ISRAELI PRESS REVIEW
Israeli Press Review of 30.05.2013
- Knesset approves VAT rise
The Knesset passed a bill raising VAT by 1% on Wednesday after a tumultuous debate with 45 MKs voting for the bill, 39 against and one abstaining, Yediot Aharonot reports
The absence abroad of Finance Minister Yair Lapid drew fire even from the coalition benches.
Click here to read the full article in Yediot Aharonot
- Israel ready to re-engage with UN body
Israel is prepared to re-engage with the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Times of Israel.
Such a move would occur only if the body could guarantee that the Jewish state would receive fair treatment in the future, Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin said.
Jerusalem unilaterally cut all ties with the Geneva-based body last year over its alleged anti-Israel bias.
Click here to read the full article in Times of Israel
- Lapid makes appeal to hareidi public over army draft bill
Finance Minister Yair Lapid, whose party led calls for a universal draft law made a dramatic appeal to the hareidi public to support the initiative, Yediot Aharonot reports.
„I wish to appeal to my haredi brothers,” Lapid said at a press conference. „Not to the haredi politicians, neither to haredi wheeler dealers.”
Having previously used the fictional Ricki Cohen to get his financial policies across to the public, Lapid resorted to the same device, conjuring up Asher, a 28-year-old father of five from Jerusalem, and Haim, a 16-year-old whippersnapper from the haredi enclave Bnei Brak. „You must understand,” he said, engaging in a dialogue with his fictional creations, „that they are out to intimidate you so they could control you.”
