Israel said it had been accepted as a member in a global money laundering and terrorism financing watchdog group.

The Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental group of some 35 countries based in Paris that sets international standards on terror financing and money laundering.

Israel said on Monday that its acceptance into the group would allow it to take an active role in global policy-making on the issues.

Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said it would change the status of Israel and would encourage more investors to invest their money in Israel.

In a statement, the FATF said Israel's "experience and perspective will make a valuable contribution to our work to prevent the misuse of the financial system".

The group has in the past given Israel's archenemy Iran ultimatums over terrorism funding, warning of deeper economic isolation if it doesn't comply.

Tel Aviv - 10 December 2018

1. Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked entering press room

2. Wide of Ayelet Shaked talking

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ayelet Shaked, Israeli Justice Minister:

"Israel became a member in the very exclusive club of the FATF, the organization that is responsible to prevent money laundering and terror financing. There are 35 countries who are members of this organization, Israel will be the thirty-sixth country and I think it's the first time that a country is getting to this organization on the first chance. It's putting Israel in one line with the United States and UK regarding and preventing money laundering and financing terror."

4. Shaked standing with Dr Shlomit Wagman, head of the Israel money laundering and terrorism financing prohibition authority and the head of the Justice ministry

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ayelet Shaked, Israeli Justice Minister:

"I think it will change the status of Israel and will encourage more investors to invest their money in Israel because they will know that it's a safe country and it will encourage doing business with Israel. And in general the organization, the FATF, said that Israel is one of the most efficient countries regarding preventing money laundering and financing terror."

6. Dr Shlomit Wagman, head of the Israel money laundering and terrorism financing prohibition authority, talking to media

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Shlomit Wagman, Head of the Israel money laundering and terrorism financing prohibition authority:

"Israel was included in the blacklist of the FATF about 16 years ago. Since then since it was removed from the blacklist we've made tremendous efforts towards improving our system, the legislation, the effectiveness, the law enforcement authorities activities and we are very proud with the results of the mutual evaluation report of the FATF which proved that Israel made huge progress and is now one of the most effective regimes in the world."

8. Pan from cameramen to media

An Israeli minister lashed out at world media on Wednesday, accusing them of bias against Israel and defended Israel's handling of the case of an American graduate student held in detention at the country's international airport for the past week over allegations that she supports a boycott against the Jewish state.

Lara Alqasem, a 22-year-old American citizen with Palestinian grandparents, landed at Ben-Gurion Airport last week with a valid student visa and was registered to study human rights at Israel's Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

But she was barred from entering the country and ordered deported, based on suspicions that she supports the Palestinian-led boycott movement.

An Israeli court has ordered that she remain in custody while she appeals, although Israel says she can leave the country.

The weeklong detention is the longest anyone has been held in a boycott-related case.

Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that Israel had the right to protect itself and decide who enters its borders despite growing international criticism.

His remarks come after the Times published an opinion piece by columnist Bret Stephens and editor Bari Weiss critical of Israel's handling of Alqasem's case.

More than 300 academics penned a letter in the British Guardian Wednesday calling the case "an attack on academic freedom."

While waiting for her appeal to be heard, Alqasem has been spending her days in a closed area with little access to a telephone, no internet and a bed that was infested with bedbugs, according to people who have spoken to her.

Erdan insisted Alqasem was not detained and was free to return to the US, but chose to remain at Ben Gurion airport in a move he suggested was part of an anti-Israel campaign.

Leora Baruch, a member of Alqasem's defence team said the case is a crucial one as it goes to the very heart of the debate about Israel's identity.

Alqasem, from the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Southwest Ranches, Florida, is a former president of the University of Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.

The group is a branch of the BDS movement, whose name comes from its calls for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

BDS supporters say that in urging businesses, artists and universities to sever ties with Israel, they are using nonviolent means to resist unjust policies toward Palestinians.

Israel says the movement masks its motives to delegitimise or destroy the Jewish state.

Alqasem's case is set to be heard at a Tel Aviv court on Thursday.

Jerusalem - 10 October 2018

1. Set up of Gilad Erdan, Israel's Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Minister of Information

2. Cutaway of hands

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilad Erdan, Israel's Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Minister of Information:

"Lara was the head of one of the most extremist BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) organisations known as SJP - Students for Justice in Palestine. And this is a BDS organisation, an anti-Semitic BDS organisation that is acting against pro-Israel speakers, that is bullying and trying to harm Jewish students in many campuses around the United States of America, and this is exactly one of the most extremist BDS organisations that we don't want to see their activists coming to Israel and trying to use our infrastructure to harm us and to destroy us."

4. Cutaway of Erdan

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilad Erdan, Israel's Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Minister of Information:

"World media most of the time is against the state of Israel. We know it. We will try always to expose the truth and to tell the truth about what is really happening in Israel. But, unfortunately it is not always working because the world media many time are against the state of Israel and that is not something that has to tell us to change our ideology or to change our mind. We are doing whatever we believe that is right for the security of the state of Israel and that is more important than whatever The New York Times or other newspapers around the world will say about our policy."

6. Cutaway of Erdan

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilad Erdan, Israel's Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Minister of Information:

"Even though she, under our criteria, under the law criteria, she should be banned from entering Israel, if she would say the she regrets all her activities against the state of Israel and she would commit not to be part of those anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli activities, so we will think again about allowing her to enter Israel. But until now I didn't get this kind of commitment."

8. Photograph of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilad Erdan, Israel's Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Minister of Information:

"It's also important to understand and to emphasise that Ms. Alqasem is not being detained. She can leave Israel whenever she wants but she decided, and it looks like a campaign, she decided to stay at the airport as long as her appeal to our court is continuing. We told her - we will pay for your flight and you can come back, fly back, home to the United States whenever you want. But she decided to stay at the airport."

10. Wide of Erdan

11. Photo of Netanyahu on wall

12. Set up of Leora Baruch, lawyer representing Lara Alqasem

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Leora Baruch, a lawyer representing Lara Alqasem:

"Lara's case is critical because we learned from it how the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Strategic Affairs has been implementing the Boycott Amendment to the Law on Entering into Israel and how they intend to implement it in the future. The law itself is actually quite ambiguous. It says that a person who, acting on their own behalf or on behalf of an organisation or a body for a public call to boycott, or who has made a commitment to boycott. I don't know what a commitment to boycott is. That's something that is very unclear."

14. Cutaway

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Leora Baruch, a lawyer representing Lara Alqasem:

"Lara Alqasem's case is being followed throughout Israel, all over the news and throughout the world. And what might happen tomorrow is we might learn whether this amendment should be used at all and how it should be used and how broad or how narrow it should be used. And whether there has been an abuse of power here and whether the Ministry of Interior has used the amendment for a case that clearly doesn't fall within the parameters of the amendment itself. And so there really is a lot at stake here and it's again part of a larger conversation about academic freedom, about freedom of speech, about being able to visit Israel even if you don't share the opinions of the consensus, of the majority of the party, the administration."

16. Cutaway of degree certificate

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Leora Baruch, a lawyer representing Lara Alqasem:

"With respect to Minister Erdan's statement, he's asked that Lara claim that BDS is an illegitimate movement, that it is an illegitimate form of protest. Lara is not willing to claim that BDS is illegitimate, even if she isn't a supporter of BDS. And we're currently in negotiations to see if there's a way of bridging the gap between the two parties."

18. Baruch at her computer

LEADIN

Israel's first whisky (also spelt whiskey) distillery is preparing to release the country's first Single Malt whisky.

100 bottles are set to be released by auction from The Milk and Honey distillery later this month.

STORYLINE

Smooth, honey-brown whisky (also spelt whiskey) is not the first thing that pops to mind when you think of Israel. But at The Milk and Honey Distillery, rows of casks proudly stamped "Tel Aviv" hold litres of the stuff.

The country's first whisky distillery is preparing to release Israel's first Single Malt whisky.

Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO, describes it as a young whisky with a lot of woodiness and fruitiness:

"It's complex for its age, as I told you the taste feels like more than three years, more like seven or eight and again the story is much more important in this case. This is the first ever single malt whisky that any distillery released from Israel."

While wine has been produced in the Holy Land for centuries with modern day Israeli wines recently gaining international renown, whisky production is new to the country.

Milk and Honey was created in 2012 and began distilling whisky in 2015. One hundred bottles of the Single Malt are set to be released at an online auction starting 11 August 2017, while the remaining 291 will be sold at a later date.

The drink is also "ultra-kosher" according to Attir.

"Kosher is one thing that we do here differently. We are like the ultra-kosher distillery you can find I guess in the world. Because whisky by definition is kosher but here it is much more. We don't work on Saturdays, we don't work on Yom Kippur or Passover and we want to symbolise our being Jewish or Israeli and then we called it the Milk and Honey Distillery," he says.

The Single Malt was made in Israel from start to finish, according to the company's website. The climate in Israel allows for a speedier aging process than for whisky made in colder climes, according to Ran Latowicz, an Israeli whisky connoisseur and bar owner.

"This whisky is unique because of where it comes from. It comes from a warm climate country which is a place that's a lot harder to make whisky. In colder climates like Scotland or Ireland, whisky usually ages for about seven to ten to twelve years before it's even bottled because this is just the way, you know, it gets to its full potential, at least to the beginning of its full potential. The warm climate thing in Israel speeds up the process and actually makes a three year old whisky feel a lot older," he says.

