14 apr 2015
Israeli media sources disclosed that the Israeli Ministry of Education decided to include the “Jewish Holocaust” in the educational curriculum allocated for Arab students in 1948 Occupied Palestine.
Walla Hebrew website revealed on Monday that this educational plan was launched last year and has been enforced in intermediate and high schools among the Arab, Druze and Circassian students.
It added that the new plan will emphasize “the sufferings and horrors that Jewish people had been exposed to”.
The site pointed out new books will be distributed to students of 7-12 grades in non-Jewish schools.
On the holocaust memorial, which marks next Wednesday, the ministry will discuss with some of the Arab representatives (in 1948 occupied Palestine) how to enforce the plan, the website mentioned.
For the sensitivity of the matter, the Israeli ministry decided to enforce the plan gradually by school headmasters and inspectors to cover all non-Jewish schools aiming at applying the plan by the end of next year.
The ministry, in contrast, refuses to teach the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe), when the land of Palestine was usurped by Zionist gangs in 1948, in the Arab schools.
Walla Hebrew website revealed on Monday that this educational plan was launched last year and has been enforced in intermediate and high schools among the Arab, Druze and Circassian students.
It added that the new plan will emphasize “the sufferings and horrors that Jewish people had been exposed to”.
The site pointed out new books will be distributed to students of 7-12 grades in non-Jewish schools.
On the holocaust memorial, which marks next Wednesday, the ministry will discuss with some of the Arab representatives (in 1948 occupied Palestine) how to enforce the plan, the website mentioned.
For the sensitivity of the matter, the Israeli ministry decided to enforce the plan gradually by school headmasters and inspectors to cover all non-Jewish schools aiming at applying the plan by the end of next year.
The ministry, in contrast, refuses to teach the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe), when the land of Palestine was usurped by Zionist gangs in 1948, in the Arab schools.
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New report shows 78% of survivors suffer from health problems, 45% often feel lonely and 46% believe that their children and grandchildren will forget the Holocaust after they are gone.
Approximately 189,000 Holocaust survivors are living in Israel in 2015. Many of whom are below the poverty line, suffer from health problems, often feel lonely and believe that future generations will forget the Holocaust after they are gone, a report released Monday showed. A day before Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel (FBHV) has published its annual report, which found that despite a NIS 1 billion plan implemented by the government, about 45,000 of survivors live below the poverty line - 30 percent of all Holocaust survivors living in Israel. According to the report, some 78 percent of survivors suffer from health problems, 45 percent often feel lonely and 46 percent believe that their |
children and grandchildren will forget the Holocaust after they are gone.
The report further revealed that about 40 Holocaust survivors die every day, an average of 14,200 each year. Meanwhile, new populations of survivors were recognized by Israel and the Claims Conference for assistance. However, the past year was also the first in which the number of survivors decreased due to increased mortality rates, despite the newly recognized survivors.
The average age of a Holocaust survivor in Israel today is 83.3 years old. About one third live alone without assistance.
Ynet took a closer look at the cases of several Holocaust survivors, and found that many still live in dismal conditions after failures in the implementation of the government plan.
According to data published by the foundation and the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute for 2013, about 65 percent of survivors who require assistance are over the age of 80, 40 percent of survivors are over the 86 and 13 percent are aged 90 and above.
In 2014, approximately 490 infirm survivors died every month compared to 460 in 2013. In addition, in 2013 approximately 60,000 survivors contacted the foundation for assistance – most of the inquiries came from survivors with low income and defined by the Finance Ministry as being "needy and eligible for support", last year's report said. Forty-five percent of those who contacted the foundation were 86 years old and older and 50 percent were widows/widowers.
The FBHV report found that more survivors had to give up food, medication or medical treatment. Four out of ten survivors said that their low income compared to their high expenditures does not allow them to live in dignity. In addition, 27 percent of the survivors said they could not afford to heat their homes last winter.
The Chairman of the Foundation for the Benefit of the Holocaust Victims in Israel, Avi Dichter, said in response to the report: "The foundation was established by Holocaust survivors to help Holocaust survivors… the foundation received from the Claims Conference NIS 521 million with 99 percent of the sum going to nursing services."
'They still want to destroy us'
The Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem marked on Sunday 70 years since the end of World War II with a ceremony attended by former president Shimon Peres and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who both delivered speeches.
"We, members of the General Staff, stand here today, bow our heads and remembers the six million victims," the chief of staff said at the ceremony.
"The Nazi enemy did not distinguish (among Jews) and every Jew suffered the same fate: a fate of life in the ghettos and slavery in the camps and the separation of families."
