在貝魯特訪問之前，法國外長威脅黎巴嫩政客

“為那些阻礙政府組建

的人提供的保證：我們已經採取了國家措施，這僅僅是開始……”

由約翰·愛爾蘭/路透

2021年5月5日21:48

法國外交大臣讓·伊夫·勒·德里安（Jean-Yves Le Drian）於2019年4月6日在法國迪納德舉行的七國集團國家外交部長會議期間出席新聞發布會。

（照片來源：STEPHANE MAHE /路透社）

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法國外交大臣週三表示，他將在周四訪問貝魯特時向黎巴嫩政客表達強烈的信息，並警告稱對那些阻礙政治進程的人採取懲罰措施。

巴黎之行是在巴黎表示已經開始採取措施限制一些黎巴嫩官員進入法國之後，他們以阻止為黎巴嫩的政治和經濟危機找到解決方案的理由為由。

讓-伊夫·勒·德里安（Jean-Yves Le Drian）在Twitter上表示，“為阻礙政府組建的人提供的保證：我們已經採取了國家措施，這僅僅是開始。”

但是，到目前為止，還沒有正式宣布實際上已經採取了哪些措施以及針對誰採取了哪些措施。法國官員拒絕置評或回應要求提供詳細資料的請求。

法國率先採取了國際努力，使黎巴嫩從1975-1990年內戰以來最嚴重的危機中解救出來，但是迄今為止，八個月後，法國未能說服陷入困境的政客通過改革路線圖或成立新政府以釋放國際援助。

勒德里安曾表示，國家措施將涵蓋進入法國領土的途徑。

尚不清楚此類措施將產生多大影響，因為幾個主要的黎巴嫩行為體具有雙重國籍且不受限制，而其他可能被指控阻礙政治進程的人很少前往法國。

外交官們說，國家懲罰措施也可能通過加強貝魯特的立場而產生負面影響。

然而，他們說，法國的不透明宣布可能旨在將思想集中在歐盟層面，巴黎希望在那裡建立對黎巴嫩的新制裁制度，最終可能會看到更多有影響力的資產凍結和旅行禁令。

外交官們說，但這可能會花費一些時間。

勒德里安將與米歇爾·奧恩總統和什葉派真主黨盟友以及國會發言人納比赫·貝里進行會晤，儘管官員們拒絕確認與候任總理薩阿德·哈里裡的會晤。

他還要求會見黎巴嫩最大的基督教政治集團領導人和奧恩的女son格布朗·巴西爾（Gebran Bassil），後者因涉嫌腐敗以及與真主黨的關係而受到美國製裁。

Ahead of Beirut visit, French minister threatens Lebanese politicians

"Firmness for those who block the formation of a government: We have taken national measures, and it is only the beginning…"

By JOHN IRISH/ REUTERS

MAY 5, 2021 21:48

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian attends a news conference during the Foreign ministers of G7 nations meeting in Dinard, France, April 6, 2019.

(photo credit: STEPHANE MAHE / REUTERS)

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France's foreign minister said on Wednesday he would carry a strongly worded message to Lebanese politicians when he visits Beirut on Thursday and warned of punitive measures against those who are hindering the political progress.

The trip comes after Paris said it had started putting in place measures to restrict entry to France for some Lebanese officials on the grounds that they were blocking efforts to find a solution to Lebanon's political and economic crisis.

"Firmness for those who block the formation of a government: We have taken national measures, and it is only the beginning," Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Twitter without providing details.

However, until now there has been no official announcement on what measures have actually been taken, if any, and against whom. French officials have declined to comment or respond to requests for details.

France has spearheaded international efforts to rescue Lebanon from its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, but after eight months has failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform road map or form a new government to unlock international aid.

Le Drian has said the national measures would cover access to French territory.

It is not clear how much impact such measures would have as several key Lebanese actors have dual nationality and could not be restricted, while others who could be accused of hindering the political process travel rarely to France.

Diplomats have said the national punitive measures could also have a negative impact by hardening positions in Beirut.

However, they say that France's opaque announcements could be aimed at focusing minds at European Union level, where Paris is hoping a new sanctions regime for Lebanon will be created that could ultimately see more impactful asset freezes and travel bans.

That, however, is likely to take time, diplomats have said.

Le Drian is set to meet President Michel Aoun and Shi'ite Hezbollah ally and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, although officials have declined to confirm a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri.

He has also asked to meet Gebran Bassil, the leader of Lebanon's biggest Christian political bloc and Aoun's son-in-law, who is under US sanctions for alleged corruption and his ties to Hezbollah.