The distillery believes it is well positioned to ride a wave of international interest in new world whiskies and hopes this initial offering whets the appetites of aficionados everywhere.

"There's a huge demand nowadays for whisky from other places around the world, a new world whisky. There's more than 70 countries now with a minimum of one distillery and one of them is Israel. So the demand now is for new things, new stories, new markets, new tastes and I think we're going to be a part of this amazing wave," says Attir.

Israel may have long been known as the land of milk and honey, but now the company which uses that phrase as its name hopes to make it the land of Single Malt whisky.

Tel Aviv - 10 August 2017

1. Whisky (whiskey) being removed from cask and poured into glasses

2. Tilt up of whisky casks

3. More of casks

4. The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO Eitan Attir walking through warehouse

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"It's a young whisky, let's be honest, it's only three years of 3.2 actually but it's a very unique combination between two and a half years in a new American virgin oak, and seven months in an ex-bourbon one so it has a lot of woodiness and a lot of fruitiness inside as well. It's complex for its age, as I told you the taste feels like more than three years, more like seven or eight and again the story is much more important in this case. This is the first ever single malt whisky that any distillery released from Israel."

6. Pan left of casks

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"The Milk and Honey is the first whisky distillery here in Israel and we already set the first ever whisky single malt whisky and we're going to sell it in an auction, numbers 1 up to 100 out of 391 bottles from the single cask series are going for auction in whiskyauctioneer.com."

8. Various of barley and malt on production line

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"Milk and Honey is the name of the distillery actually and also of the whisky that was released because Israel is well known as the milk and honey land. So we are very, very proud of being Israeli. We are very proud of being Jewish. We want to shout it to the world about the Milk and Honey Distillery. Kosher is one thing that we do here differently. We are like the ultra-kosher distillery you can find I guess in the world. Because whisky by definition is kosher but here it is much more. We don't work on Saturdays, we don't work on Yom Kippur or Passover and we want to symbolise our being Jewish or Israeli and then we called it the Milk and Honey Distillery."

10. Various of signs showing production details in English and Hebrew

11. Pan left of warehouse

12. Establishing shot of Ran Latovicz, whisky expert

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ran Latovicz, whisky expert

"This spirit is very complex, very…I call it an intelligent whisky. It's a whisky that develops. A whisky that you can keep it in the glass for 25 minutes and it develops again and I'm very excited, a lot of people all around the world are very excited to see where this spirit and where this whisky is going to be in about three or four, five years from now."

14. Close of whisky in glass

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Ran Latovicz, whiskey expert

"This whisky is unique because of where it comes from. It comes from a warm climate country which is a place that's a lot harder to make whisky. In colder climates like Scotland or Ireland, whisky usually ages for about seven to ten to twelve years before it's even bottled because this is just the way, you know, it gets to its full potential, at least to the beginning of its full potential. The warm climate thing in Israel speeds up the process and actually makes a three year old whisky feel a lot older."

16. Various of whisky production facility

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"There's a huge demand nowadays for whisky from other places around the world, a new world whisky. There's more than 70 countries now with a minimum of one distillery and one of them is Israel. So the demand now is for new things, new stories, new markets, new tastes and I think we're going to be a part of this amazing wave."

18. Whisky being poured from cask to glass

LEADIN

Israel's first whisky (also spelt whiskey) distillery is preparing to release the country's first Single Malt whisky.

100 bottles are set to be released by auction from The Milk and Honey distillery later this month.

STORYLINE

Smooth, honey-brown whisky (also spelt whiskey) is not the first thing that pops to mind when you think of Israel. But at The Milk and Honey Distillery, rows of casks proudly stamped "Tel Aviv" hold litres of the stuff.

The country's first whisky distillery is preparing to release Israel's first Single Malt whisky.

Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO, describes it as a young whisky with a lot of woodiness and fruitiness:

"It's complex for its age, as I told you the taste feels like more than three years, more like seven or eight and again the story is much more important in this case. This is the first ever single malt whisky that any distillery released from Israel."

While wine has been produced in the Holy Land for centuries with modern day Israeli wines recently gaining international renown, whisky production is new to the country.

Milk and Honey was created in 2012 and began distilling whisky in 2015. One hundred bottles of the Single Malt are set to be released at an online auction starting 11 August 2017, while the remaining 291 will be sold at a later date.

The drink is also "ultra-kosher" according to Attir.

"Kosher is one thing that we do here differently. We are like the ultra-kosher distillery you can find I guess in the world. Because whisky by definition is kosher but here it is much more. We don't work on Saturdays, we don't work on Yom Kippur or Passover and we want to symbolise our being Jewish or Israeli and then we called it the Milk and Honey Distillery," he says.

The Single Malt was made in Israel from start to finish, according to the company's website. The climate in Israel allows for a speedier aging process than for whisky made in colder climes, according to Ran Latowicz, an Israeli whisky connoisseur and bar owner.

"This whisky is unique because of where it comes from. It comes from a warm climate country which is a place that's a lot harder to make whisky. In colder climates like Scotland or Ireland, whisky usually ages for about seven to ten to twelve years before it's even bottled because this is just the way, you know, it gets to its full potential, at least to the beginning of its full potential. The warm climate thing in Israel speeds up the process and actually makes a three year old whisky feel a lot older," he says.

The distillery believes it is well positioned to ride a wave of international interest in new world whiskies and hopes this initial offering whets the appetites of aficionados everywhere.

"There's a huge demand nowadays for whisky from other places around the world, a new world whisky. There's more than 70 countries now with a minimum of one distillery and one of them is Israel. So the demand now is for new things, new stories, new markets, new tastes and I think we're going to be a part of this amazing wave," says Attir.

Israel may have long been known as the land of milk and honey, but now the company which uses that phrase as its name hopes to make it the land of Single Malt whisky.

Tel Aviv - 10 August 2017

1. Whisky (whiskey) being removed from cask and poured into glasses

2. Tilt up of whisky casks

3. More of casks

4. The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO Eitan Attir walking through warehouse

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"It's a young whisky, let's be honest, it's only three years of 3.2 actually but it's a very unique combination between two and a half years in a new American virgin oak, and seven months in an ex-bourbon one so it has a lot of woodiness and a lot of fruitiness inside as well. It's complex for its age, as I told you the taste feels like more than three years, more like seven or eight and again the story is much more important in this case. This is the first ever single malt whisky that any distillery released from Israel."

6. Pan left of casks

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"The Milk and Honey is the first whisky distillery here in Israel and we already set the first ever whisky single malt whisky and we're going to sell it in an auction, numbers 1 up to 100 out of 391 bottles from the single cask series are going for auction in whiskyauctioneer.com."

8. Various of barley and malt on production line

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"Milk and Honey is the name of the distillery actually and also of the whisky that was released because Israel is well known as the milk and honey land. So we are very, very proud of being Israeli. We are very proud of being Jewish. We want to shout it to the world about the Milk and Honey Distillery. Kosher is one thing that we do here differently. We are like the ultra-kosher distillery you can find I guess in the world. Because whisky by definition is kosher but here it is much more. We don't work on Saturdays, we don't work on Yom Kippur or Passover and we want to symbolise our being Jewish or Israeli and then we called it the Milk and Honey Distillery."

10. Various of signs showing production details in English and Hebrew

11. Pan left of warehouse

12. Establishing shot of Ran Latovicz, whisky expert

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ran Latovicz, whisky expert

"This spirit is very complex, very…I call it an intelligent whisky. It's a whisky that develops. A whisky that you can keep it in the glass for 25 minutes and it develops again and I'm very excited, a lot of people all around the world are very excited to see where this spirit and where this whisky is going to be in about three or four, five years from now."

14. Close of whisky in glass

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Ran Latovicz, whiskey expert

"This whisky is unique because of where it comes from. It comes from a warm climate country which is a place that's a lot harder to make whisky. In colder climates like Scotland or Ireland, whisky usually ages for about seven to ten to twelve years before it's even bottled because this is just the way, you know, it gets to its full potential, at least to the beginning of its full potential. The warm climate thing in Israel speeds up the process and actually makes a three year old whisky feel a lot older."

16. Various of whisky production facility

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Eitan Attir, The Milk and Honey Distillery CEO

"There's a huge demand nowadays for whisky from other places around the world, a new world whisky. There's more than 70 countries now with a minimum of one distillery and one of them is Israel. So the demand now is for new things, new stories, new markets, new tastes and I think we're going to be a part of this amazing wave."

18. Whisky being poured from cask to glass

The top official of an international human rights watchdog, that has found itself at odds with the Israeli government, welcomed a delay in a court hearing on Wednesday about whether to deport its local director from the country.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), said he hoped the Israeli government would use the period to reflect and "reassess" its position.

For over a year, Israel has been working to expel the local director of the international group Human Rights Watch, Omar Shakir, accusing him of promoting boycotts.

The deportation issue had been scheduled to go before Israel's Supreme Court this week, but was postponed on Wednesday until September.

Roth had travelled to Israel to demonstrate the stakes at hand by attending the court hearing himself, adding there was mounting international pressure against the move.

Roth said the possible deportation would list Israel among a handful of governments that bar HRW researchers such as North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Cuba and Venezuela.

