Monday, January 13, 2025
Biden program meant to ‘protect Jewish institutions’ pays out six-figure grants to mosques that preach antisemitic hate
By Chuck Ross, The Washington Free Beacon
The Biden White House and Senate Democrats have touted their funding for an anti-terrorism initiative they say “has been critical to the security of Jewish institutions.”
But the program has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent months to mosques whose clerics have preached anti-Semitic hate, cheered Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel, and been accused of raising money for terrorist groups.
The Department of Homeland Security has awarded $150,000 in grants since November to Masjid Jamaat al Mumineen, the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent, and the Islamic Center of Bothell as part of its “Nonprofit Security Grant Program,” according to federal records.
The program gives taxpayer funds to nonprofits and religious groups deemed “at high risk of terrorist attack” to help enhance security.
President Joe Biden touted the program last year as an example of the administration’s “aggressive” actions to counter anti-Semitism and “protect Jewish institutions.”
But the mosques have condoned the kinds of violence the grant program aims to prevent.
UK Warns Chabad on Fundraising for IDF
The UK government issued an official warning to Chabad's charity branch after its London and Essex center raised £2,280 for an IDF soldier.
The Charity Commission stated that fundraising for foreign armies is illegal and unacceptable for such organizations.
The fundraising activities were halted in January 2024 following an investigation triggered by 180 complaints.
DemonRats Award AOC Coveted Promotion Despite Her Anti US/Israel Opinions!
*After Years Attacking Israel, AOC Secures House Promotion*
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) has been appointed to the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee, a significant step up in her political career.
Despite past tensions with Democratic leaders and criticism over her anti-Israel stance, AOC’s growing influence raises concerns about her rhetoric from this new platform.
Her appointment follows prior unsuccessful bids for other leadership roles and ongoing criticism of U.S.-Israel relations.
Denmark frantically messages Trump about security concessions on Greenland after he threatened to take it over
Danish leaders have sent private messages to President-elect Donald Trump’s team in recent days in a bid to pacify his ambitions for taking over Greenland, according to a new report.
Copenhagen is allegedly open to allowing US military presence on the autonomous island to boost security and appease Trump, who claimed “military coercion” could be deployed to bring Greenland under US rule, sources familiar with the talks told Axios.
The Danish government, which is responsible for Greenland’s defense, wants to avoid clashing with the US and hopes to assure Trump that Greenland will be safe from Russia and China without the need for American annexation, the sources added.
Copenhagen has also asked Trump’s team to clarify the incoming president’s comments after he shocked the world by suggesting that the US could invade the longstanding NATO ally.
One European diplomat told Axios that Denmark was widely seen as America’s closest ally in the European Union, and that no one could have imagined it’d be the first Trump would pick a fight with.
Greenland had been a colony of Denmark since the 18th century and became a self-governing Danish territory in 1953.
In 2009, the island won the right to secure independence if they ever voted to do so — something that Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede supports.
Egede, however, does not support the annexation of Greenland into the US.
At a press conference Friday in Denmark, Egede said he was open to discuss Greenland’s future with Trump, but warned that his people had no interest in becoming Americans.
“We are ready to talk,” he said. “Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means that you will work towards solutions.”
The US already has a military base on Greenland and has had a defense agreement in place since 1951, which would make it easy to increase American troops on the island.
Greenland’s strategic importance has increased exponentially in recent years with ice-bound arctic waterways melting and world powers scrambling for new real estate between the United States and Russia.
The territory and its surrounding waters are rich in critical minerals and natural resources.
We can’t let Mark Zuckerberg pass the buck on Meta’s censorship
by Miranda Devine NYP
No, Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t get to go on Joe Rogan’s podcast and pretend he’s a free speech champion as if there were nothing he could have done to stop the censorship at Facebook that rigged the 2020 election and probably cost lives during the pandemic.
The wanksta-lite makeover can’t hide Zuck’s sins, from throttling The Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 election to deplatforming a sitting president, Donald Trump, to suppressing COVID-19 dissent.
No matter how many “Iron Neck” workouts he does in an attempt to de-nerd himself, the billionaire tech titan will always be a spineless coward whose monopoly needs to be broken up. No one person should be wielding historically unprecedented power to censor political thought and speech, least of all a socially inept tech bro.
The Facebook founder whose Meta group behemoth owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp whined to Rogan Friday that “these people from the Biden administration would call up our team, and, like, scream at them, and curse,” to force them to take down posts. Now he tells us.
