Israel's Netanyahu makes surprise Gaza visit as far-right politician tours flashpoint Jerusalem site

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to troops in southern Gaza on Thursday, saying it was essential that Israel keep control of a strip of territory along the territory's border with Egypt, just days before he was set to give a speech to the U.S. Congress.

In his comments at Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, Netanyahu sounded a tone of triumph in the campaign against Hamas — and underscored the differences that still remain in monthslong attempts to reach a cease-fire.

A U.S.-backed outline for a deal calls for an eventual full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in return for a full release of hostages by Hamas, something a continued Israeli grip on the Rafah border crossing and nearby border strip would appear to contradict.

Netanyahu’s visit to Rafah was announced hours after Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site. Ben Gvir's move also could disrupt the talks over a cease-fire in the 9-month-old Israel-Hamas war.

Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist settler leader, said he went up to the flashpoint site to pray for the return of Israeli hostages “but without a reckless deal, without surrendering.” Israeli negotiators landed in Cairo on Wednesday to keep working on the talks.

Tensions over the compound have fueled past rounds of violence. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned Ben-Gvir’s visit as a “provocative intrusion” that endangered the fragile status quo regarding the Jerusalem compound, which is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and by Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, a holy site and important national symbol.

The two leaders’ visits came hours after Israel’s parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The vote, in an overnight session that lasted into Thursday morning, was largely symbolic and meant to send a message ahead of Netanyahu’s trip to the United States.

Netanyahu's office announced his visit to Rafah once the prime minister had exited the war-torn Palestinian territory. Israeli forces invaded Rafah in early May, forcing most of the 2 million Palestinians sheltering there to flee. Rafah, once a crucial entry point for humanitarian aid, is now a dusty ghost town full of bullet-riddled apartment buildings with blasted-out walls and shattered windows. Very few civilians remain, even as the ground operation continues.

Netanyahu toured the Rafah crossing with Egypt and from a viewpoint saw the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow strip running the length of the Gaza side of the border with Egypt. The Israeli military seized control of both early in the Rafah assault, and it says that since then troops have uncovered Hamas smuggling tunnels into Egypt.

Netanyahu said his talks with troops and commanders had made him “stronger in the understanding that our control of the Philadelphi corridor and of the Rafah crossing are essential going forward," his office said in a statement.

Israeli leaders have signaled that the Rafah operation is close to finished — a step that is expected to lead to a new, lower-intensity phase of the war and could possibly improve conditions for a cease-fire. Israel has previously said Rafah was Hamas’ last major stronghold in Gaza.

But differences still remain in the talks over the three-phase deal, which starts with a halt in fighting and a partial hostage release. The outline says the deal is to lead to an end to the war and complete Israeli withdrawal — a top Hamas demand for a full hostage release. But it also says the two sides must negotiate the terms for that during the initial cease-fire phase. Hamas wants stronger guarantees, while Israel has suggested it will demand Hamas be removed from power in those negotiations.

In his comments in Rafah, Netanyahu also said Israel demands “a maximum number of hostages” to be released in the first phase. That's likely to fuel Hamas' suspicions he aims to get out as many hostages as possible and then resume fighting.

Overnight Israeli strikes Thursday in central Gaza killed at least 11 people, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defense organization and hospitals. At least two children and two women were killed in air strikes on a house and a car.

In recent weeks, Israel has stepped up strikes in central Gaza, where many Palestinians have fled to escape fighting in other parts of the beleaguered territory. Israel’s military said it targeted a senior commander from the militant Palestinian group Islamic Jihad’s naval forces in Gaza City, and another Islamic Jihad commander responsible for launches in the city of Shijaiyah.

Ben-Gvir said Thursday while standing in front of the iconic golden Dome of the Rock in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound that he “is praying and working hard" to ensure that Netanyahu will not give in to international pressure and will continue with the military campaign in Gaza. Ben-Gvir has frequently visited the site during times of conflict, drawing condemnation. He last visited the site in May to protest countries unilaterally recognizing Palestinian statehood.

As security minister, Ben-Gvir oversees the country’s police force. As a key coalition partner, Ben-Gvir also has the power to rob Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority and try to force early elections.

Ben-Gvir has used his influence to push forward pet projects and encourage Netanyahu to press ahead with the war in Gaza in the face of widespread calls to reach a cease-fire deal that would bring home hostages.

He has been convicted eight times for offenses that include racism and supporting a terrorist organization. As a teen, his views were so extreme that the army banned him from compulsory military service.

On Friday, the U.N.'s International Court of Justice is expected to issue an advisory opinion on the legality of Israel’s 57-year occupation of the Palestinian territories, an ongoing legal case not connected to the current Israel-Hamas war.

Israel also said it killed a senior commander affiliated with Hamas and other militant groups in Lebanon. In a statement, Sunni al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, identified him as Mohammad Hamed Jabbara and said he was killed in a strike in the western Bekaa area in Lebanon not far from the Syrian border. The Israeli military described Jabbara as a Hamas operative in Lebanon who helped coordinate Islamic Group attacks targeting northern Israel.

The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, has killed more than 38,600 people, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger.

