Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe/
Tuesday, Nov. 22 '16, כ"א בחשון תשע"ז
HEADLINES:
1. 'IN BIBLICAL TIMES I WOULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED FOR WHAT I DID'
2. US JUDGE TO NEW IMMIGRANTS: ACCEPT TRUMP AS PRESIDENT OR LEAVE
3. BENNETT LOBBIES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO DITCH TWO-STATE SOLUTION
4. STATE: RABBI KARIM THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB
5. INTERIOR MINISTER SLAMS COURT FOR DELAYING KARIM APPOINTMENT
6. 'REGULATION LAW MAY CONSTITUTE ANNEXATION'
7. TRUMP UNLEASHES ON MEDIA BIGWIGS IN CLOSED DOOR MEETING
8. HOMES GO UP IN FLAMES AS FIRE RIPS THROUGH ZICHRON YAAKOV
1. 'IN BIBLICAL TIMES I WOULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED FOR WHAT I DID'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
A Jerusalem district court has approved the final plea bargain agreement for Shuvu Banim founder Rabbi Eliezer Berland.
Berland, who fled Israel after being accused in 2012 of sexually assaulting several female followers, was apprehended by South African authorities and extradited to Israel in July of this year.
While he previously denied the charges against him, on Tuesday he acknowledged his actions and expressed remorse for them.
"I regret, from the deepest part of my heart, and apologize to everyone whom I hurt, man or woman, male or female."
As part of the plea bargain, Rabbi Berland will be sentenced to 18 months in prison, but will be credited with time served since he was taken into custody in July.
Rabbi Berland said he appreciated the "light" sentence he was handed down, comparing the jail term to the executions of two thousand years ago.
"For the things I did, back in the Biblical days, they would have stoned me or burned me to death. But today they're lenient in the punishments, and I want to keep this [plea bargain] agreement."
2. US JUDGE TO NEW IMMIGRANTS: ACCEPT TRUMP AS PRESIDENT OR LEAVE
by David Rosenberg
A federal magistrate in Texas had some harsh words for protesters waving signs reading "Not my president" outside of a swearing-in ceremony for new immigrants, and advised the newly-minted Americans to accept the newly chosen president-elect – or else leave the country.
Judge John Primono told some 500 new immigrants in San Antonio that, like it or not, accepting the duly elected president was part and parcel of being an American citizen.
According to a report by the local KENS-TV station, Judge Primono told those present that anyone who cannot accept the results of the election earlier this month ought to find a new home – abroad.
"I can assure you that whether you voted for him or you did not vote for him, if you are a citizen of the United States, he is your president. He will be your president, and if you do not like that, you need to go to another country."
After Primono's comments drew criticism, he attempted to clarify them, telling the San Antonio Express-News that he was merely attempting to unify the public in the face of demonstrations which sought to undermine the legitimacy of the democratic election.
"I wasn't trying to say anything for or against Donald Trump," Primono said. "I was just trying to say something hopeful and unifying, and unfortunately it was taken out of context."
3. BENNETT LOBBIES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO DITCH TWO-STATE SOLUTION
by Nitsan Keidar
The Prime Minister's Office issued a directive Monday, ordering cabinet ministers not to initiate contact with members of the incoming Trump administration. This comes just two days after Jewish Home chief and Education Minister Naftali Bennett met with aides to President-elect Donald Trump.
"In accordance with the Prime Minister's directive," the coalition secretary wrote regarding the order, "ministers and deputy ministers are obliged to initiate any contacts [they may wish to have] with the Trump administration only through the Prime Minister's Office or the Israeli embassy in Washington."
Prior to the issuance of the directive, the Prime Minister ordered cabinet members to avoid public statements on the US presidential campaign, and after the election, refrain from commenting on the results or the president-elect.
On Sunday, Bennett met with three Trump staffers, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the Education Minister called upon the incoming administration not to endorse the two-state solution, but to carefully consider alternative proposals, including his own.