As the Case Against Netanyahu Crumbles Prosecutors Scramble to Go after his wife Sara
As the legal case against Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu weakens, prosecutors appear to be intensifying efforts against his political circle, now focusing on his wife, Sara Netanyahu. Police investigators from the Lahav 433 unit have reportedly seized phones belonging to the children of Hanni Bleiweiss, a late aide to the prime minister, as part of an investigation into allegations against Sara Netanyahu.
The investigation stems from a Channel 12 exposé aired last month, which alleged that Sara Netanyahu sought to intimidate a witness in her husband’s criminal trial and directed protesters to target justice officials perceived as adversaries of the Netanyahu family. Central to these claims is alleged phone correspondence between Bleiweiss and Sara Netanyahu. Bleiweiss passed away from cancer in March 2023.
After obtaining a search warrant, police confiscated phones held by Bleiweiss’s children, hoping one might belong to their late mother. However, investigators now believe none of the seized devices hold evidence to support the Channel 12 allegations. According to a report by Ynet, authorities suspect that the family’s attorney, Yaron Forer, may possess Bleiweiss’s phone. Forer has refused to confirm or deny this claim, citing concerns about obstruction of justice.
Reports surfaced last week that Bleiweiss’s three children were questioned on suspicion of obstructing justice after allegedly refusing to hand over the phone to police, claiming they did not know its whereabouts.
The Channel 12 report accuses Sara Netanyahu of instructing Bleiweiss to mobilize activists from the Likud party, led by her husband, to harass political opponents. Specific allegations include directing activists to verbally assault neighbors of the Netanyahus, who were parents of a fallen military pilot and active in protests against the prime minister. Sara Netanyahu is also accused of orchestrating demonstrations outside the home of Hadas Klein, a key witness in one of the criminal cases against her husband, and encouraging verbal attacks on Klein through social media.
Holocaust Survivor’s Menorah Survives California Wildfire, Symbolizing Hope and Resilience
In the midst of a devastating wildfire that destroyed their family home, Joshua Kotler and his wife Emily were left with nothing but their lives. However, from the ashes of their Altadena home, one precious item emerged: a menorah that had once belonged to Joshua’s grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.
The Kotler family, including their two daughters, Liberty, 4, and Eve, 2, had evacuated their home as the fire rapidly advanced. While they managed to flee with just a few clothes and the necessities, they never imagined the fire would destroy everything they had. Their home, perched at the top of a mountain, was completely consumed by the flames.
“We got out of our house safely, thank God,” Joshua told The New York Post, reflecting on their escape. The next morning, as firefighters surveyed the damage, Joshua and Emily returned to see what, if anything, had survived. Amid the devastation, the only item that remained unscathed was the menorah, a family heirloom passed down through generations.
“It was insanely powerful to find it,” Joshua said, choking up. “The night before, I had been crying on the phone with my cousin, regretting not grabbing it when we left. And then to find it, the only thing left from our entire house—it was just an insane feeling.”
The menorah’s survival felt almost miraculous. It had witnessed history—having survived the horrors of the Holocaust—now it had survived a destructive wildfire. For Joshua, it was more than just an object; it was a symbol of survival, resilience, and the enduring strength of his family’s legacy.
As he recovered the menorah from the wreckage, he recalled the fear and uncertainty that gripped him as the fire approached. “I was trying to save the house, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. I kept wondering if we would make it out,” he said. “But finding that menorah, it was a sign—no matter what, we’re still here.”
While their home was lost, the Kotlers have found hope in this small but significant piece of history that now carries a new meaning: a reminder that even in the darkest moments, something precious can endure. “We’re alive. That’s all that matters,” Joshua reflected, holding his family close, grateful for their survival and the menorah that connected their past with their future.
Rabbi Bender Suggests That Parents Should Not Meet In Person With Tuition Committee Due to Embarrassment
Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh Yeshiva of Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway, has written part 2 of a column addressing the extremely challenging tuition crisis. Writing in the Monsey Mevaser, Rabbi Bender responded to a parent who described a highly unpleasant experience, begging for a tuition break.
The parent wrote the following:
“We have the unfortunate pleasure of having to expose our private financial
situation and we also get to undergo a humiliating and degrading process and beg for scholarships with five different administrations and tuition committees. None of them seem to care about how or what we arrange with the others, each of them wants only for themselves.
“For instance, when I tell them that the total dollars I can pay for all of my tuitions is x and I would like to divide that equally per child, I am told “no way” and that they can only worry about their bottom line and I will have to deal with the other schools however I’d like to. (Does my obligation of Talmud Torah for my boys means yeshivos deserve more than Bais Yaakovs?)
