Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Thursday, May. 19 '16, Iyar 11, 5776
HEADLINES:
1. YA'ALON RIPS LIBERMAN APPOINTMENT: 'THIS IS NOT TRUE LEADERSHIP'
2. EGYPTIAN AIRLINER EXPLODES MID-AIR, CRASHES INTO MEDITERRANEAN
3. BENNETT GIVES UP ON FOREIGN MINISTRY
4. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY UPSET ABOUT LIBERMAN ENTERING GOVERNMENT
5. 'ITS A SYNAGOGUE, CHURCH, AND MOSQUE ALL IN ONE'
6. TOP LIKUD OFFICIAL LASHES AT 'BAD' YA'ALON FOR HARMING THE PARTY
7. ARABS TURN TO SUPREME COURT TO IMPORT NON-KOSHER MEAT
8. HERZL DAY POLL: ZIONIST VISION ISN'T COMPLETE YET
1. YA'ALON RIPS LIBERMAN APPOINTMENT: 'THIS IS NOT TRUE LEADERSHIP'
by David Rosenberg
As a coalition agreement with Yisrael Beytenu appears imminent, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon spoke out on Thursday about his likely successor and the emerging deal that would transfer the Defense Ministry from Yaalon to Avigdor Liberman.
Speaking at a conference for the IDF's Nahal infantry units, Yaalon blasted his critics and made thinly veiled references to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the decision to hand over the Defense Ministry to Liberman.
"The [leadership's] moral compass has been lost regarding basic issues, issues that to me are quite obvious," said Yaalon.
Yaalon hinted that Israel's political leadership had abandoned good judgment in favor of short-term political gain.
"Even if it appears that [doing the right thing] will cost you in the short-run – [if they say] this isn't popular, this isn't populist, the polls say so – I don't believe in that. Our former president once said 'Polls are like perfume, they smell nice, and then dissipate quickly.' Following a [moral] compass is still the right way to [lead], and it's also a question of leadership."
"What is leadership? To go along with worshipping the golden calf? There's so many examples in history of this kind of thing, so if I would need to give some 'golden' advice, it would be to not permit golden calves, but to go according to a moral compass."
Yaalon's impending departure from the Defense Ministry follows weeks of strained tensions with the Prime Minister, who chided him over his support of Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan in the wake of statements Golan made comparing Israel to pre-Holocaust Europe.
Even as the controversy appeared to die down, Yaalon and Netanyahu again clashed over the right of senior army officials to weigh in on hot-button political issues.
"Keep saying what is on your mind. Do this even if it's against the mainstream, and even if it goes against the ideas and positions of senior commanders or the political leadership," Yaalon told IDF officials.
"Do not be afraid, do not hesitate, do not be deterred. Continue to be brave not only on the battlefield, but also around the negotiating table."
Netanyahu quickly rebuked his Defense Minister, saying that the army was subordinate to the political leadership.
"IDF commanders express their opinions freely in the relevant forums on issues under their responsibility," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. "The IDF is the people's army and must be kept out of political debates."
2. EGYPTIAN AIRLINER EXPLODES MID-AIR, CRASHES INTO MEDITERRANEAN
by David Rosenberg
EgyptAir flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar early Thursday morning. Egyptian officials believe that the a mid-air explosion cause the plane to crash into the Mediterranean. Egypt's Sherif Ismail said that all possible causes of the explosion were being examined - including terrorism.
Airline officials initially said the plane emitted no distress signal prior to it disappearing from radar, but later stated that in fact the plane's emergency beacon had been detected some two hours after the last radar contact.
The crew of a ship not far from the plane's last known location claimed to have seen a huge fireball in the sky.
The Airbus A320 plane took off from the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris at 11:09 p.m. (CEST) last night, carrying 56 passengers and 10 crew members.
In the middle of the flight, radio contact with the plane was lost, and the flight disappeared from radar.
While there has been no formal confirmation that flight MS804 did indeed crash, an Egyptian aviation official told AP that mounting evidence tended to support that conclusion.
"The possibility that the plane crashed has been confirmed," said the official.
A search has now begun for debris from the crashed plane off the Greek island of Karpathos.
French security officials said they were not ruling out terrorism as a possible cause of the crash.
Last October an Airbus A321 jetliner operated by the Russian Metrojet company crashed in the Sinai Peninsula, likely the result of a bomb smuggled onboard by ISIS terrorists. An EgyptAir mechanic with ties to ISIS is suspected of sneaking the bomb onto the Metrojet plane.
The ISIS terror group later claimed responsibility for the attack.
3. BENNETT GIVES UP ON FOREIGN MINISTRY
by Ari Yashar
In response to speculation of a portfolio shakeup caused by Yisrael Beytenu's anticipated imminent entry into the coalition, Jewish Home on Thursday issued a statement revealing it doesn't intend to change up any of its ministerial posts.
