Environmental activists have attempted to step up pressure on Israel over its use of plastics– which contrary to global efforts to curb such usage– rose by double-digits since May 2015.
Israel is the second largest consumer of disposable tableware per capita, just behind the United States at number one. Nearly half of Israel’s plastics are bought for the Yomim Tovim.
Israelis also ranked as the least likely out of all surveyed to say climate change is a major threat to their nation, with only 38% believing climate change was a major threat and over half of respondents in Israel (58%) saying climate change is a minor threat or not a threat at all.
Read more at i24NEWS.

White House senior adviser and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said Tuesday that investigations into election interference by Russia have been “way more harmful” than the interference itself, which he characterized as “a couple Facebook ads.”
In a rare public appearance, Kushner spoke about the special counsel and congressional investigations at the Time 100 Summit in New York.
“Quite frankly, the whole thing’s just a big distraction for the country,” Kushner said. “You look at, you know, what Russia did, buying some Facebook ads, to try to sow dissent . . . and it’s a terrible thing, but I think the investigations and all the speculation that happened for the past two years has had a much harsher impact on democracy than a couple Facebook ads.”

Days after a series of explosions that appeared to target Christians and foreigners at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka and left more than 300 people dead, some details of who was behind the attacks and their motives are beginning to come out.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks Tuesday, while Sri Lankan authorities said Islamist extremists had carried out the attacks in retaliation for attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15, that left 50 Muslims dead.
But big, unanswered questions remain about how the attacks were possible and what links exist between the Islamic State and local extremists, if any. Here, we try to break these questions down.
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Why did the Islamic State claim of responsibility take so long?

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu pledge to build a new community named after US President Donald Trump on the Golan Heights in gratitude for the president’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty on the strategically important territory.
During a family visit to the Golan Heights, Netanyahu said that “all Israelis were deeply moved when President Trump made his historic decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty on the Golan Heights.”
“Therefore, after the Passover holiday, I intend to bring to the government a resolution calling for a new community on the Golan Heights named after President Donald J. Trump.”
Read more at Arutz Sheva.
{Matzav.com}

The United States on Monday offered a reward of up to $10 million for information that could help disrupt financing of Hezbollah, the armed Shi’ite group backed by Iran.
The announcement by the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program comes amid growing concerns by Washington about Hezbollah‘s growing role in the Lebanese government.
Hezbollah’s regional clout has expanded as it sends fighters to Middle East conflicts, including the war in Syria, where it has fought in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
Reuters and Algemeiner Staff
{Matzav.com}

According to a report on the website Alkhaleej Online, a member of Fatah’s central committee revealed on April 20 that heavy Arab pressure was being applied to the Palestinian Authority leadership with regard to US President Donald Trump’s Mideast peace plan—the so-called “deal of the century”—that the White House is expected to unveil in June. According to the report, the official stated that Saudi Arabia was leading the campaign.

Sen. Bernie Sanders argued Monday that all prisoners, including domestic terrorists such as the Boston Marathon bomber, should have the right to vote while they are incarcerated.
“If somebody commits a serious crime, assault, murder, they’re going to be punished,” Sanders said. “They may be in jail for 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, their whole lives. That’s what happens when you commit a serious crime.”
“But I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy,” he continued. “Yes, even for terrible people, because once you start chipping away … you’re running down a slippery slope. … I do believe that even if they are in jail, they’re paying their price to society, but that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.”

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PA leader Mahmoud Abbas’ second in command, Fatah Vice Chairman Mahmoud Aloul, said on Monday that if the peace process remains on its current course the PA will cease its security cooperation with Israel and retract its recognition of the Jewish state.
“The leadership is preparing to retract its recognition of Israel and cease its security cooperation with the occupation forces,” Aloul said during an interview with the Shehab news agency on Monday, April 22.