Source: New York Times, 5-13-13
The Israeli government was debating the final points of a two-year austerity budget early Tuesday that would cut spending and raise taxes, outraging many Israelis who voted in a new government this year after promises of economic relief….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 13, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/israel-political-brief-may-13-2013-israels-austerity-budget-draws-citizen-protests/
Source: JTA, 5-13-13
Israel’s Cabinet unanimously approved a proposal to moderate a cut to the defense budget, as part of sweeping austerity measures proposed for the 2013-2014 budget….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 13, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/israel-political-brief-may-13-2013-israels-cabinet-approves-reduced-defense-cuts/
Source: JTA, 5-9-13
Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni ordered her ministry to draft legislation that would make the gender-based segregation of women illegal….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 9, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/israel-political-brief-may-9-2013-justice-minister-tzipi-livni-moving-to-make-public-exclusion-of-women-illegal/
Source: Arutz Sheva, 5-5-13
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened the Cabinet for a special session in honor of the 46th Jerusalem Day at the Herzl Museum Sunday….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 5, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/israel-political-brief-may-5-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-at-weekly-cabinet-meeting-jerusalem-is-on-a-roll/
Source: PMO, 5-5-13
יום ראשון כ”ה אייר תשע”ג
Photo By GPO
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, which was held at the Herzl Museum on Mt. Herzl, in honor of Jerusalem Day:
“We are marking Jerusalem Day here in the museum on Mt. Herzl. Herzl said, ‘In Basel, I founded the Jewish State’ and in Jerusalem we are developing the Jewish State and ensuring its future.
There is no place more fitting from which to call on the children and citizens of Israel to come visit Jerusalem, to come to this museum, to see the greatness of this man, who was one of the giants of history. I think that it was his vision and his strength, which breathed life into a scattered and weak people that was unable to see to its own fate, that brought us here – to a new life. It would be proper for every boy and girl in Israel, and the many who visit here, to understand our roots, our ties to Zion and our obligation to continue developing our land and our state for the coming generations.
I am also pleased to tell you that we can mark a very important development in Jerusalem. In recent years, there has been very strong momentum in all areas: Education, culture, sports, transportation, tourism, and science and medicine. There has been very major development in all these areas. Jerusalem is becoming a modern metropolis with a very strong link to the past and a very promising leap to the future. This is exactly what Herzl envisioned; by the way, this is how he wrote about Jerusalem and about the entire Land of Israel.
I am pleased that we are cooperating on this. This meeting expresses the Government’s commitment to continue the momentum, along with the Municipality of Jerusalem and with all ministries, in all areas, so that this change, this turning point might continue unabated.”
Source: PMO, 5-5-13
יום ראשון כ”ה אייר תשע”ג
ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו בפתח ישיבת הממשלה השבועית שהתקיימה בסימן יום ירושלים בהר הרצל: “אנחנו מציינים כאן את יום ירושלים בהר הרצל, במוזיאון של חוזה המדינה. הרצל אמר: “בבאזל ייסדתי את מדינת היהודים” – ובירושלים אנחנו מפתחים את מדינת היהודים ומבטיחים את עתידה.
אין מקום ראוי יותר מלקרוא לאזרחי וילדי ישראל לבוא לבקר בירושלים, לבוא למוזיאון הזה, לראות את הגדולה של האיש הזה, שהיה אחד מענקי ההיסטוריה. אני חושב שהחזון והעוצמה שלו, שהפיח חיים בעם מפוזר וחלש שלא יכול היה לדאוג לגורלו, הם שהביאו אותנו לכאן- לחיים חדשים. ראוי שכל ילד וילדה בישראל וגם רבים שמבקרים כאן, יבינו מה השורשים שלנו, מה הקשר שלנו לציון והמחויבות שלנו להמשיך לפתח את ארצנו במולדתנו, ואת מדינתנו לדורות הבאים.
אני שמח גם לומר שבמעמד הזה אנחנו יכולים לציין התפתחות גדולה מאוד בירושלים. בשנים האחרונות יש תנופה חזקה מאוד בכל התחומים: בחינוך, בתרבות, בספורט, בתחבורה, בתיירות, במדע וברפואה, ישנה התפתחות גדולה מאוד. ירושלים הופכת להיות מטרופולין מודרני עם חיבור חזק מאוד לעבר והזנקה לעתיד מאוד מבטיח. זה בדיוק החזון של הרצל, אגב, כך הוא כתב על ירושלים, כמו שהוא כתב על ארץ ישראל כולה.
