A7News: 'Big Win, all under pressure of nasty, hostile media'

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Wednesday, Nov. 07 '18, כ"ט בחשון תשע"ט



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HEADLINES:
1. 'BIG WIN, ALL UNDER PRESSURE OF NASTY, HOSTILE MEDIA'
2. PRODUCER BOOED AT LA ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL FOR ANTI-TRUMP REMARKS
3. 'IF DINA ZILBER ISN'T FIRED, WE'RE WALKING OUT OF MEETINGS'
4. SUPREME COURT OKAYS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JEWS ON TEMPLE MOUNT
5. 'END GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR YESHIVAS'
6. DEMOCRATS RETAKE HOUSE, REPUBLICANS TO MAINTAIN SENATE
7. TERROR ATTACK FOILED EAST OF JERUSALEM
8. REGEV RESPONDS TO STERN: I FIND YOUR WORDS CONTEMPTIBLE


1. 'BIG WIN, ALL UNDER PRESSURE OF NASTY, HOSTILE MEDIA'
by Mordechai Sones

US President Donald Trump sees the glass half full as relates to the midterm elections held last night.

"Those that worked with me in this incredible Midterm Election, embracing certain policies and principles, did very well," Trump tweeted. "Those that did not, say goodbye! Yesterday was such a very Big Win, and all under the pressure of a Nasty and Hostile Media!"

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254406

Trump seems to refer, among other things, to the fact that Democratic senators running in states voting for Trump in 2016 and who opposed the appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh lost last night. On the other hand, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who supported Kavanaugh, was reelected.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254406

Two prominent friends of Israel, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Florida Governor Rick Scott, won the US Senate elections.

In addition, Ron Desantis, a Republican pro-Israel House member, defeated Andrew Gillum in the race for Florida governor.

Against Cruz ran Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who enjoyed massive support from Democratic donors and invested record money in his election campaign. The gap between the two was less than three percent - a very good achievement for O'Rourke, in a state that has been a Republican stronghold for decades.

Scott defeated his opponent, Sen. Bill Nelson of the Democrats by an even smaller margin: less than half-a-percent. Scott will move from the governor's home in Florida where he has been living since 2011 to Washington, where he will serve as one of the state's two Senators, along with his colleague Marco Rubio.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254406

Cruz is considered a stalwart friend of Israel. During his visit to Israel in May, on the occasion of the transfer of the American Embassy to Jerusalem, he praised Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and said that "the Palestinian leadership" and not the transfer of the embassy constitutes the obstacle to peace.

Scott also visited Israel to honor the embassy transfer and took part in the ceremony. "This is an historic day. I'd like to thank President Trump for the transfer of the embassy. The State of Florida will always be a friend of the State of Israel, and the US will always be the best ally Israel has ever had," Scott said at a conference to salute Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, "because Israel is the best ally the United States has."

Desantis also participated in the inauguration ceremony. When he returned to the United States he submitted a new proposal according to which the US would recognize Israel's sovereignty in the Golan Heights as well.


2. PRODUCER BOOED AT LA ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL FOR ANTI-TRUMP REMARKS
by JTA

Jewish producer Jason Blum was booed and had to be physically removed from the stage of the Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles after he accused President Donald Trump of fomenting rising anti-Semitism in the United States.

Blum was onstage at the Steve Tisch Cinema Center, Saban Theater on Tuesday evening being honored with the festival's Achievement in Film & Television Award.

"The good thing about this country is that you get to like Trump, but I don't have to and I don't like him," Blum said, according to Deadline. "We have a president who calls the press the enemy of the people. Thanks to our president, anti-Semitism is on the rise."

Blum was booed and heckled during his speech. Some members of the audience walked out, while others yelled "get off the stage" and "we like Donald," Deadline reported.

As Blum continued speaking, a festival organizer came on stage and called for security as an audience member appeared to pull down Blum, leading to others jumping on the stage to assist him. After insisting that "you are going to have to drag me off the stage," Blum exited.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254410

The Israeli Film Festival is sponsored by the Adelson Foundation, the charitable organization established by Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a major giver to Republican candidates ahead of Tuesday's elections as well as to Trump in his run for the presidency. The Hollywood Reporter is a co-sponsor of the event.

Israeli director Avi Nesher, who received the Cinematic Achievement Award, also addressed the current political situation.

