At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 14 June 2015):
1. Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit made the following remarks regarding the report that has been prepared in recent months on the State of Israel’s position regarding Operation Protective Edge:
„The report has been prepared over many months, since the operation ended, in cooperation with many bodies, especially the Justice Ministry, Foreign Ministry, IDF Judge Advocate General and others in both the IDF and the National Security Council. The report presents the background to Operation Protective Edge as well as the goals of the operation and includes a number of chapters on the war crimes that were perpetrated by Hamas and the other terrorist organizations during the operation, terrorist threats to Israel’s citizens and the State of Israel’s efforts to defend its citizens, IDF conduct during the operation with emphasis on the various steps that were taken in accordance with the rules of international law, the steps that were taken to minimize injury to the civilian population, and the system that has been in place since the end of the operation to inquire into and investigate claims regarding seeming violations of the laws of war by IDF soldiers during Operation Protective Edge.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said:
„I would like to thank you and the team that prepared this report. It is especially important because the State of Israel is under an unprecedented attack of delegitimization. This attack is not substantive, it is political. Its goal is to blacken the State of Israel and we are preparing to respond. This is one response. We will act wherever necessary in order to deal with mendacious claims and anti-Israel initiatives.
I welcome this report, which presents the true picture of Operation Protective Edge. The report proves unequivocally that the actions carried out by the IDF and the security forces during the operation were in accordance with international law. They were done out of the need to defend the citizens of the state from a murderous terrorist organization that perpetrated a double war crime. It deliberately fired at civilians while intentionally hiding behind civilians. Hamas used schools, hospitals, mosques, UN facilities, and crowded civilian neighborhoods for military purposes. From them it deliberately launched rockets and opened tunnels; in them it intentionally concealed arsenals, and operated command centers. The firing was a war crime. Deliberately hiding in civilian installations was a war crime. There are details here regarding the rockets, tunnels and the mortar rounds – all of the things that were done by Hamas.
This report points to similar findings that were reached by senior US and European generals. They determined explicitly that Israel operated during Operation Protective Edge in accordance with every international standard in order to avoid hitting innocents. They are familiar with the international standard; they are familiar with it in their own militaries. They say that Israel acted beyond the international standard.
The State of Israel and the IDF are indeed committed to the rules of international law even as we fight against terrorist organizations that deliberately violate these rules. I must say that our obligation does not stem from this or that report or this or that UN committee. It stems from the fact that Israel is a democracy and a moral country with values, which operates in accordance with international law.
Neither do we shrink from investigating ourselves as necessary. The inquiry and investigation mechanisms that exist in the State of Israel about claims regarding violations of the laws of war are among the world’s best. Credible claims are checked as required. I compare this to what is due to be published soon, the inquiry report on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council. If there was ever a body that contradicted itself – here it is, because this body has already proven its hostility to Israel and lack of objectivity regarding Israel, and not just Israel. This is an organization that has passed more decisions against Israel than against Syria, Iran and North Korea combined. This is an organization that decided to investigate Operation Protective Edge the day after the abduction and murder of the three youths.
This organization placed at the head of the inquiry committee a man who was clearly biased and who incited against the State of Israel, who was obliged to resign when it became clear that he had accepted payment from Palestinian organizations. Whoever wants to know the truth should read this report on the Israeli position and read the senior generals’ report. Whoever wants to automatically – and without foundation – blame Israel, let them waste their time with the UN Human Rights Council report. For our part, we will continue to defend our soldiers and they will continue to defend us.
On another matter, but not entirely unrelated, Iran has announced that it will not allow surprise visits at its military installations on the nuclear issue. It has also backtracked from other issues that were seemingly agreed upon in the Lausanne agreement. To our regret, the reports arriving from the major powers attest to an acceleration of their concessions in the face of this Iranian obduracy. The agreement being formulated has looked bad from the outset. From day to day it seems to be getting worse. But it is not too late to take stock, reject this bad agreement and insist on a better agreement.
This week the Cabinet will also discuss our national gas plan. I am determined to bring the gas to the Israeli economy. This will lower the price of electricity. We will not fall into the trap into which many other countries fell when they argued endlessly over this issue while the gas remains underground. This will not happen here. We have delayed for years and it is possible to miss this train – this will not happen.
We must make decisions even in the face of a populist onslaught – this does not faze me. I have led enough reforms in the Israeli economy that met with populist assaults but the value of which has now been proven as Israel overtakes many European countries in per capita income, standard of living and many other fields. Thus it will be with gas.
Every delay in making a decision endangers our ability to benefit from this natural treasure and I am determined to advance a practical solution. The outline that we will submit assures a competitive price and prevents the possibility of price gouging. For their part, the private companies need to know that we will not compromise on the rights due to the state from its gas treasures. This is the right and necessary balance that we will advance as quickly as possible.”
2. Pursuant to Article 25a of Basic Law: The Government and with the consent of Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Cabinet approved the appointments MK Jackie Levy as Deputy Construction Minister and MK Yaron Mazuz as Deputy Interior Minister.
3. Pursuant to Article 12 of the 1959 State Service Law (Appointments), the Cabinet decided to appoint Oded Plus as Director General of the Religious Services Ministry in place of Elhanan Galat.
4. The Cabinet decided to approve the following Foreign Service appointment:
Daniel Saban – Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and non-resident Ambassador to Antigua-Barbuda, Jamaica, Grenada, Dominica and Haiti.
5. The Cabinet decided on the composition and responsibilities of the Ministerial Committee on Science, Technology and Space, which is to be chaired by Science, Technology and Space Minister Danny Danon.
6. The Cabinet decided on the composition and responsibilities of the Ministerial Committee on the Development of the Negev and the Galilee, which is to be chaired by Economy Minister and Negev and Galilee Development Minister Aryeh Deri.
7. The Cabinet decided to appoint the Government’s representatives – led by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netanyahu – to the committees responsible for coordination between the Government and the World Zionist Organization and between the Government and the Jewish Agency.
11. Pursuant to Article 5 of the
2003 Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law, the Cabinet decided to extend the validity of the law for an additional year, until 30 June 2016 (pending Knesset approval).
Pursuant to the aforesaid Law and on the basis of the opinion of the authorized security officials, the Cabinet determined that the Gaza Strip is still an area in which activity is carried out that is liable to endanger the security of the State of Israel and its citizens; therefore, the Cabinet instructs the Interior Minister to continue not granting permits to reside and/or stay in Israel to those registered in the Population Registry as residents of the Gaza Strip and to those who reside in the Gaza Strip even though they are not registered as such in the Population Registry.
12. The Cabinet approved a 7 June 2015 decision by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation regarding legislation pertaining to security prisoners. Click here for further details.
13. Pursuant to Article 1 of the 1993 Continuity of Discussion Regarding Draft Legislation Law, the Cabinet decided to inform the Knesset of its desire to apply the aforesaid law to 2014 draft legislation pertaining to the Prison Service, regarding the prevention of damages resulting from hunger strikes.
14. The Cabinet approved the transfer of various responsibilities pursuant to the 2005 Disengagement Plan Implementation Law from the Construction Minister to the Agriculture and Rural Development Minister.
