A Pardon for Israel's Sake, not Netanyahu's

based on an article by Emmanuel Shiloh, editor of the Besheva weekly, translated by Hillel Fendel.

For many in Israel - the growing population sector of critics of our national judicial system – the continuation of the Netanyahu trial is precisely what they would like to see. This is because they feel that so many judicial-ethical defects are being exposed in the running of the Netanyahu trial that allowing it to take its course is the best way to prove to the country that the judicial system needs a total overhaul. The list of flaws, to put it nicely, that have surfaced in this trial is too long and uncomplimentary for this column.

Perhaps one point that must be noted is that which seems to have irked US President Trump into actually pushing Israeli President Herzog to pardon our prime minister. That is that the justices insist that Netanyahu - who is running a country with probably the most challenges in the world - appear for testimony no fewer than three days a week! Yes, in the middle of multi-front security threats, Netanyahu must prepare, and show up, for all those hours of testimony – and about what? About cigars that he apparently received several years ago, and about whether the press coverage he received in certain media outlets was totally negative or perhaps tilted in his favor to slightly less than pareve. The longer the trial continues, the more it appears that he was framed so coarsely not so that he will be found guilty, but simply to ensure that he retains the title of "accused" and thus be forced somehow to leave office.

All this does not mean to say that he will not ultimately be found guilty of "breach of trust" of one clause or another.  It is very unlikely, in today's Israeli judicial establishment, that the judges will totally exonerate him, and thus allow years of prosecution efforts and prestige to go down the drain. Rather, the District Court will probably find him guilty of at least something, so that this will not happen. And if the District Court judges surprise us and acquit him of all charges, it can be assumed that the Supreme Court, on appeal, will do the job of saving the Prosecution's face.

But in truth, even though the continued trial serves the purpose of exposing the foibles of our judicial system, there is something else very much on the line (aside from the personal price Netanyahu is paying): It is in our critical national interest to put a quick end to this trial, whether it be by the withdrawal of the charges by the prosecution, or via presidential pardon. Israeli law clearly allows a prime minister to continue in office even if he has been charged with a crime, and even during his actual trial. This is logical; when a trial is run at a reasonable pace, and when the general state of the country is satisfactory and routine, a prime minister can run the nation even while running his own trial at the same time.

But this is not the case at present. Our national security is quite tense, and battles are liable to erupt again at any moment, whether in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran or Yemen – or even in Syria. The problem is that the presiding District Court justice in the trial is nearing mandatory retirement age, and it is her interest to have as many trial days as possible so that her court can return a verdict while she is still serving.

Ideally, one hearing a week would be a fine pace, balancing the trial's needs with the precious time of a prime minister that should be dedicated to fateful and critical decisions. But under the circumstances, his many hours in court, and his frequent need to request the judges' permission to be excused for urgent national needs, create a situation in which Israel's moves are open and revealed to all, at least partially, arguably endangering Israeli's security. This is an absurd state of affairs.

What is needed, therefore, is a "responsible adult," an objective player, who will weigh what is truly best for the country at this time and will realize that an end to the trial is what is needed. President Yitzchak Herzog, who so far has not particularly succeeded in distinguishing himself – certainly not during these difficult two-plus years of war – holds this authority in his hands. He has the chance to do a great favor to his countrymen and to Am Yisrael, and pardon Binyamin Netanyahu. As Mordechai told Esther back in Persia, "Who knows if not for this moment did you rise to power!"

There are those who say that it will be much easier for Herzog to grant a pardon if Netanyahu agrees to retire from politics, or to put an end to the judicial reform program. The latter is particularly illogical, as there is no connection between the questions of Netanyahu's guilt and whether the judicial system's foibles must be corrected. And regarding his departure from politics – why should the will of the majority of Israelis, who voted for him and his allies, be shelved? It is simply a form of corruption to allow fake charges and trumped-up trials to dictate who runs the country.

For Netanyahu personally, it is up in the air whether it is best for him to have the trial continue, or to be pardoned. But of course the main consideration is not his personal benefit, but rather the good of the country. We all deserve a pardon from this tiresome, distorted, and harmful trial.

