Video: Netanyahu’s straight-talking speech at UN
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s straight-talking speech at the United Nations last week. He delivered his address at the UN on Thursday 24 September 2009. Video appears below in three parts:
Israeli foreign minister pledges resignation if indicted on corruption charges
At the last elections, Avigdor Lieberman had hoped to replace Ehud Olmert in the government’s premiership; now, however, the Israeli foreign minister faces prospects of sharing the former prime minister’s experience of being a potential defendant to serious criminal charges. Neither have as yet been indicted, but Olmert resigned due to controversies associated with the prospect of indictment, and a guilty verdict could lead to substantial jail time in both cases.
Avigdor Lieberman
Lieberman now says he will resign if Attorney General Menachem Mazuz decides to indict him. The remarks were made after reports that police this week recommended Mazuz indict Lieberman on a number of charges including money laundering and bribery. The Police recommendations reportedly are based on nearly a decade-long investigation of a diverse array of alleged illicit activities attributed to Lieberman.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz this week published a journalist’s first-hand account of what it depicts as Lieberman’s bragging several years ago that he was privy to inside information about police investigations. The item says that despite taking thorough precautions over the years to avoid being tracked by police, “Human error is to blame. A group of documents that Lieberman forgot at a certain office reached the attorney general and eventually led to the unequivocal police recommendation”.
As previously reported on this blog, earlier this summer two former Israeli government ministers - former finance minister Avraham Hirchson and former social welfare minister and deputy health minister Shlomo Benizri - each received prison sentences following separate trials involving unrelated serious criminal activities.
Israeli Education Minister prefers direct elections, wants reform
An Israeli government minister has spoken out against the electoral system through which he came power, and suggested alternatives to replace it. Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar has reportedly told a conference in Jerusalem that his country is experiencing “a decline in the democratic process” and needs electoral reform.
Gideon Sa'ar
A Jerusalem Post report yesterday quoted Sa’ar as saying: “”We do not vote for direct representatives but for parties. A large percentage of MKs are not elected but appointed, and there’s a big difference between a legislator who was elected and one that was appointed.”
The conference was reportedly organized by the Israel Democracy Institute which presented its 2009 Israel Democracy Index to President Shimon Peres this week.
Shalit’s book - Israeli leaders should all be readers
Israeli government leaders are generally very proficient in rallying their constituents to support policies requiring deployment of young soldiers to harm’s way; but the government commands an overwhelmingly abysmal record of securing the release of Israeli captives. Israeli officials frequently criticise open discussion and media reports about Israeli captives and contend that keeping the matter quiet is the best way to support an eventual release. Perhaps keeping the matter quiet is only the best way to shield Israeli government leaders from pressure and legitimate criticism by those who want to see Israeli captives set free.
Ultimately, considerations of the expendibility of Israeli captives seems to be weighted against the expendibility of political careers.
Gilad Shalit is a young soldier who was captured more than three years ago when his assailants performed a cross border raid into Israel using underground tunnels from Gaza. He is believed to be alive. When he was 11 years old he wrote an inspiring story about two enemies who managed to become friends. That literature has recently been published and is now being read in many language throughout the world. Click here to download When the Shark and the Fish First Met - it’s free and available in a variety of languages. Government leaders must be shaking in their boots at the notion that someone might sometime read an excerpt in the Knesset, but Israeli leaders should all be readers of Shalit’s book.
Remembering Michael Jackson’s Israel visit
Like Michael Jackson, Israeli politicians have known controversy; but, in contrast, typically egocentric public figures must have been envious of the star’s overwhelming popularity. The report below recalls how Michael Jackson’s visit to Israel during his 1993 ‘Danger’ tour brought out the “fans and fanatics”.
When the Queen of England met Israeli humus
Israel and the United Kingdom share many similarities in their respective systems of government, including the existence of parliamentary democracy and the absence of a written constitution; however, one thing Israel does not have is a constitutional monarchy, albeit some of its leaders often seem to act as if they enjoy a proverbial divine rights of kings. In a spoof of the British royal family, an Israeli video advertisement (below) for a humus brand portrays the sovereign and her relatives as devoted humus lovers and purveyors of funny antics.
