CABINET COMMUNIQUE
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 15.5.11:

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"The state was founded 63 years ago on the basis of the declaration of
independence which promises equality of rights for all of our citizens
regardless of religion, race and sex. We extended our hand in peace to our
Arab neighbors and promised equality, progress and partnership to Israel's
Arab citizens. When one looks at the region today, Israeli Arabs are the
only Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa that enjoy democratic rights,
equality and civil rights.

We are concerned with the advancement of the sector. Today, for example, we
will make an additional decision regarding the development and strengthening
of the Bedouin communities in northern Israel. We are talking about a NIS
350 million plan. I remind you that one year ago we decided on an
approximately NIS 800 million five-year plan for the development of the
minorities sector. We also recently decided on an NIS 680 million plan to
develop the Druze and Circassian sectors. Indeed, along with the plan that
we will approve today for the Bedouin in northern Israel, we are talking
about an overall investment of approximately NIS 2 billion in order to
implement our policy of reducing the gaps between the various sectors of
Israeli society.

I regret that there are extremists among Israeli Arabs and in neighboring
countries who have turned the day on which the State of Israel was
established, the day on which the Israeli democracy was established, into a
day of incitement, violence and rage. There is no place for this, for
denying the existence of the State of Israel. No to extremism and no to
violence. The opposite is true.

Today, we will take leave of outgoing ISA Director Yuval Diskin. Yuval
concludes 33 years of service to the state and six years as ISA Director.
He has done much for the State of Israel. I am unable to say everything, but
there is much that can be told. Yuval is a fighter. He started out in the
Shaked Reconnaissance Unit, was a deputy company commander and came with
this spirit, that of a field commander, that of a man trained in carrying
out missions. He infused this spirit into the ISA and I must say that the
results speak for themselves. The results are in saving lives in Israel,
are related to the security of the state, and are in counter-terrorism and
in strengthening our intelligence capabilities vis-à-vis terrorist enemies.
Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity, Yuval, to hank you on
behalf of the Government and people of Israel for your contribution to the
security of the State of Israel."

Ministers commended outgoing ISA Director Diskin.

ISA Director Diskin thanked Prime Minister Netanyahu and the rest of the
Cabinet for their confidence and cooperation.

2. Pursuant to Article 12 of the 1959 State Service Law (Appointments), the
Cabinet appointed Amram Kalaji as Interior Ministry Director-General, in
place of Gavriel Maimon.

3. Pursuant to Article 23 of the 1959 State Service Law (Appointments), the
Cabinet approved the appointment of Ruth Yosef as the Director of the
Jerusalem District in the Interior Ministry.

4. The Cabinet voted to extend by one year the special ordinance allowing
Army Radio to continue broadcasting public service announcements and
sponsored programs.

5. In continuation of its 31.8.06 decision, the Cabinet approved an
approximately NIS 350 million multi-year plan to develop and strengthen the
Bedouin communities in northern Israel.