism and Holocaust distortion, it is incredibly disturbing to see Canada's Parliament rise to applaud an individual who was a member of a unit in the Waffen-SS, a Nazi military branch responsible for the murder of Jews and others and that was declared a criminal organization during the Nuremberg Trials," the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center continued in their statement.

Social media commenters have joined the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center in condemning the Canadian House for celebrating Hunka, who some called a "literal Nazi" and "monster."

Canadian columnist Joe Warmington called for a "full apology" "for celebrating a Second World War Nazi in the House of Commons," in an op-ed published Sunday in the Toronto Sun.


Speaker Anthony Rota apologizes for honouring man who fought for Nazis
Speaker Anthony Rota apologized on Sunday for giving a standing ovation to Yaroslav Hunka in the House of Commons. The 98-year-old, it was later revealed, fought for a Nazi unit during the Second World War.

“In my remarks following the address of the President of Ukraine, I recognized an individual in the gallery. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so,” Rota said in a statement.

He further added that others, including his fellow Parliament members and the Ukraine delegation, were not aware of his plans.

“I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. I accept full responsibility for my action,” Rota said.

During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Ottawa on Friday, MPs honoured 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka in the House of Commons. Several Jewish advocacy organizations condemned members of Parliament on Sunday for giving Hunka a standing ovation.

Hunka was invited by Speaker Anthony Rota, who introduced him as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division.

“I am very proud to say that he is from North Bay and from my riding of Nipissing_Timiskaming,” the Ontario MP said as an introduction.

“He is a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero, and we thank him for all his service.”

MPs cheered and Zelenskyy raised his fist in acknowledgement as Hunka saluted from the gallery during two separate standing ovations.


Coalition lawmakers tour illegal Palestinian city in Judean Desert
Members of the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus traveled to the Judean Desert on Thursday for a tour of an illegal Palestinian city that critics say seeks to cut off Gush Etzion from the Dead Sea.

Last month, the Gush Etzion Regional Council, which administers the bloc of Jewish communities south of Israel’s capital, launched a public relations campaign against the Palestinian Authority’s attempt to build in the area, which the council says violates agreements signed between Israel and the PLO.

Under the 1998 Wye River Memorandum, intended to facilitate the implementation of the 1995 Oslo II agreement, the area under dispute is designated as a nature reserve, and Ramallah agreed it would make “no changes in the status of these areas.”

Thursday’s tour, which was organized in conjunction with the Yesha Council and the Regavim NGO, was attended by coalition lawmakers Yuli Edelstein, Amit Halevi Etty Atiya and Ariel Kellner of Likud, Limor Son Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit, and Simcha Rothman and Ohad Tal of Religious Zionism.

Gush Etzion Regional Council Chairman and Yesha Council head Shlomo Ne’eman has called Jerusalem’s failure to put a stop to the project a “loss of governance on the most serious level” that threatens the Jewish presence in the region.

“The Palestinian Authority is an enemy and the enemy attacks everywhere. Their ploy here, in this contractual [nature] reserve, is to cut off Gush Etzion from the Dead Sea by placing a barrier between them,” Ne’eman told the Land of Israel Caucus, calling on them to “stop this crime.”

Son Har-Melech said the minister of defense and prime minister have an “obligation” to intervene in the P.A.’s building plans.

“I visited here only a month ago and everything has already changed. Entire areas are enclosed with luxury, concrete buildings. They are actually building a city here,” said Son Har-Melech, adding that the project “endangers the territorial and strategic continuity of the State of Israel.”

Halevi said, “None of us is surprised that the P.A. has grossly violated the agreement. They have been serial violators of the Oslo Accords from the minute they were signed.


Seth Frantzman: What secrets did a senior Hezbollah official tell Iranian media?
Iran’s pro-regime Tasnim News says it conducted an interview with Wafiq Safa, a sanctioned Hezbollah terrorist. The Hezbollah member is frequently described as a senior Hezbollah official. He is accused of being in charge of Hizballah's Liaison and Coordination Unit and is “responsible for Hizballah’s coordination with the international community and with Lebanese security agencies,” the US Department of the Treasury said in 2019.

In 2022, after Hezbollah murdered an Irish UN officer, he was the Hezbollah official who apologized. He claimed that it was an "unintentional incident.” At the time Reuters said that “Wafiq Safa told Reuters his party offered its condolences ‘after the unintentional incident that took place between the residents of al-Aqbieh and individuals from the Irish unit,’ and urged the party not be ‘inserted’ into the incident.” In fact, Hezbollah was linked to the killing.

Now Safa has held an interview with Iran’s Tasnim News. This has the potential to provide insight into Hezbollah operations going back decades. This includes insights into the 2006 war with Israel and also Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah has succeeded in playing a key role in Lebanese politics and often increases tensions with Israel. In the past year, Hezbollah has seized the opportunity in the wake of a maritime deal between Israel and Lebanon, to pressure Israel.

The US Treasury Department said back in 2019 that “Wafiq Safa, serves as a Hizballah interlocutor to the Lebanese security forces. As the head of Hizballah's security apparatus, which is directly linked to Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, Safa has exploited Lebanon's ports and border crossings to smuggle contraband and facilitate travel on behalf of Hizballah, undermining the security and safety of the Lebanese people, while also draining valuable import duties and revenue away from the Lebanese government.”

