Israel and the Middle East News Update

Thursday, February 19

Headlines:  White House: Israel Distorts U.S. Position in Iran Negotiations  Biden Heading to Latin America During Netanyahu Address  Netanyahu: Tzipi Livni is a Danger to Israel  Zionist Camp Leading Over Likud by One Seat  Kahlon: I'll Join any Gov't that makes room for my social agenda  Lapid: “Haredim Would Even Join a Gov’t with Haman the Evil”  Bennett to Settlers: “Vote for Us, the Likud is a Disappointment”  Italy to Vote on Recognition of Palestinian State

Commentary:  Al-Monitor: “Bibi’s Opulent Lifestyle Won’t Sway Voters”  By Ben Caspit  Yedioth Ahronoth: “Weinstein’s Obligation  By Ben Dror Yemini

S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 633 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20004 www.centerpeace.org ● Yoni Komorov, Editor ● Nathaniel Sobel, Associate Editor

News Excerpts February 19, 2015 Ha’aretz White House: Israel Distorts U.S. Position in Iran Negotiations The White House said on Wednesday that Israeli officials had mischaracterized U.S. negotiations on Iran's nuclear program and criticized what it called "a continued practice of cherry-picking" and leaking information out of context. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Obama administration is mindful of the need to keep the negotiations private and accused Israel of distorting the U.S. position. "There's no question that some of the things that the Israelis have said in characterizing our negotiating position have not been accurate," Earnest said at a news briefing. "There's no question about that."

Associated Press Biden Heading to Latin America During Netanyahu Address US Vice President Joe Biden is heading to Latin America the first week of March, putting him out of the country while Israel's prime minister is to address Congress. Biden's office disclosed the destination Wednesday. Biden and his wife, Jill, plan to attend the presidential inauguration in Uruguay and then head to Guatemala for meetings on the violence that forced Central American children to flee for US borders last year. This will be the second time Biden has ever missed an address by a foreign leader to a joint session of Congress, according to Politico.

Ha’aretz Netanyahu: Tzipi Livni is a Danger to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Zionist Union co-leader Tzipi Livni would be dangerous to Israel as prime minister, his first public comments since the state comptroller released a report on alleged malfeasance at the prime minister’s residences. Later Wednesday, Livni shot back. “Destroying Israel’s relations with the United States is a danger to Israel, the social gaps are a danger to Israel, poverty is a danger to Israel, and tunnels under the houses of Gaza-border residents are a danger. All this has happened during the nine years Bibi has been in power,” she said. “The man who gave in to Hamas in a military campaign and is losing to Abbas in the diplomatic arena is the last one to preach to anyone about security.”According to Livni, Netanyahu is also hiding “from the disgrace the comptroller’s report exposed. Netanyahu is panicking and losing his wits. He must be replaced.” See also, “Netanyahu’s manic panic is proof the election race is far from over” (by Chemi Shalev, Ha’aretz)

Ma’ariv Zionist Camp Leading Over Likud by One Seat A Channel 10 poll held a day after publication of the state comptroller’s report on the conduct in the Prime Minister’s Residence shows that the Israeli public is indifferent to the findings unearthed by State Comptroller. The poll, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Camil Fuchs, shows that the Zionist Camp is the party with the largest number of seats—23. The Likud has slightly lost ground, dropping by one seat to 22. When asked “What is your position on the prime minister’s conduct,” 59% said that the conduct was improper, whereas 17% who said that it was proper. 2

Ynet News Kahlon: I'll Join any Gov't that makes room for my social agenda Political contender Moshe Kahlon, ex-Likudnik and head of the Kulanu party, took his campaign to the train Wednesday, greeting passengers traveling from Haifa to Tel Aviv taking questions from them. Many of the passengers did not cut the politician any slack and went straight to the heart of the matter – asking Kahlon why he has not officially announced whether he will join a government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu. "I want to vote for you," said one of the passengers to Kahlon, "but I'm nervous that I'll find you joining a leftist government." Kahlon responded to the woman: "I will join whoever makes room for my agenda. I do not rule out anyone, I see myself in every government.” Despite the tough questions, Kahlon was treated as a celebrity among the passengers of the train. See also, “Kulanu's Three Hour 'Answer Video' Slams Lapid Inaction” (Israel National News)