俄羅斯在中東對以色列和美國的作用

美國不再是中東無可爭辯的霸主，而俄羅斯再次成為該地區的軍事和外交參與者。

通過OMRI NAHMIAS

2021年5月5日22:23

非洲歐洲與中亞之間的中東地圖

（照片來源：Wikimedia Commons）

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華盛頓–隨著華盛頓政府的換屆以及美俄在全球範圍內緊張關係的加劇，俄羅斯在中東的作用可能會成為戰略挑戰，並在諸如敏感地區等以色列和美國迫切關注一份新的報告認為，敘利亞和伊朗以及網絡和技術領域。

根據伍德羅·威爾遜中心的肯南研究所和IDC荷茲利亞政策與國家研究所撰寫的報告，美國不再是中東無可爭議的霸主，而俄羅斯再次成為中東的軍事和外交參與者。地區。

報導說：“自2015年早在介入敘利亞內戰以來，俄羅斯就一直在尋求更多的渠道，以擴大其在中東的軍事和經濟影響。” “俄羅斯現在是敘利亞和利比亞的重要因素，伊朗是伊朗的合作夥伴，是在埃及有雄心壯志的合作夥伴，也是海灣國家（尤其是阿拉伯聯合酋長國和沙特阿拉伯），以色列，阿富汗政府，塔利班的對話者，巴勒斯坦人以及其他許多政治實體。”

報告指出，“俄羅斯在經歷內部衝突的國家內部相互衝突，利用這些衝突作為加深其區域影響力的楔子。” 但是，它說，莫斯科遠不能建立自己設計的區域性秩序。

報告說，到目前為止，俄羅斯還沒有從根本上挑戰美國和以色列在該地區的合作，“儘管俄羅斯活動範圍的擴大肯定會影響以色列和美國的利益。”

該報告的撰稿人包括根少將。（回复）來自IDC的Amos Gilead；肯南研究所所長Matthew Rojansky；簡·杰弗裡（Janes Jeffrey）大使，他曾擔任敘利亞參與特別代表和打敗ISIS的全球聯盟特使。

文字寫道：“對於美國來說，在目前的水平上，俄羅斯在中東的存在是不能容忍的。” “這不一定與美國在該地區的核心利益背道而馳，但確實使這些利益的實現複雜化，並且在一定程度上不利於俄羅斯政策受到限制美國影響力和損害美國聲望的動機的推動。”

報告指出，對以色列而言，“俄羅斯是國家安全的重中之重”。俄羅斯對以色列在敘利亞的行動自由以及莫斯科與伊朗的戰略關係與合作產生了潛在的阻礙，因此俄羅斯提出了一系列行動和戰略關切。

它說：“與俄羅斯的接觸使以色列在降低伊朗的軍事能力和鞏固敘利亞的政績方面取得了成就，而俄羅斯對其行動的破壞有限。” “以色列需要保持與俄羅斯的接觸，以確保實現這些至高無上的目標。”

該報告還指出，俄羅斯不會在美國和以色列之間楔入，但是，“儘管如此，中東繼續進行大國競爭的可能性將需要創造性，並需要以色列和美國就更廣泛的中東問題進行磋商。狀態。”

該報告呼籲美國和以色列採取聯合辦法，將中東局勢與“俄羅斯和中國在全球範圍內日益重要的作用”聯繫起來。

它說：“美國和以色列應在雙邊關係中將俄羅斯提升為戰略重點，並加強官方磋商與協調，以遏制俄羅斯對兩國，中東以及網絡和技術領域的挑戰。”

它還認為，美國和以色列可以考慮將俄羅斯在敘利亞中發揮特殊作用，“以此作為與莫斯科合作以限制伊朗在該國的存在的一種手段。”

Russia’s role in Middle East concerning for Israel and US

The United States is no longer the undisputed hegemon in the Middle East, while Russia is once again a military and diplomatic actor in the region.

By OMRI NAHMIAS

MAY 5, 2021 22:23

A map of Middle East between Africa Europe and Central Asia

(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

WASHINGTON – With a change of administration in Washington and with heightened US-Russian tensions on the global level, Russia’s role in the Middle East could turn into a strategic challenge and an urgent concern to both Israel and the United States, in sensitive areas such as Syria and Iran and in the cyber and technological domains, a new report argues.

According to the report, written by the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute and the Institute for Policy and State at IDC Herzliya, The United States is no longer the undisputed hegemon in the Middle East, while Russia is once again a military and diplomatic actor in the region.

“Since well before 2015, when it intervened in the Syrian civil war, Russia has been seeking additional outlets for its military and economic influence in the Middle East,” it reads. “Russia is now a prominent factor in Syria and Libya, a partner of Iran, a partner with ambitions in Egypt, and an interlocutor with the Gulf states (especially the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia), Israel, the Afghan government, the Taliban, and the Palestinians, among many other political entities.”

According to the report, “Russia plays multiple sides against each other within countries experiencing internal conflict, using these conflicts as a wedge to deepen its regional influence.” Yet, it says, Moscow is far from being able to establish a regional order of its own design.

So far, Russia has not fundamentally challenged US and Israeli cooperation in the region, the report says, “although the widening scope of Russia’s activities certainly affects the interests of Israel and the United States.”

Among the contributors of the report are Maj.-Gen. (Res.) Amos Gilead from the IDC; Matthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute; and Ambassador Janes Jeffrey, who previously served as the Special Representative for Syria Engagement and the Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

“For the United States, a Russian presence in the Middle East is not intolerable at current levels,” the text reads. “It does not necessarily run counter to core US interests in the region, but it does complicate the realization of these interests and is detrimental to the degree that Russian policy is motivated by the goal of limiting US influence and damaging US prestige.”

For Israel, however, “Russia is a high-priority national security challenge,” the report notes. “Russia imposes a set of operational and strategic concerns stemming from the potential impediment to Israel’s freedom of operations in Syria, and Moscow’s strategic relations and cooperation with Iran.

