Latest news with #YairLapid
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Karhi orders staff to ignore A-G, in defiance of High Court injunction on firing
In response, Yair Lapid said his faction would file a complaint with police against the communications minister for incitement and sedition. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi on Tuesday instructed his staff against recognizing the authority of the Attorney-General's Office, in contempt of a High Court injunction against Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara's dismissal. On Monday, the government unanimously approved Justice Minister Yariv Levin's proposal to dismiss Baharav-Miara. In response, the High Court of Justice issued an injunction against the decision. In the latest clash between the judiciary and the government, the court said no aspect of the attorney-general's position is to be changed until a decision is handed down and that the government cannot name a replacement. Karhi: A-G's legal advice now devoid of any validity In a memo sent to Communications Ministry staff, Karhi insisted that Baharav-Miara's office is 'no longer authorized to issue legal opinions,' adding that if it does, such advice would be 'devoid of any validity.' He further instructed the ministry's staff not to request any legal advice from the A-G's Office without his office's approval. According to the minister, Baharv-Miara and her staff's status is 'no different than any other citizen.' Although Baharav-Miara has not officially been ousted from her role, cabinet ministers, including Karhi, have said they would stop inviting her to government hearings and committee meetings effective immediately. In a ruling last month, Supreme Court Deputy Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg said no measure to dismiss the attorney-general would be valid until the decision is reviewed by the court. In response to Karhi's memo, opposition leader MK Yair Lapid said the ministry's employees 'have no reason to accept the authority of the communications minister, respect his directives, obey his orders, or comply with the void instructions of a criminal minister.' Lapid further noted that his Yesh Atid faction would file a complaint against Karhi with the police on the grounds of incitement and sedition. Israeli NGO calls on ministry staff to ignore Karhi's memo The Zulat Institute for Equality and Human Rights called the minister a 'criminal' in its response to the memo, adding that Karhi 'seeks to turn his ministry's employees into criminals themselves through an intimidation campaign.' Zulat noted that the Attorney-General's Office was in the process of blocking Karhi's comprehensive plan to overhaul the broadcasting landscape, which the institute said would 'seriously harm free media.' Therefore, it noted, Karhi was 'tainted with a serious conflict of interest and is in contempt of court,' calling on Communications Ministry staff to 'completely ignore' his memo. Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Israel faces backlash at home and abroad over Gaza war escalation plan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: AFP / Oliver Contreras By Alexander Cornwell , Reuters Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City , a move expanding military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory that drew strong fresh criticism at home and abroad on Friday over its pursuit of the almost two-year-old war. Germany, a key European ally, announced it would halt exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza. Britain urged Israel to reconsider its decision to escalate the Gaza military campaign. However, United States President Donald Trump's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, told Reuters that some countries appeared to be putting pressure on Israel rather than on the militant group Hamas, whose deadly attack on Israel in 2023 ignited the war. In Israel, families of hostages held by militants in Gaza, and opposition leaders blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a decision that they said would put hostages' lives at risk. Far-right allies in Netanyahu's coalition have been pushing for a total takeover of Gaza as part of his vow to eradicate Hamas militants, though the military has warned this could endanger the lives of remaining hostages held by militants. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision to send Israeli forces into Gaza City a disaster, saying it defied the advice of military and security officials. He accused far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of dragging Netanyahu into a prolonged campaign that would result in the deaths of hostages and soldiers. Netanyahu told Fox News Channel's Bill Hemmer in an interview that aired on Thursday that the military intended to take control of all of Gaza . The announcement from the prime minister's office early on Friday after Thursday's security cabinet meeting said the military would take Gaza City, but did not say if Israeli forces would take all of the enclave. Israel's cabinet is expected to endorse the Gaza City plan. The military has said that it controls around 75 percent of Gaza. Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, estimated that if the military did take Gaza City, it would give Israel control of about 85 percent of the strip. "Gaza City is the heart of Gaza. It's really the centre of government. It has always been the strongest and even in the eyes of Hamas, the fall of Gaza City is pretty much the fall of Hamas," said Avivi. "Taking over Gaza City is a game changer." Israeli media have said 900,000 people now live in Gaza City, including many who have been displaced by the military. Before the war, Hamas' most powerful fighting units were believed to operate in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. In the Fox News interview, Netanyahu said Israel did not want to keep the Gaza Strip, but to establish a "security perimeter" and to hand over the territory to Arab forces. There are 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom Israeli officials believe 20 are alive. Most of those freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed in July. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was among foreign leaders urging Israel to reconsider its decision to advance into Gaza City. Regional power Saudi Arabia, which has said it could not normalise ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, condemned any move to occupy Gaza. Asked in an interview with Reuters about criticism of Israel's decision to escalate the war, US Ambassador Huckabee questioned why some nations were "once again" placing "all the pressure on Israel" instead of on Hamas. Huckabee said Trump was frustrated that Hamas is unwilling to reach "any kind of reasonable settlement", adding the president insists that the militant group cannot remain in power and must disarm. Israel had already come under mounting pressure at home and abroad over the war in Gaza, including over the humanitarian disaster in the enclave. In recent weeks, Britain, Canada and France said they could recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly next month. United States President Donald Trump's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Photo: AFP Netanyahu has said there will be no end to the war until Hamas is disarmed. Opinion polls have shown that a majority of Israelis believe he should end the war immediately in a diplomatic agreement that would see the release of remaining hostages. The Hostages Families Forum, which represents many families of captives in Gaza, said the pursuit of occupying Gaza means abandoning the hostages all while ignoring public support to immediately end the war in a deal that releases the hostages. It said in a statement the security cabinet had chosen to "embark on another march of recklessness, on the backs of the hostages, the soldiers, and Israeli society as a whole". "I think it's a death sentence to all the hostages that are still being held there. And it's the wrong decision to do it at this time," Danny Bukovsky, a hotelier in Tel Aviv, said of the announcement that Israeli forces would move into Gaza City. A full occupation of Gaza would reverse a 2005 decision in which Israel withdrew thousands of Jewish settlers and its forces, while retaining control over its borders, airspace and utilities. - Reuters
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
‘A death sentence to all hostages': Israel plan to take control of Gaza City met with dismay
Israel 's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. The move, which expands military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory, has drawn fresh criticism of Israel's actions at home and abroad. Germany , a key European ally, announced it would halt exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza. Britain urged Israel to reconsider its decision to escalate the Gaza military campaign. However, US president Donald Trump 's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, told Reuters that some countries appeared to be putting pressure on Israel rather than on the militant group Hamas, whose deadly attack on Israel in 2023 ignited the war. In Israel, families of hostages held by militants in Gaza, as well as opposition leaders, criticised prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a decision they said would put hostages' lives at risk. READ MORE Far-right allies in Mr Netanyahu's coalition have been pushing for a total takeover of Gaza as part of his vow to eradicate Hamas militants, though the military has warned this could endanger the lives of remaining hostages held by militants. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision to send Israeli forces into Gaza City a disaster, saying it defied the advice of military and security officials. He accused far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of dragging Mr Netanyahu into a prolonged campaign that would result in the deaths of hostages and soldiers. Mr Netanyahu told Fox News's Bill Hemmer in an interview on Thursday that the military intended to take control of all of Gaza. The announcement from the prime minister's office early on Friday after Thursday's security cabinet meeting said the military would take Gaza City, but did not say if Israeli forces would take all of the enclave. Israel's cabinet is expected to endorse the Gaza City plan. The military has said that it controls around 75 per cent of Gaza. Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, estimated that if the military did take Gaza City, it would give Israel control of about 85 per cent of the strip. 'Gaza City is the heart of Gaza. It's really the centre of government. It has always been the strongest and even in the eyes of Hamas, the fall of Gaza City is pretty much the fall of Hamas,' said Mr Avivi. 'Taking over Gaza City is a game changer.' Israeli media have said 900,000 people now live in Gaza City, including many who have been displaced by the military. Before the war, Hamas's most powerful fighting units were believed to operate in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. In the Fox News interview, Mr Netanyahu said Israel did not want to keep the Gaza Strip, but to establish a 'security perimeter' and to hand over the territory to Arab forces. There are 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom Israeli officials believe 20 are alive. Most of those freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed in July. