Tel Aviv Diary August 11, 2023
Jewish Terror,Terror in Tel Aviv, Protests Continue, Smotrich Freezes Funds for Arab Israeli Municipalities, El Al is Profitable, History and a Review
August is supposed to be a relatively quiet month in Israel. With the Knesset in recess, and schools on break, it's typically the time many Israelis take vacations abroad. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the case for Israel this August.
JEWISH TERROR
A few hours after the last Tel Aviv Diary release, a group of Israeli settlers from an illegal outpost led their sheep into lands near the Palestinian village of Burqa. The exact details of the subsequent events remain murky, but a confrontation erupted between the settlers and the Palestinians. During the clash, a settler fired his gun, shooting a Palestinian. The injured Palestinian later succumbed to his injuries, while several settlers sustained injuries as well.
The settler who fired the weapon claimed he acted in self-defense. However, the police and army disagreed and charged the shooter, along with another far-right settler with the 19 year-old Palestinian man’s death. Ministers from Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party immediately defended the settlers. One Knesset member was even allowed to visit the charged, injured settler in the hospital.
On Wednesday, attempts were made by the police to extend the secondary suspects’ detention. However, after deliberations in various courts, including the Supreme Court, the suspects alleged accomplice was placed under house arrest. Prosecutors tried one more time to have the Supreme Court overturn the release, but their appeal was denied. On Friday afternoon, the alleged shooter Yehiel Indore was remanded for an additional five days. The Palestinians arrested in connection with this incident were released by a military court on Thursday.
RIGHT-WING CRITICIZES IDF & SECURITY SERVICES
Making the atmosphere more tense, there has been unparalleled criticism directed at the Army and Security Services by right-wing members of the coalition. Coupled with the backlash against Air Force reservists ending their volunteer service (in light of the judicial overhaul), these events have intensified tensions between the Army and parts of the government, tensions that are unprecedented.
PROTESTS CONTINUE TO CONTINUE
Saturday evening was anticipated to be a pivotal moment for the protest movement. Since it is mid-August and the Knesset is on hiatus, many wondered whether people would still come out to demonstrate. Then, before the protest was scheduled to begin, a terror attack was thwarted in the heart of Tel Aviv.
Thanks to the valiant efforts of the Tel Aviv municipal guards, the terrorist was neutralized. Tragically, one guard sacrificed his life in the process. The terrorist managed to enter Tel Aviv on Saturday morning through a breach in Israel's security fence. His precise target remains unknown. The security services have indicated that at any given moment, there are hundreds of alerts about potential terror attacks.
The attempted terror attack which happened just hours earlier did not deter the protestors. Over 100,000 people flooded the streets of Tel Aviv, consistent with the turnout from previous weeks. Much to the coalition’s chagrin, the protest movement shows no signs of abating — especially in light of Netanyahu's interview to the Bloomberg News Network, where the Prime Minister articulated his intention to significantly alter the makeup of the committee responsible for judicial appointments. This core change of the judicial overhaul would give the government complete control over the future of the courts, and thus is the heart of the protest movements’ concerns.
PROTESTS EVERYWHERE
Throughout the last six months, protests have not been restricted to Tel Aviv. This week, demonstrators established a protest camp at Neve Ativim, a moshav on the Golan Heights, the site where Prime Minister Netanyahu was vacationing. Initially, police kept the crowd 3 kilometers away from the moshav. However, after protestors threatened to file a petition with the Supreme Court, the police allowed them closer access. Subsequently, the Supreme Court affirmed the protestors' right to demonstrate nearer to the Prime Minister's location.
In addition, when National Security Minister Ben-Gvir traveled to Cyprus for a vacation, he was also greeted by protestors, who assembled near his hotel.
FUNDS FOR ARAB MUNICIPALITIES FROZEN
Finance Minister Smotrich caused a stir this week by announcing his intention to withhold funds designated for Arab Municipalities in this year's budget. Smotrich asserted that these funds would be misused and labeled them as “political bribes from the previous government to Mansour Abbas”. Although there is always risk of misappropriation, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that wrongdoing in Arab-Israeli towns is any more prevalent than in other municipalities.
The Finance Minister also revealed plans to discontinue funding for a highly successful program that prepares Arab students from East Jerusalem for University. The program has grown from a handful of students to hundreds each year. The University prep program not only helps prepare students for University, but once they are admitted, it covers their tuition. Smotrich justified this policy shift by stating that these students introduced terror to the Hebrew University. He also argued that subsidizing tuition for Arab Israelis was unfair to Jewish students, despite many scholarships being available to the latter group. Smotrich’s actions were widely criticized across the political spectrum, including by members of the current government and Jerusalem's mayor from the Likud party. Nevertheless, Smotrich remains resolute. On Wednesday night, Smotrich announced the formation of a committee to scrutinize the disbursement process. Smotrich’s dogmatic, dangerous biases come out in almost every decision he makes.
BUREAUCRATIC OVERSIGHT?
Moreover, for reasons yet unknown, Smotrich's Finance Ministry halted funding for the medical care of the 12,000 Ukrainian refugees in Israel, prompting severe criticism from the Ukrainian Ambassador. This decision appears questionable, and one hopes it's merely a bureaucratic oversight.
