Politics and Knesset
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz is seeking to form a “historically dangerous” coalition, Israeli premier warns • Gantz: “The emergency is hundreds of missiles being fired at the citizens of the State of Israel.”
“Anti-Semitism is central to a wider debate about the kind of country we want to be,” it said. “To ignore it because Brexit looms larger is to declare that anti-Jewish prejudice is a price worth paying for a Labour government.”
“I am focused on British Jewry and the impact in our country,” said Yosef David, a social worker for a large Jewish charity.
The tension with Gaza may have created greater political discord, with Blue and White No. 2 Yair Lapid saying that giving Palestinian Islamic Jihad their demands after they shot more than 450 rockets into Israel means that in the next round, “Hamas cannot sit on the side.”
Arab Joint List lawmakers “sanctify” terrorists’ war crimes; Israel “spares no effort to minimize civilian casualties,” says Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Knesset address.
The Russians submitted a petition asking Israel to extradite the hacker to Moscow, but Israel’s Supreme Court rejected the request.
Minority government “the worst option of all,” says Israeli premier • Gantz: “Send in your negotiating partners, and let’s finally resume direct and genuine talks.”
Opting to skip the usual formalities, Naftali Bennett says he wants to get to work right away, “addressing the serious challenges that lay ahead.”
Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman’s threat to join a Blue and White-led minority government with Arab parties is “highly implausible,” says Likud official.
“Putting oneself in the shoes of another person, or another group, can be difficult. But we believe it is important—and urgent—that you do that,” the paper said, citing a recent poll that found 87 percent of British Jews consider Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to be an anti-Semite.
New Right accepted the appointment, which will be voted on at the next cabinet meeting. Blue and White criticized the move.
The government-building logjam continues, with Knesset members analyzing the limited possibilities now in front of them.
