Oh my: Benny Begin quits government UPDATED
Likud MK Benny Begin is a rarity in Israeli politics: an honest politician. It's a sad commentary on both Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government's prospects for survival that Netanyahu has in essence
forced Begin to resign from the government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Facebook post Friday that
while he would “make every effort to incorporate MK Benny Begin into
the cabinet later,” Likud’s coalition partners had objected to changing
the agreed-on number of portfolios per faction, making it impossible to
keep both Begin and Erdan.
Netanyahu’s Facebook post seemingly left Begin no choice but to announce his resignation from the cabinet.
“Over the past few days I have turned to my friends
and partners, the heads of the coalition, with a personal request to
leave our friend, Benny Begin, as an additional Likud minister in the
government,” Netanyahu wrote. However, the coalition partners would not
permit the number of ministers per faction to change and allow Likud to
have 13 ministers.
Netanyahu, who effusively praised Begin in the post,
also wrote that “there is not a shred of truth to the claim that he
[Begin] said he would refuse to resign from the cabinet.”
...
Begin was first appointed minister without portfolio, while Erdan,
who was number two on the Likud Knesset list, remained outside the
cabinet after turning down an offer to become public security minister.
Erdan wanted the Foreign Ministry portfolio, which Netanyahu insists on
holding himself, or a ministerial portfolio that included elements of
both the interior and public security ministries.
When Erdan’s demands were not met, he refused to
join the cabinet. However, last week Erdan agreed to become minister of
public security, strategic affairs and public diplomacy.
Erdan’s appointment angered his fellow party member
MK Zeev Elkin, who was initially given the strategic affairs portfolio
along with immigrant absorption. He then demanded to be made Jerusalem
affairs minister and threatened that, otherwise, he would absent himself
from Knesset votes, which could put the coalition at risk considering
its razor-thin majority (61-59).
Netanyahu subsequently had to break his
commitment to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat that the Jerusalem Affairs
Ministry would be abolished and its powers absorbed into the Prime
Minister’s Office.
One MK having a temper tantrum is enough to bring down this government. Anyone want to take bets on how long it will last?
UPDATE 3:57 PM
Get a load of these two tweets from JPost Knesset correspondent Lahav Harkov.
Until the next crisis....
Labels: Benny Begin, Binyamin Netanyahu, Gilad Erdan, Israeli Knesset, Knesset elections 2015, Likud party, Ofir Akunis, Zeev Elkin
'Unacceptable and ugly'
The title of this post doesn't just describe Tzipi Livni. It
describes some comments she made on a satirical television show on Saturday night.
Writing on Facebook, [former Shin Bet chief and Netanyahu critic Yuval] Diskin said that Livni’s remarks were “unacceptable and ugly”.
“I normally have a great appreciation for Livni’s attitudes and
values, but in this case I'm coming out against her in the most
aggressive manner,” he said.
“It is permissible and even desirable to criticize,” stressed Diskin.
“This is in part the essence of democracy. Personally, I too have
criticism over the conduct of the Prime Minister and his leadership
style and his lack of personal example. But there is a fine line in my
opinion, that once people cross it, they become what Netanyahu and his
friends were when they ignored the incitement of their supporters
against Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.”
“I call on Tzipi Livni, as well as on many of my friends, to immediately apologize for her remarks,” said Diskin.
Livni, who appeared on the “Matzav HaUma” (State of the Union) satirical program on Channel 2 on Saturday night, took satire to a different level and was perceived to have gone beyond the realms of political correctness.
"Two potential Prime Ministers are better than an impotent Prime Minister,” Livni said of her unity pact with Labor leader MK Yitzhak Herzog.
"Yitzhak and I decided to take out the garbage together," Livni said,
hinting at Netanyahu. She later said, “The truth is that Bibi said that
we’re going to elections because of the 0% VAT. I thought there is a
zero in this story, but it’s not the VAT.”
The comments were criticized by Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz
(Likud), who said, "Since we cut off ties with [Palestinian Authority
Chairman Mahmoud] Abbas she has simply become unbalanced. She's addicted
to talks with the Palestinians and can't quit."
Coalition chairman MK Ze’ev Elkin denounced the derogatory comments as well, telling Arutz Sheva that Livni had “completely lost it” in her appearance on the show.
“What we saw last night is beyond who we saw during the previous
Knesset term. Even in terms of style and expression level it seems that
she completely lost it,” said Elkin, who added, “I want to see all the
reporters who attacked me for calling [Livni and Herzog] ‘the beauty and
the geek who will not pass the threshold’ speaking out against Livni
now. I used parliamentary expressions but she stooped to a new low. But I
guess the left is allowed to lash out using such crude expressions.
This is probably part of the rules of the game.”