Former president Peres said in his speech: "Hitler would not have been able to execute his plan if we had the State of Israel and the IDF during the Nazi regime. I say that as one who knows what he is talking about. Knowing the strength of the IDF, I am convinced that those who want to destroy us today know in their hearts that the Jewish people will not go away and the State of Israel will not go like sheep to the slaughter.
"Even after the country was established, there are still those who want to destroy us. They tried at least seven times in the past 67 years. We always had the upper hand," Peres added.
The report further revealed that about 40 Holocaust survivors die every day, an average of 14,200 each year. Meanwhile, new populations of survivors were recognized by Israel and the Claims Conference for assistance. However, the past year was also the first in which the number of survivors decreased due to increased mortality rates, despite the newly recognized survivors.
The average age of a Holocaust survivor in Israel today is 83.3 years old. About one third live alone without assistance.
Ynet took a closer look at the cases of several Holocaust survivors, and found that many still live in dismal conditions after failures in the implementation of the government plan.
According to data published by the foundation and the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute for 2013, about 65 percent of survivors who require assistance are over the age of 80, 40 percent of survivors are over the 86 and 13 percent are aged 90 and above.
In 2014, approximately 490 infirm survivors died every month compared to 460 in 2013. In addition, in 2013 approximately 60,000 survivors contacted the foundation for assistance – most of the inquiries came from survivors with low income and defined by the Finance Ministry as being "needy and eligible for support", last year's report said. Forty-five percent of those who contacted the foundation were 86 years old and older and 50 percent were widows/widowers.
The FBHV report found that more survivors had to give up food, medication or medical treatment. Four out of ten survivors said that their low income compared to their high expenditures does not allow them to live in dignity. In addition, 27 percent of the survivors said they could not afford to heat their homes last winter.
The Chairman of the Foundation for the Benefit of the Holocaust Victims in Israel, Avi Dichter, said in response to the report: "The foundation was established by Holocaust survivors to help Holocaust survivors… the foundation received from the Claims Conference NIS 521 million with 99 percent of the sum going to nursing services."
'They still want to destroy us'
The Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem marked on Sunday 70 years since the end of World War II with a ceremony attended by former president Shimon Peres and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who both delivered speeches.
"We, members of the General Staff, stand here today, bow our heads and remembers the six million victims," the chief of staff said at the ceremony.
"The Nazi enemy did not distinguish (among Jews) and every Jew suffered the same fate: a fate of life in the ghettos and slavery in the camps and the separation of families."
Former president Peres said in his speech: "Hitler would not have been able to execute his plan if we had the State of Israel and the IDF during the Nazi regime. I say that as one who knows what he is talking about. Knowing the strength of the IDF, I am convinced that those who want to destroy us today know in their hearts that the Jewish people will not go away and the State of Israel will not go like sheep to the slaughter.
"Even after the country was established, there are still those who want to destroy us. They tried at least seven times in the past 67 years. We always had the upper hand," Peres added.
13 apr 2015
Year after NIS billion plan implemented by government, thousands of Holocaust survivors in Israel live in poverty and wait months to receive financial support.
A day before Holocaust Remembrance Day, Ynet took a closer look at the status of Holocaust survivors living in Israel and found that, despite government initiatives, Holocaust survivors are living in a state of poverty and neglect.
A day before Holocaust Remembrance Day, Ynet took a closer look at the status of Holocaust survivors living in Israel and found that, despite government initiatives, Holocaust survivors are living in a state of poverty and neglect.
Take, for example, Yitzhak Liybeh – a 75 year-old from Romania who lost his two brothers during World War II who lives in Jerusalem. Lonely and disabled, Liybeh has no pension (he worked as an independent plumber) and lives off of NIS 2,800 a month which he receives as part of an old-age pension and income support.
Liybeh is forced to sleep on a fold-out bed in a one-bedroom apartment and collects charity "in order to survive and for food and rent." Exactly a year ago, a national plan to assist Holocaust survivors was launched with great fanfare. According to the government, the initiative would be an unprecedented investment of NIS one billion a year for five years.
Different sources predicted that, despite the government's claims, the aid per year would be less. These sources estimated that the increase in assistance would be 700 million shekel a year.
Liybeh is forced to sleep on a fold-out bed in a one-bedroom apartment and collects charity "in order to survive and for food and rent." Exactly a year ago, a national plan to assist Holocaust survivors was launched with great fanfare. According to the government, the initiative would be an unprecedented investment of NIS one billion a year for five years.
