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Majority of Israelis Prefer the Trump Administration over Biden's

Majority of Israelis Prefer the Trump Administration over Biden's
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Majority of Israelis Prefer the Trump Administration over Biden's

Majority of Israelis Prefer the Trump Administration over Biden's

The majority of Israelis believe US President Joe Biden is less favorable to Israel than his predecessor, Donald Trump, according to a poll by the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies (Mitvim).

According to the Ninth Annual Public Opinion Survey on Israeli Foreign Policy, Israelis consider the United States to be the best world country for Israel.

Russia fell second, followed by Germany, Britain, China, Egypt, France and Jordan, whose rate of importance for Israelis has increased to 12 percent compared to seven percent in last year’s foreign policy index.

Meanwhile, 46 percent of the Israelis considered the European Union to be a rival rather than a friend.

About 57 percent attached great importance to Israel’s improving its relations with Jordan, and 61 percent expressed broad support for improving relations with Turkey.

Almost half of the participants in the survey said they are interested in visiting an Arab country.

The United Arab Emirates and Morocco are the Arab countries that Israelis are most interested in visiting, at 10% each, followed by Lebanon (7%), Egypt (6%), Saudi Arabia (3%) and Jordan (3%).

In another context, 38 percent said that Israel should not interfere in the Palestinian Authority’s political and economic crises, while 28 percent supported Israel’s working to strengthen the authority, and 13 percent said that Israel should work to weaken it.

As for Gaza, 31 percent said relevant parties should work to ensure the PA regains control in the enclave, while 22 percent supported resorting to the international community for a broad economic reconstruction in the Strip.

Also, 13 percent supported Israel conducting negotiations with Hamas to reach a long-lasting truce and nine percent said the situation there should remain as it is.

Thirty-two percent of Israelis considered meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials a positive step that contributes to improving bilateral ties, the poll showed, and 30 percent believed it is a symbolic move that will not affect ties, while 17 percent said these meetings harm Israeli interests.

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Russian Missile Attack Forces Ukraine to Shut Down Power Grid

A serviceman of 13th Operative Purpose Brigade "Khartiia" of the National Guard of Ukraine fires a Giatsint-B howitzer towards Russian troops at a position on a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine January 6, 2025. (Reuters)
A serviceman of 13th Operative Purpose Brigade "Khartiia" of the National Guard of Ukraine fires a Giatsint-B howitzer towards Russian troops at a position on a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine January 6, 2025. (Reuters)
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Russian Missile Attack Forces Ukraine to Shut Down Power Grid

A serviceman of 13th Operative Purpose Brigade "Khartiia" of the National Guard of Ukraine fires a Giatsint-B howitzer towards Russian troops at a position on a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine January 6, 2025. (Reuters)
A serviceman of 13th Operative Purpose Brigade "Khartiia" of the National Guard of Ukraine fires a Giatsint-B howitzer towards Russian troops at a position on a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine January 6, 2025. (Reuters)

Russia on Wednesday launched a major ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine, targeting energy production and compelling authorities to shut down the power grid in some areas despite freezing winter weather, officials said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that it launched a strike on “critically important facilities of gas and energy infrastructure that ensure the functioning of Ukraine’s military industrial complex.” It didn't give the target locations or other details.

The barrage came a day after the Russian Defense Ministry vowed a response to what it said was an attack on Russian soil using multiple Western-supplied missiles.

Kyiv hasn't confirmed that attack, though it said Tuesday that it hit an oil refinery and a fuel storage depot, a chemical plant producing ammunition and two anti-aircraft missile systems, in a missile and drone attack that reached around 1,100 kilometers (almost 700 miles) into Russia.

Long-range attacks have been a feature of the nearly three-year war, where on the front line snaking about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from northeast to southern Ukraine, the armies have been engaged in a war of attrition. Russia has been advancing on the battlefield over the past year, though its progress has been slow and costly.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 43 missiles and 74 drones overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said. A total of 30 missiles and 47 drones were shot down, and 27 drones failed to reach their target, it said.

The Russian missiles sought out targets from the Lviv region in western Ukraine near Poland to Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine bordering Russia. The state energy company Ukrenergo reported emergency power outages in six regions. It often shuts down production during attacks as a precaution.

“The enemy continues to terrorize Ukrainians,” Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on Facebook.

Electricity supplies resumed to households in some areas by the middle of the day, but Ukrenergo urged customers to avoid using power-hungry electrical appliances.

Russia has repeatedly tried to cripple Ukraine’s power grid, denying the country heat, electricity and running water in an effort to break the Ukrainian spirit. The attacks have also sought to disrupt Ukraine’s defense manufacturing industry.

Last September, the UN refugee agency reported that Ukraine had lost more than an estimated 60% of its energy generation capacity.

Ukrainian authorities try to rebuild their power generation after the attack, though the barrages have eroded production. Western partners have been helping Ukraine rebuild.

“It is the middle of the winter, and Russia’s goal remains unchanged: our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

He urged Western partners to accelerate the delivery to Ukraine of promised air defense weapons, emphasizing that “promises have been made but not yet fully realized.”