Benjamin Netanyahu

Hague says UK ready to 'assist in any way' in quest for Middle East peace

Zoe Winograd — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:05:13 +0100

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the UK “stands ready to assist in any way” in advancing the peace process.

The two leaders met as part of Mr Hague’s visit to Israel this week alongside US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Mr Netanyahu and Mr Hague discussed peace negotiations , security concerns over Iran and Syria, and relations between the UK and Israel.

Mr Hague said after the meeting: “I reiterated the UK’s strong support for Mr Kerry’s efforts to relaunch the peace process and I welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s commitment to a two-state solution. The UK’s position is well known, we want to see a two-state solution, with a secure and universally recognised Israel living alongside a viable State of Palestine, with Jerusalem as a shared capital. We stand ready to assist in any way we can to help make progress to this end.

“The UK and Israel are close friends and allies and I attach great importance to our bilateral relationship. Our collaboration on hi-tech and science is second to none and today we affirmed the UK and Israel’s co - operation on security issues, including Iran. As a friend and ally, Britain is fully committed to Israel’s security needs.”

Before he met Mr Netanyahu, Mr Hague told reporters that the building of settlements “on occupied land” was to blame for the decline in British support for Israel.

Mr Hague told reporters: “Israel has lost some of its support in Britain and in other European countries over time — this is something I’ve often pointed out to Israeli leaders — because of settlement activity, which we condemn.”

“We strongly disagree with settlements on occupied land. Israel is a country we work with in many ways, but we do disapprove of settlements.”

He added: “We want to see both Israelis and Palestinians really commit themselves to the peace process while there is still a chance of a two-state solution.”

In a meeting with the Israeli president, Shimon Peres, Mr Hague emphasised his determination to make progress in securing a peace deal.

He said : “It is a crucial time in the entire region with the Iranian nuclear programme , the tragic situation in Syria , and our hope that we can, through supporting Mr Kerry and his work, really help to make some decisive moves forward for permanent peace.”

Mr Peres commended Mr Hague for making Britain's position on Iran, terror and peace extremely clear.

"In spite of all the difficulties the time is right for peace. I can see positive developments on our side, on the Palestinian side and on the Arab side.”

Mr Hague also stressed his support for Mr Kerry's efforts to relaunch the peace process at a meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

Meanwhile Mr Kerry has expressed his hope “to surprise people” in making positive steps towards peace.

Mr Kerry said: “There have been bitter years of disappointment. It is our hope that by being methodical, careful, patient - but detailed and tenacious - that we can lay on a path ahead that can conceivably surprise people and certainly exhaust the possibilities of peace."

Expense probe won’t let Bibi sleep easily

Anshel Pfeffer — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:43 +0100

The Israeli State Comptroller is investigating the sharp rise in the taxpayer-funded expenses of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family.

The investigation was prompted by the emergence of new details on the costs of maintaining the Prime Minister’s family.

A lengthy freedom of information campaign — which was led by an individual student — yielded the entire expense budget for the Prime Minister’s personal needs.

This revealed that more than half-a-million shekels (nearly £100,000) had been spent on providing a bed for Mr Netanyahu’s use on the plane that flew him to Baroness Thatcher’s funeral, which took place in London last month.

According to the figures published this week, in 2012 the government paid 5.4 million shekels (just under £1 million) for the maintenance of the official Jerusalem residence used by Mr Netanyahu and his family and their two private homes in Jerusalem and Caesarea.

The sum included a variety of items such as hospitality, clothing and cosmetics. It was 80 per cent more than the Prime Minister’s personal budget in 2009 and more than double that of any of Israel’s other recent prime ministers, Ehud Olmert, Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak.

The revelations prompted the State Comptroller — former judge, Yossef Shapira — to begin a series of consultations on regulating prime minister’s expenses, which could potentially lead to an official investigation over whether Mr Netanyahu misused public funds for his personal needs.

The Prime Minister’s Office, which initially tried to block the publication of the figures, has given a range of responses to the reports.

In relation to the bed that was fitted in the aircraft to London, his office initially responded that the expense was justified as the Prime Minister needed to arrive refreshed for his meetings with David Cameron and the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, taking place after Baroness Thatcher’s funeral.

