12 dec 2019
The Yisrael Beytenu leader claims he doesn't want to see PM, indicted on 3 corruption charges, in prison but many Israeli parliamentarians, including some Likud lawmakers, feel Netanyahu has become a 'burden'
Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman said on Thursday that he would support pardoning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the three corruption cases against him in exchange for Israel’s leader retirement from political life.
The comments came three weeks after Netanyahu had been charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases in which he is accused of trading legislative or regulatory favors in exchange for gifts or favorable media coverage.
"No immunity, pardon in exchange for honorable retirement," Liberman told Ynet in an interview, adding he does not want to see “Netanyahu or any other prime minister” in prison.
Liberman’s remarks echoed the comments made by President Reuven Rivlin over a week ago, who said he would consider pardoning the prime minister if Netanyahu was to confess to his crimes and retire from political life.
The 61-year-old went on to say that many Israeli lawmakers, including some of Netanyahu’s fellow Likud members, feel a “sense of disgust” in the wake of the prime minister’s demands for immunity at the expense of the country’s interests.
“He has become a burden," said Liberman. “Everyone is prepared to give him an opportunity to retire in dignity. If this initiative [pardon in exchange for retirement] was to be tabled in the Knesset, I have no doubt everyone would be in agreement,” he said.
“Ultimately, Netanyahu really has made an important contribution to the State of Israel."
Earlier on Thursday, the Knesset approved a motion to dissolve itself and hold an unprecedented third national vote in less than a year on March 2, 2020 after Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz failed to parlay the previous two ballots into a new coalition government.
Liberman said he does not regret not aligning himself politically with either Likud or Blue and White during the failed attempts to form government after the September 17 vote, insisting that his faction will only support a unity government.
"Those who had to form a government are the two largest parties, which combined have 65 seats," Lieberman added. "I said from the very first moment of the last election campaign that we will only join a unity government, not narrow one.”
Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman said on Thursday that he would support pardoning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the three corruption cases against him in exchange for Israel’s leader retirement from political life.
The comments came three weeks after Netanyahu had been charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases in which he is accused of trading legislative or regulatory favors in exchange for gifts or favorable media coverage.
"No immunity, pardon in exchange for honorable retirement," Liberman told Ynet in an interview, adding he does not want to see “Netanyahu or any other prime minister” in prison.
Liberman’s remarks echoed the comments made by President Reuven Rivlin over a week ago, who said he would consider pardoning the prime minister if Netanyahu was to confess to his crimes and retire from political life.
The 61-year-old went on to say that many Israeli lawmakers, including some of Netanyahu’s fellow Likud members, feel a “sense of disgust” in the wake of the prime minister’s demands for immunity at the expense of the country’s interests.
“He has become a burden," said Liberman. “Everyone is prepared to give him an opportunity to retire in dignity. If this initiative [pardon in exchange for retirement] was to be tabled in the Knesset, I have no doubt everyone would be in agreement,” he said.
“Ultimately, Netanyahu really has made an important contribution to the State of Israel."
Earlier on Thursday, the Knesset approved a motion to dissolve itself and hold an unprecedented third national vote in less than a year on March 2, 2020 after Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz failed to parlay the previous two ballots into a new coalition government.
Liberman said he does not regret not aligning himself politically with either Likud or Blue and White during the failed attempts to form government after the September 17 vote, insisting that his faction will only support a unity government.
"Those who had to form a government are the two largest parties, which combined have 65 seats," Lieberman added. "I said from the very first moment of the last election campaign that we will only join a unity government, not narrow one.”
In the village of Manshiet Zibdeh, located in what is now Israel, a mosque was defaced with racist graffiti on Thursday morning, and cars parked at the mosque had their tires punctured.
Israeli police were called in by the Imam of the Mosque when the graffiti was found, but they failed to carry out any kind of investigation or locate the assailant.
This was considered to be a “price tag” attack, which is a tactic used by Israeli right-wing settlers to, as they claim, make Palestinians ‘pay a price’ for living on their ancestral land – land which the Israeli settlers want to take over.
In a similar attack toward the end of last month, about 70 vehicles had their tires slashed in the town of Jaljulia in Israel.
Israeli police were called in by the Imam of the Mosque when the graffiti was found, but they failed to carry out any kind of investigation or locate the assailant.
