Archiv: Bennett-Lapid-government (June 2021-December 2022)


24.11.2025 - 18:50 [ Times of Israel ]

Protesters in Tel Aviv, including opposition leaders, demand Oct. 7 state inquiry

(November 22, 2025)

The protest was organized for the second straight week by the October Council, which is made up of families who lost loved ones in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack and are demanding a state probe.

In attendance was former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who is considered the most credible challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Also at the protest were Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, and MKs Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan, all of whom lead centrist or left-wing parties opposed to Netanyahu.

06.04.2025 - 18:27 [ Jerusalem Post ]

‚In secret, through lies‘: Political contender Bennett slams PMO over Qatargate affair

„In secret, through lies, through a scheme – the closest advisors to the Prime Minister worked for the engine of Hamas. It‘s madness,“ Bennett, who registered a new political party last week, wrote.

„There are three things you need to understand and remember when talking about the Qatar affair, no matter how many spins they try to feed you,“ he added.

29.03.2024 - 22:45 [ CommonDreams.org ]

Human Rights Expert Sounds Alarm Over Israeli Firm‘s ‚Dystopian‘ Video-Altering Tech

(December 27, 2022)

Haaretz continued:

Twenty years on, this is no longer the stuff of movies: Toka‘s tech allows clients to do just that and more—not just diverting a live feed but also altering old feeds and erasing any evidence of a covert op.
Technical documents reviewed by an ethical hacker prove that Toka‘s tech can alter both live and recorded video feeds—all without leaving any forensics or telltale signs of a hack (in contrast to NSO‘s Pegasus spyware, or Intellexa‘s Predator, which leave a digital fingerprint on targeted devices).

29.03.2024 - 22:35 [ Truthout.org ]

Israeli Firm Plans Expanding Its Deployment of Video-Altering Tech

(December 27, 2022)

Co-founded by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) cyber chief Yaron Rosen, Toka “sells technologies that allow clients to locate security cameras or even webcams within a given perimeter, hack into them, watch their live feed, and even alter it — and past recordings,” Haaretz reported, citing internal documents it obtained and reviewed with a technical expert.

The company, whose activities are overseen by the Israeli Defense Ministry, “was set up in 2018 and has offices in Tel Aviv and Washington,” Haaretz reported.

29.03.2024 - 22:30 [ Haaretz ]

Revealed: The Israeli Firm Selling ‘Dystopian’ Hacking Capabilities

(December 23, 2022)

According to a company pitch deck obtained by Haaretz, Toka offers what it terms “previously out-of-reach capabilities” that “transform untapped IoT sensors into intelligence sources,” and can be used “for intelligence and operational needs.” (IoT stands for Internet of Things and refers here to web-connected cameras and even car media systems.)

28.12.2023 - 15:20 [ David Sheen / Twitter ]

In Hebrew @naftalibennett acknowledges Israeli General Barak Hiram Hannibal’d 13 hostages, burning to death 12-year-old Liel Hatsroni, but in English he still claims “She was murdered just because she’s Jewish” by “Hamas monsters” so “Nobody should ask us to stop” genociding Gaza

30.05.2023 - 19:05 [ CNN ]

Saudi Arabia opens airspace to Israeli flights

(July 15, 2022)

Riyadh is believed to have a covert relationship with Israel but has yet to officially disclose those diplomatic ties. In 2020, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly flew to Saudi Arabia for a covert meeting with the kingdom’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – a claim that was denied by Riyadh’s top diplomat.

14.04.2023 - 09:26 [ Haaretz ]

Netanyahu Is Plunging Dramatically in the Polls. But Don‘t Celebrate Yet

The day after the Channel 13 poll appeared, Netanyahu formally revoked his catastrophic dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

10.04.2023 - 06:32 [ Haaretz ]

Poll Shows Netanyahu Crashing, Gantz Far Ahead, Lapid Second

A mere 25 percent of those polled said they wanted the current government to continue leading the country. Thirty-three percent said they support a unity government instead, and another 33 percent prefer another round of elections. Among Likud voters, just 43 percent want the government‘s term to continue, 35 percent prefer a unity government and 10 percent want a return to the polls.