Explaining the other, personal expenses, the PM’s office said that “the figures include the cost of hosting official events in the prime minister’s residence and the cost of the many official meetings that are held there.”

Since the release of the figures, allies of the Netanyahu family gave interviews in which they talked about the family’s “frugal” lifestyle.

The high costs of maintaining the residence, they argued, were incurred as a result of the Prime Minister working late into the night and constantly holding meetings there.

Bibi held secret talks with Palestinians

Zoe Winograd — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:06:28 +0100

The head of the PLO Executive Committee, Yasser Abed Rabbo, has revealed that secret discussions about peace talks took place between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the PLO two years ago.

According to the Times of Israel, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Abed Rabbo met several times in 2010 and 2011 at the house of Israel chief negotiator Yitzhak Molcho.

Mr Abed Rabbo told the Times of Israel that during these meetings, Mr Netanyahu talked about reverting back to pre-1967 borders.

Mr Abed Rabbo said: “We discussed all the issues. But I sat and demanded in those meetings that Israel present its map for a two-state solution concept, and publicly declare its willingness to speak about the 1967 lines as the framework for the meetings. Molcho was not prepared to present a map and the meetings were truly exhausting, a lot of chatter without agreements. They were kept secret until now, actually.”

He added: “This was classic Netanyahu. He spoke about 3000 years of Jewish history, about his father and what he saw with his own eyes. When he finished his preface, I turned to him and said, ‘Let me tell you something — we don’t trust you and we don’t believe you. This is the general feeling among Palestinians and this is my feeling also.’

“Netanyahu didn’t rule anything out. He mostly listened. He asked me about the idea of a joint committee to manage issues related to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem — as Mr Olmert had suggested.”

The Prime Minister’s Office has refused to comment.

Israel quietly agrees to settlement freeze

Anshel Pfeffer — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:00:43 +0100

The Israeli government has unofficially frozen settlement building in the West Bank following a request from US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Mr Kerry has visited Israel twice in the past two months and has since held two more meetings with Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who is in charge of talks between Israel and the PA.

While the talks have been frozen for more than two years and no date has yet been set for their renewal, Israeli officials said that the “temporary freeze” was an attempt to assist Mr Kerry in his efforts to lay the foundations for new rounds of negotiations.

In return for Israel committing to the freeze until mid-June, the PA has agreed to put on hold its attempts to gain further unilateral recognition for a Palestinian state.

Israel announced last November it would begin planning for 3,000 new homes in the West Bank following the vote at the UN General Assembly that upgraded the Palestinians’ status.

Originally, the work was put on hold two months ago before the visit of President Barack Obama but, following Mr Kerry’s request, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a freeze on all work for a two-month period.

This is the second time in as many months that Mr Netanyahu has bowed to the wishes of the Obama administration. His previous concession came at the end of Mr Obama’s visit when he agreed to call the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and apologise for the deaths of nine Turkish citizens during the clashes on the Mavi Marmara ferry bound for Gaza three years ago.

The building freeze has angered the settlers and could cause the coalition’s first crisis. The pro-settler party Habayit Hayehudi has warned that it will not vote for the new state budget if there is no building.

Further complicating matters is the fact that Housing Minister Uri Ariel, himself a settler and a senior member of Habayit Hayehudi, is in charge of implementing the freeze.

One of the housing projects now frozen is the plan to build 800 homes in the E1 area to the east of Jerusalem.

Over 2,000 members of the Bedouin Jahalin tribe have been told that they will be evicted from the area to allow the building to go ahead. Israel claims that the Bedouin are there illegally.

There will be no escalation with Syria, says Israel

Zoe Winograd — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:58:10 +0100

Israel has downplayed the possibility of escalation following its air strikes on Syrian targets over the weekend.

Yair Golan, head of the IDF northern command, told Israeli reporters: "It is always right to prepare and train, but there are no winds of war.”

On Sunday, Israel carried out an air strike on a military research centre in Jamraya near Damascus. This followed a hit on Friday on a shipment of strategic missiles.

Although Israel has not officially admitted to carrying out the operation, anonymous intelligence sources told journalists that both strikes targeted Fateh-100 missile shipments sent from Iran for Hizbollah in Lebanon.

Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Danny Danon said: "The state of Israel is protecting its interests and will continue doing so. I am not confirming or denying the reports."

There will be no escalation with Syria, says Israel

Zoe Winograd — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:58:10 +0100

Israel has downplayed the possibility of escalation following its air strikes on Syrian targets over the weekend.

Yair Golan, head of the IDF northern command, told Israeli reporters: "It is always right to prepare and train, but there are no winds of war.”

On Sunday, Israel carried out an air strike on a military research centre in Jamraya near Damascus. This followed a hit on Friday on a shipment of strategic missiles.

Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Danny Danon said: "The state of Israel is protecting its interests and will continue doing so. I am not confirming or denying the reports."

Recognition not a pre-condition for Netanyahu

Anshel Pfeffer — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:16:55 +0100

Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he is willing to sit down with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas without preconditions and, at the same time, has said that Israel will insist at the start of any talks that security arrangements are discussed and that the Palestinians recognise Israel as a Jewish state.

While the issue of recognition is seen by many Israelis, especially on the right, as a demand Israel must insist upon, Israeli diplomats have stressed recently that it is not and never was a pre-condition for talks.

Tzipi Livni, Israel’s new Justice Minister, who is to lead the talks with the Palestinians whenever they are renewed, said as much last week, much to the anger of others in the Netanyahu coalition.

The Palestinian side is still demanding a freeze on settlement building, although some PA officials have intimated that they are willing to compromise on this. More significantly, they have demanded an Israeli commitment to a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders and a map with proposed borders between the two states.

Natan Sharansky and Benjamin Netanyahu to attend Thatcher funeral

Jennifer Lipman — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:29:07 +0100

Israel will be represented by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a prominent former Soviet dissident at Margaret Thatcher's funeral on Wednesday.

The Israeli leader will be joined by former Soviet refusenik Natan Sharansky, who is now the chairman of the Jewish Agency.

The Israeli embassy in the UK confirmed that Mr Netanyahu will arrive on Wednesday morning, following attendance at celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of independence on Tuesday.

Mr Sharansky's plight during the Soviet era, including being sentenced to 16 years in solitary confinement for his refusenik activities, was brought to the attention of Mrs Thatcher in the 1980s.

He was finally released in 1986, when he stepped across a bridge in Berlin and was able to make a liyah. Marking 20 years of freedom at a lecture in 2006, Mr Sharansky paid tribute to Baroness Thatcher, saying that Britain's reaction was "by far the strongest… of any foreign country at that time to the situation of one specific prisoner.

"That says a lot about Margaret Thatcher-about her determination, about her commitment, about her global view, about her always seeing the big picture."

He met Baroness Thatcher several times during her lifetime, and was personally invited, along with his wife Avital, to the funeral service by the Thatcher family.

Baroness Thatcher's work to support Soviet Jews and Christians behind the Iron Curtain was recalled this week by those involved in the campaign at the time.

She was a leading and reliable voice supporting free emigration for Soviet Jews," a spokesman for B'nai B'rith International said in a tribute message. "She spoke forcefully on behalf of Jews prevented from leaving the Soviet Union and demanded that restrictions be lifted."

"We remember her now and her example of concern for those unjustly suffering under dictatorial regimes throughout the world," said Margaret Rigal and Rita Eker, of the 35's (Women's Campaign for Soviet Jewry).

While in London, Mr Sharansky is expected to meet communal figures to discuss moves towards a resolution for the long-running dispute over women praying at the Western Wall.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who worked in Lady Thatcher's cabinet as a Secretary of State for Scotland, will also be attending the funeral. He will be accompanied by former US Secretary of State Dr Henry Kissinger who recently called Baroness Thatcher's leadership "a breath of fresh air."

Vivian Wineman, president of the Board of Deputies, will also be attending. He paid tribute to Baroness Thatcher as “always extremely supportive and admiring of the ethos of the British Jewish community".

Opinion divided over Kerry peace talks visit

Zoe Winograd — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:24:06 +0100

US Secretary of State John Kerry has left Israel feeling optimistic – but the Palestinians less so - after a three-day shuttle diplomacy visit.

