Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ousted the lead negotiator for an Egypt-brokered truce deal with Hamas. Negotiator Amos Gilad criticized the government’s strategy last week, stating that preconditioning the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is an insult towards the Egyptians. Conversely, Olmert continues to assert the need for Shalit’s release before any truce could occur.
Even after Kadima Chairman Tzipi Livni and Labor Chairman Ehud Barak rejected Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu’s call for a unity government, the party leaders will meet again to discuss a potential deal. While Livni remains intent on leading the opposition, party members continue pressuring her to accept the high-profile positions offered to her by Likud. Conversely, most Labor party members support Barak’s decision to sit in opposition.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry described as biased a recent Amnesty International report calling for a freeze on arms-sales to Israel. The report claims that munitions sales from approximately 20 countries supported unnecessary civilian deaths in Operation Cast Lead. In response, the Foreign Ministry criticized the report for failing to mention Hamas’ use of human shields during the operation. Meanwhile, an Arab League delegation arrived in Gaza to assess the destruction and determine whether war crimes were committed.
An Israeli firm contracted to build the support infrastructure for electric vehicles signed agreements with 19 companies to ensure they begin using electric vehicles. The project will culminate in the installation of battery-recharge locations throughout Israel in an effort to power the nation’s vehicles without gasoline.
For our socialite readership, Facebook is now up and running in Hebrew.
