At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 6 December 2015):
 
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon made the following remarks:
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu: 
"I would like to wish the entire People of Israel a Happy Chanukah. Tonight we light the first candle of Chanukah. While Chanukah is also a holiday for family gatherings, it is, first and foremost, a holiday of Jewish heroism, the heroism of a small, determined people that restored its independence and its sovereignty, which spread light and banished darkness; to a large extent it is the story of the State of Israel today.
 
Indeed we are a small, but very determined, people that brings progress and fights darkness, and very many countries around the world appreciate this today. While we are helping them with knowledge, technology, security and cyber, we – first and foremost – defend ourselves and as in the days of the Maccabees, we have restored our independence and our defensive abilities.
 
Therefore, at this time, on the eve of Chanukah, there is no more appropriate time to submit the initiative of raising the salary of conscript soldiers. In the end, we live on our defensive capabilities, which IDF soldiers provide, and I am pleased that there is agreement – between the Finance Minister, the Defense Minister and the Prime Minister. I assume, and I am certain, that all ministers will join in raising the salary of IDF soldiers; it is necessary, right and correct, and there is no better gift for the eve of Chanukah."
 
The Finance Minister will say a few words and afterwards I will add other issues."
 
Finance Minister Kahlon: "There is broad agreement between the Prime Minister, the Finance Ministry, the Defense Ministry and all ministers, to raise the salary of all conscript soldiers. This corrects a longstanding injustice and I am pleased that it has fallen to us to do it. We have succeeded in correcting this injustice. The supplement is significant – approximately 50% in one go. It is important for us to send a clear message to parents. Just as commanders watch over and protect the security of the soldiers, we in the government are also concerned for their needs. It is still not enough, but we are on the right track; the step we have taken is a significant one. Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you, the Defense Minister, the other ministers and all those who took part in this matter."
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu: "Mr. Finance Minister, thank you very much. I would like to make it clear – Israel will not be a binational state. But in order for there to be peace, the other side needs to decide that it also wants peace. To my regret, this is not what we see. First of all, the  Palestinian Authority incitement is continuing  – it must stop. And I see the senior Palestinian official in charge of the negotiations going to console the family of a terrorist who tried to murder Jews. Not only does he not condemn it, he goes to offer condolences and thereby gives backing and encouragement to acts of terrorism.
 
Whoever wants peace needs to condemn these things unequivocally, just as I am doing here, and I also condemn the Swedish Foreign Minister's scandalous remarks. Apparently she expects Israelis to offer their necks to whoever wants to stab them. This will not happen and we will continue to defend the lives of Israel's citizens.
 
Yossi Sarid sat around this table and also around Knesset tables for many years. His was a unique voice in Israeli politics. He expressed it sharply, bluntly and I must say, in exemplary Hebrew. I agreed with him on almost nothing, but I very much appreciated his path and the way in which he expressed himself, frequently out of a deep knowledge of Israel's heritage and our language. I am certain that all members of the government, despite the varied views around the government table, express a deep appreciation for Yossi Sarid."
 
2. Pursuant to Article 12 of the 1959 State Service Law (Appointments), the Cabinet decided to appoint Sima Vaknin Gil as Director General of the Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Ministry.
 
3. Pursuant to Article 4 of the 2002 Culture and Arts Law and in accordance with the recommendation of Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, the Cabinet decided to appoint public representative Yigal Amedi as a member and chairman of the Israel Culture and Arts Council.
 
4. The Cabinet decided that the position of chairman of the housing staff would be equal to that of a ministry director general.

5. The Cabinet approved Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon's proposal to raise the salary of conscript soldiers by 50%.
 
6. Israel National Cyber Bureau (INCB) head Dr. Eviatar Matania briefed ministers on cyber threats to the public sector and the response required to deal with them.

Dr. Matania: "The cyber revolution is to the order of the Industrial Revolution. We are developing protection concepts on the individual, organizational and national levels. There is also an extraordinary economic and business opportunity. Israel leads the world in these areas. We are promoting research and development at the national level and investments in industry, academia and more. We are working together with all the relevant bodies to defend against cyberattacks and intrusion attempts."
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "I set cyber as a national goal because it is a critical issue for us and a huge challenge. We are world pioneers and leaders. We founded the INCB. We are moving the IDF cyber units to Be'er Sheva and building an economic center there that specializes in the subject. We are taking additional steps at the national level. We will continue to invest and lead in the cyber field."