14 DAYS - Top News from the last two weeks in Israeli life.
From the state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Avi Gabbay gaining leadership of the Israeli Labor party.
By STEVE LINDEPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embraces visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival in Israel, July 4, 2017(photo credit: HAIM ZACH/GPO)
PASSAGE FROM INDIA Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted Narendra Modi as the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel on July 4. “We receive you with open arms. We love India,” Netanyahu told Modi at a welcoming ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport. Modi responded, “I am very happy to be here. Building a strong and resilient relationship with Israel will be my intent and focus.”RWANDA VISIT Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame visited Israel from July 9-10. Kagame, who has come to Israel several times, received a rare welcome at the President’s Residence by both President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Kagame is considered a strong friend of Israel, and hosted Netanyahu last July when the prime minister visited four East African countries.FOURTH OF JULY Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to make the Western Wall a place for all Jews.Speaking at a July 4th celebration at US Ambassador David Friedman’s residence in Herzliya, Netanyahu said, “I remain committed to making every Jew feel at home at the Kotel.” Friedman had a reconciliatory meeting earlier in the week with Jeremy Ben-Ami, the leader of the dovish American organization J Street, which he had once referred to as “worse than Kapos.” Ben-Ami said the meeting “represents a recognition that there needs to be a broad dialogue in the pro- Israel community, even with those with whom we disagree.”JERUSALEM RESOLUTION UNESCO’S World Heritage Committee, meeting in Krakow, Poland, on July 4 approved a resolution disavowing Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem by 10 votes to 3 with 8 abstentions. Israeli Ambassador Carmel Shama-Hacohen called the vote “outrageous,” especially because it took place so close to where so many Jews were murdered in the Holocaust.Hacohen refused to stand when the body held a moment of silence for Palestinian victims of violence after standing in memory of Holocaust victims.LABOR RACE A runoff for leadership of the Labor Party between Avi Gabbay and Amir Peretz was held on July 10, after the two emerged as frontrunners in the party primaries on July 5. Labor leader Isaac Herzog lost the race and his position as chairman of the party after coming in third. Herzog backed Peretz, while Gabbay received the support of former Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich.TRAGIC ACCIDENT Golani officer David Golovenchik, 22, from Efrat, was killed when another soldier accidentally fired his gun during a training drill in Hebron on July 4. On the day of his funeral at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl Military Cemetery two days later, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot halted all training exercises and ordered commanders to hold a safety awareness day.MACCABIAH 2017 The 20th Maccabiah kicked off in a spectacular celebration at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium on July 6, in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sport and Culture Minister Miri Regev, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, and Maccabiah Honorary President Morris Kahn. “We are all one family,” Kahn told the 30,000 people who packed the stadium. The official slogan of this year’s Jewish Olympics, which brought together more than 10,000 athletes to Israel, was “80 countries, one heart,” aimed at uniting Jewish sports people from around the world.
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