17 july 2015
Tzipi Hotovely is looking to revise the current diplomatic protocol, and mandate that all future visits include an escorted trip to the Western Wall. The current protocol requires that dignitaries visit Herzl's grave and Yad Vashem.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely has instructed the ceremony division of the Foreign Ministry on Thursday to stipulate that any future visit by a foreign head of state or foreign minister include a trip to the Western Wall.
The current protocol requires foreign dignitaries to visit the Yad Vashem museum, and the grave of Theodor Herzl. "This is a statement of intention which strengthens the position of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," Hotovely said.
Although the possibility of visiting the Western Wall would come up in talks preceding prior visits, there was never an official Israeli demand that a visit to site be included in the official protocol. According to estimates, about half of all official visits in Israel included a trip to the Western Wall, typically without a Foreign Ministry escort, while others politely refused due to the controversial nature of the site.
That said, the Foreign Ministry has typically required foreign dignitaries visit Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, and lay a wreath at Herzl's grave (as of 2009) – all in addition to the standing diplomatic protocol which includes an official reception and state dinner.
Deputy Minister Tzipi Hotovely said that when she entered her current position, she was shocked to discover that the Foreign Ministry had not required that foreign dignitaries visit the Western Wall as part of the protocol, even though it lies in the "center of the Israeli consensus." In a meeting with the outgoing head of the Foreign Ministry's Ceremony Division, Talia Lidor Persher, and the division's new head, Myron Rueven, she instructed that the Western Wall be added to the list of sites that every foreign official must visit.
The requirement won't be upheld in the case of officials on short working visits. "In my eyes, the fact that the Western Wall will become part of every VIP's official visit, is tantamount to a statement of intention which strengthens Jerusalem's position as the capital of Israel," Hotovely said. "The visit will take the dignitary from the ethos of Yad Vashem, which deals with the catastrophic past of the Holocaust, to the new and more positive ethos which speaks to the roots of the city. It expands the Zionist scope of the trip from 100 years to 3,000 years."
Hotovely said that she has taken into account that someone dignitaries will refuse to visit the site. "If they will refuse, we will try to convince them. The real change is that the Western Wall was never a priority for the Foreign Ministry until today."
The first official to be offered the Western Wall visit under the new protocol is the Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Rantzi, who will arrive in Israel for an official visit next week. Hotovely will receive him at the airport, and has stated that she will personally escort him through a tour of the Western Wall and Old City.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely has instructed the ceremony division of the Foreign Ministry on Thursday to stipulate that any future visit by a foreign head of state or foreign minister include a trip to the Western Wall.
The current protocol requires foreign dignitaries to visit the Yad Vashem museum, and the grave of Theodor Herzl. "This is a statement of intention which strengthens the position of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," Hotovely said.
Although the possibility of visiting the Western Wall would come up in talks preceding prior visits, there was never an official Israeli demand that a visit to site be included in the official protocol. According to estimates, about half of all official visits in Israel included a trip to the Western Wall, typically without a Foreign Ministry escort, while others politely refused due to the controversial nature of the site.
That said, the Foreign Ministry has typically required foreign dignitaries visit Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, and lay a wreath at Herzl's grave (as of 2009) – all in addition to the standing diplomatic protocol which includes an official reception and state dinner.
Deputy Minister Tzipi Hotovely said that when she entered her current position, she was shocked to discover that the Foreign Ministry had not required that foreign dignitaries visit the Western Wall as part of the protocol, even though it lies in the "center of the Israeli consensus." In a meeting with the outgoing head of the Foreign Ministry's Ceremony Division, Talia Lidor Persher, and the division's new head, Myron Rueven, she instructed that the Western Wall be added to the list of sites that every foreign official must visit.
The requirement won't be upheld in the case of officials on short working visits. "In my eyes, the fact that the Western Wall will become part of every VIP's official visit, is tantamount to a statement of intention which strengthens Jerusalem's position as the capital of Israel," Hotovely said. "The visit will take the dignitary from the ethos of Yad Vashem, which deals with the catastrophic past of the Holocaust, to the new and more positive ethos which speaks to the roots of the city. It expands the Zionist scope of the trip from 100 years to 3,000 years."
Hotovely said that she has taken into account that someone dignitaries will refuse to visit the site. "If they will refuse, we will try to convince them. The real change is that the Western Wall was never a priority for the Foreign Ministry until today."
The first official to be offered the Western Wall visit under the new protocol is the Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Rantzi, who will arrive in Israel for an official visit next week. Hotovely will receive him at the airport, and has stated that she will personally escort him through a tour of the Western Wall and Old City.
16 july 2015
Mount Scopus
While Jerusalem Municipality officials say original location was simply 'unsuitable' for army, some claim plan to erect military colleges on Mount Scopus was cancelled as it was too close to Seam Zone. Meanwhile, city's residents launch battle against project's new location in Jerusalem Forest.
What made the Jerusalem Municipality drop a plan from 2005 to transfer the IDF's military colleges to an area on Mount Scopus, and move them instead to the Jerusalem Forest?
Municipality officials say the original location was simply "unsuitable," but some people claim the project was moved due to American pressure, as the Mount Scopus area is located on the East Jerusalem Seam Zone. The chairman of the Knesset's Internal Affairs Committee, Knesset Member David Amsalem of the Likud faction, has begun looking into this claim.
The Mount Scopus project, which was co-planned by the Jerusalem Municipality, the Defense Ministry and the IDF, was submitted to the District Planning and Construction Committee three years ago after being approved in 2005 by the government, which did not state an explicit location in Jerusalem.
The project would have brought to the capital the army's flagship institutions, where hundreds of senior officers are trained, and cover an area of about 2.7 acres. Hundreds of thousands of shekels have been invested in the planning of the impressive complex, measuring 42 square meters (452 square feet) in size, which was developed by architect Eli Ilan.
The District Planning and Construction Committee was slated to discuss the objections to the plan on March 7, 2013, but the issue was pulled from the agenda. Some say it had to do with US President Barack Obama's visit to Israel, which was slated to take place two weeks later.
