Showing posts with label Benjamin Netanyahu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Benjamin Netanyahu. Show all posts

Sunday 17 March 2024

Netanyahu to defy allies on Rafah invasion

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his determination to launch an offensive in Rafah, defying international criticism. The city is crammed with some 1.5 million Palestinians from other parts of Gaza seeking refuge.

His comments come as the German chancellor, on a Middle East trip, restated his opposition to the plan.

Netanyahu said "no international pressure will stop Israel" from achieving all of its war aims.

"If we stop the war now before achieving all of its goals, the meaning is that Israel had lost the war and we will not allow this," Netanyahu told a meeting of his Cabinet.

He said Israel must be able to continue its war, with the aims of eliminating Hamas, releasing all hostages and ensuring Gaza "no longer pose a threat". "To do this, we will also operate in Rafah."

Netanyahu said the offensive in city at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip "will happen" and will take "several weeks". He also lashed out at his critics; saying to them is your memory so short?

"So quickly you forgot about October 07, the worst massacre committed against Jews since the Holocaust." Those attacks, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage from Israel, sparked the current war.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 31,400 have been killed.

Israel's plans have been heavily criticized by the international community, with the UN and US also warning that a full-scale assault in Rafah could be disastrous.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the UN's World Health Organization, on Friday appealed to Israel "in the name of humanity" not to launch such an attack on Gaza's southern-most city.

US President Biden has warned Israel against expanding its invasion in the city, calling it a "red line".

Nevertheless, Netanyahu's office approved plans for a military operation in Rafah on Friday, adding that the army was preparing for the evacuation of civilians.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it planned to move displaced Palestinians in Gaza to what it called "humanitarian islands" in the middle of the strip. It is not clear what the "islands" will look like, or how they will operate.

Ceasefire talks were expected to resume in Qatar in the coming days. Israel had planned to send a delegation to join the negotiations, but ministers were yet to agree on its mandate.


Monday 11 March 2024

Netanyahu hurting Israel more than helping it

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is undermining the values on which Israel was founded and is harming the country with his handling of the Gaza war, US President Joe Biden charged during an interview he gave to MSNBC on Saturday.

“He has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas, but he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”

“He is hurting Israel more than helping Israel by making the rest of the world … it is contrary to what Israel stands for, and I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden said.

He spoke amid growing tensions between Israel and the United States over Israel’s conduct of its military campaign to destroy Hamas in Gaza, an operation which it supports in principle, but has otherwise opposed elements of its operation.

The United States has been concerned in particular by the high fatality count, with Hamas asserting that over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war.

Israel has stated that over 11,000 of the fatalities have been combatants.

The US has also argued that Israel has not done enough to contain the humanitarian disaster that accompanied its military campaign, during which it has taken out roads, infrastructure, and the governance system, making it difficult to distribute and in some cases impossible to distribute aid.

Biden was careful to stress to MSNBC that irrespective of his thoughts on Netanyahu, he supported Israel, particularly concerning defensive weapons.

"I am never going to leave Israel,” Biden emphasized.

“The defense of Israel is still critical, so there is no red line where I am going to cut off all weapons so they do not have the Iron Dome to protect them,” Biden said.

Within that framework there are still red lines Israel should not cross, such as a military operation in Rafah, Biden said. He has stressed in the past that the US would only support such an operation if Israel presented a plan to protect the over 1.3 million Palestinians located in the area of that southern city, many of whom fled there to escape Israeli aerial bombings in the northern part of the enclave.

Monday 4 March 2024

Kamala-Gantz meeting

According to the Associated Press, the US Vice President Kamala Harris, on Monday is hosting a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet who is visiting Washington in defiance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Benny Gantz, a centrist political rival of Netanyahu, is scheduled to meet several senior Biden administration officials including Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser. President Joe Biden is at Camp David, the presidential retreat just outside Washington, until Tuesday.

An official from Netanyahu’s far-right Likud party said Gantz did not have approval from the prime minister for his meetings in Washington and that Netanyahu gave the Cabinet official a “tough talk” — underscoring the widening crack within Israel’s wartime leadership nearly six months into the Israel-Hamas war.

In her meeting with Gantz, Harris plans to press for a temporary cease-fire deal that would allow for the release of several categories of hostages being held by Hamas. Israel has essentially agreed to the deal, according to a senior Biden administration official, and the White House has emphasized that the onus is on Hamas to come on board.

“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said during an appearance in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday. “This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in.”

Harris continued, “This would allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination.”

For his part, Gantz intends to strengthen ties with the US, bolster support for Israel’s war and push for the release of Israeli hostages, according to a second Israeli official. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t allowed to publicly discuss the disputes within the Israeli government.

The meetings also come as the US begins a series of airdrops of aid into Gaza, just days after dozens of Palestinians were killed as they were trying to get food from an Israel-organized convoy.

The first drop on Saturday included about 38,000 meals into southwest Gaza, and White House officials have said those airdrops will continue to supplement truck deliveries, while they also work on sending aid via sea.

In Selma on Sunday, Harris called on Israel to “do more to significantly increase the flow of aid.”

“No excuses,” she said. “They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid.”

Harris previously met Gantz at the Munich Security Conference in 2022.

 

 

Saturday 27 January 2024

Netanyahu must be removed, reports CNN

According to a CNN report also published in Saudi Gazette, more than 40 senior former Israeli national security officials, celebrated scientists and prominent business leaders have sent a letter to Israel’s president and speaker of parliament demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be removed from office for posing what they say is an existential threat to the country.

The letter was sent to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday and to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Friday. Neither the president nor the speaker has the power to remove a prime minister from office unilaterally.

The signatories on the letter include four former directors of Israel’s foreign and domestic security services, two former heads of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and three Nobel Prize winners.

The letter blasts the coalition Netanyahu assembled to form the most right-wing government ever in Israel, along with his highly controversial efforts to overhaul Israel’s judiciary that they say led to security lapses resulting in the October 07 attacks, the deadliest day in Israel’s history.

“We believe that Netanyahu bears primary responsibility for creating the circumstances leading to the brutal massacre of over 1,200 Israelis and others, the injury of over 4,500, and the kidnapping of more than 230 individuals, of whom over 130 are still in Hamas captivity,” it reads. “The victim’s blood is on Netanyahu’s hands.”

