DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Long before moving into the White House, President Biden compared the relationship between the United States and Israel to that of close friends. For months, Mr. Biden refused to invite Mr. Netanyahu to Washington, which prevented at least some meetings between lower-level officials. Despite recognizing Israel, Mr. Truman refused to sell the new state offensive arms, as did his two successors. Mr. Biden urged Mr. Netanyahu “not to rush” his changes and “to seek the broadest possible consensus here.”Aides insist Mr. Biden is not trying to engineer a specific outcome in an ally’s internal politics. “I don’t think the Jewish American community needs to be overly involved in this,” she said.

Persons: Long, Biden, “, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Nathan J, Diament, Isaac Herzog, Robert B, Harry S, Truman, —, Israel —, Israel, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, State James A, Baker, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Bibi, Biden’s, Netanyahu’s, Kamala Harris, ” —, Eli Cohen, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Satloff, Thomas L, Friedman, . Biden, Jake Sullivan, “ It’s, ” Mr, Sullivan, Chris Coons, James E, Diana Fersko, Rabbi Fersko Organizations: Israel, Orthodox Union, American Orthodox, Democratic, Washington Institute for Near East, State, State Department, Mr, New York Times, Aspen Security, Republican, Foreign Relations, Jewish, American Jewish, American Locations: United States, Israel, Washington, American, U.S, Egypt, Suez, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Manhattan

☆ Lebanon's Hezbollah sees Israel on path of 'collapse'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIRUT, July 24 (Reuters) - The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Monday its arch-foe Israel was on a "path of collapse and fragmentation," referring to divisions in Israeli society over a contested overhaul of its judiciary. "Today, in particular, is the worst day in the history of the entity, as some of its people say," Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech, referring to Israel. "This is what puts it on the path of collapse, fragmentation, and disappearance, God willing," he added. Shi'ite Hezbollah has fought numerous conflicts with Israel since being established by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982. Reporting by Laila Bassam in Beirut Writing by Tom Perry Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Netanyahu, Laila Bassam, Tom Perry, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Monday, Iran's, Guards, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Iran, Lebanese, Israel, Beirut

☆ Israeli parliament approves key part of Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul as opposition exits chamber
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Demonstrators gather with national flags outside the Israeli parliament (Knesset) in Jerusalem on July 23, 2023. JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli lawmakers on Monday approved a key portion of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's divisive plan to reshape the country's justice system despite massive protests that have exposed unprecedented fissures in Israeli society. The vote came after a stormy session in which opposition lawmakers chanted "shame" and then stormed out of the chamber. In Monday's vote, lawmakers approved a measure that prevents judges from striking down government decisions on the basis that they are "unreasonable." Ahead of Monday's vote, opposition leader Yair Lapid had declared: "We are headed for disaster."

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Netanyahu —, —, Yariv Levin, Netanyahu's, Yair Lapid Organizations: Movement for Quality Government Locations: Jerusalem, JERUSALEM, United States

☆ Israel passes law to strip Supreme Court of power to block government decisions, defying months of protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Ivana Kottasová Richard Allen Greene Hadas Gold Amir Tal | Ivana Kottasová | Richard Allen Greene | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The so-called reasonableness law takes away the Supreme Court’s power to block government decisions by declaring them unreasonable. Saeed Qaq/NurPhoto via Getty Images Protesters from Tel Aviv walk the entrance road to Jerusalem after a four-day march on July 22. Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters Protesters block the main entrance to the Ministry of Defense during a protest in Tel Aviv on July 18. Israel, which has no written constitution and no upper chamber of the parliament, has had a relatively powerful Supreme Court, which supporters of the changes argue is problematic. He has argued that the Supreme Court has become an insular, elitist group that does not represent the Israeli people.

