El Al subsidiary Sun D’Or International Airlines is halting flights on Shabbos, Globes reported last week. Although El Al doesn’t operate flights on Shabbos, until now its subsidiary Sun D’Or regularly flew charter flights on Shabbos. But according to the report, in recent days tourist agencies trying to book packages with Sun D’or  that include Shabbos flights have been informed that a change of policy regarding Shabbos flights has been implemented. The new policy is not surprising considering the acquisition of El Al by a frum Jew, Eli Rozenberg, in September. Furthermore, Israir Airlines was also recently acquired by Israeli supermarket mogul Rami Levy, who is Shomer Shabbos. Levy’s acquisition of Israir for NIS 162 million was recently approved by the Tel Aviv District Court.

An Israeli traveler who returned from Dubai to Israel and was confirmed positive for the coronavirus upon his return ultimately spurred an infection cycle that infected 180 others, Channel 12 News reported on Sunday. It is one of the largest recorded infection cycles of the virus in Israel since the start of the pandemic, according to the report. It is not yet known whether the traveler was infected with the original strain of the virus or with a mutated variant, which would explain the rapid infection cycle due to the fact that the variants are more contagious than the original virus. However, the fact that Israelis returning from Dubai have already been diagnosed with the South African variant is an indicator that it’s likely that he was carrying the variant as well.

Israel’s Labor Party elected Merav Michaeli on Sunday as its new party leader ahead of the March elections. Michaeli easily defeated several rivals in the party’s primaries, receiving 77% of the vote. A month ago, outgoing Labor chairman Economy Minister Amir Peretz announced he is stepping down as the leader of the beleaguered party. An intriguing fact about Michaeli is that she is the granddaughter of Rudolf Kastner, a Hungarian-Jewish journalist and lawyer who, on one hand, is known for having helped Jews escape from Europe during the Holocaust on the Kastner train, but on the other hand was accused of “selling his soul to the devil” by collaborating with the Nazis.

Israel announced on Sunday that it has opened an embassy in the United Arab Emirates. On the same day, the UAE approved the opening of its embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the embassy is currently housed in a temporary office while a permanent location is readied. Eitan Na’eh, the former ambassador to Turkey, will serve as the head of the mission. He is the first Israeli to carry full diplomatic status in the UAE since the Abraham Accords. According to a Kan News report earlier this month, Na’eh will remain in his position for a temporary period of several months until a permanent ambassador is selected. The Foreign Ministry said Israel will soon open a consulate in Dubai and said an embassy in Bahrain has been operating for several weeks.

Following the past few days of violent Hafganos around Chareidi neighborhoods in Eretz Yisroel, a statement was released by Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and Hagaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponavezh.

Former President Donald Trump on Monday established an official post-presidency office in Palm Beach County, Florida to oversee his affairs, Fox News has learned. A statement from Trump’s office said the “Office of the Former President” will be responsible for his “correspondence, public statements, appearances, and official activities. The Office will also “advance the interests of the United States and … carry on the agenda of the Trump Administration through advocacy, organizing, and public activism.” Speculation about Trump’s post-presidency has ranged from him possibly starting his media company to running for a second term in 2024.

Israel’s Health Ministry announced on Sunday evening that four cases of the Los Angeles coronavirus variant have been identified in Israel. An Israeli living in Los Angeles who visited Israel about a month ago first brought the virus into the country. By the time he returned to his home in California, he had infected five people in the holy land. “Researchers identified a case of the Los Angeles variant in the Health Ministry’s Central Virology Laboratory,” the Health Ministry stated. “At least four other people have been confirmed to be infected with the variant.” “The incident is under investigation. The Health Ministry will continue to provide updates with additional findings as they become available.” The Los Angeles variant, known as L452R, was first identified in Denmark.

Israel’s Health Ministry confirmed 4,868 new coronavirus cases on Monday, with tests showing a positivity rate of 9.3%. There are currently 70,836 active virus cases, including 67,493 patients at home, 1,465 at coronavirus hotels, and 1,878 patients being treated at hospitals. A total of 1,140 patients are seriously ill and a record-high number of 358 patients are ventilated – the highest number since the start of the pandemic. The death toll has risen to 4,419. Dr. Alroy-Preis told the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee on Monday that an extended ban on international flights is the only way to battle the UK variant and buy time to vaccinate most of Israel’s population. “The decision to close Ben Gurion Airport for six days will not be enough,” she said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced today, that beginning Tuesday, travelers to the United States “must provide proof of a negative test within three days of travel to airlines prior to departure,” which includes all people boarding planes, including US citizens, coming from overseas. The need for negative test for international travelers entering US includes US citizens as well. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As part of the ongoing protests against the construction of a light rail line on Rechov Bar Ilan in Jerusalem, Chareidi extremists heavily damaged a light rail station and the light rail itself on Rechov Shivtei Yisrael in Jerusalem. The vandals also placed an obstacle on the train tracks, halting traffic until it could be removed.