He accounted Israel's change in attitude towards the rights group to internal Israeli politics as well as the closeness of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to US President Donald Trump.

The BDS (Boycott Divest and Sanction) movement promotes boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli institutions and businesses in what it says is a non-violent campaign against Israeli abuses against Palestinians.

Israel says the campaign masks a deeper goal of delegitimising and even destroying the Jewish state.

Roth noted that neither the group nor Shakir, in his position at Human Rights Watch, has called for a boycott of Israel.

It says Shakir, who is a US citizen, is being targeted for the group's opposition to Israel's West Bank settlements and its calls for companies to stop working with the settlements.

The boycott movement's economic impact on Israel has been minimal, but it has enjoyed stronger success in the entertainment and academic worlds, gaining significant support on US college campuses.

Israel and its allies, however, have succeeded in promoting legislation in US states and elsewhere against BDS.

Jerusalem – 24 July 2019

1. Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch Executive Director seated

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

"It's not every day that a government tries to deport one of Human Rights Watch's researchers and given that that's what the (Benjamin) Netanyahu government is trying to do, I thought it was very important to demonstrate the stakes at issue and come here myself for what we thought would be the Supreme Court hearing. Now, the hearing has been postponed which we take as welcome news because that comes at a moment when there really has been rapidly mounting global outrage at what almost everybody sees as an effort to censor legitimate human rights advocacy. And so I hope that the Israeli government uses this hiatus as a moment of reflection. To recognise that its effort to sort of pretend that this is only about one researcher and his past that everybody sees through that excuse, that everybody recognises that what's really at stake here is the ability to engage in human rights advocacy which may be uncomfortable for the Israeli government, but is completely legitimate and mainstream even within the Israeli public generally."

3. Cutaway

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

"There currently is a court order enabling Omar Shakir to stay in Israel until there is a final decision on his case, which ultimately we hope will be a positive decision. So, the plan for now is that Omar Shakir continues to be Human Rights Watch's representative in Israel Palestine. And I hope that that continues for a long, long time because we anticipate a positive ruling in the end. But frankly, even if the Supreme Court were to go the other way, ultimately the decision to enforce a deportation order is the government's. So, while for the moment we're looking at the court in the end it's the government that has to act or not act. And we hope that either the Netanyahu government, or any successor government, will recognise that the world sees through the excuses that it's making with respect to Omar Shakir, recognises that what's really at stake is free speech and legitimate human rights advocacy. And so Israel does not want to join the narrow set of abusive governments that bar Human Rights Watch representatives"

5. Cutaway

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

"Well the irony is that the Israeli government's position is driven by its fear of the so-called BDS movement - the Boycott Divest and Sanction movement. Now why they chose Human Rights Watch to make this case I don't know because Human Rights Watch actually has never advocated boycotting Israel and we don't endorse the BDS (Boycott Divest and Sanction) movement. But what they did is they looked back into kind of the ancient college history of the Human Rights Watch researcher and say well back then he did so we're going to penalise him. But the point is that even this Israeli war is not supposed to be punitive for the past, it's supposed to be preventative for the future. And the government was unable to come up with any evidence that Omar Shakir had ever deviated from Human Rights Watch's positions during the entire ten-year of his employment with Human Rights Watch. So this is really a misguided effort to strike back against BDS (Boycott Divest and Sanction) which everybody sees is in fact becoming just an effort to censor a widely respected, broadly viewed as legitimate organisation that is simply reporting what it is with respect to Israeli conduct in the occupied territories"

7. Cutaway

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

"I mean many people have wondered why did the Netanyahu government try to pull this off this time? And you know frankly I think part of the explanation is just domestic Israeli politics. Things are moving to the right and so something that Netanyahu actually chose not to do just two years ago, he now feels he can get away with or maybe has to do in order to placate the far right within Israel. I think (US President Donald) Trump's embrace of Netanyahu as if Netanyahu can never do anything wrong may have emboldened him as well. But you know fortunately most of the world is not in the same place as Netanyahu and Trump. Most of the world still believes in the Geneva Conventions. Most of the world still believes in the legitimacy of human rights advocacy. And those are the things that are at stake here. And I think that given the global outrage at his effort to deport the Human Rights Watch researcher, this is an opportunity for the Netanyahu government to reassess and to recognise that, you know, it doesn't want to join the ranks of North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Cuba and Venezuela in being one of those handful of governments that bars Human Rights Watch researchers."

9. Cutaway

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

"Actually what people don't recognise is that Human Rights Watch's programme on the United States is our largest country programme in the world. And indeed Human Rights Watch has been doing intensive work, most recently on the child separations on the border; the efforts to undermine the right to seek asylum; on the various Trump efforts to demonise immigrants, to promote racist views to really, you know, undermine human rights enforcement at home. And this of course presents a problem globally as well because traditionally, while the US government has never been a, you know, a regular promoter of human rights, it at least has been a government that we could look to from time to time. And that is not terribly productive under Trump. You know, Trump is so busy embracing autocrats. He's not the most credible articulator of human rights principles. So we've had to look elsewhere. But the good news is that there are other governments who've been willing to step up to the plate and whether it's you know Saudi abuses in Yemen or Russian indiscriminate bombardment in Syria or Myanmar crimes against humanity against Rohingya or even China's persecution of the Uighur Muslims. There are governments willing to stand up. And typically it's not the United States, but there are other coalitions of governments that continue to be a powerful voice for human rights and have caused all of those governments to react and to be less abusive than they might have been."

11. Cutaway

12. Omar Shakir, HRW director in Israel, Palestine

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said the "important" talks would focus on ways to strengthen coordination between the Israeli and Russian armies in Syria.

Israel and Russia maintain a hotline to prevent their air forces from clashing over war-torn country.

Netanyahu added that Israel is working towards preventing Iran from using "Syria as a front in their war to destroy Israel".

Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria, primarily against Iranian targets and suspected arms shipments to Hezbollah militants.

Netanyahu also called last week's Middle East security conference in Poland "historic", noting that dozens of foreign ministers "sat together with Israel and also accepted our position against Iran".

He made the comments while seated next to Israel Katz, his newly appointed interim foreign minister, a post held by Netanyahu himself for the last four years.

Jerusalem - 17 February 2019

1. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government officials at cabinet meeting

2. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister:

"This weekend, I came back from the Middle East Peace and Security conference that took place in Warsaw. I met there with US Vice President Mike Pence and with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. First I want to say that the ties between Israel and the US are stronger than ever. During this conference, something happened that you probably noticed - a historic change with great significance to Israel. Sixty foreign ministers and representatives attended, including Arab countries which we don't have ties with, sat together with Israel and also accepted our position against Iran. I told them the Iranian aggression is the main factor that is destabilizing the Middle East and the entire world. I said that we must prevent Iran from (obtaining) nuclear weapons and to stop Iran from establishing itself militarily in Syria and we will continue to act all the time to ensure the security of Israel."

3. Cutaway

4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister:

"On Thursday, I will meet with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. I will discuss with him strengthening coordination mechanisms to avoid friction between the Israeli army and Russia's army. These talks are very important and are part of a continuing effort to ensure freedom of action of Israel against Iran and its proxies that declare their intention to use Syria as a front in their war to destroy Israel."

5. Netanyahu and newly appointed Israeli interim foreign minister, Israel Katz

6. Close of Katz

LEADIN:

Professionals from the Israeli wine industry have gathered in Tel Aviv for the annual wine event: "Sommelier".

Wine has been produced in the region for millennia - but Israeli wine has only recently caught the attention of foreign markets.

STORYLINE:

This is "Sommelier" - the biggest wine event in Israel.

Israel is enjoying a growing number of tourists each year - and with that has come opportunities to expand its wine-selling network.

Professionals from the Israeli wine industry are gathered in Tel Aviv for the annual event, which has 60 wineries taking part.

The region may have been a wine-producing one for millennia, but Israeli wines have only recently started getting the attention of foreign markets.

Adam Montefiore, from The Israel Wine Experience, organises wine tours and tastings for tourists. He says:

"I don't want to overstate Israel's importance but it's a very historic area. We're a new world wine country in one of the oldest wine producing areas in the world and people want to taste something new."

Whereas 20 years ago the country hardly produced any wine, now it boasts lots of boutique wineries.

Israel was once mainly seen as a producer of kosher wines but that culture is now changing.

"We don't sell our wine as a kosher wine even if it is, we sell it as an Israeli wine," explains Samuel Zermati, CEO of Clos du Temple winery.

He makes Israeli wine which he exports with two other friends. They've so far sold 50,000 bottles.

The 1848 winery is based in the settlement of Maale Adumim. For its 170 year anniversary they made a bottle which sells for 848 shekels (231 US Dollars).

"Of course it sounds crazy to put 848 shekels (231 US Dollars) in a wine but it was somehow our way to say that's what we are able to do and the winery name is 1848, so we decided to use the same numbers of course so that's also something unique," says Ilan Assouline, a winemaker at 1848.

Despite an increase in Israel wineries, the price of its wines in general are still high compared to those abroad.

Arie Hochberg, an importer of Israeli wine to the US, says: "The American market really doesn't know Israeli wines."

But he adds that he is trying to change that.

"We're selling them to the most expensive restaurants in New York. So we are trying really to promote Israel as a wine producing country."

Israeli winemakers have often been criticised by groups who condemn the treatment of Palestinians and support boycotting Israel.

