| | Who’s Who in Israel’s New Patchwork Coalition Government A look at the new government, declining wellbeing across the Middle East, and a move to condition Israel aid. Image: Israel's incoming Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, and Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Gil Cohen-Magen/ AFP) | | | |  | Image: Israel's incoming Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, and Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Gil Cohen-Magen/ AFP) | | | Who’s who in Israel’s new patchwork coalition government AlJazeera "The new government, a hodgepodge of political parties, has little in common other than a desire to unseat now-former Prime Minister Netanyahu. The coalition spans from the far-left to the far-right and includes for the first time a small party that represents Palestinian citizens of Israel, who account for 21 percent of the country’s population. Analysts say it is expected to focus mostly on economic and social issues rather than risk exposing internal rifts by trying to address major diplomatic issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian leaders have dismissed the change in government, saying new the Israeli prime minister will likely pursue the same right-wing agenda as his predecessor." | | | | | | | |  | Image: US President Joe Biden speaks to American service members at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/ Patrick Semansky) | | | Biden congratulates PM Bennett in phone call as US embraces new government
The Times of Israel “US President Joe Biden congratulated new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Sunday night on being sworn in as the head of a new government coalition, issuing a statement and immediately following it up with a phone call. ‘On behalf of the American people, I congratulate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, and all the members of the new Israeli cabinet,’ Biden said in a statement. ‘I look forward to working with Prime Minister Bennett to strengthen all aspects of the close and enduring relationship between our two nations.’” | | | | | | | |  | Image: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks on his cellphone during a special session of the Knesset on Wednesday. (Ronen Zvulun/Pool/AP) | | | A Palestinian writer and an Israeli writer exchange emails — and seek common ground
Washington Post “So, I’ve been asked to start our conversation by addressing the question, “Realistically, where do Palestinians and Israelis go from here?” To be honest, even this seemingly innocent question is provocative. It makes it sound like we were on a road trip together and got lost, and all that we need to focus on now is in which direction to keep driving. I wish it were so straightforward.” | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Join Us for a Denominational Tours of the Holy Land: In conjunction with our trip partner MEJDI Tours, CMEP is hosting three different virtual denominational tours at the end of June: the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem tour, a Catholic tour, and a Greek Orthodox tour. Each tour will visit key sites sacred to each faith tradition. This is a wonderful opportunity to support the local economy in Israel/Palestine, which has been devastated by Covid-19. | | | | |  | CMEP in the News: We’ve been actively working to put CMEP’s message of peace and justice into the world and the last few weeks our work has been featured in multiple publications. Check out where CMEP’s work is appearing. | | | | |  | Public Statement: CMEP Joins Over 100 National Organizations Calling on President Biden to Halt New Weapons Sales to Israel: In opposition to the U.S. government’s plans to sell $735 million in advanced weapons systems and munitions to Israel. The planned arms sales to Israel would send a signal of support for Israel’s recent conduct in occupied Gaza and East Jerusalem, which includes likely violations of international humanitarian law | | | | | | Donate Please donate and share in your networks to support CMEP's work. | | | | | | | | | |  | Image: Americans for Peace Now | | | Americans for Peace Now is first U.S. Zionist group to back conditioning Israel aid
Haaretz “'What has become abundantly clear, underscored by the horrifying images coming out of Gaza, East Jerusalem and inside Israel last month, is that continuing to give Israel military aid without conditions neither serves U.S. policy interests—nor, I would argue, does it serve Israel,' APN President and CEO Hadar Susskind wrote in Time Magazine." | | | | | | | |  | Image: Nides's lack of public political statements mark a departure from David Friedman, Trump's outspoken ambassador to Israel (AFP/File photo) | | | Biden nominates Thomas Nides as U.S. ambassador to Israel
Middle East Eye US President Joe Biden appointed Thomas Nides, a former diplomat and corporate official, as ambassador to Israel, as the administration says it is pushing to restore relations with Palestinians before eventually working to reconvene peace talks. | | | | | | | |  | Image: Smoke billows from an Israeli airstrike in Rafah in the southern Gaza strip on May 18. (Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images) | | | Wellbeing Declines in the Middle East and North Africa
Gallup As the coronavirus spread across the globe, it became clear that the world's people were all in the same storm, but not the same boat. Gallup's State of the Global Workforce: 2021 Report proves it: 54% of the people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) said the coronavirus situation affected their lives "a lot." The global average is 45%. No other region reported being affected as much as the MENA region. | | | | | | | | CMEP's Bulletin is a weekly round-up of news from the Middle East and represents an array of perspectives on the issues we cover. CMEP does not necessarily agree with all the views expressed in the articles, and they do not speak on CMEP's behalf. | | | | Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
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