APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday June 26, 2016
Quote of the day:
“Be courageous in the face of enemy fire, in the face of different opinions, in the face of the
majority view."
--IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan tells graduates of IDF Officers' Course.*
You Must Be Kidding:
Forum for a Green Israel asked to close four legally operating Palestinian quarries, while ignoring Israeli-owned quarries in the West Bank.**
--IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan tells graduates of IDF Officers' Course.*
You Must Be Kidding:
Forum for a Green Israel asked to close four legally operating Palestinian quarries, while ignoring Israeli-owned quarries in the West Bank.**
Front Page:
- Shock in Europe: Britain voted in favor of leaving European Union
- Shock in Brussels turned into rage, Merkel reacted with restraint
- Scotland advancing national referendum to separate from Britain
- Fear of sharp drops with opening of trade today in Tel-Aviv
- Britain will pay // Dov Alfon
- Strengthening Trump // Chemi Shalev
- Economy in crisis // Dafna Maor
- Inter-generational struggle // Asaf Ronal
- Loss for Israel // Barak Ravid
- The Greek tear // Avirama Golan
- Empty promises // Eitan Avriel
- No to isolationism // Haaretz Editorial
- Israel and Turkey reached understandings about Hamas; Shaul, Goldin and Mengistu families protest
- Chairman of coalition: Something happened to the heads of Shin Bet and the Mossad, they became left-wingers
- The summer camp that Emek Yizrael offers to young girls: Make-up and nail and hair styling
- Ministers to discuss long weekend today; Netanyahu and Kahlon support it
- Study: Yoga and meditation improve memory and brain function
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The European rift // Nahum Barnea in London
- The great defeat
- After Britain’s disengagement: European stock markets dove, climactic tension in Tel-Aviv
- Economic earthquake
- Black Friday // Sever Plocker
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- The European division
- The happiness, disappointment, regret and fear – Yedioth correspondent Gideon Kotz heard from British after the vote
- Comfortable despair // Yehuda Sharoni
- Wake-up call // Prof. Iris Kanor
- [Shooting Soldier from Hebron, Elor] Azariya family against the company commander
- Grudge tailwind from Donald Trump // Ron Miburg
- “There is no agreement without Oron (Shaul)”
Israel Hayom
- The big bang – Boaz Bismuth reports from shocked London
- The end the European mandate // Boaz Bismuth
- The stock markets crashed, the pound dove – and does this say about tourism and exports from Israel
- Decisive meeting today: Israel and Turkey expected to sign agreement to normalize relations; Goldin and Shaul families: “Not without (our) sons”
- MK Biton raised a storm: “Heads of Mossad and Shin Bet with time are becoming left-wingers”
News Summary:
News
Half the pages of today’s Hebrew newspapers were devoted to the British decision to leave the European Union. Only one paper was outwardly supportive of the move: Israel Hayom. The papers also examined what this would mean for Israelis,
Israeli politicians praised Cameron following his resignation
Prime Minister Netanyahu calls outgoing British PM a "true friend of Israel and the Jewish people" • PM says he will discuss Britain's exit from EU during meetings with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Italian PM Matteo Renzi this week.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=34593
and Yedioth reported that Post-Brexit British tuition fees for Israeli students may double.
The other big story in today’s Hebrew newspapers was the expected announcement today of the approval of the reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey. Ahead of the deal, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen went on a secret visit to Turkey to meet his Turkish counterpart and Turkish Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan met with Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal. According to the agreement, Turkey will not enable Hamas to carry out any military activity against Israel but Hamas offices may continue to operate in Turkey for the purpose of diplomatic activity. Meanwhile, the three families of Israelis who are missing or killed in Gaza protested the reconciliation agreement with Turkey saying Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promised that the return of their sons’ remains would be part of it. Netanyahu is flying to Rome today to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU Foreign Policy Chief Frederica Mogherini in order to soften the Mideast Quartet’s report that blames Israel for the freeze in the peace process and for settlement construction. He will also announce the Israeli-Turkish reconciliation deal and discuss the possible effects of the British exit from the EU. (Maariv)
Also making headlines today was the ‘attack’ by coalition chairman MK David Bitan (Likud) on the former heads of Mossad and Shin Bet, saying, reportedly in a derogatory way that they turn into left-wingers on the job. "[Former Mossad chief Meir] Dagan was a fundamentalist right-winger when he entered the Mossad, and he came out of the organization the opposite… Everybody's a leftist there except for Avi Dichter…Something happens to you over the years when you're in that position. I believe that this is a development that happened as part of their job." Former defense minister Moshe Yaalon took this as an insult, calling it “dangerous political maneuvers to destroy the security establishment and to incite against its heads.” Yesh Atid MK Yaakov Peri, himself a former Shin Bet chief, said "This is nothing more than populism. Lashing out at the heads of the defense establishment is highly inappropriate. Is 'leftist' a derogatory term?"
