Netanyahu wants meeting with Abbas at UN

However, Netanyahu’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, told reporters Sunday that he sees no chance of peace. “In the 16 years since the Oslo Accords, we haven’t managed to bring peace to the region, and I’m willing to bet that there won’t be peace in another 16 years, either. Certainly not on the basis of the two-state solution,” Lieberman said.

For full article, visit http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1109616.html

Israel denounces Sweden’s silence on IDF organ harvest article

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

On Friday, the Israeli Ambassador to Sweden Benny Dagan met with Deputy Foreign Minister of the Scandinavian country and urged his government to issue a denunciation of the article. Deputy Foreign Minister Frank Belfrage emphasized his country’s freedom of speech and how it limits the ability of the government to respond to articles in the media.

It also emerged Thursday that Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering a libel lawsuit against Donald Boström, the writer of the article. Boström has reportedly been trying to publish a version of the article about Israel harvesting organs since 1992.

For full article, visit http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1109008.html

In a blog post on Thursday evening, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote that he would not condemn the article, and that freedom of expression is part of the Swedish constitution.

For full article, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8213873.stm

A spokesman for Israel’s interior ministry said it was freezing the issue of entry visas to Swedish journalists, though those already working in the country would not be affected for now.

The newspaper commented on its story on Sunday, acknowledging that it had no proof of any organ theft but argued that the story deserved publication because of the issues it raised.

For full article, visit http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/08/200982434437906626.html

IDF deal for F-35 sours over soaring costs of fighter jets

Because of the F-35’s structure, which places missiles, bombs and electronic devices inside the plane, no system can be installed externally and considerable internal modifications would be required.

These modifications push up the aircraft’s price by at least 25 percent. In 2002, Lockheed Martin cited the cost of one F-35 at some $47 million, but now the official price is about $80 million, in part reflecting the dollar’s devaluation. The modifications Israel is demanding raise the price tag to over $100 million.

One Pentagon estimate quoted the cost of 75 F-35s in addition to spare parts, engines and a comprehensive support system at $15 billion. Senior defense establishment officials say such prices are prohibitive.

For full article, visit http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1078888.html

Barak orders closure of Palestinian territories

Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, instructed the army to impose a strict closure over the occupied Palestinian territories starting on Monday at night until midnight on Saturday April 18th as the Jews mark the Pesah (Passover) holiday.

For full article, visit http://www.imemc.org/article/59809

Netanyahu sworn in as Israel’s prime minister

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in late Tuesday to lead Israel’s 32nd government, after cobbling together a coalition amid rising tensions within his own Likud party and with other leading political figures.

Lawmakers voted 69 to 45 with five abstentions in favor of Netanyahu’s right-wing government after a six-hour debate, making Netanyahu prime minister for the second time in 10 years.

For full article, visit http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1075341.html

Netanyahu officially replaces Ehud Olmert, who stepped down amid multiple corruption investigations, on Wednesday.

Speaking on Tuesday, Olmert ended his term with an emotional defence of his premiership, acknowledging that he had mistakes but saying that there had also been successes.

For full article, visit http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/03/2009331203050922203.html

The charter of Netanyahu’s Likud party calls for Israel to maintain control over all the land it occupied in 1967, expressly prohibiting a Palestinian state, thought to be the cornerstone of any peace deal.

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=36796

Image Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1075503.html

“It is not with a victor’s joy that I stand here today in front of you, but with a great sense of responsibility,” Netanyahu began. “I ask for your trust at this time of worldwide crisis of a kind we haven’t known before, and it is with a sense of worry, but also with hope and faith, that the State of Israel confronts two major challenges: the economic challenge and the security challenge. I am certain that the people of Israel will cope successfully with the challenges that lie ahead of it.”

For full article, visit http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238423647847&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The vote tallied 69 Knesset members in favor and 45 Knesset members against. Labor MKs Shelly Yacimovich, Eitan Cabel, Yuli Tamir, Amir Peretz and Ophir Pines-Paz abstained.

Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta’al) was the only member of the House not present in the vote.

For full article, visit http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3695344,00.html

Extremist settlers attack Palestinian homes in Hebron

Local sources reported that several settlers baring arms and others carrying batons attacked homes adjacent to the Keryat Arba’ illegal settlement, north east of the city, and hurled stones and empty bottles at the windows while chanting slogans calling for killing all Arabs.

For full article, visit http://www.imemc.org/article/59695

Increased Reports that Next Israeli Government to Advance West Bank Settlement Construction in E1

Israeli media reports have flourished in the past week concerning Israeli plans to move forward with construction of the Mevasseret Adumim neighbourhood in the “E1 Area”, which would link between the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim and Jerusalem, further cutting East Jerusalem off from the West Bank and splitting the West Bank into two. Israeli army radio even quoted sources claiming that future Prime Minister Netanyahu has struck a secret deal with Israel Beitenu Chairperson Avigdor Liberman concerning advancement of these plans as part of the coalition government agreements.

Expansion of Maaleh Adumim Settlement (E1)

For full article, visit http://www.alternativenews.org/content/view/1666/110/

Uri Avnery: Biberman & Co.

The addition of the Labor Party solves everybody’s problem. If the social democrats are joining the government, all this talk of fascism must be nonsense. Obviously, Liberman has been misunderstood. He has been misrepresented. He is not a fascist at all, God forbid. He is not a racist. He is just a traditional right-wing demagogue who exploits the primitive emotions of the masses to garner votes. Which elected politician could object to that?

For full article, visit http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=14958

Netanyahu ‘to present new cabinet’

“Mr Netanyahu will present Tuesday night his cabinet for a  Knesset [parliament] vote,” the official was quoted as saying.

Netanyahu will preside over a 69-seat coalition in the 120-member parliament that leans heavily to the right.

Egypt has already voiced its concern over Netanyahu's likely cabinet

For full article, visit http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/03/200933055037318365.html

MK Yisrael Katz is rumored to be the leading candidate for the Transportation Ministry, MK Gilad Erdan is likely to be named to the Environmental Protection Ministry, MK Moshe Kahlon is in the lead for the Communications Ministry and MK Limor Livnat for the Science, Culture and Sport’s Ministry.

For full article, visit http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3694139,00.html

Sources close to Netanyahu said he had no intention of appointing someone who would become acting prime minister in case of emergency. That post, and finance minister, are precisely the positions Silvan Shalom had sought; Shalom has communicated to Netanyahu over the past few days that he would prefer no ministerial post at all if Netanyahu does not keep his promise to appoint Shalom to a senior position. It is believed Netanyahu intends to appoint Shalom as his vice premier and minister for regional development, or minister for economic peace and deputy prime minister, hoping this satisfies Shalom.

For full article, visit http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1074818.html

Ramzy Baroud: Netanyahu and the Future of the Peace Process

“The leaders of Israel’s major parties are almost interchangeable: even their language is the same, archaic and confrontational. Why then the panic over the future of the peace process. As far as Gaza is concerned, it matters little whether the over 1,400 people killed in 22 days were blown up by a Likud revisionist, a Labour dove or a Kadima peacemaker. This, though, is something an envoy like Blair doesn’t seem to understand.”

For full article, visit http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=14953