---Besheva columnist Avishai Greentzeig agrees that the trial should end, but preferably by way of the prosecution agreeing to drop most of the charges so that a summation can be reached quickly and efficiently. Greentzeig particularly decries the nationalist camp's reliance on President Trump's intervention in the affair, given that in every other case the right-wingers are greatly opposed to American meddling in internal Israeli matters.

Time for the Rising Green Crescent to Set

by Amir Lulu, political science doctoral candidate at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Last week, U.S. President Trump, the leader of the free world, signed an order outlawing the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. [More precisely, the order "sets in motion a process by which certain chapters or subdivisions of the Muslim Brotherhood shall be considered for designation as Foreign Terrorist Organizations" – ed.] In the ongoing fateful struggle between Islam and the free Western world, this is a significant move not to be underestimated – and Israel must take full advantage of it.

There is a common assumption, not particularly based on empirical knowledge, that the rise of Nazism was a one-time phenomenon whose eruption could not have been foreseen. This is not quite the case.

Although the Nazi movement did have its unique characteristics, the facts belie the naïve belief that the German nation was swept almost helplessly into the event. Anti-semitism in Germany, and in many other areas of Europe, had long been deep and well-rooted. The evil man with the small mustache understood the prevailing sentiment when he was yet young, and upon it he built his diabolical empire. At the height of the Nazi movement, its members were not only the masses who flocked to the charismatic leader who promised them post-World War One vengeance and German rebirth; they also included many lawyers and students.

In fact, the most shocking example of the movement’s multi-dimensional character is the simple fact that a large portion of the Einsatzgruppen commanders - the mobile killing units in the East - held doctoral degrees. Furthermore, many of the participants in the infamous Wannsee Conference in January 1942, where was discussed the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question,” were also doctors and lawyers.

This introduction is important for two reasons:

1. It sharpens in our minds the concept that the evil in man's heart does not suddenly appear out of nowhere. It is rather a long-range process that begins with the laying of foundations – in our case, extremist Islamist foundations.

2. The construction of ideological foundations is nearly always led along by the social elites, and not by the masses – who join up only towards a latter stage.

It would be a case of intellectual laziness to say that the Muslim Brotherhood is like Nazis; there is nothing that can equal the Nazis in their ability to turn their wicked dreams into such totally destructive reality. But it would be complete folly not to compare these and other extremist ideologies to see what they share and where they differ.

The Muslim Brotherhood is an extremist organization, whose prominent intellectual champion Yusuf Al-Qaradawi (1926-2022) was an outspoken supporter of suicide attacks against Israeli citizens. The Brotherhood is no longer legal in countries such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates – and Trump's decision is one of the most severe blows it has suffered. As of now, the Muslim Brotherhood has active and strong chapters operating legally throughout the United States.

It's always better to win the war before it begins. The State of Israel will be smart if at least now it begins to restrict the steps of the Islamic Movement – whose ideology draws heavily from the Muslim Brotherhood’s worldview – within its borders. The Movement, especially the Northern Branch thereof, is known for its broad use of the "smiles offensive," while behind its back it is busy sharpening its knives.

What Israel must do is not to withhold voting rights, or to prevent Arab parties from running in national elections. Rather, Israel must begin a long and involved process of investigating individuals and ferreting out Muslim Brotherhood members. The strongest country in the world has already understood that terrorist organizations must be marked - and we need to be wise enough to learn from the step they have just taken and act in a similar spirit.

Both the Arab and Jewish sectors in Israel would benefit from ensuring that these violent and dangerous individuals are not considered legitimate within Israeli democracy. Again, this should not be a blanket disqualification of their parties' running for office. This is because once we begin disqualifying parties, the slippery slope kicks in; leaders could one day come to power who use such disqualifications for their own purposes against non-dangerous ideologies that they simply do not like. All that is needed is to point them out and say, "They are of the Muslim Brotherhood" – akin to saying "He’s from the KKK," meaning that anyone who votes for him is supporting the KKK – and they thus lose much of their public legitimacy.

Not to mention that a sweeping ban on Israel-haters would only drive them underground, where they would continue to operate covertly. In short, it is better that they remain out in the open, so that we know who they are.

We have an important opportunity now, and this is our fateful moment. We have witnessed the rise of the green crescent [a symbol of Islam], and now we have to make sure it settles down.