Quick Hits:
- Abbas retracts claim that rabbis called for poisoning of Palestinian wells - In a statement, the PLO says it has become clear the accusations against the rabbis are 'baseless,' and the Palestinian president didn't intend to offend Jewish people. (Haaretz, Ynet and Maan)
- Ten years since Gilad Shalit's kidnapping - The former Hamas prisoner spent over five years in captivity after terrorists infiltrated into Israel via an underground tunnel; Grandfather: 'I always knew he would return one day.' (Ynet)
- Popular Resistance Committees applaud Shalit prisoner exchange on 10th anniversary - The Committees applauded those who took part in the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, which achieved release of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. However, since their release, Israel has initiated mass detention campaigns to bring hundreds of former prisoners released in the exchange back into Israeli custody. (Maan)
- Two Israelis lightly hurt after being hit by Palestinian car - Palestinian woman shot dead after her car hits parked Israeli car at entrance to settlement of Kiryat Arba. (Haaretz, Maariv, Maan, Israel Hayom and Ynet)
- Father of Palestinian boy killed by IDF troops urges Israel to 'recovers its sanity' - Mahmoud Rafat Badran, 15, was on his way home from a water park when Israeli troops mistakenly opened fire on the car he was in; his father expresses hope his son's death is the last of its kind as he vows to seek justice. (Haaretz+)
- Another soldier from Hebron shooting case put on trial - Sgt. D., who was present when Hebron soldier Cpl. Elor Azaria shot Abed al Fatah a-Sharif, a neutralized terrorist, will be put on trial himself for writing a Facebook post accusing Kfir Brigade company commander Tom Na'aman of giving false testimony against Azaria; IDF responded to the accusation, saying Cpl. D. 'did not see the incident.' (Yedioth/Ynet)
- "The company commander said that if he had seen the terrorist move he would have neutralized him" - The claim made by those around the family of Elor Azariya is that: "The company commander (Maj. Tom Naaman) said there was tension in the air because they knew that another attack was going to come, in stark contrast to what (the company commander) said in court: that there was no warning and that there was no risk in the area." (Maariv)
- **Gen. Yair Golan to graduates of officers' course: "Be brave in the face of a different opinion" - Deputy Chief of Staff was again in eye of the storm Thursday after calling on IDF officers to be "brave face in the face of the enemy fire, in the face of a different opinion, and in the face of the majority view" and create "an atmosphere of fairness, in which clear rules dominate and uniform norms reign." (Maariv and Times of Israel)
- 47% of the public: the government discriminates in favor of the residents of Judea and Samaria (settlers) - A poll published on the Knesset Channel showed nearly half of the public opposes the transfer of 80 million shekel budget to settlements. (Maariv)
- Israeli Justice Minister berated at Ramadan iftar meal - Demonstrators in Wadi Ara wave Palestinian flags, tell Justice Minister Shaked she is not welcome, and curse the 200 Arab lawers she met with; Shaked nevertheless offered her best wishes on the 'blessed month of Ramadan.' (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Hundreds of Palestinians detained by Israel since beginning of Ramadan - An entire family was detained from the village of Qusra in Nablus: Khawla Badawi Hasan, her daughter Muna and her son Mutasem were detained on Monday, two days after her husband Khalil Abed al-Haq Hasan, 57, and their son Muhammad were detained. (Maan)
- Muslim privates swear allegiance to IDF - The March 2016 cycle of Desert Reconnaissance Battalion soldiers were sworn in on Thursday, consisting largely of Muslim Bedouins, along with some Christian and Muslim Arabs, all of who volunteered for army service; 'I understood how important it was to give and do my part for the country in which I was born, that I live my life in, and that I'm proud of. (Ynet)
- Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian agricultural lands near Nablus - Israeli settlers from Rechalim set fire to dozens of dunams of nearby Palestinian agricultural lands of the village of al-Sawiya on Thursday afternoon, south of Nablus, burning dozens of olive and other trees. (Maan)
- Right-wing lawmakers dig in for battle to stop demolition of illegal settlement - Amona, which was built on private Palestinian property, must be razed by the end of 2016, Israel's top court ruled. (Haaretz+)