Under Bennett's plan, Israel would annex Area C, which amounts to roughly 60% of Judea and Samaria, but is home to only a small percentage of the area's Arab population. Areas A and B would remain under Palestinian Authority control. The Gaza Strip would be transferred to Egyptian control.
While the Prime Minister has made no official comment on Bennett's meeting, inside sources told Arutz Sheva Netanyahu was infuriated by the Education Minister's initiative, and that the directive Monday was issued in response.
4. STATE: RABBI KARIM THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB
by Yoel Domb
The state presented to the High Court its response to the petition against the appointment of Colonel Rabbi Eyal Karim as IDF Chief Rabbi, stating that the petition should be rejected since there was no flaw in the Chief of Staff's decision to appoint Karim to the position.
The response stated that there was no truth to statements attributed to Rabbi Karim and that his actions and achievements prove that the decision of the Chief of Staff to appoint him to the post was due to his being the most qualified and appropriate candidate for the position and his being the "right man in the right place" considering his abilities, knowledge and military record.
The state added that regarding the legal aspect, "The jurisdiction given to an authority appointing a person to a public position is very broad and the level of intervention in that jurisdiction is very minor and is reserved for extreme and unusual cases. This applies more emphatically to decisions by the Chief of Staff regarding IDF appointments.
"The methods of jurisdiction employed by the Chief of Staff in appointing Rabbi Karim, together with his decision not to retract the appointment and its affirmation by the Defense Minister, were reasonable and proper and do not leave any room for court intervention," concluded the state's response.
Yesterday the High Court discussed the petition by Meretz MKs against Rabbi Karim's appointment and decided to delay the appointment until the Rabbi presented a declaration explaining his halakhic statements from previous years.
In the course of the hearing the judges said that "The army chief rabbi is a moral and ethical figure. Such shocking statements on his part should not pass without being clarified. Does the rabbi stand behind these statements today as well". Judge Salim Jubran said that "these statements are shocking" and asked where halakha sanctions raping women.
High Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor added that the answers should be provided by Rabbi Karim himself "not in letters or oral presentations but in an official declaration what his position was then, what it is today and whether he has retracted his original position."
5. INTERIOR MINISTER SLAMS COURT FOR DELAYING KARIM APPOINTMENT
by Arutz Sheva staff
Shas head and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri ripped the Supreme Court for delaying the appointment of Colonel Rabbi Eyal Karim as IDF Chief Rabbi and demanding clarifications regarding halakhic decisions rendered by him in the past.
"Judge Salim Jubran yesterday expressed his amazement, stating that he knows the Torah and knows only good things in it and had not found there any sanction for raping gentile women during wartime. You ask me if anybody could have imagined that the rabbi meant this? It's ridiculous to even imagine such a thing," said Deri in an Army Radio interview.
The court asked Rabbi Karim to clarify what he told the Chief of Staff. Woe to us if he were to apologize! People would lose any confidence in this system." added Deri.
Earlier the state had presented to the Supreme Court its response to the petition against the appointment of Colonel Rabbi Eyal Karim as IDF Chief Rabbi, stating that the petition should be rejected since there was no flaw in the Chief of Staff's decision to appoint Karim to the position.
The response which was submitted before yesterday's hearing, stated that there was no truth to statements attributed to Rabbi Karim and that his actions and achievements prove that the decision of the Chief of Staff to appoint him to the post was due to his being the most qualified and appropriate candidate for the position and his being the "right man in the right place" considering his abilities, knowledge and military record.
6. 'REGULATION LAW MAY CONSTITUTE ANNEXATION'
by Hezki Baruch
Knesset legal advisor attorney Eyal Yinon warned at a special committee hearing Tuesday morning that the Regulation Law (also known as the Normalization Law) "may cross a frontier yet to be traversed" as it calls for legislation for a Palestinian population who have no right to vote in the Knesset."
