(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Advisor)
 
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 18 January 2016):
 
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:
 
"Following the nuclear agreement with Iran, Israel will continue to monitor all of Iran's international violations, including regarding the nuclear agreement, the ballistic missile agreement and terrorism. The international community must enact severe and aggressive sanctions against each violation. Were it not for our efforts to lead sanctions and thwart Iran's nuclear program, Iran would have had nuclear weapons some time ago. Israel's policy is exactly as it has been – not to allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. What is clear is that Iran will now have more resources to divert to terrorism and its aggression in the region and around the world, and Israel is prepared to deal with any threat.
 
Discussions with the American administration are currently being completed on a document of understandings for the coming decade regarding security assistance to the State of Israel. This is an important part of permanent policy between us and the United States, our ally, and it is important in order to repel threats in the region, especially the Iranian threat.
 
We in the Cabinet are continuing to promote new businesses in Israel. In continuation of the plan we passed three weeks ago, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and I are today submitting to the Cabinet the roadmap for implementing reforms to the business registration law. We will enact easements for whoever opens a business because today it is not clear what a person or an entrepreneur must do. We are unifying, simplifying and clarifying all of the requirements in a clear and unified manner. I think that this is very important for promoting new businesses in Israel.
 
In the same spirit, today in the Cabinet, Minister Gila Gamliel and I are submitting a seemingly simple proposal, but one which will make it much easier for Israeli citizens because from this decision on, citizens will be able to contact government ministries by email and not by fax. The time has come; this is clear.
 
I would like to say a word about the NGO law. I do not understand how a requirement for transparency is anti-democratic; the opposite is true. In a democratic regime, we need to know who is financing such NGOs, from the Right, the Left, up or down; financing by governments is certainly something the public should know about – it has a right to know. What needs to be done is adopt the norms accepted by the US House of Representatives. And therefore, I request that this law be advanced with two amendments: First, to drop the demand that representatives of these NGO's wear tags in the Knesset – this is unnecessary. Second, to require reports about the first shekel or dollar from foreign governments; we will thus bring the law in line with what is accepted in the US. In my view, these two amendments are necessary. I think that they are very important.
 
Now, regarding the double standard that is applied to us. You will recall that the Swedish Foreign Minister said that the actions of the security forces in Israel, as well as those of citizens, in preventing their being murdered by people with knives are executions and must be investigated in accordance with international law. I would like to ask her if what occurred in Sweden last October in which a man with, not a knife, but a long sword, killed three people and was killed by Swedish forces, if she proposes that this incident also be investigated in accordance with international law as an execution?
 
It is absolutely clear that there is an absurdity and a total distortion here and that we attack this and reject it outright. I hope that this spirit will not continue in the EU foreign ministers' discussions next week. The double standard, distortion, attacks and bias against Israel will not help the EU in being a partner in discussions on the Middle East, but even more so, this is simply inappropriate and unjust and we will not accept it."
 
2. The Cabinet decided to approve the following Foreign Service appointments:
 
Edwin Yabo – Ambassador to Ecuador;

Dov Segev-Steinberg – Ambassador to Finland and non-resident Ambassador to Estonia;

Aviva Raz-Schechter – Ambassador to the UN institutions in Geneva;

Nimrod Barkan – Ambassador to Canada;

Itzhak Gerberg – Ambassador to New Zealand and non-resident Ambassador to Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands;

David Oren – Ambassador to the Holy See;

Ilan Sztulman – Ambassador to Argentina;

Eldad Hayet – Ambassador to Chile;

Aviv Ezra – Consul-General in Chicago;

Alona Kamm-Fisher-– Ambassador to Serbia and non-resident Ambassador to Montenegro;

Aviv Shir-On – Ambassador to the Netherlands;

Galit Bar-am Amdur – Consul-General in Toronto;

Ran Gidor – Ambassador to Cameroon and non-resident Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic;

Chaim Choshen – Ambassador to the Republic of Korea;

Dori Goren – Consul-General in Sao Paulo; and

Aharon Leshno-Yaar – Ambassador to the European Union.
 
3. The Cabinet discussed and approved the establishment of a national network to prevent violence and crime against children and young people on the Internet.

4. The Cabinet discussed and approved reforms to the Business Registration Law.

5. The Cabinet discussed and approved the establishment of an on-line channel of communications for the public to use in contacting the government as an alternative to the fax.

6. The Cabinet discussed and approves changes to the management of the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Mt. Meron near Safed.

7. Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Minister Gilad Erdan and Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Ministry Director General Sima Vaknin briefed ministers on incitement in the Palestinian Authority. Details to be issued separately.