Slippery Slope

The NGOs Adam, Teva v’Din and the Movement for the Quality of Government appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (HaLikud-Beitenu), requesting that he prevent the appointment of Hezi Tzaig, a former Likud activist, to the position of chairman of the plenum of the Nature and Parks Authority. According to the organizations, the appointment was made with improper procedure by outgoing Minister for Environmental Protection, Gilad Erdan (HaLikud-Beitenu), in the last days of the sitting government, and there is a fear it might be politically motivated.

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The attorney general ordered an investigation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after suspicions arose that he received money illegally from Haredi singer and businessman Dedi Graucher, who is suspected to have transferred hundreds of thousands of Shekels in cash to Netanyahu’s driver. (Times of Israel)

(Hebrew – Nana10)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a tour of the Israel-Egypt border fence that he “has committed to the return of all the tens of thousands of African infiltrators to their countries of origin or to other countries.” (Ynetnews)

(Hebrew – Ynet)

A new reporter, Ze’ev Schneider, was recently appointed to the news division of the national radio broadcaster, Kol Yisrael, without being assigned a regular field of coverage.  Schneider has no prior experience in journalism, and did not pass a journalism course.  Schneider’s father is Nehemia Schneider, a Likud activist who serves as a paid advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(Hebrew – The Marker)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) has decided to approve the construction of approximately 3,000 housing units in East Jerusalem and West Bank settlements, including in area E1, which connects Jerusalem with the settlement Ma’aleh Adumim. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The owners of the Restobar, a popular restaurant in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood, have complained about the security arrangements at the Prime Minister’s residence.  According to the owners, the Prime Minister’s security detail conducts humiliating security checks on the restaurant’s customers; poking in their pockets, and questioning them for long periods.

(Hebrew – mynet)

The State Comptroller’s report on the Carmel Fire places overall responsibility for the low level of preparedness of the fire services on the whole government, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  The report places special responsibility on Interior Minister Eli Yishai who is in charge of the fire services and on Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz who conditioned the transfer of funds to the fire services on their completion of an organizational reform. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew - Walla)

The State Comptroller’s report on the mid-sea takeover of the Mavi Marmara found that there were essential and significant deficiencies in the decision making process led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the weeks and months preceding the events of the Turkish flotilla, at the end of May 2010. (Ha’aretz)

(Hebrew - Walla)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to approve the construction of 551 new housing units in the West Bank, in addition to 300 units approved for Beit El, as part of a package of “candies” he announced, in light of the eviction of five houses in the Beit El neighborhood of Givat HaUlpana.

(Hebrew - Walla)

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud)  is considering a plan for moving five houses scheduled for demolition at Ulpana Hill to a military area at the Bait El settlement. Following his announcement right-wing MKs said they will re-submit a law proposal that would allow settlers to keep any structure built on Palestinian private land if the owner fails to contest the building within four years of construction on the site. Unnamed persons within the IDF commented that Netanyahu’s plan is impractical.

(Hebrew)