Zohar Palti, the head of the State Security department of Israel's Ministry of Defense, received the "decoration of the US Department of Defense for a unique public service" at the Pentagon this weekend. The decoration, signed by the US Secretary of Defense, was warded to Palti for his significant contribution to strengthening the strategic security ties between Israel and the United States.The Department of Defense said that this is Ine of the most important decorations of the US Department of Defense, which has so far been awarded to presidents, ministers, and senior officials.

Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked defended Israel's current plan for absorbing Ukrainian refugees. "Lapid was a partner in building the refugee absorption plan. The outline makes sense and is well balanced."

'Take Putin's offer to end the war,' PM Bennett suggested to Ukraine's Pres. Zelenskyy. 'I heard you,' Zelenskyy responded.

Actor Alec Baldwin said in a legal filing In Friday that his "Rust" movie contract protects him from financial liability in the fatal shooting of the film's cinematographer, Reuters reported.Baldwin has been named as a defendant in several civil lawsuits, including Ine from the husband of Halyna Hutchins, who was killed in October when a gun the actor was using during a rehearsal fired off a live bullet.(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically In all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Fatih Dönmez, Turkey"s minister of energy and natural resources, responded to a question about energy cooperation between Turkey and Israel in a televised interview In CNN Türk earlier today."I will visit Israel in April"Dönmez stated and added: "Turkey represents the shortest and most economical route to the markets. Turkey is the most economical path for the natural gas market."

‘Everyone likes our food and they come to eat here from all over the place,’ retired Israeli-Romanian cook volunteering at the border says.

Amnesty International official claims statements taken out of context as condemnations from Jewish organizations pour in.

IDF Chief of Staff Kohavi, who returned from work meetings in Bahrain yesterday, held an operational assessment upon his return that dealt with, among other things, preparedness for Iran's possible response following the attack attributed to Israel last week in Damascus, in which two Revolutionary Guards officers were killed.