I wonder
which one Elkin was calling the beauty and which the geek.
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, incitement, Labor party, Likud party, Tzipi Livni, Yisrael Katz, Yitzchak Herzog, Zeev Elkin
Good riddance!
Prime Minister Netanyahu may finally be forced to fire Amir 'Comrade' Peretz (right, with the closed binoculars) after
Peretz went on a tirade on Channel 2.
Peretz, who was interviewed on Channel 2, announced earlier
he does not intend to remain in Netanyahu’s government, who he said “has
reached a point at which he does not prove his right to continue to be
prime minister.”
"Netanyahu has brought the state of Israel to a state of despair,”
charged Peretz, who declared that he does not intend to vote for the
state budget Monday and added, “The ramifications of this are clear. The
tactical moves – how I will leave the government and when – I want to
[coordinate] with Tzipi Livni.”
He further claimed that Netanyahu is held hostage by the extreme
right wing. “He gives extremists legitimacy to continue to set the
ground aflame,” Peretz charged. “When I heard the prime minister talking
at the memorial ceremony for Rabin, I wanted to get up and leave. I
stayed only out of respect for the event.”
Coalition Chairman MK Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) reacted to Peretz's
announcement and said that Peretz is “well acquainted with the rules of
the political game. If he does not want to be a member of the
government, it is not difficult to obtain the fax number of the Prime
Minister's Bureau, to send a letter of resignation.”
Maybe Peretz can take his whole slimy party (the Tzipi Livni party) with him. That would be doing something constructive for the country for probably the first and last time in his political career.
Labels: Amir Peretz, Binyamin Netanyahu, Tzipi Livni, Zeev Elkin
At least the Israeli government is actually thinking
The timing of an announcement that the government is turning approximately 4,000 dunams (1,000 acres) of land near Gush Etzion into government land (what might be called a taking by eminent domain in the United States) for the Sunday of Labor Day weekend shows that at least someone in the government has their thinking caps on. It slowed the international reaction to a move that would inevitably be unpopular outside of Israel. But now the
United States has criticized us, and so has
Ban Ki-Moon. Is Netanyahu up to the challenge? This is from the first link.
The IDF on Sunday conferred the status of state land on 4,000 dunams in the Gush Etzion region, thus ending the civil administration’s investigation into the possibility that parcels were private Palestinian property.
The new designation for an area known as Gevaot opens the door for settlers to advance plans to build a fifth city in the West Bank on those dunams.
"We have long made clear our opposition to continued settlement activity," a State Department official said. "This announcement, like every other settlement announcement Israel makes, planning step they approve and construction tender they issue, is counterproductive to Israel's stated goal of a negotiated two-state solution with the Palestinians."
"We urge the government of Israel to reverse this decision," the US official said in Washington.
What if our 'stated goal' were not a 'two-state solution'? What if Netanyahu had the guts to reverse the
Bar Ilan speech and say 'We tried. We've been trying for over 20 years. We failed. What we would need to secure us in the event of a two-state solution is much more than the 'Palestinians' are willing to agree to. It's time to move on.'
Would Israelis agree?
Based on their
political affiliations (at least in polls), the answer ought to be yes. But Israelis have been so conditioned - both by the media and by too many of our own politicians - to the idea that there is no solution other than the 'two-state solution' that much must be done to reverse this boxlike thinking. Perhaps this morning was a start.
I turned on the radio briefly this morning (I've avoided it entirely since we left Jerusalem on Sunday) and heard that Labor party leader Yitzchak Herzog and Meretz party leader Zehava Gal-On said that this is the time to make a big move forward in the 'peace process.' Huh? MK Zev Elkin (Likud) slammed Herzog (Gal-On spoke in response to Elkin) saying that he's out of touch with what Israelis want and that having seen what happened in Gaza, almost no Israelis would agree to taking the chance of turning Judea and Samaria into another Gaza.
Would Netanyahu agree? Would he say so?
By the way, note that the condemnation comes from a 'State Department official' - not Obama or Kerry. Could they finally be getting the idea that this is not the time to push for a 'Palestinian state'?
If you
read the whole thing, you will discover that the plan to turn this into a Jewish city has been in place for nearly 30 years. Hmmm....
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Judea and Samaria, Judea and Samaria construction, Yitzchak Herzog, Zeev Elkin, Zehava Gal-On
Canceled!
In the aftermath of the
Hamas-Fatah unity deal, Israel has canceled '
peace talks' that were scheduled for Wednesday evening.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin (Likud-Beytenu) said that the PA
“once again has exposed the true unity of purpose between the hamas
terrorists and the Fatah leaders – the annihilation of the Jewish
state.”
