The Ministry of Transport clarified today that in order to ensure the safety of the thousands of worshippers in Meron, visitors will be allowed to stay in the compound of the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Lag B'Omer for up to 5 hours. The restriction will be enforced using an advanced ticketing system. According to the new guidelines, all visitors will be required to purchase a ticket in advance that includes a precise entry time. The ticket will allow a stay of only 5 hours from the time of entry, after which the visitor will be required to leave the compound. Ticket sales will begin tomorrow afternoon and continue until next Monday. Authorities warn that entry will not be allowed without a previously scheduled ticket, and entry will be blocked for those who exceed the allotted time. The authorities decided on another dramatic change because the pilgrimage will take place on Thursday and Friday. According to the announcement, due to concerns about violating the Sabbath, all buses to central and southern Israel will cease service from Meron on Friday at 1:00 PM - significantly earlier than in previous years. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Dickson (@mrmichaeldickson) For travel to the United States on a temporary basis For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* who meet all requirements to travel to the United States without a visa for business or pleasure for 90 days or less Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S that you will not find anywhere else in the world Find the closest American Space in Jerusalem where you can connect with the U.S Jill and I are devastated and outraged to learn of the death of Omer Neutra whose body Hamas has apparently been holding since they killed him during their brutal terrorist attack October 7 Omer was just 21 years old when he was taken by Hamas He was serving as a tank commander in an Israel Defense Forces unit that was among the first to respond to Hamas’s campaign of cruelty— risking his life to save the lives of others Omer planned to return to the United States for college He dreamed of dedicating himself to building peace Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they’ve endured as they prayed for the safe return of their son – pain no parent should ever know They told me how Omer’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors and how their family’s strength and resilience has been carried through the generations During this dark hour—as our nation joins Omer’s parents and family in grieving this tragic loss—we pray to find strength and resilience And to all the families of those still held hostage: We see you And I will not stop working to bring your loved ones back home where they belong We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience Defense technology startup Kela Technologies has emerged from stealth and has announced that it has raised $39 million in two rounds which was founded in July 2024 in response to the events of October 7 raised $11 million in a seed round led by Sequoia Capital it embarked on a $28 million A round led by Lux Capital Among the investors in the company is In-Q-Tel a US not-for-profit venture capital firm that invests in technologies seen as useful to US intelligence agencies The company was founded by Hamutal Meridor until recently a partner in venture capital firm Vintage and before that manager of Palantir’s activity in Israel; Alon Dror who serves as CEO and who was an Israel Defense Prize winner during his service at MAFAT - the Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense Research & Development; aeronautical engineer Jason Manne who served in the IDF’s technological intelligence unit 81; and Omer Bar-Ilan formerly head of algorithm development at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Kela currently employs 25 people at its offices in Tel Aviv Kela’s platform "enables the rapid integration of commercial technologies providing immediate solutions to operational challenges on the battlefield." The company is currently working with the Israeli defense establishment and is expected to implement its platform operationally "The October 7 events underscored the need for fresh thinking and advanced solutions on the battlefield," Dror said we recognized the opportunity to transform the Israeli model of ‘iteration under fire’ into a fundamental principle of Western defense." The company says that it plans to expand its platform deployment to US security agencies and other Western militaries Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 17 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 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"\/liveblog_entry\/at-meeting-with-herzog-omer-shem-tov-says-internal-divisions-strengthens-hamas\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=D6UB.gjNwhPkHmF54B4hyJtBTBbB.d5hkc6rKC4lSyk-1746534421-1.0.1.1-O4aA0OiZUZpP81KQcSVEo7y8eUrZ87emsQQiFAJ5GaE" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null who was released from Hamas captivity in February "On the 50th day, when I was on the verge of complete despair, after five days in total darkness, when all I had left to eat was one biscuit a day with a little salty water to drink, I screamed to God to get me out of there because I couldn't take it anymore," Shem Tov told an audience in his hometown Herzliya my captor came and told me I was being moved to another place," he added implying that God had answered his plea for help After Shem Tov was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Oct