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The new Binyamin Netanyahu led government was sworn in last night after 69 Knesset members voted in favor, versus 45 against, 5 abstentions, and 1 not present (that would be Ahmed Tibi).
Meanwhile, a Ha’aretz poll reveals that 54% of the public are dissatisfied with the new government even before they have had the chance to do anything.
Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)
11:48PM:US President Barack Obama has called new Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu, and congratulated him on his inauguration.
Following their half hour conversation, the White House released the following statement:
“The president said he looked forward to working closely with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to address issues of mutual concern, including Iran and Arab-Israeli peace.”
11:35PM: Here is video of yesterday’s vaporization of terrorists planting bombs along the Gaza border fence.
11:28PM: The Israeli soccer team has lost 1:2 to Greece in the second leg of their World Cup Qualifier, effectively ending their World Cup campaign.
9:37PM: Introducing our latest weapon: Zionist Death-tist.TM
Besides the reported blindness, the victim apparently also shrunk and started looking half his age.
5:58PM: Think what you want about new Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. He gives good speech.
New minister, new attitude: Concessions are not the way to make peace, incoming Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday during the changing of the guard ceremony at the Foreign Ministry.
“Those who think that through concessions they will gain respect and peace are wrong,” the new minister said. “It’s the other way around; it will lead to more wars.”
Lieberman, who will also serve as deputy prime minister, delivered an aggressive speech, noting that “by uttering the word peace 20 times a day we won’t make peace.”
“Those who want peace should prepare for war and be strong,” he added. “There is no country that made concessions like Israel. Since 1967 we gave up territory that is three times the size of Israel. We showed willingness. The Oslo process started back in 1993 and to this day I have not seen that we reached peace.”
Lieberman added that Israel is not obligated by the Annapolis conference, but rather, only by the Road Map initiative.
Turning his attention to Egypt – a target for harsh criticism on his part in the past – Lieberman adopted a more moderate tone.
“Egypt is an important element in the Arab world and in the world in general,” he said. “I will certainly be happy to visit Egypt, but I’ll also be happy to see Egypt’s leaders visit here, including the Egyptian foreign minister. I respect others and I want them to respect us; I’m in favor of the principle of reciprocity.”
I think Lieberman has raised some good points here. Time will tell whether or not he is all talk.
5:55PM: The new Israeli cabinet:
4:10PM: Ma’an reports:
Hamas described the new Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu as merely one manifestation of overall Israeli racism.
Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement, “There is no difference between Israeli governments as we have tried all of them. The Netanyahu government reflects the general attitude in Israeli society. It is a racist, extremist formula…
I guess what he means is it is a bad kind of racist, extremist formula. As opposed to the good kind:
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:
“The Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews.” (related by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
6:06AM: Anti-Semitic-Egyptian-Clerics-Talking-Sh*t of the Day: Sheiks Said Al-‘Afani and Muhammad Abd Al-Salam.
Notice how they clarify their hatred for Jews is not a territorial issue, but rather a religious imperative.
Happy 30th “peace” anniversary!
5:56AM: Fox News report on the swearing-in of the new Israeli government.