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen was among foreign leaders urging Israel to reconsider its decision to advance into Gaza City. Regional power Saudi Arabia, which has said it could not normalise ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, condemned any move to occupy Gaza. Asked in an interview with Reuters about criticism of Israel's decision to escalate the war, US ambassador Huckabee questioned why some nations were 'once again' placing 'all the pressure on Israel' instead of on Hamas. Mr Huckabee said Mr Trump was frustrated that Hamas is unwilling to reach 'any kind of reasonable settlement', adding the president insists that the militant group cannot remain in power and must disarm. Israel had already come under mounting pressure at home and abroad over the war in Gaza, including over the humanitarian disaster in the enclave. In recent weeks, Britain, Canada and France said they could recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly. Mr Netanyahu has said there will be no end to the war until Hamas is disarmed. Opinion polls have shown that a majority of Israelis believe he should end the war immediately in a diplomatic agreement that would see the release of remaining hostages. The Hostages Families Forum, which represents many families of captives in Gaza, said the pursuit of occupying Gaza means abandoning the hostages all while ignoring public support to immediately end the war in a deal that releases the hostages. It said in a statement the security cabinet had chosen to 'embark on another march of recklessness, on the backs of the hostages, the soldiers and Israeli society as a whole'. 'I think it's a death sentence to all the hostages that are still being held there. And it's the wrong decision to do it at this time,' Danny Bukovsky, a hotelier in Tel Aviv, said of the announcement that Israeli forces would move into Gaza City. A full occupation of Gaza would reverse a 2005 decision in which Israel withdrew thousands of Jewish settlers and its forces, while retaining control over its borders, airspace and utilities. – Reuters
News24
2 days ago
- Politics
- News24
Israel faces backlash at home and abroad over Gaza war escalation plan
Israel's cabinet approves plan to seize Gaza City, sparking backlash at home and abroad. Germany halts military exports to Israel; UK urges halt to Gaza offensive escalation. Critics warn the move endangers hostages; Netanyahu says Hamas must be eradicated. Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, a move expanding military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory that drew strong fresh criticism at home and abroad on Friday over its pursuit of the almost two-year-old war. Germany, a key European ally, announced it would halt exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza. Britain urged Israel to reconsider its decision to escalate the Gaza military campaign. However, US President Donald Trump's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, told Reuters that some countries appeared to be putting pressure on Israel rather than on the militant group Hamas, whose deadly attack on Israel in 2023 ignited the war. In Israel, families of hostages held by militants in Gaza, and opposition leaders blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a decision that they said would put hostages' lives at risk. Far-right allies in Netanyahu's coalition have been pushing for a total takeover of Gaza as part of his vow to eradicate Hamas militants, though the military has warned this could endanger the lives of remaining hostages held by militants. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision to send Israeli forces into Gaza City a disaster, saying it defied the advice of military and security officials. He accused far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of dragging Netanyahu into a prolonged campaign that would result in the deaths of hostages and soldiers. Netanyahu told Fox News Channel's Bill Hemmer in an interview that aired on Thursday that the military intended to take control of all of Gaza. The announcement from the prime minister's office early on Friday, after Thursday's security cabinet meeting, said the military would take Gaza City, but did not say if Israeli forces would take all of the enclave. Israel's cabinet is expected to endorse the Gaza City plan. 'Heart of Gaza' The military has said that it controls around 75% of Gaza. Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, estimated that if the military did take Gaza City, it would give Israel control of about 85% of the strip. 'Gaza City is the heart of Gaza. It's really the centre of government. It has always been the strongest, and even in the eyes of Hamas, the fall of Gaza City is pretty much the fall of Hamas,' said Avivi. 