At one point the parent also wrote:
“One board member of a school (who serves on the board of another school as well) actually told us that choosing their school is like buying a Lexus and if you want the best, you will have to
“One school set up appointments for all those who wanted scholarships to come the same night, causing the parents to be embarrassed sitting together in a waiting room. Sadly, there are more stories like these.
“What should the schools do? Is there an answer? Who can parents go to if they feel hurt by how the school treats them? Please help. Please offer ideas and suggestions on what can be done on a community level and what can or should be done on a personal level.”
Again, Rabbi Bender responded with great empathy, and emphasized that in his yeshiva and his community, parents are treated with respect, dignity, and a great deal of compassion.
The Rosh Yeshiva’s response read, in part:
There is no excuse for some of the horror stories mentioned. In our neighborhood, the schools compete for students and dollars just like everywhere else, but the directors of all the schools meet every once in a while. There are not usually major policy issues to be ironed out. That’s not the point-though the give and take is often enlightening. The point is that the directors are on a first name, cordial basis with each other; and it often happens that one will pick up the phone and call his counterpart to work out jointly a tuition package for the needy family.
The Rosh Yeshiva also wrote:
“Allowing applicants to meet each other should be anathema to any school administration with a modicum of decency. Best would be not having to meet at all. There is bound to be embarrassment in the presence of the committee members, irrespective of other applicants. We have found it more productive at first with specific questions posed over the phone. A meeting is a last resort…”
Sunday, January 12, 2025
The Mayor Of Beit Shemesh Caves into Extremists and allows them to Terrorize Beit Shemesh
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| The Clueless Dunce Greenberg |
If you remember, Beit Shesmesh had an election last year for mayor, Shmuel Greenberg "the dunce" against the incumbent, the Mayor Dr Aliza Bloch!
Dr. Aliza Bloch was a Mayor for all of the Beit Shemesh residents; the population of Beit Shemesh incorporates all different types, Chilonim, Dati Leumi, Sfardim, Litvaks, Chassidim, Chareidim and of course a minority of extremists! She managed to placate all of them!
But the Chareidim, even though they hate each other guts managed somehow to unite and put up a clueless puppet Shmuel Greenberg as their candidate! They reasoned that Greenberg could be manipulated and if he would win they would pack the entire City Hall with Chareidim to cater exclusively to Chareidim! Greenberg was the candidate running under the Degel flag, and they made a deal that in the next mayoral election Shas or Aguda's candidate would be the anointed one!
To get him elected they dragged Rav Dov Landau from Bnei-Brak who could barely walk to a Campaign Rally on a Motzei Shabbos that took place in Beit Shemesh in a Sports Center where until now the Local Chareidie Rabbis, (that will remain nameless for this post ,) prohibited יהרג ועל יעבור to enter!
But what would we not do for כבוד התורה?
I had the honor and זכות to come to the event!
It didn't take long until someone shoved a piece of paper under Rav Landau's nose, a note for him to read to the 3,000 who attended!
I could not believe what I heard him say!
He said that it was of utmost importance to vote for Degel in this election and that this election was a מלחמת מצוה!
I want to repeat what I just wrote!
Rav Landau told 3,000 people that voting for the "dunce" Greenberg was a מלחמת מצוה!
The dais was packed with the local Beit Shemesh Chareidie "gedoilim' nodding along as if this was תורת אמת לאמיתו של תורה!
I must put this in the context of what was happening at that very time in Israel!
It was 5 months after the massacre of October 7, and Jewish blood was gushing in the streets of Gaza and in the North! Millions of Israelis were running during this very Motzei Shabbos event, to shelters! Millions of Israelis were evacuated from their homes! Husbands left their wives and families to serve selflessly in the reserves. Sons said goodbye to their parents, some unfortunately for the last time, and here were 3,000 participants totally disconnected to what was happening to their very own brothers and sisters just a couple of miles away, to listen to dribble and nonsense!
And who was this מלחמת מצוה against!
Dr Aliza Bloch who is a שומרת תורה ומצות and whose children and grandchildren are all in Yeshivois!
To get Greenberg elected, all Yeshivois that had students who were of voting age closed for the day and those students who lived in Beit Shemesh but learned in Yeshivois outside of BS were bused in from Bnei-Brak, Ashdod, Yerushalayim etc! After all, Rav Landau paskened that this was a מלחמת מצוה! And by a מלחמת מצוה all those learning must slam their gemmarras shut and go out and "fight" in this case 'vote'!
