Tel Aviv Diary June 23, 2023
Terror in the West Bank, Netanyahu Revives Judicial Overhaul; Giving in to the Extreme Right on this and more,Intel, History, and Reviews
POLITICS AND JUDICIAL OVERHAUL
This week began with the customary cabinet meeting, during which Prime Minister Netanyahu declared his intention to reinitiate implementation of the proposed judicial overhaul. He had agreed to pause its passage until wide agreements could be reached. In response, the stock market took an immediate downturn, triggering alarm bells across the country. It appears Netanyahu has decided the stability of his coalition is more important than the sentiment of the broader population.
The subsequent meeting with coalition leaders determined that the first legislative change would restrict the courts’ ability to scrutinize government decisions based on their degree of “reasonableness”. Part of the objective of this decision is to lay the groundwork for overturning the Supreme court’s ruling preventing Arye Deri from serving as a Government Minister. On a separate note, Deri’s replacement, MK Moshe Arbel as Minister of Health and Interior, has been a welcomed addition to the government, who has shown himself to be significantly more effective at problem-solving and executing tasks then other ministers. Arbel instituted a program creating stand-alone passport renewal centers, which successfully eliminated a backlog that had exasperated Israelis for the last two years.
In resumption of their push for Judicial reform, the government seems to believe the public will not be overly concerned if the restriction of the “reasonability” clause in the legislation is passed first. They have adopted a strategy nicknamed “the salami approach,” i.e., implementation of one “slice”, or piece of legislation at a time. Through their negotiators, the opposition and the government had been making some headway toward consensus regarding what constitutes the legal definition of “reasonability”. However, the bill the government ultimately introduced to the Knesset this week was far more comprehensive than any previous agreement nearing consensus during discussions at the President's residence.
Netanyahu's decision to proceed with measures to weaken the judiciary is set to rekindle the protest movement; which, while far from extinguished, seemed to be losing momentum. Despite participation of over 200,000 protesters in the demonstration last Saturday night, the future direction of the movement had appeared unclear
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BATTLE FOR THE HEAD OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION
Opponents of the government’s proposed Judicial overhaul celebrated a significant victory on Tuesday, when elections were held to determine the next head of Israel’s Bar Association. The contest primarily focused on Amit Becher, a vocal critic of the proposed Judicial overhaul, and Efi Naveh, who was recently convicted of attempting to smuggle his then lover in and out of Israel undetected. Naveh received substantial support from coalition members.
Typically a laid-back event with extremely low voter turnout, however, this year’s election transformed into a major occasion — attracting over 50% of Israel’s lawyers. Becher emerged victorious, winning 73% of the vote. Equally important, candidates endorsed by Becher for seats on the Bar Association Council also won
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Why does this matter? Currently, the Bar Association selects two representatives to sit on the Judicial Appointment Committee. In response to the sweeping election result, the Coalition has already introduced legislation to disband the Bar Association. Furthermore, Becher's victory is likely to motivate the government to intensify its efforts to further modify the Judicial Appointment Committee. That being said, victories are valuable wherever they occur, and it's evident that Israeli lawyers, some of whom stood in line for six hours to cast their votes, have expressed their overwhelming disapproval of the government's plan to reform the judicial system.
WEST BANK CLASHES INTENSIFY
On Monday, Israeli troops entered the West Bank city of Jenin to arrest a suspected terrorist, in what was intended to be a routine operation. A brief firefight ensued, and as the troops were leaving, a Palestinian-planted IED detonated, damaging one of the IDF transports and wounding six soldiers. The convoy was subsequently trapped, leading to an intense firefight between Israeli forces and armed Palestinians. Support from an attack helicopter was called in to extract the forces. During the clash, six Palestinians were killed, including four fighters, a 15-year-old boy, and a 15-year-old girl. Additionally, 90 Palestinians were wounded.
On Tuesday, two terrorists attacked a restaurant near the settlement of Yizhar, killing four patrons. One of the attackers was immediately killed by a resident of Yizhar, while the others were tracked down later and killed by the army. This incident was one of the most severe attacks in the West Bank in recent memory. In response, right-wing members of the coalition immediately called for extensive military action in the Northern West Bank, a move the army is hesitant to take due to their belief that the costs outweigh the benefits.
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In response to these attacks, the government voted to approve construction of an additional 1,000 housing units in Yizhar. The government also seems to have ignored the return of some settlers to Evyatar, a move that contradicts a promise made to the American government. It has also been reported that five new illegal settlements have gone up this week, without any interference from the Israeli Army.