- **Israeli court rejects bid to close Palestinian quarries for environmental reasons - Forum for a Green Israel asked to close four legally operating Palestinian quarries, while ignoring Israeli-owned quarries in the West Bank. (Haaretz+ and Maan)
- IDF unveils new cyber defense HQ - Somewhere in central Israel, deep underground, is a 24/7 war room meant to enable the Israel Defense Forces to defend the country from cyber attacks. ‘We encourage initiative and innovation,’ says a high-ranking former IDF general in charge of cyber defense. (Ynet)
- Israeli forces injure Palestinian youth with live fire during raids in Bethlehem - Israeli forces Friday injured a young Palestinian in the Dheisheh refugee camp with live fire during predawn raids carried out across the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, locals told Ma’an. (Maan)
- Israel cracks down on PFLP prisoners amid ongoing mass hunger strike - Israel Prison authorities transferred 17 hunger-striking prisoners from Megiddo prison to Jalameh prison and other Israeli prisons in the south, while placing PFLP leaders Wael Jaghoub and Salah Ali in isolation and 10 other prisoners in Megiddo prison were reportedly placed in solitary confinement for their participation in the strike. (Maan)
- Court (Judge) acquitted four police officers of harsh abuse of prisoner: "It’s likely that the event never happened" - The prosecution accused the policemen of slamming the prisoner against the wall, beating him with their fists and pouring boiling water on him, causing severe burns until he admitted to the charges leveled against him. They also did not write up a report as per protocol. Judge Yoel Dayan: "We need to safeguard those who are responsible for keeping us safe." Police Unit Investigating Police stated that Judge Dayan refused to see all the ‘harsh’ material before acquitting policemen. (Maariv)
- Israel moves to keep security interrogations from being filmed - The exemption, only for security cases, gets extended every few years, but some legislators want it stopped. (Haaretz+ and Maan)
- Israel orders closure of PA-funded television channel in Israel for 6 months - Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan issued an order Friday banning the Palestinian Authority (PA)-funded television channel Musawa for six months, claiming the channel represents an affront to Israel’s sovereignty. [The channel’s audience is mainly Palestinian citizens of Israel. – OH] (Maan and Haaretz+)
- 8,308 Israelis renounced citizenship over past 12 years - A new report shows that rate of Israelis renouncing their citizenship has increased by 18% since 2003; reasons for so doing range from prerequisites for foreign naturalization to frustration with Israeli passport law. (Ynet)
- First Sudanese asylum seeker receives refugee status - Sudanese asylum seeker whose home was burned down in Darfur and who crossed Israel's border in 2009 has been granted refugee status for first time in Israel. (Ynet)
- 'We want our sons': Families of slain Palestinians held by Israel stage sit-in at Aqsa - Family members of slain Palestinians whose bodies are still being held by Israeli authorities staged a sit-in at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday, demanding Israel return the bodies under their campaign titled: "We want our sons." (Maan)
- Ya'alon visits Book Week, criticizes Abbas - Former defense minister signs copies of his book published in 2008; he says that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejects the 'very existence of the State of Israel as a national state of the Jewish people'; Ya'alon also reaffirms that he intends to run for the national leadership. (Ynet)
- Democrats Reject Platform Proposal Calling for 'End to Occupation and Illegal Settlements' - Members of a Democratic National Convention drafting committee considered the amendment pushed by James Zogby, who said Bernie Sanders helped craft the language of the amendment. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- French anti-racism groups clash over mayor’s support for jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti - Human Rights League accuses National Bureau for Vigilance Agaisnt Anti-Semitism of behaving like 'a spokesperson of the Israeli government' for complaint against mayor. (JTA, Haaretz)
