Israel News for 11-14-18
Ceasefire
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire Tuesday night. Egypt, the UN, Norway, Qatar and Oman helped mediate the agreement, which was then approved by PM Netanyahu. The PM decided to accept the agreement despite opposition by cabinet members including Avigdor Lieberman, Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked and Ze’ev Elkin. There was no vote on the matter. The agreement was strongly recommended by the IDF leadership.
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Defense Minister Lieberman resigned because of his opposition to the ceasefire agreement. He said, “The question being asked is why now. As far as I’m concerned, the ceasefire yesterday, along with the entire process of reaching an arrangement with Hamas, means surrendering to terrorism.” Netanyahu will most likely take on the portfolio of Defense Minister (he’s already Foreign Minister). Lieberman urged the PM to call for new elections as soon as possible.
Hamas rejoiced at Lieberman’s resignation, saying he is “admitting defeat and acknowledging his inability to handle the Palestinian resistance. This is a political victory for Gaza, which succeeded in standing strong and causing a political earthquake in Israel.” Islamic Jihad concurred.
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In the wake of the ceasefire, a Palestinian was shot and arrested by IDF troops this morning after throwing several grenades at the Gaza security fence. The grenades all failed to explode.
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Jerusalem Mayor
In the runoff election for Jerusalem Mayor, right-wing candidate Moshe Lion beat his independent secular rival Ofer Berkovitch by 51.46% to 48.54%. Lion, an accountant and former director-general of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, will become the first-ever mayor of Jerusalem of Sephardi descent. He was supported by the Sephardic ultra-orthodox party Shas and by Degel Hatorah (Lithuanian Haredi). Lion’s party did not win a single council seat, thus making the work of forming a council coalition very difficult.
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Reward Offered
The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program is offering rewards of up to $5 million each for information leading to the identification or location of Hamas leader Salih al-Aruri, and Lebanese Hizballah leaders Khalil Yusif Mahmoud Harb, and Haytham Ali Tabatabai.
Salih al-Aruri is a deputy of the Hamas’s political bureau and one of the founders of Hamas’s military wing. Al-Aruri is currently living freely in Lebanon, where he is reportedly is working with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. He raised funds for and directed Hamas military operations in West Bank and has been linked to several terrorist attacks, hijackings, and kidnappings.
Khalil Yusif Mahmoud Harb is a close advisor of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanese Hizballah, and has served as the group’s chief military liaison and Palestinian terrorist organizations. Haytham Ali Tabatabai is a key Lebanese Hizballah military leader who commanded Hizballah special forces in both Syria and Yemen.
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