"One should not be surprised that those who refuse to even discuss
recognition of the Jewish state in any borders whatsoever, and pays huge
salaries to Palestinian terrorists who murdered Israelis and are doing
time in Israeli jails, finally found his natural place in the warm
embrace of the Hamas murderers.”
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Likud-Beytenu) said that PA head
Mahmoud Abbas “needs to decide if he wants to make peace, and if so –
with whom. One cannot make peace both with Israel and Hamas, a terror
organization that calls for the annihilation of Israel.
"The signing of an agreement on a unity government of Fatah and Hamas
is also the signing of the end of negotiations between Israel and the
PA,” he declared.
...
Jewish Home chairman, Economics Minister Naftali Bennett, stated that
“Hamas will continue to send terrorists to murder Jews and Abu Mazen
[Abbas] willl continue to demand their release. Whoever thought of Abu
Mazen as a partner needs to recalculate his route.”
“The agreement joining Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad puts the Middle
East in a new era,” Bennett added. “The PA has become the largest
terror body in the world, just 20 minutes from Tel Aviv. Just as the US
does not talk to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Al Qaeda, Israel has to state
clearly: no talks with terrorists.”
Does Bennett mean to imply that the 'Palestinian Authority' was anything but a terror organization before this happened?
In the meantime, one of our useful idiots is more bothered by the fact that the IAF
responded to rocket strikes while shortly after the agreement was being signed.
MK Nachman Shai (Labor) said that it was a “serious mistake, in time and
location,” to send the IAF to strike in Gaza while fatah and Hamas were
signing an agreement. “Any action of this nature will be seen as an
attempt to torpedo the Palestinian reconciliation and will present
Israel again as tripping up any chance of an accord.”
Why shouldn't Israel try to trip up a reconciliation between terror organizations?
JPost has comments from
another useful idiot.
On the left, Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On said Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu pushed Abbas toward Hamas and then asked the PA
president to choose between Hamas and Israel.
"This request goes
against Israeli interests. Any reconciliation between Gaza and the West
Bank is necessary, as long as any agreement between Abbas and Israel
includes Hamas, which would include the end of violence [from Gaza],"
she explained.
What could go wrong?
Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Nachman Shai, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian Authority, Zeev Elkin, Zehava Gal-On
US furious at BOTH the 'Palestinians' and Israel
It's been a long day for both the 'negotiations' and for me personally. I was not able to post a lot today. Maybe tomorrow.
I want to return to the
liveblog in the previous post and point out a couple of things that happened while I was out at two Bar Mitzva's tonight - one of them out of town.
7:29 P.M. Lieberman says Israel did what it could to
keep the talks going. He adds that if Palestinians don't want to
negotiate, Israel should not chase after them. Israel's real political
future lies in the moderate Arab world, he says. (Barak Ravid)
Israel Radio reported tonight whom Lieberman considers the 'moderate Arabs.' Egypt. Okay. Our friends the Saudis. WHAT????
10:36 P.M. The White House and the U.S. State
Department were furious not only at the Palestinians, for taking
unilateral actions, but also by moves in recent days by the Israeli
government. White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest expressed
disappointment at "unhelpful, unilateral actions both parties have taken
in recent days."
The
Americans blame Housing Minister Uri Ariel, claiming that he tried
deliberately tried to sabotage the peace talks by announcing a tender
for some 700 residential units in East Jeruisalem. A senior U.S.
official suspects that this was an old tender presented by Ariel at this
time in order to harm the peace talks.
In
addition, the Americans believe that Ariel attempted to interfere in
the attempts to extend the talks when he came out publicly against
Pollard's possible release. The housing minister said in interviews with
several media outlets that Pollard himself was not interested in being
released in the deal, which would also include the release of
Palestinian prisoners.
Concurrently,
Kerry phoned both Netanyahu and Abbas. Abbas and Kerry agreed to stay
in touch in the coming days, with the Palestinian president confirming
that he was still committed to the peace process and was willing to
continue negotiations until April 29, the scheduled end of the
negotiations.
Nevertheless,
both Israeli and American officials estimated that the chances of
reaching a breakthrough in the talks were minimal. "We have until the
end of April to attempt to extend the negotiations, but the atmosphere
between the sides is not at all good," a senior American said. (Barak
Ravid)
Note that they were apparently
not furious about Israel refusing to release the fourth tranche of terrorists. This implies one or more of the following:
1. Israel never committed to releasing 'Israeli Arabs.'
2. Israel never committed to release senior terrorists (like Barghouti and Saadat).
3. Israel never committed to any kind of 'settlement freeze' (we know that one is true).
4. The US agrees that the 'Palestinians' have not been negotiating seriously.
I would say it's all of the above. They are seemingly only furious about Uri Ariel talking about it so much. They have a point. I often which that we'd just act instead of talking about it so much.