Ma’ariv Lapid: “Haredim Would Even Join a Gov’t with Haman the Evil” Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid attacked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s promise to the Haredi factions to cancel the criminal sanctions clause in the law for equality in sharing the burden after the Knesset elections. “Both the Likud and the Zionist Camp promised the Haredim that they would cancel the sanctions,” Lapid said, “but it will not happen because we won’t let it happen.” Lapid was asked his opinion on State Comptroller report on the Netanyahus’ expenses. He answered: “What we see is disgraceful, embarrassing and pathetic.”

Yedioth Ahronoth Bennett to Settlers: “Vote for Us, the Likud is a Disappointment” After the unusual visit by Prime Minister Netanyahu to Judea and Samaria two weeks ago, yesterday it was Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett’s turn to talk at the pre-military academy in the settlement of Eli—against the Likud. Bennett took advantage of the stage to “return fire” at his rival on the right-wing bloc and called on the religious-Zionist public to vote for his party. “We voted once before for the Likud and it gave back Hebron, we voted for the Likud again and we got disengagement, we voted for the Likud again and we heard the Bar Ilan speech. We will only be able to stop these things if we are there,” Bennett claimed. This is more evidence that the “cease-fire” between the Likud and the Jewish Home has fallen apart.

Times of Israel Italy to Vote on Recognition of Palestinian State The Italian parliament was set to vote on a non-binding bill calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state, following similar initiatives last year by France, Britain, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Italian lawmakers may vote on the motion put forth by MPs from the Left Ecology Freedom and the Socialist Party as soon as Thursday. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party was reportedly ready to back the initiative, according to the International Business Times. The bill urges the government “to recognize the state of Palestine so that negotiations to reach a two-state solution are restarted.” See also, “UN ‘alarmed’ by Hamas rearming” (Times of Israel)

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Al-Monitor – February 18, 2015 Bibi's Opulent Lifestyle Won't Sway Voters By Ben Caspit

 “Right now, Likud Party supporters are split between those who plan to take some anti-nausea medication before voting for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, and those who are convinced that the left-wing media are trying to bring him down, making their support for the Likud only stronger.”

 This analysis of the political state of affairs in the Likud comes from none other than a senior Likud official, the morning after all the outrage over the state comptroller’s Feb. 17 report on “expenses associated with the prime minister’s residences.” In other words, it was a reaction to reports of ostentatious spending and an overly indulgent lifestyle in Netanyahu’s two homes.

 The report, released exactly one month before the March 17 elections, describes the Netanyahu family as completely aloof and unrestrained in the use of public funds. It is true that testimonies about what actually takes place in the premier's official residence on Jerusalem's Balfour Street are hardly news, and the vast cost of maintaining their private home in Caesarea has long been public knowledge. This time, however, the uninhibited spending feast is a verified fact, bearing the imprimatur of the state comptroller.

 For example, hundreds of thousands of shekels were spent on costly food deliveries from hotels and restaurants, even though the prime minister’s official residence employs an in- house cook. There were extravagant cleaning expenses, too, and the hiring of an electrician in the Caesarea home, who happens to be a friend of the family and a Likud Party activist. He was given work despite an explicit ban on using external services, perhaps even raising criminal concerns. Employees of the prime minister’s residence were even forced to pay for purchases, tips and light meals for the prime minister out of pocket, without ever being reimbursed.

 If evidence was needed to prove that the couple living on Balfour Street was shameless, and that they believed, like Louis XIV, that l’état, c’est nous — the state, it's me — and that they don’t show the slightest inkling of consideration for the broader public, it could be found in the state comptroller’s report. It is no longer possible to claim that the stories are all just tawdry gossip or the result of some personal vendetta.