"Americans [also] have their issues with some of the political leadership in this country," Nesher said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I, too, am an American citizen, and I, too, am worried about the state of affairs in this country. My parents are immigrants — twice, once to Israel and once to this country. I have been observing with horror the hate mongering which has become the order of the day for the American administration, and the Israeli one. That's why we make movies. To entertain, but also to think."

Festival director and founder Meir Fenigstein told The Hollywood Reporter that "this is the first time we have ever experienced anything like this, and I am in total shock, but I understand that this is a very tense day in America with the elections. This is not the place for politics and I remain apolitical."

Blum later tweeted the speech he had planned to give, in which he said, in part: "Those election results are pouring in as I speak. And so much is on the line. The past two years have been hard for all of us who cherish the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this country. The sense of community that has bound us together for generations is all but gone."

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254410


3. 'IF DINA ZILBER ISN'T FIRED, WE'RE WALKING OUT OF MEETINGS'
by Mordechai Sones

Education Minister Naftali Bennett today referred to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked's demand to dismiss Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber and clarified he would not accept a situation allowing Zilber to continue to serve.

"I declare that if Zilber isn't fired, as long as she arrives at government meetings we will leave and not participate in the meeting while she is there," Bennett said in an interview with Reshet B.

"Her role is to provide legal advice, not to educate us. She suffers from megalomania and it's clear that her words are political. Let her resign and run for politics if she wants to. She's done advising us," the Jewish Home Chairman said.

Dina Zilber
Flash 90
Earlier, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked announced that Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber will not attend Knesset deliberations until Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit finishes investigating her.

"The Attorney General or someone on his behalf can come and present an opposing legal position, but not political positions," Shaked said at TheMarker's Road Safety Conference. "If a senior public official wants to enter into political issues, he should resign and join one of the parties or an NGO. It cannot be done as part of the advisory function to the government.

"There's an argument about the Attorney General's powers. We are divided on the matter of Dina Zilber. The bottom line is that right now she is not attending the Knesset and government until the Attorney General finishes investigating her, which is the bottom line and that's what matters," Shaked said.

Then, Shaked continued, "The position is determined by a ministerial committee for legislation - otherwise it would be impossible to run the State. State Service Regulations also apply to the Deputy Attorney General. It's true that it's possible to express a legal position even if it contradicts the government's position, but no senior public official may enter into political matters. It does damage."

Earlier this morning, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit sent a letter to Justice Minister Shaked, following her demand to forbid Deputy Attorney General Zilber from representing the government in the Knesset or the Supreme Court.

"A decision on the appearance of a legal entity subordinate to me is a decision that is subject to my authority and my exclusive responsibility, and there is no room for intervention in this authority," Mandelblit wrotes to Shaked.

"I do not accept the basic approach that may be inferred from your letter," notes the Attorney General, explaining that he will examine and decide how to relate to Zilber's statements yesterday at the Knesset Education Committee against the Cultural Loyalty Law.

"I intend to examine the statements in your letter and later I will update you on how I find it appropriate to act on the subject," Mandelblit wrote in his letter to Minister Shaked.

Despite the sharp letter from Attorney General Mandelblit, he agreed that Deputy Attorney General Zilber will not participate in Knesset committee deliberations and government discussions until the end of the investigation on the matter.

The offensive remarks came when Zilber spoke of the Cultural Loyalty Law promoted by Culture Minister Miri Regev that expands the existing mechanism of the Nakba Law allowing to cancel budgets of cultural institutions that mark Independence Day as a day of mourning and negate the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

The bill was initiated by Culture Minister Miri Regev and is supported by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

"The days bring not only new laws but new words - loyalty, governance, and more" Zilber said in a discussion of the Law and claimed there is "a wounding social discourse. If someone can be loyal, can someone else be a traitor? A Fifth column?"

"Show us a disciplined and educated people whose thought is uniform. Loyalty in culture is an oxymoron like a thunderous silence," added the Deputy Attorney General.


4. SUPREME COURT OKAYS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JEWS ON TEMPLE MOUNT
by Uzi Baruch

The Israeli Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by a right-wing party challenging a police decision to limit the use of metal detectors at the entrance of the Temple Mount to Jews and other non-Muslim visitors.

The petition was submitted by the heads of the "Otzma Yehudit" party, including former National Union MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, Hevron activist Baruch Marzel, Itamar Ben-Gvir and chairman of the Lehava anti-assimilation group, Bentzi Gopstein.