Netanyahu’s popularity has fallen dramatically since starting his sixth term as prime minister, just over a year ago. Critics have blasted his judicial reform efforts – which threatened to trigger a constitutional crisis and divided the country, with months of massive, regular demonstrations.

“Leaders of Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas,” the letter says, “openly praised what they correctly saw as a destabilizing and erosive process of Israel’s stability, led by Netanyahu, and seized the opportunity to harm and damage Israel’s security.”

Among the 43 signatories are former IDF chiefs Moshe Ya’alon and Dan Halutz, Tamir Pardo and Danny Yatom, who ran the Mossad intelligence agency, and Nadav Argaman and Yaakov Peri, who were directors of the domestic security service, Shin Bet. Former CEOs, ambassadors, government officials and three Nobel laureates for chemistry — Aaron Ciechanover, Avram Hershko and Dan Shechtman — also signed the letter.

A poll released this week by Israel’s Channel 13 suggests that Netanyahu’s political party, Likud, would now come in a distant second if elections were held today.

The frontrunner in the poll was the National Unity Party led by former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, currently a member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet.

The next elections aren’t planned until late 2026, though there have been protests and calls for early elections, including from one of Israel’s main opposition leaders, Yair Lapid.

“The situations that brought Israel to elections beforehand are almost nothing in comparison to what Israel is going through now,” said Haim Tomer, a longtime Mossad officer who retired after heading the agency’s intelligence division and who signed the letter demanding Netanyahu’s removal.

“Everybody understands that Netanyahu is incompetent to lead Israel,” Tomer told CNN.

In the past week Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed his opposition to Palestinian sovereignty for security reasons, as Israel’s main ally, the United States, continues to call for a two-state solution.

The letter’s signatories accuse Netanyahu of spending years propping up Hamas in Gaza at the expense of the Palestinian Authority, which the US has argued should be revitalized to govern both the West Bank and Gaza.

CNN has reported that for years Qatar delivered cash-filled suitcases to Gaza with Netanyahu’s blessing, despite concerns from his own government.

The money was intended to pay civil servants’ salaries and retirees’ benefits. It is now delivered via bank transfers rather than in cash, and as recently as last month, Qatar said it was continuing to pay it.

To form his current government, Netanyahu brought together other parties well to the right of Likud and assembled the most right-wing government in Israeli history.

Two of its most prominent members, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, have been called out by the Biden administration for arguing that Palestinians should leave Gaza.

The letter accuses Netanyahu of refusing to take responsibility for the October 7 attacks, instead “blaming others and inciting against those who had fought to save the Israeli democracy from his destructive actions and plans, and now mobilize whole heartedly to support Israel’s national war efforts.”

It concludes with a plea to the Israeli president and Knesset speaker to replace the prime minister, as well as a warning, “The Israeli nation and Jewish history will not forgive you if you don’t fulfill your utmost national responsibility.”

The right people need “to get their hands on the steering wheel,” said Tomer, the former Mossad official.

“I think people start to look from the outside towards Israel and ask themselves what happened to this country,” Tomer said. “What’s happened to this country with very, very smart people that are now being led with some idiots?”

“The word that we have been using in the circles that I’ve been participating in is: we need a restart, we need a restart.”

Israel has come under intense international criticism for its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians and displaced almost two million people since the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Israel has repeatedly insisted that its war is not against the Palestinian people but Hamas militants who are holding more than 130 hostages in dire conditions in the war zone.

Netanyahu told a news conference last week that politicians who are asking him to step down are essentially asking for a Palestinian state.

Israel’s actions in Gaza are the subject of a genocide case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), initiated by South Africa that accuses the country’s leadership of intending to “bring about the destruction of its Palestinian population.”

Israel denies the allegations, arguing that the war is being fought in self-defense and that its leadership has not displayed genocidal intent.

 

Friday 19 January 2024

Israel: Emergency Government Inching Towards Collapse

As reported by The Jerusalem Post, Americans have realized that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is incapacitated because of the political situation he is in. Netanyahu has even gone as far as to conceal his transition to Stage 3 of the war not only from his own war cabinet, but also from the general public. 

Netanyahu’s political predicament is already straining the Biden administration’s patience, with a growing sense that they are providing considerable support without receiving anything from him in return.

While the Americans are compelled to take Netanyahu’s political affairs under consideration, he, in turn, is unwilling to extend the same goodwill gesture toward the Democratic candidate currently residing in the White House, who is facing a challenging and tumultuous reelection campaign.

There is a reason why John Kirby, the US’s National Security Council spokesperson, stated this week that Israel has already shifted to a low-intensity conflict in the North and is expected to undergo a similar transformation in regard to the South.

This completely contradicts Netanyahu’s assertion the previous day, in which he claimed that warfare has intensified in the southern region of the Gaza Strip.

The Americans are exposing Netanyahu’s bluff, despite his attempts to keep the Israeli public in partial darkness concerning the way this war is being conducted.

The butterfly effect of the intensifying voices of unease emanating from Washington is creating ripples that are impacting Jerusalem’s political landscape.

Even at this stage of the war, marked by slow progress and by military achievements that are not apparent to an untrained eye, there is room for freedom of thought in terms of the political possibilities that could follow.

Gantz knew what he was getting into. He was called naïve at first, but this is a man who was already stung once before by the political scorpion that is Benjamin Netanyahu, when Gantz joined the Covid unity government.

He came into this current government with eyes wide open, hopeful that after October 07, 2023 something might have changed in Israel’s most seasoned politician.

It had, but that did not last long. Presently, many in the political sphere believe that Gantz is devising his exit strategy. When will he leave?

To answer that question, one must understand the power dynamics within the government, specifically within the war cabinet.

Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, a minister without a portfolio, joined the emergency government to embody the well-worn political slogan of ‘pulling their weight,’ contributing their share, and actively participating in the war effort.

Both entered the military arena, securing two of the five seats in the national emergency unity government’s war cabinet, and have emerged as two of the most pivotal players in the war’s management.

