JERUSALEM: Israel signed a $400 million (1.44 billion shekels) deal to sell Spike anti-tank missiles to Greece, Israel’s Defense Ministry said on Monday, just days after reaching a similar-sized deal to provide air defenses to newly-inducted NATO member Finland.
The Spike is a guided anti-tank missile used by many EU and NATO countries produced by Israeli state-owned defense contractor Rafael.

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he would leave Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in place given an escalating security crisis, reversing a decision to fire the minister that triggered protests and raised alarm abroad.
He said the two had resolved their disagreement over Gallant’s public call last month for a halt to the government’s bitterly divisive judicial overhaul plan, which Gallant said had become a threat to Israel’s security.
Last week Netanyahu announced he would delay the dismissal.

TOKYO: Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Monday paid a courtesy call on Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who is making an official visit to Japan.

They exchanged views on issues such as the situation in the Middle East – including the relationship between Israel and Palestine – the situation in Ukraine, and events in East Asia, including responses to North Korea, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

The King and Minister Hayashi agreed to continue close cooperation on making efforts toward peace and stability, both regional and global.

CAIRO: Dr. Zahi Hawass, the world-renowned archaeologist and Egyptologist, has called for the removal or relocation of the statue of French archeologist Jean Francois Champollion, which is located in the courtyard of College de France, because it is offensive to the Egyptian people.

The statue depicts Champollion standing with his foot on the head of the statue of Ramses.

Hawass made the request during a lecture recently delivered at a major antiquities exhibition in Paris entitled “Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs,” which continues until Sept. 17.

BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi said Lebanon needs “a trustworthy leader” during Mass on Easter Sunday.

Al-Rahi added that “a leader that is not trusted cannot remain in power,” and said that the government could not allow the country to be used by “those disturbing its security and sovereignty.”

His appeal came as Western Christian communities celebrated Easter Sunday, the holiest day in its calendar, while Eastern Orthodox Christian communities celebrated Palm Sunday in Lebanon.