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☆ Israel threatens to ‘go deeper’ into Lebanon as strikes strain ceasefire
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-03 | by ( Mick Krever | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Were the ceasefire to collapse, he said, “there will no longer be any exemptions for the State of Lebanon. The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said Israel had breached the ceasefire agreement “approximately 100” times since the truce went into effect. “Both the French and the Americans didn’t really like it,” Smotrich said, referring to Israeli strikes on Lebanon since the truce. Under the agreement, Lebanon would implement a more rigorous supervision of Hezbollah’s movements south of the country’s Litani River, to prevent militants from regrouping there. “We will act with full force to enforce all the understandings of the ceasefire agreement, and we will respond with maximum response and zero tolerance,” Katz said.

Persons: ” Israel Katz, Israel Katz, Elad Malka, Matthew Miller, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Kan, Israel, didn’t, ” Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, Smotrich, Mount Dov, ” Katz Organizations: CNN, 146th Division, Israel Defense Forces, State, –, Israeli Defense, Division, Ministry of Defense, United, Israeli, United Nations, Lebanese Health Ministry, IDF Locations: Israel, Lebanese, Lebanon, “, State, Beirut, Dahiyeh, retaliating, United States, UNIFIL, ”, Israeli, Syria

Thousands of police officers were deployed across Paris, seeking to avoid a repeat of last week's violence in Amsterdam involving locals and Israeli fans. Outside Stade de France, soccer fans filed into the stadium amid a heavy police presence. Theo Petit, 23, who came out to support France, said he was invited to the game by a friend. “We are a little stressed about coming here but it’s a game, a football game,” said Petit, who is studying to become a dietician. The ramped-up security presence comes after the violence surrounding the soccer match between Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax of Amsterdam put authorities across Europe on high alert.

Persons: Theo Petit, “, ”, Petit, Ian Langsdon, Denis, Laurent Nunez, David, Irene Karalis, there's, ” Karalis, I'm, instrumentalization, Franck Fife, Nunez, Emmanuel Macron, Francois Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy, Urgence, Israel, Bezalel Smotrich, ” Smotrich, Dimitar Dilkoff, Omar, Lazare Organizations: Stade de France, Gaza, Getty Images Paris, NBC, RTL, Reuters, Ligue des, Human Rights League, NBC News, Zionist, Guard, Police, National Gendarmerie, Nations League, Urgence Palestine, Israel’s Maccabi Tel, Ajax, Israel, Getty, Paris ’ Saint Locations: PARIS, Israel, France, Paris, Europe, Lebanon, Amsterdam, Aubervilliers, AFP, Saint, “, Betar, Beirut, Gaza, Palestine, Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, Netherlands

☆ Hamas leader Sinwar wants a ceasefire deal, mediators say, but Netanyahu’s stance unclear
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( Jeremy Diamond | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Nobody knows what Bibi wants,” one Israeli source said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, a powerful voice in Israel, has also called on Israel and Hamas to finalize a hostage and ceasefire deal. At the same time, Netanyahu’s coalition partners have made it clear they do not want Israel to strike a deal with Hamas. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the proposed ceasefire deal a “surrender deal” on Friday. But negotiations are already underway with technical delegations working “around the clock” through key details ahead of Thursday’s meeting, the Israeli source said.

Persons: Yahya Sinwar, “, Bibi, Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, ”, John Kirby, Smotrich’s, Itamar Ben Gvir, Fu’ad Shukr, Ismail Haniyeh, Sinwar, Haniyeh, Israel, Kamala Harris Organizations: CNN, Israeli, House, Smotrich, National Security, Hamas, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Democratic Locations: United States, Israel, Cairo, Doha, Lebanon, Iran, Lebanese, Tehran, Gaza

