Tag Archive for Israel Politics

| February 19, 2014
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Breakthrough in Knesset committee makes way for vote on Haredi IDF service

 

Israel’s TV 2: Shaked committee members strike deal on age of enlistment for ultra-Orthodox and criminal sanctions for draft evaders.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

Knesset members in the committee charged with hammering out legislation that would mandate the military enlistment of ultra-Orthodox youngsters reached an agreement late Tuesday night that seemingly paves the way for the legislation to be enacted.

Haredi protest IDF, Jerusalem, February 6, 2014

Haredi protest IDF, Jerusalem, February 6, 2014 Photo: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM

According to Channel 2, the Shaked Committee, which was tasked with finding a formula that would ensure mandatory military service for haredim while also taking into account the need to maintain a religious lifestyle that would allow for Torah study, came to an agreement on the two main issues thought to be holding up a deal: criminal sanctions for draft-dodgers, and the age of conscription. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| February 11, 2014
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Arab MK Accused by Christian IDF Recruits of Acting ‘Like a Mafia Member’

Forum for Christian IDF Soldiers filed a formal complaint against Arab Muslim MK Hanin Zoabi, after she threatened their Christian representative in the Knesset.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Sha’adi Halul, the spokesman for the Forum of Christian IDF Soldiers, filed a request to the Attorney General’s Office asking for the removal of immunity for MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad).

The request, which was submitted by legal representative for the forum Attorney Uri Shenhar, calls out Zoabi for turning to Halul in a Knesset Committee meeting last week and calling him a “coward” who “can’t walk the streets of Nazareth and Kfar Kana and present his position” and threatened him, saying that if “you go through the streets of Nazareth and say what you want – they will give you a proper response.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| February 10, 2014
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Secret Cabinet Session Held on BDS Without Leftist Ministers

Tzipi Livni & Yair Lapid, who defended John Kerry’s boycott threats, weren’t invited to a cabinet session on the boycott against Israel.

By Gil Ronen

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened a secret discussion regarding the BDS threat to Israel, and did not invite the ministers of Yesh Atid and Hatnua to the session, reported Maariv‘s Eli Berdenstein Monday.

BDS – or Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions – is the name of the movement to boycott Israel.

The discussion was originally scheduled for 10 days ago, but was rescheduled for Sunday. Unlike the originally planned meeting, reports Maariv, many ministers were not invited to Sunday’s discussion – including Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid, Yaakov Perry and Shai Piron, as well as Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| February 6, 2014
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Jews in Palestine Keeps it from being Judenrein

 

The conflict will only truly end, says Daniel Pipes, “when the Jews living in Hebron need as little security as the Arabs living in Nazareth.”

By Daniel Pipes

 

A brouhaha erupted recently in Israel over a completely theoretical question: Could Israelis now living in the West Bank be allowed to live under Palestinian rule? This debate usefully focused attention on one of the trickiest and deepest issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and so it bears pondering.

Israeli and Arab together outside the Israeli Arab village of Ayn Hawd - Photo: Rina Castelnuovo/The New York Times

Jew and Arab together outside the Israeli Arab village of Ayn Hawd – Photo: Rina Castelnuovo/NYT

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started things off on Jan. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , ,
| January 29, 2014
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PM’s Office: Bennett needs to apologize or leave the gov’t

 

Minister Naftali Bennett jumps-the-gun in his untimely scolding of Netanyahu after PM said ‘Jews could live under Palestinian sovereignty in future agreement’.

PMO reports that Bennett’s recent comments & undeserving criticism of the PM & his coalition, have put the gov’t in danger.

By HERB KEINON

 

Either Economy Minister Naftali Bennett apologizes for slamming Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in recent days for raising the idea that Jews could live in settlements under Palestinian sovereignty, or he is “endangering the coalition,” sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said Wednesday morning.

