News Nosh 11.16.15

APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday November 16, 2015 
 
Quote of the day:
"The next time Palestinians hide weapons in a civilian ambulance, the next time a stabber disguises himself as a journalist, the next time Palestinians shoot rockets from near a United Nations building, remember that officers from Israel’s Yamam (Special Police Unit) disguised themselves as a woman in labor on a wheelchair entering a hospital in Hebron in order to arrest a wounded suspect and kill his relative."
--Haggai Matar examines the Israeli media coverage of an illegal Israeli operation.

You Must Be Kidding: 
"A taxi driver passing by saw the crucifix in my car and started shouting: 'He's an Arab terrorist.' They then started beating me with everything they had: sticks, chains and knives. I shouted at them that I'm a police security guard but it didn't help."
--Christian Arab Israeli security guard hospitalized after attack by Jewish Israelis who suspected he was a terrorist simply because he was Arab.


Front Page:
Haaretz
  • France attacked Daesh targets in Syria; Hunt for terrorist who escaped
  • War, user guidelines // Bernard Henry Levi
  • In Brussel suburbs, a jihad base sprouted
  • Many still looking for their loved ones
  • The attack is likely to quicken a solution in Syria // Zvi Bar’el
  • France attacks, but the results are in question // Amos Harel
  • Le Penn is waiting for Hollande’s mistake // Avirama Golan
  • How to prevent youth from choosing jihad // Asaf Ronal
  • Suspect arrested in shooting attack near Otniel; Shin Bet: His father turned him in out of fear their house would be demolished
  • Last night: Prisoner convicted of two murders escaped during medical treatment; Police began extensive search
  • 15 asylum seekers shot dead on Egyptian border 
  • Labor union put the trains on strike: passengers were taken off in the midst of a trip
  • In another 15 years, Israelis will wait in traffic an additional hour
  • Twisted civics // Haaretz Editorial
  • Wall of refusal // Uri Bar-Yosef
  • Budget tricks // Tzvi Zarachia and Motti Bassok
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • Victory of life // Nahum Barnea from Paris
  • France bombed Daesh enclave in Syria
  • Father of terrorist turned him in
  • Serious oversight: Murderer sentenced to two life sentences escaped
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
Israel Hayom
  • Daesh nests: The dark side of Europe
  • Boaz Bismuth, “Israel Hayom” correspondent, in the terror suburbs of mourning Paris
  • The road to a budget has been paved: Government approved – 0% VAT for public transportation
  • Serious oversight: Life prisoner Yaron Sanker escaped from hospital
  • Caught: Family of terrorist who perpetrated attack near Otniel feared its house would be destroyed – and turned him in

 
News Summary:
The latest on the Paris attacks and a report about a Palestinian father who allegedly turned in his son for the shooting attack that killed two settlers were the top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.

The hunt for one of the attackers in Paris, the arrests in Belgium, the French ‘revenge’ on Daesh enclaves in Syria and the effects on Muslim refugee immigration (in Michigan and Poland) filled the Hebrew newspapers. Even some in the Muslim community in Paris wasn’t sure that Syrian refugees' presence in France would be good for the country. French immigrants to Israel said they felt safe nowhere, a Jewish French MP said terror in Paris was the same terror as in Israel and the Israeli analysts and commentators argued either in favor of using massive force against Daesh or to be careful not to harm the innocent and become like the attackers. (See Commentary/Analysis below.) Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon argued that Europe must place security needs over human rights. And former Mossad chief, Shabtai Shavit, told Reshet Bet radio that "Daesh needs to be erased like Dresden was erased in the Second World War," Maariv reported.
 
Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian suspect at his home after his father allegedly turned him in for the Friday shooting attack that killed Rabbi Ya'akov Litman and his son Netanel south of Hebron in the West Bank. The son, a married father of two from Hebron, reportedly implicated himself. The Shin Bet said the father acted in order to prevent his house from being demolished.
  
Also in the news, the Red Crescent denied the accusation by Yaakov Litman’s wife that its medics had arrived at the scene but did not treat the wounded Israelis. A statement released by the Red Crescent Friday evening said its paramedics got out of the vehicle to offer aid to the wounded, but then an IDF ambulance arrived and soldiers emerged with guns drawn and the Palestinian crew felt ‘unsafe’ and left the scene. One of Litman’s sons was recorded in a call saying: “There are two wounded here, but we have the Red Crescent with us.” The teen then says: “The Red Crescent ambulance drove away from us, I don’t know why.” At a press conference convened by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, he noted that he had instructed the Foreign Ministry to get explanations from the Red Cross over the Red Crescent abandoning wounded Israelis. Netanyahu added that “I would like to mention that such a thing is not possible regarding Israel's rescue service, who help everyone indiscriminately, Jews, Arabs, everyone,” Ynet reported. [NOTE: Netanyahu did not mention that Israeli forces raided a Palestinian hospital last week, killed a visitor and detained a patient receiving treatment. International law deems hospitals as safe spaces. – OH]
 