Last year a major Japanese department store quietly removed a vendor specialising in wine from Israel's occupied Golan Heights after protests from citizens' groups.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in 1981. The US and others consider it to be disputed territory.

Tel Aviv, Israel - 28 January 2019

1. Wine being poured

2. Tilt up of man tasting wine

3. Wide tilt up on Sommelier wine expo

4. Men smelling wine

5. Tura wine stand

6. Tilt up on Tura bottles of wine

7. Adam Montefiore, Israeli wine specialist and partner in The Israeli Wine Experience, smelling wine with another man

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Adam Montefiore, The Israel Wine Experience:

"We're the representatives of the eastern Mediterranean. Now the eastern Mediterranean gave wine culture to the world 2,000 years ago, and whether you're talking about Jesus or King David we have a long history of wine growing. But the wine has been pretty awful for 2,000 years and now all the countries in the eastern Mediterranean are making fantastic wine and we're part of it. So again I don't want to overstate Israel's importance but it's a very historic area. We're a new world wine country in one of the oldest wine producing areas in the world and people want to taste something new."

9. Various of visitors at Sommelier wine expo

10. Mid of two men drinking wine

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Adam Montefiore, The Israel Wine Experience:

"I find planting a vineyard, uncorking a bottle of wine is far removed from politics. So we can enjoy wine and take it out of the political arena and that's what wine is all about. You know you open a bottle of wine and the wine works its magic, we all enjoy it, so I haven't seen a lot of political reaction. Those that don't want to buy Israeli wine don't buy it, those that want to support Israel do buy it and those wine fanatics that want to taste something new are fascinated by Israel. So we don't lose."

12. Wide of Sommelier wine expo

13. Ultra Orthodox Jewish men tasting wine

14. Various of Clos du Temple winery booth

15. Wide of Samuel Zermati, CEO of Clos du Temple winery, speaking to visitors

16. SOUNDBITE (French) Samuel Zermati, CEO of Clos du Temple winery:

"We don't sell our wine as a kosher wine even if it is, we sell it as an Israeli wine. We chose the vineyards in the Judean Hills for a unique reason, it's because it's really hot during the day and pretty chilled during the evening. We're 700 metres high, so it gives us grapes and a wine that are exceptional. So that's what we are selling to the people who want to buy this wine. It's people that understand where the wine comes from and the importance of the climate, and also the influence of the climate, of the temperatures, these are wines that get, thanks to the sun, to 14.5, 15 percent alcohol and that's also what we are selling."

17. Wide of winemaker Ilan Assouline walking into 1848 winery booth

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Ilan Assouline, winemaker at 1848:

"We are having 170 years of the winery so we decided to make an outstanding wine so we just pick the best plots in Galilee, choosing the best parcels, making the best wines, the best tanks, the best barrels and picking up each time only the best and we got to 100 bottles of the best wine we could have and we decided, of course it sounds crazy to put 848 shekels (230 US dollars) in a wine but it was somehow our way to say that's what we are able to do and the winery name is 1848, so we decided to use the same numbers of course so that's also something unique."

19. Various of special 1848 wine bottle

20. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Danny Rubin, Wine Portal:

"I tasted the wine, the wine is delicious, regarding the prize we can discuss it for two days but I know that some people are looking for this wine. It's a wine that was released as a collectors item only and will be released to shops in a very, very limited way."

21. Various of visitors sampling wine

22. Tilt down of bottles of wine

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Arie Hochberg, importer of Israeli wine to the US, Israeli Wine Direct:

"So the American market really doesn't know Israeli wines. Most of the wines from Israel in (to) US sold to kosher markets and kosher stores. Most of their wines are sold to religious Jews or non-religious Jews that are buying them for Passover and for Rosh Hashana. We are introducing not kosher Israeli wines like Shevo, like Assaf, Pelter and we're selling them to the most expensive restaurants in New York. So we are trying really to promote Israel as a wine producing country."

24. Various of visitors sampling wine

25. Wide of expo

the UK's Prince William's upcoming visit to Israel will be a "celebration of the strength" of the current relationship between the two countries, the UK ambassador to Israel said on Sunday.

Prince William is set to arrive in Israel and the Palestinian territories this week for the first official visit of a member of the British royal family, ending the monarchy's decades-long, mostly hands-off approach to one of the world's most sensitive regions.

In an interview with the Associated Press, David Quarrey said nothing has changed in British government policy regarding Jerusalem and emphasised the trip by the Duke of Cambridge "is not a political visit."

However, Israeli media reported that some of the terminology used in the itinerary of the Royal visit, describing Jerusalem as occupied territories angered Jerusalem Affairs Minister, Zeev Elkin.

Quarrey said the description of the Prince's visit "reflected decades of terminology used by British governments," adding that "absolutely nothing has changed" as far as the UK's policy regarding Jerusalem was concerned.

The Duke of Cambridge will be meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and visiting landmark Jerusalem sites at the heart of the century-old conflict.

Israel captured east Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not internationally recognized.

Israel considers the city, home to holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims and the emotional epicentre of the conflict, as an inseparable part of its capital.

The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as a future capital.

The prince kicks off his Middle East four-day visit Sunday in Jordan, arriving in Jerusalem on Monday before travelling on to coastal Tel Aviv and Ramallah in the West Bank.

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Ramat Gan, central Israel - 24 June 2018

1. UK Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey walking into room

2. SOUNDBITE (English) David Quarrey, UK Ambassador to Israel:

"It is a celebration of the strength of our contemporary relationship, between the UK and Israel. We've have never had such a strong relationship in terms of trade, investment, science and technology. We also work closely together against terrorism and other shared threats, so it's the right moment - we think - for a visit to really shine a light on that relationship and show how strong the contemporary relationship is between the two countries."

3. Close up of the ambassador's hands

4. Quarrey sitting in interview

5. SOUNDBITE (English) David Quarrey, UK Ambassador to Israel:

"The British government policy has been consistent regarding Jerusalem for years, for decades in fact, and absolutely nothing has changed regarding our policy, and the description for example of the Prince's visit reflected decades of terminology used by British governments. It is important to emphasise that the Duke is not a political figure, this is not a political visit."

6. Ambassador sitting during interview

7. SOUNDBITE (English) David Quarrey, UK Ambassador to Israel:

"We have a different view than the government of Israel does, that's clear. There are many, many things that we and the government of Israel agree on and there are many things that we work together on. There are some issues that we take a different view on and I think that's characteristic of a deep mature relationship as we have between the two countries."

8. Ambassador seated, at work

9. SOUNDBITE (English) David Quarrey, UK Ambassador to Israel:

"The Duke is very clear that he wants to come and get under the skin of the country, he wants to get a feel for Israel, he wants to get a flavour of the country, he doesn't just want to come and sit in meeting rooms and do what many visitors do. He actually wants to get out there and experience the place, including in particular meeting young people here."

10. Quarrey sitting and writing

11. SOUNDBITE (English) David Quarrey, UK Ambassador to Israel:

"I shall be watching the football match, we are going to have a two-hour pause this afternoon in our visit preparations to allow us all to be cheering on England against Panama and then we will be back to work this evening preparing for the visit, but I'm afraid there is no way, I mean the Duke is a massive football fan so I'm sure he will following it closely and there is no way the embassy won't be watching the football this afternoon."

12. Union Jack flying on top of the ambassador's residence

13. Wide of the entrance to the ambassador's residence

14. Flags of Israel and the UK in street

Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets at southern Israel early on Tuesday, killing a man in a strike on a residential building, and warning they would escalate their attacks if Israel continues bombing targets in the Gaza Strip.

The cross-border attacks, which were triggered by a botched Israeli undercover raid into Hamas-ruled Gaza late Sunday, marked the most serious escalation since an Israel-Hamas war in 2014.

The Israeli military said some 400 rockets and mortars have been launched from Gaza since the current round began on Monday afternoon, with about 100 of them intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defence system.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, said Israeli warplanes, tanks and naval vessels were involved in strikes against military compounds, observation posts and weapons facilities belonging to the two main Gaza militant groups behind the attacks — Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

He said the Israeli military has enhanced its deployment along the border but had yet to mobilise its reserves.

He said Gaza militant groups were believed to have an arsenal in excess of 20,000 rockets and mortars of different caliber and range.

On Tuesday, Gaza's health ministry said two Palestinians in their 20s were killed in separate airstrikes, raising the number killed since the Israeli offensive began Monday to six, including four militants.

At least 25 people have been wounded.

Israeli medical officials said a 48-year-old man was found early Tuesday under the rubble of a building hit by a rocket in the southern city of Ashkelon.

Relatives in the West Bank town of Halhoul identified the man as Mahmoud Abu Usbeh, a Palestinian labourer who had been working in Israel.

He left a wife and six children behind.

At least 20 people have also been wounded in Israel, three critically, according to medical officials.

