"Our history began from Jerusalem" said [Education Minister Naftali] Bennett this morning. Forgive the pettiness, but the Education Minister should know that according to the Torah, we came here from Egypt.
Labels: bible, morons, Naftali Bennett, Stav Shaffir
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:35 PM
2 comments
Netanyahu’s hard-line coalition partner, Education Minister Naftali Bennett added: “Today a terrorist nuclear superpower is born, and it will go down as one of the darkest days in world history.”Yeah, but that's only because he's hardline, right? Hmmm. Maybe not.
Israeli social media accounts were filled with images of former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain, who pushed a policy of appeasement toward Adolf Hitler and the Nazis on the eve of World War II.
Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders blasted the deal even as negotiators in Vienna were still making the announcement and providing details.
“Israel will defend itself,” Bennett warned, vowing that military action is still an option for the Jewish State. Like-minded Israelis feel they are in the crosshairs of a belligerent enemy, where last week protesters in Tehran were chanting “Death to Israel!”
Israel’s security cabinet unanimously rejected the Iran deal, also saying that Israel reserves the right to take action to protect the state.But an Israeli attack seems unlikely right now....
Opposition leaders were united in condemning the Iran deal, but they also called its signing a major diplomatic failure for Netanyahu.
Speaking on Israel Radio, Efraim Halevy, former head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, said that perhaps it would have been better to avoid a head-on clash with Obama and, instead, seek to apply pressure through more discreet channels and have more of a role in shaping the negotiations.Because after all, former Mossad heads have just been so helpful in helping the government deal with this. Nearly as helpful as Israel's 'loyal opposition.'
Yair Lapid, a top opposition figure and leader of an Israeli political party, said there is “no daylight” between Israelis in condemning the Iran deal. But he said Netanyahu bungled the diplomacy.
On the evening news in Israel, a rough consensus among political commentators concluded that Netanyahu has been rendered irrelevant, dismissed by the U.S. administration.
The United States remains Israel’s closest — and sometimes only — ally in the world, supplying diplomatic cover and billions of dollars in military aid over the years, including some of the most sophisticated U.S. arms technology.
In an interview with Israel’s Army Radio, main opposition leaders Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni both criticized Netanyahu for allowing the deal to be reached.
“If you go to a deal, as bad as it may be, the way to minimize its damage is by arriving at an agreement with the U.S. on a very significant security package,” said Herzog.And that could still happen after (and when and if) the deal is signed. But Obama wouldn't talk about that before the deal with Iran was done.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Ephraim HaLevy, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iranian nuclear threat, Meir Dagan, Mossad, Naftali Bennett, Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid, Yitzchak Herzog
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:29 PM
1 comments
On July 14th, 2015 a terror nuclear superpower is born. Israel will defend itself.
— Naftali Bennett (@naftalibennett) July 14, 2015
As you might imagine, no one here in Israel is very pleased about the impending nuclear deal with Iran. Prime Minister Netanyahu is calling it an historic mistake.
"Iran is going to receive a sure path to nuclear weapons. Many of the restrictions that were supposed to prevent it from getting there will be lifted," Netanyahu said at the start of a meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu said he would do what he could to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
"Iran will get a jackpot, a cash bonanza of hundreds of billions of dollars, which will enable it to continue to pursue its aggression and terror in the region and in the world. This is a bad mistake of historic proportions."
Iran has accepted a so-called "snapback" plan that will restore sanctions in 65 days if it violates a deal agreed with six world powers to curb the country's nuclear program, diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday.
Of course, the Russians and Chinese would have to agree to the snapback, so even if the sanctions could be 'snapped' back into place (which they cannot), Russia and China would never agree to them anyway.
The diplomats said a U.N. arms embargo would remain in place for five years and U.N. missile sanctions would stay in place for eight years.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, China, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Naftali Bennett, P 5+1, Russia
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:43 PM
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Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, incitement, Knesset elections 2015, Naftali Bennett, Yigal Amir, Yitzchak Herzog, Yitzchak Rabin
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:32 AM
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Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Knesset elections 2015, Naftali Bennett, Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:11 PM
1 comments
After the French government began to send invitations to world leaders to participate in the rally against terror, Hollande’s national security adviser, Jacques Audibert, contacted his Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, and said that Hollande would prefer that Netanyahu not attend, the source said.