regular rallies have been held at Dancers’ Square in Herzliya to advocate for his release On Thursday, Shem Tov removed his hostage portrait alongside his friends Itay and Maya Regev a brother and sister who were also abducted from Israel during the Hamas attack on Oct The Regevs were released in November 2023 as part of the first hostage agreement "The last time I stood on a stage was on Hamas's stage so forgive me if I'm emotional about this moment," Shem Tov told the audience He recalled how difficult it was to be separated from his friend Itay "I was transferred to a tunnel 40 meters deep and I used it for a few minutes each day so the battery wouldn't run out,” he revealed Shem Tov further explained that some Hamas tunnels were worse than others "Even in tunnels - there's a bad situation and there's a very bad situation." and the amount of food increased," he recalled Shem Tov was released after 505 days in Hamas captivity Israeli commentators condemned Hamas for forcing Shem Tov to kiss the forehead of his captors during the hostage release ceremony Ynet News Arab World Correspondent Lior Ben-Ari criticized the Hamas propaganda video which was edited to make it appear as though Shem Tov voluntarily kissed his captors “The demand for a kiss and another one on the head is further proof of how well-planned Hamas' propaganda is and comes after giving gifts and souvenirs of the same value and demanding that the hostages thank them on stage So maybe we'll explain it to them in Arabic is it possible for the kidnapped person to [voluntarily] kiss the head of the terrorist who kidnapped him Shem Tov is currently advocating for the return of all the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza and I understand how urgent it is to get them out of the hell they're in," he said it's unclear if you'll remain alive or die from hunger or physical and mental abuse We must get everyone out of there – the living for rehabilitation friends and God for surviving more than 500 difficult days in Hamas captivity and I'm now learning to adjust to a new unfamiliar life," he explained The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Mizrahi Tefahot Bank is lending NIS 410 million to Anan Data Centers owned by singer Omer Adam and his family; Adam’s business partners owners of real estate company H.S.M Europe-Israel Investments; and Nessim-Sariel Gaon’s Swiss-based Lian Group The consortium plans to construct a large server farm adjacent to Kibbutz Tsor’a beside Road 38 The consortium will contribute equity of NIS 150 million to the venture The server farm will cost some NIS 550 million to construct the consortium leased the land in a deal the details of which were not disclosed and it has recently obtained a building permit from the Mateh Yehuda local council Initial excavation work is expected to begin in November The sever farm at Tsor’a will be built in an HPC (high performance computing) configuration with many connected servers that can carry out complex computing and AI processing tasks It will be built at a depth of thirteen meters on a total area of 18,000 square meters and is planned to have an eventual output of 32 megawatts although the initial output will total 16 megawatts of which 10 megawatts will power the servers and 6 megawatts will power the peripheral systems such as cooling equipment and it will be hooked up to a local sub-station of Israel Electric Corporation under an agreement to supply up to 16 megawatts of power the loan from Mizrahi Tefahot Bank was raised without any requirement by the bank for personal guarantees from members of the consortium or for a primary customer which are customary terms in financing deals for server farms that have led other Israeli real estate companies to withdraw from the field It is believed that several banks competed for the deal in the Corporate Banking Division headed by Ofir Morad The bank is examining the financing of more server farm deals and recently participated in the recycling of loans by Compass which operates the server farms of Amazon Israel Anan Data Centers was advised by DIT Data Center which planned the installation and served as a strategic-technological consultant alongside Deloitte Anan Data Centers is actually made up of two groups that organized separately: Omer Adam’s PAI and the Melul brothers’ Europe-Israel which is believed to hold more than half of the shares in the venture; and Gaon’s Lian Group Adam and Maor Melul are close friends who became business partners and who have together carried out income-producing real estate deals for more than a decade amassing most of their properties from deals in which they purchased buildings and renovated them An examination by "Globes" found that the value of the group’s income-producing assets is over NIS 1.5 billion Among these assets is the Queen of Sheba mall in Eilat bought from Melisron in 2020; the Kenyon Ha’amakim mall in Afula bought for NIS 120 mn in 2023; the Almog complex in Eilat which consists of 420 apartments for Eilat hotel workers bought from Almogim for tens of millions of shekels; sheltered housing complex Ganei Ye’elim in Beersheva which consists of 207 housing units; and Beit Bezeq in Lazarov Street in Rishon LeZion Anan Data Centers is estimated to be worth NIS 550-600 million Adam himself and the business group owned by his family among them Adam’s brothers Gal and Roei; Osher Cohen; Odeya; and Shai Horovitz (aka ShrekDiMC) The group is reportedly a partner with NMC United in setting up a company for distribution of music content and collection