“Engagement with Russia allows Israel achievements in degrading Iranian military capabilities and entrenchment in Syria, with limited Russian disruption of its operations,” it said. “Israel needs to maintain its engagement with Russia in order to secure these paramount objectives.”

The report also notes that Russia will not drive a wedge between the United States and Israel, but nevertheless, “the likelihood of great power competition in the Middle East going forward will require creativity and enhanced consultation on the broader Middle East from Israel and the United States.”

The report calls for a joint US-Israeli approach that would link the situation in the Middle East “with the growing role of Russia and China globally.”

“The United States and Israel should elevate Russia to a strategic priority in their bilateral relationship and increase official consultation and coordination on containing Russian challenges to both countries, in the Middle East and in the cyber and technological domains,” it says.

It also argues that the United States and Israel could consider a special role for Russia in Syria “as a means of working with Moscow to limit Iran’s presence in the country.”

蘇伊士運河受阻：法院駁回了對Ever Ever拘留的上訴

世界上最大的集裝箱船之一“永無止境”號於3月23日被塞入運河，並被困了六天，阻止了雙向通行。

由路透社

2021年5月4日18:45

Satellogic的NewSat-16上個月拍攝的這張衛星圖像中，在蘇伊士運河中可以看到“有史以來”集裝箱船。

（照片來源：SATELLOGIC / REUTERS）

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一位司法消息人士稱，埃及法院週二裁定，三月份阻塞蘇伊士運河的集裝箱船可以繼續在水路中停航，駁回了日本船東對拘留的上訴。

該給過，世界上最大的集裝箱船之一，橫跨運河被卡住，3月23日和六天還停留，停在兩個方向上的流量。

自3月29日被撤離以來，它一直被關在兩條運河之間的湖中，蘇伊士運河管理局（SCA）向日本船東Shoei Kisen索賠9.16億美元，要求賠償該事件。

SCA一直在調查該船著陸的原因，但尚未宣布結果。

在SCA提交報告後，蘇伊士運河城市伊斯梅利亞的法院已批准扣留該船，法院在星期二維持了該裁決，駁回了上月下旬提出的上訴。

該裁決的理由尚不清楚。

該船的保護和賠償保險公司UK Club及其技術經理Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement（BSM）對船的拘留表示失望。

UK Club上個月表示，上訴是“基於多種理由，包括針對該貨物而進行的逮捕的有效性以及缺乏SCA的非常重要索賠的支持證據”。

當400米（430碼）的Ever Ever在運河上擱淺，船上裝有18,300個集裝箱時，國際供應鏈陷入混亂。專門的救援隊需要將近一周的時間才能釋放該船，這延遲了400多艘船的通過，並導致其他人在非洲轉移。

Suez Canal blockage: Court rejects appeal against Ever Given detention

The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, got jammed across the canal on March 23 and remained stuck for six days, stopping traffic in both directions.

By REUTERS

MAY 4, 2021 18:45

THE ‘EVER GIVEN’ container ship is seen in the Suez Canal in this satellite image taken by Satellogic’s NewSat-16 last month.

(photo credit: SATELLOGIC/REUTERS)

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An Egyptian court on Tuesday ruled that the container ship which blocked the Suez Canal in March could continue to be held in the waterway, rejecting an appeal by its Japanese owner against its detention, a judicial source said.

The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, got jammed across the canal on March 23 and remained stuck for six days, stopping traffic in both directions.

It has been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal since being dislodged on March 29, amid a dispute over a $916 million claim by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen for compensation over the incident.

The SCA has been conducting investigations into the cause of the ship's grounding, but has yet to announce the results.

The court in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, which had approved the detention of the ship following the submission of a report by the SCA, upheld that decision on Tuesday, rejecting an appeal made late last month.

The reasoning for the ruling was not immediately clear.

The ship's protection and indemnity insurer UK Club and its technical manager Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) have expressed disappointment at the ship's detention.

UK Club said last month the appeal was made "on several grounds, including the validity of the arrest obtained in respect of the cargo and the lack of supporting evidence for the SCA's very significant claim."

International supply chains were thrown into disarray when the 400-meter (430-yard) Ever Given ran aground in the canal, with 18,300 containers on board. Specialist rescue teams needed almost a week to free the vessel, delaying the passage of more than 400 ships and causing others to divert around Africa.

Yesh Atid的領導人得到56名MK的支持，在內塔尼亞胡（Netanyahu）失敗後獲得了28天的多數票，他表示將“盡快”這樣做。貝內特：現在是團結政府的時候了

通過拉烏爾WOOTLIFF 今天下午7:56 1

魯文·里夫林（Ruven Rivlin）總統於2021年5月5日在耶路撒冷總統官邸會見了耶什·阿蒂德（Yesh Atid）的黨魁Yair Lapid（Haim Zach / GPO）

魯文·里夫林（Reuven Rivlin）總統週三宣布，在總理本傑明·內塔尼亞胡（Benjamin Netanyahu）一天前承認自己未能建立聯盟之後，他已委託耶什·阿迪德（Yesh Atid）領導人耶魯·拉皮德（Yair Lapid）組建以色列的下一屆政府。

