Daily Briefing June 7 – Likud tricks & shtick to delay ‘change bloc’ government
Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.
Today’s panel comprises senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and health reporter Nathan Jeffay, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.
As the Yair Lapid/Naftali Bennet-led “change bloc” nears the finish line — a vote of confidence and swearing-in ceremony in the Knesset — its opponents are pulling out all the stops. Will Speaker of the Knesset Yariv Levin delay scheduling? And what else does Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have up his sleeve?
Even with the Shin Bet warning of the dangers of inflammatory rhetoric against members of the potential new coalition, Netanyahu said at a Likud faction meeting Sunday night, “We are witness to the greatest election fraud in the history of the country; in my opinion, in the history of democracies.” Rettig Gur explains why this is in keeping with the PM’s MO.
Israel serves as a beacon to the world in its widespread COVID vaccination drive. Now that 12- to 15-year-olds are eligible for vaccination, however, parents are stumped. Jeffay brings us Health Ministry research about how about one of three in this age group appears to have COVID antibodies, creating a de facto “herd immunity.” So should parents even bother to vaccinate their children?
Discussed articles include:
Knesset to meet on setting date for vote on new government, likely June 14
New Hope, Yamina reject idea Netanyahu considering stepping down: ‘It’s a trick’
Bennett to Netanyahu: Let Israel go, don’t leave ‘scorched earth’
Netanyahu bemoans incitement, raps ‘dangerous left-wing’ coalition, claims fraud
Israel to drop indoor mask requirement on June 15, as daily cases near zero
Kids line up for COVID shots saying they want to protect family, go on vacation
Study finds 1 in 3 young teens had COVID, fueling debate over need for vaccine
Reduced to ‘begging’ for funds, 7 hospitals to boycott pandemic victory ceremony
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