The claims of foreign pressure were confirmed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who wrote on her Facebook page that the plan had got stuck because of American pressure and announced that the collages would be moved to the area of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem.
"It's no secret that all the planning bodies were concerned about an international reaction to the construction of a large base in the Seam Zone, near Palestinian neighborhoods," said a senior municipality source. "On the other hand, every time a plan is scrapped or delayed for fear of international reactions, you won't find a single official government source who will admit it."
'There was an order not to advance the plan'
About three months ago, Jerusalem's residents discovered that the municipality was advancing an alternative to erect the project in one of the only green areas near their neighborhoods: The Jerusalem Forest – the green symbol of West Jerusalem.
The news sparked a battle led by a coalition of environmental organizations, representatives of 12 neighborhoods and Knesset makers. The campaign, which has been gaining momentum, is being waged under the slogan, "Don't touch the Jerusalem Forest."
The issue was discussed Monday by the Knesset's Internal Affairs Committee. The debate raised a series of question on the authorities and army's planning of the project. The Jerusalem Municipality's chief engineer, Shlomo Eshkol, said he had no idea why the Mount Scopus plan was scrapped, but admitted that "there was an order not to advance it."
The army's representative, Lieutenant Colonel Avi Tenenbaum claimed, on the other hand, that the Mount Scopus plan was not dropped for diplomatic reasons, but because the construction area is too small. The committee members were surprised by this response, as the army had been an inseparable part of the planning and had accepted the launched outline.
Committee Chairman Amsalem said following the discussion that he intended on turning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and inquiring why the Mount Scopus plan had been scrapped and why the government's decision was not being implemented.
Meanwhile, the battle against the plan to erect the base in the Jerusalem Forest is at its very beginning. "The forest is in the heart of every Jerusalem citizen," says Yonatan Shaked, an architect and one of the campaign leaders. "We learned about it by chance from the newspapers. No one in the municipality informed the residents' representatives.
"Building in this area will critically harm the forest. The project includes a fenced base with watchtowers, which requires transportation and parking infrastructures – a two-way road, lighting on both sides. It will take up a huge chunk of the Jerusalem Forest, and there won't be any forest left."
Ephraim Shlain, an expert researcher on the Jerusalem Forest, says the forest's destruction will have destructive ramifications on the city itself. "Jerusalem's strong population lives in the neighborhoods adjacent to the forest. If you take people's oxygen and the corner they grew up in and love, they will leave," he warns.
KKL-JNF representative Inabl Zarhin clarified during the discussion that her organization was also against the Jerusalem Forest plan. The Jerusalem municipality's former legal advisor, Attorney Yossi Havilio, has been hired to represent the bodies opposing the plan. "We will file thousands of objections to the change," he told the committee members.
He found it difficult to accept the army's response that the Mount Scopus option was dropped because the area was too small. "The moment you submit a plan to the district committee, it means you have completed all the examinations," he told Lieutenant Colonel Tenenbaum. "If 2.7 acres are not enough today, what has happened since then?
"It's clear that the municipality will not initiate a plan that has not been accepted by the army. Did you mislead the committee? Or did you not understand what you signed on or changed your mind, or are you telling us an unrelated story?"
The IDF representatives replied, "It was probably a misunderstanding."
'Colleges will strengthen Jerusalem's sovereignty'
MK Amsalem said he would check after the discussion whether the Mount Scopus plan was indeed dropped following American pressure.
"Hundreds of thousands of shekels, if not more, have been invested in the planning. It was accepted by all the systems, and received the approval of the professional and planning ranks. I believe someone issued an order which has nothing to do with the planning," he stated.
"Transferring the colleges to Mount Scopus is also in order to strengthen Jerusalem's sovereignty and security. The Tzipori Center (in the Jerusalem Forest) is not the right place. It's one of the only serene spots in Jerusalem. I can’t understand this delusional idea."
The Jerusalem Municipality offered the following response: "We see the arrival of IDF colleges in the city as a strategic step for the city's future and for strengthening its Zionist sector and young families. The Mount Scopus area was examined in the past and was found to be unsuitable for the IDF.
"The Municipality is conducting initial examinations of the Tzipori Center's suitability out of a clear understanding that there is no intention to harm the forest, the Tzipori pool or communal aspects in the area. The initial examinations are being conducted both vis-à-vis the IDF and vis-à-vis the residents' representatives and the communal administrations in the area which are involved and will continue to be involved in the examination processes."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said: "The military colleges are a key component in developing the IDF's senior officers' class. The overall considerations, both from the economic and environmental aspects, led to a renewed examination of the colleges' location in the Jerusalem area vis-à-vis the Jerusalem Municipality."
While Jerusalem Municipality officials say original location was simply 'unsuitable' for army, some claim plan to erect military colleges on Mount Scopus was cancelled as it was too close to Seam Zone. Meanwhile, city's residents launch battle against project's new location in Jerusalem Forest.
What made the Jerusalem Municipality drop a plan from 2005 to transfer the IDF's military colleges to an area on Mount Scopus, and move them instead to the Jerusalem Forest?
Municipality officials say the original location was simply "unsuitable," but some people claim the project was moved due to American pressure, as the Mount Scopus area is located on the East Jerusalem Seam Zone. The chairman of the Knesset's Internal Affairs Committee, Knesset Member David Amsalem of the Likud faction, has begun looking into this claim.
The Mount Scopus project, which was co-planned by the Jerusalem Municipality, the Defense Ministry and the IDF, was submitted to the District Planning and Construction Committee three years ago after being approved in 2005 by the government, which did not state an explicit location in Jerusalem.
The project would have brought to the capital the army's flagship institutions, where hundreds of senior officers are trained, and cover an area of about 2.7 acres. Hundreds of thousands of shekels have been invested in the planning of the impressive complex, measuring 42 square meters (452 square feet) in size, which was developed by architect Eli Ilan.
The District Planning and Construction Committee was slated to discuss the objections to the plan on March 7, 2013, but the issue was pulled from the agenda. Some say it had to do with US President Barack Obama's visit to Israel, which was slated to take place two weeks later.