Lapid和他之前的內塔尼亞胡一樣，現在有28天的時間來組建政府，儘管新任候任總理在完成任務方面面臨艱鉅的戰鬥。

里夫林在其官邸的電視講話中說，他選擇拉皮德的“主要考慮”是，他有最大的機會組建一個可以贏得議會支持的政府，儘管總統表示這將是困難的。

里夫林還承認，拉皮德最初可能不會領導他試圖拼湊的政府。總統指的是拉皮德宣布準備讓亞米納領導人納夫塔利·本內特首先擔任“團結政府”的總理；總統說，拉皮德最初擔任“候補總理”的可能安排並沒有阻止他正式向耶什·阿迪德（Yesh Atid）負責人組建聯盟。

里夫林在周三早些時候與以色列議會的代表進行了磋商，他指出，拉皮德獲得了56輛MK的建議，而亞米納領導人貝內特則獲得了7輛。Yesh Atid領導人以及他自己的政黨都得到了藍白黨，工黨，Meretz，Yisrael Beytenu的支持，與上一輪建議不同的是，右翼的新希望和主要是阿拉伯以色列聯合名單。

由於貝內特已表示願意加入統一政府，拉姆黨領袖曼蘇爾·阿巴斯曾表示，他將“與任何受託組建政府的人進行積極合作，”里夫林說，“很顯然，MK Yair Lapid可以組建儘管有許多困難，但仍擁有以色列議會信任的政府。”

里夫林補充說：“根據我收到的建議，……我剛才與以色列議會議員Yair Lapid進行了交談，並告知他我正在責成他組建政府，這是他最初領導的政府，還是他領導的政府。是首先由另一位候選人領導的政府，最初擔任候補總理。”

魯文·里夫林（Reuven Rivlin）總統在2021年5月5日在耶路撒冷總統官邸的演講中宣布，他正在命令耶什·阿迪德（Yesh Atid）領導人Yair Lapid組建新政府（Haim Zach / GPO）

拉皮德（Lapid）和貝內特（Benett）最近幾週一直在談判聯盟條款，據報導在許多領域都已達成協議，耶什·阿迪德（Yesh Atid）領導人表示，他準備讓貝內特在輪換協議中首先擔任總理。

在里夫林宣布這一消息之前的片刻，貝內特暗示他願意加入這樣的政府，他說新的選舉（兩年內的第五次選舉）將“簡單地摧毀這個國家”，並支持“廣泛的緊急政府”……擺脫泥濘”，指的是長達數年的政治僵局。

在回應里夫林的聲明時，拉皮德說：“統一政府不是妥協或萬不得已，這是一個目標，這是我們所需要的。”

他發誓要“竭盡全力確保盡快成立一個以色列統一政府，以便我們能夠為以色列人民服務。”

內塔尼亞胡（Netanyahu）在1996-9任滿三年後，連續十二年擔任總理，在陷入僵局的3月23日選舉（以色列兩年來第四次選舉）之後，首次有機會組建政府。

但是在星期二，總理的時間用光了，為拉皮德進行嘗試掃清了道路。

如果拉皮德（Lapid）在6月2日結束的為期28天的窗口中未能召集一個聯盟，則多數議員可以嘗試認可任何以色列議會議員-包括內塔尼亞胡和甘茨-作為總理。在這段時間裡，以色列從未選舉過一位領導人。如果那21天的時間不能達成聯盟，該國將被迫進入兩年內舉行第五次選舉的空前情景。

Yesh Atid領導人Yair Lapid在2021年4月18日的新聞發布會上（致謝）

里夫林在聲明中說，現階段內塔尼亞胡的右翼宗教團體建議將任務授權交給以色列議會，“將是對法律的錯誤運用，並可能導致在組成政府的所有可能性之前進行第五輪選舉。精疲力盡。”

與他一個月前任命內塔尼亞胡（Natanyahu）組建政府時發表的講話形成鮮明對比，他在講話中指出，鑑於內塔尼亞胡（Natanyahu）正在接受腐敗審判，他表示“道德和道德”保留。

“我的以色列同胞們，一段時間以來，即使不是政治危機，我們也陷入了迷宮。但是我們絕不能讓這些困難破壞我們對我們走上正確道路以及我們可以繼續在這裡建立以色列人民主權的信念。”里夫林說。

他笑著說：“無論採取什麼措施，我們都將知道如何在以色列社會引導的高速公路上走出這一強大統一的道路……我從未見過任何危機削弱過這些優秀人民的精神。” “也許別無選擇，只能修復，治愈，長大。”

除了解決各自之間的分歧外，拉皮德和貝內特還必須召集右翼，左翼和中間派政黨以及伊斯蘭教拉姆黨的不大可能的多數聯盟，這使事情變得複雜，並提出了一個問題。這樣的政府起初有多穩定。

拉姆還與內塔尼亞胡進行了談判，但由於貝扎萊爾·斯莫特里奇（Bezalel Smotrich）的反對，談判陷入了僵局，後者領導著極右翼的猶太復國主義政黨，並在“恐怖支持”伊斯蘭黨的外部支持基礎上否決了一個聯盟。拉姆（Ra'am）是伊斯蘭運動南部分支的政治派別，其憲章稱猶太復國主義為種族主義。

貝內特在里夫林宣布這一消息之前的講話中，對以色列多年的政治僵局和缺乏解決許多問題的常設政府感到遺憾，他說，大選的持續進行“對人的生命造成了直接傷害”。

Yamina領導人納夫塔利·本內特（Naftali Bennett）將於2021年4月21日在以色列議會上向新聞界發表聲明。（Yonatan Sindel / Flash90）

