Head of local Orange provider ‘regrets’ boycott comments

Erdan says it’s ‘right’ for him to control Home Front Command

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan says “it would be right to put the Home Front Command under the authority” of his ministry.

Erdan makes the comment during a drill simulating the evacuation of a prison following a rocket explosion. The drill was held at the Carmel prison in the north. Erdan says “we should examine the legal aspects” of passing jurisdiction over the Home Front Command from the IDF to his ministry.

Israel’s challenges are ‘on everybody’s doorstep,’ says Canadian FM

President Reuven Rivlin meets with Canadian Foreign Minister Robert Douglas Nicholson in Jerusalem, and calls him “a dear friend of Israel.”

“I am delighted to host you here on your first visit to Israel. I know you are dedicated to your work but I hope you have time to see our wonderful country and beautiful capital city of Jerusalem. You are a dear friend of Israel, and we listen to your comments with respect, even when we disagree,” Rivlin tells Nicholson.

Nicholson thanks the president for his warm welcome and says Israel is a “beacon of light, hope, a source of democracy, and an example to the whole world, and I am proud of Canada’s steadfast and consistent support for Israel.”

The challenges Israel faces are “on everybody’s doorstep,” says Nicholson, “even though we are far from here.”

Gal-on says PM to blame for BDS successes

Meretz leader Zehava Gal-on says the Netanyahu government is fueling the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Speaking at the Knesset plenum, Galon says “the attitude of [Jewish Home MK and justice minister Ayelet] Shaked and of [Likud MK Ofir] Akunis is playing the role of victim. Those who work for the boycott movement are in the Netanyahu government.’

“Those who separate Jews and Palestinians on buses and publish a clip warning that Arabs going to the ballot boxes in droves” are the ones promoting a boycott. “You need to decide: either settlements or international legitimacy,” says Gal-on.

She is referring to a recent initiative to separate Jews and Arab riders on West Bank buses (which was never implemented) and to Netanyahu’s comment regarding Arab voters on Election Day. The prime minister has since apologized multiple times for the comments.

Ya’alon grounded from Paris air show

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon cancels a planned trip to the Paris Air Show so as not to be absent during crucial Knesset votes, Army Radio reports.

The cancellation speaks volumes about the difficulties in managing a super-slim majority, since defense ministers traditionally travel to the show – the largest of its kind in the world – where Israel, a dominant exporter of UAVs and world power in military technologies, usually has significant presence.

Gender Equality Minister Gila Gamliel also had to cancel a planned trip, to the US, following a recent instruction by the prime minister to ministers not to leave the country for the time being.

BBC tweet briefly stirs fear for queen’s life

Buckingham Palace takes the unusual step of confirming that Queen Elizabeth II went to a hospital for her annual medical checkup after social media comments touched off speculation on her health.

The palace says in a statement Wednesday that the 89-year-old monarch attended her annual medical checkup at King Edward VII Hospital in London, and left after the routine exam.

Speculation started after a tweet posted on a BBC account said the queen was being treated at the hospital.

The BBC later apologized, saying the mistake occurred during an exercise it described as a “technical rehearsal for an obituary.”

The BBC says “the tweets were swiftly deleted and we apologize for any offense.”

— AP

Kahlon, Flug name panel to foster competition in banking sector

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug appoint a committee to increase competition in financial and banking services.

In a letter of appointment sent to members, Kahlon and Flug write that financial services are highly centralized, which can be hurtful especially toward households and small businesses. “Because of this, steps are needed to increase competition and reduce centralization in this field.”

The committee is expected to make recommendations on introducing new players into the sector, including, among other measures, separating credit card companies from banks. It is expected to submit a report “within 100 days from the date of this letter,” i.e., by September 11, 2015.

The committee will be headed by Dror Strum, a lawyer and the director general of the Israeli Institute for Economic Planning. Its members include Prof. Avi Ben Bassat, a Hebrew University professor in the Faculty of Economics’ Amir Levi and Yael Mevorach, the director of budgets and deputy director of budgets, respectively, at the Finance Ministry; Nadine Baudot-Trajtenberg, deputy governor at the Bank of Israel; Prof. David Gilo, director of the Antitrust Authority; Avi Licht, deputy attorney general on fiscal and economic matters; and Prof. Nathan Sussman, manager of the Research Division at the Bank of Israel.