The claims of foreign pressure were confirmed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who wrote on her Facebook page that the plan had got stuck because of American pressure and announced that the collages would be moved to the area of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem.
"It's no secret that all the planning bodies were concerned about an international reaction to the construction of a large base in the Seam Zone, near Palestinian neighborhoods," said a senior municipality source. "On the other hand, every time a plan is scrapped or delayed for fear of international reactions, you won't find a single official government source who will admit it."
'There was an order not to advance the plan'
About three months ago, Jerusalem's residents discovered that the municipality was advancing an alternative to erect the project in one of the only green areas near their neighborhoods: The Jerusalem Forest – the green symbol of West Jerusalem.
The news sparked a battle led by a coalition of environmental organizations, representatives of 12 neighborhoods and Knesset makers. The campaign, which has been gaining momentum, is being waged under the slogan, "Don't touch the Jerusalem Forest."
The issue was discussed Monday by the Knesset's Internal Affairs Committee. The debate raised a series of question on the authorities and army's planning of the project. The Jerusalem Municipality's chief engineer, Shlomo Eshkol, said he had no idea why the Mount Scopus plan was scrapped, but admitted that "there was an order not to advance it."
The army's representative, Lieutenant Colonel Avi Tenenbaum claimed, on the other hand, that the Mount Scopus plan was not dropped for diplomatic reasons, but because the construction area is too small. The committee members were surprised by this response, as the army had been an inseparable part of the planning and had accepted the launched outline.
Committee Chairman Amsalem said following the discussion that he intended on turning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and inquiring why the Mount Scopus plan had been scrapped and why the government's decision was not being implemented.
Meanwhile, the battle against the plan to erect the base in the Jerusalem Forest is at its very beginning. "The forest is in the heart of every Jerusalem citizen," says Yonatan Shaked, an architect and one of the campaign leaders. "We learned about it by chance from the newspapers. No one in the municipality informed the residents' representatives.
"Building in this area will critically harm the forest. The project includes a fenced base with watchtowers, which requires transportation and parking infrastructures – a two-way road, lighting on both sides. It will take up a huge chunk of the Jerusalem Forest, and there won't be any forest left."
Ephraim Shlain, an expert researcher on the Jerusalem Forest, says the forest's destruction will have destructive ramifications on the city itself. "Jerusalem's strong population lives in the neighborhoods adjacent to the forest. If you take people's oxygen and the corner they grew up in and love, they will leave," he warns.
KKL-JNF representative Inabl Zarhin clarified during the discussion that her organization was also against the Jerusalem Forest plan. The Jerusalem municipality's former legal advisor, Attorney Yossi Havilio, has been hired to represent the bodies opposing the plan. "We will file thousands of objections to the change," he told the committee members.
He found it difficult to accept the army's response that the Mount Scopus option was dropped because the area was too small. "The moment you submit a plan to the district committee, it means you have completed all the examinations," he told Lieutenant Colonel Tenenbaum. "If 2.7 acres are not enough today, what has happened since then?
"It's clear that the municipality will not initiate a plan that has not been accepted by the army. Did you mislead the committee? Or did you not understand what you signed on or changed your mind, or are you telling us an unrelated story?"
The IDF representatives replied, "It was probably a misunderstanding."
'Colleges will strengthen Jerusalem's sovereignty'
MK Amsalem said he would check after the discussion whether the Mount Scopus plan was indeed dropped following American pressure.
"Hundreds of thousands of shekels, if not more, have been invested in the planning. It was accepted by all the systems, and received the approval of the professional and planning ranks. I believe someone issued an order which has nothing to do with the planning," he stated.
"Transferring the colleges to Mount Scopus is also in order to strengthen Jerusalem's sovereignty and security. The Tzipori Center (in the Jerusalem Forest) is not the right place. It's one of the only serene spots in Jerusalem. I can’t understand this delusional idea."
The Jerusalem Municipality offered the following response: "We see the arrival of IDF colleges in the city as a strategic step for the city's future and for strengthening its Zionist sector and young families. The Mount Scopus area was examined in the past and was found to be unsuitable for the IDF.
"The Municipality is conducting initial examinations of the Tzipori Center's suitability out of a clear understanding that there is no intention to harm the forest, the Tzipori pool or communal aspects in the area. The initial examinations are being conducted both vis-à-vis the IDF and vis-à-vis the residents' representatives and the communal administrations in the area which are involved and will continue to be involved in the examination processes."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said: "The military colleges are a key component in developing the IDF's senior officers' class. The overall considerations, both from the economic and environmental aspects, led to a renewed examination of the colleges' location in the Jerusalem area vis-à-vis the Jerusalem Municipality."
15 july 2015
On 13 and 14 July, Envoys of the Middle East Quartet met in Amman as part of their regular and direct outreach to Arab states.
Over the two days, the Envoys from the EU, Russia, US and UN met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and National Security Adviser Abdullah Wreikat to discuss how to preserve the two-state solution, and how to create conditions that will enable the parties to return to meaningful negotiations.
The Quartet envoys underlined the important role of Jordan in achieving a sustainable and just Israeli-Palestinian peace, and noted the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative for a comprehensive resolution to the conflict.
The Quartet envoys also met with Kito de Boer, Director of the Office of the Quartet, to discuss how to advance steps on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in support of the Palestinian economy by strengthening investment in the private sector, rule of law, and movement and access.
Over the two days, the Envoys from the EU, Russia, US and UN met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and National Security Adviser Abdullah Wreikat to discuss how to preserve the two-state solution, and how to create conditions that will enable the parties to return to meaningful negotiations.
The Quartet envoys underlined the important role of Jordan in achieving a sustainable and just Israeli-Palestinian peace, and noted the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative for a comprehensive resolution to the conflict.
The Quartet envoys also met with Kito de Boer, Director of the Office of the Quartet, to discuss how to advance steps on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in support of the Palestinian economy by strengthening investment in the private sector, rule of law, and movement and access.