אני שמח שאנחנו משתפים פעולה בדבר הזה. הישיבה הזאת מבטאת את המחויבות של הממשלה להמשיך את התנופה, יחד עם עיריית ירושלים, בכל המשרדים ובכל האפיקים, כדי שהשינוי הזה, התפנית הזאת תימשך במלוא עוצמתה”.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 5, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/full-text-israel-political-brief-may-5-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-remarks-at-the-start-of-the-weekly-cabinet-meeting-about-jerusalem-day-yom-yerushalayim/
Source: JTA, 5-3-13
Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni reportedly refused to accept the 1967 border as the basis for a final Israeli-Palestinian border prior to negotiations….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 3, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/israel-political-brief-may-3-2013-israel-rejects-1967-borders-precondition/
Source: Arutz Sheva, 5-3-13
Finance Minister Yair Lapid agrees to increase the deficit target to 4.65% for 2013, after originally planning to increase it to 4.9%….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on May 3, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/israel-political-brief-may-3-2013-finance-minister-yair-lapid-agrees-to-raise-deficit-to-4-65/
Source: JTA, 4-22-13
Three Israeli airlines ended their two-day strike following a deal struck between the Finance Ministry and El Al….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on April 22, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/israel-brief-april-22-2013-israeli-airlines-end-strike-after-agreement-with-finance-ministry/
Source: The Times of Israel, 4-11-13
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked Finance Minister Yair Lapid to go back to the drawing board after being presented with a package of austerity measures aimed at shrinking the country’s NIS 39 billion deficit Thursday….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on April 11, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/israel-political-brief-april-11-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-said-to-push-back-against-yair-lapid-austerity-measures/
Source: Arutz Sheva, 4-7-13
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni announced Sunday that she would sponsor a law that would provide free legal help to Holocaust survivors who are seeking to reclaim property or benefits they were supposed to have received, but didn’t….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on April 7, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/israel-political-brief-april-7-2013-justice-minister-tzipi-livni-holocaust-survivors-deserve-free-legal-help/
Source: Jerusalem Post, 3-18-13
New Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein swore in the 33rd government on Monday evening, after it was approved with a majority of 68 MKs voting in favor, 48 against and four absent….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 18, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/israel-political-brief-march-18-2013-new-knesset-speaker-yuli-edelstein-swears-in-33rd-israeli-government/
Source: Nana 10, 3-18-13
ממשלת נתניהו השלישית יוצאת לדרך באופן רשמי, אחרי ש-68 חברי כנסת אישרו את קווי היסוד בהצבעה שמית במליאה. 48 חברי כנסת מהאופוזיציה התנגדו, ו-4 נעדרו מההצבעה. לאחר מכן 21 השרים עלו אחד-אחד לבימת הכנסת ונשבעו, רגע …לפני ישיבת הממשלה הראשונה והתמונה הקבוצתית המסורתית בבית הנשיא…
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 18, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/israel-political-brief-march-18-2013-the-knesset-approved-the-guidelines-of-the-new-government-ministers-are-sworn-in/
Source: Haaretz, 3-17-13
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held meetings on Sunday with Likud Knesset members and leading coalition partners to complete a last-minute cabinet shuffle, in advance of the swearing-in ceremony for Israel’s 33rd government on Monday….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 17, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/israel-political-brief-march-17-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-names-moshe-yaalon-as-defense-minister-gideon-saar-as-interior-minister/
Source: NRG, 3-16-13, במעריב
ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו נועד הערב (שבת) עם נשיא המדינה שמעון פרס והודיע לו כי הצליח במלאכת בהרכבת הממשלה.זאת בהתאם לחוק יסוד הממשלה, הדורש ממנו לעשות כן.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 16, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/israel-political-brief-march-16-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-informs-president-shimon-peres-i-have-formed-a-government/
Source: Ynetnews, 3-16-13
Prime minister informs president he’s succeeded in forming a government after signing coalition deal with Yesh Atid, Habayit Hayehudi; government to be sworn in Monday….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 16, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/israel-political-brief-march-16-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-informs-president-shimon-peres-we-have-a-government/
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 16, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/israel-political-brief-march-16-2013-after-arduous-negotiations-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-announced-the-establishment-of-the-33rd-government-to-president-shimon-peres/
Source: 3-15-13 כלכליסט
יו”ר מפלגת יש עתיד, יאיר לפיד, מגיב הערב (ו’) להסכמים הקואליציוניים שנחתמו מוקדם יותר אחר הצהריים. לאחר החתימה כתב לפיד בדף הפייסבוק שלו: “התגובות על המינוי שלי לשר האוצר התחלקו לשלוש קבוצות:ההקבוצה הראשונה היתה של אנשים שפשוט בירכו אותי. הם עשו זאת בזהירות, הביעו חשש מסיכויי ההצלחה, אבל אמרו שהם סומכים עלי ומעריכים את העובדה שאני הולך בעיניים פקוחות למקום הקשה ביותר בפוליטיקה הישראלית. אני מודה להם. קראו עוד בכלכליסט: הממשלה ה-33 יוצאת לדרך: יש עתיד והבית היהודי חתמו על ההסכמים הקואליציוניים · ההסכם הקואליציוני עם יש עתיד – המסמך …
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 15, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/israel-political-brief-march-15-2013-yair-lapid-if-i-fail-as-finance-minister-netanyahu-also-fails/
Source: Haaretz, 3-14-13
Netanyahu, right, and Lieberman at a Likud-Beiteinu faction meeting on March 14. Photo by Emil Salman
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to meet with Habayit Hayehudi chairman Naftali Bennett and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid on Thursday to sign a coalition agreement after a breakthrough the day before following weeks of negotiations.