Different sources predicted that, despite the government's claims, the aid per year would be less. These sources estimated that the increase in assistance would be 700 million shekel a year.
Home of Holocaust survivor in Israel.
A year later, Ynet has found that the reality for many Holocaust survivors is still dismal after failures in implementation of the government plan.
Conversations with dozens of experts in the field, sources from government offices and Holocaust survivors teach that despite the "historic and unprecedented initiative" and despite improvement that was noted for some survivors, there are still a significant amount of cases of Holocaust survivors who have not seen any improvement.
Many survivors still have appalling living conditions, face poverty, and have difficulty receiving government aid and financial help because of bureaucracy. A closer look at the cases of thousands of Holocaust survivors shows that the government plan has failed to save tens of thousands of survivors from a life of poverty. The program sought to mend a historic injustice in which funds that were transferred to the government in Israel's early years still have not reached survivors.
In some cases, the government plan worsened the situation for Holocaust survivors because of amendments to the legislation that enabled tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors to request additional rights and lengthened waiting times for the recognition of their claims to several months – in part because the government workforce assigned to handle the plan did not grow amidst the growing requests sent its way.
A year later, Ynet has found that the reality for many Holocaust survivors is still dismal after failures in implementation of the government plan.
Conversations with dozens of experts in the field, sources from government offices and Holocaust survivors teach that despite the "historic and unprecedented initiative" and despite improvement that was noted for some survivors, there are still a significant amount of cases of Holocaust survivors who have not seen any improvement.
Many survivors still have appalling living conditions, face poverty, and have difficulty receiving government aid and financial help because of bureaucracy. A closer look at the cases of thousands of Holocaust survivors shows that the government plan has failed to save tens of thousands of survivors from a life of poverty. The program sought to mend a historic injustice in which funds that were transferred to the government in Israel's early years still have not reached survivors.
In some cases, the government plan worsened the situation for Holocaust survivors because of amendments to the legislation that enabled tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors to request additional rights and lengthened waiting times for the recognition of their claims to several months – in part because the government workforce assigned to handle the plan did not grow amidst the growing requests sent its way.
The government plan also led to a stop in dental care that had been previously provided to thousands of survivors by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel. Many Holocaust survivors found that their financial aid decreased by hundreds to thousands of shekels a month after an extra allowance they received from the Finance Ministry resulted in a cut in funding and aid that they or their spouses received from social security.
This was also the case for survivors who received supplementary income – as the two governmental bodies were not coordinated. This was exactly the case for Silvia Simonovich, who will celebrate her 100th birthday in September. During World War II, Simonovich lived in hiding while her husband was sent to forced labor. Social Security decreased her supplementary income after she received a one-time allowance from the Finance Ministry.
Silvia's daughter Leah says her mother suffers from Osteoporosis that began during World War II. "One arm gives and the other arm takes and in the end you're left empty handed," says Leah. "This results in less hours of care as that is how it's funded." An online Internet service created by the government to help survivors determine what benefits they are eligible to receive has misinformed several survivors as it only refers to benefits from the Finance Ministry.
For example, if a survivor signifies that they survived by hiding or with a false identity which put their life at risk, they do not get a recommendation to claim article 2 of the Claims Conference (The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany) which enables them to receive a regular allowance which also include benefits from the Finance Ministry.
A government source who works at one of the ministries entrusted with aiding survivors said: "The bottom line is that this is a very impressive plan with a lot of good intentions with real money that the government has put on the table. It has also led to improvements in a significant amount of cases but the last year has proven that the government did not prepare properly for the program's implementation and that it was too little too late."
This was also the case for survivors who received supplementary income – as the two governmental bodies were not coordinated. This was exactly the case for Silvia Simonovich, who will celebrate her 100th birthday in September. During World War II, Simonovich lived in hiding while her husband was sent to forced labor. Social Security decreased her supplementary income after she received a one-time allowance from the Finance Ministry.
Silvia's daughter Leah says her mother suffers from Osteoporosis that began during World War II. "One arm gives and the other arm takes and in the end you're left empty handed," says Leah. "This results in less hours of care as that is how it's funded." An online Internet service created by the government to help survivors determine what benefits they are eligible to receive has misinformed several survivors as it only refers to benefits from the Finance Ministry.
For example, if a survivor signifies that they survived by hiding or with a false identity which put their life at risk, they do not get a recommendation to claim article 2 of the Claims Conference (The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany) which enables them to receive a regular allowance which also include benefits from the Finance Ministry.