Threading the Needle: How Will Israel React to Trump's Dangerous – Treacherous? – F-35's/Saudi Plan?

by Hillel Fendel, former editor of Arutz-7's IsraelNationalNews.com.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump – the most unpredictable American president Israel has ever had to deal with, to put it mildly – to sell an unspecified number of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia has many in Israel's defense network quite nervous about what this will mean for the future balance of power in the Middle East.

The IDF General Command submitted to the government an official Israel Air Force memorandum warning in detail how the sale would impair Israel's air superiority.

President Trump and his family have well over $60 billion in potential business deals with the Saudis, according to a New York Times report today (Nov. 19). Coincidentally, or not, just minutes after Trump announced his plans to sell the planes to the Saudi kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Washington and was hosted in grand fashion in the White House. This, despite significant intelligence – based on a CIA report – that the Crown prince approved, and was probably involved in the planning of, the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Among the Trump deals being negotiated in the kingdom: a Trump-branded property to Diriyah, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest government-owned real estate developments, to the tune of $63 billion; a $1 billion “Trump Plaza” development in Jeddah; and two projects in Riyadh. The Times also reports that a firm of Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and his part-time Middle East envoy, is involved in talks with a Saudi sovereign fund to "take the video game publisher Electronic Arts private… a deal valued at around $55 billion."

But despite the stench of conflicts-of-interest emitted by the above, what's more critical is whether, and to what extent, this development presents an existential danger for Israel.

The Israel Air Force memo emphasizes that Saudi acquisition of the jets would compromise the operational exclusivity of Israel's F-35's, for which Israel received special US permission to integrate its own avionics, software, and weapons. The F-35 is much more than a fighter jet; it is totally unique in that it is also a stealthy, nearly radar-evasive intelligence platform. Its advantages and deterrence abilities depend on its exclusivity, which would be compromised at best if Saudi Arabia comes into possession of similar aircraft.

Many in the U.S. defense establishment are also worried about the deal. They have warned that close Saudi ties with powers such as China and Russia increase the possibility that sensitive avionics or related data could find their way into enemy hands.

Another concern – although this could work to Israel's advantage – is that Israel's QME (Qualitative Military Edge) must be maintained, according to United States law. Specifically, the Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, and related provisions in the Foreign Assistance Act, originally passed in 1961, mandate that Israel must maintain a QME over potential regional adversaries. American law also states that arms transfers to Middle Eastern countries may not undermine Israel’s ability to defend itself. Whether the sale in question reduces Israel's QME will be determined by the individual members of Congress, whoever, they may be, when the sale is ratified, or rejected, by the required Congressional vote.

Today's situation is somewhat reminiscent of a controversy in the early 1980's, when the Reagan administration pushed to sell five E-3 AWACS early-warning aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Israel and many in Congress feared it would tip the regional balance and endanger Israeli security, and an intense lobbying and public opinion battle ensued – which Israel lost. The Senate narrowly approved the deal in October 1981, and the AWACS aircraft were delivered to Saudi Arabia several years later – after Israel received enhanced U.S. military aid and technology as compensation.

Similarly, in 2020, the first Trump administration moved toward selling F-35s to the United Arab Emirates, leading to another major diplomatic struggle. The deal ultimately did not go through.

The current deal, as well, may have a silver lining, in that it might force the U.S. to make other major concessions to Israel in related or other areas. In addition, the sale might not be approved by Congress. A future President, as well, can also halt the sale.

Political commentator Barak Ravid was quick to write an article today, seeking to allay Israeli fears about the sale of the F-35's to the Saudis. Whether he was successful is given to debate. He wrote that it will take at least six years before the first plane will land in Saudi Arabia, that there will be "not a few" restrictions on the Saudis' use of the planes, and the Americans will retain "not a little" control over them.

Hopefully, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel's diplomatic and PR teams will be sufficiently resolute and creative to find the golden path between ensuring Israel's security in the face of future threats and remaining on good terms with Mr. Trump.

What to Do About a Problem Named Gaza?

by Zev Kam, public news commentator and reporter, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Here's a peek inside the recent Israeli Government cabinet meeting where the ministers discussed their options regarding Gaza. One thing is clear: Much is still unclear, even to the ministers.