of royalties from digital platforms such as YouTube H.S.M Europe-Israel Investments was active in the past in buying and renovating buildings in Romania and Georgia It began its activity in Israel with the purchase of plots in Afula On the basis of Maor Melul’s longstanding friendship with Omer Adam and bought land in Afula for the construction of a 64 megawatt server farm but the project in Tsor’a has been more successful because of its proximity to power infrastructure Adam and Maor Melul met Nessim-Sariel Gaon owner of Swiss investment house Lian Group a Swiss Jew with a degree in mathematics from University of California and came across Adam and Melul when he was looking for a place to stay on shabbat Through Lian Group he has invested in subsidiaries in digital health and blockchain Through an investment in a cryptocurrency mining farm he entered the field of sever farms and super-computing the grandson of Swiss-Jewish businessman Nessim Gaon despite the international profile of its partners The Israeli server farms markets has undergone a revival in the past few years thanks to the government cloud computing tender which obliged cloud computing giants such as Amazon and Google to operate from computing installations within Israel the UAE and Saudi Arabia via undersea cables a reasonable proposition Specialist companies have arisen such as Shonfeld Engineering and Server Farms while real estate companies such as Kardan-Geva have become active in server farms and shortcomings in the power infrastructure Several Israeli companies have exited the field locally According to digital infrastructure consulting firm 11Stream Anan Data Centers has the potential to become one of the five largest server farm groups in Israel with a total output of 130 megawatts at its two sites This would mean that Anan Data Centers will have about 14% of the server farms sector in Israel by the end of the decade Mizrahi Tefahot Bank and Anan Data Centers declined to respond to the report Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 8 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murdered His family discovered this from a video circulated by Hamas with one particularly painful image – where he is handcuffed with both hands Omer managed a large restaurant and was about to begin studying restaurant management after it was found by a soldier in the field a month after the kidnapping bearing witness to the horrors that occurred in the bomb shelter said: "We saw pictures of him alive and well There is a danger if he doesn't receive his medication I'm calling on Hamas – it's on your heads if children and the elderly don't receive their medications and he is expected to be released on humanitarian grounds shared previously: "Omer is diagnosed with colitis and he is under constant treatment with Raphasel This medication requires proper treatment and a calm environment and this can lead to an immediate life-threatening danger That's why the World Health Organization needs to release him to allow him to receive treatment and save his life." the earth has shaken in the Wenkert household "We are in an uncompromising war," his mother said His story is especially painful given that his grandmother shared: "It's like someone hit me on the head with a big hammer This is the worst thing that has happened to me I have no right to sleep or do other things A senior Hamas official accuses Israel of pressuring Qatar to apply leverage on the terrorist group: 'We are in a.. The terrorist organization Hamas released another video showing a sign of life from hostage Maxim Herkin As Israel prepares for an escalation in Gaza Palestinian sources say the upcoming talks will revisit previous proposals Analysis  Archaeology Blogpost Business & Finance Culture Exclusive Explainer Environment Features Health In Brief Jewish World Judea and Samaria Lifestyle Cyber & Internet Sports Diplomacy  Iran & The Gulf Gaza Strip Politics Shopping Terms of use Privacy Policy Submissions Contact Us The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30 Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better more balanced and more accurate journalism [contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”] "\/liveblog_entry\/soccer-star-haaland-holds-video-call-with-freed-israeli-hostage-omer-shem-tov\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=L6jQOqt6mL4rWzCFQDuqU3GnfJXbaj2RWvk6rmd_onw-1746534470-1.0.1.1-KdOXLYhBWaAjqaPgeDAuZCpK3R59k7.Dzwf_4UAjnVk" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Get daily business news from the region delivered straight to your inbox Omar Acar outlines how Fairmont is navigating expansion across key global markets — including the Middle East Fairmont Hotels & Resorts continues to adapt its offerings to meet shifting market expectations while preserving its brand identity CEO Omar Acar outlines how Fairmont is navigating expansion across key global markets — including the Middle East — prioritising sustainability and leveraging its historic positioning to remain competitive in today’s evolving hospitality landscape we have been creating special moments for our guests since 1907 We count some of the most storied addresses in the world within our portfolio of hotels each at the vibrant heart of its community and destination we have been the place where history-defining moments happen – the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘bed in for peace’ in Montreal Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in New York City Our hotels are at the social epicenter of every