Persons: –, Yair Lapid, Ohad, Ammar Awad, Benjamin Netanyahu, Aryeh Deri, Shas, Ronaldo Schemidt, Mahmoud Illean, Netanyahu, Ronen Zvulun, Hazem Bader, Dar Yaskil, Saeed Qaq, Matan Golan, Menahem Kahana, Ilan Rosenberg, Amir Levy, Jack Guez, Joe Biden, “, Israel, ” Biden, Biden, Thomas Friedman, ”, Maya Alleruzzo, Isaac Herzog Organizations: CNN, Israel Police, Air Force, Israeli, Quality Government, Supreme, AP, Reuters, Getty Images, Protesters, Reuters Protesters, Getty, Ministry of Defense, New York Times, TA, West Bank, Israel Bar Association, Association Locations: Israeli, Jerusalem, Reuters Israeli, AFP, Tel Aviv, Israel, United States

Israelis marching toward Jerusalem on Saturday in protest of plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to overhaul the judicial system. Adding to the uncertainty Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu was taken to the hospital to have a pacemaker implanted during a procedure in which he would be placed under sedation, his office said. “The proper balance between the authorities has been disturbed over the past decades,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a speech Thursday. “The fear is that our country won’t look like it looks today,” Ms. Holzman said of the judicial overhaul plan. Similar mass protests in March prompted the government to suspend, at least for now, other planned judicial changes.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Ilana Holzman, “, Holzman, Menahem Kahana, Benjamin Netanyahu, Shin, Netanyahu, ” Mr, Gil Cohen, Navot Silberstein, Silberstein, Ms Organizations: Agence France, Histadrut, Air Force Locations: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel, Shoresh .

☆ Israel's Netanyahu taken to hospital for a heart procedure and placed under sedation as hundreds of thousands march in protest of his plans to overhaul the judiciary
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Sunday he was going to the hospital for an emergency procedure to receive a pacemaker, but vowed to press ahead with his controversial judicial overhaul plan. Netanyahu's office made the announcement as Israel faces widespread street protests over Netanyahu's contentious judicial overhaul plan. Levin is the mastermind of the overhaul plan. The signatories included Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister, and Moshe Yaalon, a former army chief and defense minister. In a speech Thursday, Netanyahu doubled down on the overhaul and dismissed as absurd the accusations that the plan would destroy Israel's democratic foundations.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Yariv Levin, Levin, throngs, Monday's, Joe Biden, Ehud Barak, Moshe Yaalon, Israel Katz, Yoav Gallant Organizations: Israeli, National Institutes of Health, Likud, Channel, West Bank Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Jerusalem, Israel's, Beersheba, Haifa, Netanya

'WE'RE SCARED, WE'RE ANGRY'Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Monday, July 17, 2023. Tens of thousands of Israelis opposing the judicial changes marched to Jerusalem over the weekend, carrying flags and beating drums under a scorching summer sun. Washington has urged Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges he denies, to seek broad agreements over any judicial reforms. First elected to Israel's top office in 1996, Netanyahu has been both dynamic and polarising. In early October, a few weeks before winning a national election, Netanyahu fell ill during the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur and was briefly hospitalised.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, Cyrus, Ohad, We're, we're, Tzivia Guggenheim, Maayan Lubell, Ari Rabinovitch, Amir Cohen, Dedi Hayoun, Rami Amichay, Ilan Rosenberg, Paul Simao, Richard Chang, Jan Harvey Organizations: Israel's, Sheba Medical, Sunday, U.S, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Turkey, Israeli, Old City, Washington, Israel, Yom Kippur

Scores of people set off on a 40-mile trek on foot from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. On Tuesday, President Biden held a meeting with Mr. Herzog, who serves as Israel’s mostly ceremonial president, at the White House. Several lawmakers critical of Israel said they would boycott Mr. Herzog’s speech to Congress to protest the Israeli government’s policies. Some members of the Israeli military reserves have campaigned against the law, and labor unions have threatened general strikes. Scores of protesters were also marching from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, carrying blue-and-white Israeli flags and chanting “De-mo-cra-tya!” — Hebrew for democracy.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, Biden, Herzog, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, ”, “ Organizations: Doctors, U.S, White, Mr, ”, United States Embassy Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, United States

