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The Fate of Evyatar

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Defense Minister Benny Gantz to delay the evacuation of the Samaria community of Evyatar until next week. Next week is when the next government is to be sworn in.

Sources in Judea and Samaria say the move is designed to prevent one of the last acts of Netanyahu’s government to be the destruction of a Jewish community.

Netanyahu prefers to hand over the decision to the designated prime minister, Naftali Bennett. Bennett is not expected to rush the order to demolish Evyatar, to either regulate the community or find a solution for the dozens of families who have moved to the new community near the Tapuach junction.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Netanyahu that he does not require anyone’s permission to evacuate the town of Evyatar in Samaria.

While the politicians take political jabs at each other, the potential demolition of Evyatar represents the loss of another Jewish community built on legally owned Jewish Sovereign land. When will Sovereignty be declared? The fact that all of Judea and Samaria is still under Civil Administration leaves us concerned for Israel’s future.

Sources:
Netanyahu asks Gantz to delay demolition of Evyatar until next week, by Arutz Sheva Staff, June 9, 2021

Benny Gantz: ‘I don’t need anyone’s approval to evacuate town of Evyatar’, by Orly Harari/Arutz Sheva, June 10, 2021

 

 

 

 

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Total Abandonment: Failure of Governance in the Negev

The details of the coalition agreements publicized in the media Monday evening reveal that Naftali Bennett and Gideon Saar are “not only failing to provide solutions but are exacerbating the problem,” with regard to governance in the Negev, the Regavim Movement warned.

Bennett and Saar have pledged in the coalition agreements to approach the Attorney General and demand that he cancel all fines and sanctions on illegal Arab construction. The agreement also calls for the freezing of enforcement against illegal construction for almost four years, and the freezing of the existing demolition orders for all illegal structures in the Negev that were built until the beginning of 2021. Mansour Abbas, head of the Islamist Raam party and a member of the emerging coalition, will be appointed a deputy minister and will receive half a billion shekels for distribution at his discretion. (Sound Kosher to you?)

Furthermore, the coalition agreements place both the Bedouin Settlement Authority and the Knesset’s Interior Committee, the key actors on the Negev issue, under the complete control of the left-wing bloc and Raam.

“Aside from approving the whitewashing of thousands of illegal structures on about 11,000 dunams of land to create ‘three new communities,’ the coalition agreements do not stipulate what will happen to the rest of the illegal Bedouin squatters’ camps nine months from now, and neither Bennett’s Yemina Party nor Saar’s New Hope Party will have the ability to influence the outcome in a government kept afloat by Mansour Abbas and the Islamist Raam Party,” Regavim stated.

Regavim has repeatedly warned that the state has lost its grip in the south and sovereignty in the southern region of Israel has been relinquished to an autonomous entity established by the Bedouins in the Negev. More and more illegal enclaves continue to spring up throughout the territory – and all the while, the Israeli government continues to turn a blind eye.

Source:
New Govt. Coalition Agreement Abandons Negev, Org Warns, by Aryeh Savir/TPS, June 8, 2021

 

 

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Deadline For Swearing-In Delayed. Will This Help Netanyahu?

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin formally notified the parliament on Monday that Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid has succeeded in forming a new power-sharing government within the time allotted to him by President Reuven Rivlin. However, he didn’t give a date for the swearing-in, which must by law take place no later than June 14.

The move was widely seen as an indication that Levin is trying to delay the swearing-in as much as possible in order to give the premier’s allies time to foil the coalition by persuading prospective right-wing members to jump ship. Levin is a loyalist of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Likud party.

Israel’s new government is facing a crisis of legitimacy Naftali Bennet’s party won only 6% of the vote. He is set to take the reins of government, while the party that won the most votes is being pushed out of office and into opposition. The crisis is exacerbated by the fact that Bennett betrayed most of his promises to his voters, including a pledge not to govern with Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid, or with Arab parties. Let’s not forget that several Yamina members like MK Ayelet Shaked, are under heavy security due to public outrage and death threats over forming an alliance with the Arab Ra’am Party. The public outrage is such that Israel’s security officials are worried it will turn violent. Critics on the right of the political spectrum are being silenced. Why?