Mr Kerry met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas separately to discuss peace process negotiations expected to take at least three months. Mr Kerry has told sources that he and Mr Netanyahu agreed "to do our homework over the course of the next weeks… with a view to seeing how we can really pull all of the pieces together and make some progress."

Before meeting with Mr Kerry yesterday, Mr Netanyahu said that he was "determined not only to resume the peace process with the Palestinians, but to make a serious effort to end this conflict once and for all".

According to sources, Mr Netanyahu has refused to freeze settlement expansion as requested by the Palestinians. Mr Netanyahu has also laid out Israel’s preconditions for a peace agreement – a Palestinian recognition of the Jewish state, a halt to unilateral initiatives in the international criminal court and for the West Bank Palestinian Authority to severe ties with Hamas.

According to Haaretz, Palestinian officials were less impressed by their meetings with the secretary of state. “The situation is quite clear. The Palestinians have stated that renewed negotiations must be based on a clear formula which will include the determination of Palestine’s borders and the release of prisoners. As long as Israel does not agree to this, we cannot talk of discussions that will lead to a settlement of the conflict," said one senior Palestinian official.

The Iranian nuclear programme was also a topic on the agenda during Mr Kerry’s visit.

Israel’s blaming of the ‘shrew’

Miriam Shaviv — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:05:22 +0000

Where does the buck stop in the new Israeli government? You might think it was with the prime minister. Not so. Judging by the hysterical media reports over the past six weeks, it stops with Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara, who is apparently responsible for most of his bad decisions in the coalition negotiations.

Sara, we are told, vetoed negotiations with Jewish Home, one of the election's big winners, because of a personal vendetta with its leader Naftali Bennett, dating back to when he was Bibi's chief of staff.

When Bennett was finally granted a meeting with Bibi, weeks after the election, Sara demanded changes to the coalition agreement, and finally forced Bennett and Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid party, to give up the title of deputy premier in order to clinch the deal. What's more, she allegedly got the speaker of the Knesset fired after he fell out of favour. It's quite a charge sheet.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not arguing that Sara did not do any of these things; she probably did, although we cannot know for sure (her side claims it's all political spin). And, yes, she should be responsible for her own actions. Her interference, if it is as alleged, is inappropriate and narcissistic.

But Bibi is ultimately responsible for his government. If his wife, who has not been elected or appointed to any official position, derailed coalition negotiations, it is the prime minister's fault for allowing it to happen. Yet the media - and his fellow politicians - seem to have given him a free pass, entirely concentrating their venom on Sara, who has been called everything from Lady Macbeth to "the most powerful person in Israel" (not in a good way). She's been demonised, but there has been no similar emotional reaction to him.

Israelis have always loved to hate Sara. She met Bibi when she was an El Al stewardess, and they married in 1991 after she fell pregnant. Two years later, he confessed to an affair on national television, but Sara got none of the credit or sympathy Hillary Clinton did when she stood by her man. On the contrary: rumours abound that she made Bibi sign an agreement sharing authority with her.

When he became prime minister in 1996, the couple encouraged the media to photograph them with their children, styling themselves like an American presidential family. It struck Israelis as self-aggrandising. Soon, she was under fire for sacking successive nannies - including one who burned the soup – and faced multiple lawsuits for mistreating her staff.

It hasn't helped that she reportedly insists on being called "Mrs Netanyahu". Israelis expect their leaders to be easygoing and informal; she comes across as a spoilt and arrogant social climber. But however unpleasant Sara may be in person, in recent years hatred of her has become irrational. In the swearing-in ceremony of the Knesset, she wore an unflattering dress which appeared revealing (it was actually flesh-coloured). The media and bloggers showed no mercy, comparing her to the Michelin man.

Actually, some journos seemed to be rather enjoying themselves. Hating Sara Netanyahu has become a competitive sport, and her alleged antics during the coalition negotiations have unleashed a bloodletting.

For many politicians, blaming her may be more politically expedient than directly attacking an essentially popular prime minister with jobs to assign. For the media and for the general public, there should have been further questions for the person actually accountable for the running of his office, Benjamin Netanyahu. Sadly, it has proved more fun to hunt down an alleged shrew than to tackle a henpecked husband.