Jerusalem News (27 January, 2013, Shevet 16, 5773)
Contents:
1. Final results of elections for the 19th Knesset
2. One-third of new MKs are Considered Religious!
3. Half the Army Voted for Religious Parties.
4. Israel ranks 7th in innovation
5. Statistics. World Innovation Champions
6. British [so-called "Extremist"] Right Wingers Support Israel!
7. Life Expectancy of Arabs in Israel Higher than in Arab Countries
8. Report: Explosion Rocks Iranian Nuclear Plant
9. US Returns to Pressuring Israel on 2-State 'Solution'
1. Final results of elections for the 19th Knesset
Sender: imra-owner@imra.org.il
Final results of elections for the 19th Knesset
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 24 January 20013
[seats in previous Knesset in [brackets]
31 [42] Likud Beiteinu (Likud & Yisrael Beiteinu)
19 [---] Lapid "Atid" Party
15 [13] Labor
12 [07] Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home/NRP & National Union)
11 [11] Shas
07 [05] Yahadut Hatorah
06 [---] Livni party "Hatnua" Party
06 [03] Meretz
02 [28] Kadima
11 [11] Arab parties
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il
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2. One-third of new MKs are Considered Religious!
Source:
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
Thursday, Jan. 24 '13, Shevat 13, 5773
2. 19TH KNESSET RECORD-BREAKER FOR WOMEN, RELIGIOUS MKS
by Chana Ya'ar
Extracts:
Among the 53 new lawmakers joining the 19th Knesset this year, nearly a third - 38 -- are observant members, a jump from 28 religious MKs in the prior session.
In addition, 26 women have joined Israel"s new parliament, another record-setting increase from 21 in the 18th Knesset.
Women will now comprise 23 percent of the 19th Knesset - a statistic that outstrips the United States, where only 18 percent of the nation"s Congress are women, despite the record-setting membership of 98 female lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
It is important to realize, however, that four parties, Â Likud (without Yisrael Beytenu), Labor, Bayit Yehudi and Meretz actually set quotas and set aside specific slots for female representation on their lists.
Both hareidi-religious Jewish parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, did not allow women to run on their lists at all.
There were also no realistic places on the lists for women on the Jewish-Arab Hadash and Israeli Arab UAL-Ta"al lists.
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3. Half the Army Voted for Religious Parties.
The newspaper "HaModia" pointed out that half the votes from those serving in the IDF went to religious parties.
 The Jewish Home party (Bayit Yehudi) received almost a whole mandate from the army which enabled it to receive an extra MK.Â
Otzma LeYisrael also received many votes from the IDF but unfortunately still not sufficient to take it over the threshold.
Under Israeli Law the total number of votes is divided into 120: A party needs to receive sufficient votes to give it two seats in order to be accepted into the Knesset i.e. 2/120 (1/60) of the total. If it does not receive a sufficient number its votes are divided amongst the other parties.
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4. Israel ranks 7th in innovation
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4334863,00.html
Gad Lior
Jewish state climbs three places in GE Global Innovation Barometer, preceding most Western countries. US ranks first, followed by Germany and China
On the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos, a new survey reveals that Israel has climbed three places in the field of innovation, ranking seventh in the world.
However, the Jewish state ranked just 15th in the creation of an environment and culture conducive to innovation, and fell 12% in governments' support for companies fostering innovation.
A decline was also recorded in the speed in which innovative products reach the market.
On the bright side, business leaders appeared to be satisfied with the company and young generation's support for innovation. In addition, the government's support for innovation was perceived as more organized than the global average.
The United States ranked first (35%), followed by Germany and China. Israel ranked seventh with 2.59%, preceding most Western countries, including countries which stood out in the field of innovation in recent years, like India (2.55%).
According to the survey, innovation is still perceived as a leading engine in the creation of jobs, economic prosperity and an improved quality of life. Ninety-two percent of Israeli executives give the issue strategic preference.