內塔尼亞胡未能成立政府後，貝內特重申他偏愛右翼聯盟，但總理無法召集多數。根據亞米娜（Yamina）負責人的說法，在過去的一天中，他試圖保持對右翼聯盟的選擇權，顯然是指他為使內塔尼亞胡的右翼宗教集團推薦貝內特組成下一屆政府所做的努力。

他說：“但內塔尼亞胡向我們猛擊。”

貝內特補充說，現在是時候停止並重新考慮一條新的道路了，以呼籲與內塔尼亞胡結盟的右翼和宗教團體。

“凡是出於個人利益憤世嫉俗地將以色列國帶到第五次選舉，完全反對民族和國家的需要的人民，人民不會原諒他們。現在是團結政府的時候了，”他說。

班尼特（Bennett）是一名宗教猶太復國主義政治家，被認為是在內塔尼亞胡（Netanyahu）的陰影下崛起的，其影響力超出了他的原住民社區，也超出了右派人士。在他堅決反對巴勒斯坦國並支持許多右翼政策的同時，他在宗教問題上相對自由，在其他一些問題上務實，被視為主要獨立於他在整個職業生涯中都會遵循的拉比主義。

該黨在周三晚間說，隨著拉皮德現在正式負責組建新政府，耶什·阿蒂德·MK·卡琳·埃哈拉爾將接任以色列議會安排委員會主席。

選舉委員會是選舉後第一個成立的議會委員會，它負責控制新議會的立法議程，直到新政府成立為止。由於持續的政治僵局使聯盟的形成變得複雜，安排委員會的影響力最近得到了擴大。

Yesh Atid leader, backed by 56 MKs, given 28 days to muster majority after Netanyahu fails, says he’ll do so ‘as soon as possible’; Bennett: Now is time for a unity government

By RAOUL WOOTLIFF Today, 7:56 pm 1

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President Reuven Rivlin (R) meets Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, May 5, 2021. (Haim Zach/GPO)

President Reuven Rivlin announced Wednesday that he had tasked Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid with forming Israel’s next government, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day earlier acknowledged he had failed to build a coalition.

Lapid, like Netanyahu before him, now has 28 days to try and form a government, though the new prime minister-designate faces an uphill battle to complete the task.

In a televised statement from his official residence, Rivlin said his “main consideration” in picking Lapid was that he had the best chance of forming a government that can win the Knesset’s backing, though this, the president said, would be difficult.

Rivlin also acknowledged that Lapid may not initially lead the government he is attempting to cobble together. The president was referring to Lapid’s declared readiness to let Yamina leader Naftali Bennett serve first as prime minister in a “unity government”; the president said that possible arrangement, under which Lapid would initially serve as “alternative prime minister,” did not prevent him from formally charging the Yesh Atid head with building a coalition.

Rivlin, who consulted with Knesset party representatives earlier Wednesday, noted that Lapid had secured the recommendations of 56 MKs, versus seven for Yamina leader Bennett. As well as his own party, the Yesh Atid leader received the backing of Blue and White, Labor, Meretz, Yisrael Beytenu and — unlike in the previous round of recommendations — the right wing-New Hope and the predominately Arab Israeli Joint List.

Since Bennett had indicated readiness to join a unity government, and Ra’am party leader Mansour Abbas had said he would “cooperate positively with anyone who is entrusted with forming a government,” Rivlin said, “it is clear that MK Yair Lapid could form a government that has the confidence of the Knesset, despite there being many difficulties.”

Added Rivlin: “On the basis of the recommendations I received… I spoke just now with Knesset Member Yair Lapid and informed him I am tasking him with the mandate to form a government, whether this is a government that he initially leads, or whether it is a government led first by another candidate and in which he initially serves as alternate prime minister.”

President Reuven Rivlin announces he is tasking Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid with forming a new government, during a speech at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, May 5, 2021. (Haim Zach/GPO)

Lapid and Bennett have been negotiating coalition terms in recent weeks, reportedly closing in on agreements in many areas, with the Yesh Atid leader saying he is ready to let Bennett serve first as prime minister in a rotation agreement.

Moments before Rivlin’s announcement, Bennett signaled that he would be willing to join such a government, saying that new elections — the fifth in two years — would “simply destroy the country,” and backing a “broad emergency government… that will get the wheel out of the mud,” referring to the years-long political deadlock.

Responding to Rivlin’s announcement, Lapid said, “a unity government isn’t a compromise or a last resort — it’s a goal, it’s what we need.”

He vowed to “do everything to ensure that an Israeli unity government will be formed as soon as possible so we can get to work for the people of Israel.”

Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister for a record-breaking 12 consecutive years, after a three-year term from 1996-9, was given first chance at building a government after the deadlocked March 23 elections — Israel’s fourth elections in two years.

But on Tuesday, the prime minister’s time to do so ran out, clearing the path for Lapid to make an attempt.

If Lapid fails to cobble together a coalition during his 28-day window, which ends June 2, a majority of lawmakers could try to endorse any Knesset member — including Netanyahu and Gantz — as prime minister. A leader has never before been elected during that time period in Israel. If that 21-day period fails to yield a coalition, the country would be forced into the unprecedented scenario of a fifth election in two years.

