Conversion bill frozen
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has extended a moratorium on a civil conversion bill for another six months. The bill proposed last year by Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu Party allows municipal rabbis to handle conversions – few may do so now – and permits only the president of the High Rabbinic Court to annul a conversion. It passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset last summer. The second moratorium will expire July 10. The first had expired Dec. 31. Under the moratorium, Yisrael Beiteinu and the Shas parties agreed not to continue to push the legislation through, and the Reform, or Progressive, and Masorti, or Conservative, movements in Israel agreed not to file petitions with the Supreme Court calling for a framework for non-Orthodox conversions in Israel. Netanyahu also appointed Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky to bring the parties together to discuss the issue. Officials of the Jewish Federations of North America, which has been working with the Jewish Agency and the religious movements on the conversion issue, welcomed the deal.
PM divulges salary
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes about $12,300 a month before taxes, he informed the public on Facebook. Netanyahu posted a copy of his monthly pay slip Jan. 10 on the Prime Minister of Israel’s page on the social networking site. The prime minister earns a gross salary of about $12,300 a month, but takes home just $4,200 after taxes and other deductions. According to his pay slip, Netanyahu is paid for a 42-hour work week, which is defined as full-time. As prime minister, Netanyahu receives free housing, but money is deducted from his salary for his cellphone, transportation, four daily newspapers and health insurance. After online requests, Netanyahu “decided to provide total transparency concerning his monthly pay slip,” read the status posted with the pay slip. U.S. President Barack Obama, at $400,000, makes more than double what Netanyahu earns in a year.
Foreign Ministry strike widens
A strike by Israeli Foreign Ministry employees has broadened, halting defense-related exports and freezing assistance for Israelis abroad. The strike, which began several weeks ago and has added sanctions on a weekly and then daily basis, has included refusing to co-operate with other ministries and institutions such as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Mossad and the army; disrupting diplomatic mail service; and refusing to co-operate on visits of dignitaries and state delegations. Diplomats are asking that their salaries be brought in line with intelligence and defence employees. Their union claims many employees have turned to welfare for assistance. Ynet reported last month that some diplomats have cut their service short because they couldn’t afford to live in their host country. On Jan. 11, the Foreign Ministry said it couldn’t provide assistance to Israelis travelling abroad due to the strike and absolved itself of responsibility for their safety. The previous day, Israeli embassies began withholding security and trade assistance to Israeli firms abroad, in effect halting defence-related exports. Earlier in the week, Israeli ambassadors cut off all contact with foreign ministries, prime minister’s and president’s offices in the countries in which they serve.
– with files from JTA