A7News: 'You cannot be defense minister'

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Sunday, Dec. 16 '18, ח' בטבת תשע"ט



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HEADLINES:
1. 'YOU CANNOT BE DEFENSE MINISTER'
2. YOUNG WOMAN INJURED IN STONE-THROWING ATTACK NEAR ELI
3. JUDEA AND SAMARIA RESIDENTS PROTEST: 'WE ARE DONE BEING SILENT'
4. JUDGE COLLAPSES, CONDITION CRITICAL
5. WOUNDED SOLDIER'S PARENTS ASK PUBLIC TO PRAY
6. NETANYAHU TO RESIGN AS FOREIGN MINISTER, NAME REPLACEMENT
7. WHY IS TRUMP STILL SIGNING WAIVERS FOR US EMBASSY?
8. IDF STEPS UP SECURITY FOLLOWING SLEW OF TERROR ATTACKS


1. 'YOU CANNOT BE DEFENSE MINISTER'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

A harsh exchange of words developed Sunday morning at the weekly cabinet meeting in light of the demonstration by residents of Judea and Samaria outside the meeting and the intensification of terrorism in Judea and Samaria.

According to Hadashot 2, the exchange began after the justice minister announced that she was abstaining in the vote to permanently appoint Prime Minister Netanyahu as defense minister. "I will abstain, Bennett should be defense minister," she said.

Minister of Education Naftali Bennett joined in and told Netanyahu, "You cannot be defense minister, the gap in the barrier is not the Supreme Court, it's the IDF."

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded harshly to Bennett's remarks and said, "You are doing a foolish deed. We heard about your ultimatums." Bennett fired back, "It's a shame [you] don't fight terror like [you] do government ministers."

At this stage, Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz intervened in the exchange. He said of Netanyahu, "He can be both defense minister and foreign minister."

In response, Minister Shaked attacked Minister Katz and accused him of kowtowing to Netanyahu. "Don't speak nonsense, you are flattering in order to get the foreign ministry portfolio."

Minister Elkin also attacked Bennett and told him, "It's a joke to throw the legal responsibility on the prime minister when the justice ministry portfolio is with Ayelet Shaked from your party. You are making the discussion about politics instead of principles. To make a connection to a hole in the wall at Beit El is a joke. It happened when there was a full-time defense minister [Liberman]."


2. YOUNG WOMAN INJURED IN STONE-THROWING ATTACK NEAR ELI
by Uzi Baruch


A young woman, aged 24, was lightly-to-moderately injured in a stone-throwing attack in the area of ​​Eli in the Binyamin region this afternoon, Sunday.

Medics gave her medical treatment and evacuated her to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem with a bleeding wound in the face caused by stone and glass fragments.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people demonstrated this morning, Sunday, in the Rose Garden opposite the Knesset against government policy following the wave of terror in Judea and Samaria.

The demonstration was attended by ministers from Likud, Jewish home, and hundreds of residents of Judea and Samaria, including the head of the Beit El Council Shay Alon, who also spoke at the event.

"The policy of the open roads has failed," Alon stressed. "All the terrorists left and returned to Ramallah, we will not move from here until they return the checkpoints."


3. JUDEA AND SAMARIA RESIDENTS PROTEST: 'WE ARE DONE BEING SILENT'
by Eliran Aharon

Hundreds of residents of Judea and Samaria communities, supporters from around the country and a series of heads of local councils from Judea and Samaria, arrived Sunday morning to demonstrate in front of the Prime Minister's Office during the weekly cabinet meeting.

The residents are protesting against weakness in dealing with terror, and at the same time demand practical measures to strengthen Judea and Samaria communities, including the town of Ofra in Binyamin.

Protesters held signs reading "Enough abandonment - we want normalization"; "We are done being silent"; "Ofra is a fact! Give us a building plan," among others.

A number of cabinet ministers attended the protest, including Minister Naftali Bennett, Minister Uri Ariel, Minister Ayelet Shaked, Minister Yariv Levin, Minister Ofir Akunis, Minister Eli Cohen, as well as a number of Knesset members.

