At rally for hostages, frustration and fury; nearby, masses demand elections * Israel rebuffs US-Arab Palestinian state bid * Brazil’s Lula compares Gaza war to Holocaust

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Sunday, February 18, 2024 [Relatives’ frustration showcased at hostages rally; nearby, masses call for elections]( By Canaan Lidor Dispensing with music and experts, organizers of weekly protest at Hostages Square give mic to 40 anguished families; big anti-Netanyahu crowds return to adjacent Kaplan Street [Medicines for hostages found in Gaza hospital sent privately by families – report]( By ToI Staff [Rebuffing Biden, cabinet rejects Palestinian statehood as ‘reward for terrorism’]( By ToI Staff Approved even by centrist ministers, statement rejects ‘international diktats’ pushing two states; minister Sa’ar compares reported US-Arab proposal to appeasement of Nazis in 1938 Live updates [LIVE: Israel slams Brazilian president for comparing war in Gaza to the Holocaust]( By ToI Staff Entire cabinet backs declaration against recognizing Palestinian state * PA, Hamas to hold unity talks next week * US threatens to veto Security Council resolution on Gaza ceasefire [Video shows UNRWA social worker abducting body of Israeli on Oct. 7]( By Emanuel Fabian and Reuters Faisal Ali Mussalem al-Naami identified by defense minister as one of 12 UN staff who ‘actively participated’ in massacre [UNRWA chief says Israel waging campaign to ‘destroy’ Palestinian refugee aid agency]( By Agencies and ToI Staff [Netanyahu: Those telling us not to enter Rafah are essentially saying ‘lose the war’]( By Lazar Berman At Jerusalem press conference, PM says civilians will be given chance to leave; says hostage deal doesn’t seem close, pledges to oppose unilateral recognition of Palestinian state [Calling for ‘Palestinian unity,’ PA premier urges Hamas to attend Moscow meet]( By Agencies and ToI Staff Shtayyeh says world needs to ‘stop focusing on October 7,’ as Russia invites Palestinian factions to discuss coming together under banner of ‘popular resistance’ [Ben Gvir calls to bar ‘Palestinian Authority residents’ from Temple Mount on Ramadan]( By ToI Staff and Jacob Magid [US signals veto in Security Council Gaza vote as Egypt braces for IDF Rafah operation]( By Agencies and ToI Staff Washington says Algerian resolution could jeopardize ‘sensitive’ temporary truce talks; Gal Hirsch: Hamas using displaced Palestinians in south Gaza as ‘human shields’ [US readies new weapons shipment to Israel; embassy says no human rights concerns]( By ToI Staff [Blinken: Israel has extraordinary opportunity, ‘virtually every Arab country’ wants ties]( By Reuters and ToI Staff At the same time, US secretary of state tells Munich Security Conference, efforts for Palestinian statehood must advance too [Qatari PM: Hostage deal shouldn’t be condition for truce, talks ‘not very promising’]( By Agencies and ToI Staff Top Ops Jeff Rubin [When Hamas hit suburbia]( A local response to the war in Gaza laid bare the fault lines in a well-off Maryland county that prides itself on civility Steven Berkowitz [The resolution passed, yet once again we lost]( Our lives, our history and our trauma are not something to be voted on for political gain or to shame political opponents [Send in the clown: A slap-happy ‘policewoman’ is a gas at Israel’s many protests]( By Bernard Dichek Hashoteret Az-Oolay doesn’t discriminate between causes or sides as she spreads smiles and a message of love at demonstrations of all kinds across the country [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( [PM: Elections have a date — in a few years; Likud official: After the war, he’s done]( By ToI Staff Senior Likud members say Netanyahu won’t be able to go on after war with Hamas ends; Lapid says if he’d been premier on Oct. 7, Netanyahu ‘would have sent people to burn my house’ [Jerusalem protesters amp up calls for elections, hostage deal at weekly rally]( By Charlie Summers [Union chief calls for elections, says PM should resign, threatens to join protests]( By ToI Staff ToI podcast ToI Staff [Daily Briefing Feb 18: Day 135 – Exodus into Egypt: Where will civilians in Rafah go?]( Military reporter Emanuel Fabian on the IDF’s possible next focus, operation in Nasser Hospital, likely dozens of UNRWA collaborators, and what’s happening on the northern border [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Feb 17: Day 134 – How US sanctions on Jewish extremists may start cascade]( By ToI Staff [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Civilians and soldiers who have fallen since Oct. 7]( [Read Here]( [12 arrested as thousands join pro-Palestinian march in London]( By AFP and ToI Staff Participants assault police officers as they arrest man for holding antisemitic placard; others arrested for refusing to remove face coverings, supporting outlawed organization [Winner of by-election in UK’s Kingswood a Jew by choice, married to Israeli]( By ToI Staff [Police secure opening night of London play after Jewish actress receives threats]( By ToI Staff [US Jewish teens are looking at a new factor in their college search: antisemitism]( By jacob gurvis As Jew hatred rises globally after Oct. 7, a recent survey of 2,000 BBYO participants found that 64% consider campus climate for Jewish students important when picking a school [Day 135 – Exodus into Egypt: Where will civilians in Rafah go?]( [listen to the podcast]( Inside story [Decision expected in legal battle over ‘holy’ classification of Baha’i gardens in Acre]( By Nurit Malkin Bahji Gardens are closed to the public as Baha’i leadership battles city’s decision to lift tax exemption and charge community NIS 7 million a year for faith founder’s burial spot More Headlines [Settlers said to throw stones, torch car, leave racist graffiti in West Bank attacks]( By ToI Staff [New York governor sorry for suggesting Israel would be justified in wiping out Gaza]( By ToI Staff [Iraqi armed groups dial down US attacks at request of Iran commander]( By Ahmed Rasheed, Parisa Hafezi and Timour Azhari [Stormy weekend leads to floods in central cities, with more precipitation expected]( By ToI Staff [The daily edition]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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