The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday’s events as they happen.
Chile bars Israeli firms from taking part in Latin America’s biggest aerospace fair
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile says it will exclude Israeli firms from Latin America’s biggest aerospace fair, to be held in Santiago in April.
“By decision of the Government of Chile, the 2024 version of the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE), to be held between 9 and 14 April, will not have the participation of Israeli companies,” a defense ministry statement says.
It doesn’t give a reason, but the government of leftist President Gabriel Boric has been critical of what he has called Israel’s “disproportionate” response to the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Chile, which has the largest Palestinian population outside the Arab world, recalled its ambassador to Israel late October to protest Israel’s “unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law” in Gaza.
Israel’s Ambassador in Chile Gil Artzyeli tells AFP he hasn’t been contacted by the government with the FIDAE news.
“We cannot say we are surprised taking into account the (Chilean) government’s doctrine towards Israel,” he says.
Jewish fan club criticizes Arsenal over anti-Israel rally outside London stadium
Some Jewish supporters of Arsenal are criticizing the English soccer team after a number of supporters decided to turn away from a match over the weekend, as they “felt unsafe” due to an anti-Israel demonstration held by pro-Palestinian protesters outside the squad’s Emirates Stadium in London.
According to The Guardian, around 20 fans are believed to have chosen not to attend the Women’s Super League game on Sunday between Arsenal and Tottenham after they saw the protest, which was organized by the pro-BDS group Football for Palestine, and feel the team put them at risk by not having security curb the rally.
The British newspaper quotes one fan who felt “betrayed” by Arsenal upon seeing the protest.
The Jewish Gooners fan club tells the daily “a number” of its members and their relatives “felt unsafe” and “decided to return home without seeing a ball being kicked.” The report says demonstrators distributed pamphlets, slapped up stickers — including one that said “Anti-Zionist” — and tried to interact with fans as they arrived.
“Despite the various assurances from the club in the run-up to the game, it seems that on this occasion it was not possible to ensure an inclusive environment for all football fans,” adds the group, which was formed last year to combat antisemitism.
Arsenal said in response that the protest was in a public area and therefore could not be restricted.
“The safety of all supporters attending our matches is our top priority. Prior to Sunday’s fixture, we worked with the Metropolitan Police to ensure there was a plan in place to keep the impact of any demonstration to a minimum,” it said. “Instances where prohibited items were identified inside the stadium were dealt with swiftly by our stewards.”
Biden and Trump begin racking up ‘Super Tuesday’ wins, moving them closer to rematch
WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump have begun racking up early wins as states across the country hold Super Tuesday elections, moving them closer to a historic rematch despite a lack of enthusiasm from many voters. The results could ramp up pressure on Nikki Haley, Trump’s last major rival, to leave the race.
Super Tuesday features elections in 16 states and one territory — from Alaska and California to Vermont and Virginia. Hundreds of delegates are at stake, the biggest haul of the race for either party.
Biden and Trump start off the night by winning Virginia. Biden also won Vermont and Iowa, where Democrats previously held a presidential preference contest but didn’t release their results until Tuesday.
CENTCOM says it intercepted Houthi missiles and drones fired at US destroyer
WASHINGTON — US forces have shot down one anti-ship ballistic missile and three one-way attack unmanned aerial systems launched from Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the USS Carney in the Red Sea, the US Central Command says.
US forces later destroyed three anti-ship missiles and three unmanned surface vessels in self-defense, CENTCOM says in a statement.
2 weeks since new framework okayed for sending flour to Gaza, US shipment still stalled — official
A large US shipment of flour for Gaza remains stalled, nearly two weeks since Israel agreed to a new framework for its delivery and 46 days since it was first announced by the White House, a US official tells The Times of Israel.
The official does not elaborate on what is causing the continued delay but says the the flour capable of feeding 1.5 million Gazans for five months should be delivered in the coming days.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller references the flour shipment when asked at a press briefing about Israeli ministers blocking aid from reaching Gaza.
“You have seen ministers in the Israeli Government block the release of flour from the port at Ashdod; you have seen ministers of the Israeli Government supporting protests that blocked aid from going in to Kerem Shalom,” he says, referring to far-right cabinet members Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir respectively. “All of those things are obstacles coming from ministers inside the Israeli Government that we have called out, that we have said are unacceptable, and that we have said should end.”
On February 22, a US official told The Times of Israel that the new arrangement Israel has agreed to will allow for the flour shipment to move forward after Smotrich blocked its transfer for over a month.
The flour would be ferried into Gaza by the World Food Program rather than the UNRWA relief agency for Palestinian refugees, the official said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately informed the Biden administration that Israel approved the shipment in early January. The White House announced the development on January 19.
The shipment arrived at the port in Ashdod, but Smotrich blocked its transfer to UNRWA, which came under fire last month over allegations that 12 of its staffers participated in the October 7 terror onslaught.
The delay has angered the Biden administration, which has repeatedly noted in recent weeks that Israel is violating the commitments it made to the president.
Gantz heads to London for talks with Cameron after meeting top US officials in DC
War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz has wrapped up his visit to Washington and is en route to London, where he will meet with Foreign Minister David Cameron before returning to Israel on Wednesday night, his office says.
Earlier today in Washington, Gantz met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He also briefed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.