Archiv: Otzma Yehudit


30.01.2024 - 07:32 [ Times of Israel ]

Cabinet members call to resettle Gaza, encourage Gazans to leave, at jubilant conference

(29.01.2024)

Speaking amid a carnival-like atmosphere at the Jerusalem International Convention Center, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the leader of the ultranationalist Religious Zionism party, extolled the virtues of creating new settlements, declaring: “God willing, we will settle and we will be victorious.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the extreme-right Otzma Yehudit party, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was not present, and the audience that it was “time to return home to Gush Katif” — the name of the Israeli settlement bloc in Gaza that was evacuated in the 2005 Disengagement.

23.01.2024 - 04:44 [ Times of Israel ]

No-confidence motion against Netanyahu fails in Knesset, with only 18 votes in favor

With the government’s popularity plummeting, a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nevertheless garnered only 18 votes in the Knesset on Monday evening, falling far short of the necessary majority to pass in the 120-strong Knesset plenum.

The vote was boycotted by the coalition, whose heads stated earlier in the day that they would “not take part in political theater during wartime.”

22.11.2023 - 04:49 [ Times of Israel ]

Cabinet approves deal for release of 50 hostages in exchange for multi-day ceasefire

In exchange, Israel has agreed to a ceasefire for at least four days for the first time since the outbreak of the war.

06.11.2023 - 20:03 [ Ragıp Soylu / Twitter ]

Netanyahu wanted to fire “let’s nuke Gaza” minister Eliyahu, but his extremist coalition partner Ben Gvir refused it, saying that it would be an “excessive” measure

12.10.2023 - 14:49 [ Blake Allen / Twitter ]

Obviously we won’t know until more details come out but since the unity government is with Benny Gantz and not Yair Lapid that means that Ben Gvir and Smotrich will remain in government. That’s horrible for a host of reasons

12.10.2023 - 14:45 [ Louis Weijl / Twitter ]

It‘s not clear to me who is and isn‘t in it. Not Lapid (yet), Liberman, nor Michaeli, but Ben Gvir and Smuthrich? What kind of ‚unity‘ is that? We are used to Gantz immediately taking action. As soon as he can move up a step, he forgets principles and agreements.

10.08.2023 - 14:20 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

Knesset Okays ‘Sexual Terrorism’ Racist Law

(03.08.2023)

Sponsored by a group of lawmakers led by MK Limor Son Har Melech, from the racist coalition faction Otzma Yehudit, and MK Yulia Malinovsky from right-wing opposition party Yisrael Beytenu, the new law marked a rare case of cross-Knesset alignment and passed 39 to 7 on its final reading.

Sharp criticism of the law quickly came in from Hadash-Ta’al lawmakers and Israel’s rape crisis center umbrella organization, with both alleging the law improperly creates a ranking of the severity of such crimes. Hadash-Ta’al MK Aida Touma-Sliman, a former head of the Knesset’s Women’s Status Committee, told the Knesset: “Do not punish according to hierarchies and classifications.” “Shame on these laws,” she continued, tweeting after the law passed, “Don’t promote racism on the backs of victims!”

04.08.2023 - 18:11 [ Haaretz ]

Netanyahu‘s Mafioso Ministers Gave Israelis a Foretaste of Tyranny

When cabinet ministers, under the leadership and guidance of the prime minister and justice minister, two human demons who have taken over the state, insult and denounce the High Court of Justice merely for hearing petitions (which it could end up rejecting), Israel can no longer be seen as a democratic, liberal state. Nor is it Jewish, because what Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir and Eliyahu and Strock represent is not Judaism. It is messianism, racism and degradation.

09.07.2023 - 20:00 [ Haaretz ]

They Incited Rabin‘s Murder. Now They‘re Murdering Israel‘s Democracy

Following Rabin’s murder, the public turned against Netanyahu. Many believed his political career was over. But he was soon brought to power amid a wave of terror by Hamas and a slick campaign capitalizing on the public‘s fears.

And that original assault against democracy, secular law and territorial compromise that launched both Netanyahu’s career and the ascent of the religious right, is today continuing its illiberal advance via a legal hijacking.

20.06.2023 - 18:13 [ @ThePCFF, Israeli and Palestinian Bereaved Families Supporting Peace, Reconciliation and Tolerance / Twitter ]

Urgent! Help protect our Israeli-Palestinian youth summer camp! Coalition Knesset members threaten our camp‘s existence. Attacks started online, but MK Almog Cohen shockingly plans to physically shut it down. We need YOUR support for peace.