- At Least 47, Including 31 Civilians, Killed in Syria Airstrikes - Either Syrian or Russian aircraft are responsible for the strikes on ISIS territory Friday, says observatory group. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Polish government offers to take over, upgrade, and maintain Treblinka memorial and museum - The Polish government, compelled to outline Poland's victimhood in the Holocaust and distance itself from the charge of complicity, has offered to transform the site of Treblinka into a more accessible and affecting national memorial. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Pope Calls for Turkey-Armenia Reconciliation While Recognizing 100-year-old 'Genocide' - 'Here I pray, with pain in my heart, so that never again will there be tragedies like this,' says Francis at Armenia's genocide memorial. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
The Multimillion Dollar Panama Channel to West Bank Settlements
The Amana movement that carries out settlement construction in the West Bank has been receiving tens of millions from a mystery company in the Central American tax haven, via a nonprofit that was also controlled by the movement. A Haaretz investigation as part of the Settlement Dollars Project. (Chaim Levinson, Haaretz+)
Cleared for publication: unpublished documents from the “Lavon Affair," which shook the country
The Defense Ministry published the minutes of the meeting in which the chief of staff Dayan and head of military intelligence Gen. Gibli Givli to the General Staff about the failure of the sabotage operation in Egypt in July 1954. The question continues to be asked: "Who gave the order?" (Yossi Melman, Maariv)
Could the deadly Gaza flotilla clash have been avoided?
Construction Minister Yoav Gallant, then GOC Southern Command, reportedly proposed using larger boats to block the flotilla, with hundreds of soldiers on call to neutralize resistance, rather than sending a small number of commandos to storm a boat. (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom)
In northern Israel, vestiges of Second Lebanon War's carnage
Gideon Levy returns to the scenes of the Katyusha rocket attacks that he covered a decade ago. The houses that have been renovated, the scars that have healed – and those that haven’t. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+)
Lyin’ to Zion: Israel is haven for fraudsters from France
Efforts to attract Diaspora Jews have made Israel a haven for a few who are trying to escape the long arm of the law. (Hagai Amit, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Time for 'Israexit' From the Occupied Territories (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) Cameron showed Netanyahu how a prime minister is supposed to act when he puts his prestige on the line over his platform’s key issue and is defeated.
The emperor’s nakedness (Yaron London, Yedioth/Ynet) Why do aggressive right-wingers insist on loudly confronting a fringe group of leftist Israeli artists, when the better approach would be remaining silent and letting them go extinct?
In the U.K. and in Israel, a Shift Toward Ultranationalist Isolationism (Haaretz Editorial) Unlike the British, Israel doesn’t need a referendum to declare its disengagement from Europe and the West. It's well on its way.
Identifying processes: all the signs show that conciliatory policy is coming back (Meir Uziel, Maariv) I think there are similarities between us and the Europe of the 1930’s: the spirit of defeatism, in the lies about violation of the rights of minorities and the illusion of agreements while compromising with evil ideologies.
Moshe Ya'alon Demonstrates How Not to Run for Prime Minister of Israel (Yossi Verter, Haaretz) Embrace Ya’alon is getting from the center-left is politically disastrous for him. Barak isn't interested in becoming the premier, just getting rid of the incumbent. Netanyahu knows that calling his detractors 'leftists' boosts his chance of staying on top.
An army afraid to exercise its own discretion (Aviad Kleinberg, Yedioth/Ynet) Online abuse and shaming campaigns have rendered the IDF impotent to protect the commanders called to testify in the Azaria trial.
Remain on track: We must not succumb to outside pressure from due to the situation in the Middle East (Yoram Ettinger, Maariv) In their ceaseless pushing for diplomatic move, the Western countries are trying to get Israel to ignore the reality in the region: terrorism, lack of democracy and instability.
The Military Police’s test: Indict the Israeli officer who shot Mahmoud Badran (Haaretz Friday Editorial) Even if Palestinians were throwing rocks as the IDF claims, it was unlawful for the IDF soldiers to open fire on a passing vehicle.