'Taking over Gaza City is a game changer.' Israeli media have said 900 000 people now live in Gaza City, including many who have been displaced by the military. Before the war, Hamas' most powerful fighting units were believed to operate in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. In the Fox News interview, Netanyahu said Israel did not want to keep the Gaza Strip, but to establish a 'security perimeter' and to hand over the territory to Arab forces. There are 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom Israeli officials believe 20 are alive. Most of those freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed in July. Condemnation from abroad European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was among foreign leaders urging Israel to reconsider its decision to advance into Gaza City. Regional power Saudi Arabia, which has said it could not normalise ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, condemned any move to occupy Gaza. Asked in an interview with Reuters about criticism of Israel's decision to escalate the war, US Ambassador Huckabee questioned why some nations were 'once again' placing 'all the pressure on Israel' instead of on Hamas. Huckabee said Trump was frustrated that Hamas is unwilling to reach 'any kind of reasonable settlement', adding the president insists that the militant group cannot remain in power and must disarm. Israel had already come under mounting pressure at home and abroad over the war in Gaza, including over the humanitarian disaster in the enclave. In recent weeks, Britain, Canada and France said they could recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month. Domestic pressure Netanyahu has said there will be no end to the war until Hamas is disarmed. Opinion polls have shown that a majority of Israelis believe he should end the war immediately in a diplomatic agreement that would see the release of remaining hostages. The Hostages Families Forum, which represents many families of captives in Gaza, said the pursuit of occupying Gaza means abandoning the hostages, all while ignoring public support to immediately end the war in a deal that releases the hostages. It said in a statement that the security cabinet had chosen to 'embark on another march of recklessness, on the backs of the hostages, the soldiers, and Israeli society as a whole'. 'I think it's a death sentence to all the hostages that are still being held there. And it's the wrong decision to do it at this time,' Danny Bukovsky, a hotelier in Tel Aviv, said of the announcement that Israeli forces would move into Gaza City. A full occupation of Gaza would reverse a 2005 decision in which Israel withdrew thousands of Jewish settlers and its forces, while retaining control over its borders, airspace and utilities.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israel approves plan to seize Gaza City, prompting sharp domestic backlash
Shafaq News – Gaza Israel's security cabinet approved a plan on Friday proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to establish military control over Gaza City, a move that has sparked sharp criticism from opposition leaders and heightened concerns over the fate of hostages. A statement from Netanyahu's office said the Israeli military is preparing to take control of the city 'while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones.' According to the statement, the cabinet voted in favor of five key principles to end the war: 1. The disarming of Hamas. 2. The return of all the hostages – the living and the deceased. 3. The demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. 4. Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip. 5. The establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. The government statement added that a 'decisive majority' of ministers rejected a competing proposal presented to the cabinet, stating it would 'neither achieve the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages' though no further details were disclosed. The Security Cabinet has approved the Prime Minister's proposal for defeating IDF will prepare for taking control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones. — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 8, 2025 Opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply condemned the decision, calling it a 'disaster' that would lead to 'many more disasters.' He blamed far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for pushing Netanyahu into what he described as 'a step that will take months, cost the lives of hostages and soldiers, and trap Israel on the battlefield with no clear objective'—something he claimed was 'exactly what Hamas wants.' החלטת הקבינט הלילה היא אסון שיוביל לאסונות רבים נוספים. בניגוד מוחלט לדעת הצבא ודרגי הבטחון, בלי התחשבות בשחיקה ובהתשה של הכוחות הלוחמים, בן גביר וסמוטריץ' גררו את נתניהו למהלך שייקח חודשים ארוכים, יוביל למות החטופים, להרג חיילים רבים, יעלה עשרות מיליארדים למשלם המיסים הישראלי… — יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) August 8, 2025 Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Israel Beitenu party, also criticized the plan, accusing Netanyahu of 'once again sacrificing Israeli security for political survival.' ההחלטה שקיבל הקבינט, בניגוד לעמדתו המקצועית של הרמטכ״ל שהזהיר מפני הסכנות הרבות שמהלך כזה יביא, מוכיחה שהחלטות של חיים ומוות מתקבלות בניגוד לשיקולי הביטחון ומטרות המלחמה. ראש ממשלת השבעה באוקטובר שוב מקריב את ביטחון אזרחי ישראל בשביל הכיסא. — אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) August 8, 2025 Yair Golan, leader of Israel's Democratic Party, called the decision—reportedly made 'against the advice of the army chief'—a 'disaster for generations and a death sentence for the hostages.' He urged intensified public protest against Netanyahu's government, saying, 'bringing it down will save lives.' החלטת הקבינט הלילה, בניגוד לדעת הרמטכ״ל, היא אסון לדורות.משמעותה - גזר דין מוות לחטופים ועוד משפחות שכולות.בנינו ונכדינו עוד יפטרלו בסמטאות עזה, אנחנו נשלם מאות מיליארדים לאורך שנים וכל זאת מטעמים של הישרדות פוליטית וחזיונות משיחיים.אנחנו חייבים להחריף את המאבק. הפלת הממשלה… — Yair Golan - יאיר גולן (@YairGolan1) August 8, 2025 On Thursday, Netanyahu declared that Israel intends to militarily control the entire Gaza Strip before eventually handing it over to Arab forces 'capable of governing it appropriately.'