29.03.2023 - 20:19 [ s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com ]

Dear President Biden and Secretary Blinken,

(…)

As such, we call on your administration to promptly:
– Ensure U.S. taxpayer funds do not support projects in illegal settlements;
– Determine whether U.S.-origin defense articles have been used in violation of existing U.S. laws, including for a purpose not authorized by Section 4 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. § 2754) or to commit or support gross violations of human rights
by the Israeli government in violation of Section 502B(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. § 2304(a)(2)) and the U.S. „Leahy Laws,“ Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. § 2378d and 10 U.S.C. § 362).

Furthermore, we call on your administration to ensure that all future foreign assistance to Israel, including weapons and equipment, is not used in support of gross violations of human rights, including by strengthening end-use monitoring and financial tracking. We ask that you respond with a detailed plan as to how the administration plans to achieve that goal.

29.03.2023 - 19:57 [ Haaretz ]

Progressive Democrats Plan to Make Strongest Statement Yet Against Netanyahu’s Far-right Government

The progressive lawmakers are further urging the Biden administration to ensure U.S. taxpayer funds are not supporting Israeli settlements projects, and to determine whether U.S. military aid is in violation of the Arms Export Control Act or the so-called “Leahy Laws.”

The Arms Export and Controls Act stipulates that U.S. weapons are sold only for legitimate self-defense, while the Leahy Law prohibits U.S. funding from being used to equip or train foreign military forces suspected of human rights abuses or war crimes.

29.03.2023 - 16:55 [ New York Times ]

U.S. Finalizes Deal to Give Israel $38 Billion in Military Aid

(Sept. 13, 2016)

The package represents a major commitment to Israel’s security in the waning months of Mr. Obama’s presidency after years of fractious relations with Mr. Netanyahu over issues like the Iran nuclear agreement. Mr. Netanyahu agreed to several concessions to cement the deal rather than gamble on winning better terms from the next president.

The package will provide an average of $3.8 billion a year over the next decade to Israel, …

29.03.2023 - 16:32 [ cbn.com ]

US Approves $4.8 Billion in Israeli Military Aid in Omnibus Spending Package

(03-11-2022)

The package included the Israel Relations Normalization Act, which seeks to support and expand the Abraham Accords – a series of peace agreements Israel signed with the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan.

Additionally, the package includes $50 million in funding for the Middle East Peace Partnership Act, which promotes Israel-Palestinian dialogue programs and investment in Palestinian business development.

10.03.2023 - 19:08 [ Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي / Nitter ]

Lapid: „Netanyahu briefed that I‘m to blame for the Saudi-Iran deal. Its delusional. During our time in govt we signed the Saudi aviation agreement, the tripartite security deal with Egypt & the accord on direct flights during Hajj. Pres Biden flew directly from Tel Aviv to KSA…

(today)

23.02.2023 - 07:38 [ United Nations ]

Warning Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory ‘at Its Most Combustible’ in Years, Secretary-General Urges Action to Ease Tensions, as Rights Committee Begins Session

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the opening of the 2023 session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in New York today:

It is my privilege to join this meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. I congratulate the Chair, Ambassador Cheikh Niang, and other members of the Bureau on your election. And I commend all of you for your tireless commitment.

We meet as the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is at its most combustible in years. Just this morning, we had more deeply concerning news. An operation by Israeli security forces and ensuing clash in Nablus left 10 Palestinians dead and over 80 injured.

16.01.2023 - 12:05 [ Ynetnews.com ]

Netanyahu brushes off mass protests; calls justice reform ‚will of the people‘

„My friends and I, many of whom are here around the table, have said this countless times, and millions of citizens who voted for the right-wing camp knew about the intention to reform the judicial system comprehensively,“ the prime minister added. „More than that, they demanded it from us. Anyone who was at our election rallies, in the city centers, in the neighborhoods, we heard the voice rising from the crowd.“

11.01.2023 - 16:45 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

Hadash-Ta’al Chair Odeh Accuses Lapid of Constantly Lying

Hadash-Ta’al MK Ayman Odeh accuses liberal opposition leader MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) of “constantly lying,” pointing to comments he made earlier today saying the Arab-Jewish list is working together with Likud. “He knows that it doesn’t have a grain of truth, that it’s all lies,” Odeh says Monday at a faction meeting in the Knesset of the Hadash-Ta’al parliamentary faction. “You didn’t succeed in leading your camp in the election, you’re not succeeding in leading the opposition,” Odeh says to Lapid. “You got used to the ‘nice Arab,” therefore it’s hard for you to deal with Arabs with a backbone.”