On Wednesday evening, Jewish settlers targeted the nearby Arab village of Turmus Ayya, similar to the previous week's attacks on Urif. They set fire to homes and cars, and caused damage to a school and a mosque. One settler was videotaped desecrating Qurans. Despite Netanyahu's plea for settlers not to take the law into their own hands, attacks against Palestinians continued into Thursday.
Right-wing legislators declined to condemn the attacks by Jewish extremists on Palestinians, with Religious Zionist MK Simcha Rothman drawing a comparison between those attacking Palestinian villages and demonstrators against Judicial reform. Speaking to Army Radio, Rothman argued, "When you protest against judicial reform, it's permissible to call for taking up arms and condoning violence. However, when protesting a ‘trivial matter’, like the murder of four people, it's not acceptable?” Joining the chorus, Likud Knesset member Avihai Avraham Bowaron defended the settlers, suggesting that nearly all Palestinians support terrorism, and that Israel is effectively at war with them.
Later Wednesday night, the IDF dispatched a drone to strike three terrorists who had just opened fire at an army post. The terrorists were killed in their car. This is the first time a drone had been used to attack terrorists in the West Bank since the Second Intifada.
The American Administration expressed severe concerns about these incidents. On Thursday, US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said that the Biden administration would "not stand idly by while settler violence takes place.”
While settlers are simultaneously mourning the dead, as they revel in the power they have achieved in this government, many Israelis are petrified where their actions will take us. Although few believe that peace with the Palestinians can be achieved any time soon, most Israelis believe in limiting clashes with Palestinians as much as possible — something that will not happen if the government continues to give in to every settler demand. The world has largely accepted that fact that peace between Israel and the Palestinians is untenable for the moment. Yet, daily pictures of Palestinians being assaulted by settlers, or shot by soldiers, brings back to the forefront the fact that other than the Chinese occupation of Tibet, our control of the West Bank is the longest occupation in recent history. Any hopes of extending the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia will be dashed if the Saudi television screens are filled with daily scenes of Palestinians being attacked.
DRUZE PROTEST
Riots erupted in the Golan Heights and parts of the Northern Galilee, on Wednesday, following Druze protests that escalated out of control. The Druze are ostensibly protesting against the construction of wind turbines on the Golan Heights. Protesters claimed the construction was done without their consent, while the company involved insists that those who owned the land where the turbines were being built had been fully compensated. It's unclear whether the protests were solely about the turbines, or if they reflected deeper issues circulating within the Druze community. After a meeting between Netanyahu and the Druze spiritual leader, an uneasy peace was restored in the area. A subsequent encounter held between the Druze leadership, the Police Commissioner, and the Minister for National Security Ben-Gvir, resulted in an agreement to halt work on the turbines during the upcoming Druze holiday. Final resolution of this issue remains uncertain.
NETANYAHU TRIAL
In the ongoing trial of Prime Minister Netanyahu, a dramatic development occurred this week, when judges called in all of the lawyers for a private meeting. Reportedly, the judges expressed their view that proving bribery in Case 4000 (involving positive media coverage provided, in exchange for regulatory approvals) would be challenging, and suggested it is in the country's interest for the parties to reach a plea deal.
While the Likud may be celebrating the potential end of the case against Netanyahu, the judges did not comment on whether the two additional charges Netanyahu faces, i.e., fraud and breach of trust would be as difficult to prove. By omitting any reference to these charge, the judges seemed to imply that although they feel that bribery might be hard to prove, the lesser charge might not be. Case 1000 and Case 2000 were not discussed during the meeting — in both those cases Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust.
TEL AVIV POLITICS
In local political news, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai is facing a challenge from Orna Barbivay, who until recently, was second in command in the Yesh Atid faction in the Knesset. Barbivay, a former IDF general, and head of the Personnel Directorate, is competing against Huldai, who has been a popular and effective mayor. However, after 20 years of Huldai's mayoral tenure, many constituents feel it may be time for a change. Personally, I think highly of Huldai and believe he has done an excellent job, though it is hard to deny that twenty years is a long time
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TAU MEDICAL SCHOOL
This week, the School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University announced significant changes. First and least important the name Sachler is coming down and it will no longer be called the Sachler School. The number of new enrollees will increase from 225 in the current student body to 320 within the next three years. Additionally, the curriculum will undergo significant revisions, with a reduction in traditional lecture-style classes, an increase in independent learning, and opportunities for clinical experiences early-on in student training.