Gilo submitted his resignation as head of the Antitrust Authority last week. He is due to step down in August. The letter does not say if his position on the committee is replaced.

Kahlon vows end to 3 banks controlling 70% of market

My new committee aims to introduce “real competition in one of the most centralized sectors of Israeli economy – the banking system, ” Kahlon.

“A situation where three banks are holding more than 70% of the sector is not logical. If we learned anything, it is that over-centralization costs each and every household hundreds or thousands of shekels a year. Competition is the best friend of the consumer, it is good for companies and it is good for citizens and this is why we aim to promote it in every sector,” he says.

Kahlon said his next targets for reform are insurance and pension plans.

Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug says that “in recent years supervision of banks has brought about significant steps to increase competitiveness, and the Bank of Israel is part of the effort to continue to improve this sector.”

Flights delayed due to defense drill

Flights in and out of Ben Gurion Airport will experience delays until 6 p.m. due to a defense exercise which includes temporary limitations on civilian air traffic.

Police prepare for Ethiopian Israeli protest

Police are bracing for a demonstration by citizens from the Ethiopian community in Tel Aviv near the Azrieli shopping mall.

A previous protest in the city turned violent and included several arrests.

Channel 2 says police are expecting tonight’s demonstration to attract 1,000 protesters.

‘Universities UK’ comes out against academic boycott

The board of Universities UK, an organization that represents the UK’s universities with 133 members, is “committed to the free exchange of ideas between universities and between academics, regardless of nationality or location. The board therefore firmly opposes academic boycotts on the basis that they are inimical to academic freedom, including the freedom of academics to collaborate with other academics,” the group says in a press statement.

“Given the reported perception in Israel that UK universities support an academic boycott, the board of Universities UK wishes to confirm its previously stated position that it is firmly opposed to any academic boycott of Israeli universities. The board also confirms its view that all universities must uphold, in the interests of free expression of ideas, the fundamental right of academics to question national and international policies,” the statement concludes.

Bus drivers threaten strike over wages

Drivers of Egged Ta’avura, a susbidiary of Egged, Israel’s largest public transportation company, threaten to halt service, Israel Radio reports.

They demand to have their hourly wage raised from NIS 32 to NIS 39 (c. $10), as the Transportation Ministry decided recently.

Egged Ta’avura operates lines mainly connecting periphery communities to main Egged municipal and intercity lines. The company runs all lines in Netanya and in many communities in the western Negev, as well as in communities around Jerusalem.

PM tells NZ foreign minister that quest for peace is difficult

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully and tells him of Israel’s “difficult” quest for peace and security in light of “troubling developments.”

“There are reports now that Iran continues to grow its nuclear stockpile as the negotiations proceed. And if you add that to their continued development of ICBMs, to their vast terror network that spans five continents, the fact that they’re supporting rocket and missile attacks against us, their activities in Yemen, the fact that they violate all Security Council resolutions – that presents a serious challenge to peace and security in our place, in our region,” Netanyahu says.

“You’re going to head the Security Council. I wish you a lot of luck in it. I’d say that the main thing that we have learned is that peace is achieved, as we did with Jordan and with Egypt, through direct negotiations between parties and not by fiat. It just doesn’t work that way and I hope it works, but it has to work through direct negotiations and I look forward to discussing this and many other things with you,” adds the prime minister.

Caretaker arrested for beating baby

A resident of Haifa in her seventies was arrested on suspicion that beat an eight-month-old baby in her care. The baby’s parents discovered markings on its body and then installed a hidden camera that caught the caretaker in the act, Ynet reports.

The Haifa Magistrate Court extended the woman’s detention until Friday.

Bahrain arrests 10 for bomb attacks

Officials in Bahrain say they busted a cell with ties to Iran that is accused of carrying out bombings inside the tiny Gulf kingdom.

A statement issued late Tuesday on the official Bahrain News Agency says 10 people have been arrested and face charges including joining a terrorist group, attempted murder and possessing and using explosives.

It says two suspects inside Iran encouraged and helped recruits in Bahrain to carry out attacks between 2013 and 2015 as part of a group called al-Ashtar Brigade, including by facilitating travel to Iraq for training.

Bahrain hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. Its majority Shiites led widespread protests starting in 2011 demanding greater political rights from the Sunni monarchy. Some radical government opponents have carried out occasional attacks targeting security forces.