11.01.2023 - 16:40 [ Haaretz ]

Who Will Lead the Real Opposition to Netanyahu‘s Onslaught?

The largest demonstration held so far against the new government of Benjamin Netanyahu, on Saturday night in Tel Aviv, was notable in that none of the leaders of the parties of the previous government were present. It wasn’t just leader of the opposition Yair Lapid, who was on a brief weekend vacation in Paris. None of his other colleagues turned up either.

23.11.2022 - 14:49 [ Yahoo.com ]

Russia sees military coordination with Israel on Syria continuing

(February 26, 2022)

Following the 2015 Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war, Israel set up a „deconfliction mechanism“ with the big power to prevent them clashing inadvertently during Israeli strikes against Iranian deployments and arms transfers in the neighbouring Arab state.

„Our military officials discuss the practical issues of this substantively on a daily basis. This mechanism has proven to be useful and will continue to work,“ the Russian embassy in Israel said in a statement.

14.11.2022 - 07:45 [ Haaretz ]

Israel’s New Proposed Civics Curriculum Favors Loyalty to State Over Equal Rights

Israel’s new junior high school civics curriculum highlights Jewish aspects of Israel and the power of the government while reducing the focus on civil and human rights, the status of the Arab minority, judicial oversight, equal rights and other components of democracy.

According to sources in the Education Ministry, the curriculum, which was formulated over the past year by five members of the curriculum committee (all Jews, and three are religiously observant), is expected to serve as a basis for a new high school civics program in the future. It is pending final approval.

02.11.2022 - 10:01 [ James J. Marlow / Twitter ]

We are beginning to see a picture of results although there is still some distance to go. But at this stage, Meretz and Balad are OUT and Labor colleagues have turned against their leader, Merav Michaeli. #IsraelElections2022 #Israelex5

29.10.2022 - 03:54 [ Washington Post ]

Israel election: A far-right politician moves closer to power

For decades, Ben Gvir was a political untouchable. His roots in the overtly racist Kach party — founded by a radical American rabbi, Meir Kahane, and banned by Israel — put him beyond the fringe of even the most right-wing parties. That changed last year when then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had lost his governing coalition and was desperate for a few more parliamentary votes, invited Ben Gvir into his alliance.

Netanyahu downplayed his maneuver, largely dismissing Ben Gvir as a backbencher who wouldn’t play a major role in government.

What a difference a year makes.

29.10.2022 - 03:00 [ i24news.tv ]

Israel: Former army chief says Ben Gvir could spark ‘civil war’

Ben Gvir – leader of the Religious Zionism party and who the Israeli army refused to draft due to his extremist activities and views – is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Polls have credited his bloc with up to 14 seats in Israel’s parliament, which would make it the third-largest faction.

Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu recently said that if he were to regain his position as the Israeli premier, Ben Gvir would be a minister in his government.

27.10.2022 - 02:35 [ MSN.com ]

This Election Poll Made the Israeli Left Panic, as It Should

In the early stages of the campaign, when parties could still merge with others, Lapid begged Merav Michaeli, the leader of Labor, to join forces with Meretz. Even the James Webb telescope would fail to find ideological differences between the two parties. Michaeli, whatever her reasons may have truly been, shot down the idea. Now she could enter history books as the first Labor leader to remain beneath the threshold, and outside the Knesset.

24.10.2022 - 19:15 [ Haaretz ]

WATCH NOW: Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to Haaretz: ‘Isn’t It Time for [Israel] to Choose Sides? The Democratic World, or Russian Terror?’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Haaretz Democracy Conference on Monday, saying that Moscow’s military cooperation with Tehran will likely result in Russia assisting Iran with the development of its nuclear program.

In the prerecorded video message, the Ukrainian leader said that Iran’s sale of suicide drones and provision of military instructors to Russian forces operating in his country would not have been possible without Israel’s decision to stay neutral in the conflict.

24.10.2022 - 07:49 [ Haaretz ]

‚Time to Take a Side‘: U.S. Lawmakers Push Israel on Aid to Ukraine

Murphy, who chairs the Senate subcommittee dedicated to the Middle East, noted that Israel is not the only country that possesses the Iron Dome missile defense system that could potentially help Ukraine.

“The United States, in fact, could move toward transferring some of our Iron Dome capabilities to Ukraine, as well. I think Israel can do much more here,” the Connecticut senator said, adding: “These drones are absolutely devastating when they hit civilian areas“.

24.10.2022 - 07:44 [ Washington Post ]

As missiles strike Ukraine, Israel won’t sell its vaunted air defense

(12.10.2022)

Israel’s Iron Dome air defense, which boasts a 90 percent success rate against rockets fired against it, will stay out of Ukraine’s reach, experts said, as Jerusalem seeks to maintain strategic relations with Russia in Syria and other hot spots.

Israel’s Defense and Foreign ministries and the prime minister’s office uniformly declined to comment Wednesday on long-standing requests from Ukraine and its supporters for it to give, sell or loan Ukraine the system, including calls made since Monday’s barrage.

22.10.2022 - 19:58 [ gzeromedia.com ]

Israel, Iran, and the metastasizing war in Ukraine

Since the beginning of the war, the close US ally has tried to walk a fine line: supporting Ukraine in principle but without antagonizing Putin in ways that might upset Israel’s relationship with Russia. After all, the Israelis have long had a quiet understanding with the Kremlin over Syria, where Russia controls much of the airspace and has for years allowed Israel to conduct airstrikes on Iranian targets.

But now, with Russia openly using Iranian kit to bombard Ukrainian cities, Israel faces renewed pressure to send Kyiv its renowned advanced missile defense systems – particularly the Iron Dome. But Israel’s considerations are complicated.

12.09.2022 - 15:50 [ Haaretz ]

Israel‘s Lapid, on Germany Visit, Calls to Continue Fight Against Iran‘s Nuclear Program

The official added that he believes that the agreement might only come to fruition after the midterm election in the United States in November. Israel is now working, mainly behind the scenes, with senators and Congress members in an attempt to persuade them to support its positions on the matter.

12.09.2022 - 15:45 [ JNS.org ]

Lapid: Israel conducting ‘successful’ campaign to thwart Iran nuke deal, but still ‘long way’ to go

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday described as “successful” his government’s diplomatic offensive against a revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. However, he conceded that there was a “long way” to go to ensure that Tehran does not benefit to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars should an accord be reached.

12.09.2022 - 15:29 [ Prime Minister of Israel / Nitter ]

PM Lapid: „I thank France, the United Kingdom, and Germany for their strong position on this matter. In recent months, we held a discreet and intensive dialogue with them, and presented them with up-to-date intelligence information about Iranian activity at nuclear sites.“

(11.09.2022)

12.09.2022 - 15:18 [ diplomatie.gouv.fr ]

Iran – Joint statement by France, Germany and the United Kingdom (10 September 2022)

Our position remains clear and steadfast. Iran must fully and, without delay, cooperate in good faith with the IAEA. It is up to Iran to provide technically credible answers to the IAEA’s questions on the whereabouts of all nuclear material on its territory. The JCPoA can in no way be used to release Iran from legally binding obligations that are essential to the global non-proliferation regime.

Given Iran’s failure to conclude the deal on the table we will consult, alongside international partners, on how best to address Iran’s continued nuclear escalation and lack of cooperation with the IAEA regarding its NPT safeguards agreement.

12.09.2022 - 14:44 [ Yahoo.com ]

Exclusive: IAEA found uranium traces at two sites Iran barred it from, sources say

(19.02.2021)

U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003, which Iran denies. The 2015 nuclear deal effectively drew a line under that past, but Iran is still required to explain evidence of undeclared past activities or material to the IAEA.