Ashkelon - 13 November 2018

1. Set up shot of IDF spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, Israeli military spokesman:

"Well the situation currently is that Hamas and other terrorist organisations from the Gaza Strip have fired more than 400 rockets and missiles at Israel aiming for Israeli civilians. What you can see behind me is an Israeli house. We're standing in Ashkelon which is a regular Israeli city. Approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) away from the Gaza border. And what Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have tried to do is to fire rockets at Israeli civilians in order to kill Israeli civilians. Out of those 400 rockets that have been fired, we have been able to intercept more than 100 of those. Unfortunately, a few rockets have been able to impact and we have had casualties civilian casualties inside Israel which is what Hamas and the other terrorists have been aiming to do so. "

3. Cutaway of Conricus

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, Israeli military spokesman:

"Our response has been to focus first and foremost on the defence on the ground making sure that Hamas and other terrorists are not able to infiltrate into Israel and to terrorise Israeli civilians on the ground. For that purpose, we have enhanced our troop presence on the ground. Second, our aerial defence against rockets that have been fired from Gaza towards Israel. As you can see behind me. And the third aspect would be our retaliatory strikes that we have responded to the aggression from the Gaza Strip. And we, unlike Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have responded against military targets only, whereas terrorist attack civilians, we target terror and we have struck more than 100 military targets inside the Gaza Strip. That is in order to deliver a message to Hamas that this rocket barrage on Israeli civilians is totally unacceptable. We will not stand for it and we will make sure that Hamas understands that there is a price to attacking Israel in such a way. We stand ready to continue these operations as we should be guided by the Israeli cabinet and government and we are ready for different scenarios and developments."

5. Set up shot of police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Micky Rosenfeld, Israeli police spokesman:

"The Israeli National Police are continuing to heighten security in and around the different areas of the country with focus on the cities in the south. As a result of the direct strikes that have taken place over the last 24 to 48 hours where there has been more than 400 rockets that have been fired from the Gaza Strip, inside Israel and with more than 100 interceptions by the Iron Dome. Here where we are, in Ashkelon, there was a direct strike where one man was killed, one woman was injured seriously. Altogether over the last 24 hours 71 Israelis have been taken to hospital in light condition after being injured from the rockets that have struck. When the sirens go off it's critical to go inside the safety zones and extra police units will continue to respond. Bomb disposal experts will be at each and every strike, if necessary."

7. Wide of building hit by rocket fired from Gaza that left one dead

Israel's Prime Minister has said his country is "in the midst of a campaign against terror in Gaza."

During his cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the deadly violence that has taken place near the Israeli-Palestine border during the past months.

"It won't end with a single strike" Netanyahu said Sunday morning, adding, "our approach is clear, a complete ceasefire. We won't be satisfied with less than that."

He also stated that the Israeli military so far has destroyed "hundreds of Hamas military targets."

Three Palestinians were killed on Friday by Israeli fire during a Hamas-led protest along the Gaza border.

The incident came as Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel honoured a cease-fire Friday that ended two days of an intense flare-up in violence.

During Sunday's meeting, Netanyahu also spoke about mass protests taking place in Tell Aviv on Saturday evening against the new Nation-State law, which critics say marginalises Israel's non-Jewish citizens.

"We received conclusive evidence of opposition against the existence of the state of Israel, and the necessity of the nation-state law. We saw PLO flags yesterday flying in the heart of Tel Aviv," Netanyahu told cabinet ministers.

Saturday's rally marked further fallout from the explosive Nation-State law and came a week after thousands of Druze, also members of the Arab minority, packed the same city square last week.

Israel's 1948 declaration of independence defined the country as a Jewish and democratic state and the government says the recently passed bill merely enshrines the country's existing character.

But critics say it undercuts Israel's democratic values and sidelines the country's non-Jewish population, namely the Arab community that makes up 20 percent of the country.

Jerusalem - 12 August 2018

1. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arriving for cabinet meeting

2. Pan left from Netanyahu over cabinet ministers during meeting

3. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister:

"We are in the midst of a campaign against terror in Gaza. There is an exchange of blows, and it won't end with a single strike. Our approach is clear: a complete ceasefire. We won't be satisfied with less than that. Until now we have destroyed hundreds of Hamas military targets, in every round of attacks, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has inflicted another heavy toll on Hamas. I won't disclose our operational plans here; they're ready."

4. Cutaway of cabinet meeting

5. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (speaking about mass protests in Tel Aviv on Saturday against a contentious new law that critics say marginalises Israel's non-Jewish citizens):

"Yesterday we received conclusive evidence of opposition against the existence of the state of Israel, and the necessity of the Nation-state Law. We saw PLO flags yesterday flying in the heart of Tel Aviv, in the heart of Tel Aviv. We heard the chants 'With blood and fire we will redeem Palestine.' Many of the protesters want to cancel the Law of Return (a law which gives Jews the right to come and live in and gain citizenship in Israel), they want to annul the anthem, they want to fold up our flag, they want to nullify Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and turn it - as some of them say - into an Israeli-Palestinian state, others say a state of all its citizens. Precisely for this reason we passed the Nation-state Law. We are proud of our country, we are proud of our flag, we are proud of our anthem. Israel is a Jewish and democratic state. Individual rights of its citizens are well anchored in the basic laws and other laws, and now it's clearer than ever that the nation-state Law is needed to ensure the future of the state of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. We passed this law and we will keep this law."

6. Mid of meeting

Tens of thousands of members of Israel's Druze minority and their Jewish supporters packed a square in central Tel Aviv Saturday night to rally against a contentious new law that critics say sidelines Israel's non-Jewish citizens.

It marked the first time in recent memory that the Druze - who are considered fiercely loyal to the state of Israel - staged a large public protest.

Hundreds of brightly colored Druze flags, rarely seen outside the community, fluttered in the square along Israel's national banners.

Nearby City Hall was also lit up in the Druze colours.

The rally marked the biggest backlash yet against a recently passed law that enshrines Israel's Jewish character and downgrades the standing of Arabic from an official to a "special" language.

The law has outraged Israel's Arabic-speaking community, which includes the Druze and makes up about 20 percent of the population.

Critics say the law undermines the country's democratic values.

The Druze serve in the military, unlike most of the country's Arab citizens, who overwhelmingly follow Sunni Islam and have close family ties with Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories.

Over the years, members of the Druze community have risen to prominence in the military and in politics.

On Saturday, Tel Aviv's Rabin Square was packed with Druze protesters bused in from all over Israel, and their Jewish backers, including former senior members of the defenfe establishment.

The crowd chanted "equality, equality."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Cabinet ministers have met with Druze leaders to try and pacify their concerns.

But recent meetings did not go well.

According to Israeli media, Netanyahu abruptly ended a meeting with retired brigadier general Amal Assad and other Druze officials this week after Assad warned the new law would "lead to apartheid."

Israel's 130,000 Druze live mostly in the north of the country.

Tel Aviv - August 4 2018

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Various of Druze demonstration with Druze as well as Israeli flags being waved

++DAY SHOTS++

2. Demonstrators

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Amal Assad, retired brigadier general:

"We gathered here all of the Israeli citizens to change the bad law for the Israeli country, for the state of Israel, for the Jewish people, and for all the minorities. It's a bad law and we are all equal, Jews, Arabs, Druze, everybody. We are brothers, we defend this country and we'll build it and we will continue to live here together"

4. Mid of demonstration

5. Mid of front of demonstration, with Nadia Halabi, from Northern Israeli town of Daliyat al-Carmel standing with other protesters

6. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Nadia Halabi, protester:

"We are loyal to the state of Israel, we the Druze have been loyal to the state of Israel for 70 years, and we will continue to live here and serve in the army for another 700 years, but we won't accept that Benjamin Netanyahu split us, and will divide the Israeli society. I am a proud Israeli and I am also a proud Druze. When we're looking at the national law that he (Netanyahu) made, he created this problem, if not, we wouldn't be here, all the Druze from all over Israel. Long live Israel."

7. Mid of demonstration

Israel and Iran are on a collision course but it remains to be seen whether the recent confrontation between the countries will spiral into a more protracted battle, an Israeli Middle East expert said on Thursday.

Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies, said Israel and Iran have conflicting aims in Syria, meaning they are bound to continue to clash.

"The Iranians want to establish a military presence that is threatening Israel, while Israel at the same time is trying to prevent - with the use of force - the establishment of such a presence," Inbar said.

The Israeli military on Thursday said it attacked nearly all of Iran's military installations in neighbouring Syria in response to an Iranian rocket barrage on Israeli positions in the occupied Golan Heights.

It is the most serious military confrontation between the two bitter enemies to date.

But it's unclear what the Iranian response to Israel's retaliation will be.

Inbar said US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Iran nuclear deal has weakened Iran and has strengthened Israel's power of deterrence.

Iran's ability to hit back further could be limited.

Its resources in Syria pale in comparison to the high-tech Israeli military and it could also be wary of military entanglement at a time when it is trying to salvage the international nuclear deal.

Iran has sent thousands of troops to back Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Israel fears that as the fighting nears an end, Iran and tens of thousands of Shiite militiamen will turn their focus to Israel.

Jerusalem - 10 May 2018

1. Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies (JISS) think tank

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies:

"Definitely there is a course of collision between Israel and Iran, particularly since the two sides are determined to continue and attain their goals. The Iranians want to establish a military presence that is threatening Israel, while Israel at the same time is trying to prevent - with the use of force - the establishment of such a presence."

3. Cutaway to JISS website

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies:

"The Iranians will have to decide what they want to do in Syria. It is clear that Israel is determined to prevent an additional missile arsenal being accumulated in Syria, and it seems also that the Russians are actually allowing Israel a free hand. Under those circumstances it remains to be seen what kind of response we'll see from the Iranians."

