Israel News for 3-16-18
Lebanon Army
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hariri said that his country would increase its military presence along its border with Israel. The move would be an attempt to curb Hezbollah’s power in the region. Hariri is meeting with European leaders to raise funds for the Lebanese army.
For further reading click here.
Budget Approved
After nearly causing a coalition crisis and new elections, the 2019 state budget finally was passed by the Knesset this week. The budget passed by a vote of 62-54.
The largest sums of the budget are earmarked for defense (NIS 73 billion), education (NIS 64 billion), health (NIS 42 billion) and national insurance (NIS 46 billion). Another NIS 20 billion will be pumped into public transport and NIS 19 billion into the Ministry of Public Security. Both higher education and the Ministry of Welfare will receive a financial injection of NIS 11 billion each, while local authorities will receive NIS 6 billion and the Ministry of Housing will get a NIS 5.3 billion boost.
In exchange for supporting the budget, the Haredi parties are getting a Draft Bill passed, to exempt yeshiva students from serving in the IDF.
For further reading click here.
To see the Haredi reaction to the compromise (and the PM), click here.
Stop Deportations
Israel’s Supreme Court has issued a temporary injunction ordering the government to halt deportation proceedings against asylum seekers. According to the ruling by Chief Justice Esther Hayut, Deputy Chief Justice Hanan Melcer and Justice Neal Hendel, the injunction will not apply to anyone agreeing to leave Israel willingly. The order, moreover, will not apply to preparations for the expulsion, which may go through as planned.
Israel is drawing sharp criticism for its plan to deport thousands of illegal African migrants.
For further reading click here.
US Navy Visits
The USS Iwo Jima aircraft carrier is currently docked at the Port of Haifa after participating in the recent joint US-Israel Juniper-Cobra military exercise. The ship is home to over 2,000 personnel.
For further reading click here.
Happy Place
Israel has been ranked as the 11th happiest country in the world according to the 2018 World Happiness Report, which ranks countries according to criteria such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. A total of 156 countries were ranked.
The top 10 countries are Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. The US is 18th. Burundi (Africa) came in last.
For further reading click here.
Hidden Jews Return
A fascinating video about hidden Jews, who lived as Catholics for hundreds of years, returning to their heritage in Bello, Colombia. Click here