It is interesting to note that when Dati Leumi Rabbis said that this war was a מלחמת מצוה, and that even a Kallah under the Chupah goes to war, they mocked them quoting the Rambam on what the criteria of a מלחמת מצוה should be! I looked up the Rambam and couldn't find anywhere that a מלחמת מצוה is closing down yeshivos to vote for a bono-fide clown!
I was sitting there stunned, looking around if I was the only one who saw the irony of all this! Am I the only crazy one here? I was thinking, I grew up in a frum family, learned in Chareidie Yeshivois, married Chareidie and lead a Charediie life, all my friends are Chareidie and I couldn't believe what I was listening to?
I wondered if there was even one other solitary person in the entire audience of 3,000 that was thinking like me?
This very same Rav Landau paskened that it was יהרג ועל יעבור not to fight for the survival of their own Jewish brothers and sisters but that this Mayoral Election was a מלחמת מצוה and Yeshiovois had to close down and be מבטל תורה to give the students an opportunity to vote for a complete imbecile, who ran against a fellow Frum Jew!
It didn't take long, and Greenberg was elected by a landslide!
Now, I know Shmuel Greenberg personally, and I think that he is the nicest guy, but a Mayor?
Anyway he appointed Shimon Goldberg as one of his Assistant Mayors who is really the Mayor!
Shimon Goldberg immediately closed down Dati Leumi Ganim that were bordering Chareide Neighborhoods like in Sheinfeld and stuffed them with Chareide Children exclusively leaving parents of Dati Leumi children without schools!
I could go on and on!
But as expected, you cannot keep feeding a hungry lion thinking that he will be satisfied! The Extremists living in Beit Shemesh Bet saw an opportunity and began rioting, burning Trash bins, and stopping traffic for reasons only G-d knows, all while Jewish children in uniform were dying and getting injured! When I write "injured" I mean permanent "injuries" some losing limbs, some paralyzed etc etc!
There is now a new neighborhood in Beit Shemesh, called Beit Shemesh Dalet! Extremists from Beit Shmesh Bet come every night in buses to disrupt life and make residents miserable. Greenberg won't do anything because he is afraid of them and he packed his entire cabinet with Charedie crazies who have zero experience running a government!
Purim came early for Beit Shemesh!
Disappointment: Beit Shemesh Police Again Surrender to Extremists ▪︎ Watch the Arrest That Stirs Up the City* 📢
Last night, after many months, the police finally decided to intervene in the 'Bnei Aliya Community' situation and make an arrest.
However, instead of arresting the extremists who are terrorizing the residents, the police chose to arrest the rabbi of the American synagogue, who has been suffering for many months from repeated harassment by the extremists.
*A little background to the affair that is currently stirring up the Rama D neighborhood in Beit Shemesh:*
Chernobyl Hasidim erected an illegal concrete monster in the Rama D neighborhood.
After an investigation by 'City News' -Police in a nighttime operation completely demolished the structure!
Since the demolition, the Hasidim, together with extremists from the city's fanatical circles, have been trying to take over the synagogue building of the neighboring American 'Bnei Aliya Community.
Every Shabbat extremists arrive there en masse and hold prayers in the American synagogue, with some not even hiding their intentions: to slowly take over the building *and scare away the American worshippers,
Disappointingly, despite repeated complaints to the police, the Beit Shemesh police have so far chosen to ignore and not take any action that would prevent the extremists from taking over.
Recently, the American community was shocked to learn that the Chernobyl Hasidim have another place where they hold Shabbat prayers and meals, right on the street next to their destroyed building.
Last night, Yoni - the gabbai of the American synagogue - arrived to visit there and see for himself whether the rumor is true and why, if so, they are harassing them.
However, unlike the police's behavior so far in the face of the threats and bullying that Americans are enduring - the police arrived within minutes at the scene and took Yoni into custody, humiliating him in front of dozens of Hasidim.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that the police have been subjected to pressure from extremist activists in Beit Shemesh. However, it now turns out that the new station commander *Assef Doak* is no different from his predecessor in the position.
* 📢
** אמש, לאחר חודשים רבים, מחליטה סוף סוף המשטרה להתערב בפרשיית 'קהילת בני עליה' ולבצע מעצר.
אלא שבמקום לעצור את הקיצונים שמהלכים אימים על התושבים, במשטרה בחרו לעצור את גבאי בית הכנסת האמריקאי שסובל כבר חודשים ארוכות מהצקות חוזרות ונשנות, מצד הקיצונים.