However, having 100 day lapsed since they joined, it seems that their influence on the war’s management is diminishing.

There are several examples of this, the most prominent of which revolves around the hostages’ release. It has been more than 50 days since the last hostage was set free, and it seems like Israel is limping along, with little sparks of hope for the 136 hostages who are still being held captive in Gaza in tunnels and secret locations, rising, then falling.

Every few weeks, Hamas releases additional sadistic videos which often disclose the tragic news that a few more hostages have been murdered.

Eisenkot believes that it is time to stop and consider where the war machine needs to be led next, and whether the victories Israel has achieved so far have reached a point that justifies considering a ceasefire in exchange for the release of the hostages.

He has argued that at the very least, this option should be explored.

“We need to stop lying to ourselves,” Eisenkot states. “We must be courageous and aim for an acceptable deal that will bring all of the hostages’ home. Time is running out, and each passing day is putting their lives in further jeopardy. We cannot stick blindly to the same strategy while the hostages are still in captivity. Now is the critical stage in which bold decisions must be made. Otherwise, we may as well throw in the towel.”

Up until now, Eisenkot has been perceived as a somewhat unremarkable politician, not drawing much attention due to his perceived neutrality and lack of charisma.

In recent weeks, he has been gaining prominence, as he articulates opinions that resonate with public sentiment.

If a popularity poll were to be conducted now, Eisenkot, who recently buried his son who was killed in Gaza, would garner high approval ratings.

Eisenkot and Gantz are up against Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu, who believe that exerting military force is the key to overcoming Hamas and securing the release of hostages, echoing the strategy that preceded the previous hostage release.

Yet, 50 days have passed without significant progress. This issue could turn into an Archimedean point that could force Gantz and Eisenkot to withdraw from the government.

Meanwhile, both feel that they still hold sway over decisions, and as long as IDF soldiers are still fighting in Gaza, the war must go on.

Furthermore, stepping down at this juncture carries significant political risks, since such a decision could be interpreted as Gantz and Eisenkot escaping responsibility, which could critically damage the number of seats the currently popular National Unity party could secure in the future.

Netanyahu is acutely aware of these considerations, and has been actively working to exert control. As has been depicted in the past, Netanyahu is the type of politician who never stops planning for the day after. That is, their day after.

To achieve this, he has been focusing on strengthening his coalition, as what is acceptable during normal times, is not so during wartime, since the prime minister has found little room to make a move in the cabinet.

While war cabinet meetings have been scheduled to address what the day after the war will look like for Israel, a comprehensive discussion on this matter has yet to take place.

In fact, senior IDF officials have remarked that if the government does not take a stance soon, the IDF will be forced to return to areas that it had already conquered, then relinquished.

Monday 15 January 2024

Friends and foes want Netanyahu out

Israelis are still reeling from the killing of 1,200 people, most of them civilians and kidnapping of 240 more, including children and elderly. Stunned by the massive security failure, many want Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu out.

A poll published by the non-partisan Israel Democracy Institute on January 02 showed only 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to remain in office after the war on Hamas ends, in line with previous surveys that have shown his popularity sharply down.

The embattled leader, who for years has brandished a Mr. Security image, shows no sign of wanting to leave.

"He's defiant. He's apparently taken a strategic decision to survive politically even this. I think it's a quixotic aim and sooner or later I believe that his own colleagues will tell him that his time is up," said political analyst Amotz Asa-El.

Political change looks unlikely in the near term while fighting in Gaza still rages. Netanyahu meanwhile, has vowed to pursue war until complete victory over Hamas with security chiefs warning combat will run through 2024. There are signs within Netanyahu's government that some are jockeying for position.

Reports of wrangling within the security cabinet have been leaked to the Israeli press and far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, largely cut out of any war decisions, has taken swipes at Benny Gantz, Israel's former centrist defence chief who has joined Netanyahu's emergency government and war cabinet.

Anti-government street protests that had swept Israel for almost a year until the attack have been rekindled in recent weeks, calling for elections to be held. But those are still relatively small compared with the mass demonstrations of 2023.

"It's time for him to go home, said marketing manager Noa Weinpress, in Tel Aviv. "It should have happened on the eighth of October and if not, definitely now, after a hundred days."

Even some of Netanyahu's biggest fans seem resigned to the inevitable departure of a leader they still admire.

"I think he'll win the war and step down, with dignity," said Yossi Zroya, a member of Netanyahu's Likud Party and Shawarma stand owner in Ramla.

It was here Netanyahu was greeted with cheers of "King Bibi" 15 months ago at an election campaign event where he pledged to return security to the streets.

The sentiment was echoed by other supporters strolling through Ramla market. "Netanyahu is a genius. He's not to blame for what happened," said Rafi Kimchi, a diamond dealer visiting from nearby Herzliya. "But I think he's done. It's finished."

Eyeing disillusioned Likud voters, Ben-Gvir could be looking to set himself apart and leave the government ahead of a campaign, said Asa-El, who is research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.

Gantz, meanwhile, has seen his popularity soar in the polls, seen as a responsible man of the people. Numerous Likud veterans have long been vying to succeed Netanyahu, including Foreign Minister Israel Katz and lawmaker Yuli Edelstein.

Yossi Cohen, Israel's former spy chief and a frequent commentator on news shows in recent weeks, has also been floated as a successor, with some polls giving a party led by him around 12 of the Knesset's 120 seats.

"Nothing is out of the question," Cohen told N12's Uvda television show on Jan. 4. "I have not decided yet."

Asa-El predicted a "political bang" once fighting subsides, possibly a premature election. "There will be vast, big and multiple demonstrations if the politicians will try to drag their feet," he said.

 

 

Tuesday 2 January 2024

Netanyahu popularity falling sharply

According to a Reuters report, only 15% of Israelis want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay in office after the war on Hamas in Gaza ends, though many more still support his strategy of crushing the militants in the Palestinian enclave.

Netanyahu promised to crush Hamas after its October 07, 2023 rampage in southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 abducted. Israeli forces have laid much of Gaza to waste in their nearly three-month retaliatory offensive.