Audibert explained that Hollande wanted the event to focus on demonstrating solidarity with France, and to avoid anything liable to divert attention to other controversial issues, like Jewish-Muslim relations or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Audibert said that Hollande hoped that Netanyahu would understand the difficulties his arrival might pose and would announce that he would not be attending.
The source noted that one of the French concerns - not conveyed to representatives of the Israeli government - was that Netanyahu would take advantage of the event for campaign purposes and make speeches, especially about the Jews of France. Such statements, the Elysee Palace feared, would hurt the demonstration of solidarity the French government was trying to promote as part of dealing with the terror attacks.
According to the source, Netanyahu at first acquiesced to the French request. In any case, the Shin Bet security service unit that protects public figures considered the arrangements for the prime minister’s security to be complex. And so, on Saturday evening, Netanyahu’s people announced that he would not be flying to Paris because of security concerns. Netanyahu told the French he would come to France on Tuesday for a Jewish community event.
The French apparently sent the same message to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Like Netanyahu, Abbas acceded to the French request and released a strange statement about the same time Netanyahu released his, that he would not be attending the event because of the bad weather.
However, on Saturday night, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett announced their intention to go to Paris and take part in the march and meet with the Jewish community. When Netanyahu heard they were going, he informed the French he would be attending the march after all.
According to the source, when Cohen informed Audibert that Netanyahu would be attending the event after all, Audibert angrily told Cohen that the prime minister’s conduct would have an adverse effect on ties between the two countries as long as Hollande was president of France and Netanyahu was prime minister of Israel.
Audibert made it clear that in light of Netanyahu's intention to arrive, an invitation would also be extended to Abbas. And indeed, several hours after Abbas announced that he would not be traveling to Paris, his office issued a statement stating that he would in fact be at the march.
Hollande's anger at Netanyahu was evident during the ceremony held Sunday evening following the march at the Grand Synagogue in Paris, an event attended by hundreds of members of the local Jewish community.
Hollande sat through most of the ceremony, but when Netanyahu's turn at the podium arrived, the French president got up from his seat and made an early exit.Netanyahu's office has denied most of this story. Read the whole thing. I think that given the Friday night massacre at the Kosher supermarket, it would have been outrageous for Netanyahu not to have been there - election campaign or no election campaign. Tzipi Livni and Buzi Herzog could have written this story.
Labels: Abu Mazen, Avigdor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, feckless French, Francois Hollande, Islamic terrorism, Naftali Bennett, Paris
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:52 PM
0 comments
Labels: Balad, Binyamin Netanyahu, Jewish Home party, Knesset elections 2015, Labor party, Likud party, Meretz, Naftali Bennett, Tzipi Livni, Yitzchak Herzog
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:47 AM
0 comments
Speaking at an annual luncheon with the 28 European Union ambassadors, Kerry cautioned that any action by the U.N. Security Council would strengthen the hands of Israeli hardliners who oppose the peace process. Kerry left open the possibility that the United States might ultimately support some sort of U.N. Security Council resolution that didn’t prejudge the outcome of stalled political negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. He didn’t offer any details of what that kind of resolution would have to look like.
“Kerry has been very, very clear that for the United States it was not an option to discuss whatever text before the end of the Israeli election,” according to a European diplomat.Well, duh. I could have figured that out on my own. But Kerry apparently couldn't.
The diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the luncheon was confidential, said that Kerry explained that Israel’s liberal political leaders, Shimon Peres and Tipzi Livni, had expressed concern that a Security Council move to pressure Israel on the eve of election would only strengthen the hands of Israeli hardliners, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Naftali Bennett, an implacable foe of a Palestinian state and leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party. Netanyahu is also fiercely opposed to the Palestinians effort to secure Security Council backing for its statehood drive.