☆ Israeli minister says it may be ‘moral’ to starve 2 million Gazans, but ‘no one in the world would let us’
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Dana Karni | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It’s his (Hamas’) money, it’s his fuel, it’s his civilian control of the Gaza Strip. Israel has control over aid that enters Gaza and aid groups are in charge of distributing it. While there have been some anecdotal reports from Gazans of Hamas stealing aid, it’s unclear how rampant it is. The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. No need to unclog sewers, no need for education, no need for welfare.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Yad Binyamin, ”, Israel, David Satterfield, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, ” Israel, Smotrich Organizations: Jerusalem CNN — Israeli, Katif Conference, National, Israeli Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza, Yad, Israel, Gazans

CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris’ office on Friday is rejecting a suggestion from a senior Israeli official that the vice president’s remarks on Thursday that forcefully criticized Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas could have made a ceasefire deal harder to reach. But the vice president’s office on Friday sought to clarify that her message to Netanyahu behind closed doors mirrored that of Biden. For example, Harris’s aides have been advocates for sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, one source said. “Harris and her office threw us a lifeline early on,” Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. She wanted to know what she could do to be responsive to our concerns.”Correction: This story has been updated to correct Kamala Harris' party affiliation.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Israel’s, ”, Harris, ” Harris, Netanyahu, Biden, “, Harris’s, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir –, “ She’s, Harris ’, “ Harris, Dr, James Zogby, CNN’s Tim Lister, Tamar Michaelis Organizations: CNN, The, Democratic, Israel, West Bank, National Security, Biden, Arab American Institute Locations: The Times, Israel, Gaza

☆ Top UN court says Israeli occupation of West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | Mitchell Mccluskey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The United Nations’ top court said Friday that Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal, in an unprecedented opinion that called on Israel to end its decades-long occupation of territories claimed by Palestinians for a future state. The Palestinians want the West Bank and Gaza for a future state, with East Jerusalem at its capital. ‘False decision’Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other politicians rejected the ICJ opinion. “The answer to The Hague – sovereignty now,” Smotrich said on X, a call for Israel to annex the West Bank. The ICJ in 2004 delivered an advisory opinion on the Israeli separation barrier around the majority of the West Bank, urging Israel to remove it from occupied land.

Persons: Judge Nawaf Salam, ”, “, Israel, –, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, Israel Katz, Bezalel Smotrich, ” Smotrich, Eliav, ” Lieblich Organizations: CNN, United Nations ’, West Bank, Court of Justice, East Jerusalem, United Nations, UN, Assembly, Hamas, ”, Palestinian Authority, Tel Aviv University Locations: East Jerusalem, Israel, Palestinian Territory, Palestinian, The Hague, Netherlands, Jerusalem, Gaza, East, ”, United, of Israel, South Africa, Hague, Palestine

CNN —Israel has sparked condemnation after the finance minister announced plans to legally recognize five unauthorized Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. As CNN has reported, the Israeli government has been looking to “strengthen” Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank after several countries unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state. The Palestinian Authority, which administers some areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, told CNN on Sunday that it has not yet received the funds from Israel. He has long advocated for the building of settlements, pointing to them as a means of preventing the West Bank becoming part of such an independent state. Such settlements are considered illegal under international law and by much of the international community.

Persons: CNN — Israel, Bezalel Smotrich, ”, Amir Cohen, Peter Stano, “, Smotrich Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Israeli, Reuters, Union, Oslo Accords Locations: Palestinian, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Oslo

☆ Far-right Israeli minister sets out plan to prevent West Bank from becoming part of a Palestinian state
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Lauren Izso | Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has spoken about preventing the occupied West Bank from becoming a part of an independent Palestinian state, according to leaked audio of a speech he gave earlier this month. Smotrich, a leading far right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, said the way to prevent a Palestinian state that would endanger the state of Israel was to develop Jewish settlements. Israel’s Supreme Court defines Israeli control over the West Bank as a temporary military occupation rather than the annexation of territory under a civilian administration. But Smotrich, who lives in a settlement himself, has opposed the creation of an independent Palestinian state. The official position of the government is that the status of the West Bank is subject to future negotiations.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Smotrich, ” Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, “ Organizations: CNN, Israeli, West Bank, Ministry of Defense, Directorate, Ministry, Defense Ministry, Oslo Accords Locations: Israel, State, Judea, Samaria, Oslo, Gaza

