Israel welcomed the US ‘ announcement that it was leveling sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague over its attempts to prosecute US troops and the Jewish State for alleged war crimes.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday stating that the ICC was infringing on the US’ sovereignty and any attempt to arrest US citizens within the framework of the ICC’s investigations “constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US.”

He authorized economic sanctions against any official at the International Criminal Court who investigates US troops.

In a press conference, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo noted that the US is “also gravely concerned about the threat the court poses to Israel.”

“The ICC is already threatening Israel with an investigation of so-called war crimes committed by its forces and personnel in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip,” he stated.

“Given Israel’s robust civilian and military legal system and strong track record of investigating and prosecuting wrongdoing by military personnel, it’s clear the ICC is only putting Israel in its crosshairs for nakedly political purposes.  It’s a mockery of justice,” he added.

More than 300 members of Congress recently sent Pompeo letters asking that the US support Israel in the face of the ICC’s “lawless, politicized attacks.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi thanked Trump and the US for “the decision to take steps against the ICC for its politically motivated and illegitimate attempts to assert jurisdiction against Israel and the US.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump and Pompeo for “their bold leadership in sanctioning the corrupt and biased International Criminal Court.”

In April, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda affirmed her attempt to exercise jurisdiction over Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled areas in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza through a new filing to the Court.

Bensouda made the move even though seven states that are party to the Rome Statute, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, and Uganda, have made formal submissions to the Court that assert that the ICC does not have jurisdiction to proceed with this investigation.

Earlier that month, Israeli Minister Yuval Steinitz, Coordinator of the Intermenstrual Task Force for the ICC, stated that “as someone who has closely followed” developments at the ICC, he is “forced to conclude that the Prosecutor’s latest position continues to espouse her typical anti-Israel stance, as influenced by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the global BDS movement.”

“The Prosecutor’s disregard for the opinions of some of the world’s leading experts on international law points to her determination to harm the State of Israel and tarnish its name,” he charged.

“In the name of this objective she has reformulated the rules of international law, inventing a Palestinian state while the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has yet to be concluded,” he added.

“Israel will continue to be proud of the fact that it is the only liberal democracy in the entire Middle East – and to vigorously reject baseless attempts to tarnish its name and harm its soldiers and civilians,” he concluded.

Dozens of Arabs rioted Wednesday night in Jaffa, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, the second consecutive night in which they organized violent disturbances.

The rioters threw rocks, burned trash cans, blocked roads, and launched fireworks at police forces on the scene.

The police arrested four rioters. There were no reports of injuries.

“Due to the violent behavior of the rioters, they were arrested by the police using crowd control means, until the quiet was restored there,” the police stated.

The riots were organized by a local Islamic society over the city’s plans to build a hostel for the homeless on a site that was used as a Muslim cemetery over 90 years ago.

The graves have been relocated decades ago for sanitary reasons. The site has been since used as a field by the Jaffa Muslim Football Club, and later by the British Customs for warehouses.

The issue was contested in court, and District Court Judge Avigayil Cohen authorized the municipality to proceed with the construction and ruled that “contrary to the principles laid down by the Islamic Council, constitutional principles are also important: the property owner’s property rights and the public importance of the project – erecting a building for the rehabilitation of street dwellers.”

An Arab armed with a knife was apprehended by Israeli security forces on Tuesday night outside the perimeter fence of the community Itamar in Samaria.

The would-be-terrorist was captured during a routine drill of the civilian-based emergency response team.

During the exercise, the terrorist was spotted trying to cut the fence. The members of the rapid response team approached him, he tried to attack them, and they were successful in subduing him.

Samaria Council Head Yossi Dagan commended the security forces for their decisive action and stated that “there was a great miracle here.”

“A major attack was avoided here tonight,” he declared, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “take offensive proactive action against the Palestinian Authority.”

“Due to Abu Mazen’s [PA head Mahmoud Abbas] incitement, there was almost a terrorist attack here. It was thwarted due to the alertness and heroism of the residents and soldiers, [but] the Israeli government should treat it as if it were a terror attack here,” he demanded.

Itamar has been the scene of several deadly terror attacks, including the slaughter of five members of the Fogel family in Match 2011 and the murder of the Shabo family in June 2002 the left the mother and three of her children dead and another two wounded. A member of the rescue team was also killed during the operation.

“We will get stronger. We will defeat terrorism, we will also build more, and this is our civilian response,” said Dagan,

“The military response should be under the direction of the government, a determined security action against the terrorists of the Palestinian Authority, headed by Abu Mazen,” he added.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to congratulate him on forming a government, and the two discussed collaboration between the two countries on several issues.

The two leaders discussed cooperation in the battle on the Coronavirus (COVID-19), in cyber and in other fields, and Babis invited Netanyahu to visit the Czech Republic. The two agreed to hold the next meeting between their governments in Prague “when circumstances permit.”

Netanyahu thanked Babis for his country’s “stand alongside Israel in the diplomatic arena and in international forums,” Netanyahu’s office stated.

Babis tweeted that they spoke “mainly about Coronavirus and its impact on our economies. About the second wave [of infection], mobile applications, our traditionally good relations and concrete cooperation in science and research, healthcare, cybersecurity and water management.”

Earlier in the day, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov phoned Netanyahu to congratulate him on forming a government.

The two discussed challenges in dealing with the Coronavirus and agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in a range of fields.

Netanyahu thanked Borissov for “his friendship and for his country’s stand alongside Israel in international forums.”

“Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Netanyahu on the formation of the new Unity Government,” Borissov tweeted. “We will continue to work closely with Israel to strengthen our strategic cooperation bilaterally and to promote peace and security on the international scene.”

Netanyahu invited Borissov to visit Israel soon and he accepted.

The Israeli premier has recently held similar conversations with Colombian President Ivan Duque, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Israeli forces have tracked down and arrested an Arab terrorist who murdered IDF soldier Amit Ben Yigal early last month.

The Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency) stated Sunday evening that it arrested Nazmi Abu Baker, 49, from the village of Yabed.

Abu Baker threw a rock and hit Ben Yigal in the face while his unit was operating to capture terrorists in Yabed, in the Jenin area. He is a resident of the building from which the rock was thrown.

The elite Golani Reconnaissance unit, of which Ben Yigal was a member, spearheaded the operation.

Ben-Yigal, 21 from Ramat Gan, was an only son, the first IDF soldier to be killed in action in 2020 and the first soldier to die in action in over a year.

Baruch Ben Yigal, Amit’s father, visited his grave and told him about the dramatic development.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the Israeli security services for “apprehending the reprehensible murderer of the late Amit Ben-Yigal.”

“I have given the order to demolish the home of this murderer. Whoever tries to attack us – we will find him, sooner or later. In recent years you have seen that it is sooner,” he added.

Minister of Defense Benny Gantz said he called Baruch after the arrest and had an “emotional, painful conversation, a heart-to-heart conversation,” and the bereaved father told him: “tonight I will sleep better.”