sign in sign up
<<
Home , Meir Cohen (politician), Miki Zohar

Israel and Middle East News Update

Tuesday, April 20

Headlines: ● Netanyahu Backs Direct Election for Prime Minister ● Arab MKs Help Anti-Bibi Bloc Win Control of ● Netanyahu Threatens Defamation Suit Against Predecessor ● IAI Touts Groundbreaking Barak Missile System ● Sudan Repeals Boycott Law ● Paper: US Understands If Abbas Postpones Elections ● Saudis, Iranians Hold Talks Aimed at Easing Tensions ● Russian Airstrikes Kill 200 'Terrorists' in Northwestern Syria

Commentary: ● Yedioth Ahronoth: “A Painful, But Symbolic Blow’’ - By Nadav Eyal

● Ma’ariv: “The Magician Turned into a Rabbit’’ - By Ben Caspit

S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 1725 I St NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 The Hon. Robert Wexler, President News Excerpts April 20, 2021 Ynet News Netanyahu Backs Direct Election for Prime Minister Prime Minister expressed support for a direct election for the premiership as a way of ending the two-year cycle of inconclusive elections and to prevent a potential fifth. Netanyahu is also two weeks into a four-week window to form a coalition government in the wake of Israel's March 23 elections, a mission that has proven to be elusive. There is a solution to the political mess and a huge majority of the public supports it," Netanyahu told a meeting of his party's Knesset faction. "Instead of forming absurd governments, for example with a prime minister who received only seven seats in the election, there will be direct elections for prime minister," he said, alluding to , who is said to be mulling a rotation agreement with Opposition Leader . Dig Deeper ‘‘After Defeat in Key Vote, Likud Whip Concedes Netanyahu Won’t Form Government’’ (Times of Israel)

Jerusalem Post Arab MKs Help Anti-Bibi Bloc Win Control of Knesset The anti-Netanyahu bloc scored a victory in the Knesset when the Ra'am () Party joined the bloc in passing its proposal to take control over the powerful Knesset Arrangements Committee that runs the Knesset until a government is formed. MKs were not present for the vote. Sources in said their victory in the vote was the result of a successful meeting between Yair Lapid and Ra'am head Mansour Abbas. In exchange for his support, Lapid offered Ra’am a spot on the Knesset Finance Committee, chairmanship of a committee on fighting violence in the Arab sector and a deputy Knesset speaker post. The bloc's majority on the committee could help it advance anti-Netanyahu legislation, including a bill that would prevent a candidate who is under criminal indictment from forming a government. Dig Deeper ‘‘Could Abraham Accords Work In Favor Of Israeli Left?’’ (Al-Monitor)

Ynet News Netanyahu Threatens Defamation Suit Against Predecessor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is threatening to sue his predecessor, , if he does not apologize for saying the Likud leader and his family suffer from mental illness. A spokesman for the Netanyahu family confirmed that the Netanyahus' attorney sent Olmert the letter of warning in advance of a possible defamation suit. In an interview with Democrat TV, Olmert leveled criticism at Netanyahu and said that "what is irreparable is the mental illness of the prime minister, his wife and his son [Yair]." In 2017, the incumbent premier's eldest son and viral right-wing provocateur Yair pushed unsubstantiated claims alleging that one of Olmert's sons was having a homosexual affair with a Palestinian man in Paris. According to Channel 12, a Netanyahu family attorney demanded that Olmert apologize within a week and pay 1m shekels in damages or face a libel lawsuit. 2 I24 News IAI Touts Groundbreaking Barak Missile System Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) unveiled a groundbreaking new data on its BARAK Air and Missile Defense System following a series of successful trials, including testing the system's capabilities in a range of scenarios and threats, including the interception of assault ballistics. According to IAI, the BARAK ER Air Defense System has the ability to intercept airborne threats at an extended range of nearly 100 miles, revolutionizing "air defense with unprecedented flexibility, both in real-time full net-centric combat management as well as with unique smart launchers." IAI is touted as a world-leading aerospace and defense company innovating and delivering state-of-the-art technologies in space, air, land, naval, cyber, and homeland security. Dig Deeper ‘‘Israel's Rafael, UAE's Group 42 Set Up AI-Focused Joint Venture’’ (I24 News)