If a British food manufacturer were to portray an Israeli head of state taking tea, devouring scones or consuming beans on toast, any spoof showing an Israeli leader using proper etiquette would seem comparably unlikely and amusingly out of place. Let’s hope a Western European food manufacturer reciprocates by having the last laugh. Considering how Israeli leaders often behave, the opportunities are many.
Two former Israeli gov’t ministers sentenced to prison
Avraham Hirchson
Former finance minister Avraham Hirchson, a cabinet colleague of former prime minister Ehud Olmert, was sentenced by a Tel Aviv court to a prison term of five years and five months for embezzling more than half a million dollars from a trade union. Hirchson was also ordered to pay a fine of 450,000 shekels (approximately US $114,000).
Up the road in Jerusalem, Israel’s Supreme Court sentenced the Shas party’s Shlomo Benizri to a four year term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay a fine of 250,000 shekels (approximately $63,000) for his conviction last year of corruption charges including bribery and fraud.
Shlomo Benizri
Benizri was appealing a much lighter sentence of 18 months imprisonment and a fine of 80,000 shekels. Benizri was social welfare minister and also a former deputy health minister.
Notably, both ministers apparently seek to appear as the victim of their respective criminal sagas. Hirchson’s son reportedly said subjecting his father to imprisonment would be like a death sentence. Benizri was quoted as saying he was subjected to “nine years of torture” and contending he was “persecuted by the media”.
Kadima activists portal suspends activity
The Yalla-Kadima website billed itself as the portal of activists and supporters of the Kadima party, designed to provide an online platform for free exchange of ideas and debate. It was not officially endorsed by the Kadima party, and occasionally became the source of friction between some party officials and party members associated with the website, but often provided inside information and frank criticism on developments within Kadima.
In what may be a grass roots indication of the extent of disillusionment among Kadima party members, and ultimately disunity within Kadima’s leadership, the Yalla-Kadima website suspended its activity this month. A message on the website states that this is the first time since its founding in November 2005 that activity has been stopped.
Some will miss the frequent updates. Others in the Kadima party who didn’t prefer the open exchanges by its members and supporters will likely appreciate the disappearance. Either way, Yalla-Kadima’s cessation seems to mark further demise within the Kadima movement.
Swine flu concern helps Netanyahu avoid meeting Livni
The Jerusalem Post notes this morning that Prime Minister Netanyahu has not met with Tzipi Livni since becoming premier, despite legal obligations to meet periodically with the opposition leader for updates. The report said that a meeting scheduled for Friday was was cancelled - the third such cancellation; this time, due to concerns about the prime minister possibly having contracted swine flu, following preliminary suspicions that the wife of the prime minister’s military secretary may have been infected. Reportedly all people concerned are now confirmed healthy.
However, the Post noted that Netanyahu has not met with Livni since coalition talks in April. Perhaps the Prime Minister’s Office is seeking an antidote against criticisms from the opposition to help the prime mininster withstand a meeting with Livni.
A similar report also appeared today in Haaretz.
Poll Reveals Israeli elected leaders losing battle for American hearts and minds
Various media are reporting that results of a poll conducted for The Israel Project show a 20% drop in American support for Israel during the past nine months. Support among American voters has reportedly plummeted from 69 percent in September, to just 49%. The statistics are reportedly based on a poll of 800 registerred voters, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research on June 2nd and 3rd, and leaked to the press but not official released. A wire story from the Jewish Telegraph Agency provides additional stats.
This Al Jazeera report yesterday mentioned the poll and showed various American politicians who appeared to be less than eager to express public support of Israel on camera:
It notes that the drop in support occured during the nine-month period which saw Benjamin Netanyahu become prime minister and name Avigdor Lieberman foreign minister; however, it neglects to mention that while elections took place in early February the current Israeli government was not inaugurated until March 31st. So much of the drop in support is really directly attributable to Israel’s previous government, which paradoxically included politicians that many American leaders likely would prefer - at least in public.