Netanyahu has said such intense military pressure is also vital to ensure that the remaining 129 hostages still held in Gaza are returned after around 100 were freed in late November in a swap deal also involving hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

In the poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), 56% of those questioned said continuing the military offensive was the best way to recover the hostages.

24% thought a swap deal including the release of thousands more Palestinian prisoners from Israel's jails would be best.

More than 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza health officials, and most of the population displaced. Israel says it has killed some 8,000 Palestinian fighters and has vowed to hunt down Hamas leaders.

But a mere 15% want Netanyahu to be prime minister once the war is over, the poll showed. His political rival and present war cabinet partner, centrist Benny Gantz, garnered support from 23% of interviewees. Around 30% named no preferred leader.

The poll was conducted among 746 respondents between December 25-28, with a 95% confidence level, the IDI said. A previous IDI poll in December found that 69% of Israelis thought that elections should be held as soon as the war ends.

Netanyahu said on Saturday it would be months before victory is achieved. Successive surveys have found his popularity has fallen sharply since the surprise October attack by Hamas that led to the deadliest day in Israel's 75 years.

 

Wednesday 15 November 2023

Netanyahu must be removed and sent to jail

Israel has been talking about a massive ground offensive into Gaza for more than a month now. Israeli officials say they are bent on eradicating Hamas, while they continue their outsize deadly attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip. 

The United States, amidst calls to pull the plug on Israel, has been doing everything in its power to buttress Israel’s lost clout and credibility, refusing to ask the regime to dial down its attacks on women and children. 

Many in the occupied territories believe that the biggest victims of the ongoing Israeli onslaughts are Israelis themselves. That’s because among the vast carnage caused by the regime’s ruthless atrocities, the captives held by Hamas forces are also present.

On November 04, protesters encircled the Israeli prime minister's residence in occupied al-Quds, firmly asserting the demand for Netanyahu's immediate resignation.

The demonstrators, comprising families of those affected by the Hamas October 07 operation and individuals held captive in Gaza, expressed deep frustration over what they perceive as inadequate measures to avert the Hamas attack and secure the release of some 200 captives currently held in Gaza. They chanted “must go” and “jail now” asking for the largely detested politician to step down. 

“My family wasn’t kidnapped because of Hamas. My family was kidnapped because the army didn’t come out to defend me. That’s the reason. Hamas is tiny compared to the giant Israel,” a family member of one of the captives told Israeli media during the protest. Others called on Israeli officials to tone down their animus towards Gaza and take into account the lives of Israeli captives.  

Following significant backlash from affected families and well-known figures within the Israeli war cabinet, the prime minister announced on Sunday the potential for a deal to secure the release of Israeli captives, aiming to calm the waters. However, he refrained from disclosing any specifics about the potential agreement. “I think the less I say about it the more I’ll increase the chances it materializes,” he said, speaking as if he was commenting on a wish he made after blowing out his birthday candles.

A spokesman for the Al-Qassem Brigades revealed that Israel exhibited reluctance towards the release of captives. Abu Obeida remarked that the regime is prolonging discussions regarding a possible arrangement, one that would entail the liberation of dozens of Israelis in exchange for the release of Palestinian women and children held in Israel's prisons. He further noted the death of an Israeli female soldier in an airstrike by the regime a few days prior.

Netanyahu seems to be procrastinating on a deal with Hamas to release Israeli captives, mindful that once the war ends, his political career too, will come to an end. 

Netanyahu must be removed and punished

Israel, massacre in Gaza, United States, Russia an

Recent polls indicate that Netanyahu would face defeat if elections were held at present. A poll conducted on November 3 revealed that 76% of Israelis favor Netanyahu's resignation. On November 07, a prominent pro-Netanyahu newspaper altered its position and published an editorial advocating for his removal following the war. 

In his 16 years of tenure, Netanyahu has been touting himself as a stalwart figure in matters of security. His infamous speeches on how Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, have aided him in gaining significant votes during Israel’s highly contested elections. But his conduct as well as the occurrence of the regime’s biggest security failure under his watch, suggest that Netanyahu has been veering from any security control measures.

Another recent development has also shed light on the true stance of Israeli politicians, implying that they may not truly prioritize the safety and security of Israelis who have been drawn to the occupied territories from across the world to live in the “national homeland of the Jewish people”.

An Israeli woman, who was captured in Iraq earlier this year, surfaced in a video aired by Iraq's Al Rabiaa satellite network on Monday. Elizabeth Tsurkov confessed to spying for Mossad in Iraq and Syria while expressing grievances that Israeli authorities have not taken any tangible measures over the past six months to secure her release.

“This war is being stupidly run by Netanyahu through his wife, Sara, and his son, Yair, will lead to the hostages being killed. If you want your sons and daughters to return alive, the war must stop,” Tsurkov told the families of Israeli captives held in Gaza, urging them to stop the regime’s devastating attacks on the besieged territory.

While Netanyahu remains flummoxed by the need to fulfill his personal interests, Israelis living in the occupied territories are becoming less inclined by the day to support the occupation. Netanyahu’s disregard towards the safety of Israeli captives, and those risking their lives to serve Mossad, has prodded Israelis to think twice about living in what’s been propagated as an eternal safe haven for Jews. 

 

Wednesday 8 November 2023

White House cautions Israel against reoccupying Gaza

The White House maintained Tuesday that it doesn’t believe Israeli forces should reoccupy Gaza following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments that the country will have the overall security responsibility in Gaza for an indefinite period after the war ends.

“The president still believes that a reoccupation of Gaza by Israeli forces is not good. It’s not good for Israel; not good for the Israeli people,” said National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby on “CNN This Morning.”

“One of the conversations that Secretary Antony Blinken has been having in the region is what does post-conflict Gaza look like? What does governance look like in Gaza? Because whatever it is it can’t be what it was on October 06, 2023. It can’t be Hamas,” he added.

The latest warning from the White House comes after Netanyahu told ABC News on Monday that Gaza should be governed by those who don’t want to continue the way of Hamas before adding, “I think Israel will, for an indefinite period, will have the overall security responsibility because we’ve seen what happens when we don’t have it.”

It was one of the first hints Netanyahu has given about his vision for a post-war Gaza and suggests a divergent view than that of the US, including President Joe Biden’s own statements about what the future of the strip would look like.

Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that Israel's post-war plan is not an ongoing occupation of Gaza.

"I think you could expect something more fluid, something more flexible where we can move in and move out as need be to deal with the security situation," he said. "We're not talking about any sort of ongoing occupation of the Gaza strip."

Asked about Netanyahu’s comments on ABC News on Monday that Israel will have the overall security responsibility in Gaza for an indefinite period after the war ends, Regev said, "We have to distinguish between a security presence and political control."

"When this is over and we have defeated Hamas, it is crucial that there won’t be a resurgent terrorist element, a resurgent Hamas. There is no point doing this and just going back to square one," Regev told CNN.

"There will have to be an Israeli security presence, but that doesn’t mean Israel is re-occupying Gaza, that doesn’t mean that Israel is there to govern the Gazans," he continued.

"On the contrary, we are interested in establishing new frameworks, where the Gazans can rule themselves, where there can be international support for the reconstruction of Gaza. Hopefully, we can bring in countries – Arab countries as well – for a reconstruction of a demilitarized, post-Hamas Gaza," he said.

Netanyahu on Tuesday said Gaza City is encircled and the Israel Defense Forces are operating in it and advancing the pressure applied on Hamas every hour and every day."

It's unclear based on comments from Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant — who said that troops are at the heart of Gaza City — exactly where the IDF is operating inside Gaza.

"So far, we’ve killed thousands of terrorists, from above and under the ground," Netanyahu said in a press conference. "Hamas is finding out that we’re getting to places it didn’t think we’d reach. And the campaign is still underway."

"On the diplomatic front, we’re operating around the clock to allow the IDF the leeway for the remaining military operation," Netanyahu added. "We will not stop until the victory."

Netanyahu also warned Hezbollah against entering the war on Israel's northern front.

"We will not comply with a reality in which Hezbollah or Hamas in Lebanon will hurt our communities and civilians. We’ll continue responding with fierce fire against any attack," Netanyahu said.

"If Hezbollah chooses to enter the war, this will be the biggest mistake in its life."

Netanyahu added that he is in constant touch with US President Joe Biden, saying, "We highly appreciate his support and of the American administration and people." 

Monday 16 October 2023

Netanyahu Trapped in Gaza Occupation Crisis

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself in a precarious situation as the ongoing Gaza occupation crisis takes a dangerous turn.

The situation has escalated to the point where Israel’s strikes on Gaza may cause severe repercussions and strain international relations.

Tensions in the region have been simmering for months, but recent developments have thrust the conflict into the global spotlight.

Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip have met with increasing international condemnation.

The United States, traditionally one of Israel’s staunchest allies, appears to be distancing itself from the Gaza occupation after Biden warns that the Gaza occupation would be a mistake by Israel.

The international community calling for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. This significant shift in policy has left Prime Minister Netanyahu facing mounting pressure from both international allies and domestic critics.

Netanyahu’s predicament has raised questions about the effectiveness of Israel’s military operations and the broader strategy for handling the Gaza conflict.

There is growing concern that these actions may be backfiring, leading to increased regional instability and undermining Israel’s international standing.

As diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation intensify, world leaders are calling for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to end the Gaza occupation.

The United Nations and various international organizations are working tirelessly to facilitate talks between Israel and the Palestinian authorities.

Tuesday 26 September 2023

Iran terms Netanyahu speech at UNGA a comedy show

Iran has termed speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly a “comedy show” and utterings against its peaceful nuclear program and its regional actions “unfounded”.

In a statement released, the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran noted that Netanyahu had rambled on during his talks to the United Nations about the “curse of a nuclear Iran” and claimed that Tehran had spent “billions to arm its terror proxies.”

In addition, Netanyahu bragged that the scandalous Abraham Accords would herald a “New Middle East” that would bring “Arabs and Jews closer together” and bring about significant changes in the region.

“The baseless allegations made by Israeli officials no longer fool anyone. Iranophobic campaigns and widespread systematic dissemination of disinformation and unfounded allegations against Iran have always been one of the main elements of statements—or better to say, comedy shows—made by the Israeli authorities in this august body,” the Iranian delegation said.

It added, “The regime attempts to portray Iran’s conventional weapon capabilities or its exclusively peaceful nuclear program, one that is under the most robust verification of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as a challenge to regional stability; this is but a hypocritical move to distract from the real danger this regime poses to regional peace and security, particularly its nuclear-weapon arsenals, clandestine and unsafeguarded nuclear installations and activities.”

It also emphasized the Israeli regime’s checkered history of housing, funding, inciting, and arming the most deadly terrorist networks.

“The repulsive Israeli occupation has brought many crises and instability throughout the region. As such, it is ironic that the prime minister of the Israeli regime spoke about developing a regional peace initiative while his bloodthirsty regime plans to annex even more of the already occupied Palestinian territories,” the statement noted.

Netanyahu’s claim that Iranian drones were used in the conflict in Ukraine was also rejected by the delegation, which stated that “such baseless allegations, which are solely based on false flags and fabricated assumptions, are nothing more than a propaganda apparatus launched by certain States to further their political agenda.”

The statement emphasized how Israel continues to threaten regional and international peace and security by possessing all known forms of WMDs.

The delegation responded to Israel’s threats to use force against Iran by saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its inherent right to self-defense, under international law and the United Nations Charter, to decisively respond to any threat or wrongdoing committed by the Israeli regime.”

Israel’s disruptive policies and practices were also condemned by the Iranian delegation, which said that the regime has been committing atrocities against Palestinians for more than 70 years “in flagrant violation of the basic principles of morality, humanity, and the rules of international law.”

 


Sunday 3 September 2023

Israelis seeking Portuguese nationality

According to The Jerusalem Post, more Israelis applied for Portuguese citizenship than any other foreign group over the past two years, even though few choose to actually live in the country.

The number of Israelis seeking a Portuguese passport through a 2015 law passed for the descendants of Jews expelled during the Inquisition reached 20,975 in 2022, according to statistics from the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service (SEF). 

That exceeded the 18,591 applicants from Brazil, whose population is over 20 times larger than Israel’s and has longstanding cultural ties to Portugal, including a shared language. 