Associated Press Sudan Repeals Israel Boycott Law Sudan abolished a decades-old law on boycotting Israel, part of efforts to establish normal ties with the Jewish state. A bill was approved by the ruling Sovereign Council and Cabinet that annuls the 1958 law. Sudan is on a fragile path to democracy after a popular uprising led the military to overthrow longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The country is now ruled by a joint military and civilian government that seeks better ties with Washington and the West. The Cabinet also affirmed Sudan’s endorsement of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as part of a two-state settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The measure would allow Sudanese to do business with Israelis. It would also allow Sudanese to visit relatives living in Israel. There are at least 6,000 Sudanese in Israel. Under the 1958 law, violators could be punished to up to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine. The law mirrored pan-Arab politics in the 1950s and 1960s that largely supported the prohibition of dealings with Israel and Israelis. Dig Deeper ‘‘Sens. Sanders, Warren Call For ‘Restricting’ US Aid to Israel at J Street’’ (Times of Israel)

Jerusalem Post Paper: US Understands If Abbas Postpones Elections Despite the issuance of a presidential decree to hold legislative and presidential elections, and the setting of dates for them, talk is heating up that elections may be postponed after all. Al-Quds newspaper, printed in East Jerusalem, reported that a US source believed President Joe Biden would not object to postponing the elections. The source told the paper that the US “views positively the participation of the Palestinians in the political process,” adding, “We are also aware of the special challenges facing the Palestinians, such as the coronavirus pandemic crisis and a stifling economic crisis, in addition to the complexities of the political scene.” The US official warned that a Hamas win in the elections would jeopardize the prospect of a two-state solution. A Palestinian official in Ramallah said that the PA had asked foreign diplomats to intervene with Israel so that it would allow Palestinians in East Jerusalem to take part in the elections, as they did in the 2006 elections. Around 340,000 Palestinians live in Jerusalem, according to unofficial Palestinian estimates. Dig Deeper ‘‘Binyamin Regional Council Tackles Palestinian Building in Area C Battle’’ (Jerusalem Post)

3 Israel Hayom Saudis, Iranians Hold Talks Aimed at Easing Tensions Saudi and Iranian officials held direct talks this month in a bid to ease tensions between the two foes, a senior Iranian official and two regional sources said. The April 9 meeting in Iraq, which focused on Yemen, where a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been battling the Iran-aligned Houthi group since March 2015, did not lead to any breakthrough. "This was a low-level meeting to explore whether there might be a way to ease ongoing tensions in the region," the Iranian official said, adding that it was based on Iraq's request. Another source said that the talks also touched on Lebanon, which is facing a political vacuum amid a dire financial crisis. Gulf Arab states are alarmed by the expanding role of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. Sunni Gulf power Saudi Arabia cut ties with Shiite Iran in January 2016 following the storming of its embassy in Tehran in a row over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. A Western diplomat in the region said the US and Britain were informed in advance of the Saudi-Iran talks but had "not seen the outcome." Dig Deeper ‘‘Some Progress in Nuclear Talks, Interim Deal Possible - Iranian Officials’’ (Reuters)

I24 News Russian Airstrikes Kill 200 'Terrorists' in Northwestern Syria Some 200 "terrorists" in Syria have been killed in airstrikes launched by the Russian military, according to the Interfax news agency. The Russian Air Force reportedly struck a site located in northwestern Syria. It remains unclear which group the militants belonged to. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the Russian air force conducted 220 airstrikes in Syria since Friday, confirming 26 members of Islamic State killed. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the group attacked was planning attacks ahead of presidential polls next month, which will be the second since the civil war in Syria began. "After confirming data through multiple channels on the location of terrorist facilities, Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft carried out air strikes," it said in a statement. "Two hideouts were destroyed," according to the ministry, "up to 200 militants, 24 pickup trucks with large-caliber machine guns, as well as about 1,100 pounds of ammunition and components for creating improvised explosive devices." Russia has aided the Syrian regime in its civil war since 2015, which helped Syria's President Bashar al-Assad win back most of the country. Dig Deeper ‘‘Syria to Hold Presidential Election Denounced By US’’ (Al-Monitor)