"This could be interpreted as annexation," added Yinon, stating that "the present proposal is sailing outside Israel's known territorial waters and the question is whether it can be brought back to port."
MK Nissan Slomiansky (Jewish Home) said at the beginning of the meeting that "I intend to conduct a genuine discussion, lengthy but not populist. It is possible that proposals will be brought in the course of discussions which will make the law redundant. These are subjects which are at the fulcrum of democracy - after 50 years the legislators wish to relate to the 450,000 subjects who live around the country but whose status remained unclear. The topics are profound and the responsibility on us is great."
'We want a strong, stable judicial system just as we want a strong, stable legislative system, so there is no intention to harm or belittle one of the systems. We have to make order and possibly establish demarcation lines for each system. I think that the law will not harm the status of the courts but will establish borders and demarcation lines."
7. TRUMP UNLEASHES ON MEDIA BIGWIGS IN CLOSED DOOR MEETING
by David Rosenberg
President-elect Donald Trump gave journalists and executives from some of America's largest media outlets a harsh dressing down in a closed-door, off-the-record meeting in Trump Tower on Monday.
The gathering, which included some 30-40 media executives and journalists, was billed as a discussion to coordinate media access to the President after his inauguration.
Instead, however, two sources told The New York Post, participants were given an extended tongue lashing.
"It was like a f***ing firing squad," one source told the Post.
Candidate Trump never concealed his dislike of the major media outlets, repeatedly lambasting them as dishonest and biased.
Now, however, President-elect Trump shows that, at least behind closed doors, his attitude remains the same.
"The meeting was a total disaster," the source continued. "The TV execs and anchors went in there thinking they would be discussing the access they would get to a Trump administration, but instead they got a Trump-style dressing down."
President-elect Trump directed much of his wrath at CNN, addressing the cable news channel's chief, Jeff Zucker, saying "I hate your network, everyone at CNN is a liar and you should be ashamed."
A second source confirmed the details with the Post.
"Trump kept saying, 'We're in a room of liars, the deceitful dishonest media who got it all wrong.' He addressed everyone in the room calling the media dishonest, deceitful liars. He called out Jeff Zucker by name and said everyone at CNN was a liar, and CNN was [a] network of liars."
"Trump didn't say [NBC reporter] Katy Tur by name, but talked about an NBC female correspondent who got it wrong, then he referred to a horrible network correspondent who cried when Hillary lost who hosted a debate – which was Martha Raddatz who was also in the room."
8. HOMES GO UP IN FLAMES AS FIRE RIPS THROUGH ZICHRON YAAKOV
by Nitsan Keidar
Fire ripped through the northern coastal town of Zichron Yaakov, south of Haifa on Tuesday, burning down homes in the Givat Eden neighborhood and forcing evacuations throughout the area.
A number of houses have already been destroyed by the blaze, and five people have been treated for smoke inhalation, including three children.
One 10-day old baby was evacuated by MDA paramedics to a hospital in Hadera, while the other four individuals injured in the fire were treated on the scene.
Firefighter units attempting to gain control of the fire are being aided by airborne units.
A spokesman for the fire department said the blaze was still spreading rapidly.
"The fire in Zichron Yaakov is gaining momentum. There is a real danger to houses in the Givat Eden neighborhood, particularly those on Tapuah and Te'ena streets. The fire chief has ordered residents to evacuate."
Earlier on Tuesday a fire broke out in the nearby town of Atlit, forcing hundreds of students to evacuate their school. Firefighters have since gained control over the blaze in Atlit.
Also on Tuesday, Jerusalem district firefighters gained control over yet another fire that broke out near Latrun, just outside of Neve Shalom. Hundreds of residents evacuated Tuesday morning, but by the afternoon were able to return home.
(Below is footage from the fire in the Latrun area early Tuesday morning)
[video:2021282]
------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe/