A government source who works at one of the ministries entrusted with aiding survivors said: "The bottom line is that this is a very impressive plan with a lot of good intentions with real money that the government has put on the table. It has also led to improvements in a significant amount of cases but the last year has proven that the government did not prepare properly for the program's implementation and that it was too little too late."
12 apr 2015
After finally announcing her bid for the US presidency, Ynet takes a look back at Clinton's positions on Israel, starting from her time as a first lady, then as a senator, until leading US foreign policy as secretary of state.
After months of speculation and anticipation, Hillary Clinton finally announced Sunday she is running for president of the United States. Much ink has and will be spilled on her positions in both the domestic and foreign arenas – but in the meantime, Ynet takes a look back at her position regarding Israel.
With her experience as first lady, senator and US secretary of state, Clinton has countless hours of meetings with Israeli leaders like Rabin, Peres, Barak, and Netanyahu under her belt; and has also been at the forefront of pro-Israel legislation in the Senate. Clinton understands Israel's complex reality better than most contemporary American politicians – possibly even better than her husband, Bill Clinton.
However, while Clinton is perceived as a long time Israel supporter, there were some controversial moments throughout her career which have cast doubt on the firmness of her position.
First Lady (1993–2001)
One of those instances occurred in 1988, when she joined her husband and then President Bill Clinton for a visit in the Gaza Strip. During their stay, Mrs. Clinton joined Suha Arafat, the widow of Yasser Arafat, for a visit at a kindergarten in the Palestinian territories, where she listened to Arafat openly accuse Israel of fouling the drinking water supply for Palestinians with uranium.
After the remarks, Clinton embraced Arafat and kissed her on the cheeks, a photo that made headlines around the world. Clinton's official condemnation of Arafat's remarks was made only on the subsequent day, prompting the left-wing in Israel to accuse her of support of the Palestinians.
In 1999, when Clinton was running for senator, she told Jewish leaders she considers Jerusalem "the eternal and indivisible capital" of Israel - a statement she later partially backtracked on - adding that she will advocate moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In a letter she wrote at the time, she said that "If I am chosen by New Yorkers to be their senator, or in whatever position I find myself in the years to come, you can be sure that I will be an active, committed advocate for a strong and secure Israel, able to live in peace with its neighbors, with the United States Embassy located in its capital, Jerusalem."
US senator (2001–2009)
Clinton visited Israel again in 2005, this time as a senator. During a trip to the West Bank, she voiced her support of Israel's separation barrier, saying: "This is not against the Palestinian people. This is against the terrorists. The Palestinian people have to help to prevent terrorism. They have to change the attitudes about terrorism."
In 2006, Clinton spoke at a pro-Israel rally outside of the United Nations headquarters in New York, and expressed her support for Israel's retaliation efforts in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. The senator condemned Hamas and Hezbollah, saying: "We are here to show solidarity and support for Israel. We will stand with Israel, because Israel is standing for American values as well as Israeli ones."
Clinton also condemned Palestinian textbooks, saying they indoctrinate children towards incitement, and fail to provide them with an education.
"I believe that education is one of the keys to lasting peace in the Middle East... there still has not been an adequate repudiation of incitement by the Palestinian Authority. It is even more disturbing that the problem appears to have gotten worse. These textbooks don't give Palestinian children an education, they give them an indoctrination," she said.
Secretary of State (2009–2013)
After failing to win the Democratic nomination, losing out to now-President Obama, Clinton was appointed secretary of state, during which time she attempted to restart peace talks and embraced the standard American position towards Israel, but taking a hard-line against settlements.
Nonetheless, Clinton made it clear in 2009 that a halt on settlement construction in the West Bank was not a pre-condition for the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"There has never been a pre-condition. It's always been an issue within the negotiations," Clinton said about the settlements.
"I want to see both sides as soon as possible begin in negotiations," said Clinton. "Both president Obama and I are committed to a comprehensive peace agreement."
In 2011, Clinton made comments showing a shift on her stance on Israel's capital when she was senator, warning against American action towards recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying that it would jeopardize the peace process. Also in 2011, Clinton said that the path to a two-state solution creating a Palestinian state beside Israel runs through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not through New York - a refrence to the Palestinian's attempt to attain statehood through the UN.
Speaking at a news conference at the time, Clinton repeated the US view that the Palestinians should not seek full membership in the United Nations and instead should resume direct talks with the Israelis.
"We need an environment that is conducive to direct negotiations," she said. "We all know that no matter what happens or doesn't happen at the UN the next day is not going to result the kind of changes the United States wishes to see that will move us toward the two state solution that we strongly support.