Kerry said Livni had “told him that such a text imposed by the international community would reinforce Benjamin Netanyahu and the hardliners in Israel,” as well as the hardliners in Palestine, according to the European diplomat.
The message, said another European diplomat, was that U.N. action would “give more impetus to more right-wing parties, that there was a risk this could further embolden the more right-wing forces along the Israeli political spectrum.”And when word of this story reached Israel after the Sabbath ended, our politicians reacted with fury... at Livni (There's nothing we can do about Peres anymore. He's supposed to have been put out to pasture).
"Tzipi Livni has hit rock-bottom in political subversion," Bennett stated, "by going behind the back of the sitting government to help schedule operations that will harm Israel and doing everything to hurt Bibi / Bennett."
"With all due respect, Livni's interests do not come before the state's interests, and demanding that an attack on Israel fit her schedule crosses a red line," he continued. "According to Livni, Israel is a country full of apologies, which is governed by political interests."
"I look forward to opposition leader [and Labor head - ed.] MK Yitzhak Herzog - whose intentions I sincerely appreciate - disciplining Tzipi Livni, who over the past few days has abandoned the state entirely and contributed to an atmosphere of incitement, and who is anarchic and dangerous to his campaign."
...
"This shows that the sole interest of Livni and Herzog is to replace Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who as a bulwark against the [international] dictates and Palestinian pressure," the Likud party stated in an official statement Saturday night. It added that they are willing to make "dangerous withdrawals" and "fold to international pressure."
"This election campaign has crossed all red lines," Likud MK Ofir Akunis stated Saturday night. "Ms. Livni failed negotiations with the Palestinians, [which] has been going on for years, and now gives advice to [the] American foreign minister, only to promote her personal political interests."
"This is further proof that Livni and Herzog prefer to advance their political interests over Israel's national interests, and they are dangerous to Israel," he added.
MK Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) wrote on Facebook that the move is "Leftist subversion."Meanwhile, Livni says she's just doing Netanyahu's job.
"They asked to postpone cases ambush on Israel not because it is not good for the country, but that it is not good for the Left in the elections," Shaked fired. "This is unprecedented."
"I turned to Kerry to safeguard the interests of the State of Israel, to prevent the world's coercion of Palestinian demands on Israel," Livni insisted. "I'm glad I did it and I'm glad that things I do have an impact on the world, what can not be said about Prime Minister [Binyamin] Netanyahu."
Livni then took her criticism one step further, taking the multiple statements by diplomats that she turned to Kerry to prevent Netanyahu and Economics Minister and Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett from getting votes and claiming instead that they should "thank" her for doing their job for them.
"Netanyahu and Bennett instead of criticizing me, should call me and thank me for helping them in doing what they cannot," she declared.Her arrogance knows no bounds.
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, John Kerry, Knesset elections 2015, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Tzipi Livni, United Nations Security Council
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:16 PM
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Labels: Martin Indyk, Middle East peace process, Naftali Bennett, two-state solution
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:38 AM
1 comments
Were Israel to hold an election now, Netanyahu's party would take 22 of parliament's 120 seats; Bennett's 17; Lapid's 9 - @Channel2News
— Dan Williams (@DanWilliams) December 2, 2014
Prime Minister Netanyahu fired Ministers Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni on Tuesday, effectively bringing about the government's fall. It's been less than 21 months since the last election. Bennett stands to gain because, according to every single poll, his party is the only one that can be expected to grow by 50% or more in the ballots. Presently, Jewish Home has 12 MKs. The polls predict 17, 19, maybe more. These numbers are commensurate with those Bennett had in the polls in late 2012, before an extremely hurtful – and self-injuring – Likud election campaign reduced his public support.
Bennett is now the likely candidate for minister of defense, come April. Since defense is Bennett's forte – although finances are certainly not a point of weakness for the all-Israeli hi-tech superstar economics minister – this is without a doubt the position he is angling for. The public is not ready for Bennett as prime minister, and people close to him, like Minister Uri Orbach, say so too. But a successful and dominant defense minister who brings security back to the Israeli streets, and possibly spearheads a strike on Iran's nuclear industry, later in his term, is a shoo-in to replace Binyamin Netanyahu at the country's helm, when the time comes.