Minister Ze'ev Elkin identified with the demands of the demonstrators and added, "It is also necessary, and I have been saying this for a long time, to take steps against the Palestinian Authority and Abbas."

"Abbas is not the solution, as certain elements in the IDF think, he is part of the problem, and the payments to the terrorists who sit in the prisons are proof of that," he added.

Minister Elkin emphasized that beyond the treatment of security and action vis-à-vis the Palestinian Authority, "on the other side of the equation, we must develop settlement, normalize existing settlements, advance the 'fabric of life' law that I hope will come today to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation and increase the acceleration of construction throughout Judea and Samaria."

Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin said at the rally, "I came here this morning before the cabinet meeting to say clearly - the time has come for the actions, the time has come to be released from the artificial legal cables that are imposed on us all the time. The time has come to pass today in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation the Law for Young Settlements and also do advance wide-scale building in response to those lowly murderers. In a place where Jews are murdered only because they are Jews, this is the place where a new, young and strong settlement must be established in Elon Moreh, in Nofei Nehemia, in Ofra, in Har Bracha, and this is the direction in which we will go with full force and determination."

Chairman of the Jewish Home and Education Minister Naftali Bennett said: "Our hands are tied because of 'Fake Law' and 'Fake Ethics.' The prime minister promised two weeks ago to return the force to the IDF, and it still hasn't happened. He promised to demolish the homes of terrorists, but 106 homes still haven't been demolished. I call out to the prime minister, you promised - now fulfill."

"Every time there is terrorism we have to build," Bennett stressed. "We will reach peace with our neighbors when they give up hope of getting us out of this country. How will they give up? When we build more communities, more schools and more kindergartens."

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4. JUDGE COLLAPSES, CONDITION CRITICAL
by Ben Shaul

Rabbi Shlomo Ben Shimon, the 82-year-old Neve Tzion Av Beit Din, collapsed over Shabbat and his condition continues to be critical.

The incident took place on Shabbat in the afternoon. During his study at the Neveh Yitzhak school on Haydushei Harim St. in Bnei Brak, the rabbi felt heart pain and collapsed.

Students present called rescuers who arrived in a short time and began to perform CPR. Later, the rabbi was evacuated in critical condition to the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. Last night he had a heart catheterization.

His family reported this morning his condition continues to be critical and asked the public pray for his recovery.

His name for prayer: Rabbi Shlomo Yedidya Ben Yaffa.

Shiba Medical Center
Flash 90



5. WOUNDED SOLDIER'S PARENTS ASK PUBLIC TO PRAY
by Tzvi Lev

The family of Natanel Felber, who was wounded in last week's attack at Givat Assaf, asks the public to pray for his recovery.

Felber's Hebrew name for prayer is Netanel Ilan ben Shayna Tzipora.

Filber is unconscious and remains in critical condition."We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the care, the love, and the support in these difficult times," said his parents on Saturday evening. "Netanel always came home with a smile that illuminated the house."

Doctors said that Shira Sabag, who was injured in the incident at Givat Assaf on Thursday, has been improving. Shaare Zedek Hospital reported that Sabag has been transferred from the intensive care unit a regular ward.

The hospital also reported that both Shira and Amichai Ish-Ran's conditions have taken a turn for the better after they were shot near Ofra on Sunday.

On Thursday, IDF Sergeant Yuval Mor-Yosef and Corporal Yosef Cohen were murdered by Arab terrorists in a shooting attack next to Givat Assaf, north of Jerusalem

An initial investigation revealed that the terrorist arrived at a hitchhiking post at Givat Assaf with his vehicle before stepping out and opening fire at those assembled there. The two soldiers were killed immediately by the gunfire at point blank range while the other soldier and Sabag were injured.

The terrorist then fled towards Ramallah, where he abandoned his vehicle. The IDF and Shin Bet have launched a massive manhunt after the terrorists and are conducting searches in a number of villages.


