CABINET COMMUNIQUE
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 3 June 2012):

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"Today, the Cabinet is marking IDF Reserves Appreciation Day. I think that,
perhaps, this is the most Israeli thing there is.

In order to defend our state, we need not only regular forces, but also
reserves. Men and women sacrifice their time every year in order to defend
the country. There is a component of mutual guarantee here, a common
denominator familiar to us all. This is fundamental; they do this with the
assistance of their families as well. Large sections of the nation share
this burden of defending the country.

When I say 'large sections', there has been a gradual contraction here that
has taken place over the years, and we know that we need to ensure that for
both the reserves and regular forces there will be a more egalitarian
division of the burden.

To this end we have established the committee to advance equality in sharing
the burden
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/Spokesman/2012/05/spokeshivion210512.htm
among the citizens of Israel. This committee meets on an ongoing basis; I
receive its reports. The committee will put forth a proposal that I think
will resolve a considerable portion of these problems so that we may
continue bearing this burden of defending the state in a more responsible
and just manner.

Today we salute men and women reservists and the families that support them;
all parts of the nation share in this salute."

2. Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed the issue of Ulpana Hill in Beit El.
He said that the Government's goal is to defend and strengthen settlement,
and also to preserve the rule of law. He added that regarding the
implementation of the High Court of Justice ruling on the evacuation of
homes on Ulpana Hill, clarifications are being made and focused discussions
are being held on three aspects of the issue:

* The possibility of moving the existing structures in order to place them
on state land;

* Significantly expanding settlement in Beit El; and

* Seeking legal protection against similar claims that are liable to arise
in the future.

3. Minister Yossi Peled briefed ministers on his recent participation in a
ceremony to mark 50 years since the Eichmann trial
http://www1.yadvashem.org/yv/en/holocaust/eichmann_trial/index.asp
which was held at the Wansee Villa in Berlin
http://www1.yadvashem.org/yv/en/holocaust/about/04/wannsee_conference.asp
and which was also attended by IDF soldiers and officers.

4. The Cabinet marked IDF Reserves Appreciation Day.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak discussed the importance and quality of the IDF
reserves and noted their contribution to the IDF, society and the State of
Israel. He referred to the 2008 Reserve Duty Law, which defined reservists'
rights and duties, as well as the scope of their service. He noted that his
ministry, in conjunction with others, was working to support reservists and
grant them various economic and other benefits. He said that it is intended
to provide reservists with other benefits in addition to those they
currently receive and added that the Ministerial Committee on IDF Reserves
will discuss the issue at its next session in approximately one month.

Defense Minister Barak thanked men and women IDF reservists and their
families for their service and their contribution.

5. The Cabinet approved a redefinition of an "active reservist"
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/Spokesman/2012/06/spokeMiluim030612.htm
Click here
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/Govmes/2012/06/govmes030612.htm
for further details.

6. The Cabinet approved, in principle, draft legislation to extend the
validity of the state of emergency in Judea and Samaria (criminal
jurisdiction and legal assistance) and authorized the Ministerial Committee
on Legislation to approve the final draft.

The Cabinet also requested that the Knesset House Committee
http://www.knesset.gov.il/committees/eng/committee_eng.asp?c_id=1
expedite discussion of the draft legislation.

The draft legislation pertains mainly to the jurisdiction of courts in
Israel over Israelis who commit offenses in the area or in the areas of the
Palestinian Authority, the ability of the Israeli authorities to carry out
in Israel punishments and arrests that have been imposed by the military
authorities in the area, and provides for the possibility of carrying out
orders and punishments that have been imposed in Israel on residents of the
area.

Click here
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/Govmes/2012/06/govmes030612.htm
for further details.