There are those who believe in the model called “New Gaza.” That is to say, the broken area known as the Gaza Strip should be cleared of its ruins and rebuilt anew as a modern, flourishing, blooming district. The U.S. Administration is fully in, raising massive funding from the Gulf states and forming a coalition to supervise the reconstruction and help police the area. Everything is carefully outlined, down to the smallest details – but the Americans seem to have forgotten one very small point: the people involved. This particular component of the plan is filled with hatred of Jews and of the West in general. It's nice to plan buildings and sidewalks and the like, but if the people who are to populate these are Gazans, it's a lost cause.

Still and all, there was one Cabinet minister at the recent Israeli Government meeting on this topic who seems to have been infected with the Americans' enthusiasm for the project: American-born and raised Ron Dermer, Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs. This is a position from which he has just resigned as these lines are being written, for family reasons. He is a close confidante of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and plays a major role in Israel–U.S. relations and diplomatic policy. While the other ministers at the meeting raised important question marks and deep fears regarding what the Americans are planning for us in Gaza, Minister Dermer seems to think it's the greatest thing since apple pie.

Hamas Stalling All the Way

Let's begin with one party that certainly has no intention of cooperating with the plan to rebuild Gaza Hamas-free, and that is of course, Hamas. Hostages Administration chief Gal Hirsch said that every one of the remaining hostage corpses – currently four, down from 13 when Hirsch was speaking – is accessible to Hamas, "and they can return them, if they want." He showed how Hamas is able to reach, within a very short time, each and every single remaining corpse.

For instance, four of the corpses that were recently released were all held in the same place, and yet still, Hamas returned them in drips and drabs: first two, then one, then another one. This means, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Tamir Yed'i explained, "Hamas intentionally wasted time in returning the corpses." This was motivated of course, by the desire to torment Israeli families and the entire public, but not exclusively. Hamas also has an interest in dragging out this interim period so that it can liquidate more of its enemies and fortify its grasp on the 48% of Gaza it still controls.  

Essentially, Hamas' objective is to take the exact opposite approach from the Trump Plan. Clear and detailed proofs of this have been shared with the Americans. Israel, for its part, is "punishing" Hamas by holding up three things that Hamas wants: the opening of the Rafah Crossing, the entry of dual-use items into Gaza [items that can be used both for civilian and military purposes] and the entry of fuel for a power station. In truth, of course, these are rather minimalist sanctions.

And this returns us to Minister Dermer, who said, "If in fact New Gaza is built, that means the end of the Hamas regime, to be replaced by something entirely different, without the Palestinian Authority. Different people will run it."

Who are these "different people"? Dermer did not answer. He did say, however, that "if Hamas does not disarm, or if the foreign forces do not disarm Hamas, we'll do it ourselves – and the Americans know this. We are taking Gaza from the PA and from Hamas, and building up something else, for the residents of Gaza." The other ministers were not encouraged by these remarks, and in fact had strong questions/objections.

For instance, one question was, "Where exactly will the multi-national force operate? In the Israeli-controlled area of Gaza, to the east of the new Yellow Line, or on the Hamas side?" Most astonishingly, no clear answer to this basic question was provided, even though several attempts were made. Dermer himself said something that caused a storm: 

"It could be that the rehabilitation part will occur on our side. That is, if something nice is built on the Hamas side, little by little we'll move the Gazans who are not involved in terrorism to live in New Gaza, on the Israeli side."

What?! The ministers could not digest the possibility that not only would the Gazans remain in Gaza, but that those who are "sweet and cultured" would actually live practically adjacent to Kerem Shalom, Nir Oz, and Sderot! At least now there is a buffer zone separating them, thanks to the IDF’s presence in half of Gaza. "It absolutely can't be," complained Minister Ze'ev Elkin, "that we will finish this entire event with Hamas in the west and these new [Arab] forces in the east, practically atop our communities."