The 33rd government of Israel is expected to be sworn in on Monday….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 14, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/israel-political-brief-march-14-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-naftali-bennett-yair-lapid-expected-to-sign-government-coalition-agreement-thursday/
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 14, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/israel-political-brief-march-14-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-likud-succeeded-in-keeping-top-ministry-portfolios/
Source: JPost, 3-14-13
Liberman and Netanyahu at Likud Beytenu faction meeting, Feb 5 2013 Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post
Likud Beytenu succeeded in retaining the most important portfolios for itself in coalition negotiations, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday as he neared signing a final agreement on the next government.
Speaking at a Likud Beytenu faction meeting, Netanyahu stated that he was finishing the work of building the coalition for the upcoming term which he said would be “one of the most difficult ever.”…
“I insisted that Likud Beytenu have a majority of ministers in government so we can get things done,” he stressed….READ MORE
Related:
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 14, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/israel-political-brief-march-14-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-likud-succeeded-in-keeping-top-ministries/
Negotiating teams of the Likud, Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid are working into the night to finalize the wording of the coalition agreement.
Source: Arutz Sheva, 3-13-13
Lapid, Netanyahu, Bennett
Arutz Sheva/Flash 90
According to the agreement being formed, Israel’s new government will look as follows:
Likud Beytenu
Avigdor Lieberman – Foreign Minister
Zeev Elkin – Deputy Foreign Minister
Moshe Yaalon – Defense Minister
Yair Shamir – Agriculture Minister
Yitzhak Aharonovitch – Minister of Internal Security
Sofa Landver – Immigration Absorption Minister
Uzi Landau – Tourism Minister
Gideon Saar or Gilad Erdan – Interior Minister
Yuli Edelstein – Knesset Speaker
The Likud will also get the Communications, Infrastructure, Strategic Affairs and Home Front Defense Ministries. The identity of each of these ministers has yet to be determined.
Yesh Atid
Yair Lapid – Finance Minister
Rabbi Shai Piron – Minister of Education
Yaakov Peri – Minister of Science
Meir Cohen – Welfare Minister
Yael German – Health Minister
Some reports indicated that MK Ofer Shelah may be appointed Deputy Defense Minister.
Bayit Yehudi
Naftali Bennett – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economics and Trade, the Diaspora and Jerusalem
Uri Ariel – Housing and Construction Minister who will also be in charge of the Israel Lands Administration
Uri Orbach – Pensioners’ Affairs Minister
Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan – Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs
Bayit Yehudi will also receive the chairmanship of the Knesset’s Finance Committee (to be given to either MK Nissan Slomianski or Ayelet Shaked), and one of its MKs will be appointed Deputy Minister of Education.
