To provide greater exposure to primary Israeli news sources and opinions in order to become better informed on the issues, and to gain a better understanding of the wide range of perspectives that exist in Israeli society and politics. Issue 1007 • May 20, 2016 • 12 Iyar 5776 LIEBERMAN TO JOIN GOVERNMENT, BECOME DEFENSE MINISTER talks. Meanwhile MK Shelly Yachimovich, the former leader of the Labor (YNet 5/18/16) party, harshly criticized Herzog, saying he was "a willing hero of a disgraceful Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday afternoon with Yisrael display that brings shame on the Labor party. As expected, he is licking the Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman to discuss adding his party to the boot that kicked him. The entire Labor party, its MKs and all of those who governing coalition and even offered him the positions of Minister of Defense believe in its values have suffered a serious blow under his leadership." and Minister of Immigrant Absorption. Lieberman accepted the prime minister's offer to take the defense portfolio, and the two hope to finish 'NETANYAHU GUARANTEED LABOR VETO POWER OVER YESHA negotiations to join the coalition by Friday morning. CONSTRUCTION' (Arutz-7 INN.com 5/18/16) If Yisrael Beytenu joins the coalition, the current minister of immigrant Speaking to reporters at a press conference Wednesday evening, Zionist absorption, Ze'ev Elkin, is expected to receive the limited economy portfolio Union chief Isaac Herzog addressed the likely entry of Yisrael Beytenu into including just industry and trade. the government and revealed details of his own recent coalition negotiations Senior officials involved in the negotiations estimated, "This will be closed on with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. within 24 hours. The chances that Lieberman will join (the coalition) are very According to Herzog, Netanyahu promised far-reaching concessions in high. It's nearly finished." exchange for the Zionist Union’s support of the Likud-led government, Netanyahu's Likud party announced officially following the meeting with including veto power over construction in Jewish communities in Judea and Lieberman that "The meeting was straightforward, was run with a good Samaria. But the Prime Minister refused to agree to a formal building freeze, attitude, and, at its conclusion, it was decided to establish negotiation teams. and insisted that the veto would be part of a verbal agreement and not part of The prime minister is updating the leader of the opposition on the details." the coalition agreement. Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin said following the meeting, "I welcome the Herzog claims he refused the offer, and the impasse lead to the suspension positive progress in talks to add Yisrael Beytenu to the government. I'm of negotiations. “In the middle of the night I informed Netanyahu that convinced that we'll be able to reach mutual understandings and agreements negotiations were being suspended. The talks stopped because we had on important agenda items." reached a dead-end after a string of far-reaching agreements. I demanded Netanyahu also spoke with current Minister of Defense Moshe "Bogie" that all of the agreements be in writing, but the Prime Minister refused that Ya'alon to inform him that his position had been offered to Lieberman. they all be written, particularly those concerning the two state vision, which "I've been hearing a lot of times in the media that we received one proposal would be a verbal agreement. I don’t believe in verbal [contracts].” or another," Lieberman said earlier in the day. "Supposedly there have been Nevertheless, Herzog noted that Netanyahu was prepared to concede on countless of mediators and emissaries, which I read in the papers have most of the Zionist Union’s core demands, saying that the Prime Minister had offered us the defense and immigration absorption ministries, pension agreed to “a veto over building in the settlements, an end to racist legislation reforms and the death sentence (to terrorists). In fact, we have not received against certain populations and people, a number of far-reaching economic any official proposal." Lieberman was speaking after Channel 10 reported on Tuesday evening that Israel Report is a Student Publication of Netanyahu had offered him the Defense Ministry several days ago, even before Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's speech Sunday that led to a public Daniel Zolty, Editor-in-Chief Yonatan Kurz, Moshe Davis, Alex Ostrin and Eli Levine, Editors rift between Ya'alon and the prime minister. We are proud to be distributed by these institutions, though they do not necessarily support or condone "We have no intention of whitewashing the Labor party's entry into the any of the material published: government," Lieberman stressed. "We're the true national camp. We have Anshei Chesed Cong., Boynton Beach, FL Hillel at California State University - Long Beach Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies Hillel at Columbia University clear positions, primarily in the fields of security, immigration and absorption. Boca Raton Synagogue, FL Hillel at Johns Hopkins University If those issues are indeed on the table, and they're willing to talk to us—not Carmel School, Hong Kong Hillel at Yale University Chabad of Oak Park, CA Hillel High School, Deal NJ just over the defense portfolio but also defense policy, death sentence, Cong. Agudath Achim, Bradley Beach, NJ Jewish Center of Teaneck, NJ pension reforms—I don't see why not have these talks directly, instead of in Cong. Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, NJ Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi, Cedarhurst, NY Cong. Ahavath Achim, Fairfield, CT Kemp Mill Synagogue, Silver Spring, MD the dead of night and through mediators and leaks to the press." Cong. Anshe Shalom, Jamaica Estates, NY Mizrachi Shul, Johannesburg, SA Lieberman said he knew he would not be able to receive all of his demands. Cong. Beth Aaron, Teaneck, NJ North Shore Hebrew Academy HS, NY Cong. Beth Shalom, Monroe Twp, NJ Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, NJ "We have several demands, but we want to see the full package. It's clear to Cong. Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ The Learning Shul, Columbia, SC us we're not getting 100 percent, but I want to see the final mix," he said. Cong. Ohr Torah, Edison, NJ Woodsburgh, NY Minyan "Regarding the issues of religion and state - our positions are clear. It's clear Cong. Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel Bet Tefilah of Aberdeen, NJ Cong. Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, NJ Young Israel of Brookline, MA to us that ultra-Orthodox parties are part of the coalition. We're talking about Cong. Sons of Israel, Allentown, PA Young Israel of East Brunswick, NJ being reasonable, have good will if such exists. We've been in a coalition with Cong. Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel of Fort Lee, NJ Cong. Zichron R. M. Feinstein, Brooklyn, NY Young Israel of Hancock Park, CA Haredim before," Lieberman added. Delray Orthodox Synagogue, Delray Beach, FL Young Israel of Holliswood, NY A former commander of Sayeret Matkal, MK Omer Bar-Lev (Zionist Union) East Denver Orthodox Synagogue, CO Young Israel of Houston, TX Flatbush Park Jewish Center, Mill Basin, NY Young Israel of New Hyde Park, NY commented on the Netanyahu–Lieberman meeting, "The picture is becoming Harvard University Library Young Israel of North Woodmere, NY clearer, and the extent of the disaster is being exposed. Ousting Ya'alon from Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, NY Young Israel of New Rochelle, NY Hillel at Baruch College Young Israel of Sharon, MA the Ministry of Defense is ousting the last defender of the IDF." Hillel at Brandeis University YI Shomrai Emunah, Silver Spring, MD Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Isaac Herzog stated that he would not hold We encourage our readers to subscribe to our sources on the internet. For more information or to coalition negotiations with Netanyahu while Lieberman was holding parallel subscribe by e-mail, reach us at [email protected] 2 and social achievements, policy changes for the outlined gas deal, [Labor] The head of the Israeli delegation, Lt.-Col. Ori Arnon, said that the reason for control of the State of Israel’s foreign affairs, the immediate resumption of holding the drill was to "share information and techniques with other diplomatic talks [with the Palestinian Authority], the convening of a regional militaries, sail to a far off destination, and learn from mutual debriefings." peace conference, [control] of the Foreign Ministry portfolio, the Economic He went on to say that "at the end of the day, this was a cross-cultural Ministry portfolio, seven additional ministerial portfolios, five deputy ministers, meeting. Unsurprisingly, the Israeli forces performed well under pressure and control of fours Knesset committees including the Foreign Affairs and changing conditions. Meanwhile, the Americans and Greek stuck to their Security committees, and after one year the transfer of the Defense Ministry plans. All of our fighting techniques are similar, and the drills were in to the Zionist Union.” accordance with NATO standards." The Zionist Union leader, who has come under fire from within his own party for pursuing negotiations with Netanyahu, blasted former Labor Party chief IS THE IDF ABOUT TO GET ITS SECOND FEMALE MAJOR GENERAL? Shelly Yachimovich for her public attacks against the talks. (Israel Hayom 5/18/16) “She begged to get a ministerial position in the government,” Herzog said. Brig. Gen. Rachel Tevet-Wiesel, IDF adviser to the chief of staff on gender affairs, is one of the top two candidates in the running to become the next IDF INTRODUCES SKYLARK 20 TACTICAL UAV FOR BRIGADE Military Court of Appeals president. If chosen, she will be promoted to major COMMANDERS (Israel Haytom 5/15/16) general, becoming only the second woman to reach that rank.