☆ Israeli leaders and military criticize reported US plans to sanction IDF unit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Eugenia Yosef | Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers have sharply criticized reports of plans by the United States to sanction an Israeli military unit for alleged human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The allegations are said to implicate members of the Netzah Yehuda battalion of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the occupied West Bank, a unit established in 1999 comprising religious and Ultra-Orthodox Jews. He didn’t explicitly name Netzah Yehuda. An ‘inseparable part’ of the IDF“The ‘Netzah Yehuda’ battalion is an inseparable part of the Israel Defense Forces. Remo Casilli/Reuters“The reports regarding sanctions against the Netzah Yehuda Battalion are not currently known to the IDF.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, “, ”, Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, didn’t, Netzah Yehuda, Netzah Yehuda ’, ” Benny Gantz, Israel, Gantz, Bezalel Smotrich, Netzah, Remo Casilli, ” Blinken, I’ve, Blinken Organizations: CNN, Israeli, West Bank, Israel Defense Forces, “, Rights Watch, HRW, Palestinian Ministry of Health, IDF, International, Reuters, Netzah Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, Capri, Italy

☆ Egypt on edge as Israel’s war presses more than a million Palestinians up against its border
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The fortification by the border with Gaza is a “precautionary” measure ahead of an expected Israeli ground operation in Rafah, Egyptian security officials told CNN. Now, Egypt is sounding alarms again as Israel pushes more than a million Palestinians toward its territory and prepares for a military operation in Rafah. The treaty also limited the number of troops stationed on the border between Egypt and Gaza, which at the time was controlled by Israel. A satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows Rafah, Gaza, on February 3. After Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it agreed with Egypt on a mechanism to secure the area with only Egyptian border patrol forces on the Egyptian side of the border.

Persons: Israel’s, Gazans, Kerem, Karm, Said Khatib, Bezalel Smotrich, “, Emad Gad, ”, Winter, Abdel Fattah el, Sisi, Abed Zagout, Itamar Ben Gvir, Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ahmed Abu Zeid, ” Abu Zeid, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Israel, it’s, Gad, ” Gad Organizations: CNN, Getty, Twitter, Israel, Associated Press, The New York Times, Ahram, Maxar Technologies, Maxar, Ahram Center for Political, Strategic Studies, Institute for National Security Studies, Department of, Islamic, Tel Aviv University, National, Finance, Foreign, Foreign Ministry, Alghad, Reuters, Egyptian, demilitarize, Al, News, Ahram Center Locations: Egypt, Gaza, Rafah, North Sinai, Israel, Karm Abu Salem, AFP, Cairo, Western, United States, Washington, Tel Aviv, Anadolu, Sinai, Israeli, Al

☆ UN Agency Says Aid Shipment Blocked in Israeli Port
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The main United Nations agency providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza is facing growing administrative hurdles from Israel, with a shipment amounting to a month's supply of food blocked in port, the agency's chief said. UNRWA has dismissed staff accused of involvement in the attack and launched an investigation. He said UNRWA had been informed by a contractor that provided handling services in the port of Ashdod that it could no longer continue working with UNRWA, following instructions from the Israeli authorities. Last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on social media platform X that Israel was cancelling tax breaks previously offered to UNRWA. The decision was not formally communicated to the agency which only learned about it when the statement appeared on the platform, Lazzarini said.

Persons: Israel, Philippe Lazzarini, Lazzarini, Bezalel Smotrich, James Mackenzie, Steve Scheer Organizations: United Nations, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, Israel, West Bank Locations: JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, East, Ashdod, Turkey, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria

☆ Palestinian Authority to Pay Reduced Salaries as Israel Blocks Funds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Ali SawaftaRAMALLAH (Reuters) - The Palestinian Authority said on Tuesday it will pay public sector workers 60% of their December salaries this week as it grapples with the longrunning fallout of Israel's refusal to transfer tax funds earmarked for Gaza. Funding to the Palestinian Authority, the body which exercises limited governance in the occupied West Bank, has been severely restricted by the months-long dispute over transferring tax revenues Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinians. Although Gaza is controlled by Hamas, the Palestinian Authority continues to fund essential areas of the blockaded enclave's budget including paying the salaries of health workers. The dispute over the Palestinian Authority budget coincides with a separate dispute over funding to UNWRA, the United Nations agency which pays for emergency relief for Palestinians. Much of the UNWRA budget has been cut off since Israel accused 12 of the agency's 13,000 Gaza workers of involvement in the Oct. 7 attack.