If a vote is reached to swear-in Bennett and Lapid, what is on the horizon for the Israeli people? Getting ready for change is always a challenge but facing the prospect of concessions to Arabs and a loss of Sovereignty of the land and its people hang over Israel now like a dark cloud. With this entire process in crisis, can the Bennett – Lapid government really be called a Unity Party?

Sources:
Buying time for Netanyahu, speaker declares Lapid coalition but doesn’t set vote, by Michael Bachner/Times of Israel, June 6, 2021

What sort of government are Lapid and Bennett forming?, by Caroline Glick/Jewish News Syndicate, June 7, 2021

Benjamin Netanyahu Calls New Israeli Government ‘Biggest Election Scam, Maybe, in History’, by Joel B. Pollak/Breitbart, June 6, 2021

 

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Shameful Surrender to Terrorism

Israel Police held a meeting today with the organizers of the flag parade, which was scheduled to take place on Thursday in Jerusalem. The organizers were informed by Commissioner Kobi Shabtai that the parade would be canceled entirely.

Senior Police Jerusalem District officials met Monday with the parade organizers to discuss changing its route. According to one source, the police intended to allow only MK Itamar Ben-Gvir to march under heavy security in keeping with his parliamentary immunity, and not any others besides him.

Chairman of the Religious Zionism party MK Bezalel Smotrich was livid on Monday and issued a statement saying: “A shameful surrender to terrorism and Hamas threats. The police commissioner is unable to defend marchers with Israeli flags on the streets of Jerusalem and is unable to protect the Jewish residents of Lod, Ramla, and Acco. Now he is also making Yahya Sinwar the one who runs Jerusalem. The people of Israel are alive and worthy of a different leadership. Stronger and more determined. We will continue to march proudly through the streets of all of Jerusalem and settle everywhere in it we want.”

Smotrich’s partner, Otzma Yehudit chairman MK Ben-Gvir released a similar statement: “The police commissioner surrenders to Hamas and folds the flag. I plan to walk the full route on Thursday.”

Israeli Security forces exist for the purpose of providing security to the Israeli people at a time like this, not to bow down to terrorists. Is this the type of decision that can be expected in a Unity government? The cancellation of Flag Day is a blatant threat to Israel’s Sovereignty. Period.

Source:
Jerusalem Police Cowers before Hamas’ Threats, Cancels Israeli Flags Procession, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 7, 2021

 

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Terror Tunnel Found Under UNRWA School

A tunnel used by Palestinian militants in Gaza was discovered under one of the schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency last month.

The UNRWA Zaitoun Preparatory Boys’ School “A” and Elementary Boys’ School “A” was one of two of the organization’s facilities damaged during the 11-day Gaza attacks on Israel that ended on May 21.

At the end of May, UNRWA found what “appears to be a cavity and a possible tunnel, at the location of the missile strike,” the organization reported over the weekend.

“UNRWA condemns the existence and potential use by Palestinian armed groups of such tunnels underneath its schools in the strongest possible terms. It is unacceptable that students and staff be placed at risk in such a way,” the organization stated.

That the tunnel was found under a PA school tells us the school is being used as a shield by terrorists looking to harm Israel. Enough said.

AFSI looks forward to David Bedein’s comment on this – Thursday @ 1:00pm. Don’t forget to register for our Zoom meeting with him!

Source:
UNRWA finds attack tunnel under one of its Gaza schools, by Tovah Lazaroff/Jerusalem Post, June 6, 2021

 

 

 

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Has Israel Formed A Government?

Negotiations between a broad coalition of parties from across the spectrum lasted until almost midnight deadline; coalition agreement includes Arab party for the first time in Israel’s history; deal sidesteps the threat of a fifth round of elections since April 2019

An amalgam of parties from across the political spectrum reached agreement Wednesday night to form a government that spells the end of Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12 years as prime minister. Or does it?

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid struck deals with his partners in the so-called ‘coalition for change’ with less than an hour to go before a midnight deadline that would have seen the mandate for forming a government returned to President Reuven Rivlin and likely sent Israel into its fifth round of elections since April 2019.

That was last night. The Times of Israel reported just today that the attempt to quickly swear in the new government appears to be off the table as Joint List support was rejected. Lapid and Bennett wanted to oust Likud’s Knesset speaker so the coalition could take office next week, but were derailed by Yamina MK Nir Orbach who opposed the move. Orbach considered resigning and is fed up with Bennett reneging on his pledges.