10:50 P.M. Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin
criticizes the emergency Abbas-Livni meeting, calling it "a disgrace to
the State of Israel." He also adds that "Israel must stop being the
'sucker' of the Middle East." (Barak Ravid)
If this were Facebook, I'd hit "Like." But this is a serious blow to Netanyahu. Elkin was coalition chairman the last time around. He's not someone serving in his first Knesset. Netanyahu should be thinking long and hard about who is on his side and who from the Likud will break off in the event that an agreement is reached.
11:22 P.M. Palestinian officials say that if Israel
releases the fourth group of prisoners scheduled as part of negotiations
over a framework peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority will not
follow-up on its application to join United Nations institutions.
“As
far as we’re concerned, there were understandings to release 104
prisoners in exchange for not applying to UN institutions during the
nine months of the negotiations,” a Palestinian source close to the
negotiations told Haaretz. “The moment the fourth batch of prisoners
wasn’t released, we saw fit to apply to the international organizations,
and all Israel’s claims that the Palestinians bolted the talks are
false."
The
application to the UN “is the first step, but if there’s progress
regarding the prisoners’ release and later on understandings about the
continued negotiations, the Palestinians won’t follow up the application
to the UN institutions and won’t apply to the International Court of
Justice,” he said.
Palestinian
officials said they intend to continue the negotiations with Israel
until April 29. During the month the sides will try to cobble agreements
on extending the talks, they said.
The
Palestinian negotiators vehemently opposed reports that they had agreed
to a partial suspension of settlement construction in the West Bank.
They also object to Israel’s deciding which prisoners will be freed.
“The Palestinian leadership will not agree to this formula,” a senior
PLO official told Haaretz.
The
continued talks must be based on clear principles, such as the
recognition of the ‘67 borders as a basis for continuing the peace
process and suspending settlements, he said. “Beyond that there’s no
chance of reaching an agreement, even if we continue the process for
years to come,” he said. (Jack Khoury)
Sounds like the 'Palestinians' are trying to defend their honor as they start to back down. The problem is that they're unlikely to back down far enough. They're afraid of their own 'people's reactions. Remember
Palileaks?
Labels: Abu Mazen, Avigdor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, John Kerry, Martin Indyk, Middle East peace process, Palestinian terrorists, Palileaks, Tzipi Livni, United Nations, Uri Ariel, Zeev Elkin
Israeli officials slam Kerry's 'Jewish state' statement
On Thursday, US Secretary of State John FN Kerry told a Congressional committee that there is no need for Israel to insist that the 'Palestinians' recognize it as a
Jewish state. On their way into Sunday morning's cabinet meeting, several ministers - not Netanyahu of course - slammed Kerry for taking the easy way out by pressuring only Israel, and not the '
Palestinians.'
Communications minister Gilad Erdan told Israel Radio that it was
unfortunate that the top US diplomat made the comments ahead of
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's arrival to Washington on
Monday.
Erdan charged that Kerry had erred in marking the statements and said they put pressure on the wrong side.
Meanwhile,
Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin told the radio station that Kerry's
remarks represented a pattern that had developed over the past 20 year,
in which the international community finds it easier to pressure Israel
rather than the Palestinians, despite who it believes is in the right.
Elkin called for Israel to stand up for its principles and bring an end to the "sad tradition."
In an interview that aired Saturday
on Channel 2’s Meet the Press, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon disputed
Kerry’s contention that Israel erred in demanding Palestinian
recognition of its Jewish character.
Ya’alon said that Abbas has
persistently refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and it is
this refusal that makes it impossible to arrive at a final-peace deal.
And Netanyahu (and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for that matter)? It remains to be seen whether they have the backbone to stand up to Kerry. Because I would not bet on Abu Bluff making any concessions nor would I bet on Kerry or Obama being honest enough to blame the 'Palestinians' when the 'talks' collapse.
Labels: Abu Mazen, Avigdor Lieberman, Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Gilad Erdan, Israel is a Jewish state, John Kerry, Moshe Yaalon, Zeev Elkin
Netanyahu angry at Elkin, tells him to take El Al
Prime Minister Netanyahu threw Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin off his charter flight to the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, telling the Deputy Foreign Minister to
take El Al instead (Hat Tip:
Shy Guy).
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu expressed his immense displeasure with Deputy Foreign Minister MK Zeev Elkin by removing him from his private flight to New York to the United Nations. MK Elkin was informed he could take a commercial El Al flight, according to a report by Israel Hayom.
According to the report, Elkin is being castigated for a speech he gave in opposition to Netanyahu at a Party (Likud) event ten days ago, and for a letter from other Deputy Ministers in which he had included his signature.
