ISRAEL: Netanyahu Bans Aljazeera TV; Biden Condemns

[world politics news]

The Biden administration lashed out Monday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that he will ban Aljazeera, a Qatari government-controlled news channel, in Israel because of the lies it has told about the October 7 terrorist attack and because some of its journalists are said to have participated in the attack.

Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset passed a measure in a lopsided, 71-10 vote Monday, giving Netanyahu the authority to ban the organization.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

USA: Sen. Schumer's Anti-Netanyahu Speech Stuns Israel

[world politics news]

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) speech calling for a new government in Israel landed like an earthquake Thursday, delivering a huge shock to the already tense U.S.-Israel relationship.

In addition to being the most senior Jewish elected official in the country, Schumer has had one of the longest and closest relationships with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of any U.S. politician.

Schumer's speech, calling for new elections in Israel, stunned officials and observers in both Washington and Jerusalem because he has been the Democratic Party's most avid supporter of Israel in decades.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Supreme Court Strikes Down Court Overhaul

[world politics news]

Israel’s Supreme Court has struck down a highly controversial law passed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that rolled back some of the high court’s power and sparked nationwide protests.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu, Gantz Form Emergency Wartime Gov't

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Unity party leader Benny Gantz announced a landmark agreement on Wednesday to establish an emergency wartime government, after Hamas launched a brutal and unprecedented assault on Israel early Saturday that claimed the lives of over 1,200 Israelis, the single deadliest day in the country’s history.

The establishment of the new “national emergency government” — an unthinkable prospect mere days ago amid long months of bitter national divisions over Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plans — underscored the extent of the shock the nation has suffered and the degree to which politicians and the entire country have been unnerved by the sudden severe threat to national security.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Lawmakers Limit Supreme Court Powers, Violence Erupts

[world politics news]

Israeli lawmakers voted Monday to limit the Supreme Court’s ability to strike down government actions, delivering a long-sought goal of the country’s ascendant right-wing movement. 

The measure was pushed through despite months of civil unrest, international condemnations, and pleas from business and security leaders to seek consensus in a deeply divided society on the verge of chaos.

Lawmakers methodically voted down 140 amendments from the opposition, just as they had shouldered through more than 1,000 objections in a week of preliminary maneuvering and more than six months of nationwide protests.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Decides To Keep Defense Minister

[world politics news]

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reversed his decision to fire defence minister Yoav Gallant, amid deteriorating security that has left the country battling threats on multiple fronts.

Netanyahu originally said two weeks ago he would sack Gallant after the defence minister spoke out against the government’s controversial plans to weaken the powers of the judiciary. The minister warned that the deep polarisation caused by the proposals was undermining Israeli security.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu "Open To Talks" On Controversial Judicial Reforms

[world politics news]

 
Addressing the public amid increasingly rancorous political divisions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said he was open to talks on his government’s efforts to radically restructure the judicial system, while blaming his rivals for the lack of negotiations — but signaling at the same time that the coalition would continue with its legislative push, despite President Isaac Herzog calling for the process to be temporarily halted.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Justice Minister Launches Reform Of Legal System

[world politics news]

Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced his plans for judicial reform on January 4, and the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee held an introductory session on January 11. Levin and Simcha Rothman, the committee’s chairman, on January 11 and 12 published draft texts of three different laws that include all of the parts of the reform that were announced so far and are intended as a “basis for discussion.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Election Returns Netanyahu To Power

[world politics news]

With 92.6% of the votes counted in Israel's election, the Netanyahu-supporting bloc maintains its lead with 65 seats, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc remains at 50 seats. Meretz's chances of clearing the 3.25 percent electoral threshold are slimming as it falls to just 3.15 percent of the votes.

Likud currently has 32 seats, Yesh Atid has 24, Religious Zionism has 14, the National Unity camp has 12, Shas has 11 and United Torah Judaism has eight seats. Yisrael Beiteinu, United Arab List, and Hadash-Ta'al win five seats apiece. Labor is just over the electoral threshold  to continue having seats in Parliament with four seats, while Meretz and Balad are still below the threshold, as is Habayit Hayehudi.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Loses Confidence Vote, Naftali Bennett Becomes Prime Minister

[world politics news]

Yamina Party chairman Naftali Bennett was sworn in as Israel's 13th prime minister, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's 12 consecutive years in office Sunday. Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid Party was sworn in as the alternate prime minister. They will switch positions after 2 years.

The new Bennett-Lapid government narrowly won a Knesset confidence vote, with 60 voting for, 59 against and one abstaining. 

Netanyahu reportedly vowed to make it a short coalition and come back into power quickly.

President Joe Biden rushed to congratulate Bennett, as did many other world leaders.

Bennett, 49, has made pitches to hard-right voters throughout his career, leads the Yamina Party, which has called for Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Opposition Parties In Talks To Unite To Try To Oust Netanyahu

[world politics news]

Yamina Party Leader Naftali Bennett delivered his long-awaited announcement Sunday that he would attempt to create a unity government with Yesh Atid Party Leader Yair Lapid and seek to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he accused of leading Israel to national suicide for his own personal reasons.  