This was considered to be a “price tag” attack, which is a tactic used by Israeli right-wing settlers to, as they claim, make Palestinians ‘pay a price’ for living on their ancestral land – land which the Israeli settlers want to take over.
In a similar attack toward the end of last month, about 70 vehicles had their tires slashed in the town of Jaljulia in Israel.
The indicted leader - who currently holds health, welfare, agriculture and diaspora affairs portfolios - announces his decision to the Supreme Court following a petition; adds he will not quit his post as prime minister
Anti-Arab Spraypainted on Mosque in Northern Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he will resign from all ministerial positions by January 1, 2020. He is not expected to quit his post as prime minister.
Netanyahu, who currently holds health, welfare, agriculture and diaspora affairs portfolios, is expected to appoint ministers who will take over the posts.
The move comes three weeks after the prime minister was charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three corruption cases in which he is accused of trading legislative or regulatory favors in exchange for gifts or favorable media coverage.
Netanyahu announced his decision to the Supreme Court after a petition had been launched by The Movement for Quality Government, demanding the indicted prime minister vacates all his post. The petition also demanded the court orders Netanyahu to resign from his post as Israel’s premier and appoints a temporary replacement.
Netanyahu’s attorneys emphasized that under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister charged with a crime is not required to step down or vacate any of his ministerial posts, but he nonetheless decided to respect the wishes of those urging him to resign.
"It’s unfortunate that the prime minister knowingly violated the law for weeks and only announced the resignation following our petition,” said The Movement for Quality Government said in response. “We call on the court to order the prime minister to resign immediately from all his duties, including as prime minister.”
"Netanyahu must fight to prove he’s an innocent man as a private individual and not as prime minister … and not drag the entire country with him to the defendant’s bench.”
Earlier on Thursday, the Knesset approved a motion to dissolve itself and hold an unprecedented third national vote in less than a year on March 2, 2020 afterNetanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz failed to parlay the previous two ballots into a new coalition government.
Anti-Arab Spraypainted on Mosque in Northern Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he will resign from all ministerial positions by January 1, 2020. He is not expected to quit his post as prime minister.
Netanyahu, who currently holds health, welfare, agriculture and diaspora affairs portfolios, is expected to appoint ministers who will take over the posts.
The move comes three weeks after the prime minister was charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three corruption cases in which he is accused of trading legislative or regulatory favors in exchange for gifts or favorable media coverage.
Netanyahu announced his decision to the Supreme Court after a petition had been launched by The Movement for Quality Government, demanding the indicted prime minister vacates all his post. The petition also demanded the court orders Netanyahu to resign from his post as Israel’s premier and appoints a temporary replacement.
Netanyahu’s attorneys emphasized that under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister charged with a crime is not required to step down or vacate any of his ministerial posts, but he nonetheless decided to respect the wishes of those urging him to resign.
"It’s unfortunate that the prime minister knowingly violated the law for weeks and only announced the resignation following our petition,” said The Movement for Quality Government said in response. “We call on the court to order the prime minister to resign immediately from all his duties, including as prime minister.”
"Netanyahu must fight to prove he’s an innocent man as a private individual and not as prime minister … and not drag the entire country with him to the defendant’s bench.”
Earlier on Thursday, the Knesset approved a motion to dissolve itself and hold an unprecedented third national vote in less than a year on March 2, 2020 afterNetanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz failed to parlay the previous two ballots into a new coalition government.
Patients parked in hospital hallways, people left without medication, and children left out on the street: the MKs bicker among themselves, and 9 million people are left to face the fallout
After two dramatic rounds of elections, Israel is still without a functioning government, resulting in stagnation, red tape, unbearable bureaucracy, underpaid workers, and in some instances, threat to life.
Among the many hurdles, the people of Israel are left to face by themselves is the stagnation of the bureaucratic systems around the country. The health care committee, for example, has been left not knowing its budget for 2020.
That means that many patients don't know when or even if they will receive their required, often lifesaving treatments and medication.
One such patient is 41-year-old Adam Elgressy, who suffers from Crohn's disease and requires Stem Cell treatment. Even though he has already had no less than 21 operations, he still has one more to go, but he's still doesn't know when he may receive his last treatment.