Israel Hayom adds:
Elkin, who lives beyond the
Green Line, is an increasingly vociferous and public opponent of the
two-state solution and the peace talks with the Palestinians, talks his
party boss has committed to.
"Eleven years ago, at the center of the Likud
party stood the question of whether we should allow the establishment of
a Palestinian state. The individual who led that discussion is today
prime minister. [Netanyahu] said, during that central and well-known
meeting, things that are still true to today. The Palestinians should
enjoy full rights, except for one right: the right to destroy the State
of Israel. An independent government, yes. A state, no. Such prophetic
words have been totally fulfilled," said Elkin.
Elkin is not the only right-wing Likud MK as
of late to criticize the prime minister for supporting renewed peace
talks with the Palestinians. Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said
the prime minister would have "no place in Likud" should he sign a peace
deal with the Palestinians.
Now I understand why Netanyahu and Obama are getting along so well these days. They're both egomaniacs.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, Zeev Elkin
Israel's Right starts to fight back
MK's from the Likud Beytenu and Bayit Yehudi parties - the two 'right wing' parties in the Prime Minister's coalition - are
stepping up the pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu not to make more concessions to the 'Palestinians.'
MKs on the Right said they were concerned that US Secretary of State
John Kerry would pressure Netanyahu to make more concessions, so they
felt it necessary to counter-act Kerry's demands to Netanyahu with
pressure of their own. To that end, 16 MKs in the coalition wrote the
prime minister as he was meeting with Kerry.
"Tell the secretary of state that Israel has no intention of
returning to the parameters of the Oslo Accords or relinquishing any
more of Israel's homeland to the Palestinian Authority," the MKs wrote
in the letter.
Among the 16 MKs were legislators from Likud
Beytenu and Bayit Yehudi, including deputy ministers Ze'ev Elkin
(Foreign Ministry), Tzipi Hotovely (Transportation), Eli Ben Dahan
(Religious Services), Avraham Wortzman (Education), and Ophir Akunis
(Knesset Liason).
Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon complained
that the Palestinians had upped their demands in the negotiations by
asking for the concessions made by former prime minister Ehud Olmert. In
September 2008 when he was prime minister, Olmert offered the
Palestinians 100 percent of the West Bank with land swaps, the return of
thousands of Palestinians to Israel's final borders, a Palestinian
state with its capital in eastern Jerusalem and the internationalization
of the Holy Basin of Jerusalem's Old City.
That's 16 out of 68 MK's or one shy of a quarter of the coalition. And you will note that the list doesn't include any ministers - only deputy ministers. That's because the ministers probably all fear Sharon treatment (Sharon fired all the ministers who voted against expelling Jews from Gaza in 2005).
But here's one Right wing minister who did not sign on.
Netanyahu receive unexpected defense from the most right-wing
minister in the cabinet, Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel.
"I
am strengthening the prime minister to withstand all the pressure he is
under the best way he can and maintain Israel's clear interests," Ariel
said. "I am sure that 20 years after the Oslo agreement was signed, he
learned the historic lesson to not accept false promises at the expense
of Israel's security."
I wonder what makes Ariel so sure. I'm not so sure.
In the meantime, the Likud's Moshe Feiglin is stirring up a hornet's nest by
questioning the authority of the Muslim Wakf on the Temple Mount.
The Knesset Committee of the Interior will hold a hearing on Monday
regarding preparations for Jewish visitation to the Temple Mount over
the upcoming Succot holiday.
Groups lobbying for Jewish prayer
rights at the site criticized the lack of access afforded to them over
the recent Rosh Hashana festival and are demanding that Jewish visits
over Succot be enabled by the police.
Access was restricted on the first day of Rosh Hashana and the site was
closed on the second day to Jewish and other non-Muslim visitors when
non-Muslims are generally not given access.
The second day of Rosh HaShana was a Friday....
Feiglin also intends to publicly question the legality of the Waqf and its authority to administer the Temple Mount.
He
recently sent a letter to the Israel Police asking for clarifications
regarding the legal authority of the body, and subsequently challenged
the reply that a government decision taken after the Six-Day War of 1967
authorized the Waqf to continue running the site.
“To the best of
my knowledge there is no such decision, and from a reading of the words
of the ministerial committee in 1968 it is clear that they thought
there was no such agreement,” Feiglin wrote to Israel Police Insp.-Gen.
Yohanan Danino.
He then quoted the comments of then Justice
Minister Yaakov Shimshon Shapira from a committee meeting in June 1968
as saying "We never announced that the entirety of the Temple Mount
belongs to the Arabs. We never announced that it is forbidden for Jews
to pray there, we never announced that it is forbidden for Jews to
establish a synagogue there.”
