What was supposed to be one of the nation’s finest moments is becoming lost amid bickering between Israel’s prime minister and the Parliamentary Speaker over what is being portrayed as the PM’s “grabbing the microphone.” At issue is the nation’s 70th anniversary of statehood and its annual torch-lighting ceremony traditionally presided over by the Speaker while offering no opportunity for the prime minister to speak. This year, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu plans to break the tradition, the ability to do set up by his political ally who chairs the events committee and who extended an invitation to the president and the prime minister. President Ruby Rivlin declined in deference to the long-held tradition of the event belonging to the speaker – a position in which Rivlin served before becoming president. But Netanyahu says he’s speaking while Speaker Yuli Edelstein says he – and most of the 120 lawmakers – will skip the event if the PM speaks. For other Israelis, the affair is embarrassing and a bad note upon which to launch joyous celebrations of independence.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