Eight-nine percent noted that in order to succeed in innovation, one must understand customers and foresee developments in the market. Only half of them believe universities and schools provide a strong educational model for innovation.
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5. Statistics. World Innovation Champions
http://files.publicaffairs.geblogs.com/files/2013/01/2013-GE-Global-Innovation-Barometer-_-Results-Summary-22.pdf
Q7. What is THE country that you consider to be the leading innovation champion?
USA 35
Germany 15
China 12
Japan 11
South Korea 5
Israel 3
UK 3
India 3
Singapore 2
Sweden 1
UAE (United Arab Emirate) 1
Netherlands 1
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6. British [so-called "Extremist"] Right Wingers Support Israel!
# The British National Party leader Nick Griffin is fond of boasting that his
was the only party that supported Israel during Operation Cast Lead in
2008-9, while activists in the rival English Defence League have grown
oddly fond of the Israeli flag. #
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7. Life Expectancy of Arabs in Israel Higher than in Arab Countries
The Life Expectancy of Israelis (2012) is 82.87 years. Jews live a little longer than Palestinians. Nevertheless by world standards the longevity of Palestinians in Israel, in Gaza, and in the Palestinian Territories is not that bad, especially when compared to that of other Arab countries.
The figures below show that Arabs in Israel can expect to live longer than they would do in any Arab country!
Life Expectancy of Israel Arabs and Jews: The Figures.
2011 Jewish Females 83.9 Muslim Females 80.9 Jewish Males 80.7Â Muslim Males 76.5 Total Average 81.8
Jewish males had a life expectancy 4.2 years higher than their Arab counterparts; while Jewish women had an expectancy 3.0 years higher.
Gaza Strip 75.2
Palestinian Territories 73.81
Israeli Arabs 80.8
Compare the figures for Arabs in Israel to those of other Arab Nations (the figures given are for 2010):
United Arab Emirates 77.04
Qatar 77.29
Brunei 79.98
Syrian Arab Republic 75.35
Jordan 74.29
Egypt 74.26
Lebanon 74.18
Algeria 73.71
Morocco 73.44
Yemen 65.36
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8. Report: Explosion Rocks Iranian Nuclear Plant
http://gestetnerupdates.com/2013/01/26/report-explosion-rocks-iranian-nuclear-plant/
Extracts:
According to a former intelligence officer of the Islamic regime, an explosion deep within Iran's Fordow nuclear facility has destroyed much of the installation, trapping 240 personnel deep underground. The explosion allegedly occurred at 11:30 a.m. Tehran time on Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. The report of the blast came via Hamidreza Zakeri, formerly with the Islamic regime's Ministry of Intelligence and National Security.
According to a source in the security forces protecting Fordow, an explosion rocked the site that is buried about 300 ft. deep under a mountain. The blast, which shook facilities within a three-mile radius, occurred at the third centrifuge chamber with the high-grade enriched uranium reserves below them.
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9. US Returns to Pressuring Israel on 2-State 'Solution'
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164595
Washington resumes pressuring Israel on the ultimate goal of dividing Jerusalem and handing Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Authority.
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By Chana Ya'ar
Washington has resumed pressuring Israel on the ultimate goal of dividing Jerusalem and handing Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Authority in what it deems the 'two-state solution' for peace, albeit with more subtlety than during President Barack Obama's first term in office.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told journalists at a briefing Friday the Obama administration will return to its goal of reviving talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the issue.
However, she added the U.S. realizes that Israel has only just emerged from national elections, and a coalition government has not yet been formed.
Until that goal is accomplished, which could take up to six weeks. there is no way for the United States or anyone else in the international community to know with whom they or the PA must negotiate.
Nevertheless, Nuland made it clear that the U.S. is determined to keep up the pressure on Israel to work towards a two-state solution that would result in a PA state that could push Israel back to the indefensible 1949 Armistice Line, known worldwide as the '1967 borders' , including the re-division of Israel's capital and Judaism's holiest city, Jerusalem.