Hatnua
Tzipi Livni – Justice Minister
Amir Peretz – Environment Minister
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 13, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/israel-political-brief-march-13-2013-likud-bayit-yehudi-yesh-atid-negotiating-teams-meet-to-finalize-government-coalition-agreement/
Source: Ynet, 3-13-13
בדרך לממשלה: החינוך ליש עתיד, הפנים לליכוד. מתווה בנט יעניק את תיק החינוך לתנועתו של יאיר לפיד ואת תיק הפנים לליכוד. הבית היהודי תעמוד בראש ועדת הכספים והסיכום עם לבני על מינוי שר נוסף מהתנועה יאושר. נתניהו, בנט ולפיד ייפגשו בהמשך הערב. גורמים ביש עתיד: הכיוון חיובי. אולטימטום, איומים והצהרת כוונות נגמרו בהצעת פשרה: יו”ר יש עתיד יאיר לפיד יקבל את תיק החינוך עבור שי פירון ויוותר על דרישותיו לתפקיד שר הפנים. כך עולה מהצעת הפשרה שהציג הערב (יום ד’) יו”ר הבית היהודי נפתלי בנט, בתום פגישה בביתו של לפיד.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 13, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/israel-political-brief-march-13-2013-government-coalition-agreement-yesh-atid-gets-education-portfolio/
Source: Walla News, 3-13-13
בזו אחר זו נפלו בשבועות האחרונים הבטחות והצהרות הבחירות של בנימין נתניהו. הממשלה הקטנה שנכפתה עליו לא אפשרה לו לשלב שרים שנבחרו במקומות לא-ריאליים בליכוד; ההתעקשות על השוויון בנטל מצד יאיר לפיד השאירה את החרדים, השותפים הנאמנים, מחוץ לממשלה; והערב נפלו המשלטים האחרונים – תיק החינוך, שעליו הצהירו בליכוד שוב ושוב בימים האחרונים שיישאר בידי המפלגה – עבר לידי יש עתיד. מה עוד שכעת, גם אם משה כחלון יחזור מהארוורד המפנקת למנהל מקרקעי ישראל, כפי שהבטיח נתניהו, הוא יעשה זאת תחת אחריותו של שר השיכון החדש, אורי אריאל, תיק נוסף שראש הממשלה התחייב שיישאר בידי הליכוד.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 13, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/israel-political-brief-march-13-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-new-government-coalition-one-concession-after-another/
Source: Haaretz, 3-12-13
Yesh Atid had initially demanded a cabinet of 18 ministers, but has tentatively conceded to including eight deputy ministers as well….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 11, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/israel-political-brief-march-12-2013-yair-lapid-gets-his-way-new-government-limited-to-twenty-ministers/
Source: Ynetnews, 3-11-13
Likud-Beiteinu sources said that negotiations over the coalition between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives of Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi have reached agreement that the next government will include 20 ministers, as Yesh Atid demanded. Additionally, the government will name eight deputy ministers. Likud-Beiteinu agreed to fewer ministers on the condition that most of the ministers would be from their party….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 11, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/israel-political-brief-march-11-2013-agreement-next-government-coalition-will-be-20-ministers-8-deputy-ministers/
Source: Jerusalem Post, 3-11-13
Likud Beytenu on Monday said they “insist” on retaining the Education portfolio during talks with their potential coalition partners….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 11, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/israel-political-brief-march-11-2013-likud-beitenu-seek-to-hold-on-to-education-portfolio/
Source: PMO, 3-10-13
יום ראשון כ”ח אדר תשע”ג
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:
“Apparently, this will be this Cabinet’s last meeting. I would like to thank the ministers for their excellent work over the past four years. These were four years of continuous action, of setting goals and achieving them. I think that with the perspective of time, this Government will be remembered as one of the governments that achieved more than almost any other in the history of the State of Israel. The achievements are many, they are all-embracing. We will take a moment and discuss them during this meeting, but I think that we have led the State of Israel to a situation in which it is more secure, more prosperous, and has made more progress in all the areas in which we have been active. I think that this is our foremost goal; to lead the country to a better situation that the one in which we received it, and there is no doubt that this was done.
We did all of this while the world around us was changing for the worse. The regional situation is changing for the worse. The global economy is wobbly and unstable, and the State of Israel, in this sense, is in a better situation. We still face very great challenges; of course, in lowering the cost of living and housing, in equality in sharing the burden, and above all, the major security challenges, there are no other words, the major security challenges that are piling up around us. We will, of course, need to deal with these in the next government.
I expect that the ministers in the next government will take your actions as an example, ministers and deputy ministers. Your work will serve as an example for the next government and if we act with the same focus, the same cooperation, we will, in the next government, I am sure, be able to overcome the challenges that we face.”
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 10, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/10/full-text-israel-political-brief-march-10-2013-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-remarks-at-the-start-of-the-weekly-cabinet-meeting-thanks-32nd-government-cabinet-ministers/
Source: Haaretz, 3-8-13
Yesh Atid party chairman Yair Lapid will likely take the finance portfolio, sources said Friday, while Habayit Hayehudi chairman Naftali Bennett will be Israel’s next Labor, Trade and Industry minister….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 8, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/israel-political-brief-march-8-2013-israeli-coalition-to-be-announced-early-next-week-sources-say/
Source: JTA, 1-28-13
Israel’s Cabinet approved a plan to formalize the status of Bedouin settlement in the Negev….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on January 28, 2013
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/israel-political-brief-january-28-2013-knesset-approves-plan-to-recognize-bedouin-settlement/
Source: JTA, 12-9-12
Israel’s Cabinet approved a temporary exemption for haredi Orthodox yeshiva students from the military draft….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on December 9, 2012
http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/israel-political-brief-december-9-2012-israeli-cabinet-approves-temporary-military-draft-exemption-for-yeshiva-students/
Full Coverage of President Barack Obama's Middle East Tour & Israel Visit from March 20-23, 2013 @ Obama Israel Visit
