PM Bennet and Defense Minister Ganz have reached an agreement with the representative of 50 families who settled in an illegal outpost, Evyatar, in the West Bank two months ago. As a leader of a right-wing party, Bennet did not want to use force to evacuate the 50 families that inhabit the new outpost, therefore he pushed for a negotiated settlement. According to which, the families will leave quietly and voluntarily, the houses will not be demolished, and the army will settle there for the time-being. The Ministry of Justice will check the status of the land, to ensure that this outpost is not on privately owned Palestinian land. If not, Israel will establish a Yeshiva at the site in the near future. This is marked as a victory for the settlers who forced a new Jewish settlement on the state. Coalition members from Meretz (left-wing party) expressed their criticism of the agreement with the settlers, saying they were not looped in to the consultation and they oppose the deal.
The US State Department also condemned the new outpost.
President of Israel, Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin made a farewell trip to the USA, days before he leaves office next week. Rivlin met with US President Joe Biden, with Nancy Pelosi, leaders of the Jewish community and UN Secretary General Antonio Gutters. Rivlin is the first Israeli official who has met President Biden, since he came to office. President Biden announced after the meeting that he will soon have his first working meeting with the new PM of Israel, Naftali Bennet.
A first trip by a high level Israeli official to the UAE (United Arab Emirates) since the agreement between the two countries was signed, was made by Foreign Minister and substitute PM, Yair Lapid. In his remarks Lapid thanked former PM Netanyahu and former President Trump for initiating the diplomatic process that led to the agreement. In his historic trip Lapid opened the first Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi. Since the agreement was signed, there have been regular direct flights between the two countries, and thousands of Israelis have already visited UAE for tourism. These diplomatic agreements were criticized when signed months ago by then PM Netanyahu, with the support of President Trump, mainly because behind the agreements were arms deals, in which Israel agreed that the US will sell its’ most advanced attack jets to the Emirates thereby negatively impacting Israel’s military superiority.
COVID-19: this week has seen a spike in the number of people infected, and health officials expect an additional rise in both infection rates and active cases. The rise is traced back to the delta variant, which is 40% more contagious and can bypass all types of vaccines. The new wave of infections is mostly in previously “green localities”. The ministry of health announced that it is considering reinstating certain restrictions, especially the purple badge and the green pass, which allows only those vaccinated or recovered to enter closed public spaces. Despite the spike in the infection rate, the Knesset voted this week to end state aid to the unemployed under the age of 45, even though the number of those actively seeking employment is more than double that of job vacancies.
Israel Channel 12 in breaking news reported that the police started a quiet examination of a Jacuzzi that was built in Netanyahu’s private estate in Caesarea, with tax payer money. This is not a police examination, just a preliminary procedure. The news shortly became headlines in all media outlets, which started a new public conflict between Netanyahu and the media. The news item claimed that Netanyahu was not aware of the installation, and that neither he or any of his family members are suspected of anything.
Yet, Netanyahu hurried to announce that he instructed his lawyer to sue all media outlets that published what he referred to as a lie.
The lifestyle of Netanyahu’s family is a known issue. Their attempts to make the state cover all their expenses, even in their private homes, was published many times in the past. Actually, one of Netanyahu’s indictments deals with a flow of expensive Cuban cigars and pink champagne bottles from a businessman who is one of Hollywood’s top producers, allegedly in the context of some benefits on his behalf.
This time the claim was that the Jacuzzi was installed as part of security adjustments to the estate, and that the Netanyahus were not aware of it.
End of the School Year: 2,774,000 children and youth completed the school year, and embarked on a two-month summer vacation, after a most challenging year, spent mostly on Zoom and in social isolation. This year, following the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions, school pupils and University students could attend graduation and end of year ceremonies and parties. The Ministry of Education will operate summer vacation school program for pupils from pre-school through 11th grade through July 21st, offered for free in low-income communities, and for a subsidized fee for other localities.
For Further Reading:
Rivlin and Lapid: Here, here, here, here, here, here
Jacuzzi: Here