T. Belman. Finally, this is the only thing that will work.
Reported request of ultra-Orthodox party apparently aimed at paving way for Liberman to join right-wing government led by incumbent PM
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly asked the head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party to show more flexibility on issues of religion and state to potentially open the door for the secularist Yisrael Beytenu party to join a government of right-wing and religious factions.
This was the first time Netanyahu made such a request of his ultra-Orthodox allies, Channel 12 news reported Saturday.
The TV channel did not say how Shas chief Aryeh Deri responded, nor whether Netanyahu made a similar request of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party.
Shas and UTJ, along with two national-religious factions and Netanyahu’s Likud party, are part of 55-MK bloc formed after the September 17 elections. The parties have agreed to act as one in coalition talks and only enter a government together.
Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu was previously a linchpin in Netanyahu-led governments that included the ultra-Orthodox. After elections in April, however, he refused to join the premier’s prospective coalition unless a bill to boost military enlistment of seminary students was passed without changes, a demand rejected by UTJ and Shas.
Without Yisrael Beytenu’s seats, Netanyahu was one seat short of a governing majority and rather than having another lawmaker get a crack at forming a government, he pushed through a vote to dissolve the Knesset and call elections for September. That vote resulted in continued political gridlock.
TOA: Prime minister’s private jet flying over-budget has already cost NIS 360 million (about $100 million) needs new infusion to prepare aircraft systems for service. https://www.timesofisrael.com/prime-ministers-private-jet-flying-over-budget/
President Reuven Rivlin reportedly said behind closed doors in recent days, “I don’t need a plane, and if it were dependent on me, I would keep flying commercial, but I’ll do as I’m told.” He was responding to reports of Israel’s having purchased an “Israeli Air Force One”—a plane intended for exclusive use by the prime minister and the president.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4839951,00.html
Newsweek: OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TRAVEL COST $114 MILLION, TRUMP’S SO FAR IS $10 MILLION
https://www.newsweek.com/obama-administration-travel-costs-114-million-trump-723883?fbclid=IwAR1TU0YFrDLO3sEgiApsiz8-Mj94EQkReADgRZn34omU1HPWe7xNqwiaOO4
Right, we found out from her doorman that it wasn’t veterans day when we asked why there was no mail.
@ Bear Klein:
The edit feature is dysfunctional. And Schools. Neither my mother nor I realized it was veterans day until that evening. My dry cleaners who does laundry and free delivery and pickup closes on all national holidays but that must because he is unusually patriotic for a New Yorker, which is only natural. He is Korean.
@ Bear Klein:
Oh, I see. All businesses really close on national holidays there. Not here. Some do, and it’s voluntary. Most businesses stay open on holidays. They are mostly bank and government holidays and there are not many where all of them even close.
@ Bear Klein:
How is an individual business owner hurt by new elections. You think taxes will go up to compensate for, what for a state, is such small amount?
@ Sebastien Zorn:Perspective from the individual business owner is quite different than yours. The perspective from NY is much different than Israel.
Do not know one Israeli no matter political perspective who wants new elections.
By the way the budget that passed will shortly finish or has completed. Your not impressed or worried so everything is fine!
@ Bear Klein:
“The budget includes 479.6 billion shekels ($140 billion) in spending and sets the budget deficit target at 2.9 percent of gross domestic product. It passed by 62 to 54 in an overnight vote.
“This is a budget that will continue to strengthen Israel’s economy in the next two years,” Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-budget/israeli-parliament-approves-2019-state-budget-idUSKCN1GR0VG
@ Bear Klein:
That’s a major hit to the economy?
@ Sebastien Zorn:
Thanks for the insight! Cost estimate is $220 million per election day.
@ Bear Klein:
New Yorkers don’t get a day off any more. They just open the polls at 6 am and close them at 9pm. They also, now have early voting for several days, as well as absentee ballots. Also, all religious and national holidays are shopping holidays when major department stores have sales so they are good for the economy. But, even without all that, I really don’t see why a day off and paying election workers for another election would be a major hit to the economy. The GNP and GDP of Israel is over 400 Billion dollars a year! As for tearing the country apart, I don’t really see that, at all. And caretaker or not, Bibi is doing just fine. He should stay there.
@ Sebastien Zorn:
Israel under current has a holiday when there are elections so it is a hit to the economy. Also the cost of the actual elections. Also Israel needs a budget and it has many issues that are urgent and need a government that is not interim to deal with. Not least being Iran and its security.
Polls show there could be very similar results in regards to the size of the blocks.
If Liberman were to actually allow a government supported by the Joint List Arabs he would get destroyed at the polls. He knows this very well and this one reason, I believe he is bluffing about this to get either Gantz to back off about Bibi being PM or get Bibi to back off on his block with the UTJ/Shas.
He is also now saying that he in order for there not to be a third election he may recant and sit the with the UTJ/Shas if Gantz does not agree to sharing the PM spot with Bibi.
My understanding is that the only bad thing about another election is that the Arab list might get more votes. What’s so terrible about another election that LIeberman would capitulate to them in advance? I am assuming his good faith here, you notice. Is his main issue, the problem of births, deaths, and marriages for secular Russian Jews who are not classified as halachically Jewish and so, short of conversion, are basically stuck? So far, he has only been talking about the military, but would he retain his base even if he sides with the Arab list because of that?
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Liberman-Ill-support-whoever-accepts-Rivlins-plan-for-unity-govt-607341?fbclid=IwAR0ggCsqDt35mIsMP1iD6j8INNGEankKx1bVWumMPOHbHgkeAss4KS7drC8
Hopefully the right of center Jews can make a deal. With the high birth rate of ultra Orthodox one would think they could do mandatory service doing something…. medical, clerical, or menial. But what do I know living my life in Los Angeles on the other side of the earth. Bless Israel.