destination and this continues to be at the core of our brand strategy A Fairmont lobby is one of my favorite places to be You never know who will pass by next – a couple in black tie headed to a gala or celebrating a milestone anniversary colleagues grabbing a drink after a day of meetings a family with young children returning after a day of adventure It’s why a traveller wants to stay in a Fairmont hotel Fairmont has an exceptionally strong pipeline which is significant considering our current portfolio numbers 92 hotels in 30 countries 2025 is a pivotal year of growth for the brand; it’s particularly exciting when we can introduce Fairmont into new destinations we opened our first property along the southern coast of Spain Boasting 153 rooms with stunning Mediterranean views and 158 chic Andalucian-style suites and villas from two 18-hole golf courses and a full golf academy to a spa that is truly unique as it’s the only one in the region with sea-view facilities We also recently unveiled Fairmont Golden Prague a heritage-listed landmark in the heart of Old Town at the gate of the prestigious Parížská Boulevard and on the banks of the Vltava River The design and artworks throughout the hotel really bring to life one of our brand pillars capturing the essence of the local culture and community  We are continuing to see tremendous opportunities across India We opened Fairmont Mumbai in April and will soon debut Fairmont Udaipur Palace both of which offer curated locally- and globally-inspired dining experiences extensive spaces for special events and celebrations Fairmont developments in India are also under way in Agra an exciting new luxury resort on the pristine beaches of Goa  This year marks a number of major milestones as we celebrate several openings in Asia opening on July 1 as Fairmont’s first hotel in Japan is nestled in a prime spot along Tokyo Bay offering breathtaking views of Rainbow Bridge to the east and Tokyo Tower to the west It’s the perfect blend of the city’s lively energy and the peaceful calm of the waterfront making it an ideal retreat in the heart of Tokyo  We round out the year opening the doors at Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit and Fairmont Hanoi in late 2025 introducing the Fairmont brand into Thailand and Vietnam Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit brings a new level of comfort and style to the capital’s central business district attracting both leisure guests with a full suite of exclusive amenities but also business travelers as the country’s first fully integrated luxury MICE (Meetings Fairmont Hanoi is located in the center of Vietnam’s dynamic capital city; only a short walk to Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter the 241-room urban resort takes inspiration from the culture and history of Thang Long we have several developments in Saudi Arabia that are going to be truly special Fairmont The Red Sea will be located on an untouched coastline surrounded by islands With 200 rooms and dining concepts that include overwater restaurants this development in particular is an incredible opportunity to connect luxury with sustainability in one of the most remarkable destinations in the world We are very proud of our longstanding work in sustainability – more than three decades ago we made history as one of the first luxury hotel brands to launch a comprehensive environmental program and today we are equally focused on making a positive with a footprint that extends across our in 30 countries we know that we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to leave the world in a better place than we found it which has some of the most ambitious sustainability commitments across the industry Group-wide programs range from the elimination of single-use plastics in the guest experience to major work in the reduction of carbon emissions including Fairmont Royal York’s history-making status as our first Zero Carbon Building which helps us analyze waste trends and adopt more sustainable practices we’ve been particularly focused on the measurement and validation of our efforts including the transition to a market-leading platform for data We are also thrilled to share that we are on track for 100 percent of our Fairmont properties worldwide to receive sustainability certification by a trusted third-party such as Green Key we are exploring certification by Audubon for all our Fairmont managed golf courses and special sustainability accreditation for our events teams with the Events Industry Council  We continue with brand programmes like Bee Sustainable through which we build habitats for critical pollinator bees and harvest our own honey from on-property honeybee hives Many of our hotels are also leading the way with unique green initiatives Fairmont Kea Lani and Fairmont Mayakoba all are active in the reforestation of their local coral reefs Fairmont Singapore grows fresh produce sustainably through its very own aquaponics farm; Fairmont Jakarta implemented a careful food segregation system to repurpose surplus food and minimise organic waste; and Fairmont Makati made a significant investment in an onsite water bottling plant eliminating the usage of 380,000 plastic water bottles per year These efforts reflect our shared mission to demonstrate that luxury and environmental responsibility can coexist seamlessly I believe strongly that this starts and stops with our colleagues We’ve recently completed an in-depth brand repositioning for Fairmont we are empowering our Fairmont colleagues to ‘make special happen’ for our