14 july 2015
Haaretz newspaper, on Monday, said that Israel finally responded to the European Union’s urge to revive the negotiations, by saying that there will not be any political talks with Palestinians. Instead, there will only be economic negotiations within a specified frame of demands.
The newspaper added, according to the PNN, that Israel confirmed to the EU that it was ready to talk about improving the economic situation in Gaza and the West Bank, without mentioning settlements whatsoever.
The Israeli statement came in response to the European demand to revive the negotiations about settlements, and all obstacles hindering the two-state solution.
The European demand was proposed in November of 2014, and the response was stalled for 9 months. Israel claimed that it was late because of the Knesset elections which took place in March.
About three weeks ago, the French minister of Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, met PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, and the Israeli PM in occupied Jerusalem, to urge the resumption of negotiations.
The newspaper added, according to the PNN, that Israel confirmed to the EU that it was ready to talk about improving the economic situation in Gaza and the West Bank, without mentioning settlements whatsoever.
The Israeli statement came in response to the European demand to revive the negotiations about settlements, and all obstacles hindering the two-state solution.
The European demand was proposed in November of 2014, and the response was stalled for 9 months. Israel claimed that it was late because of the Knesset elections which took place in March.
About three weeks ago, the French minister of Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, met PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, and the Israeli PM in occupied Jerusalem, to urge the resumption of negotiations.
13 july 2015
The soldier's self-inflicted injuries
Soldier confesses to lying to police about attack in Nazareth Illit, admits to have intentionally caused his own injuries.
A Christian IDF soldier from Yafa an-Naseriyye admitted on Monday to lying to the police when he claimed he was attacked by Muslim Arabs because he joined the Israeli army.
The soldier told police investigators on Sunday that he was attacked at a bus stop in Nazareth Illit while on his way back to base, dressed in his military uniform. He arrived at the Poriya Medical Center in Tiberias in the evening hours with bruises all over his body and was released after midnight.
But when the soldier was questioned by police on Monday, he confessed to lying about the attack and admitted to intentionally wounding himself. The soldier was held for questioning on suspicions of giving a false statement to police and of obstruction of justice, and his case will be transferred to the military police for further investigation.
The soldier initially claimed that a group of youths from Nazareth's eastern neighborhood walked towards him and yelled profanities at him. He said he started running towards a nearby grove, but they caught him and beat him. After learning the soldier lied, the Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum said: "We regret that the soldier chose to take advantage of a real problem of violence that exists, and which Christian soldiers deal with, for his own unknown personal interests.
"Over the past six months, there have been several real cases of violent assaults against Christian soldiers and it's a shame the issue is being brought to light with a fictional case that could cause damage in the future. Nonetheless, we hope that in light of the public discussion and media coverage, the different authorities get into the thick of things and work to put an end to this phenomenon of violence against Christian soldiers."
Soldier confesses to lying to police about attack in Nazareth Illit, admits to have intentionally caused his own injuries.
A Christian IDF soldier from Yafa an-Naseriyye admitted on Monday to lying to the police when he claimed he was attacked by Muslim Arabs because he joined the Israeli army.
The soldier told police investigators on Sunday that he was attacked at a bus stop in Nazareth Illit while on his way back to base, dressed in his military uniform. He arrived at the Poriya Medical Center in Tiberias in the evening hours with bruises all over his body and was released after midnight.
But when the soldier was questioned by police on Monday, he confessed to lying about the attack and admitted to intentionally wounding himself. The soldier was held for questioning on suspicions of giving a false statement to police and of obstruction of justice, and his case will be transferred to the military police for further investigation.
The soldier initially claimed that a group of youths from Nazareth's eastern neighborhood walked towards him and yelled profanities at him. He said he started running towards a nearby grove, but they caught him and beat him. After learning the soldier lied, the Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum said: "We regret that the soldier chose to take advantage of a real problem of violence that exists, and which Christian soldiers deal with, for his own unknown personal interests.
"Over the past six months, there have been several real cases of violent assaults against Christian soldiers and it's a shame the issue is being brought to light with a fictional case that could cause damage in the future. Nonetheless, we hope that in light of the public discussion and media coverage, the different authorities get into the thick of things and work to put an end to this phenomenon of violence against Christian soldiers."
11 july 2015
Media reports say authorities suspect school fraudulently obtained millions in federal grants.
US federal authorities raided the campus of the Michigan Jewish Institute (MJI) in Detroit, a college offering academic studies for Jewish students, American media outlets reported this week.
According to media reports, authorities suspected that the institution fraudulently obtained federal financial aid for Jewish students, many of whom took online courses while still living in Israel. The majority of students never completed their studies, despite the generous government subsidies.
Around 15 federal agents participated in the raid on MJI offices located in the suburb of Southfield. Witnesses said the agents gathered staff into a conference room, collected their personal belongings, and sent them home. According to one witness, the agents arrived with a truck and empty cardboard boxes in preparation for seizing documents.
While the motive for the raid has not been officially disclosed, media sources reported that the institution was suspected of fraud.
The past decade has seen a sharp uptick in the number of students enrolled at the college, and the federal funds it received skyrocketed during the same period – including federal Pell Grants for low-income students. Pell Grants totaling $25 million were allocated for MJI students.
The Forward newspaper reported in 2012 that thousands of students had signed up for online courses, most of whom lived in Israel and also studied at yeshivas and seminaries.
They all studied Judaism, according to the Forward, and most neglected to complete the degrees in which they had enrolled and for which they received government grants.
US federal authorities raided the campus of the Michigan Jewish Institute (MJI) in Detroit, a college offering academic studies for Jewish students, American media outlets reported this week.
According to media reports, authorities suspected that the institution fraudulently obtained federal financial aid for Jewish students, many of whom took online courses while still living in Israel. The majority of students never completed their studies, despite the generous government subsidies.
Around 15 federal agents participated in the raid on MJI offices located in the suburb of Southfield. Witnesses said the agents gathered staff into a conference room, collected their personal belongings, and sent them home. According to one witness, the agents arrived with a truck and empty cardboard boxes in preparation for seizing documents.