"Patients like me have real chance to have full lives," says Elgressy. “If there's no budget to treat us, we'll be condemned to another year of barely functioning."
Shulamit Schwartz, who suffers from an aggressive form of lung cancer called Small-Cell Carcinoma (SCLC), is hoping that the medication needed to treat her disease will make it onto the list of state-subsidized medications.
"The clock for lung cancer patients is ticking," says Schwartz. “When you receive the news that you have one of the most aggressive types of cancer, you hear a clock ticking in your ear constantly. We pay the country to take care of us in our adult life, and now is the time for the country to take care of us."
The hospitals are also suffering from the political turmoil, with patients being treated in the hallways, and the staff themselves overworked from extreme shortage in manpower, and even though a Health Ministry committee deliberated on how to improve the situation in hospitals, the political stagnation means that there is no budget to implement any of its findings.
"The hospitals have many departments that are at over capacity all year long," says Prof. Avishay Elis, head of the Israel Society of Internal Medicine, who was also part of the committee. "In the report we submitted there are solutions that could be applied immediately, but there's no one left to start applying them."
Israel's education system is another casualty, and although the Education Ministry had plans that were already budgeted at approximately NIS 6 billion, the political state of flux means that these plans are on indefinite hold.
The immediate financial cost will be felt mostly by parents who will now be paying for their children's previously state-funded enrichment programs during the school holidays.
A program for special education students was meant to facilitate the inclusion of children with special needs in regular classrooms was supposed to start in the coming school year, but now that plan has been put on hold as well.
Teachers are, of course, also hurt by the political situation. There is no government to negotiate terms of employment with. “We have already said everything there is to say about teachers' employment conditions in Israel," says teacher Rachel Kenan.
“We’re dealing with low pay, embarrassing pensions, unpaid overtime, and the fact that student teachers need to pay out of their own pocket in order to train as educators."
Those dependent on the embarrassingly low disability stipend protested last February in order to have the sum increased. After widespread protests, the Knesset approved a gradual increase in the money they receive each month.
The law stated that after the initial increase, both the finance and welfare ministers “will discuss whether further increase in the disability stipend was needed."
Now those dependent on the increased income are left with no money and no answers.
Razit Ben-Broch is a 41-year old single mother, who is 100% disabled according to Israel's National Insurance Institute.
"I am suffering from Post-Traumic Stress Disorder, and I'm a single mother, every shekel is critical for me,” she says. “The stipend I'm forced to live on is not nearly enough for me and my daughter, for now, it seems unlikely we'll receive any increase."
Ben-Broch added: "I can't give my daughter the life she deserves, it's very sad that this is the life those who suffer from disability are forced to live in Israel."
Young children in need are also left to suffer, with approximately 200 teenagers out in the streets, waiting sometimes more than nine months for a place to open up in one of the few state-funded youth shelters.
In the meantime, these teenagers are left to roam the streets, commit crimes, abuse heavy drugs, and engage in sex work themselves in order to survive, simply because there's no approved budget in order to build additional shelters.
Miriam Peretz was one such girl. She was only 17 when she died of an overdose after waiting for more than nine months for a place to open up in one of the packed youth shelters near Jerusalem.
While she waited, Miriam's situation deteriorated, and she started using heavy drugs more and more frequently. Her life tragically ended after she overdosed in the house of an acquaintance in Jerusalem.
Ironically, those that aren't expected to be affected by the turmoil that has somehow worsened all of our everyday lives are the members of Knesset, who have awarded themselves a 3.5% raise in order to mark the new year.
After two dramatic rounds of elections, Israel is still without a functioning government, resulting in stagnation, red tape, unbearable bureaucracy, underpaid workers, and in some instances, threat to life.
Among the many hurdles, the people of Israel are left to face by themselves is the stagnation of the bureaucratic systems around the country. The health care committee, for example, has been left not knowing its budget for 2020.
That means that many patients don't know when or even if they will receive their required, often lifesaving treatments and medication.
One such patient is 41-year-old Adam Elgressy, who suffers from Crohn's disease and requires Stem Cell treatment. Even though he has already had no less than 21 operations, he still has one more to go, but he's still doesn't know when he may receive his last treatment.
"Patients like me have real chance to have full lives," says Elgressy. “If there's no budget to treat us, we'll be condemned to another year of barely functioning."