In 2012, the then Secretary of State reiterated her stance that the Palestinian Authority "took a step in wrong direction" with its UN bid, but also called on Israel to make efforts to advance peace talks. "America supports the goal of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel but this week's vote at the UN won't bring the Palestinians any closer to that goal," she said. "President Abbas took a step in the wrong direction this week . We opposed his resolution. But we also need to see that the PA in the west bank still offers the most compelling alternative to rockets and resistance.
"Israel needs to help those committed to peace," she added, referring to Abbas and then-Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad, whom she lauded for their achievements in overhauling institutions in the PA and cooperating with Israel over security.
Speaking at the 2012 Saban Forum, Clinton recalled how late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat rejected then-prime minister Ehud Barak's peace proposal at Camp David, and how Arafat called her husband, Bill Clinton, years later, after the latter was no longer in office, and asked to accept the deal.
"And Bill says, 'well, that's terrific, why don’t you call the white house and tell them that,'" she recounted.
In other comments during that speech, she also warned Israel that it could not use the protection of the Iron Dome as a long-term solution.
"A strong Israeli military is always essential, but no defense is perfect. And over the long run, nothing would do more to secure Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state than a comprehensive peace," Clinton said, attempting to explain that a two-state solution was the only solution for Israel's future.
Tough love
Alongside heartfelt conclusions of friendly ties with Israel, Clinton spared no criticism of Israeli diplomacy, saying that nothing will ensure the future of Israel than peace: "Without peace, Israel will be forced to build ever more powerful defenses against ever more dangerous rockets.
"And without peace, the inexorable math of demographics will, one day, force Israelis to choose between preserving their democracy and remaining a Jewish homeland.
Also in 2012, Clinton said that "protecting Israel's future is not simply a matter of policy for me, it's personal. I know with all my heart how important it is that our relation goes from strength to strength. I am looking forward to returning to Israel as a private citizen on a commercial plane."
Presidential hopeful
In 2013, the secretary of state delivered a stinging rebuke to Prime Minister Netanyahu for his government's announcement of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem.
In an interview with CNN, Clinton said the move was "insulting" to the US. "We have to make clear to our Israeli friends and partner that the two-state solution which we support, which the prime minister himself said he supports, requires confidence-building measures on both sides," she said.
Clinton sat down for another interview with CNN in 2014 in which she criticized Israel's settlement activity, saying it is her "biggest complaint with the Israeli government." "I am a strong supporter of Israel, strong supporter of their right to defend themselves. But the continuing settlements which have been denounced by successive American administrations on both sides of the aisle are clearly a terrible signal to send if at the same time you claim you're looking for a two-state solution. " Later that year, Clinton recapped her years as secretary of state in an informal farewell party by Israeli American businessman Haim Saban, where she spoke with affection of the State of Israel, saying that defending Israel was not only a policy issue but also a personal one.
"Protecting Israel’s future is not simply a question of policy for me, it’s personal. I’ve talked with some of you I’ve know for a while about the first trip Bill and I took to Israel so many years ago, shortly after our daughter was born.
"And I have seen the great accomplishments," Clinton added; "the pride of the desert blooming and the start-ups springing up. I’ve held hands with the victims of terrorism in their hospital rooms, visited a bombed-out pizzeria in Jerusalem, walked along the fence near Gilo. And I know with all my heart how important it is that our relationship go from strength to strength."
In an interview with the Atlantic published in 2014, Clinton offered strong support for Israel and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after Israel drew international condemnation for the deaths of Palestinian non-combatants in Gaza and the destruction of thousands of homes during its month of war with the Islamist movement Hamas. "I think Israel did what it had to do to respond to Hamas rockets. Israel has a right to defend itself.
The steps Hamas has taken to embed rockets and command and control facilities and tunnel entrances in civilian areas, this makes a response by Israel difficult," Clinton said. Questioned about whether Israel has taken enough steps to prevent the deaths of civilians including children, Clinton said the United States also tries to be careful to avoid civilian casualties in war but sometimes mistakes are made.
Iran and US ties
Regarding the nuclear deal with Iran, Clinton echoed Netanyahu, saying she believes that "no deal" with Iran "is better than a bad deal."
"The onus is on Iran and the bar must be set high," said Clinton, who helped lay the groundwork for the diplomacy with Iran as Obama first secretary of state. "There is much to do and much more to say in the months ahead, but for now diplomacy deserves a chance to succeed."