While the motive for the raid has not been officially disclosed, media sources reported that the institution was suspected of fraud.
The past decade has seen a sharp uptick in the number of students enrolled at the college, and the federal funds it received skyrocketed during the same period – including federal Pell Grants for low-income students. Pell Grants totaling $25 million were allocated for MJI students.
The Forward newspaper reported in 2012 that thousands of students had signed up for online courses, most of whom lived in Israel and also studied at yeshivas and seminaries.
They all studied Judaism, according to the Forward, and most neglected to complete the degrees in which they had enrolled and for which they received government grants.
8 july 2015
Haaretz said on Tuesday that the Vatican has rejected requests by Israeli diplomats to see the text of an agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Palestine two weeks ago. The Israeli newspaper quoted a senior official as saying that diplomats have attempted to review the text on four separate occasions, but the Vatican declined to give details about the content of the agreement.
The Vatican signed the first accord with Palestine on 26 June, two years after officially recognising it as a state in February, 2013. The treaty covers the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine.
"The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs expresses its regret regarding the Vatican decision to officially recognize the Palestinian Authority as a state," said spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon. "This hasty step damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement."
Israel also regrets the "one-sided" texts in the agreement "which ignore the historic rights of the Jewish people in Israel," he added. "Israel cannot accept the unilateral determinations in the agreement which do not take into account Israel's essential interests and the special historic status of the Jewish people in Jerusalem."
According to Haaretz, the ministry is concerned that the treaty between the Vatican and the Palestinians contradicted a similar treaty that already exists between the Vatican and Israel.
The Vatican signed the first accord with Palestine on 26 June, two years after officially recognising it as a state in February, 2013. The treaty covers the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine.
"The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs expresses its regret regarding the Vatican decision to officially recognize the Palestinian Authority as a state," said spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon. "This hasty step damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement."
Israel also regrets the "one-sided" texts in the agreement "which ignore the historic rights of the Jewish people in Israel," he added. "Israel cannot accept the unilateral determinations in the agreement which do not take into account Israel's essential interests and the special historic status of the Jewish people in Jerusalem."
According to Haaretz, the ministry is concerned that the treaty between the Vatican and the Palestinians contradicted a similar treaty that already exists between the Vatican and Israel.
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The Israeli government is funding programmes for Israeli youths, some as young as 16-years-old, which combine military training with nationalist indoctrination, managed by an army veteran with links to the radical Right. The Tavor Academy for Social Leadership, located in Nazareth Illit in the Galilee, has been hailed by a senior Ministry of Defense official (video) as one of the best academies of its kind. More than 200 young Jewish Israelis participate [PDF] in Tavor's different programmes, "absorbing the values of Zionism, dedication to the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces."
Focused on "working to cultivate Zionist leadership", Tavor is reportedly "one of the most popular" pre-army programmes among 40 registered across the country. Many of its graduates go on to serve in "elite IDF units." Tavor's vision describes "national fortitude" as "the spirit that animates |
matter", and praises the importance of "social unity and emotional resiliency." For Tavor, the "post-modernist beliefs" of Israel's "secular elite" have "weakened the importance [PDF] of the Jewish-Zionist identity."
The Zionist identity of our people in general and our future leaders in particular has become weak, directionless, and unable to sustain Israel's core essence; its soul. A silent majority and its leaders have grown less and less interested in the Israeli society as a whole, its history, morality and its Jewish spirit.
Participants are subject to "early wake-up calls, 10-kilometer morning runs, lessons in martial arts for the male students, navigation and survival exercises", a schedule of "fitness...and combat training" all part of "preparations for IDF service."
Tavor also runs "Keshet", a programme for 16-18 year olds designed to "revive their Zionist spark." Dozens of teenagers are recruited, and put through "physical and mental activities such as hiking, touring, navigating, rappelling, studying and learning with professionals of different fields."
Tellingly, the initiative to establish Tavor came from the then-mayor of Nazareth Illit, Shimon Gapso (currently embroiled in legal proceedings). Gapso contacted the founder and director Amichai Shikli while the latter was completing an MA at Tel Aviv University, and asked him to help the city "with its social and demographic challenges." The Tavor academy, established in 2010, was the result.
Those "challenges" included "a decrease in a once strong population" and "a weakened Jewish character." That same year, Mayor Gapso described the city's plan for growth as "predicated chiefly on maintaining the city's Jewish character and encouraging educational, Zionist initiatives."
According to the mayor, "it is time to call a spade a spade. Just as Ben-Gurion and Peres said in the 1950s that the Galilee must be Jewish, we say the same about Nazareth Illit: It must retain its Jewish character...The primary goal is to put the brakes on the demographic deterioration."
Shikli is an Israeli army veteran who spent five years in the Golani Brigade, a year as a combat officer in the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit, and a year as a company commander in the Egoz special unit. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Im Tirtzu, an extreme right-wing group that in 2013 was deemed by an Israeli judge to have fascistic attributes
According to the organisation's annual report [PDF], almost a third of its budget – around $400,000 from a total US$1.3 million – comes from national and local government. This includes just under a quarter of a million dollars from Israel's Ministry of Education (currently headed by Jewish Home's Naftali Bennett), as well money from the Ministry of Defense, and Nazareth Illit municipality.
Israeli elementary schools are increasingly holding student graduation ceremonies at "military memorials and other sites with blood-drenched histories." Criticising the phenomenon, one early childhood education expert said: "I don't think that in sixth grade, the value ought to be militarist, or one that sanctifies death." Another academic described it as "a kind of indoctrination."
Israel and its international allies often claim that Palestinian children are 'taught to hate' – as if living under a brutal military occupation isn't a good enough teacher. Little is said, however, about the militaristic nationalism fed to Jewish Israeli school children, preparing them for their time enforcing that same occupation.
The Zionist identity of our people in general and our future leaders in particular has become weak, directionless, and unable to sustain Israel's core essence; its soul. A silent majority and its leaders have grown less and less interested in the Israeli society as a whole, its history, morality and its Jewish spirit.