*מעט רקע לפרשיה שמסעירה כעת את שכונת רמה ד' בבית שמש:*
חסידי טשערנוביל הקימו מפלצת בטון לא חוקית, בשכונת רמה ד'. לאחר תחקיר 'חדשות העיר' - במבצע לילי שנערך בחודשים האחרונים ובהשתתפות עשרות שוטרים, המבנה נהרס כליל.
מאז ההריסה, מנסים החסידים יחד עם קיצונים מחוגי הקנאים בעיר, להשתלט על מבנה בית הכנסת של קהילת 'בני עליה' האמריקאית.
מידי שבת הם מגיעים לשם בהמוניהם ומקיימים את התפילות בבית הכנסת האמריקאי, כשחלקם אף לא מסתירים את כוונותיהם: להשתלט אט אט על המבנה *ולהרחיק מהשכונה את המתפללים האמריקאים שנחשבים לליברלים יותר.*
למרבה האכזבה, חרף התלונות החוזרות ונשנות למשטרה, עד כה בחרה משטרת בית שמש להתעלם ולא לבצע שום פעולה שתמנע את השתלטות הקיצונים.
בתקופה האחרונה, נדהמו בקהילה האמריקאית לשמוע, שלחסידי טשערנוביל ישנו מקום נוסף בו הם עורכים תפילות וסעודות שבת, ממש ברחוב הסמוך למבנה שנהרס להם. אמש, הגיע יוני - גבאי בית הכנסת האמריקאי, לבקר שם ולראות במו עיניו האם השמועה נכונה ומדוע אם כך הם מתנכלים אליהם.
אלא שבשונה מהתנהלות המשטרה עד כה מול האיומים והבריונות שסופגים האמריקאים - תוך דקות בודדות הגיעו למקום שוטרים ולקחו את יוני למעצר, תוך השפלתו לעיני עשרות החסידים.
נציין כי זו אינה הפעם הראשונה בה המשטרה נתונה ללחץ עסקני הקיצונים בבית שמש. אלא שכעת מתברר שגם מפקד התחנה החדש *אסף דואק לא שונה מקודמו בתפקיד.*
A Stone from the Kotel Shipped to 2025 World Expo in Osaka to Be Touched by 28 Million Visitors
Is the "issur" "chall" on the Kotel only or is the "issur" "chall" on the stones?
If in fact the "issur" is on the Kotel only, the place where according to the gemmarrah, the "shechina never left" then they would be able to visit the stone in Japan, but if the "issur" is "chall" on the stones, then they won't be able to visit the stone even in Japan! Final Psak!!
The Israeli Foreign Ministry is planning a special operation to transport a stone from the Western Wall to Japan for display at the Osaka Expo. This major international fair, expected to draw approximately 28 million visitors over six months, will feature the stone taken from the southern section of the Western Wall with the assistance of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The cost of transporting the stone is estimated at $32,525 for the round trip.
The Expo is scheduled to open on April 13 in Osaka. A preliminary delegation from the Foreign Ministry has already visited the site to prepare for the establishment of the Israeli pavilion. In collaboration with the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo, the ministry is investing significant resources into the pavilion, which will highlight Jewish tradition and culture alongside Israeli innovation and entrepreneurship.
Initially, Israel had not intended to participate in the Expo, citing constraints following the October 7 attack which made it difficult to construct a pavilion comparable in size to previous years, such as the 1,200-square-meter pavilion at the last fair. However, after persistent efforts by the Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Japan, the decision was made to proceed with participation due to the event’s political significance. The Israeli government has allocated NIS 10 million ($2.73 million) for the pavilion’s construction.
Over the course of the six-month event, the Israeli delegation will organize a variety of activities, including seminars on technology, innovation, education, and elderly healthcare. Additional events will be hosted by the Ministries of Tourism and Economy. Cultural programs, such as dance, jazz, and visual arts performances, are also planned for the pavilion.
More than 3,000 Murderers to Be Released in Hostage Deal
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| Qadura Fares |
Qadura Fares, chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Committee, disclosed in a Sunday interview with the Maan news agency that as part of the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the number of prisoners to be released is expected to exceed 3,000.
