At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 10 February 2013):
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:
"I welcome President Obama's intention to visit Israel. This will be a very important visit that will emphasize the strong alliance between Israel and the US. I think that the importance of this alliance stands out even more given what is happening, in light of the great revolutions, the earthquakes that are taking place around us throughout the Middle East, from the Atlantic Ocean and North Africa and eastwards to Iran.
The President and I have discussed this visit. We agreed that we will discuss three main subjects: Iran's arming itself, Iran's attempt to arm itself with nuclear weapons, the unstable situation in Syria and its consequences for the security of the region and, of course, for Israel and the US, and efforts to advance the peace process between us and the Palestinians.
These issues, and others that will come up, are weighty concerns and require the most serious consideration on Israel's part. I also believe that they require as broad a national unity as possible; the harnessing of all forces in the State of Israel, and this is the nature of our efforts at this time to form a government.
In this context, I would like to say something that we want, and something that we do not want. We want unity, dialogue and cohesiveness. The last thing we want, and which we absolutely reject is violence, racism and boycotts. These are unacceptable to us. I say this in regards to a team that I have supported for years, Beitar Jerusalem. It has good and dear fans. Lately, we have seen displays of extremism that we find unacceptable. These must be uprooted, of course, from the world of sports.
Therefore, I call on all fans, and also on those who are not fans, to disavow these phenomena. We need dialogue and partnership. We do not need extremism and violence, and neither do we need boycotts, in any sphere.
Today's discussion will be devoted to the issue of the green revolution that the Government has led under the leadership of Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan. If you look back at the data from 2009 and consider what has been done over the past four years, you will see a genuine revolution. I call this a green revolution. But it is unlike the green revolution around us. There is a green revolution in our region that has only one aspect but the internal revolution that has been done here is great and very significant in every sphere, and not just in the resources that have been invested, but in results as well, in what is going on in our homes, in recycling, and in what is happening in our great municipal parks.
We were recently in Ariel Sharon Park and we saw the difference there with our own eyes, millions of people go there. It is happening in the Haifa Bay area, in Tel Aviv and in Be'er Sheva. And, of course, all this has additional implications for this revolution, for both air and water quality, for Israel's being considered among the most advanced countries in this sphere, for meeting international expectations and for future industry as well. In all these respects, I think that Minister Erdan is deserving of praise for leading this great and fundamental change in our lives.
Of course, I will enable Minister Erdan to present the issue in more depth."
2. Minister Benny Begin discussed and refuted various erroneous and misleading reports regarding his recommendations on formalizing the status of Bedouin communities in the Negev. He noted that the Israel Land Administration has noted its approval of the recommendations and expressed his wish that the next government, Israel's 33rd, will act to implement the formalization of the status of Bedouin communities in the Negev.
Prime Minister Netanyahu again thanked Minister Begin for dealing with the issue.
3. Environmental Protection Minister Erdan and Environmental Protection Ministry Director General Alona Sheafer Karo briefed ministers on the ministry's activities and operations from 2009-2013.