Displaying items by tag: Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted his troops will advance on the Gazan city of Rafah, defying international pleas to reconsider. He has ordered his army to prepare for a ground assault on the city, where some 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering, but talked of first ‘allowing the civilian population to leave the battle zones’. His aim is to eliminate Hamas from the city. The prime ministers of France, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have urged Israel to refrain from the operation to avoid a humanitarian disaster, while Spain and Ireland have asked the EU to investigate ‘urgently’ whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that the death toll in Gaza is now at least 28,500 casualties.

On 10 May militants fired 507 rockets and mortars at Israel, and Israel struck 158 Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) targets in Gaza. Twenty-five people have died and 76 injured in Gaza since 9 May, when Israel began its operation against PIJ with a series of strikes which killed three of its commanders. The PIJ is responsible for many recent rocket attacks on Israel. On 11 May Israel's military killed the commander of the PIJ and two other militants in a pre-dawn air strike on an apartment in Gaza. Later Israel’s sirens sounded as 10 mortars were fired from Gaza at Israeli communities in southern Eshkol. Some hit homes and buildings, but most landed in open areas or were intercepted. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned, ‘Israel's campaign is not over. We have hit PIJ with the most significant blow it has ever suffered’. PIJ threatened ‘dark days ahead' if Israel increased aggression.

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in Jerusalem in a show of support for the controversial judicial overhaul plan by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Local media estimated that the event, which organisers had dubbed ‘The One Million March’, drew only about 80,000 people. It was sponsored by the Premier’s conservative Likud Party and its far-right coalition ally Otzma Yehudit faction. Among many who chanted ‘The people want judicial reform’ was justice minister Yariv Levin, who spearheaded the push for the overhaul. The nation has been gripped by unprecedented nationwide demonstrations against the deeply divisive plan since its unveiling 16 weeks ago. Mr Levin told demonstrators that ‘more and more people understand the need for the legislation. We are in an unusual situation. There is an atmosphere where people try to paint a picture of the elected government not representing the people. Today we are protesting to show that it does.’

Sharren Haske, a prominent Israeli opposition politician, has urged Christians in Britain to pray for peace for her country, following massive protests against plans to reform Israel's judiciary. This week, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a delay to the plans, saying he is ‘not ready to divide the nation in pieces’. Sharren is a member of the opposition National Unity party and chairs the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus. ‘It's a very challenging time right now in Israel. Many of our citizens are really heartbroken’, she said. ‘The division among the nation is one of the biggest challenges that such a diverse community as the people of Israel is facing every single day. We're not against it. We understand that there is the need for reform and for changes. The question is how the judicial system is going to look, the next day. They take a more extreme approach, we are for a more moderate one.’

Scores of Jewish settlers stormed Hawara torching vehicles and houses in a ‘revenge’ attack after two Israeli brothers were killed by a Palestinian gunman. West Bank’s safety has deteriorated with deadly attacks in Israel, leading to raids on Palestinian terror cells by Israel’s army. Israeli defence forces are being criticised for not quickly quelling Hawara’s violence, revealing stark divisions in Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government; some even encourage the settlers. Meanwhile, Netanyahu called on Israelis not to take the law into their own hands and condemned ‘anarchy.’ Many analysts say that he, the strong-minded leader, fears he is losing control of the security situation in the West Bank. This is a sensitive issue that will deepen government fissures if it goes unchecked. Jews rioting in Huwara have been rightly condemned. But why does the world tolerate Palestinian terrorism? Palestinians regularly take to the streets to celebrate the murders of Jews.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are worried that Israel’s new government will spark escalations in the West Bank and Gaza that spill over into their territory. Jordan’s King Abdullah warned Israel, ‘We have red lines, and if people push those red lines, we'll deal with that.’ They already crossed one red line when the coalition guidelines said, ‘Jewish people have exclusive and unassailable rights to the entire Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop settlement in all parts of the land - Galilee, Negev, Golan, Judea and Samaria (West Bank).’ May God bless Israel with effective, stable governance, and may Netanyahu's heart turn to the paths that please God. May God arise, conquer egos, and bring about a desire to do what is best for the nation and not what is best for one's personal political career. Pray for God to arrange the priorities of this coalition to line up with God’s priorities.

The veteran politician has the official mandate to form a new government, paving the way for his comeback as the head of what is widely expected to be the most right-wing coalition in the country’s history. However, the 73-year-old promised to serve all Israelis, ‘those who voted for us and those who did not - it is my responsibility’. After unprecedented political gridlock forced five elections in under four years, Netanyahu’s Likud party and its ultraorthodox and ultranationalist allies received a clear majority in parliament. He must now build a coalition with his allies and quickly wrap up the negotiations. His next moves will be closely scrutinised as unease mounts in some quarters over his policy plans and the goals of his controversial governing partners. Violence has soared between Israel and the Palestinians recently, causing the deadliest period in years in the West Bank, with near-daily army raids and increased attacks on Israelis.

Once again there is political tumult in Israel, where the fifth election cycle in three years is about to begin. Crippled by dysfunction and tribalism, Israel has joined the ranks of Italy and Greece, where general elections occur with infuriating frequency. In June 2021 there was a big change when the new government sworn in was not headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, who had held the position for twelve years. A politically diverse coalition was cobbled together by Yair Lapid, leading the centrist Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) party. The coalition government, headed by rightwing prime minister Naftali Bennett, was a grouping of eight political parties, including an Arab Islamist party. It began crumbling in recent months after two right-wing lawmakers defected, which meant that the coalition lost its majority. In recent weeks left-wing and Arab coalition members were not backing key legislation. The next coalition will form after October’s polls.

45 people were crushed to death and over 150 sustained injuries in Israel’s deadliest civilian disaster when a stampede broke out at a densely-attended celebration. Search and rescue authorities struggled to evacuate trapped people after some revellers slipped on steps, causing dozens more to fall over and be crushed. The police commissioner said the handling of the site was deeply flawed. On 3 May the Knesset held a memorial for the 45 victims of the Meron disaster. Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the special session. He was moved by his hospital visit to the injured, saying that Israelis, Jews and Arabs alike, have shown mutual responsibility and a huge heart in their response to the tragedy. ‘The families are not alone, and this is the most important thing.’ He vowed that the government would help them. and the incident would be investigated from every angle.

No party leader has enough support to form a governing majority, so Israel’s president has handed the job to Benjamin Netanyahu amid his corruption trial. If there is another election, a definite possibility, we are looking at another five to six months in which the current government is still running the nation. Lord, do not allow this government to miss anything it needs to do during this time: yet do not allow them to touch anything that is to be reserved for the next government. We remember Your promise, ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.’ (Psalm 32:8). Thank You that Mr Netanyahu is still Israel's prime minister in all the world's chaos at this time. Strengthen him for as long as You have ordained him to lead Your nation. Psalm 75:7 says that You are the Judge; You put down one and exalt another.