(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 22 June 2014):
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:
"Over the weekend I met with the parents of the
abducted youths. I promised them that we are doing, and will do, everything to bring the abducted boys home safely. We are in the midst of a continuing and focused effort to – first of all –
bring the boys home. This effort entails a certain friction with the civilian population in Judea and Samaria; we have no intention of deliberately harming anyone but our forces are acting as necessary for self-defense and from time to time there are victims or casualties on the Palestinian side as a result of the self-defense actions of our soldiers.
We are focusing on returning the abductees, on finding the kidnappers and on striking at the organization to which they belong. We have unequivocal proof that this is Hamas. We are sharing this proof and information to this effect with several countries. Soon this information will be made public. I think that at that time Abu Mazen's remarks in Saudi Arabia will be put to the test in practice. His remarks will be tested not only by actions to return the boys home but by his willingness to dissolve the unity government with Hamas, which abducted the youths and calls for the destruction of Israel."
JPPPI directors Stuart Eizenstat and Dennis Ross discussed recent developments in the Middle East and their effect on the State of Israel.
Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky briefed ministers on the joint Government-Jewish Agency projects on various issues regarding global Jewish communities and their links with the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Netanyahu summarized the discussion and said that the State of Israel, along with the Jewish People, had to act to increase Jewish identity and the solidarity of young people in the Diaspora with the State of Israel. He made it clear that the State of Israel had to deal with the challenges posed by the struggle against anti-Semitism, efforts to de-legitimize the Israel, and the fact that states in the region possess weapons of mass destruction. The Prime Minister concluded by noting that the State of Israel must also take advantage of the opportunities afforded it in the wake of various developments in both the region and the world.
3. Pursuant to Article 23 of the 1959 State Service Law (Appointments), the Cabinet decided to approve the appointment of Eyal Globus as Director of the Justice Ministry Corporations Authority.
4. The Cabinet discussed and approved a plan to encourage immigration from European countries as well as a national plan to encourage immigration to Israel in general.
5. The Cabinet appointed an inter-ministerial team to formulate a plan on encouraging the integration of immigrants in the labor force.
6. The Cabinet approved draft legislation regarding the levying of VAT on apartment purchases.
8. The Cabinet discussed special assistance to local councils in Judea and Samaria and decided:
The Interior Ministry will work to assist local authorities in Judea and Samaria regarding costs and demands stemming from their readiness vis-à-vis the security situation that has been created against the background of the abduction of the three youths that occurred on 12 June 2014.
To this end, the Finance Ministry will, in the first stage, allocate a NIS 5 million supplemental budget to the Interior Ministry.
Interior Minister Gideon Saar and Finance Minister Yair Lapid will – within seven days – agree on an additional budgetary supplement to be allocated to the Interior Ministry in order to provide the aforesaid assistance.