In July 2017, after the murder of two police officers on the Temple Mount, metal detectors were put in place at the entrances to the Mount. They were soon taken down at most of the entrances, however, following a wave of violent protests. Only metal detectors at the Mugrabi Gate were left in place. The Mugrabi entrance is used primarily by Jewish visitors and foreign tourists.

The petition claimed that doing so was unlawful and goes against the principle of equality as only tourists and Jews are required to pass through metal detectors as a result of the change, while Muslims are not inspected at all.

The petitioners claimed that while Muslims have been responsible for attacks and violent disturbances on the Temple Mount, it is the Jews who are forced to undergo scrutiny.

State attorney Dr. Yuval Roitman said at the hearing that the police have broad discretion when it comes to weighing considerations of equality against security needs.

Attorney Ben-Gvir, of the Otzma Yehudit Movement, countered that in countless Supreme Court decisions, the court sided on the principle of equality over security needs. He cited examples of limitations on airport checks on Arab travellers, the use of separate roads for Jews and Arabs, fences and security checkpoints. Equality is the highest constitutional principle and violating it may only be permitted in the most difficult circumstances, Ben-Gvir noted.

President of the Supreme Court Esther Hayut rejected the petition, however, rejecting the petitioners' argument that the decision to remove the metal detectors from the eight entrances used by Muslims to enter the Temple Mount, violated the principle equality.

Hayut stated that the right of Jews who enter from the Mugrabi gate to worship on the temple mount is not violated. Therefore, she claimed that that despite the different level of scrutiny on Muslim and non-Muslim visitors to the Mount, Jews and other non-Muslim visitors were still able to ascend the Mount, and thus there was no basis for the court to intervene and restrict the police's discretion in the matter.

Right-wing activist Michael Ben-Ari criticized the ruling saying, "If these were Arabs who were being discriminated against, the Supreme Court Justices would rush to issue orders [against it]. The discrimination between Arabs and Jews is not only taking place on the Temple Mount, but also in the Supreme Court."

Attorney Ben-Gvir also slammed the ruling.

"This is a black day for Israel democracy, when the Supreme Court perpetuates discrimination and without hesitation, justifies it."

He continued by saying that the decision was unfortunate since, "In dozens of decisions, Justices Haim, Meltzer and Hendel have ruled against discrimination."


5. 'END GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR YESHIVAS'
by Mordechai Sones

Former Knesset Member and Zehut Party Chairman Moshe Feiglin referred on Anat Weinon's 103fm program to the Cultural Loyalty Law promoted by Culture Minister Miri Regev allowing the State to revoke budgets from institutions that undermine it or carry out activities encouraging terror.

"It's an insane law; why should the ruler tell the creator what to create? Fortunately, King Saul didn't allocate a cultural budget to David, otherwise the Book of Psalms would never have come out. The British crown didn't pay Shakespeare, otherwise Hamlet wouldn't have been produced," Feiglin said.

Regarding the claim that Israel's Culture Ministry is what holds up the art institutions in Israel, Feiglin replied: "This is cultural Bolshevism created by the Left. Two wrongs don't make a right. What I really want is the whole land but the least state involvement in citizen's life. I want identity on the one hand, but also freedom on the other. Everyone here is an autonomous and free agent."

When asked whether a decision should be made to stop funding all institutions, he replied, "Correct. Also the yeshivas. This way we'll reduce taxes, the market will be free, and the abundance we aspire to will be created. Young couples are leaving the country because the rich abundance of the country doesn't flow to them. The role of the State is to finance foreign and domestic security.

"Maimonides explained it in a very clear way: 'A king makes war and justice.' The role of the State is to take care of security, and only afterward the rest. Today's method is completely flawed, so artists and creators have no say," said Feiglin.


6. DEMOCRATS RETAKE HOUSE, REPUBLICANS TO MAINTAIN SENATE
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254377
Live updates from Fox News

Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years, CNN and Fox News projected on Tuesday night, hours after US voters went to the polls for the 2018 midterm elections.

Both networks projected that Republicans would keep the Senate, setting up a divided Congress until the 2020 elections.

The latest results show Democrats with 221 seats in the House - an absolute majority in the 435-member chamber - compared to 199 for the GOP, with 26 net pickups for the Democrats.

