​(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 9 June 2013):

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"Over the weekend, I spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. We discussed issues related to Syria, where the situation is becoming daily more complex. Only last week, we saw battles close to out border on the Golan Heights. Israel is not intervening in the Syrian civil war, as long as fire is not being directed at us. The crumbling of the UN force on the Golan Heights underscores the fact that Israel cannot depend on international forces for its security. They can be part of the arrangements. They cannot be the basic foundation of Israel's security.

I will also discuss this with US Secretary of State Kerry. I have spoken, and will speak, with him about this, and together we will try to advance a way to find an opening for negotiations with the Palestinians with the goal of reaching an agreement. This agreement will be based on a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state, and on solid security arrangements based on the IDF.

So that we might meet these and the many other challenges facing us, the Government must function as one unit. As of today, in less than three months, we have done much. First of all, the Cabinet passed the budget. We passed the 'Open Skies' agreement. We formulated an outline on a more equal sharing of the burden. We are now changing the date for the conclusion of daylight savings time. There are also many other things that ministers are working on that will reach the Cabinet table and will be passed. I would like to re-emphasize that the citizens of Israel chose us to focus on getting things done, not on petty politics – and this we will do.

Last week I commended Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch and Israel Police Commissioner Inspector-General Yohanan Danino on the impressive progress in the investigation of the horrible murder at the youth club in Tel Aviv. I visited the site shortly after the crime and met with several young people who were there at the time of the murder. It seems that there has been very substantial progress. I very much hope that this cycle will be concluded shortly. This is important for the rule of law in the State of Israel and for the sense of equality for all Israelis."

2. Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to the passing of author Yoram Kaniuk:

"An important writer in Israel, Yoram Kaniuk, passed away yesterday. He expressed many aspects of the Israeli and Jewish experiences. He was a sharp opponent of mine but I must say that he was also a very talented writer, with impressive literary abilities and he expressed to the best of his ability the understandings of matters that he deemed important for assuring the future of the state."

3. National Security Council Chairman Yaakov Amidror, in the context of deepening ministers' basic knowledge, gave a briefing on the national security picture. He referred to recent changes in the Middle East, including the international community's assessment of them.

4. Pursuant to Article 12 of the 1959 State Service Law, the Cabinet appointed Oded Forer as Director General of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, in place of Dmitry Aparchev.

5. Pursuant to Article 23 of the 1959 State Service Law and in accordance with the proposal of Finance Minister Yair Lapid, the Cabinet appointed Amir Levy as Finance Ministry Budget Division Director, in place of Gal Hershkowitz, effective 1 August 2013.

6. The Cabinet discussed and amended the process of issuing security export permits for firearms.

7. The Cabinet extended the validity of legislation governing the service of IDF personnel in frameworks such as education, immigrant absorption, health and liaison with Diaspora communities.

8. The Cabinet ratified the 16 February 2004 agreement with Poland on the joint production of films and authorized Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat to oversee the implementation of this decision.

9. The Cabinet unanimously approved expanding the authority of the Ministerial Committee on Socio-Economic Affairs (the Socio-Economic Cabinet).

10. The Cabinet appointed ministerial committees on the development of the Negev and the Galilee, foreign service appointments, and symbols and ceremonies.

11. The Cabinet authorized the trip of Prime Minister Netanyahu and additional ministers to Poland in order to attend the inter-government consultative forum to be held this week.