Leaks from Netanyahu and Bennett's immediate surroundings confirm that Bennett has been talking to Netanyahu about the position of defense minister, post-elections, and that Netanyahu has come to accept that Bennett will be his most senior partner in the next government. Bennett confirmed as much – most likely intentionally – when he scolded Minister Uri Ariel the other day, and told him that his insistence on taking up more space on the Jewish Home list than Bennett is willing to give him will cost the party the defense minister's position.For more analysis of Bennett's moves, read the whole thing.
Primaries will be held in Likud and Jewish Home in early January, with votes on the head of the Likud on January 6 and similar votes for leadership of Jewish Home the day before.
Hareidi MK Menachem Eliezer Moses (United Torah Judaism) spoke about the recent polls that indicate Netanyahu will need the hareidi parties in order to form a new coalition, saying "according to the polls we see that without the hareidim it's impossible to move, no?"
Netanyahu accused Lapid the night before of trying to form an alternate coalition to replace him with the hareidim, even as Lapid denied siding with the hareidim in pubic statements. Netanyahu likewise denied reports he had sought out a coalition with the hareidim.The election's timing is likely to help the Haredim. It occurs on the Tuesday before the end of the winter semester in Yeshivas and Kollelim (the semester ends on Thursday the 19th in most of them). That means the final run-up to the election won't interfere too much with studies, while the vote will take place before many of the scholars leave for the Passover holiday. Hmmm.
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Haredim, Jewish Home party, Knesset elections 2015, Naftali Bennett, Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:27 AM
1 comments
Labels: BBC, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian terrorism
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:15 AM
0 comments
In a telephone call with The Algemeiner from his Los Angeles office, an incensed Rabbi Hier declared: “It is rather ironic that a senior American official is prepared to curse his friends, yet when it comes to the mortal enemies of the United States – as the Iranians discovered during the recent nuclear negotiation – praise is heaped on them.”
Goldberg’s piece extensively quoted an anonymous “senior Obama administration official” who showered Netanyahu with invective, saying, “The thing about Bibi is, he’s a chickenshit.”
Goldberg then observed: “Over the years, Obama administration officials have described Netanyahu to me as recalcitrant, myopic, reactionary, obtuse, blustering, pompous, and ‘Aspergery.’ (These are verbatim descriptions; I keep a running list.)”
The word “Aspergery” is a derogatory term for individuals with Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism that affects the part of the brain that processes emotions.
The same official is quoted as saying: “The good thing about Netanyahu is that he’s scared to launch wars. The bad thing about him is that he won’t do anything to reach an accommodation with the Palestinians or with the Sunni Arab states. The only thing he’s interested in is protecting himself from political defeat.”
Another senior official, Goldberg wrote, “agreed that Netanyahu is a ‘chickenshit’ on matters related to the comatose peace process, but added that he’s also a ‘coward’ on the issue of Iran’s nuclear threat.”
Commenting on the remarks of this second official, Hier asserted: “He said Netanyahu is a coward for not taking pre-emptive action against Iran, but I suppose this anonymous official who is hiding behind his desk is very brave.”
Asked whether he thought Obama should fire the officials who made these comments, Hier said “that’s up to the president.” However, he added, “a senior American official who doesn’t name himself and then hurls curse words at one of our strongest allies should be repudiated by the president. President Obama needs to make it clear that these officials don’t speak for him.
Most of all, an apology is in order: That is not the way a senior American official should speak to the Prime Minister of Israel, that is not the way to conduct foreign policy.”But what if the 'senior official' is Obama himself? Could he repudiate himself? (He wouldn't - nor would he apologize or name himself because Obama is as yellow-bellied as they come, so the second question is almost beside the point). Goldberg is known to be close to Obama, and to allow himself to be used as a mouthpiece when Obama wants to get something out there. It's definitely not beyond Obama to make that kind of comment and to use Goldberg to spread the word.
