Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu intends to finalize his cabinet with the appointment of party members to the remaining posts, the most prominent of which is the Finance Minister. However, his chief Likud rival Silvan Shalom, may refuse all positions aside from vice-Prime Minister and Finance Minister. Netanyahu originally intended on chairing the Finance Ministry himself, but he may need to alter that plan due to Shalom’s demands.
The Israeli government maintains its denial over allegations of human rights violations in the recent Gaza Operation. The IDF stated that some of the stories remain “urban myths” not witnessed by any soldiers. Further, officials noted that a vast majority of soldiers acted honorably to avoid civilian casualties.
At the Arab League Summit yesterday, a draft resolution calls on Israel to accept the Saudi Peace Plan, threatening to remove the deal as an option. Notably, the plan would give Israel full diplomatic ties with Arab nations if it grants Palestinian statehood with Jerusalem as its capital.
A new Seymour Hersh article describes the potential U.S. role in Middle East peace, particularly regarding Syria. The piece includes exclusive quotes from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and numerous U.S. officials.