Your Weekly Israel News Roundup, June 30th, 2023
5 things you need to know
Escalation in Settler Violence in West Bank: earlier this week, hundreds of Jewish settlers perpetrated attacks on neighboring Palestinian villages in the West Bank. In the village of Turmus-Aya, the settlers set fire to homes and vehicles, killed a Palestinian resident who went out to defend his home, and wounded dozens of others. Another group of Jewish settlers set fire to a school in the village of Orif, desecrated Quran books and attempted to set homes on fire. In both cases, according to the media, the IDF soldiers present in the area did nothing to prevent the attacks.
Later in the week, the heads of the security forces, the IDF, Police and the Central Security Service, published a joint statement, condemning the attacks on civilian communities, saying that such actions “contradict Jewish values, and divert forces from fighting Palestinian terror.”
In response to the rare joint statement, Minister of Settlements Orit Struck (Religious Zionism) attacked the heads of the security forces, referring to them as the “Wagner Force”. The minister later apologized for the comparison. IDF Chief Herzi-Halevi commented on the minister’s attack and apology and said that the apology does not repair the damage caused by the minister’s comparison to the Wagner force and said that soldiers who do not intervene to prevent acts of settler violence are unfit to be officers.
The US administration voiced its concern over the situation in the West Bank. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that it makes Israel-Saudi deal much ‘tougher, if not impossible’.
Hollywood Producer and State Witness Arnon Milchan Testifies at PM Netanyahu’s Corruption Trial: Milchan’s testimony in the 1000 case, accusing Netanyahu of receiving lavish gifts in return for personal and professional favors to Milchan, was presented via video from a Brighton hotel in the UK. The panel of judges is following the testimony from the courtroom in Jerusalem, while Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, who is not included in the indictment in this case, was granted permission to be present during Milchan’s testimony in Brighton.
In his testimony, Milchan said that he supplied the Netanyahu family with expensive gifts, champagne, cigars, and jewelry, and that that his gifts were not reciprocated. He also said that Netanyahu asked him to broker negotiations for more favorable coverage with Yediot Ahronot publisher Arnon Mozes, in return for limiting the circulation of the free daily newspaper “Israel Hayom” sponsored by Sheldon Adelson. Thus, referring to another case, known as case 2000, in which both Netanyahu and Mozes are indicted.
In the cross examination by Netanyahu’s defense lawyer, Milchan said that Netanyahu did not act on his behalf regarding his US visa request, a key allegation in the 1000 case. He also testified that Netanyahu did not did not act to extend his tax-exempt status by 10 more years, but rather refrred the matter to then Minister of Finanace Lapid ( Yesh Atid), who looked into the matter but did not extend Milchans tax-exemption status.
A key argument by Netanyahu’s defense lawyers is that the supply chain of expensive gifts happened in the context of personal friendship. In his primary investigation and later in the cross examination, Milchan seemed to contradict himself, by claiming personal friendship on the one hand, yet also stating that Netanyahu does not have friends.
Escalation in the Protests Against the Judicial Coup: In the last few days, groups of reserve soldiers, fighter pilots, special unit members and others, announced in a letter to the IDF chief of staff that they will no longer report for reserve duty, due to the judicial steps promoted by PM Netanyahu government.
Tens of people demonstrated near the house of minister of justice, and the architect of the judicial coup, Yariv Levin. They burned car tires, and made a lot of noise. Levin complaint that this kind of demonstration is not acceptable. But the protestors continue to demonstrate daily wherever government ministers go, even when they travel out of the country.
Meanwhile, on the one hand PM Netanyahu, declared in an interview to the Wall Street Journal that he decided to shelve the judicial override clause. On the other hand, his coalition is promoting other sections of the judicial coup, and intends to finish legislating some sections in the coming session of the Knesset. That is a trigger to escalate the demonstrations. As a response to the demonstrations, the government wants to promote legislation that will ban demonstrations near the homes of people serving in office.
Former PM Ehud Barak and former minister Yair Golan Called for Civil Disobedience: Barak, one of the most vocal and prominent rivals of PM Netanyahu, said in an interview that the civil protest should escalate its means and called for civil disobedience. Yair Golan, who was a general in the IDF and vice chief of staff, said the same thing. These calls generated a severe response from PM Netanyahu’s coalition, and many demanded that a criminal investigation be initiated against them, on the ground of incitement and a call for rebellion.
The police announced that it will check those statements. This is a preliminary step before opening an investigation. Many people who participate in the protest, have already said that they support the two, and that they will consider civil disobedience.
Organized Crime in the Arab Society Reaches Another Record: The number of murders in the Arab Community in Israel reached another record, doubling in comparison to the same period last year. Leaders from Israeli Arab society have been calling for months to prioritize this issue high on the government agenda, leaders from the opposition called on the government in general and the minister of national security in particular, to establish a focused section in the police to fight organized crime in the Arab society, to allocate budget for this section, to nominate a senior officer to lead the new section, and in general to prioritize the issue. So far the government has failed in many sectors showing a lack of governance, and the inaction of the police in this matter is just another failure of governance.
For further reading:
Settler Violence: Here, here, here, here, here
Milchan’s testimony: Here, here, here, here
Escalation in protest: Here, here, here