Republicans, on the other hand, flipped four seats in the Senate thus far, including incumbent Joe Donnelly's seat in Indiana, Bill Nelson's in Florida, Claire McCaskill's in Missouri, and Heidi Heitkamp's in North Dakota. The GOP retained seats in competitive races in Texas and Tennessee. One Republican Senate seat was lost, with incumbent Dean Heller losing to Jacky Rosen in Nevada.

The race for the Republican-held Arizona seat and the Democratic-held seat in Montana remain too close to call.

Mississippi, which held a jungle primary on Tuesday, will hold a runoff election on November 27th for a special senate election. Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith is heavily favored to win.

The GOP is now projected to hold 52 seats in the 100-member Senate, compared to 45 for Democrats (including two Democrat-aligned independents), with 3 seats still to be called.

With their win in the House, the Democrats will gain new power that will allow them to challenge President Donald Trump for the next two years of his presidency.

Trump tweeted about the results shortly after 11:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday night.

"Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!" he wrote.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254377

Trump was not expected to comment further on the election results as the White House had called a lid, meaning the president would not speak.

Previous updates
The first polls closed at 6:00 p.m. EST (1:00 a.m. Israel time) in most of Indiana and Kentucky.

Before Tuesday's vote, Republicans held 51 seats in the Senate, compared to 49 controlled by Democrats. These include two independents who caucus with the Democratic Party.

Of those seats, 35 were up for grabs. According to Fox News, 19 of these seats will likely remain Democrat, and another five that will likely remain Republican. Additionally, there are three seats that lean Democrat and three seats that lean Republican.

Arutz Sheva will be posting live updates on this page throughout the night. All times posted are Eastern Standard Time.

11:05 p.m.
Republican Ron DeSantis will win the race to become Florida's 46th governor, CNN projects, defeating Democrat Andrew Gillum to become the state's fourth consecutive GOP chief executive.

10:30 p.m.
Fox News projects that Republicans will retain control of the United States Senate.

Although the exact size of the GOP majority is not yet known, a Republican Senate allows President Trump to continue shaping the federal judiciary, including possibly the Supreme Court, and provides a check against House Democrats who want to investigate and perhaps even impeach the president.

10:26 p.m.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz has defeated Democrat Beto O'Rourke in Texas, according to several media projections.

10:15 p.m.
CNN is projecting that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will win the US Senate race in Utah, replacing Orrin Hatch who retired.

10:12 p.m.
Democrats have picked up four more seats in the House, CNN can project, with wins in Kansas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and New York.

Sharice Davids will win in Kansas' Third District
Chrissy Houlahan will win in Pennsylvania's 6th District
Dean Phillips will win in Minnesota's Third District
Max Rose will win in New York's 11th District

Democrats now need to pick up 11 Republican-held seats to win the House majority.

10:00 p.m.
Democrats have picked up four more House seats, CNN can project. They are:

Haley Stevens will win in Michigan's 11th District
Jason Crow will win in Colorado's 6th District
Mikie Sherrill will win in New Jersey's 11th District
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will win in Florida's 26th District

Democrats must now pick up 15 Republican-held seats to win the majority.

9:49 p.m.
Democrats will retake control of the House of Representatives, Fox News projects.

9:47 p.m.
Republican Mike Braun will defeat Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in Indiana, CNN projects.

9:35 p.m.
As of this time, the Republicans have won 82 seats in the House of Representatives, and the Democrats 76.

In the Senate, Republicans have so far won 32 seats and Democrats 36.

9:09 p.m.
Democrat Bob Menendez has won reelection to the Senate in New Jersey, projects The Associated Press.

9:00 p.m.
The polls have closed in 14 more states: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

8:38 p.m.
CNN has projected three governor's races in Tennessee, Arkansas and Rhode Island.

Republican Bill Lee will win his race for Tennessee governor

Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson will win re-election

Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo wins re-election in Rhode Island

8:31 p.m.
Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar would be the nation's first Muslim women in Congress, according to CNN.

8:30 p.m.
Polls have closed in Arkansas.

8:15 p.m.
Democratic candidate Donna Shalala has defeated Republican Maria Elvira Salaza in Florida's 27th district.

8:11 p.m.
Fox News has released the following projections:
In Connecticut, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy will win a second term by defeating Republican Matthew Corey.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, is projected to win a second term in the Senate, defeating Republican state lawmaker Geoff Diehl.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic Sen. Bob Casey will win a third term to defeat Republican Rep. Lou Barletta.