Participants are subject to "early wake-up calls, 10-kilometer morning runs, lessons in martial arts for the male students, navigation and survival exercises", a schedule of "fitness...and combat training" all part of "preparations for IDF service."
Tavor also runs "Keshet", a programme for 16-18 year olds designed to "revive their Zionist spark." Dozens of teenagers are recruited, and put through "physical and mental activities such as hiking, touring, navigating, rappelling, studying and learning with professionals of different fields."
Tellingly, the initiative to establish Tavor came from the then-mayor of Nazareth Illit, Shimon Gapso (currently embroiled in legal proceedings). Gapso contacted the founder and director Amichai Shikli while the latter was completing an MA at Tel Aviv University, and asked him to help the city "with its social and demographic challenges." The Tavor academy, established in 2010, was the result.
Those "challenges" included "a decrease in a once strong population" and "a weakened Jewish character." That same year, Mayor Gapso described the city's plan for growth as "predicated chiefly on maintaining the city's Jewish character and encouraging educational, Zionist initiatives."
According to the mayor, "it is time to call a spade a spade. Just as Ben-Gurion and Peres said in the 1950s that the Galilee must be Jewish, we say the same about Nazareth Illit: It must retain its Jewish character...The primary goal is to put the brakes on the demographic deterioration."
Shikli is an Israeli army veteran who spent five years in the Golani Brigade, a year as a combat officer in the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit, and a year as a company commander in the Egoz special unit. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Im Tirtzu, an extreme right-wing group that in 2013 was deemed by an Israeli judge to have fascistic attributes
According to the organisation's annual report [PDF], almost a third of its budget – around $400,000 from a total US$1.3 million – comes from national and local government. This includes just under a quarter of a million dollars from Israel's Ministry of Education (currently headed by Jewish Home's Naftali Bennett), as well money from the Ministry of Defense, and Nazareth Illit municipality.
Israeli elementary schools are increasingly holding student graduation ceremonies at "military memorials and other sites with blood-drenched histories." Criticising the phenomenon, one early childhood education expert said: "I don't think that in sixth grade, the value ought to be militarist, or one that sanctifies death." Another academic described it as "a kind of indoctrination."
Israel and its international allies often claim that Palestinian children are 'taught to hate' – as if living under a brutal military occupation isn't a good enough teacher. Little is said, however, about the militaristic nationalism fed to Jewish Israeli school children, preparing them for their time enforcing that same occupation.
7 july 2015
Report compiled for Work and Welfare Committee claims treatment and process of receiving disability has become an arduous task for Protective Edge veterans; Defense Ministry decries figures as false.
Israel's system of bureaucracy is known for being a challenge, but wounded veterans of last year's Operation Protective Edge face perhaps a greater challenge than any, as revealed in statistics for a Work and Welfare Committee meeting on Tuesday that said 83% have yet to finish the medical committe process within the rehabilitation branch of the defense ministry.
Precisely 322 soldiers who were wounded in Gaza were recognized as disabled veterans last year but governmental shortcomings have left the wounded without a set a disability figure, inable to receive the full scope of necessary medical care.
The Work and Welfare Committee meeting, initiated by Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelach, reviewed the Rehabilitation Branch of the Defense Ministry's treatment of wounded Protective Edge veterans. Several wounded veterans took part and testified to the mounting bureaucratic challenges posed by the medical committee process.
One of the soldiers said that a specialist doctor determined that he needed a hearing device because of critical hearing loss suffered as a result of the war but due to the drawn out nature of the process he still has not received the aid. "The doctor determined that my ear is not functioning and recommended a hearing aid. The Defense Ministry said that they are unable to supply the aid until the final medical committee."
Statistics that were gathered show that many of the injured do not receive the financial stipends afforded to them due to an ongoing medical committee process. 69% of the wounded respondents answered that their families had suffered economically due to their injuries and only 3% of them said the army had compensated them.
"I am a reservist who was drafted for Protective Edge and now I can't return to my work," one of them said. "I still didn’t receive even a temporary disability; the whole time I never received any financial support from the Defense Ministry." Many of the injured stated that they don’t know their rights, and stated that they feel the need to prove their injury. 86% claimed that the rehabilitation branch in the Defense Ministry didn’t notify them of their rights, and 76% of the respondents said they didn’t know who to turn to on different matters.
Another injured veteran stated that the doctor who checked him in one of the committees said he is not trustworthy. According to him, hours after the incident he was rushed to the hospital under suspicion of a blood clot in his brain. When asked if they where able to return to their normal routines, 65% of the respondents answered "no."
MK Shelach said that, "The figures prove that the rehabilitation branch in the Defense Ministry is collapsing, and those who deserve more than anyone else are paying the price - those who just a year ago where sent into battle to defend the communities of the south. The situation of these wounded veterans is horrifying, they are not treated as they should be, and the situation is a stain on the face of society and the Defense Ministry."
Of the 322 soldiers who where recognized as having disabilities, 177 were declared as having more than 20% or more disability. Out of those 177- eight where recognized as having 100% disability. 72 soldiers where recognized as having between 10-19% and 73 where given up to 9% disability. A statement from the Defense Ministry said that: "There are claims still being processed, some are new, and others are due to illnesses with long treatment process.
All the soldiers who where injured as a result of war were immediately integrated in the "green plan" with full cooperation from them and their families, as well as military officials in order to allow for continuity in their medical treatment. "
The Defense Ministry also claimed that the statistics were incorrect and said that over 80% of the wounded had already finished the entire process and earned recognition as disabled soldiers.
"According to the Rehabilitation branch figures, out of 421 soldiers who where sent to medical committees, 347 have already finished treatment and have received their compensation figures. Every soldier who files a claim gets immediate medical treatment and additional rights until the end of the process."
Israel's system of bureaucracy is known for being a challenge, but wounded veterans of last year's Operation Protective Edge face perhaps a greater challenge than any, as revealed in statistics for a Work and Welfare Committee meeting on Tuesday that said 83% have yet to finish the medical committe process within the rehabilitation branch of the defense ministry.
