Morsi’s death makes headlines in Israel
Israeli have extensively covered the death of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, who collapsed in court and died on Monday in Cairo.
Israeli stressed the fact that Hamas had sent its condolences, and that condolences from Muslim leaders and organisations from around the world used the word “shahid” [“martyr” in Arabic], which in the Israeli context is often confused with the word “terrorist”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged his cabinet not to comment when Morsi, who was backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected in 2012 and later deposed.
His successor in Egypt, Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, has admitted he maintains close security relations with Israel, while Morsi was treated with suspicion over the Brotherhood’s relations with Hamas.
Several Israeli newspapers stressed the security tensions in Egypt, which declared a state of emergency after Morsi’s death, and the risk of him becoming a martyrand sparking an uprising.
Israeli security experts told the Haaretz newspaper that they believe the Egyptian government will survive whatever protests erupt after Morsi’s death, but that they are waiting anxiously for Friday prayers to see whether the public outrage will remain under control.
Netanyahu appoints right-wingers
Although he failed in forming a coalition and a new election date has been declared, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to reshuffle his cabinet.
After firing the ministers of education and justice, Netanyahu this week appointed two new temporary ministers to hold office until after the next election scheduled for 17 September.
Both are from the new Union of the Right-Wing Parties, which includes several National-Orthodox and far-right smaller parties.
The new minister of education is Rafael (Rafi) Peretz, a former combat pilot who became the chief rabbi of the Israeli military, and is chairman of the Union of the Right-Wing Parties.
Last month, Peretz declared that it is “about time the world will recognise our right over Judea and Samaria [the occupied West Bank]”.
The new minister of transportation is Betzalel Smotrich, chairman of the National Union party, which is a member of the union.
Both ministers have vowed to maintain the “status quo” on matters of religion.
This is especially relevant for the Ministry of Transportation, which has been at the centre of a controversy over its refusal to operate public transportation during the Jewish Shabbat.
Smotrich has already appointed a team to come up with a plan to use the ministry to impose the Shabbat shutdown in the West Bank, thereby advancing the process of annexation.
Smotrich wrote on Facebook: “The breath of fresh air from the US government about implementing Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is both encouraging and demanding of us a joint effort by all government ministries, in preparation for the practical consequences of sovereignty.”