Hamas’ October attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and militants took about 250 hostage. About 120 remain in captivity, with about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.

Associated Press journalist Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

FILE - Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, speaks to the media surrounded by right wing activists as they gather for a march in Jerusalem, April 20, 2022. Ben-Gvir visited Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site Thursday, July 18, 2024, a move that could threaten the delicate Gaza cease-fire talks. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File)

Palestinians sit around the bodies of their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians gather near the bodies of their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A Palestinian man holds a child wounded in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

FILE - Muslims walk next to the Dome of Rock Mosque at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, March 10, 2024. Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Thursday, July 18, 2024, a move that could threaten the delicate Gaza cease-fire talks. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a memorial ceremony for Israeli soldiers who fell in battle during the 2014 Gaza War, in the Hall of Remembrance at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attends a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, Pool, File)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 8, 2024--

Craft Irish Whiskey, a global leader in premium Irish whiskey is announcing its exclusive partnership with Soho Whisky Club. Located within The Vintage House in London, the iconic private club will debut a fresh new look offering an enhanced tasting experience, complemented by a modern, opulent cigar terrace. The revitalised club promises to deliver an unparalleled experience, combining the best of Irish and World whiskies within a vibrant, stylish space for London’s whiskey lovers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241108438217/en/

Craft Irish Whiskey is an award-winning spirits brand responsible for the world’s rarest and most exclusive expressions of Irish Whiskey. In 2022, the company took home the top prize at the World Whiskies Awards for its inaugural release of The Devil’s Keep single malt. Since then, it has compiled industry accolades, more rapidly than any other brand in the industry. Now it has partnered with the UK’s oldest private whisky club, famed for being Ardbeg Embassy number 1, to support the revitalisation of London’s whiskey community and drive continued innovation in the whiskey world.

Available on pour at the new space will be the full range of Craft Irish Whiskey’s portfolio for the first time, as well as exclusive, unreleased whiskies not available anywhere else. This will include two of its most popular offerings: The Taoscán and The Donn, which in just two years since launch has already become the most widely served Irish whiskies across Michelin restaurants in the UK and Ireland.

The Taoscán is the world's first Port & Chestnut finished single malt whiskey. Its full body, rich with dark fruit and toasted nuts, includes an assemblage of well-matured stock drawn from both American and Spanish barrels. The Donn is a meticulously crafted marriage of liquids coloured by casks of ex-Bourbon, Tawny Port, Hungarian Oak and PX sherry. It was named the World’s Best Irish Whiskey at the 2023 Global Spirits Masters.

“The relaunch of Soho Whisky Club is more than just an interior refresh, it's a refresh of whiskey culture in Soho and beyond,” says Jay Bradley, Founder and Master Blender of Craft Irish Whiskey “We are so proud to be at the centre of this, we want to bring our passion for whiskey to a world-class venue that shares our commitment to, and encouragement of, connoisseurship and community. The world’s finest whiskies should be enjoyed in a setting that feels properly suited to the quality of what’s in the glass. And that’s what we’re doing here at Soho Whisky Club–marrying that echelon of liquid with the exceptionality of experience.”

Tony McGeever, Custodian of Soho Whisky Club adds: “As we continue to evolve at Soho Whisky Club, it's essential that we align ourselves with partners who share our passion for craftmanship and community. We found that with Craft Irish Whiskey, our partnership is an embodiment of everything we stand for – innovation, tradition and a relentless drive to pursue perfection.

“This partnership is centred around creating a legacy that celebrates craftmanship and making sure that the future of whiskey is as exciting as its past.”

About Craft Irish Whiskey

Craft Irish Whiskey is on a mission to restore Ireland’s reputation for crafting the finest whiskeys in the world, elevating its potential as a luxury product. Formed in 2018 by Irish entrepreneur Jay Bradley, Craft Irish Whiskey was born from a desire to return premium Irish whiskey to the heights it once enjoyed. To achieve such a goal has taken a complete reimagining of the craft; honouring centuries of tradition but questioning convention and adding scientific understanding to reinvent the maturation of the whiskey.

Currently holding the record for the world’s most expensive Inaugural release whiskey, the most expensive whiskey sold at auction and having been placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd across 97% of the awards they have entered, the company has quickly become a global leader in the whiskey industry.

Partnerships evolved with both The Michelin Guide, through which Craft Irish Whiskey shone a spotlight on truly remarkable mixology, with the 2023 Exceptional Cocktail Award, and World’s 50 Best Restaurants, partnering with the prestigious awards as its Official Whiskey of the World Partner.

Do visit Craft Irish Whiskey website or Instagram account for more information.

About Soho Whisky Club

For over 13 years, the Soho Whisky Club has established itself as a global industry hotspot, built on the legacy of The Vintage House – a designated Ardbeg Embassy –which has been serving the Soho community since the 1940s.

Notes to the Editor

Available for interview:

Key Points about The Vintage House and Soho Whisky Club:

 

The Donn - The Donn is a contemporary masterpiece, embodying our pioneering approach. It’s not about the age or the label – it’s about the experience. This photo is The Donn at different maturation stages. (Photo: Business Wire)