Netanyahu Insists: Hamas Will Disarm

At this point, Netanyahu intervened and said that from his standpoint, the international forces must replace Hamas in all areas, and that it all must happen on the Hamas side of the Yellow Line. "And in any event," he continued, "Turks, Egyptians, and Qataris will not be there." He continued to try to allay fears by saying that the rehabilitation of Gaza is dependent upon Hamas disarming, which will happen only on their side. Ministers Gamliel and Elkin were not comforted, and Minister Smotrich said, "We have missed a great opportunity. We could have ruled in Gaza the way we rule in Judea and Samaria – after all, in the end, it's our land."

Ambassador Votes Confidence in Bibi

One of the participants was someone who does not usually attend Cabinet meetings: Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, a Torah scholar who lost a son during this war in Gaza. He said: "We don't realize what an amazing miracle happened here! When I asked the Prime Minister to ensure that Hamas not remain in Gaza, I never imagined that this would be part of a genuine American plan that the whole world supports! But now we have to know how to actualize this. We have to let the Prime Minister run this vis-à-vis the Americans, the way I saw him up close running the story with Iran. I trust that he will do it successfully."

Another question is who will make up the "technocratic" government that will run Gaza. Some ministers said that they well know that many of the candidates are recommended by Hamas or, equally bad, are PA representatives. Elkin lamented to Dermer, "This will be a Hamas-PA unity government, which is against the Trump Plan." Dermer said, "The Americans agree with you, and they won't let it happen." Smotrich chimed in, "If it's neither Hamas nor the PA, then it's an 'empty set,' which doesn't exist in this context." 

Minister Orit Strook, a resident of Hebron, told Netanyahu that the problem began when he agreed to internationalize Gaza. She reminded him that after the Wye Agreement by which Israel withdrew from most of that city, he promised to send in tanks if the home of Strook or her neighbors would be fired upon. "Our house was in fact targeted," Strook said, "and my son was wounded, as you know. But you couldn't send in tanks – because you were no longer in office."

The moral of the story, Strook continued, is that whatever the Prime Minister does, he must take into account that the moment of truth might happen under someone else's watch. "The minimum you have to do is to guarantee that we have total security control in Gaza, just like in Judea and Samaria, so that the IDF can enter wherever and whenever it has to."

Reliving the Disengagement? 

Coming to Bibi's defense at this juncture was Minister Dudi Amsalem, who said, "Israel does not want to rule over two million Gazans, and that's why we prefer to internationalize the area." Let's leave aside the fact that this number is a total exaggeration, and that Amsalem is falling into the false narrative trap that the Arab world likes to tell about Gaza. More important is that Amsalem's excuse is of the type that Ariel Sharon and his supporters used over 20 years ago when they executed the Disengagement and threw out the nearly 9,000 Jews then living in Gaza – and we know where that got us.

Moses Shop Chain Becomes Kosher: “The Demand Came from the Ground Up”

The chain, part of the BBB Group, is shifting direction and gradually making its branches across the country kosher, following growing demand from customers and franchisees.

The group’s CEO: “Since the war, there has been greater sensitivity toward kashrut — even among secular audiences.”

The Moses Shop chain, part of the BBB Group, which currently has 16 branches nationwide, is changing course and gradually becoming kosher — except for one branch in Zichron Yaakov. In the past week, the branch in Savion also received kosher certification, marking another step in a broader trend within the chain.

According to Ahuva Turjeman, CEO of the BBB Group, the move was born out of customer and franchisee demand:

“We’ve encountered a very diverse audience that constantly asks about the kashrut of the meat. Even branches that opened as non-kosher quickly became kosher — in places like Rishon Lezion, Modi’in, and Herzliya. It turns out that the demand isn’t just for kosher dishes, but for businesses that operate under kosher certification and don’t open on Shabbat.”

Turjeman explains that the demand also comes from the franchisees themselves, especially in areas with large religious or traditional populations:

“We’re a national chain, not just a Tel Aviv one. In many parts of the country — even in areas that once weren’t considered kosher markets — the public is asking for it. Since the war, there’s been a rise in sensitivity toward kashrut, even among more secular crowds.”

According to her, one of the factors affecting the pace of the conversion is the shortage of manpower — a challenge facing the entire restaurant industry:

“Since COVID, it’s been very difficult to find permanent staff. There’s high turnover, and the fact that many young people don’t want to work on Shabbat only strengthens the decision to make some of the branches kosher.”