Author: AFSI Staff

The Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee deals with many issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including the rehabilitation of disabled IDF veterans and families of victims of war and terror. It also controls the IDF soldiers’ pay regulations. As of this week, chairmanship of the committee has been awarded to the Joint Arab List.

The committee is expected to include four Blue and White members, four Likud, two from the Joint Arab List including the committee chairman, and one representative each from all the other Knesset factions. The Arab list has yet to make a decision on which of its MKs will chair the committee.

“This committee has been a home to the victims of terrorism. The legislation that helped the children whose two parents were murdered was made there, and many more bills and amendments.” ~Meir Indor, Almagor Terror Victims Association.

We can only hope that with the formation of the Unity government and the collapse of Blue and White, the make-up and leadership of these committees will be reconsidered.

Sources:
Joint Arab List Gets Chairmanship of Committee Dealing with Compensating Terror Victims by David Israel. The Jewish Press – March 24, 2020

Joint List MK sends Arab Mother’s Day greetings to terror moms by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – March 25, 2020

The American Zionist Movement, which administered the US Election for the 38th World Zionist Congress, published a statement today on results from the recent election.

The seven-week US election for the World Zionist Congress garnered almost 124,000 votes, more than double the turnout of the last election in 2015 and the highest number of votes since the election began for the entire American Jewish community 30 years ago.

AFSI members are thrilled that the the right-wing coalitions came in ahead of the left-wing. This means we now have GREAT SUPPORT for issues dealing with Judea and Samaria, along with everything else we care and love about Israel!!

Preliminary results:
Vote Reform: 31,500
Orthodox Israel Coalition – Mizrachi: 21,698
Eretz Hakodesh: 20,023
MERCAZ USA: 14,666
ZOA Coalition: 10,313
American Forum for Israel: 8,132
Hatikvah: 7,932
Shas Olami: 2,046
Kol Yisrael: 1,752
Dorshei Torah V’Tziyon: 1,373
Herut Zionists: 1,157
Vision: 1,036
Americans4Israel: 857
Israel Shelanu: 769
Ohavei Zion: 375
2020 TOTAL AS OF THIS WRITING: 123,629

Source:
American Zionist Movement preliminary results by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – March 23, 2020

Israeli generic drug giant Teva announced Friday that it will provide ten million doses of its anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. This drug could potentially prove effective in fighting the coronavirus pandemic will be sent to US hospitals free of charge.

The company said six million doses will be delivered to US hospitals by March 31, and more than ten million in a month.

“We are committed to helping to supply as many tablets as possible as demand for this treatment accelerates at no cost,” Teva executive vice president Brendan O’Grady said.

Source:
Teva to send US millions of malaria pills with potential to help COVID-19 by AFP and TOI Staff – March 20, 2020

Efrat Mayor Oded Revivi on Saturday night said that there are 23 members in the Efrat community who tested positive for the coronavirus. All of them live in the Tamar neighborhood.

“I need you to keep davening and keep doing mitzvahs,” Eli Beer said in a video before being put under sedation. We ask our readers to have AFSI friend and colleague, Eli Beer – Eliezer Yehuda ben Chaya, in mind for a refuah shlema. He is on a respirator and though listed in serious condition, he is stable.

Americans For A Safe Israel prays that everyone in Israel, and worldwide, who has been diagnosed by the coronavirus, have a complete and speedy recovery. AMEN, AMEN.

Sources:
Efrat mayor: 23 confirmed coronavirus patients by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – March 21, 2020

Coronavirus: United Hatzalah’s Eli Beer intubated in Miami hospital by Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman. Jerusalem Post – March 22, 2020

In breaking news just moments ago, Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz has agreed to a unity government in which Benjamin Netanyahu will serve as prime minister first.

Former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi reportedly supports the compromise, but party leaders Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya’alon are opposed to any deal which would allow Netanyahu to remain in office. The dispute could lead to the breakup of the Blue and White party.