Israelis were also the largest group in 2021 when 21,263 people applied.

The surge of Israeli applicants began after Portugal passed its “Law of Return” in 2015, allowing the descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews who were affected by the 16th century to apply for nationality. The Portuguese government has announced plans to end this policy in December 2023, declaring its purpose of reparation to be fulfilled.

The policy was plagued by scandal last year amid allegations of fraud and corruption in the Jewish Community of Porto, one of two Jewish authorities — alongside Lisbon’s community — that was certified to vet applications. In particular, the Porto community came under fire for approving the citizenship of Roman Abramovich, a Russian-Jewish billionaire who made his fortune in Russia’s energy sector and has been called a close ally of Vladimir Putin, although he has denied being part of the Russian president’s inner circle. Abramovich’s naturalization came to light shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine when it became apparent that he could live in Europe and challenge the European sanctions being imposed on Russian oligarchs. His case triggered a criminal probe into Porto’s vetting process, leading to the detainment of community rabbi Daniel Litvak and a bitter rift in Portugal’s Jewish communities.

Portuguese citizenship has a wide-ranging appeal for Israelis, including the freedom of movement that comes with a European Union passport. Portugal has lower taxes and a lower cost of living than Israel, although its income levels are also proportionately lower. Some Israelis are attracted to the more relaxed acceptance rates at public universities in Europe and lower attendance costs for EU nationals. 

There are likely also political motivations. Liberal-leaning Israelis — alarmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government and its push to undercut the Israeli Supreme Court’s power and independence — have expressed growing interest in moving abroad. Others are galvanized by the fear and stress that come with living in a country continuously locked in deadly conflict with its neighbors.

Despite their spiking interest in nationality, most of the Israelis who applied have not moved to Portugal. While 60,000 Israelis had Portuguese citizenship in 2022, only 569 were residents, according to SEF data. In comparison, 239,744 Brazilians lived in Portugal last year.

Many citizens of Israel, a country full of citizens who have endured past migrations, may be driven by the desire for a “plan B.” Amikam, an Israeli healthcare professional who did not provide his last name, told The Portugal News that he applied for nationality in 2017 even though he has no plans of emigrating. 

“It’s always good to have a plan B in case things in Israel turn for the worst,” he said.

Saturday 29 July 2023

Benjamin Netanyahu’s day of infamy

I have selected this write up from The Jerusalem Post, the leading newspaper of Israel. I want every Pakistani to read this and share with other fellow Pakistanis. According to The Jerusalem Post, on Monday, July 24, 2023 is a date that will live in infamy – the Zionist enterprise was attacked by enemies from within, led by an emperor of lies. 

At midday, Israel’s legislature fired a cannonball at the Jewish state’s Supreme Court. As civil wars often begin, it was actually a limited attack – a single shell with a lightweight payload. Even so, it was announced as a broad offensive’s prelude, and absorbed like a declaration of war. 

Yes, the original plan, a legislative blitzkrieg, was abandoned. It had to be abandoned because the war’s prospective victims – multitudes who gave the Zionist project their best years – took to the streets, shouted in anger, and shook their fists. 

That’s why the assault’s mastermind – the justice minister, of all people – was forced by his emperor to veer to blitzkrieg’s alternative, the strategy of indirect approach. The redesigned assault would target one outpost at a time, while the war’s victims were to be sedated by fake peace talks. 

For several months, the strategy worked. The victims really thought they prevented civil war and saved the court. But then came Monday’s cannonball, and the prime minister’s implied statement: My civil war is here. 

The civil war was sowed three years ago, when our Netanyahu emerged at the courthouse where his trial was set to begin, and publicly attacked the judiciary, libeling its prosecutors for having allegedly conspired with the press and the police to unseat him. 

That was the battle cry. Behind the scenes, a battle plan was being devised. The idea was to conquer the courts in a pincer movement: from one flank, the judges would be appointed directly by the ruling coalition’s politicians; and from the opposite flank, the courts’ wings were to be clipped. That’s how the judges would become subservient to the politicians.

 

Monday 24 July 2023

Netanyahu defies Biden’s advice

The White House on Monday called it unfortunate that Israel's parliament ratified part of Benjamin Netanyahu's contested judicial overhaul, defying US President Joe Biden, and again urged the prime minister to seek a broad political consensus.

Biden's administration reiterated its long-standing concerns after Israel's Knesset approved an initial bill aimed at curbing the Supreme Court's powers, despite months of street protests and appeals from the US and other countries to hold off and negotiate with the opposition.

The vote, driven by Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition, showed the limits of Biden's ability to rein in the divisive judicial overhaul, even after bringing to bear pressure from Israel's closest ally.

"As a lifelong friend of Israel, President Biden has publicly and privately expressed his views that major changes in a democracy to be enduring must have as broad a consensus as possible," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

"It is unfortunate that the vote today took place with the slimmest possible majority," she added.

Opposition members of parliament boycotted the vote backed by Netanyahu's coalition, which is considered the most far-right in Israel's history.

Hours after the vote, Netanyahu said in a televised address the courts will remain independent and he hopes to reach agreement with the opposition on judicial changes by the end of November.

Biden, who has had frosty relations with Netanyahu compared with former President Donald Trump, finally invited the prime minister last week for an official visit later this year. But US officials have yet to set a date or concur with Israeli statements that they would meet at the White House in September.

Biden had delayed extending the invitation out of concern over Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan and Jewish settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. The two leaders have occasionally clashed in public and in private.

Biden, a Democrat, has said Netanyahu must maintain Israel's independent judiciary as crucial to democracy, but some Republican lawmakers have accused him of meddling in Israeli domestic affairs.

However, there have been no signs Biden's criticism has hurt other key areas such as US-Israel military and intelligence cooperation.

"We have a long-standing friendship with the government of Israel that really transcends any one issue," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

At a regular White House briefing, Jean-Pierre repeated Biden's pledge that the US commitment to Israel remains iron-clad and gave no indication Washington was prepared to use billions of dollars in military aid to Israel as leverage.

"The United States will continue to support the efforts of President (Isaac) Herzog and other Israeli leaders as they seek to build a broader consensus through political dialogue," she said.