Shulamit Schwartz, who suffers from an aggressive form of lung cancer called Small-Cell Carcinoma (SCLC), is hoping that the medication needed to treat her disease will make it onto the list of state-subsidized medications.
"The clock for lung cancer patients is ticking," says Schwartz. “When you receive the news that you have one of the most aggressive types of cancer, you hear a clock ticking in your ear constantly. We pay the country to take care of us in our adult life, and now is the time for the country to take care of us."
The hospitals are also suffering from the political turmoil, with patients being treated in the hallways, and the staff themselves overworked from extreme shortage in manpower, and even though a Health Ministry committee deliberated on how to improve the situation in hospitals, the political stagnation means that there is no budget to implement any of its findings.
"The hospitals have many departments that are at over capacity all year long," says Prof. Avishay Elis, head of the Israel Society of Internal Medicine, who was also part of the committee. "In the report we submitted there are solutions that could be applied immediately, but there's no one left to start applying them."
Israel's education system is another casualty, and although the Education Ministry had plans that were already budgeted at approximately NIS 6 billion, the political state of flux means that these plans are on indefinite hold.
The immediate financial cost will be felt mostly by parents who will now be paying for their children's previously state-funded enrichment programs during the school holidays.
A program for special education students was meant to facilitate the inclusion of children with special needs in regular classrooms was supposed to start in the coming school year, but now that plan has been put on hold as well.
Teachers are, of course, also hurt by the political situation. There is no government to negotiate terms of employment with. “We have already said everything there is to say about teachers' employment conditions in Israel," says teacher Rachel Kenan.
“We’re dealing with low pay, embarrassing pensions, unpaid overtime, and the fact that student teachers need to pay out of their own pocket in order to train as educators."
Those dependent on the embarrassingly low disability stipend protested last February in order to have the sum increased. After widespread protests, the Knesset approved a gradual increase in the money they receive each month.
The law stated that after the initial increase, both the finance and welfare ministers “will discuss whether further increase in the disability stipend was needed."
Now those dependent on the increased income are left with no money and no answers.
Razit Ben-Broch is a 41-year old single mother, who is 100% disabled according to Israel's National Insurance Institute.
"I am suffering from Post-Traumic Stress Disorder, and I'm a single mother, every shekel is critical for me,” she says. “The stipend I'm forced to live on is not nearly enough for me and my daughter, for now, it seems unlikely we'll receive any increase."
Ben-Broch added: "I can't give my daughter the life she deserves, it's very sad that this is the life those who suffer from disability are forced to live in Israel."
Young children in need are also left to suffer, with approximately 200 teenagers out in the streets, waiting sometimes more than nine months for a place to open up in one of the few state-funded youth shelters.
In the meantime, these teenagers are left to roam the streets, commit crimes, abuse heavy drugs, and engage in sex work themselves in order to survive, simply because there's no approved budget in order to build additional shelters.
Miriam Peretz was one such girl. She was only 17 when she died of an overdose after waiting for more than nine months for a place to open up in one of the packed youth shelters near Jerusalem.
While she waited, Miriam's situation deteriorated, and she started using heavy drugs more and more frequently. Her life tragically ended after she overdosed in the house of an acquaintance in Jerusalem.
Ironically, those that aren't expected to be affected by the turmoil that has somehow worsened all of our everyday lives are the members of Knesset, who have awarded themselves a 3.5% raise in order to mark the new year.
Final deadline for forming new government expires after three months of fruitless coalition negotiations, propelling Israel into its third parliamentary vote in 12 months; new elections expected to take place on March 2, 2020
The Knesset was officially dissolved at midnight Wednesday as the deadline to form a new government passed, almost three months after Israel last went to the polls.
Members of Knesset were to vote overnight on the agreed date for snap election, which was expected to take place on March 2, 2020.
Earlier Wednesday, the Knesset passed the first reading of a bill to dissolve itself with the rest of the required readings set to be fast-tracked through parliament overnight.
But time ran out and Israel was automatically launched into its third election cycle within 12 months. All that was left for MKs was to determine the date of Election Day.
Israeli law states that should no government be formed within the allotted period after an election, parliament is dissolved and a fresh ballot will take place after 90 days. But that would clash with Purim holiday, forcing lawmakers to change the date.