Feiglin wrote that in the absence of
such a decision, “all directives which discriminate between Muslims and
non-Muslims regarding entrance to the [Temple] Mount should be
immediately rescinded, and free entrance from all gates to the Mount be
enabled, in accordance with the law.”
The MK also demanded that
all Waqf stewards be removed from the site and raised questions about
the institutes legal status, questions that he will raise in Monday’s
committee hearing.
In particular, Feiglin claims that the Waqf is
not a registered institute in any state framework, and therefore does
not pay the appropriate taxes and national insurance contributions as
required by law.”
“It seems to me that this a badge of shame for
the Israel Police to cooperate with this criminal organization and for
its police officers to respond to the whims of its officials,” wrote
Feiglin.
It's a pity that it's taken 45 years for anyone to raise this. And that sizzling sound you just heard was
Moshe Dayan rolling over.
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, Jewish Home party, Likud party, Moshe Dayan, Moshe Feiglin, Ofir Akunis, Temple Mount, Tzipi Hotovely, Uri Ariel, Wakf, Zeev Elkin
Kerry making full court press as Bennett threatens coalition crisis
US Secretary of State John Kerry has
extended his ticket in Amman hoping to bring about the 'resumption' of 'negotiations' between Israel and the 'Palestinians.'
US Secretary of State John Kerry was due to travel to the West Bank
to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, US and
Palestinian officials said, in a last-ditch effort to clinch a renewal
of peace talks with Israel.
Kerry met Palestinian negotiator Saeb
Erekat in Amman on Friday and had been consulting Israeli officials by
telephone, a US official said, but did not say if a breakthrough was
near.
A State Department official in Amman said Kerry would go to Ramallah in
the afternoon to see Abbas, but did not disclose his proposals to revive
peace talks that broke down in 2010.
The 'Palestinians' feel 'pressured' to make a decision (after all these years), so they've done what they learned best from the West:
They've formed a committee.
After two separate meetings,
Palestinian officials said they decided to send top negotiator Saeb
Erekat to meet with Kerry "and inform him that the PA requires
guarantees regarding the general borders," PLO official Wasel Abu Yussef
said.
Yussef said Erekat would also ask Kerry for
more clarifications on what Israel expects from the negotiations, adding
that the Palestinians did not want to reject Kerry's efforts to restart
the peace talks outright.
Another Palestinian official who was present
at the meeting said the committee members decided they did not want to
be "pressured into making a decision."
The Palestinians have decided to form a
committee to further review Kerry's proposal. Secretary-General of the
PLO's Executive Committee Yasser Abed Rabbo, who will head the
committee, told Israel Hayom that Abbas might meet with Kerry, as well
as with King Abdullah of Jordan, again, before making his final decision
on the matter.
"We greatly appreciate U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry's efforts and tenacity but his current proposal does not
bode well for the future of the negotiations," Fatah spokesman Amin
Maqbul said in a statement.
According to Maqbul, the proposal lacked the
"proper incentives" for the Palestinians to resume talks and failed to
meet "Fatah's demands for a full and immediate suspension of all
settlement expansion, the release of Palestinian prisoners who were
jailed prior to the Oslo Accords and basing the negotiations on the 1967
borders."
Maqbul's statement stressed that "unless provided with explicit guarantees, the Palestinians will not resume the peace talks."
The Prime Minister's Office has denied that Israel has agreed to base the negotiations on the 1949 armistice lines (which are commonly referred to as the 1967 borders), but that hasn't stopped members of his coalition from
preemptively attacking any such deal.
“Bayit Yehudi under my leadership will not be a partner, even for
a second, in a government that agrees to negotiate on the basis of the 1967
lines,” he said. “Our capital Jerusalem is not and never will be
negotiated.”
Bennett issued the threat even though he knew that Netanyahu
had denied a Reuters report that he had agreed to American understandings that
1967 lines would be the basis for talks.
Sources in Bayit Yehudi said
that despite Netanyahu’s denial, Bennett could not ignore that the armistice
lines were on the agenda.
“Naftali had to reassure his constituency that
he has red lines,” a source close to Bennett said. “He had to make his position
clear, in case someone believes he would actually be a part of a government that
would negotiate on that basis.”
Hours before Bennett issued his threat,
opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich again pledged her Labor Party’s support for
Netanyahu’s peace efforts in the event that Bayit Yehudi would threaten to leave
the government.
It would be bitterly ironic (and sad) if Netanyahu went to talks based on the 1949 armistice lines because Bayit Yehudi insisted that Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party should be in the coalition rather than the Haredi parties (who would have gone along with saying no).
Meanwhile Likud's Zeev Elkin has a
blunt message for Netanyahu.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin said Friday to establish a
Palestinian state on the 1967 borders would be "suicidal".