4 Yedioth Ahronoth – April 20, 2021 A Painful, But Symbolic Blow By Nadav Eyal ● It was for good reason that Gideon Saar’s wink last night starred all over the place, a symbol of the surprising victory by the pro-change bloc in the plenum battle. But the point is not so much the wink as it is about the person sitting in front of Saar, who served as the backdrop and illustrated the story. That person was Netanyahu. He sat there looking tense, somewhat pale, with bags under his eyes, his mask placed sloppily on his face. Netanyahu was in a state of extreme alertness, a state of anxiousness. Sitting two rows behind him, relaxing into his seat and looking leftward in the direction of Yesh Atid’s MKs, his face mask-less and eager for the upcoming battle, was Saar. The adrenaline was evident on his face. And then came the vote. ● The vote last night doesn’t spell Netanyahu’s end, not at all. It was mainly a symbolic event; if anything, it was the end of the beginning. It was a display of political sloppiness: struck a deal with Yamina but made the mistake of treating the United Arab List like a mistress who could be taken for granted. Mansour Abbas didn’t like that and within minutes, he voted for the motion of the pro-change bloc. Not exactly the historic alliance that had been envisioned. And yet, the sight of Saar winking behind the prime minister, who was taut like a spring, will be inscribed in the public’s memory because Bibi suddenly became the sheep, whereas Saar and his colleagues were the wolves. This is what Netanyahu looks like when he is in the corrals [the bullpen before entering the ring] to quote . ● And that was not the only bad news for Netanyahu yesterday. His idea of holding direct elections for prime minister was dealt several blows. The idea is a spin that the Likud has been promoting since the first 2019 election, and each time it has understandably met with failure. Changing the entire system, even for one time, is as complicated as it is odious. This time, special polls were commissioned, including among Yamina voters, to illustrate broad support for it. Netanyahu heard that Bennett was about to make a public statement and asked to arrange an urgent meeting with him at which the “data” were festively presented and the prime minister tried to extract a commitment from Bennett. Most likely Bennett understood the nature of the trap: a bill of that kind would imprison him forever in the Bibi bloc, would deny him any maneuvering room, would lead to a new election, and then perhaps another election. In any event, Netanyahu did not receive Bennett’s consent, not even close. Netanyahu lost his temper and became impatient, totally. After a courtship campaign of weeks, Netanyahu arrived, irritated and angry, at the Likud faction meeting. ● He spoke about the Yamina chairman as if he were giving him orders. He “must” support the bill for direct elections, he “must” support the Likud’s motion for the Arrangements Committee. If he does not do exactly as he is dictated by the Prime Minister’s Bureau, Bennett will have joined the left-wing. And in general, it is ridiculous that with seven seats, that he might be prime minister. In contrast with the impression from last night, Bennett has not burned his bridges. 5 ● The pro-change bloc does know what he ultimately is going to do. One day Bennett was in favor of the pro-change bloc’s formula for the Arrangements Committee. A week later, he was deliberating. In the end, he was in favor of the Likud’s formula—after the prime minister explicitly threatened him at the Likud faction meeting. The story of the Arrangements Committee is just symbolic; as of now, Bennett has yet to make it emphatically clear whether he will let the direct election bill pass and he definitely has not yet made it clear whether he will agree to head a government of change and whether he will compromise to that end. ● This brings us back to the question: is Bennett ready to cross the Rubicon? Lapid thinks that he is; Saar or Netanyahu, Horowitz or Michaeli, have no good answer. It’s hard to imagine the Yamina chairman missing a one-time opportunity to be prime minister; after all, throughout his election campaign, he aspired to maneuver himself exactly, but exactly, to the point in which he would be the linchpin. But there are other variables in the equation; his faction and the enormous pressure they are all facing. What happened in the Knesset yesterday was a blow to the Netanyahu bloc’s morale, absolutely, but for the time being that is all it was. The game will only intensify in the next few weeks.

6 Ma’ariv – April 20, 2021 The Magician turned into a Rabbit By Ben Caspit ● For the first time in the current era, Binyamin Netanyahu suffered a knockdown in his home ring. He was knocked to the floorboards and was humiliated, but he hasn’t been defeated yet. As the saying goes, “he’s down, but not out.” Even as we continue by force of sheer inertia to praise, applaud and rave about the great arch-magician who always tricks and deceives everyone, the truth yesterday proved to be radically different. The trickster was tricked and the magician turned into a rabbit. For the first time, Netanyahu has found himself facing a significant heavy-weight opponent in the ring. The contender who was down on the floorboards as the referee was counting was Netanyahu. He’ll be back on his feet tomorrow morning, but it won’t be the same anymore. His (political) blood has been shed. He’s vulnerable. ● The most interesting thing is the identity of the rival who knocked Netanyahu to the floorboards yesterday. On the face of things, that appears to be Yair Lapid. A kid who is suddenly all grown up. Lapid has been conducting himself quietly and patiently; he maintained a low profile only to sting at the precise moment. If Mansour Abbas proved yesterday that he was more Aryeh than Deri, then Lapid proved yesterday that he could be more Bibi than Netanyahu. Just without the lies, the deceit and the lunacy, of course. But it was more than just Lapid and Abbas. Only later, once the dust has settled and the victor has emerged, will we be able to analyze who else was involved in stirring the pot. It seems clear that a large group of people was at work here. Gideon Saar’s wink yesterday behind Netanyahu’s back in the course of the vote that shot down the Likud’s motion is only the tip of the iceberg. Working below the surface was a motivated and elite team. Lapid (with by his side) and his advisers, Saar and Elkin, Liberman in the far corner and even . The last question that still remains unanswered is, where is Naftali Bennett in all this? We’ll get to that later. ● Does Netanyahu have any quiet moments in which he engages in self-reflection? If he does, my guess is that he thinks back on a nice fellow by the name of Benny Gantz. He is never going to find himself a more convenient partner than Gantz anywhere else in the world. But he couldn’t resist the urge to sting him too, resorting to the same brutality, the same cruelty and the same audacity. He must be longing for Gantz now. He would be willing to give one of Miki Zohar’s kidneys now to get that alternating premiership arrangement back. The vote yesterday had symbolic and substantive significance. Symbolic, because it proved that Netanyahu isn’t immortal. Substantively, because that vote will shape the various Knesset committees, over which Netanyahu has now lost control. Under the new circumstances, his chances of pushing through the crazy and corrupt idea of changing the rules of the game in the middle of the game and arranging direct elections for the prime minister have been vastly diminished. Netanyahu and Deri, the dynamic duo of crooks, have found themselves in a difficult position of inferiority. Netanyahu isn’t used to being the underdog. He’s used to controlling the situation, while playacting the role of underdog.

