Tag Archive for Israel Politics

| August 1, 2013
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MKs Demonstrate Anger By Standing Silent

Unusual silence in Knesset as MKs express their outrage with ‘Governance Bill’ that will increase the vote threshold for the Knesset from 2% of the national vote to 4%.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Members of Knesset who opposed the Governance Bill chose an unusual way to express their anger on Wednesday night. Instead of continuing the passionate debate over the bill, they chose to use their three minutes on the Knesset podium to protest with silence.

MK Hanna Swaid (Hadash) explained the protest. “This law is intended to silence the Arab parties,” she accused. Therefore, she said, MKs will remain silent. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 23, 2013
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MKs demand that gas export issue be decided in Knesset

MK Avishay Braverman: If Knesset doesn’t accept decision, it will have no legitimacy.

By SHARON UDASIN
 

 

On the eve of Sunday’s cabinet session during which a decision on gas exports is scheduled to take place, a number of Knesset members drafted letters to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the other ministers demanding that they transfer the decision to the Knesset.

Tamar natural gas rig.

Tamar natural gas rig. – Photo: Albatross

“In order to help the legislative process of gas export, the Economic Affairs Committee will also work in August,” wrote MK Avishay Braverman (Labor). “The committee will continue discussions in August in order to hear all the sides, of the government, the public and the developers, and will formulate a bill that will be good for the citizens and the economy of Israel.”

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| May 10, 2013
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Now, Lapid is Against ‘Social Protests’

Although, social protests previously brought Lipid to power, the Finance Minister explains why he no longer supports the public’s ‘cost of living’ rallies.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid explained Thursday night why he does not support the latest round of rallies calling to reduce the cost of living. Previous such rallies were credited with boosting his party’s showing in the elections.

Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid“They told me that there will be a demonstration on Saturday. All I want to do is to put on a black t-shirt again, go down to the rally and say, ‘People, you’re demonstrating against yourselves,’” he told Channel 10. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| May 6, 2013
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Legislation committee approves Yisrael Beytenu’s electoral-reform bill

The Knesset’s legislation committee approved a bill seeking to raise election threshold and limit no-confidence motions against gov’t.

By LAHAV HARKOV

 

 

 

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a controversial Yisrael Beytenu electoral reform bill Monday.

Former foreign minister Avigdor Liberman at press conference, March 18, 2013

Former foreign minister Avigdor Liberman – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

The legislation proposed by Knesset Law, Constitution and Justice Committee chairman David Rotem (Yisrael Beytenu) would increase the election threshold to four percent, limit the number of ministers including the prime minister to 19 and deputy ministers to four.

In addition, the bill would require no-confidence motions to be submitted by at least 61 MKs and to include an alternative candidate for prime minister.

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| May 1, 2013
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Labor prepared to join coalition gov’t for peace treaty

MK Ben-Eliezer says if Bayit Yehudi pulls out of coalition over Arab League Peace-Plan, Labor interested in replacing party to advance peace initiative.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

 

Labor repeated its commitment to enter the government, if necessary, should  it come close to reaching a peace treaty on Wednesday, a day after the Arab League said it would be open to land swaps.

Opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich (Labor) said Tuesday night that her party will “support positive, significant steps toward reaching an agreement.”

Labor Party Convenes

Labor Party Convenes – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

“If we are on the cusp of singing a treaty and [Economic and Trade Minister Naftali] Bennett threatens to quit, we won’t be the opposition, and will reexamine entering the government,” a spokeswoman for Yacimovich explained Wednesday.

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| April 29, 2013
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Netanyahu planning reforms to break monopolies & lower prices

Knesset approves legislation to lower cost of cars & spare parts amid looming battles with the Histadrut labor federation.

By HERB KEINON, NIV ELIS

 

 

 

The government will push forward with economic reforms that will “bring down the cost of living,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Massive battles loom with the Histadrut labor federation and others over the planned changes.

Bibi 521

Bibi – Photo: OLIVER WEIKEN/REUTERS

The cabinet discussed wide-ranging reforms in the automobile sector to increase competition by opening the field to more car importers and decreasing regulation on spare car parts, approving legislation to overhaul the country’s car industry.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| April 26, 2013
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Israel’s new gov’t is gunning for reform – but at who’s expense?

A month after Israel’s new gov’t took office, its ministers began to advanced a series of measures destined to appease the middle-class, but, does it matter if those reforms come at the expense of others, such as the ultra-Orthodox?

By

 

Without a doubt, the winds of reform and revolutions are blowing in our land. The finance minister declares “war” on behalf of the working man. The prime minister states that no labor strike will deter him from lowering the price of cars or from implementing a “huge” reform in the ports. The transportation minister has discovered that the sky’s the limit, the interior minister is considering extending daylight saving time, and the minister of communications is bent on shaking up the pay-per-view television market in favor of freebie TV. Continue Reading »

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| April 25, 2013
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Bennett & Lapid seek seaport reform

Economy and Trade Minister promises to break seaport monopoly. ‘It’ll hurt, but it’ll pass,’ Bennett says of expected union strikes.

By Moran Azulay

 

Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett is backing the seaport reform and has vowed to “break the seaport monopoly.”