“The United States administration is planning to throw Israel under the bus,” Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday night, responding to harsh words against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu which were attributed to senior officials in the Obama administration.
“Israel is stronger than all those who curse it,” said Bennett, after Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic quoted officials in Washington as having described Netanyahu as “chickens**t”, among other things.
“The prime minister is not a private individual, but the leader of the Jewish State and the Jewish world as a whole. Serious curses such as these against the Israeli Prime Minister are harmful to millions of citizens of Israel and Jews worldwide,” added Bennett.
“Neither the leader of Syria, who has slaughtered 150,000 of his citizens, nor the leader of Saudi Arabia, who stones women and gays, have been called ‘chickens**t. If what is written is true, then the current administration intends to throw Israel under the wheels of the bus,” he said.
...
“Instead of attacking Israel and forcing suicide conditions upon it, it should be strengthened. I call upon the U.S. administration to renounce these abusive remarks and reject them outright,” he concluded.Fat chance. I honestly believe that comment was made by Obama himself. In fact, the second 'anonymous official' who agreed is likely John Kerry. Anyone want to argue with me? Anyone looking at the picture above have any doubts about who is 'chickensh*t' and who is not?
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Jeffrey Goldberg, John Kerry, Naftali Bennett
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:07 AM
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"Mahmoud Abbas has again proved his only expertise is spreading lies and incitement against Israel," Communications Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) slammed Saturday night. "He has denied the Holocaust in the past and now, in this surreal speech at the UN, he has accused us of 'genocide.'"
"This is not how a 'peace partner' talks, and certainly not anyone who wants for 'reconciliation between peoples," Erdan continued. "Now it is clear why he insists on partnering with the Hamas terrorist organization, with whom he shares the 'struggle against Israel' and will promote our delegitimization through false propaganda."
"Mahmoud Abbas always finds a soft spot for murderers, rocket launchers, and our enemies in general," Jewish Home Chairman and Economics Minister Naftali Bennett added. "We saw missiles launched at Ben Gurion Airport two months ago, and it's good to know these launchers are members of Mahmoud Abbas's 'Palestinian state.'"
"Now Israel must find new and creative ways to allow us to just survive here," Bennett fumed. "A Palestinian state west of the Jordan River is not one of them."
Even the extreme left took issue with Abbas's speech.
"While Israel has acted harshly in Gaza and made things difficult [for the Palestinians], you cannot call it 'genocide," Meretz Chairman Zahava Gal-On stated Saturday. Gal-On - who did not explicitly condemn Abbas - did add, however, that Abbas's words were "serious and grave." [But see below. CiJ]
"These are false and outrageous statements," MK Eitan Cabel (Labor), added. "It would have been better if they had not spoken, and these words are worthy of condemnation from all who truly love peace."Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon had some more biting remarks.
"Through his speech at the UN, Mahmoud Abbas proves for the umpteenth time: this is not a leader who wants peace and the advancement of his people's lives, but a person who distributes lies, incitement, and hate speech against Israel," Ya'alon stated Saturday. "Mahmoud Abbas is not a man of peace, and is not really interested in an agreement with Israel, which means recognition of the Jewish national homeland."
"Time after time, Mahmoud Abbas goes on to deceive the international community, to throw at Israel false and racist accusations out of the hope that threats, pressure, and lies will scare us and make us acquiesce [to his demands]," Ya'alon continued.
Ya'alon implied that Abbas's speech was particularly grave, and may have jettisoned future plans to renew peace talks.
"He has no partner for a political agreement - which is essential to end the conflict - and we will therefore not compromise the security of Israeli citizens," Ya'alon said, referencing plans to make a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria. "In every situation, we are responsible for our own destiny and our own security, and we will be in the future."
Ya'alon concluded by blasting Abbas for "not really coming to terms with our own existence" and added that the claims "are detached from reality."Prime Minister Netanyahu is on his way to the United States to counter Abu Mazen's (and Iranian President Hassan Rohani's) 'slander and lies.'
