Latest news with #Likud
Roya News
2 days ago
- Business
- Roya News
Calls to boycott sports platform DAZN grow over ties to 'Israeli' leadership
A growing online campaign is calling for the boycott of DAZN, a global sports streaming service, over claims of the platform's connections to 'Israeli' political and military figures, as well as its perceived stance on the ongoing war in Gaza. Organizers of the campaign cite several reasons behind their calls, primarily centered around the company's ownership, executive leadership, and public statements by affiliated figures. Ownership and leadership concerns DAZN is owned by Access Industries, founded by British-American businessman Len Blavatnik. Critics point to Blavatnik's past financial support for 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party. Attention has also been drawn to Access Industries' president Danny Cohen, who has written opinion pieces criticizing media outlets for what he calls anti-'Israel' bias. Cohen previously signed a letter urging the BBC not to air a documentary focusing on Gaza's humanitarian crisis. Military background and political views Shay Segev, DAZN's CEO, is an 'Israeli' national who served in the 'Israeli' military for four years. Campaigners have raised concerns about his background and its potential influence on the platform's neutrality. In addition, DAZN reporter Emily Austin has faced criticism for expressing strong support for the 'Israeli' military and denying the severity of Gaza's humanitarian crisis in public statements.
LeMonde
2 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
The devastating ambition of Israel's defense minister
In just a few weeks, Benjamin Netanyahu will reach a cumulative total of 18 years as Israel's prime minister. Thanks to his political maneuvering skills and alliance with supremacists, he hopes to remain prime minister until October 2026, when the current four-year term of the Knesset, Israel's unicameral parliament, will end. Such stability contrasted sharply with the chaotic succession of five snap elections held between April 2019 and November 2022. The politician's remarkable longevity is based on a proven formula for achieving a majority of 61 out of 120 seats in the Knesset. This formula included securing around 30 seats for his party, Likud; maintaining an alliance with two ultra-Orthodox parties that consistently control about 15 seats; and shoring up a parliamentary majority with an additional 15 lawmakers currently drawn from the far-right supremacist bloc. Netanyahu had also always been careful to prevent the rise of any personality who could challenge him from within the Likud. The 'transfer' of Gaza's population Now over 75 years old, he has seen ambitions sharpening within his own party. The most serious contender at this point is Israel Katz, who is six years his junior. Katz owes his career to the prime minister, who since 2009 has entrusted him with the portfolios of transport, intelligence, energy, finance and twice foreign affairs. Netanyahu appointed him as defense minister in November 2024 to replace former general Yoav Gallant, due to his loyalty and tenacity as Israel's foreign minister. While Gallant believed the Israeli army had achieved its military objectives in Gaza months earlier, Katz revived Netanyahu's rhetoric about achieving "total victory" over Hamas. Katz further solidified this hardline stance by establishing a "special agency for the voluntary departure of Gaza's residents" within his ministry. Katz is actively promoting the "transfer" of Gaza's population to distance himself from his mentor, Netanyahu, who is bound by certain rhetorical constraints. Already a vocal advocate for annexing the West Bank, Katz is counting on the popularity of supremacist ideas within the Likud party, given that over 80% of Israeli Jews supported expelling Gaza's residents.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bismuth elected new Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee head
Netanyahu announced that MK Hanoch Milwidsky will become 'temporary' Finance Committee head. Likud MK Boaz Bismuth will become the next Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairperson, after the Likud voted for him in a closed meeting in the Knesset on Wednesday. The vote passed 29-4 in favor of Bismuth and against outgoing chair MK Yuli Edelstein, two sources confirmed. The four votes in favor of Edelstein were by MKs Eli Dalal, Shalom Danino, David Bitan, and Edelstein himself. When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier on Wednesday that he would support Bismuth's leading contender, MK Hanoch Milwidsky, for the position of temporary Finance Committee chairperson, he paved the way for Bismuth's election, whereby the contest effectively ended. Following Netanyahu's announcement, the other contenders in the party, MKs Eliyahu Revivo, Avichay Boaron, Dalal, and Nissim Vaturi, withdrew their candidacy. Milwidsky's new position is temporary because it will be returned to United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni in the event that Gafni rejoins the