“Bennett was given a message that he needs to apologize clearly, otherwise there will be a price,” the sources said, not hiding the fact that Bennett’s comments, including a fiery and feisty speech Tuesday night, has triggered a coalition crisis. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 28, 2014
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Netanyahu ‘Fuming’ Over Bennett Comments

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, furious with his Economics Minister Naftali Bennett over undue criticism, plans to “give it to him” when he returns from Poland.

By David Lev

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu plans to “give it” to Economics Minister Naftali Bennett when he returns from Poland, where he joined MKs and ministers to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Netanyahu is fuming over Bennett’s harsh criticism of his “plan” to allow Jews to remain in their homes under Palestinian rule in the event of a final-status settlement.

Ha’aretz reported that Netanyahu was upset that Bennett had ruined his “gambit” to expose the Palestinians as anti-Semitic. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 18, 2014
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Nobel Prize winner Dan Schechtman announces candidacy to run for Israeli presidency

Israel’s 2011 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry says his lack of political experience does not mean he doesn’t have a vision

By i24 News

 

 

Nobel Prize winning scientist Dan Schechtman announced plans to run for president of Israel on Channel 1 news on Friday.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Dan Schechtman announced his intentions to run for Israeli presidency in the 2014 elections ( nobelprize.org )

Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Dan Schechtman announced his intentions to run for Israeli presidency in the 2014 elections – Photo: nobelprize.org

Israel’s current president Shimon Peres will step down on July 27 and elections will be held this summer. The current confirmed candidates are Likud MK Reuven Rivlin, who lost to Peres seven years ago, and Labor MK Benjamin Ben-Eliezer. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| January 18, 2014
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Lapid: Israel needs ‘to get rid of’ the Palestinians

 

Finance Minister Lapid tackled numerous pressing issues in Tel Aviv event, saying Israel’s rabbis should not meddle in issues unrelated to halacha, settlements  should continue to be funded if/until evacuated and ‘his brother’ Bennett was recently demoted to ‘cousin’.

By Shachar Chai

In what state is the relationship between Yesh Atid chairman and Habayit Bayehudi chairman, why are the settlements still funded by the State and what will be their future – Finance Minister Yair Lapid addressed all of these pressing questions Friday morning at a Tel Aviv panel event.

Lapid: Won't allow a non-democratic Israel (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Lapid: Won’t allow a non-democratic Israel – Photo: Yaron Brener

When Lapid was asked about the issue of women’s recruitment to the army and his past remarks noting that he would act to dismiss the chief rabbis for going against female IDF recruitment, he said: “I am not the minister responsible for (the chief rabbis), Naftali Bennett is.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 7, 2014
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Israeli Arabs: We Refuse to Live in a Palestinian State

If the Arab Knesset members are so worried about becoming citizens of a Palestinian state, they should be working toward integration into, and not separation from, Israel, and listening more to their constituents rather than the voices of Fatah and Hamas.

by Khaled Abu Toameh

 

 

Renewed talk of land swaps between Israel and a future Palestinian state has left many Israeli Arabs worried about losing their status as citizens of Israel.

Member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi yells from the Knesset podium. (Image source: Knesset TV YouTube channel)

 

According to the Israeli daily Ma’ariv, Israel has proposed to the Americans transferring Israeli Arab communities to the Palestinian Authority as part of a land swap that would place Jewish settlements in the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| December 29, 2013
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Knesset committee supports bill annexing Jordan Valley

8 ministers approve bill proposing  Israel annex Jordan Valley, so that it remains within Israeli sovereignty, unable to be relinquished even if a peace accord is reached with Palestinians.

Several ministers appeal, saying they will block legislative process

Moran Azulay

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved Sunday a bill, proposed by MK Miri Regev, to annex the Jordan Valley, thereby ensuring that the region remains within Israeli sovereignty even if an agreement is reached with the Palestinians.