 

Sunday 23 July 2023

Crisis in Israel getting deeper

For the 29th week in a row, thousands of Israeli settlers demonstrated against the regime’s hardline cabinet, led by Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, West al-Quds, Beersheva, Herzliya, and Kfar Saba.

In a last-ditch show of force against a disputed judicial reform plan pushed by Netanyahu, the demonstrators approached al-Quds while carrying Israeli flags, water bottles, and umbrellas to protect them from the sweltering sun. 

They then began to assemble close to the parliament and the Supreme Court.

After a multi-day march that started in Tel Aviv earlier this week, the demonstrators had reached the holy city.

Meanwhile, some 10,000 reservists have said they’ll halt their volunteer duty if the bill becomes a law.

“We all share a responsibility to stop the deep division, polarization and rift among the people,” the reservists said in a declaration whose signatories included 235 fighter pilots, 173 drone operators, and 85 commando soldiers.

They called on Netanyahu’s cabinet to arrive at a broad consensus, strengthen the trust of the people in the judicial system and maintain its independence.

The signatories stated that any legislation implemented unreasonably would undermine their willingness to continue risking their lives and would compel them to suspend their voluntary reserve service.

Towards the end of the day on Thursday, Netanyahu stated that he was still trying to reach an agreement with the opposition, primarily about the reasonability clause.

The goal of the judicial overhaul plan is to deny the Israeli Supreme Court the ability to overturn political decisions made by the ruling party. 

Additionally, it aims to give the government more control over the selection of judges for the court.

Supporters claim that the proposal will put a stop to decades of judicial overreach, while detractors say it will do away with important restraints on political authority.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for many counts of corruption, has also been accused by detractors of seeking to use the plan to overturn potential convictions.

Protesters have vowed to keep holding the monumental rallies until the cabinet decides against pushing through with the plan.

Those who support the plan claim that it brings some balance in the power that the various parts of the regime possess.

However, according to the plan’s detractors, approval would give the ruling class more authority to operate in an authoritarian manner.

According to pro-Netanyahu legislators, the new measure would be a much milder version of earlier bills that tried to almost completely pull down the Supreme Court’s authority to overturn presidential decisions. 

However, the opposition claims that the proposed measure would still provide room for corruption.

 

 

Sunday 25 June 2023

Israel reboots fiercely opposed judicial campaign

Israeli lawmakers on Sunday began debating a bill that would limit the Supreme Court's powers, rebooting a fiercely opposed judicial overhaul instigated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition.

Anti-government demonstrations had prompted Netanyahu to suspend his judicial drive in March to allow compromise talks with opposition parties. He declared those talks fruitless last week and ordered some of the legislation to be revived.

The proposed changes, which include curbing on the court's ability to rule against the government, had sparked frequent street protests before the March suspension. On Saturday night anti-overhaul activists blocked a major Tel Aviv highway.

Coalition lawmakers have indicated that the new bill would be a far softer version of previous proposals that had sought to almost totally roll back the Supreme Court's power to rule against the executive.

The opposition, however, says the new bill would still open the door to corruption.

"You are renewing a legislation blitz meant to destroy the justice system's independence and badly hurt Israeli democracy's delicate checks and balances," Labour lawmaker Gilad Kariv said as the debate began.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Twitter urged Netanyahu to stop the legislation and revive negotiations "until we reach agreements that will safeguard democracy and prevent a national disaster".

The proposed judicial overhaul has also stirred Western concern over Israel's democratic health and spooked investors. Critics see it as an attempt to curb court independence by Netanyahu, who is on trial on graft charges that he denies.

The coalition says its goal is to balance the powers of the government, legislature and judiciary by reining in a Supreme Court they see as too interventionist.

 

Friday 26 May 2023

Deteriorating Israel-Arab relationships

Dynamics between Israel and the Arab world have taken a turn for the worse in the first few months of the current Israeli government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The positive momentum in Israel-Arab relations, which Netanyahu himself was the key in generating through the signing of the Abraham Accords in September 2020 and which picked up pace during the Naftali Bennett-Yair Lapid government that followed, has slowed down since the Netanyahu took office in late December 2022.

Netanyahu initially sought to continue his regional achievements after taking over once again as prime minister, and Arab leaders at first played along. But this quickly changed given his government’s harsh policies and extreme statements; soon, Arab warnings to Israel and condemnations of its actions became a recurring theme.

In parallel, meetings between Israeli and Arab heads of state and ministers became increasingly rare, even though practical cooperation continued and previous understandings have mostly endured.

Under Israel’s current government, only limited progress may be feasible in Israel-Arab relations. But conditions for positive change do exist and include marginalizing Israeli extremists, avoiding a flare-up with the Palestinians, reducing the domestic turmoil in Israel, and ensuring the effective involvement of both the United States and the European Union.

Preventive diplomacy enabled the convening of two regional security summits, creating a new mechanism for engagement to increase stability. With Ramadan concluding without a flare-up, a cease-fire reached in Gaza, and domestic turmoil in Israel quieting somewhat, there is potential for renewed Israel-Arab engagement and there are already indications that this is happening.

This trend will become more significant if the United States prioritizes it. That will require Netanyahu to show greater moderation on the Palestinian issue, limit extremists in his coalition, and further backtrack on domestic democratic erosion.

The US should advance regional security summits and the Negev Forum, include a Palestinian component in Israel-Arab cooperative endeavors and normalization efforts, and encourage the EU’s recent initiative to advance a comprehensive regional peace.

 

Monday 1 May 2023

McCarthy pledges to invite Netanyahu to Washington

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy arrived in Israel with a bi-partisan delegation of 19 other members of Congress to celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary. He promised to bring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Capitol Hill in Washington if US President Joe Biden continued to refuse to invite him to the White House.

"I'll invite the prime minister to come meet with the House. He's a dear friend, as a prime minister of a country that we have our closest ties with,” McCarthy told the Hebrew daily Yisrael HaYom on the first day of his two-day trip to Israel.

McCarthy arrived with a bi-partisan delegation of 19 other members of Congress to celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary. He is expected to address the Knesset plenum on Monday, a rare move that has been done only once before by Newt Gingrich in 1998.