The speedy movement on the legislation came after the Knesset Arrangements Committee agreed Wednesday morning to waive the usual period for passing a bill.
Blue and White MK Avi Nissenkorn presented the draft legislation, expressing his regret at the current political stalemate that led to this point.
"My heart aches today and I think that is true of all Knesset members. I thought, or at least hoped, that the laws I would pass would be social legislation and not proposals for the dissolution of the Knesset, but this is what is happening now," he said.
"It's a hard day for the Israeli public, each side thinks the other is to blame and I ask that we behave in a statesmanlike manner and that we see better days."
Barring a near impossible breakthrough in coalition efforts, the bill is expected to pass and set March 2, 2020 as the date of the unprecedented third round of elections within a 12-month period.
With the bill not passing before midnight, MKs were then left to vote on new elections would automatically be set for March 10.
The move prolongs a political stalemate that has paralyzed the government and undermined many citizens' faith in the democratic process.
Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud and his chief rival Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party have for weeks insisted they want to avoid another costly election campaign that is expected to produce similar results.
But neither has been willing to compromise on their core demands for a power-sharing agreement. Netanyahu's recent indictment on corruption charges has added a murky legal imbroglio to the saga.
Following the September elections, both men failed during their officially mandated time to form a governing coalition on their own. Then, in a final three-week window, they could not join forces to avoid another vote.
Both sides said they were working until the last minute to find some way out of the deadlock. However, a breakthrough seemed highly unlikely.
Given Israel's divided state, and the deep mistrust between the opposing camps, there is no guarantee that another vote will break the loop of elections and instability that has rocked the country for the past year.
Recent opinion polls have forecast a similar deadlock after the next elections.
Another campaign, and the national holiday of Election Day, will cost the economy billions.
The Knesset was officially dissolved at midnight Wednesday as the deadline to form a new government passed, almost three months after Israel last went to the polls.
Members of Knesset were to vote overnight on the agreed date for snap election, which was expected to take place on March 2, 2020.
Earlier Wednesday, the Knesset passed the first reading of a bill to dissolve itself with the rest of the required readings set to be fast-tracked through parliament overnight.
But time ran out and Israel was automatically launched into its third election cycle within 12 months. All that was left for MKs was to determine the date of Election Day.
Israeli law states that should no government be formed within the allotted period after an election, parliament is dissolved and a fresh ballot will take place after 90 days. But that would clash with Purim holiday, forcing lawmakers to change the date.
The speedy movement on the legislation came after the Knesset Arrangements Committee agreed Wednesday morning to waive the usual period for passing a bill.
Blue and White MK Avi Nissenkorn presented the draft legislation, expressing his regret at the current political stalemate that led to this point.
"My heart aches today and I think that is true of all Knesset members. I thought, or at least hoped, that the laws I would pass would be social legislation and not proposals for the dissolution of the Knesset, but this is what is happening now," he said.
"It's a hard day for the Israeli public, each side thinks the other is to blame and I ask that we behave in a statesmanlike manner and that we see better days."
Barring a near impossible breakthrough in coalition efforts, the bill is expected to pass and set March 2, 2020 as the date of the unprecedented third round of elections within a 12-month period.
With the bill not passing before midnight, MKs were then left to vote on new elections would automatically be set for March 10.
The move prolongs a political stalemate that has paralyzed the government and undermined many citizens' faith in the democratic process.
Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud and his chief rival Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party have for weeks insisted they want to avoid another costly election campaign that is expected to produce similar results.
But neither has been willing to compromise on their core demands for a power-sharing agreement. Netanyahu's recent indictment on corruption charges has added a murky legal imbroglio to the saga.
Following the September elections, both men failed during their officially mandated time to form a governing coalition on their own. Then, in a final three-week window, they could not join forces to avoid another vote.
Both sides said they were working until the last minute to find some way out of the deadlock. However, a breakthrough seemed highly unlikely.
Given Israel's divided state, and the deep mistrust between the opposing camps, there is no guarantee that another vote will break the loop of elections and instability that has rocked the country for the past year.
Recent opinion polls have forecast a similar deadlock after the next elections.
Another campaign, and the national holiday of Election Day, will cost the economy billions.
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