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Just minutes before his mandate officially expired on Wednesday night, Israeli prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu informed President Isaac Herzog that he has successfully formed a coalition government.
“Thanks to the enormous public support we received in the last elections, I was able to establish a government that will work for the benefit of all the citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu told Herzog in a phone call, a short recording of which was shared by the incoming PM on social media.
בזכות התמיכה הציבורית העצומה לה זכינו בבחירות האחרונות, עלה בידי להקים ממשלה שתפעל לטובת כל אזרחי ישראל 🇮🇱❤️ pic.twitter.com/ijtDppkaSm
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 21, 2022
The move came some seven weeks after the November 1st election in which Netanyahu’s Likud party won 32 seats in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. His new coalition will be supported by the Religious Zionist Party, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, and Noam, giving it a majority of 64 seats.
The speaker of the Knesset is expected to make an official announcement to the plenum when it reconvenes on Monday. He will then set a session within a week, as required by law, in which the government will present its policies and distribution of ministerial positions. This session will conclude with a vote of confidence — if it passes, Netanyahu officially takes power.
Despite Wednesday’s official declaration, local reports claimed that Netanyahu’s deals with United Torah Judaism and Shas have yet to be finalized. However, the official coalition agreements only need to be published 48 hours ahead of the final plenum debate.
The incoming coalition reportedly aims to schedule the swearing-in ceremony for the end of next week.
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US President Joe Biden stated last month that the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is “dead,” but that he will not announce that publicly, according to a video posted to social media this week.
The footage, reportedly recorded on November 3 during Biden’s visit to California, shows Biden being asked by an Iranian-American woman to announce that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — which saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions — is no longer in force.
“President Biden, could you please announce that the JCPOA is dead,” the woman pleaded as the President passed by shaking hands. “No,” Biden replied. “Why not?” the woman asked. “It is dead, but we are not going to announce it,” the US leader said, adding that it was a “long story.”
President Biden asked if he will announced the Iran deal is dead by Iranian Americans:
“It is dead but we’re not gonna announce it”
🤦🏼♀️ #IranRevoIution
pic.twitter.com/Qakgj6Lz06— Emily Schrader – אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) December 20, 2022
The 2015 JCPOA was theoretically designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons by increasing the oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to proponents, full compliance by Iran would lengthen the country’s “breakout time” to one year.
However, in 2018, then-president Donald Trump announced Washington’s departure from the JCPOA, asserting that the “disastrous deal” placed “very weak” limits on Iran’s nuclear activity. While the remaining parties struggled to keep the accord alive, even launching efforts to bypass renewed US economic sanctions, Iran quickly ramped up its production of enriched uranium, surpassing the cap of 3.67 percent purity set by the deal.
The possible restoration by the Biden Administration of the Iran Deal has been at the center of Israel’s security concerns over the past year and a half, with a concerned Jerusalem closely monitoring indirect talks in Vienna between Tehran and Washington.
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Dozens of hawkish Israeli lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle condemned the European Union on Wednesday after a leaked document outlined Brussel’s strategy to bring Area C of the West Bank under Palestinian Authority (PA) control.
The leaked six-page EU missive, titled “European Joint Development Programme for Area C,” was first published by Channel 13 and showed that Brussels is actively working with the PA to take over Area C, in violation of the relevant international law and applicable agreements, namely the Oslo Accords that govern the current status of the territory.
Under the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements forged in the 1990s between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Israel was to retain complete control over Area C, which contains all Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria.
40 MKs incl @AmichaiChikli @MatanKahana @itamarbengvir @iditsilman Zeev Elkin accuse #EU of blood libel, animus to Jews & Israel after Area C plan leaked, in letter to @vonderleyen @CharlesMichel @EP_President pic.twitter.com/t1O25u0kGZ
— Lazar Berman (@Lazar_Berman) December 21, 2022
“Yesterday, we learned of an official policy document of the European Union, a document the gravity of which cannot be overstated, one that leaves no room for doubt as to the one-sidedness and animosity of the EU towards the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” 40 members of the Knesset wrote in response.
They added: “The document completely ignores our people’s historical affinity to our homeland, completely ignores the political agreements and the status of the State of Israel in Area C and seeks to establish the 1949 borders as Israel’s final-status permanent borders – in complete disregard of the Jewish communities in the area.”
The sharp rebuke was signed by members of Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, the Religious Zionist Party and Otzma Yehudit, as well as National Unity MKs and outgoing ministers Ze’ev Elkin (Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage) and Matan Kahana (Religious Services).
On Monday, the European delegation in Israel stated it would not confirm the authenticity of the leaked plans, saying they do not comment on alleged internal documents.
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Following a meeting with the families of Israelis who are being held captive by the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip, Pope Francis on Wednesday offered prayers for their swift return.
The head of the Catholic Church met with the families of IDF soldiers Lt. Hadar Goldin and Lt. Oron Shaul, whose remains are being used as bargaining chips by Gaza’s rulers, and Israeli civilians Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have been held captive for several years in violation of humanitarian law.
The families were accompanied by Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, Raphael Schutz, and the head of the Diaspora and Religious Affairs section at the Foreign Ministry, Shuli Davidovich.
1/3 Earlier this morning, the family of Israelis being held captive by terror organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip met with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican as a part of a humanitarian delegation. pic.twitter.com/jXudjs0P62
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) December 21, 2022
The delegation held a 45-minute conversation with the Pope and asked for his assistance in bringing their loved ones home. “The Pope promised to work with governments and religious leaders, including Muslim leaders, to bring back the sons,” according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
“It is so difficult to comfort a mother’s tears,” the pontiff was quoted as saying.
During a rally to mark the 35th anniversary of Hamas’ founding last week, terror leader Yahya Sinwar stated that the window for Jerusalem to negotiate a prisoner swap deal was closing. Unless an agreement is reached soon, “the case of the four soldiers will be closed,” Sinwar stated, referring to the two dead soldiers and the two mentally ill civilians.
Recommended Reading
- The New York Times, Zionism and Israel (Jerold S. Auerbach, Jewish News Syndicate)
- Jordanian Anti-Israel Film No Longer Oscar Contender (Israel Hayom)
- Why Are There So Few Answers To Irish Peacekeeper’s Murder in Lebanon? – Analysis (Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post)
- Put on the Yarmulke: Here Are the Best Songs Celebrating Hanukkah (Yulia Karra, Shelly Barkay, Ynetnews)
- World’s Largest Lego Hanukkah Menorah Assembled in Tel Aviv (i24NEWS)
Featured Image: World Economic Forum / Manuel Lopez via Flickr