5. Cutaway to screen

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies:

"After (US) President Trump removed the American participation in the JCPOA, the (Iran) nuclear deal, the Iranian hand is weaker. They are afraid, maybe, of an American intervention. In any case, following Trump's decision, Israel's deterrence seems to be enhanced."

7. End shot of Inbar

Thousands of African asylum seekers on Wednesday protested outside the Rwandan Embassy in Israel, calling on the African country not to cooperate with an Israeli plan to deport them.

Israel has given thousands of migrants in the country until April 1 to accept an offer to leave for an unnamed African destination - widely known to be Rwanda, based on testimonies of people who have already left - in exchange for 3,500 US dollars and a plane ticket. Those who don't leave face indefinite incarceration.

The protesters said the plan would put them in danger and said the deportations were racist. They urged Rwanda and its president, Paul Kagame, not to cooperate. Rwanda is one of Israel's closest African allies.

"Deported to death because I'm black," said one banner. "Black or white I'm human," said another, held by protesters with faces painted white.

Israel has 40,000 migrants, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, who say they fled from danger at home. Both countries have poor human rights records.

Israel claims that most of the migrants are job seekers and cites complaints that they have transformed working class neighbourhoods of south Tel Aviv into unrecognizable slums.

But the migrants and their supporters say those who have left have run into danger in Rwanda and Uganda, another destination country. They claim they have no rights in those countries, and quickly are forced to flee through war-torn countries like Sudan and Libya in hopes of making their way to Europe.

In a 2015 incident, a migrant who had left Israel was captured by Islamic State militants in Libya and decapitated.

The migrants say they do not want to settle in Israel, but want to remain as refugees until it is safe for them to return to their homelands.

"Saving a refugee is a moral obligation," the crowd chanted.

Thousands of migrants entered Israel from neighboring Egypt until Israel completed a massive border fence to stop the flow. Since then, Israel has struggled to find a solution for those who entered the country.

The deportation plan has sparked outrage in Israel, where critics have called it unethical and a stain on Israel's image as a refuge for Jewish migrants.

The government says it has no obligation to take in migrants, and that it has taken steps to make sure they are not harmed. Women, children and families, for example, are exempt from the deportation order.

Herzliya, central Israel - 7 February 2018

1. African asylum seekers raising hands in handcuff gesture, faces painted white, holding signs reading (English, from left to right) "Deported to death because I'm black," "Black or white I'm human"

2. Close up of handcuff gesture

3. African asylum seekers raising hands in handcuff gesture, faces painted white

4. Protester speaking on megaphone

5. Close up of woman protester

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Halofom Sultan, asylum seeker from Eritrea:

"I'm glad to see all the people, all the African asylum seekers as well as Israelis and other people here, and I can say why the people are here, because they are very worried about their future."

7. Wide of protest

8. Banner showing Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reading (English) "Stop racism"

9. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Tasfou Takle, asylum seeker from Eritrea:

"I was told 'go to your country,' I am asking for asylum, and I am not leaving (Israel) if I am to be sold, so here, I am standing here, I will stand here, I don't want to be deported from Israel, I'm a refugee also now."

10. Sign reading (English) "Black or white I'm a human"

11. Close up of baby in stroller

12. Crowd chanting (Hebrew) "Saving a refugee is a moral obligation"

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigal Rozen, Head of Public Department at the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants in Israel:

"It looks as if we managed to recruit such a large Israeli public, because suddenly the Israeli public realizes that Israel is about to actually deport genuine refugees, but our demands remain the same for the last 12 years, we keep on asking the Israeli government to grant refugee status to the people who deserve this status and to stop abusing them and trying to force them to leave."

14. Protesters chanting (Hebrew) "We will not fall into despair, we will stop the deportation"

On a hot, dusty road in southern Israel, the band of international cyclists are raring to go.

They are presenting a new course called the "Middle East Peace Tour" - a cycling event planned for next year.

The course will take participants through Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Egypt.

Event organiser, former professional cyclist Gerhard Schonbacher, says that he came up with the idea four years ago.

"I had been asked to organise race in Israel and after one week I had a good look at the map of Middle East and I was always interested in the Middle East," he explains.

"So I was very excited and I said 'well why don't we make a race in the Middle East'. And I made a drawing on the map and I said, 'well Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Palestine will be great to have in the course'. And that's what it is now."

The cyclists will ride from Amman, with three days in Jordan, one in Egypt and three days in Israel and the West Bank where, after seven days, they will finish in Jerusalem.

Schonbacher is confident that the event will be popular with enthusiasts from around the world.

"For the first year will be limited to four to five hundred and we will promote the race world wide. And we will bring in at least riders from each continent around the world to the Middle East."

The hope is that with such an international team, the event can be used to promote peace in the region.

"Sport is a good voice for peace and we transfer, transport this through the sports people," say Schonbacher.

And if the reaction of those on the presentation course is anything to go by, it seems the event is likely to be a success.

"It is a great opportunity to be in a different environment, meet different people and see some different cultures and that's great to be here," says Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten.

Van Vleuten and the team have been testing the route, travelling each part by both car and bicycle.

"This is a pre-event for the big ride that we plan for next year, in 2018. We're doing the entire route, mostly in vehicles and we ride on bicycles in stages," explains Israeli cyclist Ido Eindor.

"Today we rode from Tzichor (south Israel) Junction and arrived here in Mitzpe Ramon, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) with a few challenging climbs."

When it kicks off, the seven-day race will take in historical sites such as Petra and Aqaba on the Read Sea, the group said on its website.

Southern Israel - 27 April 2017

1. Cyclists starting bicycle ride, people holding sign reading (English) "Middle East Peace Tour"

2. Cyclists on road, street sign reading (English/Hebrew/Arabic) "Mizpe Ramon 60, Beer Sheva 142"

3. Various of cyclists on road

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerhard Schonbacher, event organiser:

"Four years ago I had been asked to organise race in Israel and after one week I had a good look at the map of Middle East and I was always interested in the Middle East and read a lot of books about history and religion and everything. So I was very excited and I said 'well why don't we make a race in the Middle East'. And I made a drawing on the map and I said, 'well Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Palestine will be great to have in the course'. And that's what it is now, we are presenting the course from 2018, start in Amman, three days in Jordan, one day in Egypt and three days (in) Israel and Palestine and we finish in Jerusalem after seven days."

5. Various of cyclists on road

6. Cyclists arriving at Mizpe Ramon, people cheering

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerhard Schonbacher, event organiser:

"(We are) expecting about 400 riders, for the first year will be limited to four to five hundred and we will promote the race worldwide. And we will bring in at least riders from each continent around the world to the Middle East, and sport is a good voice for peace and we transfer, transport this through the sports people."

8. Various of cyclists getting ready next to bus

9. Woman holding banner

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Annemiek van Vleuten, Dutch cyclist:

"We are just at the pre-event. So I was invited to join this pre-event and I think for me one of the goals I like (while) cycling is to see something more from the roads, so it is a great opportunity to be in a different environment, meet different people and see some different cultures and that's great to be here."

11. Various of cyclists taking pictures

12. Cyclist taking picture of man playing accordion under Israeli flag

13. Cyclists talking to each other

14. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Ido Eindor, Israeli cyclist:

"This is a pre-event for the big ride that we plan for next year, in 2018. We're doing the entire route, mostly in vehicles and we ride on bicycles in stages. Today we rode from Tzichor (south Israel) Junction and arrived here in Mitzpe Ramon, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) with a few challenging climbs."

15. Various of cyclists posing for group photo

LEADIN:

Cyclists are promoting a new multinational race route through the Middle East for an event planned for 2018.

The journey will cover Jordan, Egypt, Israel and the West Bank.

LEADIN:

Two prominent rock singers from Israel and Iran are collaborating - despite major hostility between their countries.

They'll perform an iconic peace anthem called 'The Hope Song' at a concert in Tel Aviv this week, in a call for unity.

STORYLINE:

Aviv Geffen breaks into the opening lyrics of 'The Hope Song', one of the signature hits he wrote after the the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.

It became something of a peace anthem and has been referred to as the Israeli version of John Lennon's 'Imagine'.

However the call for peace and hope is taken to a new level as the artist to his left joins the song.

Shahin Najafi meshes its Hebrew lyrics with Farsi - the language of Israel's long term enemy Iran.

Najafi is an Iranian dissident musician who had to flee the Islamic Republic because of his activism and was later issued a death sentence for a song about a Shiite cleric that was deemed to be blasphemous.

Now based in Germany, he still has a strong following among those opposed to the regime in Iran.

He's rehearsing with Geffen for a concert later this week in Tel Aviv - believed to be the first joint Israeli-Iranian collaboration.

The two artists hope to prove that despite the bitter enmity between their countries, the people could unite in the name of a better future.

"We can talk, we can hug and touch each other and sing, it's okay you know. So for us it's a great message to the people around the world", says Geffen.

"Naturally I have a very good feeling about it", adds Najafi. "I am very happy that I have this opportunity to come to Israel in the name of art and besides Aviv. We are going to sing together for democracy, freedom and against war."

In its early years, Israel actually had close ties to Iran and the country featured a thriving Jewish community. But following the Islamic revolution in 1979 they quickly devolved into bitter enemies, with the new Iranian leadership often referring to Israel as the "little Satan" and threatening to annihilate it.

