Even during summer vacation, no rest from political unrest
With summer vacation in full swing, it’s silly season in Israel — when Israeli politicians are scattered around the globe. Last week, one (Deri) was in the Alps, another (Lapid) in sweltering Naples, and the third (Netanyahu) was still in Israel, having booked an entire hotel in the moshav of Neve Ativ, on the slopes of Har Hermon.
The northern yishuv is one of the few locations in Israel that stays cool even during sweltering August. Netanyahu had planned a trip abroad, but his health troubles (he had a pacemaker implanted just weeks ago) forced him to vacation in Israel instead. Neve Ativ was the closest thing to overseas for him, at least as concerns the weather.
But the hoped-for calm didn’t materialize. Despite the fact that he booked the entire hotel, protesters stormed the moshav, and security forces had to turn it into an armed fortress. Local residents who found themselves under a state of siege petitioned the High Court, and even a vacation that was meant to help Netanyahu recover a little turned into another battle over the reform.
Coalition heads also hoped for some quiet after the Knesset’s summer session, but the High Court had different plans for them. The High Court is scheduling a series of hearings to be held during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, and between Yom Kippur and Succos, which could turn the Israeli government into a diras arai — a temporary structure.
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