Clinton's first comments on US-Israel relations since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection were made late March 2015. The secretary of state said that relations between the US and Israel ought to return to "constructive footing" and stressed the importance of getting back to "basic shared concerns and interests, including a two-state solution."
The comments came at a time of strained relations between the US and Israel, with Netanyahu feuding with the White House over an emerging nuclear deal with Iran. Netanyahu has also come under fire for comments he made in the final days of Israel's parliamentary election.
“Secretary Clinton thinks we need to all work together to return the special US-Israel relationship to constructive footing, to get back to basic shared concerns and interests, including a two-state solution pursued through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. We must ensure that Israel never becomes a partisan issue," San Diego Jewish World quoting Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, as saying.
Clinton has signaled that she intends to run on strengthening economic security for the middle class and expanding opportunities for working families: "Everyday Americans need of a champion. I want to be the champion,I leave the field to win your vote," she said.
"Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top," she said in a video released Sunday with the announcement.
Clinton will try again to crack what she calls "the highest and hardest glass ceiling" when she starts a long-awaited second run for the White House as the prohibitive Democratic front runner.
After months of speculation and anticipation, Hillary Clinton finally announced Sunday she is running for president of the United States. Much ink has and will be spilled on her positions in both the domestic and foreign arenas – but in the meantime, Ynet takes a look back at her position regarding Israel.
With her experience as first lady, senator and US secretary of state, Clinton has countless hours of meetings with Israeli leaders like Rabin, Peres, Barak, and Netanyahu under her belt; and has also been at the forefront of pro-Israel legislation in the Senate. Clinton understands Israel's complex reality better than most contemporary American politicians – possibly even better than her husband, Bill Clinton.
However, while Clinton is perceived as a long time Israel supporter, there were some controversial moments throughout her career which have cast doubt on the firmness of her position.
First Lady (1993–2001)
One of those instances occurred in 1988, when she joined her husband and then President Bill Clinton for a visit in the Gaza Strip. During their stay, Mrs. Clinton joined Suha Arafat, the widow of Yasser Arafat, for a visit at a kindergarten in the Palestinian territories, where she listened to Arafat openly accuse Israel of fouling the drinking water supply for Palestinians with uranium.
After the remarks, Clinton embraced Arafat and kissed her on the cheeks, a photo that made headlines around the world. Clinton's official condemnation of Arafat's remarks was made only on the subsequent day, prompting the left-wing in Israel to accuse her of support of the Palestinians.
In 1999, when Clinton was running for senator, she told Jewish leaders she considers Jerusalem "the eternal and indivisible capital" of Israel - a statement she later partially backtracked on - adding that she will advocate moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In a letter she wrote at the time, she said that "If I am chosen by New Yorkers to be their senator, or in whatever position I find myself in the years to come, you can be sure that I will be an active, committed advocate for a strong and secure Israel, able to live in peace with its neighbors, with the United States Embassy located in its capital, Jerusalem."
US senator (2001–2009)
Clinton visited Israel again in 2005, this time as a senator. During a trip to the West Bank, she voiced her support of Israel's separation barrier, saying: "This is not against the Palestinian people. This is against the terrorists. The Palestinian people have to help to prevent terrorism. They have to change the attitudes about terrorism."
In 2006, Clinton spoke at a pro-Israel rally outside of the United Nations headquarters in New York, and expressed her support for Israel's retaliation efforts in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. The senator condemned Hamas and Hezbollah, saying: "We are here to show solidarity and support for Israel. We will stand with Israel, because Israel is standing for American values as well as Israeli ones."
Clinton also condemned Palestinian textbooks, saying they indoctrinate children towards incitement, and fail to provide them with an education.
"I believe that education is one of the keys to lasting peace in the Middle East... there still has not been an adequate repudiation of incitement by the Palestinian Authority. It is even more disturbing that the problem appears to have gotten worse. These textbooks don't give Palestinian children an education, they give them an indoctrination," she said.
Secretary of State (2009–2013)
After failing to win the Democratic nomination, losing out to now-President Obama, Clinton was appointed secretary of state, during which time she attempted to restart peace talks and embraced the standard American position towards Israel, but taking a hard-line against settlements.
Nonetheless, Clinton made it clear in 2009 that a halt on settlement construction in the West Bank was not a pre-condition for the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"There has never been a pre-condition. It's always been an issue within the negotiations," Clinton said about the settlements.
"I want to see both sides as soon as possible begin in negotiations," said Clinton. "Both president Obama and I are committed to a comprehensive peace agreement."