— AP

Ben-Eliezer to be indicted pending hearing

Former MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer is to be indicted pending a hearing in five cases in which he is suspected of corruption. He is accused of taking bribes, laundering money, breach of trust and tax evasion.

The allegations first came to light when he was running for the presidency in 2014. As a result his candidacy was withdrawn.

He is also suspected of filing falsified reports on his properties and using his influence as an MK and as a minister to promote the businesses of his close associates.

Ben-Eliezer’s lawyers, Navot Tel-Tzur and Tal Shapira, said in response to the decision: “All moneys mentioned in the draft were given to Mr. Ben Eliezer after his dramatic hospitalization at the Assaf Harofeh Hospital, where he lay unconscious for more than a month and nearly died.”

“Mr. Ben-Eliezer has made himself available to investigators, totally denies the allegations and has given detailed explanation regarding each one of them. He is determined to fight for his good name.”

Drill ends; airport delays continue

Some outgoing flights leaving Ben Gurion Airport are being delayed, after a defense drill which delayed civilian air traffic ended at 6 p.m.

Some passengers were not at all aware that a drill was taking place and did not anticipate the delay. According to Ynet, some passengers were stuck inside airplanes and the airport’s management connected the aircraft to external air conditioning, since planes cannot operate A/C when their engines are off.

Pictures from Home Front drill

Magen David Adom paramedics take part in a Home Front drill testing civilians’ preparedness for war.

At least 2 held in Ethiopian protest in Tel Aviv

Protest leader Adva Zamirou was arrested during a demonstration which did not get a police permit, Channel 2 reports. One other person who was not named was also arrested.

A Channel 2 reporter on the scene says police officers are visibly prepared to disperse demonstrators at any sign of violence. Many detectives in civilian clothing are among the protesters, the station reports.

TA’s Begin Road partially blocked by Ethiopian protesters

Begin Road in Tel Aviv was closed to traffic between the streets Kaplan and Shaul Hamelech, police tweets. Drivers are directed to use other routes.

The road is closed because it is being blocked by a protest of Israelis of Ethiopian descent.

Orange CEO says he wants to end link in Israel ‘tomorrow’

The chief executive officer of French mobile phone giant Orange says he would end his company’s relationship with an Israeli operator that pays to use its name “tomorrow” if he could, but that to do so would be a “huge risk” in terms of penalties.

Speaking Wednesday at a news conference in Cairo laying out the company’s plans for the years ahead in Egypt, Stephane Richard says that his company’s intention is to withdraw the Orange brand from Israel as soon as possible, but that the move would take time.

French human rights organizations have been pushing their government, which has a quarter stake in Orange, and the company itself, to end the relationship over Partner Communications Ltd.’s activity in Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal by the international community.

— AP

Orange move comes amid pressure on Egyptian franchisee to cut ties

The call by Orange’s CEO that he would like to boycott Israel comes as the company has come under pressure from anti-Israel activists in Egypt, who have called to boycott the Orange franchisee there over the company’s link to Israel.

According to the Electronic Intifada blog, BDS Egypt has called in recent weeks to boycott Mobinil, an Egyptian company renting out the Orange brand similarly to Partner Communications, the Israeli operator.

Mobinil has more than 33 million subscribers. Partner has around a tenth of that number.

A photo by BDS France shown on the Electronic Intifada blog, shows protesters calling on the cellular provider to cut ties with Israel.

The signs say in French “blood red Orange in occupied Palestine,” “What is Orange doing in the occupied Palestinian territories,” and “Colonized and limited with Orange.”

Partner CEO ‘regrets’ Orange int’l’s comments

Haim Romano, the CEO of Partner Communications, tells Ynet that “Partner is not owned by France Telecom, the holder of the Orange brand name. We have an agreement to use the brand which was just recently renewed and is in force for 10 more years.”

Romano says the company regrets the words of Stephane Richard on his hope that he could cut ties with Israel “tomorrow” but is prevented from doing so due to the company’s legal obligations. Romano says Partner Communications may be hurt by Richard’s comments and also speculated that the comments will raise the ire of Israeli subscribers of the brand.

3 arrested at opening of Old City’s Light Festival

Several Arab residents of Jerusalem were arrested after throwing rocks and bottles at police and border police officers near the Nablus Gate of the Old City, in an effort to prevent the opening of the annual Light Festival.

Security forces needed to use crowd dispersal means to quell the riot, Ynet reports. Three people were arrested and taken for questioning.