“MARCH OF DEATH”
On Monday evening, a poignant silent protest rally titled the “March of Death” was organized to highlight the increasing number of murders within the Arab-Israeli community this year. Starting from the Habima Theater and culminating in the court area, the march featured 165 participants dressed in white, each symbolizing a victim. Regrettably, this event received scant attention in the Israeli media, despite presence from a significant number of Jewish activists and MK members of the opposition
.
NORMALIZATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA
There have been persistent rumors of a potential deal between the US and Saudi Arabia, which would involve Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel. Although it's tempting to believe, I remain skeptical. The Israeli security establishment opposes a primary Saudi request—that the US permits Saudis to enrich their own uranium. Opposition Leader Lapid conveyed this stance to a visiting Democratic congressional delegation. Furthermore, I doubt the current Israeli government's capacity to make even the smallest concessions to the Palestinians, which the Saudis would likely demand as a prerequisite for recognizing Israel. However, the unpredictable nature of Middle Eastern politics means anything could happen.
SYRIA
Syrian sources reported that Israel launched an attack near Damascus on Tuesday night. These accounts suggest that Israel successfully eliminated a scientist working on undisclosed projects for the Syrian regime.
BUSINESS
In the second quarter, El Al reported a net profit of $59 million, which is down from a net profit of $100 million during the same period the previous year. If we exclude a significant one-time profit from selling its frequent flyer club, El Al actually experienced a net loss of $15 million in the second quarter of 2022.
This year, El Al’s financial results were positively influenced by a 29% reduction in fuel expenses. However, it's worth noting that their salary expenses went up by 37.5% in the same quarter. Revenue for the quarter increased by 22%, amounting to $630 million. This is higher than the $584 million El Al earned in the second quarter of 2019, before the pandemic impacted the travel industry.
Regarding operational metrics, El Al's load factor, which indicates the percentage of occupied seats, climbed to 87% from 82% the previous year. Additionally, the airline held onto a 23% market share at Ben Gurion International Airport
.
Startup Sweet Security raised $12 million in a seed round led by Glilot Capital Partners. Founded by former Israeli defense cyber experts, the company enhances cloud security with real-time solutions. Their platform covers detection, response, prevention, and discovery during runtime. Sweet Security employs 17 staff, all in Israel
.
Israeli startup Wint, specializing in AI-powered water leakage detection, secured $35 million in Series-C funding. Investors included Inven Capital, Insight Partners, Taronga Ventures, and construction-tech-focused entities. This investment will grant Wint strategic access to new markets. To date, Wint has raised $60 million in total.
Israeli cybersecurity startup Laminar, which protects data in public clouds using AI and machine learning, has been acquired for up to $250 million by US Rubrik. Laminar autonomously monitors data on major cloud platforms and addresses breaches without disrupting data flow.
Check Point has announced its acquisition of the Israeli company Perimeter 81 for $490 million. Founded in 2018 in Tel Aviv, Perimeter 81 specializes in the Secure Service Edge sector, offering protection for remote cloud workers and endpoint devices. The service prioritizes fast, secure internet browsing, emphasizing user privacy. The integration process for Perimeter 81's solution is notably efficient, taking only an hour as opposed to the longer duration required by other traditional solutions.
A PIECE OF HISTORY—JFK APPROVES ANTI AIRCRAFT MISSILES TO ISRAEL
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy approved the sale of modern anti-aircraft missiles to Israel, marking the first time the United States sold such advanced weaponry to the country. The U.S. had been involved in other arms transactions involving Israel earlier as well. From the late 1950s, the United States encouraged West Germany to transhfer tanks to Israel. In return, the U.S. committed to replenishing West Germany's tank supply. By 1966, U.S.–Israel arms relations took another step forward when President Lyndon B. Johnson approved the sale of Skyhawk fighter bombers to Israel. These aircraft were pivotal for enhancing Israel's aerial capabilities. The dynamics of international arms sales to Israel changed significantly after the Six-Day War in 1967. France, a major arms supplier to Israel until then, imposed an arms embargo on the country. As a result, the United States stepped in to become Israel's primary arms supplier.
A TASTE OF TEL AVIV— ROMANO
RESTAURANT REVIEW, by Tali Schulman
Perched just above “Teder”, one of the city’s most beloved open-air bars, Romano seamlessly merges Eyal Shani's culinary expertise with the vivacity of Tel Aviv's nightlife. If you're seeking an authentic Tel Aviv encounter, this is your ultimate destination. The a mbiance exudes liveliness, bustling energy, and a touch of controlled chaos; dishes emerge as they're prepared, occasionally demanding a touch of patience. Yet, it's this very chaos that contributes to its undeniable charm. Adorned with Kraft paper, the tables beckon you to embrace the art of messiness, share an additional drink, and relish the dynamic atmosphere with your chosen companions. Romano's true essence thrives in the experience itself, with the restaurant seamlessly transforming into a vibrant party once the kitchen curtains close during weekends.
Eyal Shani's signature approach to cuisine, which emphasizes freshness and local ingredients, comes alive in Romano's dishes. Classics are infused with his distinctive twist. The menu changes daily and kind of resembles gibberish, but it doesn’t make much of a difference because every bite is delicious. After finishing dinner, make sure to stop downstairs at Teder for a beer, completing your Tel Aviv adventure on a perfect note.
For more Tel Aviv restaurant recommendations, you can find me on Instagram @talischulman where I save all my food adventures in my highlights!