Minister Livni - Photo: Noam Moskowitz

Minister Livni – Photo: Noam Moskowitz

The bill was supported by eight ministers from the Likud, Yisrael Beitenu, and Habayit Hayehudi.

Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar said: “There is no divide between settlement and security. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| December 24, 2013
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Druze MK Responds to MK Tibi: You Make Israeli Arabs’ Lives Worse, Not Better

Druze Knesset Member praises Israeli equality, says MK Tibi makes Israeli Arabs’ lives worse, not better because he knows his political future rests on the continued demonization of the State of Israel.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Deputy Speaker of Knesset Hamad Amar (Likud) has come out with a strong response to an article by MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra’am Ta’al) accusing Israel of racism.

Amar not only defended Israel’s record of providing equal rights to all its citizens, but slammed Tibi and other Israeli Arab politicians, accusing them of hurting, not helping, Israel’s Arab minority.

“Perhaps more than anyone else, Tibi represents all that is wrong with parts of the Israeli Arab leadership,” Amar wrote in a post to Congress Blog. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| December 16, 2013
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Knesset Committee okay bill mandating 2/3 majority for dividing Jerusalem

 

The proposal, by MK Ya’acov Litzman (UTJ), was accepted by the committee after being brought back to a vote because Justice Minister Tzipi Livni appealed its introduction last October.

By LAHAV HARKOV

 

 

A bill requiring a two-thirds majority in the Knesset for negotiations to divide Jerusalem was approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation Sunday.

MK Ya'acov Litzman at the Knesset - Photo: Judy Siegel-Itzkovich

MK Ya’acov Litzman at the Knesset – Photo: Judy Siegel-Itzkovich

The proposal, by MK Ya’acov Litzman (UTJ), was brought back to a vote after Justice Minister Tzipi Livni appealed it in October.

Litzman’s bill mandates that 80 MKs are necessary to authorize any negotiations with the Palestinians on whether to give up any part of Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| December 16, 2013
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Public committee to decide feasibility on Israeli ‘White House’ &/or Israeli ‘Air Force 1’

 

Cabinet ministers authorize the establishment of a public committee to examine the feasibility of purchasing a plane for Israeli PM and President, and the building of a new official PM Residence.

Lapid objects, ‘Gov’t must maintain modesty,’ 

By Moran Azulay

The government has authorized the establishment of a public that will look into purchasing a plane for the travel purposes of the prime minister and president.

Visualization of potential new PM residence planned in 2009

Visualization of potential new PM residence planned in 2009

The committee will also examine the possibility of building a single structure to house the Prime Minister’s Office and his residence – the Israeli “White House.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| December 12, 2013
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Contrary to Netanyahu’s wishes, Likud seeks to split with Yisrael Beytenu

 

Likud’s central c’tee expected to pass proposals allowing Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount and initiating annexation of Judea & Samaria.

By GIL HOFFMAN
 

The Likud’s central committee will likely vote at next Wednesday’s party convention to split off from Yisrael Beytenu, the convention’s chairman, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said Wednesday.

Liberman and Netanyahu at Likud Beytenu faction meeting, Feb 5 2013 - Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

Liberman and Netanyahu at Likud Beytenu faction meeting, Feb 5 2013 – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

Yisrael Beytenu decided last month to temporarily maintain its partnership with Likud. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also wants to keep the partnership, and his associates have hinted that he could ignore a decision by the central committee if it decides otherwise.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| December 6, 2013
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Poll: Lapid – Most unpopular minister

 

Finance Minister came dead last when 505 respondents were asked to evaluate the job performance of all 23 ministers.

By GIL HOFFMAN
 

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid scored the lowest among the cabinet’s 23 ministers in a Panels poll sponsored this week by The Jerusalem Post’s Hebrew sister publication, Sof Hashavua.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid. – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

The poll of 505 respondents representing a statistical sample of the Israeli population was asked to rate the job performance of all the ministers on a score of one to 100.

The average score given to the ministers was only 50. Continue Reading »

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