7 ● Now he has found himself in a situation that he can’t control and in which he doesn’t need to act to play the underdog because he actually is the underdog. For a few moments yesterday, Miki Zohar was the hero of the day. He strutted about the Knesset plenum like a groom on his wedding day; even the gel in his hair was excited. He had just cut a deal with Yamina and had secured the Likud’s control over the Arrangements Committee. The problem was that while he was busy propositioning Bennett, he forgot about Mansour Abbas. And our friend from the Islamic list doesn’t like being ignored. After the vote, Zohar realized that the wedding was actually his funeral. Then he said publicly that the Likud would head into the opposition with its head held high. “You won’t have an easy time with me,” he said. Actually, yesterday things went fairly easily for them. The Prime Minister’s Bureau wasn’t a fun place to be last night. ● The punching bag du jour was Miki Zohar, who had been appointed as chairman of the Arrangements Committee only to be humiliated in the Knesset plenum. While Zohar may not be a great military strategist, blaming him for the situation is ludicrous. There is only one person who is to blame for the situation. For the situation that the Likud, the country and all of us are in. His name is Binyamin Netanyahu. Instead of focusing all his efforts on proving his innocence he has dragged all of us into a bloody war of gladiators that has been ongoing for the past two years. He has kicked aside everything that has crossed his path along the way—he’s allowed the civil service to atrophy; he’s let the ministries crumble; he’s ignored his own commitments; he has refused to sign a conflicts of interest arrangement; he has refrained from appointing a justice minister; and he has the security cabinet working as if it were kitchen duty during a stint in the reserves, with Galant and alternating with one another every two weeks. But Miki Zohar is to blame. ● It was quite a sight to see him yesterday rail against Bennett or anyone else for [breaking] what they “promised in the campaign.” The man who has never kept a promise, the man who has broken every commitment, has lied at every opportunity, who has stung every frog that has ever ferried him across the river, who has left Israel without a state budget only so as to cheat the most loyal and easy-going partner he could ever have hoped for—now finds himself forced to lie in the bed that he has made. I’d urge you all to look at the videos that I posted yesterday [on Twitter] of one of Netanyahu’s greatest supporters, Rami Ben-Yehuda, screaming and cursing Zeev Elkin’s wife outside the family home. That fire was set by the national inciter. He hasn’t forgotten anything and he hasn’t learned anything. Now he’s reaping what he’s sowed. ● And what about Bennett? That is the ultimate question. According to my best sources, Bennett wasn’t in the loop yesterday. He didn’t know about the deal that had been cut by Lapid and Abbas and continued to play both ends against the middle. At first glance, he appears to have been played for a fool. Realistically, however, the chain of events serves his purposes. He continued to prove that his intentions towards Netanyahu were pure and good, while Netanyahu was humiliated in the city square. That will make it easier for Bennett to cross the choppy waters of the Rubicon when the right moment arrives and to join the “government of change,” which yesterday appeared fleetingly to be closer than ever before. 8 ● I’ll add my standard warning here: it ain’t over until the fat lady sings, so no one ought to get ahead of themselves. Netanyahu still has another two weeks left. If he fails to change the system of government, he’ll try to bring back the British Mandate and to have himself appointed as Prince Philip’s heir. And if that doesn’t work he’ll try to appoint a “prime minister on his behalf” as one of his mouthpieces [Ariel Kahana] proposed yesterday on Twitter. His basketful of tricks isn’t empty yet. That man is capable of anything in order to survive and no one seems to have the wherewithal to walk up to him, place their hand on his shoulder and say to him: Bibi, stop, it’s over. Leave us be.

9