Persons: Ali Sawafta, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Shtayyeh, Antony Blinken, James Mackenzie, Christina Fincher Organizations: Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Palestinian, Israeli, Hamas, U.S, United Nations, Israel, International Court of Justice Locations: Ali Sawafta RAMALLAH, Gaza, Israel

☆ Israel’s far-right wants to move Palestinians out of Gaza. Its ideas are gaining attention
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Mick Krever | Jomana Karadsheh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —The Israeli soldiers stand rifles in hand, arm over shoulder, speaking to the camera. “We must promote a solution to encourage the emigration of the residents of Gaza,” far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on January 1. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a position in the Defense Ministry, says that Israel “will rule there. If Palestinians in Gaza are “post-Jihad, pro-Israel, and want to live that good life in that beautiful soil, there should be an opportunity for that,” he said. That color was adopted in 2004 and 2005 by the movement protesting Israel’s disengagement from Gaza.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, “, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel “, Antony Blinken, Dahlia Scheindlin, Itamar Ben Gvir, restoking, Netanyahu, ” Scheindlin, Diana Buttu, Netanyahu’s, ”, Ariel Sharon’s, Katif, Yishai Fleisher, ” Fleisher, we’ve, Fleisher, –, Jordan, ” Israel, Gush Katif, Hanan Ben Ari serenaded, Ben Gvir, Gila, Mahmoud Abbas, ” Omer Bartov, Buttu, ” Netanyahu, ” Tzvi, Melech, Ben Gvir’s Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Gaza . Social Media, ”, Likud, National, Defense Ministry, United, Haaretz, Israeli, National Security, Settler, West Bank, “, Israel, Norwegian Refugee Council, United Nations, International Court of Justice, Israel Defense Forces, Gush, Social Media, Oregon State University, City University of New, Brown University, Smotrich’s, Ben Gvir’s Jewish Power Party Locations: Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Ramallah, Authority, ”, United States, Palestinian, Qatar, “, Hebron, Turkey, South America, South Africa, The Hague, Jerusalem, Gush, Israeli, Nova Beach, City University of New York, Israel’s

☆ Israel's finance minister defends settlement funds in budget row
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. On Sunday, centrist Minister Benny Gantz demanded that Netanyahu remove all political payouts from the new budget, saying they will harm the war effort. Those include so-called "coalition funds" intended for settlements in the occupied West Bank and for the ultra-Orthodox Jewish education system. The row over devoting funds to settlements comes at a sensitive moment for Israel as it seeks to mobilize international support for the war in Gaza. Israel's central bank and hundreds of economists have also called on the government to scrap funds not vital to financing the war.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Benny Gantz, Netanyahu, Smotrich, Josep Borrell, Gantz's, Mahmoud Abbas, Gantz, Maayan Lubell, Steven Scheer, Ari Rabinovitch, Ali Sawafta, Nick Macfie Organizations: Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Israeli, West Bank, Jewish, Sunday, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel, Gaza, United States, Jerusalem

☆ Israel's far-right finance minister demands expanded war cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Israel's far-right finance minister, who has so far been excluded from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet, called on Monday for lawmakers taking a harder line towards Hamas to be included in decisions about the war. "I think this grave mistake necessitates the expansion of the war cabinet," said Smotrich, arguing that letting in fuel gave Hamas a lifeline during the war. Smotrich, in a statement, said the war cabinet should include "opinions that until today have not been heard", including from those with a record of calling for Hamas to be eliminated. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Steve Scheer Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Smotrich, Ari Rabinovitch, Steve Scheer, Peter Graff Organizations: Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Likud, Finance, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel, Israel's, U.S, Gaza

☆ Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu battles on all fronts, amid growing pressure to free hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Only a small handful of families have met with the Israeli leader since the attacks, infuriating the hundreds of other relatives. Freeing hostages should be at the top of the Israeli war cabinet’s agenda, he said. Winds have been shifting against the prime minister as Israel’s war in Gaza drags past its sixth week. Cracks emergeOpposition parties initially rallied behind Israel’s war effort, with National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz joining the wartime government – but cracks have begun to emerge. Freeing hostages from Hamas was worth it, “whatever the cost,” he said.