“Meretz supports Abbas’s international efforts to bring the end of the occupation and to get international recognition as a [Palestinian] state and member of the UN before and as a corridor to reaching peace in bilateral negotiations between equals,” the party leader said.Gal-On proves the prophet Isaiah right once again. Isaiah warned that those who would destroy us would spring forth from among us. What could go wrong?
The speech reflected Abbas’s total distrust of Netanyahu as a partner for peace, Gal-On said.
According to Gal-On, “Netanyahu refused to negotiate for five years and the talks under American sponsorship led nowhere and wild construction continued in the settlements. Now Netanyahu wants to continue ‘managing the conflict’ instead of solving it,” she lamented.
Labels: Abu Mazen, Binyamin Netanyahu, Eitan Cabel, Gilad Erdan, Holocaust denial, Meretz, Moshe Yaalon, Naftali Bennett, United Nations General Assembly, Zehava Gal-On
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:29 AM
0 comments
There have been mixed reports on the precise nature of the projectile fired, with Channel 10 saying the attack was a mortar shell as opposed to a rocket; likewise, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner labeled it a mortar shell on the IDF's official Twitter feed. However, nearly all other major Israeli media sources have identified it as a rocket attack.As is usually the case outside of an official operation, Hamas is claiming that it did not do it.
The Hamas terrorist organization claimed Tuesday night that it had nothing to do with the rocket attack, saying it remains committed to the ceasefire. Hamas breached numerous ceasefires during Operation Protective Edge, as well as over the course of recent years.
"The Palestinian factions are committed to the truce," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said. "We want it to continue."
He questioned whether the attack as reported by Israel had in fact taken place. "There is no evidence that there was mortar fire from the Gaza Strip," he said.Yeah, right....
MK Danny Danon (Likud) spoke out after the attack, saying "we must not compromise with terror, we should have subdued Hamas during Operation Protective Edge because terror doesn't change its face."
"Now we must respond with strength in response to the fire for the sake of deterrence and for the sake of the faith residents of the south gave to the leadership which said there will be quiet for a long time," stated Danon.
The former deputy defense minister, who has been critical of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over his management of the operation, added "only 21 days have past and we're returning to the trickle of terror from the Gaza Belt. Self-restraint now signals acceptance of the situation."The attack came hours after Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon predicted that Hamas would not renew its terror attacks on Israel on September 25 if an agreement - which appears unlikely - is not in place. Hmmm.
"Hamas fired a multi-rocket salvo in honor of the agreement to reconstruct Gaza. But the defense minister is busy hazing (former IDF Chief) Rabbi (Avichai) Ronski and slandering Minister Bennett," wrote [Jewish Home party MK Orit] Struk, noting a dispute over information Bennett reportedly used to attack top IDF brass in Security Cabinet meetings.
While Ronski was identified in reports as being the suspected source of the leaks who was later dismissed, he told Arutz Sheva on Tuesday that he did not pass any materials to Bennett, has not heard anything of the dismissal - and indeed still is scheduled to perform reserve duty next month.Not responding to this rocket fire from Gaza would be a terrible mistake and would invite a creeping escalation of the rocket fire from Gaza - as has happened after the end of every other operation. Will the government authorize the IDF to respond? I would guess that we will know the answer to that question before the sun is up in Israel on Wednesday morning - about seven hours from now.
Labels: cease fire, Gaza, Hamas, Hamas rockets, IDF, Jewish Home party, mortar shells, Moshe Yaalon, Naftali Bennett, Operation Protective Edge
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:28 PM
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A new poll released by the Hebrew-language Channel 2 news site on Monday reveals that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's approval rating has fallen as a "casualty" in the faltering Operation Protective Edge.
The poll, conducted by Shiluv Millward Brown and iPanel for the news source, found in the last four days Netanyahu's support has taken a sharp nose-dive.