The bi-partisan delegation’s visit is viewed as symbolic of the strong Israeli-US ties at a time when tensions are high between Biden and Netanyahu over the latter’s judicial overhaul plan.

Netanyahu had expected to be invited to the White House after his new government was sworn in at the end of December. Despite initial promises that an invitation would be forthcoming, Biden publicly stated he had no plans to invite Netanyahu at this time.

The Biden administration fears that the overhaul would weaken Israeli democracy, while Netanyahu has argued that it would strengthen it.

McCarthy told Yisrael HaYom that too much time had lapsed.

"I think it's too long now. He [Biden] should invite him soon,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy has in the past spoken strongly in support of Netanyahu who he is expected to meet during the visit.

 

 

Sunday 23 April 2023

Can Netanyahu afford to spark a new Israel-US crisis?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could spark another crisis between his government and the Biden administration by tapping May Golan as a potential New York consul general, a move is yet to be finalized.

Two media outlets reported on Saturday that Netanyahu had backed away from the Golan appointment in light of US objections to the matter.

US State Department spokesman Verdant Patel frowned on such a move Thursday when asked during a press briefing about comments the 36-year-old Likud minister has made in the past against African asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants in south Tel Aviv.

“Broadly, we would condemn such kind of rhetoric and believe that such kind of language is also particularly damaging when it’s amplified in leadership positions,” Patel said.

Patel did not expand on the matter further. But under the terms of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the US has the right to refuse to allow Golan to fill the role of consul general in New York.

Left-wing Jewish groups have already spoken out against the move, which would need government approval.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the executive director of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, tweeted, “May Golan [and] her racist politics are not welcome here. If she is appointed as consul general, American Jews will give her a proper reception, just as we did to Smotrich.

J Street said, “This appointment would be another affront by the Netanyahu government to shared democratic values, and an offense to the people – Jewish and non-Jewish alike – of a city that embodies America’s commitment to vibrant diversity.”

Golan tweeted on Thursday, “I am very flattered to be considered for the post of Israel’s consul general in NY.

“I want to assure everyone that if I will be appointed, I will represent 100% the mainstream policies of PM Netanyahu and the Likud Party, to which I belong,” she wrote. “I am completely committed to the unity of the Jewish people, and that is the exact policy that I will follow. If appointed, I will work with the leaders of all the Jewish organizations – as part of the effort to strengthen the great partnership between Israel and the American Jewish communities.”

Prior to her entry into the Knesset in 2019 on the Likud ticket, Golan was one of the more recognizable faces of the battle against the presence in Israel of African asylum-seekers and migrants, particularly in her neighborhood of south Tel Aviv.

In 2011, she was filmed at a rally stating that outside her home were migrants who one could see from their eyes wanted to kill her but no one believed it.

“We’re racist because we want to preserve our lives and our sanity. I am proud to be a racist. If I am racist in order to preserve my life, then I am proud,” she stated at the time.

In an interview with the Hebrew daily Haaretz in 2014, Golan alleged that the migrants posed a health risk.

“I believe that infiltrators don’t have to work in restaurants. I check every restaurant before I go in and call on Israeli citizens who care about themselves and their health to do the same thing.”

Until her name was raised for the New York consul general post, Golan had been poised to be named to a newly created ministerial post for women’s affairs.

The New York Consular General post has been vacant for close to a month, since Asaf Zamir resigned from the role to protest the government’s judicial overhaul plan.

The plan has also generated tension between Netanyahu and the Biden administration, which fears it would weaken Israeli democracy.

US President Joe Biden clarified last month that Netanyahu would not be invited to the White House in the near term.

Comments by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who called for the IDF to wipe out the West Bank Palestinian town of Huwara, have also added stress to the situation. Smotrich later clarified that he meant the IDF should act against terrorists in the town.



 

 

 

Saturday 15 April 2023

Moody’s downgrades Israel’s credit rating

Global rating agency Moody's on Friday affirmed its sovereign credit rating at ‘A1 but downgraded the outlook on the Israeli government's credit ratings to ‘stable’, from ‘positive’.

In a statement, Moody's explained that the affirmation of the ‘A1’ rating reflects Israel's strong economic growth and improving fiscal strength which Moody's expects to continue in its baseline scenario. The economy has proven resilient to many economic and geopolitical shocks over the past decades and has grown at a rapid clip, helped by Israel's globally competitive high-tech industries.

Moody's concerns

Regarding the decision to downgrade the outlook, Moody's wrote that the change of outlook to stable from positive reflects a deterioration of Israel's governance, as illustrated by the recent events around the government's proposal for overhauling the country's judiciary... The manner in which the government has attempted to implement a wide-ranging reform without seeking broad consensus points to a weakening of institutional strength and policy predictability. As a result, the risks on Israel's rating are now balanced, leading to a stable outlook.

"All in all, the recent events offset the positive developments that had led Moody's to assign a positive outlook in April 2022, which related to strong economic and fiscal performance and the implementation of structural reforms by the previous government," the statement continued.

The agency had upgraded Israel's outlook to 'positive' in April 2022, explaining then that the key drivers for the change in outlook included the government's reform agenda that aimed to address longer-term challenges and the agency's expectation of a further reduction in the government's debt ratio.

Netanyahu and Herzog spoke with Moody's

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog spoke to officials at Moody’s on Friday before the publication of the rating, in order to sway them not to downgrade the rating.

Israel's current rating ‘A1’ is an upper-medium score. This indicates that Israel is capable of repaying short-term loans.

Moody had previously warned the government of economic impacts on its proposed legislative policies and many economists echoed these concerns.

In March, Moody said the reform, if implemented in full, could materially weaken the strength of the judiciary and be credit negative. The planned changes could also pose longer-term risks for Israel’s economic prospects, particularly capital inflows into the important high-tech sector.

Fitch, another credit assessor, previously chose to maintain Israel’s A+ credit rating in March, but with a caveat of its own, “Fitch believes the reform could hurt Israel’s credit profile by weakening governance indicators or if the weakening of institutional checks leads to worse policy outcomes or sustained negative investor sentiment.”