20.06.2023 - 17:39 [ American Friends of the Parents Cycle ]

‘I will blow it up’

Our camp brings more than 50 Israeli and Palestinian youth together for a week of dialogue, learning, listening, and relationship building.

Initially, the attacks were confined to social media and threats to withhold government funding if the camp proceeds. However, the situation escalated dramatically during the Knesset meeting yesterday…

20.06.2023 - 17:35 [ Middle East Monitor ]

Right-wing MKs threaten to ‚blow up‘ summer camp hosting bereaved Palestinian and Israeli families

During the weekly Education, Culture and Sports Committee meeting, Almog Cohen from the far-right Otzma Yehudit Party, announced he will „break and blow up the camp“on the first day at the Ben Shemen Youth Village.

„I will come on the first day of the summer camp and break it up. We will come, 10 MKs, and wish luck to our forces in killing as many terrorists as possible and as few innocents as possible.“

23.05.2023 - 21:04 [ Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي / Nitter ]

Protest at the Knesset as Netanyahu government passes a budget granting exorbitant allocations to West Bank settlements and to the ultra-Orthodox communities

23.05.2023 - 21:01 [ Haaretz ]

Thousands of Israelis Protesting Outside Knesset Ahead of Crucial State Budget Vote

The demonstrators are protesting the government’s proposed state budget that is slated to send billions of shekels to the ultra-Orthodox communities. Protest organizers said in a statement that this “isn’t a state budget [that’s being put up for a vote], but rather raiding the public coffers that will destroy Israel’s economy for generations to come.”

20.05.2023 - 22:28 [ Haaretz ]

20th Week of Protests – ‚Robbing Our Children of Their Futures, With Our Money‘: Israelis Protest Controversial Budget, Judicial Overhaul

he Knesset is slated to devote several days next week to debating and passing the budget.

Despite the tension, leaders of all the coalition parties expect the budget to pass next week and say the government is at no real risk of falling. “In the long run, things can’t work this way, but at least for now, the budget will pass,” one minister said. “There’s no immediate threat to the government.”

10.05.2023 - 06:38 [ Times of Israel ]

Otzma Yehudit says it’s ending boycott of government after launch of Gaza operation

The party added that it hoped the new aggressive approach “will be maintained for the long term.”

The operation was launched early Tuesday morning when the IDF assassinated three senior members of the Islamic Jihad terror group, killing at least 13 people. The bombings came days after Gazan terrorists led by Islamic Jihad fired 104 rockets at Israel in response to the death of an alleged senior member of the group who had been on hunger strike in Israeli prison.

10.05.2023 - 06:31 [ Nimrod Flaschenberg / Nitter ]

The attack on Gaza is Ben-Gvir‘s work. He has been conditioning his support for the government with a demand for a strong attack on Palestinians. Today he said „a nice start“.

(09.05.2023)

Now the people and states who boycott Ben-Gvir must also resist the crimes he generated.

04.04.2023 - 21:40 [ New York Times ]

Israel Moves Forward With Far-Right Plan for National Guard

(02.04.2023)

The form and leadership of the national guard were yet to be determined and will take months to be fleshed out by a committee of government officials, who will then present their proposal for the cabinet’s approval.

Regardless of the form the guard ultimately takes, the government’s decision on Sunday reflected the influence that figures like Mr. Ben-Gvir, a once-marginal activist, wield within the most right-wing government in Israeli history.

02.04.2023 - 18:35 [ Times of Israel ]

Ministers approve Ben Gvir-led national guard, major budget cuts to fund it

After a heated discussion at their weekly cabinet meeting, ministers voted Sunday in favor of forming a national guard under the command of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, along with a major budget cut across all ministries to fund it.

The controversial force is expected to comprise 2,000 servicemembers who will report directly to the far-right minister and will be tasked with tackling “nationalist crime” and terrorism, and “restoring governance where needed.”

02.04.2023 - 16:07 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

Thousands Rally Against Forming Fascist Ben Gvir-led National Guard

(31.03.2023)

Addressing the protest, the head of the Hadash-Ta’al parliamentary faction likened the National Guard to “the brown shirts” of the Nazi paramilitary, “or the yellow shirts,” MK Ayman Odeh said in reference to the color included in the logo of several Israeli nationalist groups, including the Jewish supremacist Kach movement that Ben Gvir was active in as a teen. Kach was founded by the late extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane, who Ben Gvir and other members of his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party have described themselves as disciples of. “We won’t allow you to form fascist militias in the service of Kahanism,” Odeh said at the protest.

02.04.2023 - 16:02 [ Haaretz ]

Israel‘s AG, Police and Shin Bet Chiefs Oppose Establishing National Guard Under Ben-Gvir

Ben-Gvir‘s proposal to establish a national guard will be discussed Sunday during the weekly cabinet meeting.

02.04.2023 - 15:57 [ Times of Israel ]

To okay overhaul delay, Ben Gvir gets promise for ‘national guard’ under his control

(28.03.2023)

Deal cut after national security minister reportedly threatened to quit coalition over decision to halt judicial legislation; critics slam move as handing Ben Gvir private militia

28.03.2023 - 06:52 [ Haaretz ]

Israel‘s Opposition Overtakes Netanyahu Bloc to Reach Majority, Polls Show

According to the polls, conducted by Channel 12 and public broadcaster Kan, if an election were held today, the parties that make up the current ruling coalition – Netanyahu’s Likud, Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and United Torah Judaism – would amass a total of just 54 seats, seven short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. The opposition, made up of National Unity, Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu, Meretz, Ra’am and Labor, is projected to win 61 seats. Hadash-Ta’al would garner the remaining five seats.

27.03.2023 - 04:35 [ Haaretz ]

Israel‘s Night of Chaos: Growing Calls Inside Netanyahu‘s Coalition to Delay Judicial Overhaul After Defense Minister‘s Sacking, Massive Protests

Netanyahu ally and chairman of ultra-Orthodox party Shas, Arye Dery, reportedly expressed support for halting the process, as did ministers Ron Dermer and Yoav Kish of Likud who spoke to Netanyahu on the subject, according to a source in the party.

Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism party‘s Degel Hatorah faction expressed support for the „prime minister and his decisions,“ while far-right coalition party Otzma Yehudit called on Netanyahu not to stop the legislation.

01.03.2023 - 15:12 [ Haaretz.com / Nitter ]

Following Sunday‘s deadly settler riot in the West Bank village, MK Zvika Fogel (from Ben-Gvir‘s Otzma Yehudit party), said he „looks favorably on the results“

01.03.2023 - 15:06 [ Haaretz ]

Palestinian ‚Village of Hawara Needs to Be Wiped Out‘: Israel‘s Far-right Finance Minister Justifies ‚Disproportionate‘ Response to Terrorism

Israel’s Finance Minister called for the destruction of a West Bank Palestinian village on Wednesday, days after it was attacked by a mob of settlers who torched dozens of homes and reportedly killed one resident.

“The village of Hawara needs to be wiped out. I think that the State of Israel needs to do that [and] not, God forbid, private individuals,” said Bezalel Smotrich, when asked why he had “liked” a tweet by deputy Samaria Regional Council head Davidi Ben Zion calling for Hawara to be “wiped out today.”

04.01.2023 - 07:18 [ Times of Israel ]

UN Security Council slated to meet on widely decried Temple Mount visit by Ben Gvir

A date has not been set for the Security Council meeting — which was formally requested by the United Arab Emirates and China on behalf of the Palestinian and Jordanian UN missions — but it could take place as early as Thursday, a diplomat on the top panel told The Times of Israel.

04.01.2023 - 07:15 [ CNN ]

Israel‘s far-right Ben Gvir visits flashpoint Jerusalem holy site as Palestinians slam ‚provocation‘

Ben Gvir entered the compound on Tuesday but not the Al-Aqsa Mosque building itself. The lawmaker‘s visit was his first since he was sworn in last week as national security minister, in what is set to be the most right-wing government in Israel‘s history. It is led by Netanyahu, who has returned for his sixth term as prime minister at the head of a coalition that includes several extremist parties.

21.12.2022 - 02:24 [ Times of Israel ]

Ex-police chief says he recommends seeking plea deal in Netanyahu corruption trial

Roni Alsheich – who led police investigation into former premier – suggests AG seek plea bargain as ‘our democracy is not yet ready to prosecute a sitting PM’

21.12.2022 - 01:57 [ Haaretz ]

Israeli Far Right‘s Plan to Oversee Police Clears First Hurdle in Knesset

According to Itamar Ben-Gvir, „the correction to the law that we brought is a blessing for democracy. Only in police states does the police commissioner work on his own.“ He also accused the opposition of never having been democratic. „You are dark people, non-liberals who do not correspond with the democratic system of government,“ he added.

19.12.2022 - 19:22 [ Haaretz ]

American Jews Wonder: Is It Time to Declare Independence From Israel?

The painful truth for American Jews is that while they have tended to worship Israeli Jews, their “cousins” have, historically, returned this feeling with a combination of amusement and contempt.

19.12.2022 - 19:12 [ New York Times ]

The Ideal of Democracy in a Jewish State Is in Jeopardy

Mr. Netanyahu’s government, however, is a significant threat to the future of Israel — its direction, its security and even the idea of a Jewish homeland. For one, the government’s posture could make it militarily and politically impossible for a two-state solution to ever emerge. Rather than accept this outcome, the Biden administration should do everything it can to express its support for a society governed by equal rights and the rule of law in Israel, as it does in countries all over the world. That would be an act of friendship, consistent with the deep bond between the two nations.

03.12.2022 - 17:02 [ J Street / Nitter ]

This is an excellent conversation with our friends @ShibleyTelhami & @ChrisVanHollen. Thank you, Sen Van Hollen, for calling out Ben-Gvir and Smotrich‘s extremism and bigotry and highlighting the important work being done by progressive groups in Israel and the US to oppose them.

03.12.2022 - 02:18 [ Haaretz ]

Netanyahu’s Lust for Power Revealed in All Its Sickening Glory

To paraphrase Ben-Gurion: Every Hebrew mother should know that she has placed her children’s fate in the hands of a prime minister, other politicians and a school system that are unworthy of it. If there was ever a justification for a civil rebellion (not violent, but also not so polite and photogenic as the social protests of the summer of 2011), here it is – in all its sickening glory.

02.12.2022 - 07:15 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Koalitionsverhandlungen: Wird Israels Rechtsstaat ausgehöhlt?

Verhandelt wird nun, ob die Knesset künftig die Möglichkeit erhält, sich über solche Entscheidungen in einer erneuten Abstimmung hinwegsetzen zu können. Dann könnte das Parlament Gesetze beschließen, die den grundlegenden Gesetzen Israels widersprechen.

02.12.2022 - 07:08 [ ORF.at ]

Israel: Netanjahu kurz vor neuer Koalitionsbildung

Parteichef Besalel Smotrich nannte die Vereinbarung einen „historischen Schritt“ in Richtung einer Regierung, die das „Siedlungsvorhaben regeln und entwickeln“ werde. Netanjahu sprach von einer „rechtsnationalen Regierung, die sich um alle Israelis kümmern“ werde.

01.12.2022 - 12:47 [ Haaretz ]

Bad Blood: Netanyahu, Smotrich, Ben-Gvir All Spin Terror for Gains

The echoes of the explosions of the coordinated attacks in Jerusalem were still ringing, and the area had not yet been cleaned of the blood and broken glass. Politicians, seeing the promised land of power before their eyes, pounced on the opportunity they were given. Otzma Yehudit urged Likud members to stop with this “nonsense” of negotiating over forming a coalition (meaning: yield to all their demands). Religious Zionism repeated their demand that Benjamin Netanyahu convene the heads of all the relevant parties in a closed room and wrap things up. Needless to say, for the sake of security.

01.12.2022 - 12:14 [ allisrael.com ]

Will a parliamentary override clause for Supreme Court rulings balance power or harm democracy?

Israel’s right-wing majority considers the Supreme Court‘s authority “overreaching” – and the expected incoming coalition plans to pass legislation known as the “override clause” giving parliament the power to reverse rulings from the high court.

20.11.2022 - 17:56 [ Ynetnews.com ]

‚Override Law‘ would be ‘fatal blow’ to Israel’s democracy, legal experts warn

Members of the likely upcoming coalition government under Benjamin Netanyahu are said to be in favor of a proposal that would enable a 61-Knesset-member majority to overrule the Supreme Court and cancel its decisions. Netanyahu, who was initially reluctant to include the controversial override clause in coalition negotiations, agreed to do so following pressure from his allies in the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism and Religious Zionist parties.

20.11.2022 - 15:53 [ Haaretz ]

Israel‘s Religious and Far-right Parties Demand Law to Legitimize Gender Segregation

In exchange for joining the coalition, the far-right Religious Zionism and United Torah Judaism parties have demanded legislation that gender separation at public events will not be considered discrimination. Likud has not yet decided whether to grant the demand.

20.11.2022 - 15:41 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

Top Ben Gvir Aide: Legal Adviser for Group that Donates to Rabin Assassin and Jewish Terrorists

Chanamel Dorfman, the adviser who racist Otzma Yehudit chairman MK Itamar Ben Gvir (Religious Zionism) has described as his “right-hand man” helped establish an organization that donates money to incarcerated Jewish terrorists and extremists, among them prime minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassin Yigal Amir, Channel 13 revealed Thursday.

20.11.2022 - 15:36 [ Communist Party of Israel ]

Islamist Ra’am Will ‘Leave Door Open to Dialogue’ With Incoming Far-right Coalition

(15.11.2022)

The Islamist Ra’am party stressed on Sunday that although it sits in the opposition, it will not necessarily vote in line with the bloc that opposes incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and will keep the channels of communications open with the next far-right and racist coalition, specifically when it comes to matters that concern Arab-Palestinian communities in Israel.

03.11.2022 - 03:52 [ AtlanticCouncil.org ]

As the election fog clears, Netanyahu poised to ride a hungry, far-right tiger

Conflicting priorities to maximize the performance of their own anchor slates and also strengthen the market shares of their allied factions—with which they would aspire to craft ruling coalitions—were the source of schizophrenic messaging by Likud and Yesh Atid, which left voters to choose in whom to place their trust. Those decisions shaped the current playing field.

02.11.2022 - 09:55 [ Haaretz ]

Kahanism Won. Israel Is Now Closing in on a Right-wing, Religious, Authoritarian Revolution

In recent years, Israel has become terrifyingly more extreme. Everything we were warned about is happening right before our eyes.

02.11.2022 - 09:45 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Wahl in Israel: Netanyahu kann Vorsprung ausbauen

In der Zeitung „Jediot Ahronot“ schrieb die Kolumnistin Sima Kadmon vor der Wahl: „Falls Netanyahu triumphiert, werden dies die letzten Tage des Staates Israel sein, wie wir ihn seit 75 Jahren kennen.“ Seine Kritiker sehen im Ex-Regierungschef eine Gefahr für die Demokratie. Würde er wieder Ministerpräsident werden, könnte das seine Chancen erheblich verbessern, eine Verurteilung oder eine Haftstrafe in den Korruptionsprozessen gegen ihn abzuwenden.

02.11.2022 - 00:55 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Wahl in Israel: Netanyahus Bündnis laut Prognosen vorn

Israel hat gewählt – zum fünften Mal binnen dreieinhalb Jahren. Erste Prognosen sehen das Bündnis von Oppositionsführer und Ex-Premierminister Netanyahu knapp vorn. Er will eine nationalkonservative Koalition schmieden.

02.11.2022 - 00:49 [ Haaretz ]

Israel Election Exit Polls: Netanyahu Secures Razor-thin Majority, Shock Triumph for Far Right

According to Kan 11 public television, the exit polls show:

– Likud: 30 seats
– Yesh Atid: 22 seats
– Religious Zionism: 15 seats
– National Unity Party: 13 seats
– Shas: 10 seats
– United Torah Judaism: 7 seats
– Labor: 5 seats
– Yisrael Beitenu: 5 seats
– The United Arab List: 5 seats
– Meretz: 4 seats
– Hadash-Ta‘al: 4 seats
– Habayit Hayehudi: Under electoral threshold
– Balad: Under electoral threshold

01.11.2022 - 09:20 [ ZDF ]

Knesset-Wahl: Israel vor weiterem Rechtsruck

In Israel wird eine neue Knesset gewählt. Noch bevor die Wahlurnen ausgezählt sind, steht ein Gewinner bereits fest: Benjamin „Bibi“ Netanjahu.

Gewinner zunächst einmal deshalb, weil er schlicht noch da ist. Alle Skandale, alle Prozesse, bei denen er sich vor Gericht verantworten muss und auch nicht seine Ablösung als Ministerpräsident vor einem Jahr haben zu seinem politischen Ende geführt.

31.10.2022 - 11:55 [ Haaretz ]

Will Israel Fall to the Far Right Without a Whimper?

In his desperation to vacuum up every last vote on the right, to establish a government pliant enough to interfere with, if not quash, his criminal trial, Netanyahu engineered a political path to bring the far right in from the cold. He has diligently mentored their fortunes, even hosting Ben-Gvir at his home in Caesarea.

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.