Slicing the salami of settlement costs (Merav Betito, Yedioth/Ynet) West Bank settlements continually receive budget items, monetary diversions, and transfers of funds; their pupils receive more money than other Israelis, and their hand remains outstretched; how much are the settlements actually costing us?
The Purposeful Political Campaign to Nurture the Sectarian Demon (Saviona Mane, Haaretz+) Likud has been in power for decades, but instead of bridging gaps, the party's politicians prefer to perpetuate racial hatred and undermine the fragile social fabric.
The price of reconciliation is Turkish democracy (Tulin Daloglu, Yedioth/Ynet) Turkish journalist Tulin Daloglu argues that while Israel and Turkey get closer with an expected reconciliation deal, Turkish democracy is in danger; The reconciliation deal will only strengthen Erdogan, and weaken Turkey's democratic institutions.
Israel's Lieberman, a playground bully, becomes star pupil in Washington (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) The new defense minister made all the right noises when the Israeli F-35 was unveiled in Texas this week. Is this a new Lieberman, or will normal service soon be resumed?
Not all in (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) The final details are still being discussed, but Israel and Turkey are expected to announce their reconciliation on Sunday, after six years of rough relations. What brought about the breakthrough?
What Israelis Can Learn From Britain's Revolutionary Voters (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) A referendum based on the will of the people who choose to ignore their leader’s fear-mongering is something Israelis can only dream of.
They will remain on paper: the fear of European (peace) initiatives is excessive and unfounded (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) Israel's fears of being criticized in the Mideast Quartet report and the effort to thwart the French initiative are exaggerated. The chances of these moves yielding a political breakthrough are slim.
Why I Want Israel to Break Away From Those 'Other' Arabs - the Palestinians (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) Do I wish for the occupation to end only so I can feel less guilty about enjoying the meager freedom the Israeli city offers Arab citizens who adopt its values?
The lie behind 'genetic citizenship' (Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Israel Hayom) A misleading headline led Israeli academics to declare at prestigious conferences that Israel wants to conduct genetic testing to determine whether new immigrants are Jewish. This claim could not be further from the truth.
It's not too late to save Israel from itself (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) The moderate left and right must work together, seek peace and stop bashing Benjamin Netanyahu, however paltry his emotional intelligence.
Alone on the tree: Netanyahu's conduct regarding the US military aid borders on breach of trust (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Even when the finance minister and defense minister openly come out against him, the Prime Minister prefers to slam his head in the wall than to admit a mistake and cut losses.
Don't just pay lipservice to the two state solution. Make it happen (Susie Gelman, Haaretz+) If you want a Jewish, democratic, and secure Israel, start pressing the next President, and the U.S. Jewish community, to prioritize the two state solution.
Abbas: An old-school anti-Semite (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) Time and again the Palestinian Authority president shows his true colors, including this week, when he refused to meet President Reuven Rivlin.
I'm in Israeli military jail because I won't collaborate with the occupation (Tair Kaminer, Haaretz+) The girls I meet in military prison aren't criminals. Most did trivial things and many are from disadvantaged groups, which says a lot about our society.
The Sky’s the Limit for Iran’s Lofty Economic Ambitions (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) IranAir has struck deals with two Western aviation giants to buy over 200 planes. However, like much else in Iran, its dreams hinge on the fate of Hassan Rohani in next year’s presidential election.
The Israeli Peace Camp’s Obligation: Demand Negotiations Without Preconditions (A.B. Yehoshua, Haaretz+) The prime minister may have a forked tongue, but when he is publicly calling for negotiations without preconditions, the Palestinians must respond affirmatively.
The Amana movement that carries out settlement construction in the West Bank has been receiving tens of millions from a mystery company in the Central American tax haven, via a nonprofit that was also controlled by the movement. A Haaretz investigation as part of the Settlement Dollars Project. (Chaim Levinson, Haaretz+)
Cleared for publication: unpublished documents from the “Lavon Affair," which shook the country
The Defense Ministry published the minutes of the meeting in which the chief of staff Dayan and head of military intelligence Gen. Gibli Givli to the General Staff about the failure of the sabotage operation in Egypt in July 1954. The question continues to be asked: "Who gave the order?" (Yossi Melman, Maariv)
Could the deadly Gaza flotilla clash have been avoided?