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid during a press conference, April 18, 2021. (Courtesy)

Rivlin said in his announcement that sending the mandate to the Knesset at this stage, which Netanyahu’s right-wing religious bloc recommended, would be “a misapplication of the law and could result in a fifth round of elections before all possibilities for forming a government had been exhausted.”

In contrast to the speech he gave when tasking Netanyahu with forming a government a month ago, in which he noted “moral and ethical” reservations given that Netanyahu is on trial for corruption, Rivlin on Tuesday spoke of the need for healing and reconciliation.

“My fellow Israelis, we have been caught in a maze – if not a political crisis – for some time now. But we must not allow these difficulties to undermine our faith that we are on the right path, and that we can continue to build the sovereignty of the Israeli people here,” Rivlin said.

“Whatever it takes, we will know how to come out of this stronger, unified, on the highway guided by Israeli society… I have never seen any crisis that has weakened the spirit of this wonderful people,” he said with a smile. “Perhaps there is no alternative but to repair, to heal, to regrow stronger.”

In addition to resolving their own differences, Lapid and Bennett must also muster a majority coalition from an unlikely mixture of right-wing, left-wing and centrist parties as well as the Islamist Ra’am party, which complicates matters and raises the question of how stable such a government would be to begin with.

Ra’am also negotiated with Netanyahu, but the talks were stymied due to the objection of Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the far-right Religious Zionism party and vetoed a coalition based on outside support by the “terror-supporting” Islamist party. Ra’am is the political wing of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement and its charter calls Zionism racist.

In his speech prior to Rivlin’s announcement, Bennett lamented Israel’s years-long political deadlock and the lack of permanent government to address numerous issues, saying the continued elections cause “direct harm to human lives.”

Yamina leader Naftali Bennett delivers a statement to the press at the Knesset on April 21, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

After Netanyahu’s failure to form a government, Bennett reiterated that he preferred a right-wing coalition, but that the premier was unable to muster a majority. According to the Yamina chief, during the past day he tried to keep open the options for a right-wing coalition, apparently referring to his reported efforts to get Netanyahu’s right-wing religious bloc to recommend that Bennett form the next government.

“But Netanyahu slammed the door on us,” he said.

Bennett added that now is the time to stop and reconsider a new path, in an appeal to right-wing and religious parties aligned with Netanyahu.

“Whoever cynically takes the State of Israel to fifth elections based on personal interests, in complete opposition to the needs of the nation and state, the people won’t forgive them. This is the time for a unity government,” he said.

Bennett, a religious Zionist politician, is seen as having emerged from under Netanyahu’s shadow, wielding influence that goes beyond his native community and beyond just the right. While he staunchly opposes a Palestinian state and backs many right-wing policies, he is relatively liberal on religious issues and pragmatic on some others, and is seen as mostly independent of the rabbis he tended to follow throughout most of his career.

With Lapid now officially tasked with forming a new government, Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar is to take over as chair of the Knesset Arrangements Committee, the party said Wednesday night.

The Arrangements Committee, the first Knesset committee to be formed after an election, controls the legislative agenda in the new parliament until a new government is formed. With the ongoing political deadlock complicating the formation of a coalition, the influence of the Arrangements Committee has recently been amplified.

由於向他的競爭對手下達了組成聯盟的授權，總理對亞米納黨施加了壓力，要求其“重返右邊”而不破壞其競選承諾。

由斯圖爾特溫納和TOI人員今天，晚上10:27 0

2021年5月5日總理本傑曼·內塔內豪（Benjmain Netanyhau）的視頻的屏幕截圖（基帕）

總理本傑明·內塔尼亞胡（Benjamin Netanyahu）週三警告說，耶什·阿迪德（Yesh Atid）領導人耶爾·拉皮德（Yair Lapid）在周三獲得總統授權以試圖組建政府，它將組建一個“危險的左翼”聯盟。

內塔尼亞胡還向右翼的亞米納黨及其領導人MK納夫塔利·本內特施加壓力，要求其不加入任何新興聯盟，而與他合作建立右翼政府。

內塔尼亞胡（Ranven Rivlin）總統內塔尼亞胡（Ranven Rivlin）內塔尼亞胡（Natanyahu）接任總統以來的28天內，未能組建聯合政府，正式任命拉皮德（Lapid）組建政府後發表了上述言論。內塔尼亞胡的指定時間在星期二午夜用光了。

拉皮德表示願意作為輪換協議的一部分，讓右翼的貝內特在左翼，中間派和右翼政黨的準政府中首先擔任總理。

內塔尼亞胡也於本週早些時候表示，如果他加入右翼政府，他願意辭職，讓貝內特擔任總理一年。

右翼Yamina並未加入由內塔尼亞胡領導的以色列議會中的右翼和宗教團體，儘管他們進行了談判，但本內特還與拉皮德舉行了會談，拉皮德領導著所謂的變革集團，試圖從利庫德派遣領導人中解脫出來。力量。

內塔尼亞胡（Netanyahu）週三指責貝內特（Bennett）和亞米納2號（Yamina No. 2）打破了競選承諾，承諾不加入由耶什·阿迪德（Yesh Atid）首席執行官拉皮德（Lapid）擔任總理的聯盟。