In 2011, Clinton made comments showing a shift on her stance on Israel's capital when she was senator, warning against American action towards recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying that it would jeopardize the peace process. Also in 2011, Clinton said that the path to a two-state solution creating a Palestinian state beside Israel runs through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not through New York - a refrence to the Palestinian's attempt to attain statehood through the UN.
Speaking at a news conference at the time, Clinton repeated the US view that the Palestinians should not seek full membership in the United Nations and instead should resume direct talks with the Israelis.
"We need an environment that is conducive to direct negotiations," she said. "We all know that no matter what happens or doesn't happen at the UN the next day is not going to result the kind of changes the United States wishes to see that will move us toward the two state solution that we strongly support.
In 2012, the then Secretary of State reiterated her stance that the Palestinian Authority "took a step in wrong direction" with its UN bid, but also called on Israel to make efforts to advance peace talks. "America supports the goal of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel but this week's vote at the UN won't bring the Palestinians any closer to that goal," she said. "President Abbas took a step in the wrong direction this week . We opposed his resolution. But we also need to see that the PA in the west bank still offers the most compelling alternative to rockets and resistance.
"Israel needs to help those committed to peace," she added, referring to Abbas and then-Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad, whom she lauded for their achievements in overhauling institutions in the PA and cooperating with Israel over security.
Speaking at the 2012 Saban Forum, Clinton recalled how late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat rejected then-prime minister Ehud Barak's peace proposal at Camp David, and how Arafat called her husband, Bill Clinton, years later, after the latter was no longer in office, and asked to accept the deal.
"And Bill says, 'well, that's terrific, why don’t you call the white house and tell them that,'" she recounted.
In other comments during that speech, she also warned Israel that it could not use the protection of the Iron Dome as a long-term solution.
"A strong Israeli military is always essential, but no defense is perfect. And over the long run, nothing would do more to secure Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state than a comprehensive peace," Clinton said, attempting to explain that a two-state solution was the only solution for Israel's future.
Tough love
Alongside heartfelt conclusions of friendly ties with Israel, Clinton spared no criticism of Israeli diplomacy, saying that nothing will ensure the future of Israel than peace: "Without peace, Israel will be forced to build ever more powerful defenses against ever more dangerous rockets.
"And without peace, the inexorable math of demographics will, one day, force Israelis to choose between preserving their democracy and remaining a Jewish homeland.
Also in 2012, Clinton said that "protecting Israel's future is not simply a matter of policy for me, it's personal. I know with all my heart how important it is that our relation goes from strength to strength. I am looking forward to returning to Israel as a private citizen on a commercial plane."
Presidential hopeful
In 2013, the secretary of state delivered a stinging rebuke to Prime Minister Netanyahu for his government's announcement of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem.
In an interview with CNN, Clinton said the move was "insulting" to the US. "We have to make clear to our Israeli friends and partner that the two-state solution which we support, which the prime minister himself said he supports, requires confidence-building measures on both sides," she said.
Clinton sat down for another interview with CNN in 2014 in which she criticized Israel's settlement activity, saying it is her "biggest complaint with the Israeli government." "I am a strong supporter of Israel, strong supporter of their right to defend themselves. But the continuing settlements which have been denounced by successive American administrations on both sides of the aisle are clearly a terrible signal to send if at the same time you claim you're looking for a two-state solution. " Later that year, Clinton recapped her years as secretary of state in an informal farewell party by Israeli American businessman Haim Saban, where she spoke with affection of the State of Israel, saying that defending Israel was not only a policy issue but also a personal one.
"Protecting Israel’s future is not simply a question of policy for me, it’s personal. I’ve talked with some of you I’ve know for a while about the first trip Bill and I took to Israel so many years ago, shortly after our daughter was born.
"And I have seen the great accomplishments," Clinton added; "the pride of the desert blooming and the start-ups springing up. I’ve held hands with the victims of terrorism in their hospital rooms, visited a bombed-out pizzeria in Jerusalem, walked along the fence near Gilo. And I know with all my heart how important it is that our relationship go from strength to strength."
In an interview with the Atlantic published in 2014, Clinton offered strong support for Israel and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after Israel drew international condemnation for the deaths of Palestinian non-combatants in Gaza and the destruction of thousands of homes during its month of war with the Islamist movement Hamas. "I think Israel did what it had to do to respond to Hamas rockets. Israel has a right to defend itself.
The steps Hamas has taken to embed rockets and command and control facilities and tunnel entrances in civilian areas, this makes a response by Israel difficult," Clinton said. Questioned about whether Israel has taken enough steps to prevent the deaths of civilians including children, Clinton said the United States also tries to be careful to avoid civilian casualties in war but sometimes mistakes are made.