Quick Hits:
  • Judge Blasts New Minimum Sentencing Policy: 'Do Only Arabs Throw Stones?' - Dalia Dorner, who headed a committee to examine sentencing, accuses Knesset of letting politics influence legislation. Dorner's committee recently completed a report on dealing with criminal offenders, which recommends easing penalties, reducing lengthy prison terms and examining community service as an alternative. (Haaretz+) 
  • 2-year-old Palestinian hit by Israeli army jeep north of Jerusalem - A Palestinian toddler sustained head injuries on Sunday afternoon when he was run over by an Israeli military vehicle in the village of Bir Nabala northwest of Jerusalem. An Israeli army spokesperson said she was aware of "a minor car accident" involving a military jeep, but was unable to confirm whether anyone had been injured. (Maan)
  • Another Israeli attacked after being mistaken for a terrorist - Taxi passengers set upon a Christian Arab security guard from Kiryat Ata, who served in the IDF's Kfir Brigade, and attacked him believing he was a terrorist; the young man was lightly wounded. (Ynet)
  • Israeli troops force Palestinian family off land during olive harvest - Hammad Abdul-Hamid Sleibi said that security guards from the nearby illegal Israeli settlement of Bat Ayin first arrived with guns pointed to tell his family to leave. When the family refused, Israeli forces showed up and shot tear gas and stun grenades at the family, forcing them to flee. This is the second time in 48 hours. (Maan
  • Ramallah factions plan two days of increased demonstrations  - On Saturday, the factions called upon Palestinians to take to the streets on Nov. 16 to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the signing of the symbolic Palestinian Declaration Independence, written by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in 1988. A day for "field escalations" has been called for Nov. 20th to take place in areas that have seen frequent upheaval and clashes. (Maan)
  • Arab report: "Israel is prepared for military cooperation with Gulf countries" - According to "special sources in Washington, DC", this is a move meant to develop an axis against Iran, which is considered a rising power in the eyes of Americans. It’s possible that Saudi Arabia turned to Israel to open its airspace to its civilian planes. (Maariv
  • Israeli forces detain Gazan at Erez crossing - Ahmad Abed Rabbo, 30, was detained as he was attempting to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment in the occupied West Bank. (Maan)
  • Israeli forces detain 13 Palestinians in Hebron, including 6 minors - Locals reported at least six teenagers, as young as 16, were detained and forces ransacked several homes during a mass detention raid. (Maan)
  • Arab MKs protested the budget – and again halted the discussions in the Finance Committee - Half an hour after the start of the meeting, the chairman of the committee was forced to end it due to the protests of the Arab delegates: "This is a budget that has no response for our needs, it ignores 20% of the population.” (Maariv)
  • Lawmakers to skip Ben Gurion memorial over budget vote - Annual event conflicts with deadline for passing two-year budget; Opposition members outraged. Opposition leader Herzog urges Netanyahu to halt debates for ceremony. MK Merav Michaeli (Zionist Camp): "Netanyahu prefers political survival over respect. (Times of Israel and Maariv)
  • Gaza Resident Who Broke Through Border Fence Charged With Acting Against State Security - Mahmoud Abu-Huza, 23, is also accused of gathering intelligence on Israeli troop movements across the border for Hamas. (Haaretz+)
  • Defense Ministry, Treasury Agree on $15.6 Billion Defense Budget for 2016 - Both claim victory after deal, but army seems to have held ground on major issues. (Haaretz+)
  • Newly Appointed Israel Police Chief Delays Taking Office After Breaking Leg - Acting commissioner Bentzi Sau will remain in office until further notice after Roni Alsheich is hospitalized with a severe fracture. (Haaretz+ and Times of Israel)
  • Court delays jailing of Islamic Movement leader  - Islamic Movement Northern Branch leader Sheikh Raed Salah had been set to begin serving an 11-month prison sentence for incitement on Sunday. Salah requested a delay as well as an appeal. Attorney general's office to respond to requests in coming days. (Israel Hayom
  • Prices in Israel Rose in October for First Time in 3 Months - But economist say decline will resume and no rate cut is in store. (Haaretz+)
  • Israeli Spy Jonathan Pollard to Be Released From Prison This Week - The release, scheduled for Friday, caps a case that divided public opinion in Israel and America and has been a periodic source of legal and diplomatic wrangling between the two countries. (Agencies, Haaretz and Israel Hayom
  • (Israeli) Shop drops European wine in protest of labeling West Bank goods - Owner of a Bnei Brak wine shop replaces European goods with wines from the West Bank; Moshavim Movement warns that labeling could extend to all of Israel. (Ynet
  • Michigan Governor Puts a Halt on Welcoming Syrian Refugees After Paris Attacks - Governor Rick Snyder said that Michigan is postponing efforts to accept refugees until federal officials fully review security clearances and procedures. (Agencies, Haaretz
  • Despite Paris attack, Eagles of Death Metal to return to Israel - US rock band, whose concert was targeted by ISIS in a horrendous massacre Friday night, performed in Tel Aviv last July after defying BDS pressure and has promised to come back again this summer. (Ynet
  • Five Syrians and One Palestinian Arrested in Connection to Beirut Blasts - The twin suicide bombings, which killed 43 people, targeted a Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanon's capital. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Strike Targeting 'Jihadi John' Took Months of Careful Planning - U.S. and British intelligence have been tracking every movement of man they believe was ISIS's top executioner; when he stepped into a car in Raqqa, three drones armed with Hellfire missiles were ready. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • U.S. Delivers Ammunition to Syrian Arab Coalition Battling ISIS in Northern Syria - For the second time, the U.S.has opted to arm these 5,000 rebels from 10 to 12 different anti-ISIS groups. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Paris-style Attacks May Have Been Thwarted in Istanbul, Turkish Officials Claim - British jihadists were detained by Turkish authorities last week, on suspicions that they were planning large scale terrorist attacks. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • 15 Sudanese Asylum Seekers Shot to Death by Egyptian Police While Trying to Cross to Israel - Officials say asylum seekers ignored warning shots and sprinted toward the fence; another eight people were wounded. (Agencies, Haaretz
  • Putin to visit Tehran for first time in 8 years - In a sign of warming ties between Moscow and Tehran, Russian president will visit Iran on Nov. 23 to attend a summit of gas exporting countries. Russia reportedly pressing ahead with plan to supply Iran with S-300 air defense missiles. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
  • Russia Considers Hamas and Hezbollah a 'Legitimate Force,' Not a Terrorist Group - While Moscow seeks an international agreement on what groups active in the Syrian conflict should be deemed terrorist, Russia's view differs from that of the U.S. (Agencies, Haaretz and Times of Israel)