He explained that the first phase of the agreement would involve the release of 25 Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of 48 terrorists previously freed in the Shalit deal and later re-imprisoned. This phase will also include the release of approximately 1,000 additional terrorists, including all women and children held in Israeli prisons, as well as 200 individuals sentenced to life imprisonment.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed Israel’s senior negotiating team to join the professional echelon in Doha, signaling an intensified push to secure a deal for the release of hostages from their harsh captivity in the Gaza Strip.
The senior team includes the head of the Mossad, the head of the Shin Bet, Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, and political advisor Ofir Falk. The deployment of the expanded team suggests potential progress in the negotiations. This move comes amid conflicting reports about the factors delaying the deal. While there are indications from Israel and the U.S. of Hamas’s opposition, some have pointed to Netanyahu as a potential cause of the delays.
The decision to send Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, despite the strained relationship between him and the prime minister, is seen as an effort to preempt future accusations that Israel is not approaching the negotiations with the necessary seriousness.
According to sources familiar with the details, the current negotiations are focused on a broader deal than previous ones, involving the release of a greater number of hostages and a longer ceasefire. However, it remains uncertain whether the agreements being discussed with Hamas representatives abroad will be acceptable to the group’s leaders in the Gaza Strip.
Qadura Fares also mentioned that most of the terrorists would return to their homes in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza. However, those sentenced to life imprisonment are expected to be deported to countries like Qatar, Egypt, or Turkey. “This exile is a necessary step to prevent any threats to the lives of the Palestinians being released,” Fares told Ma’an.
In the interview, Fares disclosed that Israel had requested that nine more hostages, including wounded soldiers, be added to the list for the first phase of the deal. In exchange, Israel is expected to release an additional number of terrorists sentenced to life imprisonment. Fares emphasized that these conditions are currently central to the ongoing negotiations between the parties.
Smotrich Collects PA’s Entire Billion-Dollar Debt
Israel’s Finance Ministry is deducting billions of shekels from the Palestinian Authority’s debts while also depleting the Norwegian fund where “Gaza money” has been stored since the war began. This marks a significant development, as the PA’s debt to the Israel Electric Company has led to substantial loans at high interest rates, damaging the company’s credit. Ultimately, this financial strain was passed on to Israeli consumers, Israel Hayom reported on Sunday.
The initiative, spearheaded by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over the past year, culminated on Sunday when he informed the political and security cabinet of its completion. The process successfully recovered the full debt of 1.9 billion shekels ($520 million), which had remained outstanding for over a decade.
Additionally, and equally significant, the Finance Ministry issued an executive order on Sunday regarding the Norwegian fund, which had received millions offset from the Palestinian Authority’s funds by the State of Israel. These funds, earmarked for Gaza (275 million shekels per month – $75 million), amounted last May to a total of 1.4 billion shekels ($380 million). The order directs that the funds be used to settle the PA’s debts to Israeli companies: half will be allocated to the companies that supplied fuel to the PA, while the other half will go to the Israel Electric Company.
It helped that over the past two years or so, the Biden administration boycotted Minister Smotrich and as a result was unable to negotiate with him. As a result, American demands for interest rate reductions were met with a firm rejection from the Finance Ministry, which refused to compromise on even a single shekel. The ministry stressed that such “discounts” create negative incentives and pointed out that no Israeli consumer would receive similar concessions.
Since last May, when Norway unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state, Minister Smotrich halted the transfer of offset funds to the Norwegian fund and began accumulating the amounts separately within Israel. Now, the funds, which were originally intended to be returned to the Palestinian Authority after the war, are being redirected to cover debts owed to the IEC, in coordination with the United States.
Behind the scenes, Finance Ministry Deputy Director General Yoray Matzlawi led the negotiations with the PA and various American officials. Matzlawi achieved what his predecessors could not: ensuring the full transfer of funds to the Electric Company from the PA’s accounts, including the accrued interest on arrears, without any reductions.
The Palestinian Authority’s debt to the IEC has been an ongoing issue for the State of Israel for 15 years. In 2016 and 2020, former Finance Ministry Director General Shai Babad (currently the CEO & President at Strauss Group) reached two agreements with the PA to settle the accumulating debt. However, the PA repeatedly violated these agreements, preventing a resolution to the longstanding financial dispute.
On Sunday, 1.1 billion shekels are being fully cleared and transferred to the Israel Electric Corporation, sourced partly from the Norwegian fund and partly from the funds accumulated in Israel. After reaching agreements with the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, the use of the Norwegian fund for PA purposes was prevented. Norway will now receive a formal letter from the Finance Ministry requesting the funds for the payment of various debts.
by David Israel JP
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