"A
negotiation in which you first say what you are willing to give up ...
is not the kind of negotiation that leads to good results in the Middle
East," Elkin told Israel Radio.
What could go wrong?
Labels: 1949 armistice lines, Abu Mazen, Binyamin Netanyahu, John Kerry, Middle East peace process, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian terrorists, Saeb Erekat, settlement freeze, Zeev Elkin
Deputy Foreign Minister slams American Jewish 'leaders'
It took way too long, but Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin has
slammed the 100 American Jewish 'leaders' who wrote that
letter to the Prime Minister nearly two weeks ago urging concessions to the 'Palestinians' for 'peace.' This is from the first link.
The letter, initiated by the
Israel Policy Forum, came in the wake of US President Barack Obama’s visit to
Israel last month. It called upon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to work
closely with US Secretary of State John Kerry to devise pragmatic initiatives,
consistent with Israel’s security needs, which would represent Israel’s
readiness to make painful territorial sacrifices for the sake of
peace.
“The first and foremost responsibility of the government must be
the security of the citizens and guaranteeing a safe future for Israel,” Elkin
said in an interview with Ma’ariv.
“Pressure from overseas must not guide
the prime minister in how he carefully administers the diplomatic
process.”
Elkin, who lives in Kfar Eldad, a settlement in Gush Etzion,
came out strongly against the two-state solution in the
interview.
Very good, but way too long in coming.
Labels: American Jewish leadership, Binyamin Netanyahu, Leftist Jews, Zeev Elkin
Anyone want to bet on how long this coalition lasts?
The new government will be sworn in on Sunday, and already the
problems have started from within the Likud.
Netanyahu is expected to face bitter opposition within his party from
those who feel slighted by the positions they are expected to receive
in the new government. Most current ministers are not expected to be
promoted to more prestigious positions, while young MKs who did well in
the party primary are unlikely to be made ministers at all.
While
Transportation Minister Israel Katz and Culture and Sport Minister Limor
Livnat will keep their jobs and Moshe Ya'alon will be defense minister,
others, like Gilad Erdan and Silvan Shalom, expressed dissatisfaction
with the portfolios they were offered.
Outgoing Education Minister
Gideon Sa'ar is the leading candidate for Interior Minister, but Erdan
is also a possibility, and MK Yariv Levin was asked to be the next
coalition chairman, but has yet to accept the position. Former coalition
chairman Ze'ev Elkin is likely to be Deputy Foreign Minister, at the
insistence of former foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, who will return
to his previous position if he is exonerated in his corruption trial.
Likud
activists have asked to call a central committee meeting, expressing
anger at the "disproportionate" amount of positions the Yisrael Beytenu
section of Likud Beytenu received – five portfolios (Foreign,
Agriculture, Tourism, Immigration and Absorption and Public Security)
and a committee chairmanship for 11 MKs.
On Friday, the last day
before Netanyahu's deadline to form a government, Yesh Atid and the
Bayit Yehudi signed coalition agreements.
There are plenty of other potential bones of contention, some of which are listed
here and
here. I give it a year at most.
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, Gidon Saar, Gilad Erdan, Likud party, Limor Livnat, Naftali Bennett, Sylvan Shalom, Yair Lapid, Zeev Elkin
The one (Jewish) state solution: An idea that can be discussed in public
There was a conference in Hebron last Thursday, attended by more than 500 people, at which the only viable long-term solution to the Middle East dispute was discussed:
The one Jewish state solution.
It's an idea that until recently was not politically correct to discuss (and still isn't politically correct in some circles). But here in Israel, many people aren't just whispering it. They're saying it out loud. There’s nothing new about far-right groups holding events in which speakers fantasize about “Greater Israel.” But Thursday’s conference was different: It indicated that the idea of the one-state solution has become respectable within a larger segment of society, including the ranks of Israel’s ruling party.
[Likud MK Tzipi] Hotovely was right: For years, moderate right-wingers tiptoed around the question of what they envision for the future of the territories Israel captured in 1967. Only hardliners openly admitted what perhaps many others secretly desired, but knew to be politically too incorrect to openly demand.
...
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on record saying that he does not want to rule over the Palestinians and is ready to accept a Palestinian state. But that no longer prevents some members of his party from openly demanding a one-state solution. MK Miri Regev, speaking on a recorded video clip, boasted that she recently founded the Knesset Lobby for the Application of Israeli Sovereignty over Judean and Samarian Communities. The Likud constitution requires the application of sovereignty over the settlements, she said.