guests This isn’t always the over-the-top gestures what this looks like is different for every guest I had the pleasure of leading our annual global leadership conference for Fairmont last year in Istanbul and after presenting the new brand positioning we invited some of the GMs on stage to share some of their stories with Fairmont from one colleague hand-drawing a map to show the best beaches to find sea turtles distracting a child getting antsy while waiting on his family to finish breakfast; to a welcome note and hotel-baked treats left specifically for a furry friend of a special guest; to navigating off the beaten path to a hard to find but perfect spot to fulfill an amateur ice skater’s dream of skating on wild ice in the middle of the forest To equip our colleagues with the right tools and training to bring this to life in our hotels – knowing our guests envisioning what will make their stay extra special in a meaningful and memorable way – we are rolling out new service culture training for all team members This is a significant commitment worldwide but a critical one in ensuring that our colleagues are able to deliver on our brand promise of turning moments into special memories for every guest that visits We are also able to offer a more bespoke experience through Fairmont’s exclusive hotel-within-a-hotel More than half of our hotels around the globe have this elevated offering and exclusive amenities such as complimentary breakfast and afternoon canapes the Fairmont Gold experience really takes it to another level To take this brand forward is both a tremendous honor and responsibility The key is learning from our past while building upon it Fairmont has long played a role in the most special moments in people’s lives like safely welcoming home the Apollo 11 astronauts from their history-making trek to the moon to those smaller more intimate occasions which are most meaningful to those celebrating such as a milestone birthday or anniversary — we have been there new ways for our guests to celebrate with us This starts with the launch of our new brand campaign this May 2025 And it continues with a spirit of innovation and fun Whether we are exploring groundbreaking new AI technologies or never-before-seen digital solutions for our important events clients making new strides in eco-conscious operations or holistic wellbeing practices or unveiling unexpected brand partnerships there are many more milestone moments to come but we will do so thoughtfully and intentionally one of our greatest strengths is being a connector; this is key to our development strategy With every new signing and development project we make sure it is located at the heart of the destination with the same connection to local culture and community which upholds the tradition set by The Plaza and which has been carried forward with the newest additions to our portfolio The Middle East is a cornerstone of Fairmont’s global growth strategy driven by transformative initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030 and Dubai Tourism Strategy 2025 These programmes aim to position the region as a premier tourism hub Fairmont aligns its developments with these ambitions exemplified by upcoming property openings such as Fairmont The Red Sea which reflect the region’s growing demand for luxury travel experiences Sustainability continues to be a defining factor with eco-conscious travelers expecting hotels to integrate greener practices into their operations like energy efficiency and waste reduction and cutting-edge technologies with enhanced artificial intelligence and virtual reality will play a pivotal role in enhancing guest experiences Holistic health and wellness also continue to be a key focus such as our partnership with Pillar Wellbeing at Fairmont Doha as well as a deeper appreciation for one’s mental wellbeing social media and word of mouth will continue to shape travel decisions making it imperative for brands to build authentic connections with their audiences across different platforms On the development side, Fairmont continues to lean into our expertise in branded residential segment seeing an increasing appetite for accommodations that offer the service design and lifestyle of a trusted brand and luxury hotel Fairmont is uniquely poised to meet all these demands and positive impact to set the course for a successful 2025 and beyond After 505 days in Hamas captivity, Omer Shem Tov was released today from Hamas captivity as part of the hostage deal Omer was abducted from the Nova festival and held captive together with his friends Mia and Itai Regev who were released as part of the hostage deal Omer shared his real-time location with his family and they watched him enter Gaza's territory Hamas already released a video showing Omer tied up with Itai in a pickup truck driving into Gaza before his abduction he worked as a waiter while pursuing his interest in music particularly focusing on organizing events and working as a DJ who hasn't stopped fighting for his release wrote previously: "My son is a 21-year-old young man waiting to enter his room in the morning and see him sleeping to stroke his hair and give him a good morning kiss I'm waiting for him to sing loudly in the shower waiting for him to open the door after a workday and call out to me 'Mamo I'm home' give me a hug and three kisses on the cheek Waiting for him to sit and tell me about things he's considering and wants advice about I am Omer's mother and I'm waiting for him to return..." 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