內塔尼亞胡說：“回到右邊，”他直接對貝內特，沙克和他們的亞米娜MK致辭，同時抨擊貝內特努力成為總理。

“事實很簡單。內塔尼亞胡說：“這將是一個危險的左翼政府。”

內塔尼亞胡說：“不要僅僅為了貝內特出任總理兩年的野心而放棄所有承諾。”

Yamina負責人納夫塔利·貝內特（Naftali Bennett）在2021年5月5日在以色列議會的新聞發布會上發表講話（Yonatan Sindel / Flash90）

內塔尼亞胡（Netanyahu）表示，貝內特（Bennett）當天早些時候在里夫林（Rivlin）接洽拉皮德（Lapid）之前發出了呼籲建立統一政府的呼籲，“在洗話和試圖誤導公眾”。

內塔尼亞胡說：“這將不是一個團結的政府，它將是一個危險的左翼政府，”他列舉了拉皮德集團中三個左翼政黨的領導人，這些領導人過去都持堅決反對右翼的立場，翼營。

內塔尼亞胡指出：“本尼特和沙克現在正在一個接一個地打破所有承諾。”他回憶起貝內特簽署文件的事實，該文件在三月份的上次選舉前一天直播，他在那次大會上誓言不允許“耶利·拉皮德（Yair Lapid）擔任總理，包括輪換（協議）。”

內塔尼亞胡繼續引用最近的一項民意測驗，發現大多數亞米納選民都反對加入激進聯盟的黨派。他聲稱，如果亞米納（Yamina）承諾擁有自己的集團，屆時將擁有59個席位，則目前與Lapid結盟的其他右翼MK將會改變立場，將內塔尼亞胡陣營推向以色列議會多數席位所需的61個席位。

內塔尼亞胡說，“當權屬政府或選舉之間做出選擇時”，那些右翼的MK寧願看到一個政府成立，而不是政治僵局，迫使它在兩年半的第五次選舉中進行另一次投票。 。

內塔尼亞胡（Netanyahu）指出，他已與擔任總理的Yamina領導人就班尼特（Bennet）進行輪換協議，他聲稱在與貝內特（Benett）進行的所有談判中，他只有一個要求：“他只是想當總理。”

內塔尼亞胡說：“現在，他在浪費時間並擔任Yair Lapid總理一職兩年了，這說明他正在做這件事。”

Yamina的議員MK Amichai Chikli在當天早些時候宣布對新興的Bennett-Lapid政府提出異議時，裂縫已經開始在Yamina顯現出來。

Yamina MK Amichai Chikli在2021年4月5日的以色列議會宣誓就職儀式上（Olivier Fitousi / Flash90）

里夫林（Rivlin）選擇拉皮德（Lapid）時，立即受到其集團中一些黨派領導人的歡迎。

Yisrael Beytenu領導人阿維格多·利伯曼（Avigdor Liberman）對里夫林（Rivlin）將任務授權給拉皮德（Lapid）的“做出正確決定的速度”表示祝賀。

Liberman寫道：“工作正在進行中，是變革集團內各黨的領導人。”他預測，不久將達成聯盟協議。“作為一個了解每個人立場的人，有可能向公民保證並在下週提出一個運轉良好的政府。”

工黨領袖梅拉夫·邁克爾（Merav Michaeli）是內塔尼亞胡因左派觀點而受到指責的人之一，在推特上說，她很樂觀，“我們可以在幾天之內取代內塔尼亞胡。結束太長和太腐敗的規則，並走上一條新道路。”

拉皮德（Lapid）佔據了地幔，在一份聲明中說：“經過兩年的政治癱瘓，以色列社會正在受到傷害。統一政府不是妥協或萬不得已，而是目標，這是我們所需要的。”

魯文·里夫林（Ruven Rivlin）總統於2021年5月5日在耶路撒冷總統官邸會見了耶什·阿蒂德（Yesh Atid）的黨魁Yair Lapid（Haim Zach / GPO）

作為他新權力的一部分，拉皮德立即任命該黨的卡琳·埃哈拉爾（Karine Elharrar）為以色列議會安排委員會主席。

選舉委員會是選舉後第一個成立的議會委員會，它負責控制新議會的立法議程，直到新政府成立為止。

由於持續的政治僵局使聯盟的形成變得複雜，安排委員會的影響力最近得到了擴大。

Lapid和他之前的內塔尼亞胡一樣，現在有28天的時間來組建政府，儘管新任候任總理在完成任務方面面臨艱鉅的戰鬥。

即使擁有Yamina，他也不具有需要的數目的席位，而無需依靠以色列議會兩大阿拉伯政黨中任何一個的合作。但是，以阿拉伯聯合名單為主的國家不太可能提供任何幫助，儘管拉姆黨已與兩個集團進行了談判，以為聯盟提供外部支持，以換取阿拉伯以色列社區班尼特在電視轉播文件中的改善。簽署後，還發誓不與黨合作。

此外，拉皮德的集團由左，中，右黨派組成，他們在關鍵問題上有截然不同的看法，這使他的任務更加複雜。

As mandate to form a coalition is given to his rival, prime minister piles pressure on Yamina party to ‘return to the right’ and not break its election campaign promises

By STUART WINER and TOI STAFFToday, 10:27 pm 0

Screen capture from video of Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyhau, May 5, 2021. (Kippa)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warned that Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who on Wednesday received the presidential mandate to attempt to form a government, would form a “dangerous left-wing” coalition.