Iran and US ties
Regarding the nuclear deal with Iran, Clinton echoed Netanyahu, saying she believes that "no deal" with Iran "is better than a bad deal."
"The onus is on Iran and the bar must be set high," said Clinton, who helped lay the groundwork for the diplomacy with Iran as Obama first secretary of state. "There is much to do and much more to say in the months ahead, but for now diplomacy deserves a chance to succeed."
Clinton's first comments on US-Israel relations since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection were made late March 2015. The secretary of state said that relations between the US and Israel ought to return to "constructive footing" and stressed the importance of getting back to "basic shared concerns and interests, including a two-state solution."
The comments came at a time of strained relations between the US and Israel, with Netanyahu feuding with the White House over an emerging nuclear deal with Iran. Netanyahu has also come under fire for comments he made in the final days of Israel's parliamentary election.
“Secretary Clinton thinks we need to all work together to return the special US-Israel relationship to constructive footing, to get back to basic shared concerns and interests, including a two-state solution pursued through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. We must ensure that Israel never becomes a partisan issue," San Diego Jewish World quoting Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, as saying.
Clinton has signaled that she intends to run on strengthening economic security for the middle class and expanding opportunities for working families: "Everyday Americans need of a champion. I want to be the champion,I leave the field to win your vote," she said.
"Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top," she said in a video released Sunday with the announcement.
Clinton will try again to crack what she calls "the highest and hardest glass ceiling" when she starts a long-awaited second run for the White House as the prohibitive Democratic front runner.
6 apr 2015
The number of sexual assaults in the Israeli military rose by fifteen percent in the year 2014, new figures show.
The statistics obtained by TheMarker via the Movement for Freedom of Information show a record number of 1073 sexual harassment cases that were reported in 2014.
Of that figure, 667 complaints were filed in the military and the rest were among civilian employees.
The number of the cases makes an average figure of three sexual harassment cases per day.
Experts believe that many cases of sexual harassment go unreported in the Israeli military.
The number of sexual assaults in the Israeli military was 777 in 2012 and 930 in 2013.
On March 13, the chief prosecutor of the Israeli army, Udi Ben Eliezer, said that 37 Israeli officers and soldiers were indicted for sex offenses in 2014, showing a 40-percent jump in comparison with the previous year.
He added that most of the sexual harassment cases were perpetrated by military officials against their subordinates.
He also lashed out at the high-ranking officials of the regime’s military for turning a blind eye to the frequent sex offenses committed under their command.
“I expect commanders not to keep it to themselves, but to come forward and report it. Sometimes we discover that there were large groups of people who knew of an abusive person for a long time, and no one was surprised when an investigation was opened. Commanders must not stand idly by and let these things happen,” he stated.
The issue of sexual misconduct in the Israeli army has given rise to heated debates over the past years.
In 2014, it was revealed that senior officials of the Israeli military covered up a sexual scandal in which six soldiers were harassed in Givati Brigade. The reports also said that the criminal case was not reported to the regime’s judiciary and that the offender had just been transferred to another unit.
The statistics obtained by TheMarker via the Movement for Freedom of Information show a record number of 1073 sexual harassment cases that were reported in 2014.
Of that figure, 667 complaints were filed in the military and the rest were among civilian employees.
The number of the cases makes an average figure of three sexual harassment cases per day.
Experts believe that many cases of sexual harassment go unreported in the Israeli military.
The number of sexual assaults in the Israeli military was 777 in 2012 and 930 in 2013.
On March 13, the chief prosecutor of the Israeli army, Udi Ben Eliezer, said that 37 Israeli officers and soldiers were indicted for sex offenses in 2014, showing a 40-percent jump in comparison with the previous year.
He added that most of the sexual harassment cases were perpetrated by military officials against their subordinates.
He also lashed out at the high-ranking officials of the regime’s military for turning a blind eye to the frequent sex offenses committed under their command.
“I expect commanders not to keep it to themselves, but to come forward and report it. Sometimes we discover that there were large groups of people who knew of an abusive person for a long time, and no one was surprised when an investigation was opened. Commanders must not stand idly by and let these things happen,” he stated.
The issue of sexual misconduct in the Israeli army has given rise to heated debates over the past years.
In 2014, it was revealed that senior officials of the Israeli military covered up a sexual scandal in which six soldiers were harassed in Givati Brigade. The reports also said that the criminal case was not reported to the regime’s judiciary and that the offender had just been transferred to another unit.