Features:
Does the Israeli Army Plant Knives on Palestinians?
To the Israeli ear the allegation sounds far-fetched. Israelis find it hard to believe that our soldiers and commanders could lie, until it’s proven otherwise by security footage or photos. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) 
More Judaism, Less Democracy: Israel's Education Ministry Rewrites High-school Civics
New guidelines for civics teachers: Beware the ‘dogmatism of democracy’; stress the ‘Jewish nation-state.’ (Or Kashti, Haaretz+) 
A Jew, an Arab and a Druze coexist in an apartment
They are not just refusing to be enemies - they also insist on living together. They split the space and resources in the apartment and live in harmony. The three youngsters, all of whom are disabled, have become best friends. (Noam Barkan, Ynet)
How ISIS Became the World's Richest Terror Group
Antiquities thefts, black-market oil sales and bank robberies made Islamic State wealthy, but its fortunes are changing. (Nadan Feldman, Haaretz+) 
A place at Turkish table for Armenians, Israelis and more
As part of Food for Diplomacy project, Tel Aviv-based chef Ruthie Rousso was invited to cook Israeli food at Kadir Has University in Istanbul. "We wanted to use food as bridge," says project coordinator. (Agencies, Israel Hayom
Letters to the Editor:
Palestinians Are Not Children of a Lesser God, by Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, Amman. (Haaretz)