Precisely 322 soldiers who were wounded in Gaza were recognized as disabled veterans last year but governmental shortcomings have left the wounded without a set a disability figure, inable to receive the full scope of necessary medical care.
The Work and Welfare Committee meeting, initiated by Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelach, reviewed the Rehabilitation Branch of the Defense Ministry's treatment of wounded Protective Edge veterans. Several wounded veterans took part and testified to the mounting bureaucratic challenges posed by the medical committee process.
One of the soldiers said that a specialist doctor determined that he needed a hearing device because of critical hearing loss suffered as a result of the war but due to the drawn out nature of the process he still has not received the aid. "The doctor determined that my ear is not functioning and recommended a hearing aid. The Defense Ministry said that they are unable to supply the aid until the final medical committee."
Statistics that were gathered show that many of the injured do not receive the financial stipends afforded to them due to an ongoing medical committee process. 69% of the wounded respondents answered that their families had suffered economically due to their injuries and only 3% of them said the army had compensated them.
"I am a reservist who was drafted for Protective Edge and now I can't return to my work," one of them said. "I still didn’t receive even a temporary disability; the whole time I never received any financial support from the Defense Ministry." Many of the injured stated that they don’t know their rights, and stated that they feel the need to prove their injury. 86% claimed that the rehabilitation branch in the Defense Ministry didn’t notify them of their rights, and 76% of the respondents said they didn’t know who to turn to on different matters.
Another injured veteran stated that the doctor who checked him in one of the committees said he is not trustworthy. According to him, hours after the incident he was rushed to the hospital under suspicion of a blood clot in his brain. When asked if they where able to return to their normal routines, 65% of the respondents answered "no."
MK Shelach said that, "The figures prove that the rehabilitation branch in the Defense Ministry is collapsing, and those who deserve more than anyone else are paying the price - those who just a year ago where sent into battle to defend the communities of the south. The situation of these wounded veterans is horrifying, they are not treated as they should be, and the situation is a stain on the face of society and the Defense Ministry."
Of the 322 soldiers who where recognized as having disabilities, 177 were declared as having more than 20% or more disability. Out of those 177- eight where recognized as having 100% disability. 72 soldiers where recognized as having between 10-19% and 73 where given up to 9% disability. A statement from the Defense Ministry said that: "There are claims still being processed, some are new, and others are due to illnesses with long treatment process.
All the soldiers who where injured as a result of war were immediately integrated in the "green plan" with full cooperation from them and their families, as well as military officials in order to allow for continuity in their medical treatment. "
The Defense Ministry also claimed that the statistics were incorrect and said that over 80% of the wounded had already finished the entire process and earned recognition as disabled soldiers.
"According to the Rehabilitation branch figures, out of 421 soldiers who where sent to medical committees, 347 have already finished treatment and have received their compensation figures. Every soldier who files a claim gets immediate medical treatment and additional rights until the end of the process."
Society for the Restitution of Holocaust Victim's Assets claims that World Zionist Organisation refuses to distribute Bank Leumi shares earmarked for survivor's assistance.
The financial assistance that 11,000 needy Holocaust survivors receive has been cut earlier this month from NIS 2,750 to NIS 1,350, the Society for the Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets said on Monday.
The Knesset's Constitution Committee held a discussion on the issue at the Society's request. During the committee meeting, representatives explained that they are no longer able to meet the aid set by law for Holocaust survivors. According to the Society's representatives, the reason for this is an economic dispute with the management of the World Zionist Organization, which they say refuses to distribute Bank Leumi shares upon which the budget earmarked for survivor's assistance is based.
A hearing will be held on Wednesday at the Tel Aviv District Court at the Society's request to order the Jewish Colonial Trust, a company controlled by the World Zionist Organization, to distribute Bank Leumi shares as dividends to its shareholders.
The Society for the Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets, which owns about a quarter of the Jewish Colonial Trust's shares, claims that the 11,000 Holocaust survivors, to whom they are legally bound to furnish aid every three months, is based on the distribution of shares. The petition to the court claims that the procedure is an emergency given the fact that the number of survivors is diminishing steadily.
The World Zionist Organization, meanwhile, claims that the Society can sell the shares it owns right away.
MK Yael German (Yesh Atid) said at the committee meeting that "The relationship between the Society for the Restitution of Assets and any other body can not come at the expense of Holocaust survivors. A commercial dispute between public bodies cannot be allowed to hurt Holocaust survivors and prevent them from receiving their aid."
MK Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid) added, "We are witnessing the audacity of Zionist groups engaging in economic calculations regarding shares, while survivors who are dying every day are not getting their money. We demand the transfer of funds to the Society and Holocaust survivors."
The World Zionist Organization said in response, "The Society for the Restitution of Assets prefers holding Holocaust survivors hostage, and not pay them money as it can do in a fast and simple procedure. The Society's behavior is preventing Holocaust survivors, many of whom are dying every day, from receiving money they desperately need. It is a badge of shame for the Society, which contradicts the spirit of the mandate it received from the government and the Knesset."
Meanwhile, the pensioners' lobby headed by MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union) and MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union), convened for a special first debate ahead of the budget. During the discussion, different objectives were presented which they intended to promote in the Knesset, including a bill that guarantees the payment of additional income to any elderly person under the poverty line, and raising the budget for the health basket.
Haim Turgeman, 80, told the dozens of attendees at the conference of his difficult economic situation without a stable pension: "One question bothers me: Where the hell is the state? Social Security throws me to the bank, the bank throws me to the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, and they throw me down the stairs. I don't have money to pay for food. I have no money to take care of my son, who is depended on me. I'm begging the people who are listening to this - help people who have nothing to eat."
Turgeman, a Jerusalem resident, assisted by the The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, added: "My great fortune is that there are several organizations that help me every month to put something in my mouth. Without this help I would have nothing to eat."
The financial assistance that 11,000 needy Holocaust survivors receive has been cut earlier this month from NIS 2,750 to NIS 1,350, the Society for the Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets said on Monday.
