Front Page News :

Haaretz:

• Higher Education Council probes fast-track PhDs at all universities
• PM's chief aide accused of harassing female coworker
• After six decades, democracy in Egypt
• For second time, Joseph Cedar on the way to an Oscar: 'Footnotes' among the five nominees

• Suspicion: Deadly shaking – parents of 4-month-old twins arrested
• Embarrassing  entanglement – Harrassment claims against Natan Eshel, man closest to Netanyahu
• Hope for an Israeli Oscar: "Footnote" is a candidate

• Report: Attempt to eliminate Israeli ambassador to Azerbaijan thwarted
• On the way to an Oscar for the second time – 'Footnote'
• Parents of twins arrested on suspicion of abuse
• Civil Service Commission checking if Director of Prime Minister Office, Natan Eshel, harassed an employee. In response: "It's just gossip"
• (Former president) Katsav got first visit with his brother in jail after agreeing to wear the prison service jacket

• Mystery of the twins: Parents arrested and questioned
• "Attack on ambassador in Azerbaijan thwarted"
• "No basis for claims against Natan Eshel"
• "I thought they would murder me" – Woman posting signs attacked by ultra-Orthodox
• 'Footnote' candidate for an Oscar
• Katsav got his first visit in jail; wearing a prisoner's jacket

News Summary :
Headlines fought for space in today's packed Israeli newspapers. The main news stories were the arrest of parents of four-month-old twins on suspicion of abuse, an attack on a young woman by ultra-Orthodox men, and the thwarting of an alleged attack on the Israeli ambassador in Azerbeijan. Sharp exchanges took place in the UN Security Council between Western ambassadors and the Israeli ambassador as well as in Jordan between the Palestinian and Israeli negotiators. And Israel put Aziz Dweik, the Palestinian Speaker of Parliament and a leading Hamas politician, behind bars for six months for belonging to Hamas. He is not alone.
 
Haaretz had the most thorough report of the bitter exchange that took place at the fourth meeting on Saturday in Amman between the Palestinian and Israeli negotiatiors. However, Maariv blamed the clash on the Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, quoting only the Israeli side. Read the full exchange here. In short, as set out by the Mideast Quartet, the two sides were supposed to present their documents on borders and security issues by tomorrow. The Palestinians did so last month, the Israelis said they will do so in March. The Palestinians have threatened to leave the talks if Israel does not declare its stance by the deadline, which will likely create a diplomatic crisis putting pressure on Israel, Israeli officials believe. The two sides will be meeting again today.

Israel's UN Ambassador Ron Prosor and the UK and German ambassadors roughed it out yesterday, as well. The British ambassador  accused Israel of employing violence in the Palestinian territories, while the German said Israel was attempting to detach East Jerusalem from the West Bank, which he said would make the establishment of a Palestinian state impossible. Even US Ambassador Susan Rice urged Israel to halt all settlement construction in and to work to stop settler violence against Palestinians. She also had some words for the Palestinians. Prosor insisted that the main obstacle to peace was not the settlements but the Palestinian insistence on the 'right of return.' He had more criticism for the UN here.
 
Israel Hayom noted that in less than a week Israel has arrested five Hamas lawmakers. That makes 24 out of the 45 Hamas MPs from the West Bank who are currently in Israeli detention. Most notably, an Israeli military court sentenced the Palestinian Speaker of Parliament Aziz Dweik to six months in administrative detention for belonging to Hamas. (Note, Dweik was elected in 2006. He was held in detention once in 2008 for belonging to the party.  –OH) The Speaker of Parliamnet said that the real reason Israel detained him and the others' was to undermine Palestinian reconciliation efforts and destabilize Palestinian political life, now that the parliament set a date for its next meeting in February.
 
And while Israel imprisons more Hamas politicians, Jordan's King will be hosting the highest ranking one. This weekend King Abdullah will meet with Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, the first visit to Jordan by Mashaal since his expulsion thirteen years ago. Meanwhile, jailed former Tanzim chief Marwan Barghouti told Ynet there's only one way to end the conflict: details here.
 

Quick Hits:

• Report in Azerbaijan: Attempt on Israeli envoy's life thwarted - Media outlets say three locals who were arrested last week were paid by Iranian intelligence. (Ynet)
• IDF chief warns Hezbollah on overseas terror plots (Haaretz)
• Washington to extend $3.8b in loan guarantees to Israel - Move calms Jerusalem's fear money would be nixed. (Haaretz)
• Vice PM Shalom: Migron outpost is 'eternal, here to stay' - Silvan Shalom also expresses support for legislation that would leave settlers on private Palestinian land while compensating the owners. (Haaretz)
• AG orders probe against Jerusalem mufti -Sheikh Hussein suspected of incitement to violence and racism. (Ynet)
• Kadima split as it prepares for Livni-Mofaz showdown (Haaretz)
• German group cuts support for Palestinian rights NGO (Haaretz)
• National Cyber Command holds first cyber terror drill -'Lights Out' exercise to simulate multisource cyber attack on vital Israeli systems. (Ynet)
• Watch: Palestinian teens open fire on Israeli car - Security forces detain several West Bank Palestinians suspected of carrying out attacks on troops, civilians. (Ynet)
• 'IDF's 1982 op should be declared a war' (Yedioth and Ynet)
• 60-year-old Fatah operative jailed for pre-Oslo crimes (Ynet)
• Report: Israelis arrested in Turkey over drug claims (Ynet)
• Electricity cable to link Israel, Cyprus, Greece (Israel Hayom)
• Egypt marks first anniversary of revolution (Agencies)
• '4 Iranian Revolutionary Guards men died in a week' (Ynet)
• Obama: No options off table on Iran nuclear program - US president delivers possibly his last State of the Union address before Congress; vows to keep relentless pressure on Iran; says commitment to Israel's security iron-clad. (Ynet)
• 'JAPs' and frat boys fall prey to Israeli comedy show's Birthright trip skit (Haaretz)
• CNN claims Jerusalem, bureau staying put, despite three layoffs (Haaretz)

Commentary/Analysis:
Egypt: The beginning of an era (Haaretz Editorial) Egypt's democracy is in need of help, both financial and diplomatic. Without investment and direct assistance, it will be difficult for this democracy to feed the country's 85 million people.
 
No compromise on Migron outpost (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz) The State of Israel's highest court - the institution that obligates every citizen - has transformed itself into a plaything in the settlers' hands.

Let Hanin Zoabi speak (Moshe Ronen, Ynet) Allowing hostile Arab MK to express her views proves that Israel is a real democracy.
 
Clear and present danger (Yigal Walt, Ynet) Given her views and extra privileges, MK Zoabi poses grave threat to our security.
 
**If I were a settler (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Settlers opposing the Migron compromise aren't out to protect settler homes. They want to wear down the IDF and the High Court.

Neighbors /Armenia's long shadow (Zvi Bar’el, Haaretz) Turkey is seething over a ruling that the ultranationalist murderer of a journalist acted alone.

Reining in Ronald Lauder (Isi Leibler, Israel Hayom) The World Jewish Congress president's recent meeting with Mahmoud Abbas is the latest in a series of bizarre moves that have led some colleagues to call him “our unguided political missile."
 
Still waiting for the revolution (Elie Podeh, Limor Lavi, Haaretz) The question that must be asked is whether the Egyptian masses have any reason to celebrate; the answer is 'not really.'

EU embargo: good idea, bad timing (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) Iran is likely to request a renewal of talks with the West, circa 2010, without committing to anything.
 

Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.