 The release of such a report just one month before the election should be nothing less than a public and political bombshell, with the potential to be enormously damaging. In a proper, law- abiding country, Netanyahu would have resigned long ago, but in this sense, Israel is hardly a proper, law-abiding country. In most cases, the Israel public doesn’t hold its elected officials to account for ethics violations.

 The same thing happened in the past under the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, when the Greek island scandal erupted right before the 2003 elections, and it’s what happened with former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He had to be removed from the Kadima Party leadership in an especially humiliating manner right before the 2009 elections because he would never consider resigning on his own, although he was already suspected of serious criminal behavior. Even while he was up to his neck in criminal investigations and trials, he still 4

considered himself to be a legitimate candidate for prime minister. So much so, in fact, that he even thought about running again in 2013. At the time, senior politicians and heads of the defense establishment, including Meir Dagan of the Mossad and Yuval Diskin of the Shin Bet, supported him.

 In 1992, the Likud government fell when the Labor Party, headed by Yitzhak Rabin, launched a campaign under the slogan, “Dirty politicians, we’re sick of you!” That victory, however, was attributed to Rabin, who succeeded in winning the support of voters from the right. It is not at all certain that the Labor Party would have returned to power without a candidate like Rabin at the helm.

 That is why the hopes and expectations that the Zionist Camp and the left are placing on this report about the prime minister’s improprieties are overly inflated and unrealistic. If anything, they point mainly to the distress that the left is facing. As scathing as the report is, and at some points it really does evoke a sense of bilious revulsion toward the Netanyahu couple, it will not cause Likud supporters to switch their votes to the Zionist Camp or Meretz. As one senior member of the Likud stated, when Likud supporters feel like they are about to lose power, they turn into wounded animals defending their lair. Netanyahu is familiar with this particular trait among his supporters, which is why he did everything he could to exacerbate those feelings over the past two weeks.

 Netanyahu knew he couldn’t prevent the report from being released before the elections, so he launched a pre-emptive strike instead. His campaign's release of viral video clips over the past few days, as well as the excruciating saga of the Israel Prize (with Netanyahu's attempts to interfere with the winners selection), and the deterioration of the relationship with the United States and President Barack Obama, were just a warm-up act before his performance to the right-wing Likud base.

 This battle over the heart and soul has been waged by Netanyahu personally, with his wife, Sara, and his elder son, Yair, at his side. According to accounts from senior members of the Likud, Yair is playing an active role in the current campaign. Yair and Sara are very dominant, functioning as a self-contained team. It was Yair who nudged his father to the social networks and revealed the wonders of Twitter to him.

 In the weekend preceding the report’s release, Netanyahu tightened his control over the ensemble of messages relayed to senior Likud officials. These senior Likud members were later dispatched to defend him and his wife to the media. Top officials like Minister of Interior Gilad Erdan, Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz, Minister of Strategic Affairs Yuval Steinitz and Deputy Minister of Transportation Tzipi Hotovely kept tabs on the messaging. They were even involved in the wanton, since-discredited accusation that Manny Naftali, the overseer of the prime minister’s residence who has since been fired, was the one responsible for the lavish spending.

 Netanyahu is intimately familiar with the minds and souls of his top officials. They are in his hands now, squabbling over who will get what senior ministerial position, should he form the next government. Some of them recently visited the house on Balfour Street, where they were treated to a personal tour by Sara Netanyahu. Displaying a total lack of self-awareness, she showed them the damp, peeling walls. When Benjamin Netanyahu goes to war over public opinion, there is absolutely nothing that can hold him back. That is why he cooperated with 5

the Internet self-publicity video produced by stylist and designer Moshik Galamin. In that film, Sara shows Galamin how run down the prime minister’s home really is, and confides that the couple’s favorite meal is schnitzel and chips. It has already become a viral sensation, with several hundred thousand views. Nevertheless, all the derision and scorn at her expense and all the parodies of that film will not convince Likud voters to support Herzog and Livni instead.