In recent years, Israel has regarded Iran as its most dangerous adversary because of its nuclear program, its development of long-range missiles and continued support for militant groups along its border. Meeting with Israelis, let alone visiting the country, is considered an offence that could have severe repercussions.

In Israel, Geffen is cloaked in a rebellious image that earned him a title as the voice of a younger generation in the early 1990s when he would appear on stage in makeup, often without a shirt, and challenge his fans by screaming "do you want a change?"

His songs dealt with charged issues like suicide, religion, drugs and military service, which is compulsory in Israel but he himself skipped.

He performed at a peace rally in 1995 shortly before Rabin was assassinated by a religious extremist Jew opposed to his peace efforts, and Geffen's songs came to symbolise that era.

In recent years, he has been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he has called a 'tyrant' who needs to step down.

But Geffen acknowledged that his political activism paled in comparison to Najafi's ordeal.

"I think Shahin is one of the bravest artists I ever met who is fighting on his own ideas and he's got loads, loads of people from Iran who are supporting him and some of his fans were thrown into jail because of his ideas and vision. So for me it was like a miracle to bring him here to Tel Aviv, to Israel just now, you know, because of all the history between us and Iran. To show the people that the people in Iran and Tel Aviv and Israel are getting together along really, really well", he says.

Born in Bandar-e Anzali, in the Gilan province in northern Iran, Najafi made a name for himself as an underground musician who took on controversial issues such as sexuality, politics and God. Under threat of persecution, he fled in 2004.

The "fatwa" death sentence against him was issued after his most controversial song, Naghi, in which he exhorts a Shiite Imam to solve some of the problems plaguing Iran.

The religious edict still stands, as does a 100,000 US dollar bounty on his head. He's often described as "the Salman Rushdie of music".

"I think that life is dangerous and my situation is such that I believe in what I do and I am fighting for what I believe in in general. For democracy, for freedom and for peace and I'm ready to die for it. I am very happy that there is this opportunity for two artists to come together and work together and bring the message of friendship to both the people of Iran and Israel."

Najafi, who learned to sing the chorus of 'The Hope Song' in Hebrew, worked off a translation of the lyrics to create the Farsi segments of the collaborative version.

The duo will also perform 'Good Morning Iran', a song Geffen wrote about Israeli politics.

Tel Aviv, Israel - 27 February 2017

1. Various of Israeli singer Aviv Geffen (left) and Iranian singer Shahin Najafi performing 'The Hope Song' in Hebrew and Farsi

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Aviv Geffen, Israeli singer:

"We can talk, we can hug and touch each other and sing, it's okay you know. So for us it's a great message to the people around the world, if it's let's say (Roger) Waters with the BDS supporting or to the people or to Bibi Netanyahu and Trump with his ridiculous vision. People can talk, people can make music together and it's all fine. We got no problem at all."

3. Cutaway USB stick with Peace sign attached to it

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Shahin Najafi, Iranian singer

"Naturally I have a very good feeling about it. I am very happy that I have this opportunity to come to Israel in the name of art and beside Aviv. We are going to sing together for democracy, freedom and against war."

5. Geffen and Najafi performing 'Good Morning Iran'

6. Pull out of drummer

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Aviv Geffen, Israeli singer

"I think Shahin is one of the bravest artists I ever met who is fighting on his own ideas and he's got loads, loads of people from Iran who are supporting him and some of his fans were thrown into jail because of his ideas and vision. So for me it was like a miracle to bring him here to Tel Aviv, to Israel just now, you know, because of all the history between us and Iran. To show the people that the people in Iran and Tel Aviv and Israel are getting together along really, really well."

8. Geffen and Najafi performing 'Good Morning Iran'

9. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Shahin Najafi, Iranian singer

"I think that life is dangerous and my situation is such that I believe in what I do and I am fighting for what I believe in, in general. For democracy, for freedom and for peace and I'm ready to die for it. I am very happy that there is this opportunity for two artists to come together and work together and bring the message of friendship to both the people of Iran and Israel."

10. Close of tattoo on hand of Najafi

11. Aviv Geffen singing 'The Hope Song'

12. Aviv Geffen and Shahin Najafi performing 'The Hope Song' and hugging at the end

An Israeli Defense Force spokesman said on Sunday that the IDF (Israel Defense Force) had thwarted an attack of Iranian militia and Quds forces on Saturday.

The Israeli military attacked targets near Damascus late Saturday in what it said was a successful effort to thwart an imminent Iranian drone strike on Israel, stepping up an already heightened campaign against Iranian military activity in the region.

The late-night airstrike, which triggered Syrian anti-aircraft fire, appeared to be one of the most intense attacks by Israeli forces in several years of hits on Iranian targets in Syria.

IDF spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Concricus, said the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, working with allied Shiite militias, had been planning to send a number of explosives-laden attack drones into Israel.

Tel Aviv - 25 August 2019

1. Various of Lt Col Jonathan Concricus, IDF (Israel Defense Force) spokesman, arriving and speaking to media

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Lt Col Jonathan Concricus, IDF spokesman:

"Last midnight the IDF foiled an attempt of the Iranian Quds Force and Shiite militias to attack Israel using killer drones. The Israeli Air Force struck targets south of Damascus belonging to the Iranian Quds Force and Shiite militia. The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani planned to launch these killer drones from Syria and attack Israel, just like he has attacked airports and oil fields in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and additional places all over the Middle East. We hold the Iranian and Syrian regimes responsible for this attempted attack. The IDF is monitoring the situation and is on high alert for various scenarios, both offensive and defensive. This Iranian attempt to attack Israel is further proof of the threat that the Iranian entrenchment in Syria poses to the security of the state of Israel and the region as a whole."

3. Mid of Concricus

Israel's prime minister says he is making a "last effort" to prevent the collapse of his government.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday it would be wrong to go to early elections during a sensitive time for Israeli security.

The sudden coalition crisis was sparked by the resignation of Israel's hard-line Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who stepped down in protest over a cease-fire reached last week with Gaza militants.

Lieberman had demanded a far stronger response to the most massive wave of rocket attacks on Israel since the 2014 Israel-Hamas war.

The departure of Lieberman and his Yisrael Beitenu party leaves the coalition with a one-seat majority in the 120-member parliament.

Two other key coalition partners say that makes governing untenable.

Netanyahu is trying to convince them to stay.

Jerusalem - 18 November 2018

1. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a cabinet meeting

2. Netanyahu

3. Ministers and Netanyahu at meeting

4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister:

"Tonight I will meet with Finance Minister Kahlon in a last effort to prevent the toppling of the government. During such a sensitive time for Israeli security, we should not and it is not right to go to elections. We remember well what happened when elements inside the coalitions took down a Likud governments in 1992 and in 1999 and we got the Oslo disaster and the Intifada disaster. We need to do everything we can to prevent repeating these mistakes."

5. Cabinet

6. Israel's Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan talking to the press

7. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Gilad Erdan, Israel's Public Security Minister:

"I think that there is no reason to shorten the term of a national government, not even by one day, and at this moment it's in the hands of the education minister and finance minister."

8. Israel's Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev speaking to the press

9. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Miri Regev, Israel's Culture and Sport Minister:

"I hope that we will not go to elections, there is no reason to go to elections. I think we can function as a coalition with 61.. (Regev notices Israel's Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon walking in, says "good morning to our Finance Minister") I am sure we can function and continue to do so with coalition of 61."

10. Netanyahu arriving at cabinet meeting

LEADIN

An interfaith group from the Gulf state of Bahrain has paid an unprecedented public visit to Israel.

The group says the visit is not political but it has still angered many in the Arab world.

STORYLINE

"We are so proud and so grateful that the group came despite all the hullabaloo of the last few days". Those are the words of Rabbi Abraham Cooper from the US-based Jewish human rights group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, as he welcomes an interfaith group from the Gulf state of Bahrain to an event in Jerusalem.

The hullabaloo he refers to is last week's announcement by Donald Trump that the US will recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel - and the violence that followed that seismic shift in policy.

The group from the Gulf flew to Israel on Sunday as guests of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, in an unprecedented public visit which has generated uproar across the Arab world.

The trip comes at a time that Israel is boasting of warming, albeit covert, ties with moderate Arab countries in a shared front against archrival Iran. But the heavy criticism toward the group unleashed on Arab social media, along with the low profile they have taken, shows the limits on how far that goodwill can go.

The 25 participants include Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and both Sunni and Shiite Muslims. While organisers and participants say the trip is non-political and unconnected to the government, it nonetheless is a possible test case for other Gulf Arab nations in seeing what could happen if they recognise Israel.

"People have been asking us, 'Oh why are you here now after there was an announcement that was made by the White House?' says Betsy Mathieson, President of This is Bahrain.

"We have nothing to do with politics," Matheison insists. "And if every time somewhere in the world a politician or a leader made a political announcement, or there was a new governmental issue, we would never get any of our work done."

But the early results seem decidedly mixed.

Shortly after the group arrived, it was forced to issue a statement on the state-run Bahrain News Agency that it "does not represent any official entity" in Bahrain after uproar on social media. People were especially angry that the visit came so close to President Donald Trump's comments.

The US President's statement has enraged Palestinians, who seek the city's eastern half as capital of a future state.