Construction Minister Yoav Gallant, then GOC Southern Command, reportedly proposed using larger boats to block the flotilla, with hundreds of soldiers on call to neutralize resistance, rather than sending a small number of commandos to storm a boat. (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom)
In northern Israel, vestiges of Second Lebanon War's carnage
Gideon Levy returns to the scenes of the Katyusha rocket attacks that he covered a decade ago. The houses that have been renovated, the scars that have healed – and those that haven’t. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+)
Lyin’ to Zion: Israel is haven for fraudsters from France
Efforts to attract Diaspora Jews have made Israel a haven for a few who are trying to escape the long arm of the law. (Hagai Amit, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Time for 'Israexit' From the Occupied Territories (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) Cameron showed Netanyahu how a prime minister is supposed to act when he puts his prestige on the line over his platform’s key issue and is defeated.
The emperor’s nakedness (Yaron London, Yedioth/Ynet) Why do aggressive right-wingers insist on loudly confronting a fringe group of leftist Israeli artists, when the better approach would be remaining silent and letting them go extinct?
In the U.K. and in Israel, a Shift Toward Ultranationalist Isolationism (Haaretz Editorial) Unlike the British, Israel doesn’t need a referendum to declare its disengagement from Europe and the West. It's well on its way.
Identifying processes: all the signs show that conciliatory policy is coming back (Meir Uziel, Maariv) I think there are similarities between us and the Europe of the 1930’s: the spirit of defeatism, in the lies about violation of the rights of minorities and the illusion of agreements while compromising with evil ideologies.
Moshe Ya'alon Demonstrates How Not to Run for Prime Minister of Israel (Yossi Verter, Haaretz) Embrace Ya’alon is getting from the center-left is politically disastrous for him. Barak isn't interested in becoming the premier, just getting rid of the incumbent. Netanyahu knows that calling his detractors 'leftists' boosts his chance of staying on top.
An army afraid to exercise its own discretion (Aviad Kleinberg, Yedioth/Ynet) Online abuse and shaming campaigns have rendered the IDF impotent to protect the commanders called to testify in the Azaria trial.
Remain on track: We must not succumb to outside pressure from due to the situation in the Middle East (Yoram Ettinger, Maariv) In their ceaseless pushing for diplomatic move, the Western countries are trying to get Israel to ignore the reality in the region: terrorism, lack of democracy and instability.
The Military Police’s test: Indict the Israeli officer who shot Mahmoud Badran (Haaretz Friday Editorial) Even if Palestinians were throwing rocks as the IDF claims, it was unlawful for the IDF soldiers to open fire on a passing vehicle.
Slicing the salami of settlement costs (Merav Betito, Yedioth/Ynet) West Bank settlements continually receive budget items, monetary diversions, and transfers of funds; their pupils receive more money than other Israelis, and their hand remains outstretched; how much are the settlements actually costing us?
The Purposeful Political Campaign to Nurture the Sectarian Demon (Saviona Mane, Haaretz+) Likud has been in power for decades, but instead of bridging gaps, the party's politicians prefer to perpetuate racial hatred and undermine the fragile social fabric.
The price of reconciliation is Turkish democracy (Tulin Daloglu, Yedioth/Ynet) Turkish journalist Tulin Daloglu argues that while Israel and Turkey get closer with an expected reconciliation deal, Turkish democracy is in danger; The reconciliation deal will only strengthen Erdogan, and weaken Turkey's democratic institutions.
Israel's Lieberman, a playground bully, becomes star pupil in Washington (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) The new defense minister made all the right noises when the Israeli F-35 was unveiled in Texas this week. Is this a new Lieberman, or will normal service soon be resumed?
Not all in (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) The final details are still being discussed, but Israel and Turkey are expected to announce their reconciliation on Sunday, after six years of rough relations. What brought about the breakthrough?
What Israelis Can Learn From Britain's Revolutionary Voters (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) A referendum based on the will of the people who choose to ignore their leader’s fear-mongering is something Israelis can only dream of.