A mere 38% of Israelis responded that they are satisfied with Netanyahu, as opposed to 50% who are dissatisfied. Just four days earlier, Netanyahu's support stood at 55%.
The sudden dive corresponds to a period during which four-year-old Daniel Tragerman hy''d was murdered by mortar fire in his Kibbutz Nahal Oz home last Friday, possibly contributing to a feeling of government neglect in providing security to its citizens.
The poll adds that three weeks ago Netanyahu's support was at 63%; towards the beginning of the operation early last month when the IDF began its ground entry to Gaza that it later withdrew, that support was at a whopping 82%.
A University of Haifa poll late last month likewise found that Netanyahu's support had spiked at the start of the operation, showing that 65% were "very satisfied" with Netanyahu's handling of the operation, 20% were "satisfied" and only 10% "not satisfied."
However, that support has dipped as Netanyahu continues to be unable to take decisive action against Hamas in an operation that started July 8, while making numerous ceasefire agreements that Hamas repeatedly breaks, and "softening" ministers to Israeli concessions.
Ironically, US President Barack Obama told the New York Times earlier this month in an interview that Netanyahu had too much public support, and that he needed internal pressure - not to defend Israel, but rather to make land concessions to the Palestinian Authority (PA).If Netanyahu wants to stay in office, he has to stop listening to Obama and finish the job. And if Obama doesn't want to find himself sitting in the oval office next to Naftali Bennett or Avigdor Lieberman, he is going to have to bite his lip and let Netanyahu finish the job. The Israeli public is furious and is not in the mood to make any concessions to the 'Palestinians,' to Hamas or to anyone else. And the longer this goes on, the less likely that they will favor any concessions to the 'Palestinians' in Judea and Samaria either. Everyone in this country knows that the IDF is capable of finishing the job - if only they were allowed to finish it.
Regarding whether to start the school year if rocket fire continues, 18% said to open schools all over the country, 63% said school should begin everywhere except the South, and 15% said all schools in the country should remain closed.
Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Gaza, Gaza envelope, Hamas, IDF, Israeli polls, Naftali Bennett, Operation Protective Edge
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:09 AM
4 comments
Labels: BBC, civilian casualties, Gaza, Hamas, human shields, IDF, Naftali Bennett, Operation Protective Edge
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:13 PM
1 comments
The poll gives Likud 28 seats (up from 19), the Jewish Home 19 (up from 12), Yisrael Beytenu 9 (down from 12), Shas 7 (down from 11), United Torah Judaism (UTJ) is unchanged at 7.
All in all, the nationalist-religious bloc is at 70 seats – up 9 from its current 61 seats, which gives it a bare majority in the Knesset.
Also in the poll, Yesh Atid is clipped down to 11 seats from the current 19, Hatnua is at 4 seats, down from the current six, Meretz has 10 (up from 6) and Labor remains at 15. Kadima is wiped off the political map.
Israelis continue to favor Binyamin Netanyahu for prime minister. Thirty percent see him as the politician best suited for the role. Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett is in second place with 16%. Labor head Yitzchak Herzog has 11%, whereas ministers Avigdor Liberman and Tzipi Livni each enjoy 6% support. Yair Lapid is at a meager 3%, along with Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon.
We're going to see a much more hostile Obama after November. This is only going to get worse. Today (the missile shipment hold-up) was just the opening shot across the bow.The Jewish Home party has finished in second place in five of the six polls conducted since the start of Operation Protective Edge (Dialog, Smith, Midgam and Panels).
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli polls, Jewish Home party, Likud party, Naftali Bennett, Yesh Atid party
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:36 PM
3 comments
Labels: anti-Israel media bias, civilian casualties, human shields, Iron Dome, Naftali Bennett
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:26 PM
7 comments
Labels: anti-Israel media bias, British media bias, civilian casualties, disproportionate response, Gaza, Hamas, human shields, Naftali Bennett, Operation Protective Edge, Tzipi Livni
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:31 AM
0 comments
Labels: BBC, Gaza, Hamas, human rights NGO's, Naftali Bennett
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:12 PM
1 comments
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
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