In Maryland, Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin will win a third term by defeating Republican educator Tony Campbell.

In Maryland, Republican Governor Larry Hogan will win a second term by defeating Democrat Ben Jealous, the former president of the NAACP.

8:00 p.m.
Polls have closed in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Tennessee.

In addition, polls closed in some parts of Kansas, Michigan and Texas.

7:52 p.m.
Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock will be ousted from her northern Virginia seat by Democratic state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, CNN projects.

Comstock's district in the Washington suburbs was seen as a must-win by Democrats in their bid to make a net gain of 23 seats and take control of the House.

7:30 p.m.
Polls have closed in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.

7:16 p.m.
Greg Pence, the older brother of Vice President Mike Pence, will win the vice president's former congressional seat in Indiana, CNN projects.

Pence was elected in the deep-red 6th District to replace former Rep. Luke Messer, who vacated the seat in a failed bid for the Republican Senate nomination.

7:06 p.m.
Fox News projects that Independent Senator Bernie Sanders will easily win a third term, defeating Republican Lawrence Zupan.

7:03 p.m.
Polls have closed in most of Florida, as well as in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.

7:01 p.m.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine will win reelection, CNN projects, defeating Republican challenger Corey Stewart.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254377
Live broadcast of CBS News


7. TERROR ATTACK FOILED EAST OF JERUSALEM
by David Rosenberg

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254336

An attempted terror attack was foiled Tuesday morning, in the Adumim bloc just east of Jerusalem.

According to initial reports from the scene, a female terrorist attempted to stab Israelis near a gas station at the entrance to the Israeli town of Mishor Adumim Tuesday morning. Witnesses say the female terrorist charged a group of soldiers while brandishing a knife.

"A female terrorist attempted to stab border police officers at the petrol station near Mishor Adumim," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Security officials say the terrorist had tried to hide in a falafel shop next to the gas station, and later refused to leave the establishment. After security forces were called to the shop, the terrorist left, and was later found en route to the neighboring Israeli town of Alon.

When soldiers confronted the terrorist, she charged at them and shouted in Arabic while brandishing scissors and a knife.

Israeli security forces present at the scene opened fire and neutralized the terrorist before she could reach her target, however.

No injuries were reported among Israeli civilians or security forces in the attack. The terrorist was treated at the scene by emergency medical responders before being evacuated by ambulance to the hospital in moderate condition.

Authorities later identified the terrorist as a 37-year-old resident of the Palestinian Authority-controlled town of Yatta, south of Hevron.

The abortive stabbing attempt comes a day after a similar incident outside of the Israeli town of Kiryat Arba in Judea, south of Jerusalem.

In the attempted stabbing attack Monday, an Arab terrorist brandishing a knife attempted to stab Israelis at the Elias Junction near Kiryat Arba, but was shot and wounded by IDF soldiers before he could cause harm.

The terrorist was treated on the scene and evacuated in light condition to a local hospital for further treatment.


8. REGEV RESPONDS TO STERN: I FIND YOUR WORDS CONTEMPTIBLE
by Ezra Sanders

Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev (Likud) on Tuesday responded to the assertions made against her by MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid) at the Knesset.

"I'm thoroughly disgusted and find contemptible the words of Elazar Stern. Stern's words are an indictment against women who advanced in the army and against officers in the army who are involved with the advancement of women in the IDF. Through his words against me, it's hinted that I advanced in the army not, like my male compatriots, through specific criteria and the recommendations of my superiors, but rather through feminine objectification."

In light of Stern's callous suggestions, Regev approached the Governmental Legal adviser, the Minister of Defense and the Ethics Committee of the Knesset with the request to "to open investigations with all the officers who advanced me in the army and to hear from them whether my advancement in the army was flawed and whether they acted criminally in advancing me in contradiction to the law."

Minister Regev even turned to the Chairman of the Yesh Atid Party with a clear demand: "I call on Yair Lapid to immediately suspend Stern from office, as was done to Yaakov Peri and Zvika Gendelman. There is no place in public life for a man who disgraces women and makes sexist suggestions."

The Minister of Culture and Sports added, "Stern, detail what you know because I don't know you're talking about. And yes, Stern, you've joined joined the ranks of men who slander women and belittle their honor. #YouToo."

MK Elazar Stern
Photo: Miriam Alster, Flash 90





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