Netanyahu on Mimouna: ‘It’s possible to form right-wing gov’t’

Dozens of people took part last night in the Mimouna celebration of MK Osnat Mark (Likud) at her home in Ma’ale Adumim, including Knesset members, public figures and also Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who delivered a political announcement during the celebration: “The struggle for the homeland and the Land of Israel does not end. The struggle for settlement does not end. The struggle for our right to defend ourselves. The struggle against Iran that wants to return to the nuclear deal. Faced with these challenges and the enormous opportunities before us, we now need a stable right-wing government for years to take care of all the citizens of Israel. That is what is being demanded at the moment and with the help of God we will achieve it and I believe it is possible.”

“A year ago the Mimouna was moflettot (a crepe-like pastry served on Mimouna ) on Zoom and I said a few months ago – get vaccinated and celebrate. Thank God we did it and we are the first country in the world to come out of the coronavirus and we now need to secure millions more vaccines to ensure we do not return to the coronavirus – and it must be done immediately,” added Netanyahu.

Other guests who came to Mark’s home were deputy Health Minister Yoav Kish and chairman of Otzma Yehudit, MK Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Finance Minister Israel Katz was hosted at the Mizrahi family home in Tel Aviv, and said: “I am happy to begin the evening of the Mimouna celebrations at the home of the family of Yehuda and Daniela Mizrahi in Tel Aviv, in the spirit of the wonderful tradition of Moroccan Jewry. One moment before returning to routine and hard work, after the Passover holiday and before a week of complex political decisions, we are all feast together in an evening of love and unity. Have fun and eat, happy holiday!”

Religious Zionist Speaker Bezalel Smotrich also did not pass over the tradition and attended the Mimouna celebrations at the Bnei Akiva Reut girls high school in Petah Tikva.

“It is possible to argue, explain and form coalitions, but the fateful decisions will be based on Jewish parties and those who recognize the Jewish people,” said Smotrich. “Anyone who wants to live here as a private person and enjoy all the abundance and beauty that the Jewish people have brought here, who has no other aspirations and accepts the State of Israel as the State of Israel – is welcome. This is not Ra’am and these are not the brothers in the Islamic movement, they are not legitimate partners in any government.”

Defense Minister and Blue and White head Benny Gantz was a guest at the Mimouna celebrations at the Ben Yishai family’s in Moshav Menahemia in the north, and said that “These are the days of political decision-making. From election day, I have been doing everything in my power to form an honest and stable government. We will go with those who are honest in their values, we will keep at a distance those who have personal interests at heart.”

“A catastrophe will befall us if a far-right government led by Netanyahu is formed, with racist elements, without a balance that will protect the well-being of the citizens,” added Gantz. “I look around, and get excited about the joint celebration, after long months of war on isolation, health and public concern. Rejoice and dine, keep on distinguishing between truth and falsehood, my trust is with you. And the hope is that you will win.”

Members of the Labor Party, including the chairman Merav Michaeli, also participated in the Mimouna of Nissim Lasri’s home, No. 12 on the list, in Moshav Olesh.

New Hope chairman Gideon Sa’ar, on the other hand, came to taste the moflettot together with his wife Geula Even at Sahar and Tehila Pinto’s house in Gedera.

The head of the Moroccan diplomatic delegation in Israel, Abed al-Rahim Byoud, participated in the Mimouna celebrations in Yeruham at the initiative of Mayor Tal Ohana. “I am proud to preserve the Moroccan tradition here in Israel. Together we will work to strengthen relations and implement the agreements between the countries,” Byoud said.

Deputy Director General for Middle East Haim Regev greeted those present on behalf of Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and said: “I am happy about the reopening of ties between Israel and Morocco. It is a strong and special connection between peoples, different from any other country in the Middle East.”. The event was also attended by the Strategic Affairs Minister Michael Bitton.

On the occasion of the holiday, for the first time, students from Israel and Morocco held a joint online Andalusian concert led by Evelin Hagoel. The concert, which was broadcast on the social networks of the Education Ministry, is part of a wide range of collaborations in the field of education, agreed upon by Education Minister Yoav Galant and his counterpart, the Moroccan education minister, Saaid Amzazi.

The students from Israel performed at the Andalusian concert performed a series of piyyutim (liturgical poems), melodies and musical works taken from the folklore of Moroccan Jewry, including: “Ahlan Wa Sahlan”, “La’moledet Shuvi Roni”, “Ahibak” and more. The students from Morocco performed a wide variety of musical works, including the melody “Hava Nagila”.

Also in Tbilisi, Georgia, they celebrated Mimouna . Limor and Meir Alfasi, a couple who underwent surrogacy through Manor Medical from the Denal Group and a few days ago a sweet baby was born for them after years of hardship and anguish, on the occasion of the exciting event, celebrated and organized a traditional Mimouna in the apartment building where they are staying, along with five other Israeli couples who are also in the process of surrogacy.

According to Ami Manor, owner and president of Manor Medical of the Denal Group, through whom the couple underwent the surrogacy procedure: “We are excited every time a baby is born and when we succeed in fulfilling a dream for many couples in their arduous journey to have a child.”

Hundreds of people flocked to the various bakeries, including the famous Abulafia Bakery on Yefet Street in Jaffa, which has been considered for decades one of the symbols of the end of the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

As you may recall, last year, for the first time in decades, the bakery was empty at the end of the holiday due to Health Ministry regulations in the midst of the first lockdown, which demanded the closure of the bakeries for fear of shoppers gathering.

“For the first time since the establishment of the state, there are not the sights of the many shoppers who come on the eve after Passover,” Khamis Abulafia, owner of the mythological bakery, which was founded 141 years ago, told Maariv, The Jerusalem Post‘s sister publication.

“We are a sixth generation in the bakery and my grandfather decided in his time that we would respect the Jews and on Passover we would close the place. On the eve of the end of the holiday was the big celebration of the shoppers, who stood in the long queues. We all waited for this evening,” said Abulafia. “We are the bakery that is more identified than anything else with the end of Passover.”