coalition. UTJ left the government and coalition on July 14 after negotiations between Edelstein and haredi (ultra-Orthodox) representatives over a haredi IDF conscription bill fell through. Edelstein refused to proceed with a law proposal that would likely exempt a large majority of haredi men from IDF service. Bismuth was reportedly the preferred choice by some of the haredi parties. Two parties, Degel Hatorah and Shas, publicly denied involvement in the appointment. Votes in the party's Knesset faction Five Likud MKs filed a request on Tuesday for the vote to be a secret one instead of an open one. The Likud's constitution states that 10% of the voting body may demand a secret ballot, and the five members exceeded this threshold. However, the Likud's legal adviser, Avi Halevy, ruled that the vote would be open, arguing that the relevant article in the party's constitution did not apply to votes in the party's Knesset faction. This was significant, as Edelstein would likely have received more support if MKs could do so discreetly. Some 41 MKs and ministers from the party were eligible to vote. In addition to the 29-4 vote, two MKs, Dan Illouz and Milwidsky, abstained. The remaining six votes were either not cast or the voters did not participate in the ballot. Several family members of the hostages stood alongside reporters near the Likud's meeting place. In a statement following the vote, Yael Adar, the mother of Tamir Adar, who was killed on October 7 and whose body is being held by Hamas in Gaza, called for a hostage deal that will end the war and bring back all hostages in one wave. The family members also condemned Netanyahu for passing by them in a hallway without acknowledging them. They criticized the fact that the Likud convened to appoint a new committee head, but not to discuss the hostages. Even if Bismuth takes over as the defense panel's chair and would be willing to proceed with a lenient haredi conscription bill, at least seven MKs from the coalition would not support it, according to a source from the United Right party. The coalition might thus struggle to muster a majority. Bismuth said in a statement following the vote that he viewed the role as a 'paramount national mission.' 'The Torah brought me here and the army keeps me here,' Bismuth said. 'The conscription law lives in my home – my daughter is a soldier with a red beret, and my son wears tzitzit and a kippah and studies in yeshiva. I'm proud of them both. Army and Torah – this combination is so beautiful together.' 'It's possible to integrate the two,' he continued, 'as one hand holds the other. Each strengthens the other. The conscription law is a national matter, not a political one. All of the people of Israel, for the sake of all of the people of Israel,' Bismuth said. His election drew criticism from the opposition. Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid said in a statement that this is 'a black day for the State of Israel and the people of Israel. Bismuth was chosen to promote draft evasion, and this is a slap in the face to the soldiers, reservists, and their families. It is also a black day for the Likud, which has become a branch of the haredim and the draft evaders.' The leader of the opposition's Blue and White party, MK Benny Gantz, said in a video statement, 'Just moments ago, Likud members decided to abandon our heroic fighters and turn a blind eye to the challenges and security interests of the State of Israel for political gain. In the midst of a war, the Likud members, led by Netanyahu, chose to turn one of the most important committees in the Knesset into mere window dressing, with one goal: to exempt the haredim from military service.' Gantz continued, 'To all the members of the Likud in the Knesset, I say today: you've lost touch with the people, and you've lost your way. This is not [former prime minister Menachem] Begin's Likud. This is absolutely not the legacy of [Ze'ev] Jabotinsky.' 'Anyone who thinks the fight is over, that the draft exemption law will pass – they're mistaken,' he said. 'We will continue to fight; we won't give up. Those who serve will not surrender to the corrupt. It will take as long as it takes.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'A stab in the back to IDF troops': Opposition decries Bismuth appt
Bismuth's designation as the new chairman for the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee sparked a heated reaction from the opposition, who called it a "back stab to the IDF troops and reservists". Israeli opposition leaders said the Netanyahu government's designation of Boaz Bismuth as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, replacing Yuli Edelstein, marked a betrayal of IDF soldiers and reservists on Wednesday. Opposition Leader MK Yair Lapid said in a statement, 'A black day for the State of Israel and the people of Israel. Bismuth was chosen to promote draft evasion, and this is a slap in the face to the soldiers, reservists, and their families. It is also a black day for the Likud party, which has become a branch of the Haredim and the draft evaders.' The leader of