Israel

During their meeting at the White House on Monday, the two leaders also discussed "the many challenges facing the region, including the threat posed by Iran", according to an official readout. Rivlin is due to retire next month after the end of his seven-year term. Biden also emphasized that under his administration, Iran will never get a nuclear weapon, said the White House readout.

Lapid's office said he has been accompanied by a delegation of senior Israeli officials, including Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz, reports Xinhua news agency. Upon his arrival, he said in a tweet: "Making history: Proud to represent the state of Israel on its first official visit to the United Arab Emirates. Thanks for the warm welcome."

Lapid, who is also the Alternate Prime Minister, told a meeting of his centrist Yesh Atid party on Monday that he clarified this policy to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting in Rome on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Israel doesn't care about reports issued by credible international organizations like Amnesty International, which considers Israeli practices the most heinous forms of racial discrimination against the Palestinians," the Ministry statement said. The statement also slammed the US and the European Union for not exerting serious pressure on the Israeli government to stop its practices against the Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has warned the Islamic Hamas movement that the Jewish state will not tolerate "any more violence" from the besieged Gaza Strip. Speaking at a memorial ceremony to commemorate the fallen soldiers during Israel's 2014 military campaign in Gaza, Bennett said on Sunday that his country "has lost its patience", reports Xinhua news agency

"President Rivlin's visit will highlight the enduring partnership between the US and Israel and the deep ties between our governments and our people," Psaki said in a statement issued on Saturday. "As President Rivlin approaches the end of his term, this visit will honour the dedication he has shown to strengthening the friendship between the two countries over the course of many years," she added.

Israeli media reported that the airstrikes on Thursday were in retaliation to the launching of dozens of incendiary balloons into southern Israel from Gaza for the third consecutive day, reports Xinhua news agency. The Palestinian sources and witnesses said that several explosions were heard in the northern and southern Gaza Strip following the airstrikes.

Explosions were heard in Gaza City in the early hours of Wednesday. Several balloons were sent from Gaza into Israel earlier on Tuesday, which caused multiple fires, according to the Israeli fire service, the BBC reported. It is the first major flare-up since 11 days of fighting between the two sides ended in a ceasefire on 21 May. It followed a march by Jewish nationalists in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, which had drawn threats from Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza.

Hamas spokesman in Gaza Abdulatif al-Qanou'a said in a statement that organising "the so-called flag march is just a detonator for the breaking out of a new battle in Palestine", reports Xinhua news agency. "The so-called flag march that is intended to be organised by the settlers on the streets of Jerusalem will lead to a new battle to defend the holy city and al-Aqsa Mosque," he said.

The country's new prime minister Naftali Bennett and his predecessor Netanyahu met on Monday afternoon for a transition meeting, Xinhua news agency. The formal handover ceremony that accompanies a change of Prime Ministers was not held. Bennett, a nationalist and leader of the pro-settler Yamina party.