The Knesset's Constitution Committee held a discussion on the issue at the Society's request. During the committee meeting, representatives explained that they are no longer able to meet the aid set by law for Holocaust survivors. According to the Society's representatives, the reason for this is an economic dispute with the management of the World Zionist Organization, which they say refuses to distribute Bank Leumi shares upon which the budget earmarked for survivor's assistance is based.
A hearing will be held on Wednesday at the Tel Aviv District Court at the Society's request to order the Jewish Colonial Trust, a company controlled by the World Zionist Organization, to distribute Bank Leumi shares as dividends to its shareholders.
The Society for the Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets, which owns about a quarter of the Jewish Colonial Trust's shares, claims that the 11,000 Holocaust survivors, to whom they are legally bound to furnish aid every three months, is based on the distribution of shares. The petition to the court claims that the procedure is an emergency given the fact that the number of survivors is diminishing steadily.
The World Zionist Organization, meanwhile, claims that the Society can sell the shares it owns right away.
MK Yael German (Yesh Atid) said at the committee meeting that "The relationship between the Society for the Restitution of Assets and any other body can not come at the expense of Holocaust survivors. A commercial dispute between public bodies cannot be allowed to hurt Holocaust survivors and prevent them from receiving their aid."
MK Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid) added, "We are witnessing the audacity of Zionist groups engaging in economic calculations regarding shares, while survivors who are dying every day are not getting their money. We demand the transfer of funds to the Society and Holocaust survivors."
The World Zionist Organization said in response, "The Society for the Restitution of Assets prefers holding Holocaust survivors hostage, and not pay them money as it can do in a fast and simple procedure. The Society's behavior is preventing Holocaust survivors, many of whom are dying every day, from receiving money they desperately need. It is a badge of shame for the Society, which contradicts the spirit of the mandate it received from the government and the Knesset."
Meanwhile, the pensioners' lobby headed by MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union) and MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union), convened for a special first debate ahead of the budget. During the discussion, different objectives were presented which they intended to promote in the Knesset, including a bill that guarantees the payment of additional income to any elderly person under the poverty line, and raising the budget for the health basket.
Haim Turgeman, 80, told the dozens of attendees at the conference of his difficult economic situation without a stable pension: "One question bothers me: Where the hell is the state? Social Security throws me to the bank, the bank throws me to the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, and they throw me down the stairs. I don't have money to pay for food. I have no money to take care of my son, who is depended on me. I'm begging the people who are listening to this - help people who have nothing to eat."
Turgeman, a Jerusalem resident, assisted by the The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, added: "My great fortune is that there are several organizations that help me every month to put something in my mouth. Without this help I would have nothing to eat."
As part of a five year plan, officials order creation of new commando brigade to fuse IDF's elite units under one roof as Chief of Staff promotes high-profile commanders from Gaza op.
Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot recently announced the establishment of a commando brigade that will consolidate four of the IDF's most elite Special Forces units: Maglan, Duvdevan (both currently affiliated with the Paratroopers Brigade), Egoz (affiliated with Golani Brigade) and Rimon (affiliated with Givati Brigade).
The decision comes as part of the IDF's multi-year "Gideon" plan, meant to increase Israel's efficiency and ability to respond in crisis situations. The brigade will be subordinate to the IDF's 98th Paratroopers Division or Fire Formation.
In addition, Eisenkot decided to promote field commanders who led the fighting in Operation Protective Edge. The outgoing commander of the Givati Brigade, Ofer Winter, will be promoted, as well as the commander of the Golani Brigade Rassan Alian.
Winter will rise in rank to Brigadier-General and will be promoted to Chief of Staff of the central command while Alian will also rise to the rank of Brigadier-General, and will become the chief infantry and paratroops officer.
An IDF spokesperson statement on the decision to establish the brigade said that the move would strengthen the Special Forces by increasing cooperation and communication, turning the IDF's elite into an even more effective response team during emergency protocol. During appointment discussions held Monday in the IDF, it was decided that Colonel David Zini, who is currently the operations officer for the Central Command, will become the brigade's first leader.
The separate units that will be transferred to the brigade are expected to continue functioning independently, or in conjuncture with brigade-level combat teams, and not as one fighting unit. The character and the operational purpose of the units is not expected to change, and the IDF said the goal of the unification is to affix every unit with a purpose relevant to the current terrorist threats.
The new brigade draws further parallels between Israel's Special Forces and those in the US, as the model of unified command mirrors that of the Ranger brigade in the US Special Forces.
Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot recently announced the establishment of a commando brigade that will consolidate four of the IDF's most elite Special Forces units: Maglan, Duvdevan (both currently affiliated with the Paratroopers Brigade), Egoz (affiliated with Golani Brigade) and Rimon (affiliated with Givati Brigade).
The decision comes as part of the IDF's multi-year "Gideon" plan, meant to increase Israel's efficiency and ability to respond in crisis situations. The brigade will be subordinate to the IDF's 98th Paratroopers Division or Fire Formation.
In addition, Eisenkot decided to promote field commanders who led the fighting in Operation Protective Edge. The outgoing commander of the Givati Brigade, Ofer Winter, will be promoted, as well as the commander of the Golani Brigade Rassan Alian.
Winter will rise in rank to Brigadier-General and will be promoted to Chief of Staff of the central command while Alian will also rise to the rank of Brigadier-General, and will become the chief infantry and paratroops officer.
An IDF spokesperson statement on the decision to establish the brigade said that the move would strengthen the Special Forces by increasing cooperation and communication, turning the IDF's elite into an even more effective response team during emergency protocol. During appointment discussions held Monday in the IDF, it was decided that Colonel David Zini, who is currently the operations officer for the Central Command, will become the brigade's first leader.
The separate units that will be transferred to the brigade are expected to continue functioning independently, or in conjuncture with brigade-level combat teams, and not as one fighting unit. The character and the operational purpose of the units is not expected to change, and the IDF said the goal of the unification is to affix every unit with a purpose relevant to the current terrorist threats.
The new brigade draws further parallels between Israel's Special Forces and those in the US, as the model of unified command mirrors that of the Ranger brigade in the US Special Forces.