"The Jewish Home party isn't interested in changing portfolios. The ministers are happy with their roles," read the terse statement from Education Minister Naftali Bennett's party.
Political sources on Wednesday night anticipated that Bennett would be given the influential post of Foreign Minister following Yisrael Beytenu's entry, but the statement indicates he is content with his current post.
Currently Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is serving as Foreign Minister in addition to his role as Prime Minister, with Likud's Tzipi Hotovely in effect running the ministry as Deputy Foreign Minister.
It was predicted that after Bennett went to the Foreign Ministry, current Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of his party would fill his spot as Education Minister, and Tourism Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) would take her role. However, as noted Jewish Home has ruled out any attempt to upgrade its portfolios.
Given the Jewish Home statement, it would appear that Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) will likely be offered the post of Foreign Minister, as Netanyahu has agreed to Yisrael Beytenu head MK Avigdor Liberman's request to be given Ya'alon's job as Defense Minister.
On Wednesday night sources close to Ya'alon said that despite reports he has not been offered the Foreign Ministry yet.
The talk of a government reshuffle comes after Liberman held a press conference on Wednesday laying out his terms for joining Netanyahu's governing coalition. Shortly thereafter the Prime Minister extended an invitation to Liberman to discuss the prospect.
While the talks have not yet concluded, sources said on Wednesday night that barring any last minute surprises, a coalition agreement could be signed as soon as Thursday.
4. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY UPSET ABOUT LIBERMAN ENTERING GOVERNMENT
by Ari Yashar
Yisrael Beytenu chairperson Avigdor Liberman's imminent entry to the coalition government has been evoking numerous responses in Israel, but the Palestinian Authority (PA) also saw fit to comment on the developments Thursday morning.
Liberman is apparently to be given his request of taking over the post of Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud), a portfolio that would give him great control over the goings-on in Judea and Samaria.
"Liberman's joining the government is a renewed emphasis on the lack of a true peace partner in Israel, and on the correctness of the Palestinian approach to internationalize the Palestinian issue," read a statement from the PA's foreign ministry published by Channel 2.
The talk of the lack of peace partner is ironic, given that the PA torpedoed the last peace talks in April 2014 by signing a unity deal with Hamas, after repeatedly refusing to recognize Israel's existence as the Jewish state.
"This decision is (Prime Minister Binyamin) Netanayhu's response to the French efforts to revive the peace process between the sides," the statement added in reference to the new French initiative to press peace talks.
That initiative is based on the 2002 Saudi initiative, by which Israel would make massive concessions in return for paper agreements from its Arab neighbors not to attack - Israel has flatly rejected the French push.
According to the PA, Yisrael Beytenu's entry "sends a strong message to the world that Israel prefers radicalism, and commemorates occupation and settlements over peace."
Liberman is known for his "radical right-wing opinions towards the Palestinians," according to the PA, which claimed that Netanyahu has always preferred to advance "radicalism" in his government.
"These developments in the government are not a surprise to those who followed the daily activities, and after the breaches by the radicals of Netanyahu's government against the Palestinian nation, which exposes the racist, radical and violent policy of Netanyahu's government from its very first day," wrote the PA.
Liberman, who lives in Nokdim in Judea's Gush Etzion region, listed the implementation of the death penalty for terrorist murderers as one of his conditions to join the government.
Israel has a death penalty on the lawbooks but has only used it once in 1962 against Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann. Yisrael Beytenu proposed a bill to apply the law to terrorist murderers last July, but only members of Liberman's party supported it and it was consequentially defeated.
Despite the PA's accusations of "extremism," Liberman has been called out for not taking any right-wing actions in his previous positions of power, and of promoting a leftist agenda seen in his election campaign calling to give up the "triangle" region in the north where over 300,000 Arab citizens of Israel live as part of creating a Palestinian state.
5. 'ITS A SYNAGOGUE, CHURCH, AND MOSQUE ALL IN ONE'
by David Rosenberg
An interfaith group is laying the groundwork for what will likely be the world's first ever joint house of prayer.
The center of worship, which will be called the "House of One," will combine simultaneous Jewish, Muslim, and Christian prayer services.
The House of One is planned to be built on the site of Berlin's first church, the Petrikirche.
One of the organizers of the interfaith group behind the planned church/mosque/synagogue, Rabbi Tovia Ben Chorin, said that the House of One is a reminder that despite the dark history of Berlin in the 20th century it is now a center of tolerance.
"For me as a Jew, this city is the 'city of wounds' and the 'city of miracles.' In this place our systematic extermination was planned. And it is from this city that an answer has emerged," said Ben Chorin.
He also suggested that Berlin could become a model for cultural integration and religious tolerance. "[I]t is a multicultural city, the idea will spread to different countries all over the world."
Construction of the building is slated to begin next year.