Netanyahu also heaped pressure on the right-wing Yamina party and its leader MK Naftali Bennett to not join any emerging coalition, and instead work with him to build a right-wing government.

His remarks came after President Reuven Rivlin formally tasked Lapid with forming a government in the wake of Netanyahu’s failure to cobble together a coalition in the 28 days since he was given the same mission. Netanyahu’s allotted time ran out at midnight Tuesday.

Lapid has expressed willingness to let the right-wing Bennett be prime minister first in a prospective government of left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties, as part of a rotation agreement.

Netanyahu, too, earlier this week said he was willing to step aside and let Bennett be prime minister for a year if he joins his right-wing government.

Right-wing Yamina did not join a Netanyahu-led bloc of right and religious parties in the Knesset, and though they negotiated, Bennett also held talks with Lapid, who leads the so-called change bloc of parties seeking to remove the Likud leader from power.

Netanyahu on Wednesday accused Bennett, and Yamina No. 2 Ayelet Shaked, of breaking their campaign promises to not join a coalition that sees Yesh Atid chief Lapid installed as prime minister.

“Come back to the right,” Netanyahu said directly addressing Bennett, Shaked and their fellow Yamina MKs, while slamming Bennett for striving to become premier himself.

“The truth is simple. This will be a dangerous left-wing government,” Netanyahu said.

“Don’t break all your commitments just for the ambition of Bennett to be prime minister for two years,” Netanyahu said.

Yamina chief Naftali Bennett speaks during a press conference at the Knesset on May 5, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Bennett, Netanyahu said, is “laundering words and attempting to mislead the public” with his call for a unity government, made earlier in the day, before Rivlin had tapped Lapid.

“It will not be a unity government, it will be a dangerous left-wing government,” Netanyahu said, listing the leaders of three left-wing parties in Lapid’s bloc who have all in the past taken up stances strongly opposed by the right-wing camp.

“Bennett and Shaked are now breaking all of their commitments, one after the other,” Netanyahu charged, recalling Bennett’s signing of a document, live on air the day before the last elections in March, in which he pledged to not allow “Yair Lapid to be prime minister, including in a rotation (agreement.)”

Netanyahu went on to cite a recent poll that found most Yamina voters are against the party joining a Lapid coalition. He claimed that if Yamina commits to his own bloc, which would then have 59 seats, other right-wing MKs in parties currently aligned with Lapid would switch sides, pushing the Netanyahu camp over the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset.

“When it comes down to choosing between a right government or elections” those right-wing MKs would prefer to see a government established rather than the political deadlock forcing another vote in what would be the fifth election in two and a half years, opined Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, noting that he had offered Bennet a rotation deal with the Yamina leader serving as prime minister for the first year, claimed that during all his negotiations with Bennett, he had only one request: “He just wanted to be prime minister.”

“Now it transpires that he was doing it [negotiating] to waste time and get two years as prime minister with Yair Lapid,” Netanyahu said.

Cracks were already beginning to show in Yamina, as its lawmaker MK Amichai Chikli announced earlier in the day his objection to the emerging Bennett-Lapid government.

Yamina MK Amichai Chikli at the Knesset swearing-in ceremony on April 5, 2021. (Olivier Fitousi/Flash90)

Lapid’s selection by Rivlin was immediately welcomed by some of the party leaders in his bloc.

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman congratulated Rivlin on “the speed of taking the right decision” in giving the mandate to Lapid.

“The work is now on us, leaders of the parties in the change bloc,” Liberman wrote, while predicting that a coalition agreement would soon be reached. “As someone who knows everyone’s position, it is possible to assure the citizens and present a functioning government already next week.”

Labor party leader Merav Michaeli — one of those berated by Netanyahu for her leftist views — tweeted that she is optimistic that “we can within a few days replace Netanyahu. To end the too-long and too-corrupt rule and set off on a new path.”

Lapid, taking up the mantle, said in a statement: “After two years of political paralysis, Israeli society is hurting. A unity government isn’t a compromise or a last resort — it’s a goal, it’s what we need.”

President Reuven Rivlin (R) meets Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, May 5, 2021. (Haim Zach/GPO)

As part of his new powers, Lapid immediately installed his party’s Karine Elharrar as the chair of the Knesset Arrangements Committee.

The Arrangements Committee, the first Knesset committee to be formed after an election, controls the legislative agenda in the new parliament until a new government is formed.

With the ongoing political deadlock complicating the formation of a coalition, the influence of the Arrangements Committee has recently been amplified.

Lapid, like Netanyahu before him, now has 28 days to try and form a government, though the new prime minister-designate faces an uphill battle to complete the task.

Even with Yamina, he doesn’t have the required number of seats without relying on cooperation from either of the two Arab parties in the Knesset. However, the predominantly Arab Joint List is unlikely to offer any help, and though the Ra’am party has negotiated with both blocs to provide outside support for a coalition in return for improvements to the Arab Israeli community, Bennett, in the televised document he signed, had also vowed to not work with the party.

In addition, Lapid’s bloc is comprised of left, center, and right parties that have significantly different views on key issues, further complicating his task.

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