The report said at the time that “Safa was appointed by Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah in 1987 as the head of the Security Committee, which was later renamed the Liaison and Coordination Unit. As one of Hizballah's prominent leaders, Safa is a part of Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah's inner circle.”

The US said that he was linked to Hezbollah financers. “ In 2010, there were internal Hizballah accusations of corruption involving Safa; however, Hizballah has since continued to allow him to maintain a prominent role in the organization. Safa was accused of smuggling, other crimes, and immoral behavior,” the US said. A report at Al-Ain media in the Gulf noted also that in “2018, Safa facilitated the entry of suspicious shipments, in addition to facilitating services at Beirut Airport for the travel of Hezbollah parties.”


NSS refers religious charity to regulator over extremism concerns
The National Secular Society has referred an Islamic charity to regulators over concerns about extremism and antisemitism.

The NSS referred Islamic Centre Leicester to the Charity Commission in July after seeing a sermon recorded at the centre which suggested 'blasphemers' should be executed.

Another sermon said Jews have "greed of long life" because they fear punishment in the afterlife.

Both sermons, delivered by mufti Muhammad Shakir Patel Misbahi (pictured), were uploaded to Misbahi's YouTube account in June.

According to the charity's newsletter, Misbahi joined the Islamic Centre in 2008 as head teacher of the madrassa – the centre's religious school for children aged four to 13.

The centre is registered under the charitable purpose of "the advancement of religion" and says it exists to "promote the spiritual teachings of the Islamic religion".

The Charity Commission has told the NSS it had "decided that on this occasion the best way forward is to engage with the Charity, to put the concerns raised to the trustees, and provide them with regulatory advice and guidance as needed."

The NSS also reported Islamic Centre Leicester to the Charity Commission in 2019, after finding statements on its website saying those who leave Islam should be punished with death.

Mufti: Punishment for dishonouring Muhammad is "execution"
In one sermon, Misbahi says Muslims should not use the term "ra'ina" (Arabic for "pardon") because Jews used it to ridicule the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

He says scholars agree that anyone who dishonours Muhammad (rasulullah) "will be out of Islam".

He then adds that scholars also say "there is only one punishment for that person and that punishment is execution" and they "should be killed because of what he did in terms of the honour" of Muhammad.

He adds that even if the person repents, this is "not accepted".

In another sermon, Misbahi says "yahood" (Jews) "are the most greedy when it comes to having long life" because "as a result of their deeds" they know they will "be punished for it by Allah" when they die.


Yom Kippur shows drop in vehicle emissions, air pollution
A significant reduction in air pollution, primarily from vehicle emissions, was observed across the numerous air quality monitoring stations distributed throughout Israel on Yom Kippur.

Most streets in Israel are closed on the fast day, and most Israelis choose to ride bikes and spend time with their families. The reduction in pollution underscores the crucial role of transportation as the predominant contributor to urban air pollution.

Specifically, the Environmental Protection Ministry reported that concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NOx), an air pollutant associated with respiratory problems and reduced immune response, experienced a notable decrease during the holiday.

Emissions peak at other points in the year
Peak concentrations of NOx at major urban transportation stations on the holiday ranged from 3.7 to 38.9 parts per billion (ppb), significantly lower than the 500 ppb daily environmental standard.

"This significant improvement in air quality on Yom Kippur underscores the critical role of transportation as the main contributor to urban air pollution," the ministry reported. "While certain pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) may not show a decrease on Yom Kippur due to their varied sources, the reduction in vehicle-related emissions is evident."

Even on Yom Kippur, when many factories may not have been operational, the impact of large-scale industrial activity was felt in the air.

The ministry's findings indicated that benzene concentrations, which pose carcinogenic risks with prolonged exposure, showed an uptick in proximity to certain industrial zones in Haifa and Ashdod. Nevertheless, the ministry reported that these levels remained well within the daily environmental standard of 1.2 ppb (3.9 µg/m³)
Medics treat over 3,000 during Yom Kippur, deliver 4 babies
Medics treated 3,025 people over Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, which began Sunday at sundown and ended Monday evening, according to figures from the Magen David Adom emergency service.

Magen David Adom said 2,069 of those treated by its paramedics were taken to the hospital for further medical care.

The Jewish Day of Atonement is marked by fasting and prayer by many observant Jews, while many secular Israelis take advantage of the deserted roads and highways, filling the streets in droves over the holiday.

There were 307 bicycle, scooter and skateboard riders injured on the roads.

A 68-year-old man sustained a serious head injury when he fell off his bicycle in Haifa.

In addition, five people were moderately injured on the roads, and 301 were lightly hurt.

Medics also delivered four babies — two in Jerusalem, one in El-A’sam and one in Tel Mond — and 170 expectant mothers were taken to the hospital.

MDA said 295 people were treated for dehydration or fainting brought on by fasting.

As sundown approached on Sunday, all local radio and television broadcasts gradually fell silent. Public transport was also halted, with buses and trains stopping their routes and Israeli air space closed to flights passing through.

For paramedics, Yom Kippur is one of the busiest days of the year, with hundreds of extra medics, paramedics, ambulances and volunteers deployed across the country. Hospitals were working with limited emergency medical crews only.




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