6. TOP LIKUD OFFICIAL LASHES AT 'BAD' YA'ALON FOR HARMING THE PARTY
by Hezki Baruch
A senior Likud official on Thursday afternoon spoke about Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's decision to give Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's (Likud) portfolio to MK Avigdor Liberman, as part of bringing his Yisrael Beytenu party into the coalition.
The official sharply criticized Ya'alon, saying that his recent conduct has harmed the Likud party.
"He thinks that he's above us all and that we're here to do his dirty work," said the official. "He acts independently. Ya'alon forgot that he is Defense Minister thanks to the coalition and thanks to his comrades in Likud. He cannot work alone without cooperating with us."
The criticism would seem at least partially to relate to Ya'alon's recent faceoff against Netanyahu, when the Defense Minister supported IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan who compared Israel to Nazi Germany at a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, and told IDF officers to give their personal opinions regardless of whether they countered the policy of the political echelon.
According to the official, "Ya'alon has done damage that harmed Likud and its coalition partners. There are fires that can be put out - the fires that he lit were difficult (to extinguish)."
In addition the official spoke about the bad relations between Ya'alon and his deputy, Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan (Jewish Home), as well as Ya'alon's decision not to honor the coalition agreement between Likud and Jewish Home regarding Ben-Dahan's authorities.
"What maliciousness (lit. bad-heartedness - ed.). How badly can you act? Ben-Dahan is a man of action, how bad do you have to be in order to try and harm him? 'Boogie' (Ya'alon) is not a man of his word and he cannot honor agreements," said the official.
Ya'alon responded for the first time to his imminent replacement on Thursday, when he struck out at Netanyahu for losing his "moral compass," without referencing the Prime Minister by name.
7. ARABS TURN TO SUPREME COURT TO IMPORT NON-KOSHER MEAT
by David Rosenberg
A number of Arab Israeli businesses are demanding an exemption from laws prohibiting the import of non-kosher meat, and have turned to the Supreme Court, calling for the restrictions to be nullified vis-à-vis Arab citizens.
Currently meat imports require certification from the Israeli rabbinate, preventing importers from bringing in cheaper, non-kosher meat.
The claimants in the case argue that the law constitutes religious coercion, forcing Israel's Arab citizens to abide by Jewish religious law.
The suit was filed by Sawsan Zahar, a lawyer for Adalah, a left-wing Arab Israeli NGO. The claim was made on behalf of Ahmed Afnadi Inc., a meat store from the village of Kfar Kana.
Zahar previously filed a similar claim in 2008, demanding Arab Israelis be permitted to import non-kosher meat.
"There is a matter of principle here against religious coercion," Zahar told Haaretz.
Zahar noted that similar exemptions had been issued with regards to other laws, citing the example of pork farms which are permitted in towns with a majority of Christian Arabs. Arab Israelis are also exempt from restrictions on the selling of leavened bread during Passover, Zahar pointed out, and some Arab radio stations have recently won the right to broadcast during Yom Kippur.
8. HERZL DAY POLL: ZIONIST VISION ISN'T COMPLETE YET
by Eliran Baruch
Surprising results of a poll on Zionism were revealed during an event for Herzl Day on Wednesday, celebrating 156 years since the birthday of the pioneer of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl - Arutz Sheva was on hand at Har Herzl in Jerusalem to learn more.
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Shlomit Satler, the educational director of the Herzl Center, told Arutz Sheva that over 700 people took part in the event focusing on Herzl's vision and legacy.
She noted that this type of extracurricular activity outside the classroom can have much greater impact on students, who came to learn more about who Herzl was and "what we can still do today" in carrying on the legacy of modern Zionism.
In time for Herzl's 156th birthday, the Herzl Center released the results of a poll which found that while an overwhelming majority of Israeli Jews define themselves as Zionists, a 61% majority reason that Herzl's vision has not yet been realized.
The poll, conducted at the start of the month among 503 Israeli Jews by Midgam Project under the supervision of Prof. Camil Fuchs, showed interesting changes in the self-perceptions of Zionism.
Participants were asked to rate themselves on a scale of one to ten in terms of their Zionism, with 51% defining themselves as "very Zionist" (nine or ten), and only 11% defining themselves as not Zionist (marks of one to four).
A large majority of 82% said that the Zionist idea is still relevant even after the state of Israel has already been founded, indicating an understanding of the ongoing efforts still needed to defend and expand upon Israel's nature as a country for the Jews.
When asked if they think "Herzl's vision of a state for the Jewish people has been realized in the state of Israel as it is today," respondents overwhelmingly indicated that Israel still has a way to go before truly becoming worth of the title "the Jewish state."
Only a minority of 24% said that Herzl's vision has already been realized, whereas a 61% majority said the vision has only been partially realized, and 9% responded that it has not been realized yet.
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