An Israeli settlement. Photo: AJN file
JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has pledged that Israel will continue to build in Jerusalem.
“Construction in Jerusalem – and anywhere else – will continue in the same way that has been customary during the past 42 years,” Netanyahu said on March 15 during a Likud party meeting, according to reports.
“The Cabinet’s decision to end the construction freeze after 10 months remains standing.”
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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Photo: AJN file
IN recognition of the first anniversary of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government, AHRON SHAPIRO evaluates its performance on key issues.
Binyamin Netanyahu formed Israel’s 32nd government on March 31, 2009, after the forming agreements between the Likud, Yisrael Beitenu, Shas, Labour, Habayit Hayehudi parties. When United Torah Judaism joined the following day, the coalition reached 74 members, a number which is considered to be quite comfortable and stable by Knesset standards.
In particular, Netanyahu should be recognised for his ultimately futile attempt to bring Kadima onboard for a National Unity Government, and his successful effort to recruit Labour which continues to keep his coalition on a more even keel and impressively stable.
However, Netanyahu’s achievement in forming such a wide government must be tempered by the criticism that he gave away a lot of perks in order to achieve it. The current cabinet is the largest in the country’s history, is comprised of 30 ministers and nine deputy ministers.
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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Photo: AJN file
JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu plans to submit a bill allowing Israelis living or travelling abroad to vote in national elections.
The Israeli leader announced the proposal on February 8, saying the bill “will add to the connection with and to the strength of Israel.”
Israeli citizens now must be in Israel on election day and vote in person.
The proposal fulfills a coalition agreement made with Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beiteinu party.
The members of Netanyahu’s coalition, including members of his own Likud Party, are split on the proposal, with many adding possible criteria.
Some examples are whether the citizen living abroad served in the military or serve in the reserves, or visits Israel or pays taxes.
“There are a half-million people who have passports overseas,” said Minority Affairs Minister Avishay Braverman, a Labor Party member who lived overseas for more than a decade.
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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Photo: AJN file
RONI SOFER
JREUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hopes to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians in the coming weeks.
“I have basis to hope, in a realistic way, that in the coming weeks we will resume the peace process with the Palestinians, without preconditions,” Netanyahu told the Herzliya Conference on February 3.
“I have been saying for a long time that the international community has matured into understanding that Israel wants and is ready to resume the peace process.
“And from the moment this recognition has matured among the key elements in the international community, the practical feasibility of this move is also maturing.”
“There is a saying that it takes two to tango,” Netanyahu added. “In the Middle East, it sometimes takes three, at least at the beginning. Then we can continue to a dance for couples.
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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (left) is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on February 1. Photo: Isranet.
JERUSALEM — Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has arrived in Israel for an official three-day visit.
He was greeted warmly by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu outside the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.
Berlusconi is regarded as being one of Israel’s best friends and advocates in the international community.
In a dinner in Berlusconi’s honour the Italian prime minister promised that he would back Israel in the international community.
He said that he was dreaming of the time that Israel was part of the European Union.
Berlusconi has arrived with eight of his senior minister for further bilateral talks over three days.
AGENCIES
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Photo: AJN file
OSWIECIM, Poland — Israel is prepared to fight a new Amalek 65 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at the former death camp.
At a ceremony on January 27 marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu said Auschwitz is a reminder that one must warn the world of dangers while defending oneself.
“We will always remember what the Nazi Amalek did to us, and we won’t forget to be prepared for the new Amalek, who is making an appearance on the stage of history and once again threatening to destroy the Jews,” he said.
“We will not take this lightly and believe that these are empty statements. We will not be calm as if threats and denial of the Holocaust were just blank words. We will never forget and always remember to stand guard.”
The nation of Amalek has been Israel’s nemesis since the Exodus from Egypt. Nations that have tried to destroy Israel often are referred to as descendants of Amalek.
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United States president Barack Obama. Photo: AJN file
JERUSALEM — Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the Obama administration to negotiate with Israel on his behalf.
Abbas has proposed that the United States negotiate the final borders of a Palestinian state, according to media reports citing an unnamed Abbas aide.
Such an arrangement could help Abbas save face, since he has declared that he will not return to the peace negotiating table until Israel stops all construction in West Bank settlements, including eastern Jerusalem.
The proposal comes as US Mid-East envoy George Mitchell was scheduled to arrive on Wednesday evening (January 20) in Israel in another bid to bring the sides to the negotiating table.
It is believed that Abbas made the proposal recently in meetings with Egyptian officials, who relayed the recommendation to US officials.
Mitchell will meet separately with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu this week. Abbas is expected to discuss the idea with Mitchell.
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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Photo: AJN file
MUNICH — Israel’s Cabinet has met for the first time in Germany as the two countries held a joint Cabinet meeting in Berlin.
The meeting on January 18 was the second time the two Cabinets have convened together under a program initiated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in March 2008, when the governments met together in Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu arrived in Berlin on January 18 with seven ministers for meetings with Merkel and members of her Cabinet, where the threat of a nuclear Iran was expected to be high on the agenda, according to the German Press Agency.
Other issues set to be discussed include economic, political and security ties between Israel and Germany, as well as the Middle East peace process.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak reportedly was prepared to ask Merkel to approve and subsidise with the United States the sale of another diesel submarine to Israel, the sixth Dolphin class German submarine to be purchased by Israel, according to Reuters.
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Security fence in the West Bank. Photo: AJN file
JERUSALEM — Israel will build a fence on its border with Egypt to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and migrant workers.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced on January 10 that he has ordered the construction of a barrier fence along its southern border at a cost of more than $270 million.
Thousands of migrants have entered Israel through its Egyptian border in recent years.
Netanyahu said he decided to close Israel’s southern border to infiltrators and terrorists after prolonged discussions with government ministries and “professional elements.”
“This is a strategic decision to ensure the Jewish and democratic character of the State of Israel,” the prime minister said in a statement released by his office.
“Israel will remain open to war refugees, but we cannot allow thousands of illegal workers to infiltrate into Israel via the southern border and flood our country.”
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Aviva and Noam Shalit with their son Yoel (left) ... waiting for news of their captured son Gilad. Photo: Isranet
JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner Cabinet has given the go-ahead to Israel’s negotiating team to continue talks for the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit.
On December 22, shortly after the prime minister and his seven senior Cabinet ministers finished their fifth meeting in two days on a prisoner swap, a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office said that instructions were given to the negotiating team regarding “the continuation of efforts to bring Gilad Shalit home safe and sound”.
Israel reportedly relayed its response to Hamas through a German mediator who was to take the response directly to the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported. No details of the response were given.
Reports have suggested that the Cabinet will ask to change the number of Hamas prisoners to be released to the West Bank, and that they instead be sent to the Gaza Strip or exiled abroad.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak was the first minister to publicly discuss the deliberations.
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