Binyamin Netanyahu
Binyamin NetanyahuFlash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has decided not to bring for approval the conclusions of the Levy Report at the next cabinet meeting, Arutz Sheva has learned.

Netanyahu decided to postpone the discussion of the report due to strong opposition by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to the idea. Weinstein fundamentally opposes the report, but information obtained by Arutz Sheva indicates that he also claimed that once early elections were called, the government is now considered a "transitional government", and as such it cannot make decisions that will obligate the next government.

It should be noted, however, that under Israeli law, the Netanyahu government is not considered a "transitional government" in any way, as it did not fall in a vote of non-confidence nor did it resign. The Knesset voted to dissolve itself and hold early elections, but that does not mean anything about the status of the government.

In addition, even a transitional government has the full authority to make decisions in any field, like any other government.

The Levy Report concluded that there is no “occupation” and international law allows Jews to live in Judea and Samaria, as its status was not that of a nation in 1967. It was presented to the Prime Minister this past summer after months of study by former High Court Justice Edmund Levy and two other legal experts.

The conclusions of the report contradicted the view of the international community, strongly supported by the Obama administration, that a Jewish presence in Judea, Samaria and in united Jerusalem is illegal.

Netanyahu effectively shelved the report by setting it aside for further study, but with elections coming up, it was reported on Wednesday that he would recommend that the government adopt part of the recommendations.

On Wednesday, Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz contacted Weinstein and asked him to intervene immediately and stop Netanyahu's plan to bring some of the report’s conclusions for government approval.