CNN —Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to deliver an address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday, in what is expected to mark a bipartisan show of support for a top strategic ally in the Middle East. There is widespread support for Israel on both sides of the aisle in Congress, but some House Democrats have said they’ll skip the address, citing concerns about human rights. Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat, said “Israel is a racist state” on Saturday while addressing pro-Palestine protesters who interrupted a panel discussion at the Netroots Nation conference in Chicago. “In May, I became the second Speaker of the US House of Representatives in history to address the Israeli Knesset, and now, it is my privilege to host Israeli President Isaac Herzog for a similar honor. The only other President of Israel to share this distinction is his father – President Chaim Herzog – more than 35 years ago,” McCarthy said in a statement at the time.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Herzog “, Pramila Jayapal, ” Jeffries, Katherine Clark, Pete Aguilar, Ted Lieu, “ Israel, who’s, ” Jayapal, “, Joe Biden, Herzog, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Chaim Herzog –, ” McCarthy Organizations: CNN, Israel, Democrats, West Bank, Democratic, ”, Democratic Rep, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Top, Palestine, Netroots, White Locations: California, New York, Israel, Washington, Chicago, Palestine, America

☆ Protesters block Israel highways over new Supreme Court bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Corinna KernJERUSALEM, July 11 (Reuters) - Israeli protesters blocked major highways on Tuesday after a bill that would curb some of the Supreme Court's power won initial approval by parliament, with full support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right ruling coalition. Footage showed crowds of flag-waving Israelis stopping morning traffic in major intersections and on highways in central Israel, business hub Tel Aviv and near the entrance to Jerusalem. Police, who said 24 people have been arrested, used a water cannon to disperse some protesters and dragged others away by force. If passed as is, it would curb Supreme Court's power to void decisions made by the government, ministers and elected officials by ruling them unreasonable. Proponents say the change will facilitate effective governance by curbing court intervention, arguing that judges have other legal means to exercise oversight.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Corinna Kern JERUSALEM, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ben, Netanyahu, Washington, Maayan Lubell, Dan Willliams, Steven Scheer, Louise Heavens Organizations: Israeli, REUTERS, Police, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Jerusalem

☆ Israel's Knesset gives initial nod to contested Supreme Court bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, July 10 (Reuters) - Israel's parliament gave preliminary approval to a bill that limits some Supreme Court power, part of a rebooted judicial overhaul by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that has set off a deep political crisis. The new bill seeks a curb on the Supreme Court's power to void decisions made by the government, ministers and elected officials by ruling them unreasonable. "It is not the end of democracy, it strengthens democracy," Netanyahu said in a video statement released at sundown as the Knesset debated the bill. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a meeting at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo"Even after the amendment court independence and civil rights in Israel will not be harmed in any way.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Ronen, Amir Yaron, Yaron, Isaac Herzog, Herzog, Steven Scheer, Maayan Lubell, William Maclean, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Israel, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem, Israel, Bank

☆ Netanyahu seeks 'active steps' on Israel judicial overhaul this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, June 18 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would pursue "active steps" on a contested judicial overhaul this week after what he described as months of wasteful compromise talks with the political opposition. The proposed legislation set off unprecedented street protests, with critics of Netanyahu - who is on trial on corruption charges he denies - accusing him of trying to curb judicial independence. "We gave a month and then another month and then another month - three months. "Most of Israeli society understands that there need to be changes in the judicial system," he said. "That's why we will meet this week and commence with active steps ... in a measured way commensurate with the mandate we were given."

