At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 10 November 2013):

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"Good morning. This meeting at Sde Boker expresses our commitment to develop the Negev and cancel the periphery, to link the Negev and the Galilee to the center of the country, and to expedite the development of both of these areas. 

Today, we will decide on two new communities that we would like to build in the Negev and on a visitor's center in Be'er Sheva. Of course, this is in addition to the briefings on continued development, moving IDF bases to the south, building railroads and expressways, and turning Be'er Sheva into a global cyber center, which will expedite the development of the entire Negev, which Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion​, very much wanted to do, and which we will greatly expedite with a combination of government investments and market forces. These are very powerful engines and they are already operating, and they will operate, of course, in the future as well. Thus we will be briefed and we will also make decisions.

Over the weekend I spoke with US President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron. I told them that according to the information reaching Israel, the apparent deal is bad and dangerous. It is dangerous not just for us, it is also dangerous for them. It is dangerous for world peace because it lowers the pressure of sanctions that took years to build while on the other hand, Iran, in practice, retains its nuclear enrichment capability as well as the ability to advance along the plutonium track. I emphasize that the proffered deal does not include the dismantling of even one centrifuge. 

I asked all the leaders – why the haste? I proposed that they wait, that they consider the matter seriously. This is an historic process and these are historic decisions. I asked to wait. It is good that this is what was decided in the end but I am not deluding myself – there is a strong desire to reach an agreement, I hope not an agreement at any price, and if there is to be an agreement then it needs to be a good agreement and not a bad agreement.

A good agreement means an agreement that reduces or completely dismantles Iran's ability to arm itself with nuclear weapons or to prepare and produce material for nuclear weapons. A bad agreement leaves this ability intact and lets the air out of the sanctions. I hope that they will reach a good agreement and we will do our utmost to convince the major powers and the leaders to avoid a bad agreement.

Today, we mark 75 years since Kristallnacht. It is very disturbing that precisely now we are witness to the phenomenon of swastikas and Nazi-style salutes on Palestinian networks. This is a direct result of the continued wild incitement against the State of Israel. This is not the way to achieve peace. Neither will peace be achieved by international pressure on Israel. No pressure will lead us to abandon our vital interests. An agreement will be achieved only when Israel receives an appropriate response regarding its vital interests, especially security, but also others which are part of our heritage and part of our future.

Thank you."

2. The Cabinet discussed adding a minister to the Government and changing the allocation of portfolios and decided as follows:

Pursuant to Article 31A of Basic Law: The Government, the Prime Minister will cease to serve as Foreign Minister, subject to Knesset approval;

Pursuant to Article 15 of Basic Law: The Government and in accordance with the proposal of Prime Minister Netanyahu, to bring MK Avigdor Liberman into the Government as Foreign Minister;

Pursuant to Article 26 of Basic Law: The Government, to inform the Knesset that MK Zeev Elkin will have ceased to serve as Deputy Foreign Minister on the day that the Prime Minister ceases to serve as Foreign Minister.

3. The Cabinet discussed the plan to strengthen national heritage infrastructure. 

4. Negev and Galilee Development Minister Silvan Shalom briefed the Cabinet on his ministry's projects in developing the Negev, including those to advance rural settlement, housing, employment, education, industry, infrastructures, culture and recreation.

5. The Cabinet discussed the construction of a Negev heritage visitor's center as part of the national plan to develop the Negev. 

6. Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel presented a multi-year (2014-2018) plan to establish new communities in the Negev.

7. The Cabinet approved the establishment of a new religious community, Kesif, in the vicinity of Tel Arad junction.

8. The Cabinet approved the establishment of a new community, Hiran, I the northern Negev, east of Meitar.

9. The Cabinet decided to consider the establishment of a new community in the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council area.

10. Pursuant to Article 23 of the 1959 State Service Law, the Cabinet decided to appoint Arnon Perlman as Israel's Consul-General in Shanghai, China in place of Yaakov Eldan who has concluded his term.

11. Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and Brig.-Gen. Agai Yehezkel briefed the Cabinet on the status of moving IDF bases to the Negev, including the benefits to the Negev, its residents and the IDF.