נמל אשדוד. מו"מ עם הוועדים הוא הכרחי (צילום: אבי רוקח)

Ashdod port – Photo: Avi Rokach

“We’ll release the strangle-hold. We’re engaged in a historic process of opening up Israel‘s economy. The train has left the station,” he said.

Bennett’s statements follow that of Finance Minister Yair Lapid who on Tuesday announced his plans to privatize the state owned ports in Haifa and Ashdod and to support the construction of an additional port by a private entrepreneur. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| April 23, 2013
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Haredi MKs respond to Lapid diatribe

Blamed by rookie finance minister for Israel’s huge deficit, the ultra-Orthodox MKs accuse Lapid of inciting hatred & scapegoating them to divert attention away from his planned tax hikes.

Moran Azulay

 

Haredi Knesset members are firing back following Finance Minister Yair Lapid‘s bitter diatribe at the Knesset plenum on Monday.

“He’s using the haredim as a means of distraction and a way to avoid the real questions about the enormous measures he’s imposing on the public,” said MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) who confronted Lapid at the plenum. “It will be because of him that Israelis take to the streets again soon enough.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| April 12, 2013
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‘Facebook Minister’ learns supporters lavished praise one day, & are out for blood the next

Yair Lapid, Israel’s new finance minister, prefers to respond to criticism from home on his Facebook page, rather than in the Knesset podium.

By Ryan Jones

 

When he first announced his intention to form a party and run for Knesset, popular television personality Yair Lapid was hailed far and wide as a kingslayer for being most capable of unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yair LapidWhen it became clear Lapid would join Netanyahu’s new govrnment, he was instead held aloft as a kingmaker, because without Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, Netanyahu would not have a stable coalition.

Now that it has come to actually governing the nation, Lapid is being mercilessly attacked as the “Facebook minister” due to his preference to respond to criticism of his work as minister of finance via social media, rather than at the Knesset itself. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| April 9, 2013
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Lieberman says lead by example, calls for MK pay cut

Before the special plenum session dedicated to  budget cuts, MK Yachimovich attacks decision to slash higher education funding: ‘Have you no shame?’

In his support of Lapid, Lieberman calls on MKs to take responsibility & shoulder burden by a 10% cut in salary. 

By Ynet

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman, Avigdor Leiberman, called Tuesday on Knesset Members (MKs) to waive 10% of their salary and “lead by example in this difficult period.”

On the other hand, Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich , who was elected Opposition Head, opened the plenum discussion with an onslaught of criticism on Lapid and his plans to slash higher education funding and raise tuition fees, asking Lapid: “Have you no shame?”. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| March 25, 2013
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Lapid refused diplomatic passport by Foreign Ministry

Foreign Ministry workers refuse to issue the new Finance Minister a diplomatic passport, as part of a heated labor dispute.

By Itamar Eichner

 

Employees of the Foreign Ministry are turning up the heat in a recent labor dispute by refusing to provide passport services to government officials. They are protesting an administrative stock regulation and the use of temporary workers to fill positions, plus they are demanding benefits for employees stationed in far-flung countries.

Finance Minister, Yair Lapid - Photo Hezki Ezra

Finance Minister, Yair Lapid – Photo: Hezki Ezra

One of the responsibilities of employees at the ministry is to issue diplomatic passports to ministers and new Knesset members. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| March 22, 2013
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ex-PM Olmert: Netanyahu Not Worthy of Being Israel’s PM

Former PM Olmert attacks the Prime Minister in new interview, accuses him of treating President Obama ‘like a retarded student.’

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert attacked his successor, current Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in a new interview published by Globes.

Among other things, Olmert slammed Netanyahu over his relationship with United States President Barack Obama.

“What is this? You go to the President of the United States, stick a finger in his face on live television, preach to him, and while you’re at it, give him a history lesson?” he said.

“Excuse me, with all due respect, he learned something in life, this president,” Olmert continued. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| March 19, 2013
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PM Netanyahu introduces new gov’t: We’re putting our differences aside

Netanyahu tells new gov’t that the “threats facing Israel are greater than ever,” and that demands unity

Opposition Leader Yachimovich criticized the Knesset’s new leadership, saying country is divided into the rich represented by gov’t, and the needy.

By Gideon Allon, Shlomo Cesana and Yori Yalon

 

After a long election process and a subsequent exhausting coalition nego

tiation, the 33rd government of Israel was sworn in on Monday, officially kicking off. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third term at the helm. As of Tuesday, the members of the 33rd government were already hard at work.

“Assembling the coalition was difficult.” Members of the 33rd government gather at the Knesset on Monday.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| March 17, 2013
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Netanyahu appoints Sa’ar as Interior Minister & Ya’alon as Defense Minister

 

PM says Ya’alon has all the necessary experience to deal with ‘turmoil around us’ & that Erdan will be the Home-Front defense minister, placed in charge of strategic talks with the U.S.

Gideon Sa’ar to head the Interior Ministry.

Moran Azulay

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed Likud Knesset Member Moshe Ya’alon that he will be replacing Ehud Barak as defense minister.

Ya’alon, who currently serves as minister of strategic affairs, was one of several Likud members who were summoned to the Prime Minister’s Office Sunday morning. Many of the lawmakers from the ruling party expected a promotion.

“During such a crucial time for the security of the State of Israel, when everything is in turmoil around us, it is important that a man with Moshe Ya’alon’s experience hold this position,” Netanyahu said. Continue Reading »

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