Orbach seems to have been brought back into the fold after meeting with Bennett, but the Yesha Council, and many Likud members who favor expansion in Judea and Samaria are having emergency meetings. There are many MKs who are truly right wing and in all likelihood are not happy with this move. We hope at least one comes to their senses. That’s all it takes to topple this coalition.

Talk about making deals with the devil! This cobbled together group is so disparate in its goals and beliefs that if it gets off the ground it’s bound to crash! Things are moving very quickly in Israel let’s pray they move in the right direction.

An astute OpEd from today’s Arutz Sheva puts all this into context.

Source:
Bid to quickly swear in gov’t appears off table as Joint List support rejected, by Michael Bachner and TOI Staff, June 3, 2021

A government doomed for divorce – or annulment, by Rabbi Prof. Dov Fischer/Arutz Sheva, June 3, 2021

Lapid informs Rivlin he has succeeded in forming a government, by Ynetnews.com, June 2, 2021

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AFSI Congratulates Isaac Herzog on Being Elected Israel’s 11th President

Isaac Herzog, the chairman of the Jewish Agency and former chief of Israel’s Labor Party, was elected President of Israel Wednesday. Herzog is the son of Israel’s Sixth President, Chaim Herzog.

Israel Prize laureate, bereaved mother, and educator Miriam Peretz faced off against Herzog. Herzog won by a wide margin, receiving 87 votes to Peretz’s 26, the Knesset announced Wednesday afternoon. Six MKs abstained from the vote.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid congratulated Herzog in a statement shortly after the results were released. “I congratulate my friend, Isaac ‘Bougie’ Herzog on his election as President of the State of Israel. A worthy and wonderful man who is always focused on the good of the country and the Jewish people. Good luck Mr. President!”

AFSI sends its best wishes and hatzlacha to Isaac Herzog on his election as President of the State of Israel. We look forward to his service to the Jewish people and to the new paths he will forge between Israel and the Diaspora. We are confident his tenure will also lead Israel to continued prosperity and development for the next generation.

Source:
Isaac Herzog elected as President of Israel, by Arutz Sheva Staff, June 2, 2021

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ICC Plays Deaf. PA Fueling ICC Investigation Into Israel

Whereas the United States has made statements promising renewed financial support to the Palestinian Authority, the PA is ineligible for US funding. According to US law to be eligible for funding from the Economic Support Fund (ESF), the PA must not “initiate” or “actively support” any International Criminal Court investigation “that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians.”

Palestinian Media Watch’s (PMW) recent report reveals that the Head of the PA Attorney’s Office for International Legal Cooperation Jamil Sajadiyeh admitted that the PA, ignoring the above US condition, is very actively supporting investigations against Israelis at the ICC:

“Around 80 meetings have been held between Palestine and the ICC, of course with the office of [ICC] General Prosecutor [Fatou Bensouda]. There are nearly 60 cases and letters that have been submitted, all of them telling about the Israeli violations. Monthly reports are being submitted to the ICC via the general prosecutor through the [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” [Official PA TV, Palestine This Morning, May 25, 2021]

United States law is very clear. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 passed in January 2014 prohibited Economic Support Fund (ESF) aid if the PA “initiate an International Criminal Court judicially authorized investigation, or actively support such an investigation, that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians.” The same provision has been adopted every year since, most recently as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, passed in December 2020.

According to PMW, there is no doubt that the PA initiated the ICC investigation against Israel. Does this surprise you? It doesn’t surprise AFSI. The fact that Fatou Bensouda turned a deaf ear to the Consolidated Appropriations Act and allowed the PA to go forth in blatant violation of it is a breach of her duties. It’s also pure anti-Semitism. We don’t need to go any further to find an explanation for her disgusting and politically biased actions.

Source:
The PA met 80 times with the ICC – mocking and violating conditions for US funding, by Itamar Marcus/Palestinian Media Watch, May 31, 2021

 

 

 

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In Formation: Bennett Announces His Plan to Form A Government

Yamina leader Naftali Bennett delivered his long-awaited announcement on Sunday that he would join a government with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. Bennett seeks to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he accused of leading Israel to national suicide for his own personal reasons.