Yesh Atid and Yamina began negotiations immediately following the announcement Sunday night in an effort to reach an agreement by Wednesday’s deadline.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Opposition Leader Gantz Rules Out Coalition With Netanyahu

[world politics news]

Blue and White Party Leader Benny Gantz has dispelled reports that he was considering partnering with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and forming another unity government as he did after the 2020 election, saying that he was "committed exclusively to the bloc of change."

After the April 2020 election, Gantz entered into a power-sharing deal with Netanyahu in which they would each get a turn at serving as prime minister for the next four years, but that agreement collapsed several months later and Israel once again had a general election, culminating with the March 23 vote.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Prime Minister Netanyahu's Trial Resumes

[world politics news]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  told judges in a Jerusalem court Monday that he was innocent of fraud and bribery charges.

Netanyahu, 71, pleaded not guilty on Monday to corruption charges at the resumption of his trial just six weeks before Israeli voters again pass judgment on his leadership in a national election.

He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israeli history.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Fourth Election In Two Years Called After Coalition Collapses

[world politics news] 

On Tuesday night, the deadline to approve a national budget expired, sending Israelis to the polls for the fourth time in less than two years. Elections were automatically called for 90 days from now, namely March 23, 2021, though that date could be changed.

The failure to pass a budget came just seven months after the swearing-in of the “unity government” between Likud and Blue and White. The two parties, which had fought each other bitterly in three indecisive elections, agreed to form a power-sharing government with a rotating premiership between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz in May.

Netanyahu promised a huge win, but polls suggest tough race, with the main threat coming from parties to his right

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Knesset Approves Netanyahu-Gantz Unity Gov't, Ending Political Stalemate

[world politics news]

Israeli lawmakers have voted to approve a unity government deal between incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party and the Blue and White alliance, led by Benny Gantz.

Parliament backed the coalition deal by 71 votes to 37, a statement said, with the two men expected to swear-in the power-sharing government next week.

The Knesset (Israel Parliament) also passed a raft of legislative changes to the country's semi-constitutional Basic Laws, paving the way for a government to be established after more than a year of political deadlock.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Former Ally Vows To Scuttle Plans For Gantz To Rotate With Netanyahu As PM

[world politics news]

In a bombshell move that threatens to block his former ally becoming Israel’s prime minister, Yesh Atid-Telem leader Yair Lapid on Monday promised his party would vote with Benjamin Netanyahu if the prime minister seeks to cancel his rotation agreement with Benny Gantz, which is supposed to take effect 18 months into the lifespan of the planned Netanyahu-Gantz coalition. Lapid would thus help ensure the necessary majority to cancel the law anchoring the Netanyahu-Gantz power-sharing deal, and bring down the government.

Lapid’s vow drew a furious response from Gantz’s Blue and White party, and an allegation from Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman that, in so doing, Lapid would be saving Netanyahu’s political skin. Lapid responded that it was Gantz who is saving Netanyahu by partnering with him in the new coalition,

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu, Rival Gantz, Enter Into Unity Coalition

[world politics news]

Israel's leading opposition candidate, Benny Gantz, has agreed to form a unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ending a political deadlock that forced three elections in less than a year.

The unexpected announcement sent shockwaves through Gantz's Blue and White Party over the weekend, breaking it into four new parties and two factions.

The move comes after he warned former allies in the party that leading Israel into a fourth national election in a year was not an option. Citing the coronavirus outbreak, he asked leaders to put "personal scores aside."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Opposition Ldr Benny Gantz Considers Options To Rule With Netanyahu

[world politics news]

Blue and White Party Leader Benny Gantz is considering joining what would be termed as an "emergency government" under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for six months, sources in the party said Tuesday, after Gantz held individual meetings with Blue and White MKs at the Knesset.

Joining such a government could enable Gantz to keep Blue and White together despite the fierce opposition to joining a Netanyahu-led government from members of his own multi-party leadership team.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Opposition Leader Gantz To Try To Form Gov't

[world politics news]

The leader of Israel's Blue and White party Benny Gantz has won recommendations from 61 members of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, paving the way for him to receive the mandate from Pres. Reuven Rivlin to form a new government after Israel’s third elections.

Rivlin by law had to grant Gantz the mandate. This will allow Gantz to take control of the Knesset, appoint the speaker from his party, control the main committees.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Voters Go To The Polls For A Third Time In A Year

[world politics news]

Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud Party and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz predicted victory at political events on Sunday, a day before a national election - the third to be held within a year due to the inability of any party to form a government.

Most of the 10,631 polling stations will be open from 7 am to 10 pm, enabling the  6,453,255 eligible voters to cast ballots. There will also be 14 special polling stations for the 5,630 Israelis quarantined due to exposure to the coronavirus.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.