Free Republic

Political analysts say Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyhau is making desperate maneuvers to try and prevent MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud-Beytenu) from being elected president in the coming weeks. The Knesset began its summer session Monday, a session that will focus on the process of electing a president, as Shimon Peres's term nears its end. Peres's term ends in July, and a successor is to be elected by the Knesset between 30 and 90 days before then. Netanyahu reportedly is still trying to bring about a six-month postponement of the election, after failing to do so until now. Sources close to him...

Knesset Land of Israel Caucus heads Yariv Levin (Likud Beytenu) and Orit Struck (Bayit Yehudi) expressed regret on Wednesday that a recording of the parliamentary group’s meeting with US Ambassador Dan Shapiro was leaked to the press. The meeting, which took place on Tuesday, was closed to the press and was described by attendees as “charged,” after MKs used harsh language in discussions of imprisoned Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard’s treatment and accused the US of bias against Israel in talks with Palestinians. Shapiro spoke to Levin and Struck, saying that he was upset that the meeting was recorded. The two...

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni appealed a bill declaring donations to anti-Israel non-governmental organizations from foreign governments no longer exempt from tax, after it was approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday. Eight ministers from Likud, Yisrael Beytenu and Bayit Yehudi approved the bill in the ministerial committee, while Hatnua and Yesh Atid ministers voted against it. The legislation proposed by Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman Ayelet Shaked and MK Robert Ilatov (Likud Beytenu) amends the Income Tax Law so that NGOs will have to pay 45 percent tax on donations from foreign governments if the organization or members of...