Throughout their time in Israel, the group has avoided the spotlight. Several Bahraini citizens in the group chose not to attend a dinner alongside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City to light candles for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah on Tuesday. The few Bahrainis who did attend either refused to speak to The Associated Press or did so only if they were not identified.

Roughly half of the members of This is Bahrain that took part in the trip were Bahraini citizens. Israel and Bahrain do not have diplomatic relations, although the two are rumoured to be nurturing close covert ties. Israel's Interior Ministry said the participants entered the country legally after their arrival was coordinated in advance with Israeli authorities with the assistance of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, says the fact that the group arrived, defying expectations they would cancel because of Trump's statement, "speaks volumes."

"We're looking for the normalisation. We're not waiting for politicians, and we're going to try to stick to that narrative," he says.

Bahrain and other Sunni Arab states see themselves as sharing regional interests with Israel when confronting Shiite power Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly touted Israel's warming ties with Gulf Arab states in recent months. On Sunday, Netanyahu asserted that "many of the Arab countries now recognise that Israel is not their enemy but their indispensable ally." This shift, he said, "could help pave the way to an ultimate peace between us and our Palestinian neighbours and between us and the rest of the Arab world."

Netanyahu acknowledged last week that Israel won't be able to sign peace treaties with Arab countries without a deal with the Palestinians, but also implied that ties have already been established and have plenty of room to grow. "Peace treaties, no. Everything else below that, yes, and it's happening," he said just hours before Trump's declaration on Jerusalem.

The island nation of Bahrain, east of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, has long been seen as more liberal than its larger neighbour, but has faced major criticism in recent years for how it put down its 2011 Arab Spring protests with the help of the Saudi kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

The tiny state is ruled by a Sunni king but has a majority Shiite population. According to the Bahraini government, 70 per cent of the population is Muslim and the remainder adheres to various faiths.

Shiites and others demonstrated in 2011 seeking more political freedoms. An official investigation found the government demolished 30 Shiite religious structures following the demonstrations, ranging from mosques to meeting halls and shrines, as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.

Bahrain is home to a small Jewish community, but no members of the community took part in the trip.

Jerusalem - 12 December 2017

1. Pan from Rabbi Abraham Cooper holding candle to group of visitors from Bahrain (English) UPSOUND "We are so proud and so grateful that the group came despite all the hullabaloo of the last few days."

2. Cooper speaking to group at candle lighting ceremony

3. Close of candle

4. Pull out of Cooper lighting candle

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Betsy Mathieson, president, "This is Bahrain"

"We're thrilled to be here in this beautiful city of Jerusalem. We've been so warmly received and we've been visiting the holy sites and making new friends and sharing our message of peaceful coexistence."

6. Group member lighting candle

7. Close of candle

8. Another group member lighting candle

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Betsy Mathieson, president, "This is Bahrain"

"People have been asking us, 'Oh why are you here now after there was an announcement that was made by the White House?' The thing is, as I said, we have nothing to do with politics. And if every time somewhere in the world a politician or a leader made a political announcement, or there was a new governmental issue, we would never get any of our work done. So you know, political things can change in a heartbeat, but what will not change is the message of This is Bahrain, and our message is one of peaceful coexistence. So we can't allow world leaders or politics to derail our mission."

10. Group members lighting candles

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associated dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center:

"I think that most observers here, in the days leading up to their arrival, assumed that there would be a postponement or a cancellation. That they came speaks volumes."

12. Pan left of group members watching Rabbi Abraham Cooper sing

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associated dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center:

"We're looking for the normalisation. We're not waiting for politicians, and we're going to try to stick to that narrative and we give them tremendous credit."

14. Various of group members around dining table at ceremony

++NIGHT SHOT++

15. Jerusalem's Old City walls

LEADIN:

Israeli police have arrested a radical Islamic cleric for inciting violence.

But Raed Salah has called the allegations against him a "political witch hunt".

STORYLINE:

Raed Salah stands in the dock at a court in Rishon Lezion.

Israeli police arrested him today (Tuesday) on suspicion of inciting violence and involvement in an outlawed organisation.

Salah, head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, calls it a "political witch hunt".

"This is an attempt to distract the media with my arrest and away from the charges against Netanyahu," he says.

Salah completed a nine-month prison sentence in January for "incitement to violence" and "incitement to racism".

He has had repeated run-ins with Israeli authorities and was previously imprisoned for funnelling money to Hamas, the Islamic militant Palestinian group that rules the Gaza Strip.

Israeli media reported that Salah was arrested for remarks delivered in a speech last month at the funeral of three Arab-Israeli gunmen who killed two police officers at a contested Jerusalem holy site.

In the speech, he praised the attackers and exhorted others to follow their example.

But his lawyer Khaled Zabarka defends the cleric.

"It seems that the Israeli government is trying to place its failure and the failure of its policies in the area on Sheikh Raed Salah," he says.

He claims to case is "not related to reaching the truth in any way".

Israel banned Salah's group in 2015.

Safwat Freij, vice president for the Islamic Movement in Israel, has come to court to lend his support but claims he has been prevented from entering.

Israel's Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told Israel Radio that Salah is "a danger to the public" for encouraging "radicalism and despicable acts of murder," while Arab-Israeli lawmakers called for his immediate release.

A court has extended his detention until Thursday.

Rishon Lezion, central Israel - 15 August 2017

1. Raed Salah, head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, in court

2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Raed Salah, head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel:

"This is a prolonged persecution of our people by the Israeli government, it is a political witch hunt. This is an attempt to distract the media with my arrest and away from the charges against Netanyahu."

3. Various of Salah in court

4. Salah's wife walking down corridor in court building

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Khaled Zabarka, Salah's lawyer:

"It seems that the Israeli government is trying to place its failure and the failure of its policies in the area on Sheikh Raed Salah. The systematic incitement that Sheikh Raed Salah was subjected to recently is what led to the investigation today. In our opinion and from what we heard from the statements by ministers in the Israeli government and Jewish members of parliament from the government, we have the impression that this case is a political witch hunt that is not related to reaching the truth in any way."

6. Zabarka talking on phone

7. Jamal Zahalka, Arab Knesset member, being filmed for TV

8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jamal Zahalka, Arab Knesset member:

"We demand the immediate release of Sheikh Raed Salah. This is a political arrest and an arbitrary detention This is an attempt to silence the voices and besiege our political action, we, the Arab Palestinians inside Israel. The goal is to scare people so as not to go to defend Al-Aqsa mosque."

9. Various of exterior of court

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Safwat Freij, vice president for the Islamic Movement in Israel:

"We came here from the north and from the centre to enter to the court, and they prevented us from entering. We are citizens in this country and we don't have rights, we were even not allowed to enter to the court. They (Israelis) claim that they have a right in Al-Aqsa mosque and we say they don't have a right in it. Sheikh Raed Salah and every Palestinian citizen say that Al-Aqsa mosque is only for the Muslims and whoever says that is considered by the extreme right government an enemy and should be tried."

11. Close of Israeli flags

12. Wide of court

An Israeli official said Wednesday that the U.S. and Israel have the "closest possible intelligence relationship", following President Donald Trump's disclosure of classified information to senior Russian officials, which had been supplied by Israel.

Israel's Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Michael Oren said that relationship between Washington and Jerusalem "will continue to be close and will grow stronger still in the future."

He made the statements days before Trump is due to arrive for a state visit in Israel.

Israel has yet to acknowledge claims from U.S. officials that it was the source of the highly classified information about an Islamic State plot that Trump divulged to Russian diplomats.

Trump himself said he had "an absolute right" as president to share "facts pertaining to terrorism" and airline safety with Russia. Yet U.S. allies and some members of Congress expressed concern bordering on alarm.

Trump appears to have shared the information without Israel's consent, which would mark a severe violation of the confidentiality of their intelligence-sharing agreement.

Even more remarkable is that Trump chose to confide in representatives of an adversary, who could relay the information to its allies Iran and Syria, bitter enemies of Israel, and potentially find the source.

Trump is due to arrive in Israel next week as part of his first overseas trip as president.

Israel has looked to Trump as a close ally but there has been growing apprehension over his unpredictability.

Jerusalem -17 May 2017

1. Establishing shot of former Israeli ambassador to the US and Deputy Minister Michael Oren

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Oren, Israel's Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy and former Israeli ambassador to the US:

"I'm not going to comment on the latest intelligence issues, all I can say is the Israel and the United States have the closest possible intelligence relationship, I'm speaking like someone who was ambassador in Washington for nearly five years, certainly in the Middle East there is no closer intelligence relationship and that relationship will continue to be close and will grow stronger still in the future."

3. Cutaway of Oren in front of his computer

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Oren, Israel's Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy and former Israeli ambassador to the US:

"No Russia talks (with Trump), no. Our relationship with Russia is, we have a good relationship with Russia, we kept open channels with Russia, and yet recognizing the reality, Russians are backing Assad in the Syrian civil war which is not our favourite and Russia is implicitly allied with Iran in that struggle and that creates challenges for us but we meet those challenges through direct contacts both on the diplomatic level, the government level and on the military level."

Question: Even when information is shared with them?

Michael Oren: "Again, I'm not going to comment on that issue but I'll only reiterate that our intelligence relationship has always been exceedingly close and will remain close, will continue to be close again."

5. Oren at his desk