Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Israel’s Benny Gantz, a defense minister with expiration date

If you have trouble reading this email, [view it in a browser](. [logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Wednesday, May 20 | Daily Briefing [By: Ben Caspit on Tuesday, May. 19, 2020]( Israel 1 [Israel’s Benny Gantz, a defense minister with expiration date]( New Defense Minister Benny Gantz has a year and a half in front of him to prepare for the role of prime minister. Turkey 2 [New banking regulations threaten press freedom in Turkey]( Recent measures seeking to limit damaging information on the financial system pose new threats to press freedom in Turkey. Washington 3 [Intel: Pompeo refused interview on Saudi arms sale investigation before firing Linick]( Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to give an interview for State Department Inspector General Steve Linick’s investigation into a massive Saudi arms sale deal before asking President Donald Trump to fire the watchdog, Al-Monitor has learned. 4 [South Yemen in tumult as Yemen government, separatists face off in Abyan]( Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen launched an offensive in the southern province of Abyan against UAE-backed southern secessionists who declared self-rule in the southern governorates last month. Israel 5 [Israel, Iran trade cyber jabs]( The April cyberattack on Israel’s water system and a May attack on an Iranian port might be the opening salvoes of a cyber war between Israel and Iran. Iraq 6 [Iraq takes action against bogus social media posts]( Fake social media accounts have been spreading misinformation and leaked documents for political and criminal ends. Egypt 7 [IMF emergency financing for Egypt mitigates coronavirus crunch]( The International Monetary Fund has approved a nearly $2.8 billion loan for Egypt to address its economy, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis. Jordan 8 [Syrian refugees in Jordan build robot to fight coronavirus]( A group of young Syrians in Jordan’s Zaatari camp designed a sanitizing robot to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Washington 9 [Intel: Biden warns against West Bank annexation as Israel lobbies Trump for green light]( Former Vice President Joe Biden told campaign donors today that any Israeli annexation of the West Bank would “choke off any hope for peace,” according to a transcript of the presumptive Democratic nominee’s remarks seen by Al-Monitor. 10 [Syrian government freezes assets of Assad cousin]( The move to seize the assets of the businessman is the latest in a dispute that began to heat up late last year. Israel 11 [Israel advances 'travel bubble' with other Mediterranean countries]( Israel is in talks with Greece, Cyprus and a few other countries with low infection rates about creating travel corridors for resuming international flights. Israel 12 [Israeli opposition just as fractured as coalition]( Though the Joint List won 15 Knesset seats in the March elections, the new unity government leaves it on the opposition benches once again. Iran 13 [Iran cancels anti-Israeli rallies over pandemic fears]( A fresh spike in coronavirus transmissions has forced Iranian officials to cancel a state-organized annual march against Israel. 14 [Hifter’s forces in Libya withdraw from parts of Tripoli in major setback]( The capture of two towns and a key air base were the latest in a series of setbacks for military strongman Khalifa Hifter. 15 [First commercial flight between UAE and Israel lands in Tel Aviv]( The Etihad Airways cargo plane brought COVID-19 aid to Palestinians via Ben Gurion airport. Gulf 16 [Qatar Airways mandates full-body protective gear for flight attendants]( Passengers will also be required to wear masks per the Gulf carrier's new onboard safety measures as it looks to expand flights amid the crisis. Iraq 17 [Iraqi series produced by Saudi Arabia sparks controversy]( Some TV programs on Saudi-funded channels have sparked controversy among Iraqis. Gulf 18 [Dubai police test using surveillance cameras to detect coronavirus]( The CCTV cameras will also test the distance between individuals in shopping centers and public places. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2020 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA