MKs from both the coalition and opposition call on Israel’s government to walk back its intention to sign agreement discriminating against Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.
Yoav Kisch Arutz Sheva
Dozens of MKs from both the coalition and the opposition are demanding to immediately stop the government’s move to approve an international agreement in the field of culture which discriminates against Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.
According to Israel Hayom, the MKs, which include members of the coalition, called on the Yamina bloc – Yamina and New Hope – to use their veto power, which was intended specifically for such situations, in order to prevent a hasty move which would harm Judea and Samaria.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the Israeli government is expected to approve in another two weeks participation a European Union program for cultural cooperation. The plan, dubbed “Creative Europe,” will have a budget of two billion euro. The Culture and Sport Ministry has estimated that the total profit for Israeli culture will be tens of millions of shekel.
One of the conditions is that the agreement not apply to those areas of Israel which were taken from Jordan in the Six Day War: greater Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley, and the Golan Heights.
The Land of Israel Lobby has obtained the signatures of 53 MKs who call on the government to prevent the signing of the agreement. Among the signatories are the lobby’s two leaders, MK Orit Strock (Religious Zionism) and MK Yoav Kisch (Likud), as well as many other MKs, including MK Nir Orbach (Yamina) and MK Abir Kara (Financial Freedom).
“We call on you to prevent the government’s decision to approve the aforementioned agreement, in light of the fact that it is subject to a European Union policy which boycotts and discriminates, and prevents the participation of a cultural institution or fund in any activity which is carried out in certain areas of the country,” the MKs wrote.
They added: “The agreement by the State of Israel to withhold support from those who wish to film a video at the Western Wall or on Mount Hermon, or from cultural initiatives which wish to perform or create at the Dead Sea, Judean Desert, or the Cave of the Patriarchs, will hurt Israel’s efforts to stop the BDS organizations, and the repeated attempts of our enemies to boycott us, and will be a shot of encouragement to Israel’s enemies and those who advance boycotts against it.”
The lobby also emphasized that there is no comparison to the Horizon agreement, since that was an extreme situation which costs nearly 100 billion euro in the fields of research and information, and the only ones hurt by the discrimination were those at Ariel University, who received compensation for it.
“The fact that ministers are giving up their equal power, abandoning the issue of diplomacy to the Left, and refraining from vetoing a process such as this, is even more severe than the formation of the government [itself,” a source in the lobby said.
Lapid Backs Out of Creative Europe Agreement
Shaked convinced Bennett who convinced Lapid that it was not appropriate for a caretake government to sign this discriminatory deal.