6. NETANYAHU TO RESIGN AS FOREIGN MINISTER, NAME REPLACEMENT
by David Rosenberg

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will resign as Foreign Minister, and name his replacement next month, Netanyahu announced Friday.

Netanyahu also announced plans to name a new Immigration and Absorption Minister next week, following the departure of former Minister Sofa Landver (Yisrael Beytenu) last month.

Netanyahu has served as Foreign Minister, in addition to his role as premier, since 2015.

Following the departure of Yisrael Beytenu from the government last month, however, Netanyahu has also taken on the role of Defense Minister.

On Friday, Netanyahu announced that he would be formally named Defense Minister, replacing the temporary appointment for the position in late November.

With his new duties as Defense Minister, Netanyahu said he would resign as Foreign Minister, and name a replacement next month.

In addition, Netanyahu said he would name a replacement for Sova Landver as Immigration and Absorption Minister. Current Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) is expected to be tapped to replace Landver, while another Likud lawmaker is likely to receive the Foreign Ministry portfolio.


7. WHY IS TRUMP STILL SIGNING WAIVERS FOR US EMBASSY?
by Nitsan Keidar

In 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act (JEA), requiring the executive branch to relocate the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by May 31st, 1999, and to officially recognize the city as Israel's capital.

Since 1999, however, successive administrations have utilized a security waiver, enabling them to delay implementation of the JEA.

On December 6th 2017, President Trump announced plans to implement his campaign promise of relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem. On May 14th, the embassy was formally moved to an American compound in Jerusalem, which had previously served as a consular facility.

Despite the embassy transfer, however, President Trump renewed the security waiver, renewed every six months, to block an automatic funding restriction in the JEA.

Why does the White House still need the waiver after the move was completed? An embassy official told Arutz Sheva that without the formal transfer of the ambassador's residence, the embassy move remains technically incomplete, according to the language of the JEA.

"The administration was proud to open our U.S. Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem earlier this year on May 14," said the embassy official.

"‎The definition of U.S. Embassy in the Jerusalem Embassy Act, however, includes both the offices of the diplomatic mission and the residence of the Chief of Mission. The memorandum from the President acknowledges that a waiver of the Act's funding restriction is still necessary until the technicality of the Chief of Mission residence can be addressed."


8. IDF STEPS UP SECURITY FOLLOWING SLEW OF TERROR ATTACKS
by Tzvi Lev

The IDF stepped up its security measures in Judea and Samaria amid a recent upsurge of terrorism in the region.

After two recent attacks at hitchhiking posts in Ofra and Givat Assaf, soldiers reinforced bus stops and central traffic arteries all throughout Judea and Samaria. The military also flooded the terror-struck Binyamin region with troops over the weekend to thwart potential copycat attacks.

In addition, the IDF added bulletproof barriers at 120 bus stops and other places that often have a large volume of people.

"The IDF, the Shin Bet security service and the police are currently operating in the Judea and Samaria area, using overt and covert means to arrest those responsible for last night's attack at the Assaf Junction and the military post near Beit El," Brigadier General Eran Ziv, who commands the Judea and Samaria Division.

"At the same time, we continue to act with the aim of preventing and thwarting the next attack, while reinforcing the defense efforts in the roads and in the settlements. We will continue to make every effort to protect the citizens of Israel wherever they are, with reinforced forces."

The stepped-up security comes as IDF soldiers continue to search for the terrorists who carried out Thursday's terrorist attack in the Binyamin region community of Givat Assaf, murdering two soldiers and wounding a third, as well as a 20-year-old woman.

The attack was the second shooting attack this week by Hamas terrorists along Highway 60 in the Ramallah area. On Sunday, Hamas terrorists opened fire on a group of Israeli civilians outside of Ofra, wounding seven.

Earlier on Friday, a terrorist infiltrated the town of Beit El and attacked a soldier, throwing a large rock at his head and stabbing him.

The soldier was evacuated to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem in serious-to-moderate condition.