Isaac Herzog on Wednesday was officially sworn in as Israel’s 11th President in a ceremony at the Knesset. He took his oath on the same 107-year-old Bible that his father Chaim Herzog used when he assumed the office of the presidency in 1983.
On a day that promised plenty of pageantry, a bust of outgoing President Reuven Rivlin was unveiled in the garden of the president’s official residence in Jerusalem. A plaque beneath the bust is inscribed with a quote from Rivlin: “Without the ability to listen, there is no ability to learn. Without the ability to learn, there is no ability to repair.”
During his term in office, Rivlin consistently scored high public approval ratings, with his determination to represent the broad spectrum of Israeli communities and his obvious compassion resonating with the public.
Meanwhile, Rivlin, who is leaving the presidency following a seven-year term, has apparently already started acclimating to being a private citizen again. A photograph was released of him in full disguise – including a wig – as he strolled through an unnamed part of the country surrounded by plainclothes Shin Bet security officials. The picture showed the 81-year-old sporting a bushy beard and dressed in a large coat.
Iran’s plans to “escalate” its uranium enrichment program have sparked international criticism and prompted a warning from Defense Minister Benny Gantz that the Middle East could be on the brink of an arms race.
The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany condemned the Islamic Republic following the release of a statement by the UN nuclear watchdog. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Tehran is planning to enrich uranium metal to up to 20 percent purity, in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal.
This comes as Gantz warned the Jewish state is implementing a zero tolerance policy in response to any attacks on its sovereignty. With regards to the Islamic Republic, the defense minister said: “Not arson balloons, not rockets and no other means by Iran and its proxies [will be accepted by Israel]. We will respond with force, in line with our needs and at a time that is right for us.”
Meanwhile, the Iranian regime’s electronic clock that counts down to the prophesized destruction of the Jewish state in 2040 abruptly stopped. The Islamic Republic’s publicly displayed so-called “doomsday clock” shut off amid nationwide power outages. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has yet to lay the blame for the clock stoppage at Israel’s door.
Direct flights between Israel and Morocco could begin as early as the end of this month following the normalization of ties between the two countries in accordance with the Abraham Accords.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry Director General Alon Ushpiz will travel to Rabat this week to discuss a number of issues, including air travel. “The flights operated by Israeli and Moroccan airlines will significantly promote tourism and business traffic between the countries,” a foreign ministry statement read in part.
El Al and Israir could bring new direct routes to Morocco as early as July 25.
Morocco is one of four Arab countries, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords brokered by former US president Donald Trump.
The United States has promised that aid destined for Gaza Strip will not fall into the hands of the Hamas terrorist group that rules the Palestinian enclave. Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood said any humanitarian assistance will be provided via “trusted, vetted, independent partners” in the region.
The international community has scrambled in the aftermath of the 11-day Gaza war in May to find a way to prevent Hamas from confiscating civilian rehabilitation funds. Hood said such a mechanism would come on top of existing stiff regulations with regard to financial assistance for Palestinians.
Hood revealed that a package worth more than $360 million will be sent to Gaza in the form of emergency shelter, food relief and healthcare. He did not elaborate further on the measures that might be taken to stop Hamas from stealing civilian aid.
Israel has welcomed the passing a United Nations resolution condemning the use of civilians as human shields by terrorist organizations.
Ambassador Gilad Erdan said the move came following a diplomatic effort by the Jewish state. Hamas has been widely condemned for using schools and hospitals to hide deadly munitions, including rockets.
The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which first passed in 2006 but is reviewed every two years.
The UN also condemned antisemitic terrorism for the first time as well as the use of the Internet as a tool for the recruitment of terrorists. “Terrorists must not be allowed to use schools, homes and hospitals to shield their murderous activities,” Erdan said in reference to the vote. “Terrorism is terrorism is terrorism and should never be explained away, justified or excused. No matter what,” he added.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has hit out at incendiary remarks made by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in which he claimed the world “bows before” Jews.
Condemning the comments as “unacceptable,” the ministry said that Deputy Director General for Eurasia and the Western Balkans Gary Koren has requested a meeting with the chargé d’affaires at Belarus’ Embassy in Israel to discuss the incident.
Lukashenko’s antisemitic outburst was made during a speech about Nazi war crimes perpetrated against Belarusian citizens.
“I have already said that we began to do this, investigating the crimes of Nazism on the Belarusian land,” he said. “This is akin to the Belarusian Holocaust, or the Holocaust of the Belarusian people. The Jews were able to prove it. The whole world today bows before them, they are even afraid to point a finger at them, and we are so tolerant, so kind, we did not want to offend anyone.”
The Nazis killed approximately 3 million civilians in Belarus, including about 800,000 Jews.
Recommended Reading
- Rivlin’s Record-Breaking Presidency in Numbers (Stuart Winer, Times of Israel)
- Israelis Fly to Philippines to Aid Vaccination Campaign (Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21C)
- Palestinian Authority Kills and Tortures Dissenters While the Media Yawns (James Sinkinson, Jewish News Syndicate)
- Jordan’s Aqaba Proves Too Tempting an Opportunity for Travel Starved Israelis (i24News)
