Israel Report

According to press reports, a majority of the parties in the Knesset, including the governing coalition, reached an agreement yesterday to dissolve the Knesset and declare early elections.

In a brief message posted on YouTube Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out what makes Israel unique in the world. The Prime Minister said Israel’s uniqueness is shown in many ways, among them: restoring sovereignty to a people who had been stateless for 2000 years, gathering Diaspora Jews in their homeland, becoming a global technological power in the midst of opposition, and in establishing a vibrant democracy.

On Saturday, a demonstration organized by the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) just north of Jericho in the Jordan Valley received world coverage due to the reaction of a hot headed Israeli military officer.

Following last week’s publication of the German poet, Günther Grass’ poem “Was gesagt werden muss” (“What must be said”), Israel’s Minister of Interior, Eli Yishai declared Grass persona non grata in Israel. In the poem, the 85-year old Nobel prize laureate describes Israel as the main threat to world peace.

Tomorrow, March 30, organizers of the event Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ) hope to attract millions of people in a march towards the capital of Israel.

On Tuesday, the Anti-Defamation League released a report on anti-Semitism in ten European countries. The results where depressing, as in nine of the countries, anti-Semitic attitudes had increased.