the opposition Blue and White party, MK Benny Gantz, said in a video statement, 'Just moments ago, Likud members decided to abandon our heroic fighters and turn a blind eye to the challenges and security interests of the State of Israel—for political gain. In the midst of a war, the Likud members, led by Netanyahu, chose to turn one of the most important committees in the Knesset into mere window dressing, with one goal: to exempt the Haredim from military service.' Gantz continued, 'To all Likud Knesset members I say today—you've lost touch with the people, and you've lost your way. This is not Begin's Likud. This is absolutely not the legacy of Jabotinsky. Anyone who thinks the fight is over, that the draft exemption law will pass—they're mistaken. We will keep fighting, and we won't give up. Those who serve will not surrender to the corrupt. It will take as long as it takes.' Former prime minister Naftali Bennett also criticized the decision, saying that 'Likud and Netanyahu have now stabbed IDF soldiers and reservists in the back.' 'This is a mark of disgrace for eternity on every Knesset member who voted for the impeachment. The government of draft-dodging and degradation must go home to save Israel. The alliance of those who serve will prevail,' he said on X. This is a developing story. Solve the daily Crossword
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Israel just drew a new map – without saying it out loud
In a significant yet non-binding move, the Israeli legislature has overwhelmingly approved a declaration urging the immediate extension of Israeli sovereignty over Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley. The motion, which passed by a vote of 71 to 13, was backed by right-wing and center-right factions including Likud, Shas, Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit, and Yisrael Beiteinu. The text declares that the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas — referred to in Israeli political discourse as the 'Simchat Torah Massacre' — proves that the creation of a Palestinian state poses a mortal danger to Israel's existence. 'The Knesset declares that the State of Israel has the natural, historical, and legal right to all parts of the Land of Israel,' the resolution reads. 'The Knesset calls on the Government of Israel to act without delay to apply sovereignty… over all areas of Jewish settlement in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.' Though labeled symbolic, Palestinian experts view the vote as laying the bureaucratic foundation for a permanent Israeli presence and governance in the West Bank, the heartland of a future Palestinian state as envisioned by international consensus. Saad Nimr, professor of political science at Birzeit University in the West Bank, told RT the implications of the Knesset's move are far-reaching. 'This is not symbolic at all,' Nimr said. 'It means these settlements are now treated as Israeli cities. They're no longer 'occupied' under military law. This is the legal and bureaucratic infrastructure of annexation.' He continued: 'The Israeli ministries — not the military — will now oversee health, welfare, planning, and infrastructure in these areas. It's not about theory. It's about bulldozers, budgets, and expansion.' Dimitri Diliani, a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, echoed that sentiment. 'To describe the vote as symbolic is dangerously naive,' Diliani warned. 'In Israeli politics, symbolism is often a precursor to de facto annexation. While the Knesset motion lacks binding legislative authority, it institutionalizes consensus in both government and opposition to expand the State of Israel's settler-colonial project with new domestic political legitimacy.' Diliani added that members of the Knesset are already pushing legislation to replace the internationally recognized term 'West Bank' with the biblical 'Judea and Samaria' — further entrenching a nationalist narrative in Israeli law. Many analysts see the vote not only as ideological, but also as a tactical political maneuver to preserve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile governing coalition. 'It's quite clear this was a political exchange,' said Nimr. '[The leader of the National Religious Party–Religious Zionism Bezalel] Smotrich and [the leader of the Otzma Yehudit ('Jewish Power') party] Ben Gvir threatened to leave the government if negotiations in Doha led to a Gaza ceasefire. This vote is Netanyahu's way of keeping them on board.' By offering the far right a symbolic prize on annexation, Netanyahu appears to be stalling a government collapse – even as truce talks with Hamas continue under Qatari mediation. Diliani described the move as 'opportunistic,' adding: 'It's designed to pre-empt mounting international legal scrutiny, particularly after the International Court of Justice advisory opinion in July 2023, which declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal.' The reaction from the international community was swift but toothless. Jordan condemned the vote as 'a blatant violation of international law.' The European Union and the Arab League issued similarly worded rebukes, reaffirming their commitment to a two-state solution. But both Palestinian analysts were unshaken by the lack of meaningful repercussions. 