Persons: Jerusalem CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ” Gil Dickmann, Carmel Gat, ”, Benny Gantz, , Yair Lapid, Lapid, “, ” Lapid, Ada Gansach, Tara John, Israel, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, ’, Ilan Rosenberg, Gilad Shalit, Asher Elyahol, ” Ofir Dagan, Dagan, Yehudit Waiss, Waiss, Elyahol, “ we’ll Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Israel’s, CNN, Palestinian, National Unity Party, Likud, Twitter, Israeli, National, Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, Family, Hamas, Reuters Locations: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel, Gaza, United States, Gulf, Qatar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attend an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Israel's finance ministry said on Friday it would divert to the war effort some 1.6 billion shekels ($440 million) this year out of billions earmarked for parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition government. They expressed alarm last month at the government's plan to transfer 9 billion shekels ($2.2 billion) to ultra-Orthodox and far-right-wing pro-settler parties, as part of an agreement Netanyahu made with them to secure his ruling coalition. The finance ministry's proposal would cut around 70% of 2.5 billion shekels of funding for coalition partners still due to be paid in the current 2023 budget. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a letter on Friday that he planned to cut some 4 billion shekels ($1 billion) from the 2023 budget excluding war funding, and increase war funding by a further 9 billion, on top of 22 billion shekels already allocated.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Maytaal, Peter Graff Organizations: Israeli Finance, Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel

☆ Israel cuts Gaza funds from Palestinian tax transfer
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Following a debate over whether to make the transfer as Israel battles Hamas militants in Gaza, the Israeli cabinet said it would also withhold money to offset stipends the PA pays to Palestinian militants and their families. There was no immediate comment from the PA, which in the past has refused to accept trimmed tax transfers. The PA is estimated to spend some 30% of its budget in Gaza, where it also pays for medicine and social assistance programs. Together with aid from foreign donors, the tax funds make up the bulk of the cash-strapped PA's public revenues and also help pay for civil servant salaries and other services in the West Bank. In 2019, the Palestinians rejected the tax money several times after Israel cut the sum over the PA's support to the families of jailed or slain Palestinian militants.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Mahmoud Abbas, Steven Scheer, Emily Rose, Rami Ayyub, Maytaal Angel, William Maclean, Sandra Maler Organizations: Finance, Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Palestinian, Bank, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel, Gaza

☆ Israel to amend budget, Gaza war direct cost at $246 mln daily
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Israeli soldiers stand guard and look at a fire that was caused when a rocket that was launched from Gaza landed in southern Israel, October 24, 2023. Smotrich described the S&P downward revision from "stable" published on Tuesday as "alarmist" and said he did not anticipate major Israeli deficits despite the crisis. He praised Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron, who was due to have stepped down but extended his tenure due to the crisis, for "functioning above and beyond". But Smotrich would not be drawn on whether Yaron should be formally kept in office. Writing by Dan Williams Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Amir Yaron, Dan Williams, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Israeli, Army Radio, Bank of Israel, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel

The cost to Israel's economy of its war with Hamas militants will be unlike anything it has experienced in decades. "This is not a hit for contractors or industrialists alone," said Raul Sarugo, president of the Israel Builders' Association. Israel was blindsided on Oct. 7 by Hamas gunmen from Gaza who rampaged through border towns in the deadliest attack on civilians in its history. The conflict has also halted the movement of thousands of Palestinian labourers from Gaza to Israel and curtailed the flow from the occupied West Bank. The Economy Ministry created a war room and put out a call for help.

