Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday night with US Vice President Kamala Harris, who “commended the great success of the vaccines campaign in Israel,” Netanyahu’s office stated.

The two “agreed to establish a joint team to tighten cooperation in technological research and development in the fight against the Coronavirus, water, green energy and in additional areas.”

Harris also expressed the American administration’s “complete opposition” to the decision of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to launch a war crimes probe against Israel.

The White House stated that they noted their “opposition to the International Criminal Court’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel.”

Netanyahu said that “intelligence and security cooperation would continue to be strengthened” and added that he was “totally committed to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons designed to destroy Israel.”

According to the White House, Harris emphasized the US’ “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security” and expressed “strong support for Israel’s recent groundbreaking normalization agreements with countries in the Arab and Muslim world, and stressed the importance of advancing peace, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

The two agreed on “the importance of continuing close cooperation and partnership on regional security issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and the regime’s dangerous regional behavior.”

They also noted their “opposition to the International Criminal Court’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel.”

An IDF soldier from an elite unit who was on a navigating exercise in the north of the country on Wednesday night was assaulted and injured by a group of Arabs.

The IDF stated Thursday that during a night military training exercise in the Galilee region, near the Arab town of Shfaram, an IDF fighter was attacked by a number of suspects.

A preliminary investigation indicates that a violent confrontation developed between the soldier and the attacking suspects.

After the fight, the suspects snatched the soldier’s personal weapon and fled the scene.

The soldier, who was alone during the navigation, struggled with the suspects and as a result, was lightly injured in his face. He was treated o the spot.

The incident is being investigated by the soldier’s commanders and by the military police in cooperation with the Israel Police have.

Chief of Staff, Major General Aviv Kochavi noted that this is a “serious incident in which a red line was crossed.”

He said that the IDF will continue to work with the Israeli police and security bodies and bring to justice the criminals in the incident.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded today (Wednesday, 3 March 2021) to the decision of the International Court to open an investigation against Israel for war crimes, calling it “Absurd” and “undiluted antisemitism and the height of hypocrisy.”

The Prime Minister added “This court, that was established to prevent the repetition of the Nazi horrific crimes committed against the Jewish people, is now turning its guns against the one and only state of the Jewish people. It is targeting Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. But of course it turns a blind eye to Iran, Syria and the other dictatorships that are committing real war crimes left and right.”

Netanyahu stressed that the ICC does not have jurisdiction to investigate Israel stating “We will never stop fighting this injustice. We will speak the truth in every forum, in every country, on every stage until this outrageous decision is reversed and becomes null and void.”

The President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin also commented saying “The decision of the International Criminal Court at the Hague to commence investigations against the State of Israel is scandalous. We will not accept claims against the exercise of our right and our obligation to defend our citizens. The State of Israel is a strong, Jewish and democratic state which knows how to defend itself and to investigate itself when necessary.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Tuesday at his office in Jerusalem with Mohammed Al Khaja, the first United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Israel.

Netanyahu told the ambassador that he was happy to see him and congratulated him on his arrival in Israel. Al Khaja arrived in the Jewish state on Monday.

“We’re changing the Middle East. We’re changing the world,” Netanyahu declared.

The two discussed the potential in developing joint regional and bilateral projects in a broad range of fields.

National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat and additional senior officials also attended the meeting, which was defined as “warm and friendly.”

Al Khaja also met on Tuesday with Ofir Akunis, Israel’s Minister of Regional Cooperation.

“It was a fruitful meeting where we discussed a range of topics of mutual interest to enhance cooperation between our two countries in several areas,” Al Khaja said.

Five Border Policemen were injured Monday night during riots that broke out in the Issawiya neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem.

The riots broke out as an undercover unit worked to arrest a suspect.

During the riots, dozens of Arabs threw rocks and firebombs at the police forces and launched fireworld toward them.

Five troops were injured, two of them sustained light injuries and were evacuated to Shaare Zedek Hospital, and the others received medical treatment at the scene.

The suspect, 20, was taken for questioning.