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Yair Lapid, Lapid, Dan Williams, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Thomson Locations: Israel

An official in Netanyahu's office played down concerns, saying: "The prime minister along with the finance minister intend to pass a responsible budget in the coming weeks that will serve all Israelis. "The finance clerks don't understand Haredim," ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Yizhak Pindrus told Kan radio. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the funds would fix years of injustice toward the Haredim, whose children often are packed into derelict classrooms. Government figures already forecast Israel's economic growth will ease in 2023 from 6.5% in 2022 to about 2.7% and down from the 3% forecast in January. "Netanyahu has sold Israel's economy and our children's future in order to stay in power," said opposition leader Yair Lapid.

☆ Thousands rally in Jerusalem in favor of planned judicial overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Dedi Hayun | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Right-wing demonstrators hold flags as they attend a protest calling on the Israeli government to complete its planned judicial overhaul, in Jerusalem, April 27, 2023. "The nation demands a judicial reform," demonstrators chanted. Demonstrations against the judicial overhaul plans, however, have gripped the country for weeks and have garnered large crowds in cities across the country, mostly and consecutively every Saturday night since the plans were announced. Recent polls have found the overhaul plans are deeply unpopular. "The nation demands a judicial reform," the crowd chanted in response.

Tel Aviv, April 18 (Reuters) - Esther Paran navigated her way in a wheelchair through the throngs of Israelis marching through Tel Aviv in protest at government plans to overhaul the country's judicial system. Paran, 79, is one of roughly 147,000 Holocaust survivors still alive in Israel. They came to Israel in 1957 after a deadly uprising in Hungary that failed to end Soviet rule. [1/4] Esther Paran, 79, a Holocaust survivor from Hungary holds up a picture from her childhood, from her living room in Tel Aviv, Israel, April 13, 2023. Paran discussed her worries about Israel more stoically and with a sense of optimism that protesters' concerns will be heard.

☆ Israeli leaders rebuff Moody's outlook cut, protests persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] An aerial view shows people during a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist coalition government's judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel, April 15, 2023. Moody's report issued on Friday marks the latest warning about a potential economic backlash to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's legislative push. Moody's affirmed Israel's sovereign credit rating at "A1", while revising its outlook to stable from positive. They said the concerns raised by Moody's are "natural for those unfamiliar with the strength of Israeli society". At the same time tens of thousands of Israelis again gathered in Tel Aviv and other cities in intensifying weekly protests, waving flags, banging drums and blaring horns.

☆ Israeli government says economy strong after Moody's rating outlook cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

JERUSALEM, April 15 (Reuters) - Israel's government said on Saturday the economy was strong and that concerns raised by credit ratings agency Moody's were only "natural for those unfamiliar with the strength of Israeli society". Moody's on Friday lowered its outlook on Israel to stable from positive, citing deterioration of governance due to events stemming from the government's proposed overhaul of the judiciary. It affirmed Israel's sovereign credit rating at "A1". "There will be no harm to Israeli democracy and the Israeli economy," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a joint statement. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Israel's 'fired' defence minister may yet keep his job -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, March 30 (Reuters) - The Israeli defence minister whose dismissal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought the country's constitutional crisis to a boil this week may still keep his job, two sources told Reuters on Thursday. But aides said Gallant never received a formal dismissal letter from Netanyahu, who has since faced rare public censure from the United States over the justice drive. Two sources familiar with the situation said lawmaker Aryeh Deri, leader of the Shas party in Netanyahu's nationalist-religious coalition government, was working to keep Gallant in office. One of the sources said Deri, a longtime Netanyahu ally, was looking to stabilise the government and calm domestic anger. On Wednesday, Netanyahu voiced confidence he would find compromise with the political opposition over the judicial overhaul after the move drew a strong reproach from U.S. President Joe Biden.