ECONOMY
On Sunday, the government announced that Intel had decided to invest $25 billion on the construction of a new plant in Israel, with the government committing to a $2 billion grant in return. If this is accurate, it would represent the largest foreign investment in Israel's history. However, the story is a bit more complicated. Intel had previously agreed to invest $10 billion in a new chip plant, but apparently decided a larger plant was necessary. Consequently, the company negotiated to increase its planned investment to $25 billion, and receive a larger grant. While the Israeli government has publicized the new investment, Intel has yet to comment on the matter.
BUSINESS
N-Drip, which develops innovative irrigation technologies, has completed a Series-C fundraising round, raising $44 million. According to estimates, N-Drip was valued at $200 million at the time of fundraising. So far, N-Drip has raised approximately $80 million from several investors in the United States, Europe, and Israel. Among the investors are Granot Corporation, which led the previous funding round, Impact Bridge's investment fund in Israel, Metzerplas Co. that produces irrigation pipes and systems, Ein Harod Ihud Kibbutz, and a group of private American investors.
As a follow up to its announcement of December 21, 2022, Elbit announced on Wednesday that it received an initial purchase order worth approximately $180 million to supply the first three out of a maximum seven Watchkeeper-X tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), as part of a framework contract with the Romanian Ministry of National Defense — with a maximum value of approximately $410 million (1.89 billion Lei).
The purchase order will be performed over a period of two years. Under the terms of the purchase order, Elbit Systems will provide upgraded Watchkeeper-X tactical UAS with advanced capabilities, including the Spectro XR™ multi-spectral electro-optical payload, new communication capabilities and others. The Watchkeeper-X tactical, Dual Payload UAS is the UK export variant of the British Army manufactured by U-TacS, Elbit Systems' UK subsidiary in cooperation with Thales, and is a derivative of the Hermes™ UAS family. The Watchkeeper-X is compatible with NATO standards enabling essential interoperability with NATO and other allied forces
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THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT— “THE COMMANDER”
Netflix has added a new Israeli series to its catalog, titled “The Commander” (HaMefakedet). This series tells the story of a young lieutenant who, despite seeming better suited to a clerical role, finds herself in charge of a basic training unit for a group of challenging female recruits. The storyline not only illustrates her attempts — often successful, albeit with a few setbacks — at assuming a command role, but also delves into the lives of the recruits and the interactions among various commanders on the base. The series provides a light-hearted view of basic training for women in the IDF, complete with all the absurdities that can be found in any military setting. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and highly recommend it
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A PIECE OF HISTORY— CHAIM WEIZMANN, PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL
Chaim Weizmann was a prominent leader within the Zionist Movement during World War I. He played a pivotal role in persuading the British government to issue the Balfour Declaration and held the position of President of the World Zionist Organization for several years. In the turbulent times leading up to statehood, Weizmann was the only Jewish leader with whom US President Truman agreed to meet. Although he did not reside in Palestine and was not part of the Yishuv's leadership, Weizmann’s standing as the elder statesman of the Zionist Movement was undisputed. Aside from David Ben Gurion, no one had contributed more to the establishment of the state
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Given his extraordinary contributions, it was fitting to offer Weizmann the largely ceremonial position of President of the State. At the first meeting of the provisional government on May 16, the proposal to offer Weizmann the Presidency was unanimously voted in. His formal nomination took place when the first Knesset convened on January 14, 1949. Weizmann was elected as the first President on February 16 and officially inaugurated on February 17, 1949.
A TASTE OF TEL AVIV— SHAKSHUKA (“THE GREEK”)
RESTAURANT REVIEW, by Tali Schulman
This week, let's venture back to Shuk Hacarmel and explore a modest, yet remarkable, stand nestled between the bustling market and Yom Tov street. Known as “The Greek”, this eatery retains its former name — Shakshuka — on Google Maps, despite rebranding. Located on Simtat Hacarmel, this small stand offers a delightful array of Greek classics. From abundant fish dishes and delightful mazzets; to refreshing ouzo and, of course, one of my personal favorites, the Greek salad, they have it all. When you find yourself at the Shuk and in need of a light meal, this spot is a must-visit. Ensure you don't overlook their Skordalia, a delectable garlic and almond spread, served alongside their incredibly delicious bread. The bread itself bears a striking resemblance to challah, but somehow manages to surpass it in taste. So, next time you're exploring Shuk Hacarmel, make sure to treat yourself to a visit at “The Greek” and indulge in their authentic Greek delights. You won't be disappointed!
For more Tel Aviv restaurant recommendations, you can find me on Instagram @talischulman where I save all my food adventures in my highlights!