(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 30 June 2013):

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"I would like to draw your attention to three things: First, the peace process. I held a third meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry last night until the early morning, along with my colleagues on the negotiating team. Israel is ready to begin negotiations without delay, without pre-conditions. We are not putting up any impediments on the resumption of the permanent talks and a peace agreement between us and the Palestinians. There are things that we will strongly insist on in the talks themselves, especially security. We will not compromise on security and there will be no agreement that will endanger Israelis' security, and I believe, I think, that it is necessary that any agreement, if it is achieved, be submitted to the people for a decision.

The second issue that we will bring to the government is two reforms in the civil service and government ministries; in the civil service – to make service to the public and the functioning of government ministries more efficient, and in the ministries themselves, to decentralize authority among them so that they will be able to carry out their work with much less bureaucracy. All of this is designed to serve the public. These reforms are very important, we intend to advance them. Those who were active on this, and I thank them, were Civil Service Commissioner Moshe Dayan along with Prime Minister's Office Director General Harel Locker, for the continuous and important work that will be submitted for a Cabinet decision today.

Third, summer vacation begins today and many pupils, many, many pupils in Israel will finish school. I ask them, first of all, to go out and travel around the country, and be careful so that they return safe and sound, and I ask Israel's drivers to be careful with them, these are our children. Bring them back safe and sound at the end of the summer."

2. Pursuant to Article 7(viii) of the 1980 Chief Rabbinate Law, the Cabinet approved the appoint of ten rabbis to the body that elects the chief rabbis: Rabbi Shimon Elituv, Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, Rabbi Moshe Bernstein, Rabbi Yitzhak Dor, Rabbi Tzefania Drori, Rabbi Yair Elimelech Turnheim, Rabbi Pinchas Levy, Rabbi Yair Lerner, Rabbi Rafael Manat and Rabbi Moshe Klein.

Pursuant to Article 7(viii) of the 1980 Chief Rabbinate Law, the Cabinet approved the appoint of ten public representatives to the body that elects the chief rabbis: Sarah Eliash, Liat Eshel, Nechama Gonen, Yael Dolev, Dina Hahn, Lili Horowitz, Dr. Pnina Noibert, Dr. Idit Solberg, Nirit Freid and Bruria Rabinowitz.

3. Pursuant to Article 7 of the 1959 State Service Law (Appointments), the Cabinet appointed Culture and Sports Ministry Director General Orly Froman and Tourism Ministry Director General Amir Halevy as members of the State Service Committee in place of Mordechai Mordechai and Nachum Itzkowitz, who are retiring as director generals of the Construction and Housing Ministry and the Social Welfare and Social Services Ministry, respectively.

4. The Cabinet approved draft legislation on the struggle against dangerous substances (so-called "legal drugs") and authorized the Ministerial Committee on Legislation to approve the final version and submit it to the Knesset forthwith.

5. The Cabinet discussed, and decided to reject, Minister Gilad Erdan's appeal against the Ministerial Interior Committee's decision regarding the proposed IPM - Beer Tuvia Power Plant.

6. The Cabinet approved the report by the committee chaired by Civil Service Commissioner Moshe Dayan on improving public sector personnel management.

7. The Cabinet decided to appoint a steering committee to formulate an operative plan on improving staff work and the ability to implement decisions at Government ministries.

8. Health Minister Yael German and senior Health Ministry officials briefed the Cabinet on the discovery of the polio virus in a sewage system in the south. The Minister noted that no incidence of the disease was found and added that drinking water is safe for use.

9. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced, "Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis will be responsible for the advancement of women, young people and students; there is nothing in the foregoing to detract from the authority given to other ministries and units.