Source:
Gantz agrees: Netanyahu to be PM first by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – March 19, 2020

Don’t recognize the photo shown here? It’s MK Heba Yazbak of the Joint Arab List. Here’s what we know about her:

Past Arabic interviews given by Yazbak reveal her battle against Zionism and ambition to eliminate Zionism and the State of Israel’s Jewish and Zionist character.

Said Yazbak about the Joint Arab List, “This plan opposes and fights the country’s Zionism and prides itself of divesting the country of its Jewish and Zionist existence, and at the same time preserves our national identity, without sacrificing full citizenship…”

Yazbak has praised terrorists who murdered Israelis, including expressing regret over the elimination of terrorist Samir Kuntar, who smashed the skull of 4 year-old Einat Haran in the 1979 Nahariya terror attack, and whom she called a “hero.”

WAKE UP! Unfamiliar photos and names along with exposing their documented hatred of Israel could be the norm in AFSI newsletters if Gantz formed a government. Unfortunately, a small segment of the Israeli people, and IDF leaders who fought vigorously to defend Israel and the right for Jews to live in freedom and security, sided with Gantz. We pray that this segment of Israelis will come to their senses and understand the real danger that lies ahead if Gantz were to succeed.

Source:
Heba Yazbak: ‘We’ll divest Israel of its Jewishness and Zionism’ by Dalit halevi. Arutz Sheva – March 18, 2020

The young community of Nofei Nehemiah was connected to the national electricity grid on Sunday. This good news comes three weeks after Prime Minister Netanyahu approved attaching the outposts to electricity and water infrastructure.

Nofei Nehemiah chairman Barak Farkash said: “We are very excited, beyond the individual delight of Nofei Nehemiah, there is a general elation of the young community here. This is an important and groundbreaking move that hasn’t taken place for a while in Judea and Samaria. We are happy to be the first groundbreakers.”

Source:
Netanyahu makes good on promise to Judea and Samaria communities by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – March 19, 2020

Israel and the PA have set up a joint operations room to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Revealed by PA government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem, this was also confirmed by a Defense Ministry official.

“Our shared borders and relations do not leave room for hesitation to take severe measures and cooperate on the highest levels to prevent the spread of the virus,” Milhem said Tuesday.

After the cornonavirus pandemic dies down, what does the future hold for continued cooperation on the part of the Arabs respecting Israel’s legal right to exist as a safe and Sovereign nation? It remains to be seen what this major health crisis teach the detractors of Israel.

Source:
Israel, Palestinians set up joint operations room to combat coronavirus by Khaled Abu Toameh. Jerusalem Post – March 18, 2020

Last night, President Reuven Rivlin announced that he would task Blue and White chairman MK Benny Gantz with forming the government.

The announcement follows President Rivlin’s meetings with heads of the Knesset political parties on Sunday.

This is not a decision we wanted to hear. We do not know how this move by President Rivlin will play out and it seems Gantz’s chances of forming a government are slim. We hope that in the coming weeks Israel’s politicians come to their senses and can form a government that truly favors the security and Sovereignty of the Jewish people and Israel.

Sources and Further Reading:
15 Anti-Zionist Arab MKs Can’t Be Wrong: President Tasks Gantz with Forming Israel’s Government, by David Israel. The Jewish Press – March 16, 2020

Wife of murdered rabbi attacks Gantz: ‘You granted legitimacy to murderers’ by Yael Shevach. Arutz Sheva – March 16, 2020
AFSI knows and has visited with Yael Shevach

Leaders of right-wing parties refuse to meet with Benny Gantz, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – March 16, 2020

In a surreal ceremony, Israel’s 23rd Knesset convened on Monday in the shadow of the COVID-19 outbreak. To avoid the spread of the virus, Israel’s 120 lawmakers were inducted in batches of three. Their usual festive opening remarks were given in an empty hall.

President Reuven Rivlin opened this year’s swearing-in with an address to the only three lawmakers present: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein.

Rivlin implored the political parties to resolve their differences and form a coalition, putting an end to the deadlock that has left the country without a functioning government since December 2018.

Source:
In surreal scenes, Knesset sworn in 3 members at a time amid virus crisis by TOI Staff. Times of Israel – March 16, 2020