“It’s time to change the discourse in the State of Israel about Judea and Samaria,” said MK Ze’ev Elkin, the chairman of the coalition, also in a prerecorded statement. “For 20 years, we talked about what to give and why. Now the time has come for an entirely different discourse. This is our land, and it’s our right to apply sovereignty over it. Regardless of the world’s opposition, it’s time to do in Judea and Samaria what we did in [East] Jerusalem and the Golan. It’s time to end this system in which the Palestinians take and take and we give and give.”
Most speakers focused on Israel’s right to The Land — all of it — and tried to reassure the audience that they need not fear the so-called demographic threat. Israel would not lose its Jewish majority if it annexed the West Bank and granted citizenship to the Arabs living there, nearly all the speakers promised.
...
Former Israeli ambassador Yoram Ettinger used his 15 minutes — the organizers strictly enforced every speaker’s time limit — for a slideshow in which he presented a lot of data ostensibly proving that there are a million fewer Palestinians in the West Bank than generally assumed. How come? Because the Palestinian officials dealing with statistics are either incompetent or lying, he said.
Ettinger’s graphs made it easier for subsequent speakers to dismiss the demographic argument against a one-state solution as left-wing demagoguery. Gershon Mesika, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, for instance, called the demographic threat a “big bluff.” Even most Arabs don’t believe the idea of two states for two people would work, he added.
And so the evening went by, with speaker after speaker preaching to the choir, rarely challenging the audience with provocative questions about, for example, Palestinian national aspirations. “This is not Arab land. This is the holy land of God,” said Hebron Rabbi Uzi Sharbaf, adding that it was “absolutely forbidden” by Jewish law to retreat from any centimeter of the Promised Land.
My guess is that if we actually annexed Judea and Samaria, a lot of the 'Palestinians' would leave (and whine about being refugees and demand international assistance). In any event, the idea ought to be publicly discussed, and if enough conferences like this take place, it will be discussed more and more.
Some of you may be surprised to see me refer to the one Jewish state solution as the only viable long-term solution. Aside from the Jewish right to the entire land conveyed in the Bible, please allow me to explain why I believe that the one Jewish state solution is the only one that is viable in the long term.
1. The 'Palestinians' have proven that they will never make peace with a Jewish state.
2. The 'Palestinians' insist that a 'Palestinian state' be
Judenrein.
3. Therefore, anything other than a one Jewish state solution will result, God forbid, in a mass slaughter of Jews.
4. On the other hand, Israel's Jews have proven for the last 64 years that they are willing and able to allow an Arab minority to coexist among us.
Simple enough? Anyone who wants to disagree is invited to challenge those four assertions, with proof. That, I believe, is an impossible task.
Labels: annexation, demography, Hebron, Judea and Samaria, Miri Regev, one-state solution, Tzipi Hotovely, Yoram Ettinger, Zeev Elkin
Knesset pushing to annex Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria
The leaders of four Knesset factions sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday asking him to consider
annexing the Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, and to sanction the 'Palestinian Authority' for its behavior at the United Nations. Three of the four factions behind the letter are from within Netanyahu's coalition, and one of them is his own party.
The letter, written by caucus leaders Likud faction chairman Ze'ev Elkin and MK Arye Eldad (National Union), as well as the faction chairmen of Shas, National Union and Habayit Hayehudi said that sanctions will show the PA that "Israel will not agree to be its punching bag."
"Israel will defend its interests, and turn the crisis into an opportunity," the letter reads. "Any diplomatic attack will be turned into a victory."
The Land of Israel Caucus called for a gradual annexation of settled areas in Judea and Samaria, as well as increased building and development of the region. The letter also demanded that any Palestinian construction in Area C be prevented, and that funds no longer be transferred to the PA.
"The Palestinian commitment to avoid unilateral steps is the only thing Israel got in return for all it has given up since the Oslo Accords," the MKs wrote. "The PA's unilateral bid for recognition of statehood in the UN is a clear violation of the agreements, which for the last 18 years cost us a high price."
The letter also explains that any country that cooperates with the PA in its statehood bid may no longer serve as a mediator in future peace talks.
If Netanyahu does not take such steps, the MKs wrote, he will "encourage the Palestinians to continue acting against [Israel] in the international arena."
"The international damage to Israel from the UN vote is much smaller than the damage Israel may inflict on itself if we do not follow the principle of 'if they give, they will get, if they don't give, they will not get,'" the letter reads, referring to a well-known quote from Netanyahu's first term as prime minister. "This principle has saved Israel from deteriorating into the abyss opened by the engineers of the Oslo Accords."
I'm all in favor. The fact that the 'Palestinians' have paid no price for their behavior - and that the world continues to oppose Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria - is absurd.
Labels: annexation, Arieh Eldad, Aryeh Deri, Binyamin Netanyahu, Judea and Samaria, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Unilateral declaration of independence (UDI), Yaakov Katz, Zeev Elkin