 At the same time, Netanyahu also made an effort to bolster his status among the ultra- Orthodox electorate. Right at the time the report was released, he met with ultra-Orthodox journalists in his home, promising them that he would invite the ultra-Orthodox parties to join his next coalition and even that he would revoke the sanctions imposed for violating the Israel Defense Forces draft law, which were introduced at the Yesh Atid Party’s request.

 This was no innocent move. Netanyahu is putting the infrastructure in place for the day after the election. The Zionist Camp may end up being the largest party, but Netanyahu is ensuring that even then, Herzog won’t have a majority of Knesset members visiting the president to recommend him to form the next government.

 And so far, Netanyahu has reason to be calm. An Army Radio poll published Feb. 18 showed that despite the severity of the state comptroller’s report, the public remains rather apathetic to its findings. If Netanyahu ultimately does fall from power, it won’t be because of the report.

 A month is a long time before the elections. A snowstorm expected the evening of Feb. 19 will blanket the agenda and wash everything else away. In about two weeks, Netanyahu will address the US Congress, forcing the media and politicians alike to focus solely on that. That’s what happens when you are the kind of prime minister who knows how to seize the agenda by the horns.

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Yedioth Ahronoth – February 19, 2015 Weinstein’s Obligation By Ben-Dror Yemini

 As long as the findings were not published, there was some substance to the prime minister’s arguments. But something happened. The findings of the state comptroller’s report leave a strong odor of irresponsibility, wastefulness, corruption and ostentatious conduct. This requires a bit of shame.

 Therefore, against this backdrop, there is something very troubling about the fact that the prime minister is unable to take responsibility. No, he should not resign. But he can say: I erred. The expenditures were excessive. There was irresponsibility. He can ask, of his own initiative, for new and clearer rules for the management of the prime minister’s homes, both public and private. He should have presented to the public, and to his supporters—not all of whom are indifferent, and all of whom think that all is wonderful—measures intended to put an end to the irresponsibility. But this did not happen. He did not say a thing. He only pointed an accusing finger at Meni Naftali.

 This response, which only adds insult to injury, requires the attorney general to become involved. Yehuda Weinstein, unlike his predecessors, comes from the private sector. He was a defense attorney, and represented Netanyahu too. His finger is not at all itchy on the trigger. Meni Mazuz, at least at the start of his path, also adopted a cautious approach. He decided, contrary to then-state attorney Edna Arbel, to close the case against Ariel Sharon. He was subjected to lethal criticism at the time, but the cautious approach is actually laudable.

 The report makes it clear that the question marks are many, significant and troubling. Not everything was examined. The comptroller makes this clear in the report. He shifts the responsibility to the attorney general. And what was examined raises more question marks. Netanyahu’s renouncing of all responsibility means that irresponsibility wins out. Corruption could become a norm. So yes, Netanyahu also had justified arguments. [They are:] Why him, of all people? Why now, of all times? But we should bear in mind that this examination, and the publication of the report, are a corollary of more and more complaints, over the course of years, about irresponsible behavior. Netanyahu had a thousand opportunities to put an end to the chaos. But the chaos has only grown. Now it is no longer a matter of timing or of excuses. Now there are findings.

 This is exactly the place where the attorney general has to make a decision. He cannot join the refrain of “it’s nothing, it’s not terrible, it’s not corruption, and it’s [Meni] Naftali’s fault in any case.” Netanyahu is casting off responsibility. There is no need for the attorney general to act similarly. He does not have to convict Netanyahu. That is not his job. He does not have to dismiss him. But he must fight against the norm of irresponsibility. This can only be done by means of a thorough police investigation.

 There is need for caution. After all, we are talking about a prime minister. We are talking about an election period. And an investigation, in any case, will not end within a few weeks. So it will not affect the elections. But the findings do not leave room for much doubt. They require an investigation. If not tomorrow, then in a month’s time. As long as this does not

7 happen, instead of cleaning house the attorney general will be giving a seal of approval to irresponsibility.

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