Commentary/Analysis:
Paris Bombings or Not, the West Must End the War in Syria (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) Washington just wanted to get the chemical weapons out and protect Israel; it didn’t worry about a refugee crisis as a possible source of terror attacks. 
The American angle: The race to the White House runs through Paris and the war against Daesh (Haim Isrovitz, Maariv) The attacks in France have prompted a debate among US presidential candidates on how to combat Daesh and on immigration policy towards refugees from the Middle East. Trump: "Paris has the toughest laws in the world, only the bad guys have guns."
Could Breakthrough in Vienna Be Silver Lining of Paris Attacks? (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) The global powers reached important agreements about Syria and ISIS during talks on Saturday. 
Boots on the ground: Air strikes will not be enough to defeat Daesh (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The terrorist attack in Paris is not just a failure of intelligence, but a result of the lack of political and military resolve. What is required is a perception change that will dispatch troops to fight against radical Islam - even if some of the soldiers return in coffins. 
Attacks on Palestinian hospitals are a red line we must not cross (Haggai Matar, +972mag) The next time a Palestinian disguises himself as a journalist to attack Israelis, remember that Israelis do similar things.
Truth or Dare: Netanyahu lives in a false reality, and that could affect us all (Ben Caspit, Maariv) There are those who believe the prime minister's bizarre pronouncements, as in the number of Arabs who voted for him in the elections, is not important. I think otherwise. 
Sayed Kashua Calls on Every Palestinian: Stop Children's Suicide Attacks (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) Not every form of struggle is legitimate, and even the struggles of people fighting a cruel occupation have moral limits. 
Israeli Public Education Must Not Place Judaism Over Democracy (Haaretz Editorial) Education Minister Naftali Bennett must understand that civics should not be used for religious missionary work or nationalist indoctrination. 
Netanyahu’s transfer plan is met with silent complicity (Yehudit Oppenheimer, +972mag) The prime minister’s proposal to revoke the residency status of 100,000 East Jerusalemites sends an unequivocal message to all Arabs living under Israeli rule: your rights are rooted in our good will alone, and conditionally so. The silence of Israel’s ‘democratic’ camp is deafening.
Waiting for change: the Prime Minister must work for equality for Israeli Arabs and prevent the alienation they feel (Dr. Sami Mi'ari, Maariv) Reducing poverty and unemployment, solutions for the problems in education and expanding the legal jurisdictions in Arab communities can prevent the next round of terror and turn into a strategic security asset. 
Let's Not Turn the West Into a Temple Under Siege (Yitzhak Laor, Haaretz+) What was the U.S. administration thinking when it armed and trained the jihadists, including Osama bin Laden, in their war against the Soviets in Afghanistan?
All roads lead to Rome (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) ISIS has set its sights on the symbolic capital of the Christian world, believing that if it falls, the rest of the world will follow. 
With Paris Attacks, ISIS May Have Signed a Death Warrant for Syrian Refugees (Ilene Prusher, Haaretz+) Conservatives in the U.S., as in Europe, are seizing on the attacks to denounce the perceived danger of welcoming refugees, turning immigration into an even hotter issue ahead of the U.S. presidential race.
The writing was on the wall (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) Since it first declared its goal of forming an Islamic caliphate, it was clear ISIS would one day try to replicate 9/11.
The struggle for us all: Not to play into the hands of terrorists and surrender to barbarism (Uri Savir, Maariv) The West must be careful in its war against terrorism and not give the terrorists what they want. If the attacks lead to nationalism, fear and xenophobia - the terrorists have won.
The world can't choose which terrorists it gets to support (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) The entire world has condemned the acts of terror committed in Paris. Is there a reason why nobody outside Israel has condemned the murder of Rabbi Litman and his son in the West Bank the same day?
At the lowest point: Why Washington has not tried to stop the wave of violence? (Prof. Cielo Rosenberg, Maariv) Despite the Netanyahu-Obam meeting, the fact remains that the United States did not lift a finger to (to stop) the current round of terror is more proof of its deteriorating relations with Israel.
France's miserable intelligence failure (Ronen Bergman, Yedioth/Ynet) The French government and its secret services got a wakeup call in January, but kept sleeping. While taking a few minor steps, they avoided a comprehensive reform and failed to draw conclusions from the Charlie Hebdo and Hypercacher attacks.
France Knows How to Fight Terror Without Killing the Spirit of Freedom (Nitzan Horowitz, Haaretz+) Not only is there no contradiction between democratic values and the fight against violence, but these values are the reason to fight.
 
Interviews: 
WATCH: Ex-Mossad Chief Efraim Halevy: Israel Needs to Recognize Hamas Election Wins
Ex-intelligence chief explains to Haaretz what's necessary for Palestinian democracy, and how the United States enabled the rise of ISIS in Iraq. (Interviewed by Aimee Amiga at Haaretz’s Israel Conference on Peace in Tel Aviv) No paywall 

WATCH: Aida Touma-Suleiman, Joint Arab List MK: Why Are We Asked to Condemn Only Palestinian Violence?
The longtime anti-violence activist explains how Arab women can make a special contribution toward the peace processes, and why she believes BDS is legitimate and not anti-Semitic. (Interviewed by Aimee Amiga at Haaretz’s Israel Conference on Peace in Tel Aviv) No paywall
 
WATCH: Peter Beinart: Israel's Policies Are the Greatest Gift for BDS
Despite the absence of a peace process, Beinart tells Haaretz, there's no chance a one-state solution offers any future for Israelis or Palestinians. (Interviewed by Aimee Amiga at Haaretz’s Israel Conference on Peace in Tel Aviv) No paywall

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