Inside Israel

Jerusalem vs. Ankara

Roughly 10 days ago an Israeli tourist couple, Natalie and Mordy Okneen, visited Istanbul and took many photos. One or several of the photos they took was of the house of the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.A suspicious waiter reported it to the police and they were arrested under the suspension that they were spying on the house. A few weeks earlier 15 men were also arrested in Turkey suspected of being Mossad agents. 

In this episode we will learn of these stories and discuss Jerusalem - Ankara relations.

Supreme Court Part II

Supreme Court Part II

I am not being overdramatic when I say “the struggle between the legislator (Knesset) and judicial (Supreme Court) could lead to a very different rule in Israel.. “Some say the struggle threatens Israeli democracy.”

 

 

Weapons of Mass Destruction

WMD

“We will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons into the Middle East, but we will also not be the second.” Just a week ago PM Naftali Bennet declared an extension to the nuclear secrets. This decision means that materials (documents) that should have been released for public review or historical research after 50 years will only be exposed after 90 years.  In this episode we will discuss Israeli WMD

 

Our Lives Depend on it

Recently Israel’s state comptroller issued a scathing report on the lack of seriousness of the government dealings with Environmental Challenges. He said “We have no national plan,” and “Basically, Israel has not declared the environmental crisis as a strategic threat.”

In this episode we will learn from David Dunetz, head of Heschel Center for Sustainability Climate division. 

Human Rights or Terrorists

Friday morning , August 22, 2019 seventeen year old Rina Shnerb went hiking with her father and brother. As they walked on a trail leading to a spring near the town of Dolev, a group of terrorists watching from afar activated a bomb causing the death of young Rina and seriously injuring her father and brother. Two employees of a Palestinian civil rights organization, named Samer Arbid and Abd a-Razak who were also members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine initiated the terror act.

This week Benny Gantz, Israel’s Minister of Defense, declared six Palestinian organizations acting under the guise of "civil society organizations", are deeply involved with terrorist organizations. 

Should we rethink our definitions of NGOs and civil society organizations?

The Bibi Law

This week a controversial law passed in a pre- vote in the Knesset. The law is nicknamed the Netanyahu Law (or if you want the Bibi Law) Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar issued the law that will prevent a political leader under indictment from forming a government. Is this a democratic liberal law or the opposite? 

Remebering Rabin

Today is the 12th of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan. On this day, twenty six years ago, a devastating societal, ideological and political earthquake shook Israel to the core.

A young observant Jew, an ideological opponent of the democratically elected prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, assassinated him with three bullets shot at his back.  

Has Israeli society learned its lesson or are we doomed to more division and perhaps to further political assassinations?

 

 

The Supreme Court

Drama and power struggle will take place in Israel in mid November when a 9 people committee will decide on the appointments of 4 new Supreme Court Justices. Israel’s supreme court is unique. The reason is because It wears two hats, it is the highest Court of Appeals and the “Bagatz” hearing Petitions against various governmental authorities. In this episode we will deal with the court's ruling on religious issues like who is considered a Jew for the migration process to Israel as well as redefining conversion laws.

Targeted Eliminations

A 38 year old man from Azerbaijan was arrested in Cypress. When the police checked his car they discovered a gun with a silencer as well as a load of bullets. More than likely he was sent by Iran. The Iranians of course deny having anything to do with the man. They further claim that it is Israel that uses targeted killings. They are not completely wrong. Is Israel acting in accordance with the law? International law? In this episode we will discuss targeted eliminations.

The Shin Bet

The Shin Bet has conducted tens of thousands of operations that saved Israel and Israelis, this happens literally on a daily basis. But the Shin Bet, in the past, also abused the power given to it to a degree that threatened Israeli democracy.

In this episode we will speak of the success and failures of Israel’s world renowned security service.