Politics and Knesset
The event marked the end of two years of renovations at the site, which dates back 600 to 700 years and is a symbol of the area.
Hailing from Northeast India, the Bnei Menashe community is said to be descended from the biblical Lost Tribes of Israel.
Veteran Arab political observer Shaheen Sarsour said even though the Joint Arab List has 15 members in the Knesset, “it does not influence the government. Mansour Abbas’s move was meant to change that.”
The bill hails from the Land of Israel Lobby, chaired by M.K. Bezalel Smotrich.
Still, the situation has fared better than many other countries in part because of the strong performance of the high-tech sector.
The Knesset approves a plan that will allow any individual eligible for an immigration visa or certificate according to the Law of Return—or a participant in a Jewish heritage program—to perform national service.
“With the potential paradigm shift taking place in the Middle East, it is imperative for our children to be able to communicate and engage with Arabs in Israel and neighbors in the region,” said Michal Cotler-Wunsh of the Blue and White Party.
The move “reflects Israel’s new status as a regional energy power,” says Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz.
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer Yankelevich said on the eve of Hanukkah that “only together can we, as one nation, spread light throughout the world.”
The Judicial Appointments Committee just selected 61 new judges, despite a boycott by three coalition Knesset members.
“We take a grave view of the event and are monitoring developments in the matter,” Israeli Treasury says of the Shirbit Insurance breach.
The global rating agency lauds Israel’s economic stability and high-tech sector, though criticizes its inability to pass a state budget.