'The historical record teaches us that international consensus does not always translate into action,' said Diliani. 'Israel's alignment with key Western powers, particularly the United States, has only grown stronger – even amid documented live-streamed Israeli genocide in Gaza and tremendous war crimes in Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank.' He cited continued US military support, which amounts to $3.8 billion annually in aid and has reached nearly $20 billion in additional military assistance since the war on Gaza began in October 2023. 'Israel continues to enjoy extensive trade privileges with the EU,' Diliani added. 'Over three-quarters of a million illegal colonial Israeli settlers reside in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Yet the response from the international community remains negligible. Absent deterrent sanctions or accountability mechanisms, Israel interprets this as tacit permission to proceed.' Nimr was equally scathing. 'Israel went into this decision with an overwhelming majority in the Knesset. That means they don't care about the international community's opinion. The EU witnessed with their own eyes the genocide in Gaza, the use of hunger as a weapon, and still didn't take any real action.' 'If there is no punishment,' Nimr said, 'it's interpreted as agreement. So now, they feel they have a green light.' The analysts tie this impunity to Israel's entrenched position within the Western geopolitical orbit. In 2024, bilateral trade between the EU and Israel reached $46 billion, with Germany, France, and the Netherlands among the top exporters of dual-use technologies. Meanwhile, the United States increased both defense cooperation and intelligence-sharing with Israel under the Biden administration, even as it publicly maintained opposition to annexation. 'This double standard is embedded in the architecture of global power,' said Diliani. 'The situation with Crimea in 2014 triggered sweeping sanctions against Russia. In contrast, the State of Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza and de facto annexation of the West Bank is rewarded with increased arms transfers and diplomatic cover.' 'Israel functions as a strategic Western colonial stronghold in the Middle East. It ensures violations of international law are overlooked. Unlike Russia, which is constructed as a threat to Western order, Israel is portrayed as an extension of that order – even when it dismantles international norms.' Diliani added that allegations of antisemitism are strategically deployed to shield Israeli actions from critique. 'The Zionist instrumentalization of antisemitism allegations to silence critics of its genocidal war crimes has further immunized the Israeli state from accountability.' Nimr agreed. 'The double standard is the slogan – the unspoken slogan – of international diplomacy. Countries deal with Israel differently than they deal with Russia or China, because Israel is part of the same imperialist and capitalist system they belong to.' He called for a global reassessment of the post-WWII international legal framework. 'All these laws, including the United Nations and the Security Council, should be under review. The system is broken. The US veto can block any decision against a country like Israel – its favorite ally in the region.' Both experts believe that the consequences of the Knesset vote extend far beyond diplomatic rhetoric. For Nimr, it should mark a turning point for the Palestinian leadership. 'This decision affects all Palestinians,' Nimr said. 'The two-state solution is not only behind us – it's officially dead. The law blows up the Oslo Agreement.' Signed in the 1990s, the Oslo framework laid the foundation for limited Palestinian self-rule under Israeli oversight – a compromise meant to pave the way toward a two-state solution that now appears conclusively buried. Nimr called on the Palestinian Authority to take immediate, concrete steps, beginning with ending security coordination with Israel – a practice long criticized by Palestinian civil society as collaboration. 'If Oslo is dead, then why should we keep our part of it? The Palestinian Authority must immediately stop all security cooperation. That would send a strong message.' Beyond this, Nimr urged national unity. 'We need a united front – Fatah, Hamas, all factions – to strategize against this existential threat. For decades, we had two paths: negotiations under Oslo, or resistance. Now, the Oslo path has been closed by Israel itself.' Diliani, too, believes Palestinians must take matters into their own hands. 'We are no longer dealing with theoretical annexation,' he said. 'This is the normalization of apartheid and settler-colonial domination – with legal mechanisms to enforce it. Palestinians must now focus on building grassroots resistance, mobilizing international civil society, and dismantling the myth of Israeli democracy.'
