Israel News for 1-2-19
Brazil Meetup
PM Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Brasilia on Tuesday. Prior to the meeting Netanyahu said, “We’re going to discuss the intense cooperation between Israel and the United States, which will also deal with the questions following the decision, the American decisions on Syria, on how to intensify even further our intelligence and operations cooperation in Syria and elsewhere to block Iranian aggression in the Middle East.”
He added that he was, “very appreciative of the support, strong support and unequivocal support that you and the president gave our efforts at self-defense against Syria and Hezbollah just in the last few days.”
Pompeo said, “Our effort to counter Iranian aggression continues, and our commitment to… the protection of Israel continues in the same way as before that decision was made.” He also praised Israel’s recent efforts at neutralizing Hezbollah terror tunnels on the Lebanese border.
Netanyahu and Pompeo also met with Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to discuss Hondurases plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
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Election Updates
Conservative columnist Caroline Glick has joined the New Right party founded by Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked. Bennett remarked, “Caroline is a relentless Zionist fighter. With her, we are building today the dream team of the Israeli Right in order to expand the right-wing block — and so that Israel can be triumphant again.”
Glick, who is secular, said the New Right would serve as a big-tent which could expand the Israeli right-wing bloc by bringing together both secular and religious voters.
Glick, an American-born immigrant and a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy, has served as chief columnist for The Jerusalem Post and Breitbart News and written for Maariv, Makor Rishon. Glick is a resident of the town of Efrat in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem.
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Meanwhile, Avi Gabbay, leader of the Labor party, announced that he is splitting from the Zionist Union party, which includes the Hatnuah party headed by Tzipi Livni.
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No Cash
A new Israeli law restricting the use of cash for either wages or payments for transactions went into effect in 2019. The purpose of the law is to prevent tax evasion by making large transactions or payroll payments in cash.
For more details on the law click here.
Lower Noise
The City of Jerusalem reportedly intends to implement a plan to lower the voice of the muezzin which emanates from the Arab neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem. The plan is being formulated in agreement with the mukhtars and senior officials in the neighborhoods of Beit Safafa, Beit Hanina, Shuafat and even the mukhtars in Jabel Mukaber.
Under the plan, the old speakers in the mosques will be replaced by small speakers that will reduce the noise. In the nearby streets, noise-reducing loudspeakers will be installed. The voice of the muezzin shall not exceed the level prescribed in the Noise Prevention Regulations. In case of an exception – the police will be given the power to lower the volume.
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