They will remain on paper: the fear of European (peace) initiatives is excessive and unfounded (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) Israel's fears of being criticized in the Mideast Quartet report and the effort to thwart the French initiative are exaggerated. The chances of these moves yielding a political breakthrough are slim.
Why I Want Israel to Break Away From Those 'Other' Arabs - the Palestinians (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) Do I wish for the occupation to end only so I can feel less guilty about enjoying the meager freedom the Israeli city offers Arab citizens who adopt its values?
The lie behind 'genetic citizenship' (Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Israel Hayom) A misleading headline led Israeli academics to declare at prestigious conferences that Israel wants to conduct genetic testing to determine whether new immigrants are Jewish. This claim could not be further from the truth.
It's not too late to save Israel from itself (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) The moderate left and right must work together, seek peace and stop bashing Benjamin Netanyahu, however paltry his emotional intelligence.
Alone on the tree: Netanyahu's conduct regarding the US military aid borders on breach of trust (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Even when the finance minister and defense minister openly come out against him, the Prime Minister prefers to slam his head in the wall than to admit a mistake and cut losses.
Don't just pay lipservice to the two state solution. Make it happen (Susie Gelman, Haaretz+) If you want a Jewish, democratic, and secure Israel, start pressing the next President, and the U.S. Jewish community, to prioritize the two state solution.
Abbas: An old-school anti-Semite (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) Time and again the Palestinian Authority president shows his true colors, including this week, when he refused to meet President Reuven Rivlin.
I'm in Israeli military jail because I won't collaborate with the occupation (Tair Kaminer, Haaretz+) The girls I meet in military prison aren't criminals. Most did trivial things and many are from disadvantaged groups, which says a lot about our society.
The Sky’s the Limit for Iran’s Lofty Economic Ambitions (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) IranAir has struck deals with two Western aviation giants to buy over 200 planes. However, like much else in Iran, its dreams hinge on the fate of Hassan Rohani in next year’s presidential election.
The Israeli Peace Camp’s Obligation: Demand Negotiations Without Preconditions (A.B. Yehoshua, Haaretz+) The prime minister may have a forked tongue, but when he is publicly calling for negotiations without preconditions, the Palestinians must respond affirmatively.
Interviews:
Israeli who signed with LA Dodgers hopes also to keep playing on Israel's national team
Dean Kremer says it's exciting to represent Israel in baseball, but acknowledges that it is not particularly popular in the country and that 'Israelis are not patient enough to play the game.' (Interviewed by Irad Tsafrir in Haaretz+)
The Palestinian Authority man in charge of relations between Israel and the PA: "I don’t interfere in your internal affairs"
Defense Minister Lieberman banned his entry into Israel, claiming that he was trying to establish a political force, but Muhammad Al-Madani, is unmoved and insists on organizing Jewish-Palestinian meetings: Without peace it will be harder. (Interviewed by Sara Leibovich-Dar in Maariv)
'The Middle East has turned into a brutal bloodbath'
MK Tzachi Hanegbi is stepping down as chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Before his departure, he decided to talk about exactly what the government knew about Hamas terror tunnels before Operation Protective Edge in 2014. (Interviewed by Gideon Allon in Israel Hayom)
Israeli who signed with LA Dodgers hopes also to keep playing on Israel's national team
Dean Kremer says it's exciting to represent Israel in baseball, but acknowledges that it is not particularly popular in the country and that 'Israelis are not patient enough to play the game.' (Interviewed by Irad Tsafrir in Haaretz+)
The Palestinian Authority man in charge of relations between Israel and the PA: "I don’t interfere in your internal affairs"
Defense Minister Lieberman banned his entry into Israel, claiming that he was trying to establish a political force, but Muhammad Al-Madani, is unmoved and insists on organizing Jewish-Palestinian meetings: Without peace it will be harder. (Interviewed by Sara Leibovich-Dar in Maariv)
'The Middle East has turned into a brutal bloodbath'
MK Tzachi Hanegbi is stepping down as chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Before his departure, he decided to talk about exactly what the government knew about Hamas terror tunnels before Operation Protective Edge in 2014. (Interviewed by Gideon Allon in Israel Hayom)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.