Yesh Atid and Yamina began negotiations immediately following the announcement on Sunday night in an effort to reach an agreement by Wednesday’s deadline. If formed, Lapid and Bennett have agreed that Bennett will serve first as prime minister until September 2023, and Lapid will take over until the term ends in November 2025.

Likud has been trying its best to torpedo the move of this dangerous formation. Just this morning, Likud sent a letter to the president, the president’s legal counsels and the Knesset asking not to approve the move. Their reasoning is that as long as Lapid does not present the president with the exact composition of the government portfolios and additional details about it, nothing should be approved.

Likud demands that the president make it clear to Lapid that if he does not present the full details of his proposed government by midnight on Wednesday, the mandate would pass to the Knesset for 21 days. If at the end of the three weeks during which the mandate is in the Knesset and its members fail to form a government, Israel would go to the polls in accordance with the law and the president would have no discretion on the issue.

It should also be understood that Likud wrote the two legal counsels: “You are also asked to clarify to MK Yair Lapid that according to the Basic Law: Government, a Knesset member who is assigned to form a government cannot be an alternative prime minister but must head the government in its first term.” The argument has already been rejected.

Important to keep in mind is that during Ra’am chief Mansour Abbas’ recent meeting with Ayelet Shaked, Abbas demanded that one of his party’s lawmakers be appointed deputy interior minister. Shaked, who reports have indicated will be interior minister if the government if formed, was said to express fierce opposition to the demand. Any demands by the Arab faction are troubling for Israel.

The ever astute Caroline Glick, conveys a clear list of the problems a Unity government presents. “The leftist government that Bennett and Shaked are about to form will not be able to oppose Biden’s policies because most of its cabinet ministers support those policies. And this spells the demise of the Abraham Accords. The rationale for those peace deals is Arab faith in Israel’s willingness to confront Iran even in defiance of the US. Once that is gone, the Abraham Accords will be dead in the water.

The leftist government that Bennett and Shaked are now forming will guarantee that the Palestinian Authority will complete its seizure of Area C, endangering Israel’s strategic interests and imperiling its communities in Judea and Samaria. Most of the members of the government object to any steps to secure Israel’s rights and strategic interests in the areas. Not only are they themselves ideologically committed to undermining Israel’s rights in Judea and Samaria. They will never dare to defy the Biden administration, which supports Palestinian land theft.”

There are MKs in Yamina who are still hesitant about joining the formation of what has the potential to be a dangerous left-wing government. They see it as radical, weak and a threat to Israel’s security. The Israeli people have been through enough but is settling for this type of government what they should tolerate? We agree! However, Israel is a Sovereign nation. We in the diaspora,have to wait and see how this plays out and pray for a government that guarantees Sovereignty and security.

Sources:
Bennett announces plan to form gov’t with Lapid that will oust Netanyahu, by Gil Hoffman/Jerusalem Post, May 30, 2021

The strategic consequences of Bennett’s megalomania, by Caroline Glick/Israel Hayom, May 30, 2021

Ra’am chief meets Shaked, reportedly demands deputy interior minister role, by TOI Staff, May 31, 2021

Likud Fighting Tooth and Nail to Prevent an Increasingly Inevitable Bennett-Lapid Government, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 1, 2021

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Israel Will Deny Iran Nuclear Weapons

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that he would not shy away from a clash with the US as part of his efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear program to ensure Israel’s survival.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for newly appointed Mossad chief David Barnea, Netanyahu vowed that “Israel will deny Iran nuclear weapons” even if that complicates its relations with “our greatest friend: the United States.”

According to Netanyahu, Israel might have to ultimately choose between “friction with the US and removing an existential threat” and it will choose the latter, which he said was constantly growing, but he added that he hoped Israel would not have to make that choice.

Netanyahu added: “The greatest threat we face is the existential threat created by Iran’s attempts to get nuclear weapons. This could be in the form of threatening us – a small and clustered country – with annihilation, or with tens of thousands of missiles that would get a nuclear umbrella. This could pose a threat to the Zionist enterprise and we must counter this without stopping.”

Netanyahu certainly has Israel’s most pressing issue at the top of the list. We applaud him for holding firm in assuring that Iran NEVER gets nuclear weapons.

Source:
PM vows to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions even at cost of ‘friction with US’, by Lilach Shoval/Israel Hayom, June 1, 2021

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