☆ Israel's Netanyahu buys time, but is still in a fix
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Angus Mcdowall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It shows the dilemma facing Israel's longest-serving prime minister, who managed a comeback last year, brushing aside an ongoing corruption scandal and the political obituaries written after his last coalition collapsed in 2020. Announcing the delay of the judicial law on television, Netanyahu cited the wisdom of Solomon to say he would extend a hand for dialogue. With polls showing his coalition would lose any new election, Netanyahu can meanwhile count on little goodwill from old foes and former allies still sore from previous encounters. Netanyahu describes the cases as politically motivated, denies wrongdoing and says they are not linked to his judicial reforms. His coalition partners include hard-right supporters of Jewish settlers, who have dismayed Israel's foreign allies with harsh statements about Palestinians.

☆ Israel isn't 'out of the woods' even though Netanyahu paused the plan that pushed his country into chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( John Haltiwanger | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

A judicial overhaul plan pushed by Netanyahu's government sparked a major crisis in Israel. "The crisis was deferred, but definitely not resolved," a former US ambassador to Israel told Insider. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to hit pause on a deeply controversial plan to overhaul the country's judiciary, but Israel's problems are far from over. One piece of the plan has already been passed into law, narrowing the circumstances under which a prime minister can be deemed unfit for office. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a voting session in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, Israel on March 27, 2023.

☆ Israeli president urges halt to judicial overhaul after protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM - MARCH 27: Israelis, carrying Israeli flags and anti-government placards, gather outside the Knesset to protests against the Israeli government's plan to introduce judicial changes. President Isaac Herzog urged the government on Monday to halt its bitterly contested judicial overhaul, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his defence minister for opposing the move, sparking mass street protests. A day earlier, Gallant had made a televised appeal for the government to halt its flagship overhaul of the judicial system, warning that the deep split it had opened up in Israeli society was affecting the military and threatening national security. The judicial overhaul, which would give the executive control over appointing judges to the Supreme Court and allow the government to over-ride court rulings on the basis of a simple parliamentary majority has drawn mass protests for weeks. As well as drawing opposition from the business establishment, the project has caused alarm among Israel's allies.

☆ Israeli PM Netanyahu expected to back down on judicial reform
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Fire burns as people attend a demonstration after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the defense minister and his nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 27, 2023. Israel's Channel 12 TV reported Netanyahu would announce a halt to the overhaul at 10:30 a.m. (0730 GMT). "The law is balanced and good for Israel," Rothman said as the bill passed the committee stage. "We must not stop the judiciary reform and must not surrender to anarchy," he tweeted. The judicial overhaul, which would give the executive control over appointing judges to the Supreme Court and allow the government to over-ride court rulings on the basis of a simple parliamentary majority has drawn mass protests for weeks.

☆ Netanyahu suspends judicial overhaul after day of Israeli turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( James Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a meeting at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, amid demonstrations after he dismissed the defence minister as his nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Jerusalem, March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen ZvulunJERUSALEM, March 28 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused his signature plan to overhaul Israel's judiciary after a day of nationwide turmoil when workers joined a general strike against the proposal and hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets. His dismissal by Netanyahu led thousands to take to the streets and Israel's President Isaac Herzog to urge a halt. An early rally in Israel's shekel currency fizzled out after Netanyahu suspended the overhaul with its eventual fate uncertain. While opposition parties gave a cautious welcome to Netanyahu's decision to suspend the overhaul to allow time to reach an agreement, many protesters remained mistrustful.

☆ Israel's attorney general accuses Netanyahu of breaking the law
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Henriette Chacar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Israelis demonstrate during the "Day of Shutdown", as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nationalist coalition government presses on with its judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 23, 2023. REUTERS/Nir EliasJERUSALEM, March 24 (Reuters) - Israel's attorney-general on Friday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of breaking the law by ignoring a conflict of interest over his ongoing trial for corruption and getting directly involved in his government's judicial overhaul plan. The protests followed Netanayhu to London on Friday, where he met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Broadcasters had expected to be able to film the start of the meeting between Sunak and Netanyahu but that appeared to have been cancelled. Reporting by Henriette Chacar; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Clarence Fernandez, James Mackenzie, William MacleanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "Israeli Society"

25 mentions found