Persons: Raul Sarugo, Israel, Netanel Shraga, Barak Klein, ThetaRay, Erel Margalit, Dror Bin, We've, Bin, Leo Leiderman, Amir Yaron, Yaron, Steven Scheer, Ari Rabinovich, Toby Chopra Organizations: Hamas, Israel Builders ' Association, West Bank, Columbia, HIGH, TECH, Factories, Israel Innovation Authority, Ministry, Bank Hapoalim, Israeli Finance Ministry, Reuters, of Israel, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Israel's, Iran, Lebanese

☆ Netanyahu Partner Says Israel's Leaders Failed to Protect Citizens
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Sunday the government was taking responsibility for the devastating attack that allowed Hamas militants to enter Israel and kill hundreds of Israeli civilians. "We have to admit honestly, painfully and with a bowed head - we, the state leadership and the security establishment, have failed in maintaining the security of our citizens," Smotrich, a key partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, told a news conference. "We failed to implement the unwritten contract, the first of its kind between a state and its citizens. A contract that was written in blood and is now stained with blood." (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Steven Scheer; editing by James Mackenzie)

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ari Rabinovitch, Steven Scheer, James Mackenzie Organizations: Israeli Locations: JERUSALEM, Israel

☆ Israel's leaders failed to protect citizens, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Sunday the government was taking responsibility for the devastating attack that allowed Hamas militants to enter Israel and kill hundreds of Israeli civilians. "We have to admit honestly, painfully and with a bowed head - we, the state leadership and the security establishment, have failed in maintaining the security of our citizens," Smotrich, a key partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, told a news conference. "We failed to implement the unwritten contract, the first of its kind between a state and its citizens. Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Steven Scheer; editing by James MackenzieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ari Rabinovitch, Steven Scheer, James Mackenzie Organizations: Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Israeli, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel

☆ Israeli finance minister to renew funds to Arab communities after backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a news conference after announcing that he will sign an order to seize Palestinian Authority funds and transfer them to the families of victims of Palestinian attacks, at Israel's Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday his ministry would unblock funds for Arab communities that he suspended saying the money was fuelling crime, triggering outrage from Arab mayors and some Arab and Jewish lawmakers. Arab councils held a strike last week in protest and community leaders demonstrated outside government offices. In a statement on Monday, Smotrich appeared to reverse course and said an oversight mechanism had been created to transfer funds to the Arab communities. "We are stopping the criminal organisations from taking over the budgets that go to the Arab authorities," Smotrich said.

Persons: Bezalel Smotrich, Ronen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Smotrich, Emily Rose, Alison Williams Organizations: Palestinian, Israel's Finance Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, Israeli, National Committee of, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem, Israel

REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File PhotoSummary Funds were meant to narrow socio-economic gapsSmotrich says money would go to criminals, militantsLawmakers, colleges criticise decision as racistJERUSALEM, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has frozen funds for Arab towns and Palestinian education programmes in East Jerusalem, citing crime and safety fears and prompting accusations of racism. "Arab citizens are entitled to those funds, which were meant to close the gaps between Arab and Jewish communities," he told Reuters. 'HATRED AND RACISM'Smotrich said a separate 200 million shekels for encouraging academic studies among Palestinians from East Jerusalem would also be frozen until what he described as "extremist Islamic activity" on campus was eradicated. Smotrich said the new East Jerusalem plan would have a total increased budget but that although encouraging academic studies among the city's Palestinians was a worthy cause, this also had unwelcome consequences. Reporting by Henriette Chacar and Maayan Lubell; Editing by James Mackenzie and Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Bezalel Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Kan, Moshe Arbel, Mansour Abbas, Yair Lapid, Smotrich, Ameer Bisharat, Israel, Netanyahu, Henriette Chacar, James Mackenzie, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Israeli, Reuters, National Committee of, Facebook, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Thomson Locations: Rahat, Israel, JERUSALEM, East Jerusalem, Smotrich, Arab, Jerusalem, Gaza

☆ 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.

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