APN's daily news review from Israel
Wednesday September 28, 2016
Haaretz
News Summary:
**Aside from the reports about Hillary Clinton’s ‘victory’ against Donald Trump in the first US Presidential debate (of
course, only Israel Hayom considered “Clinton attacking, Trump presidential” - today’s Hebrew newspapers were
mainly filled with stories and memories about the legendary Israeli statesman, former prime minister and
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Shimon Peres, who passed away shortly after the newspapers went to print. (Only
Israel Hayom pronounced him as passed in its print edition.) Here, too, Mrs. Clinton appeared in the news –
in photos with Peres. Peres was hospitalized two weeks ago after a massive stroke and yesterday Peres’ doctors determined that the neurological damage caused by the stroke was "irreversible." Peres, who was born Szymon Perski in 1923 to a wealthy secular family in
Vishnyeva, Belarus, will likely be buried Friday, and his coffin will be on display to the public on Thursday.
The state funeral is expected to be one of the biggest the country has ever seen with leaders
expected to attend from across the world, including the US President Barack Obama and the Clintons. Numerous
world leaders have expressed their condolences. The papers gave timelines of the stations of his life.- Success for Clinton in first televised debate with Trump
- We can only be jealous of the US // Nechamia Stressler
- Everyone is wrong: Trump won // Rogel Alpher
- Peres’ condition deteriorated, family came to part from him
- Netanyahu asked the heads of the parties in the coalition whether they would support adding Herzog
- Fear in Foreign Ministry that FIFA will demand the suspension of settler soccer teams
- (Chief of Staff) Eisenkot ruled: civilian academies won’t be allowed to give IDF officers workshops anymore
- Court approved that parents of soldier who was killed can use his sperm to make a child
- Lucky tiger // Amira Hass
- Blogger Yasmin Da’as doesn’t surrender to prejudice
- And the permission has been granted – Proposal to cancel the (new) broadcasting corporation: Netanyahu requested to give back control in the media to politicians // Zvi Zerhaya and Nati Tucker (Hebrew)
- Director of “The Jews” hit a sensitive spot with the French: anti-Semitism
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Last goodbye (to Shimon Peres)
- I am the first MK to become a single mother with the help of a homosexual friend – MK Merav Ben-Ari, 40
- The first debate: Clinton’s victory
- In a knockout // Nahum Barnea
- Test of reality // Alon Pinkas
- She is breathing with relief // Orly Azoulay
- In Trump’s world // Nadav Eyal
- Olmert’s dramatic morning
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- The last battle (Full page photo of Peres)
- Without him, who will watch over us? // Ben Caspit
Israel Hayom
- Shimon Peres 1923-2016
- A generation giant who entered all of our hearts // Yuri Yalon
- 26 years alongside my mentor // Yoram Dori
- Stations of his life: In the 50’s and 60’s – Ben-Gurion’s right-hand man and among the founders of the “Textile Factory”: the [nuclear] reactor in Dimona
- 13.09.1993 – Nobel Peace Prize laureate after the Oslo Accords
- 30.05.2007 – The 9th President of the State of Israel
News Summary:
Also in the news, Netanyahu asked his coalition partners whether they were interested in adding Opposition leader, Zionist Camp MK Isaac Herzog to the coalition.
Quick Hits:
- Police forces withdrawing in Jerusalem after terror alert - Israel Police are beginning to withdraw from Jerusalem following a terror alert; the Force was sent to the main roads to set up roadblocks; no special instructions for the general public. (Ynet)
- Heightened security measures imposed in Jerusalem ahead of Jewish holiday - Police said that Israeli police and border guards would be heavily deployed across Jerusalem for the holiday, particularly on roads used by Jewish worshipers and near the Western Wall of the Old City, next to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. (Maan)
- Israeli soldiers photographed beating Palestinian face disciplinary action - After IDF says man was resisting arrest, investigation states soldiers 'acted unprofessionally.' In separate incident, two soldiers suspended after caught on tape setting fire to Nablus warehouse. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli court rules not to renew Palestinian prisoner's administrative detention - Muhammad Jamal Yousif, a 30-year-old resident of the village of al-Janiya in the occupied West Bank district of Ramallah, was detained by Israeli forces in October 2015, and then sentenced to six months in administrative detention -- Israel’s controversial policy of internment without charges used overwhelmingly against Palestinians. (Maan)
- 'That's not how you shoot to kill,' ex-IDF officer says at Azaria trial - Testifying on behalf of so-called Hebron shooter, former Gaza division commander describes him as 'cool-headed' and 'reasonable' in his behavior. [The article does not mention that Sgt. Elor Azariya shot Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head. – OH] (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- MK Hazan Chief of Staff: Release the El Azerbaijani celebrate the New Year with his family - Likud MK Oren Hazan called on IDF Chief of Staff to order to release the ‘Shooting Soldier from Hebron,’ to go home so he could spend the holidays with his father, who suffered a stroke. “It’s the least you can do for them," said Hazan. Sgt. Elor Azaria is on trial for shooting dead and killing an already wounded and incapacitated Palestinian assailant. (Maariv)
- Bill submitted to dismantle the (new independent) public broadcasting corporation - Chairman of the coalition submitted a bill to shut down the new body, as part of a move that he claims will save the state coffers 1.8 billion shekels. The goal: Back to the old law, while streamlining and renewal. (Maariv)
- Bennett: Media issues, new broadcaster are not 'core issues' for his party - In apparent shift, education minister says he will 'flow with the PM' on new broadcasting corporation; seems less concerned about press freedom. (Haaretz+)
- Settler protest to legalize Ofra - Most of the residents of Ofra in the West Bank showed up in Jerusalem on Tuesday to try and convince the government to legalize their settlement; several right wing ministers were in attendance; Deputy Jerusalem Mayor Hagit Moshe: West Bank settlements help defend Jerusalem. (Ynet)
- Israel rejects appeal against closing case of Palestinian boy shot from behind - Ahmad Abu Hummus,12, from East Jerusalem was critically wounded and suffers from brain damage after being shot with rubber-tipped bullets. (Haaretz+)
- Israel Police claim to prevent incitement at release of senior Hamas official after 18 years in Israeli custody - Ibrahim Abbasi, who was released from an 18-year sentence, was greeted with a modest celebration in east Jerusalem; the police said that their foresight in communicating with community leaders kept the event subdued. Al-Abbasi was convicted of being affiliated to the Hamas military wing. (Maan and Ynet)
- 4 Palestinian prisoners start hunger strikes to protest Israeli detention policies - Four Palestinian prisoners have launched hunger strikes on Sunday to protest their administrative detentions, the use of torture in Israeli prison facilities, and the tactical transfer of prisoners from one facility to another. (Maan)
- Funeral held in Jenin for Palestinian prisoner who died in Israeli custody - Palestinians mourners and representatives of national Palestinian institutions attended a funeral in Jenin on Tuesday for Yasser Thiab Hamduna, 41, who died of a heart condition in Israeli prison on Sunday after years of medical neglect. (Maan)
- Israel orders release of Palestinian journalist from administrative detention - Mosab Zayoud was detained in on Sep. 20, during massive raids across the occupied Palestinian territory when 40 other Palestinians were detained and two Palestinians were shot and injured by Israeli fire. (Maan)
- Druze soldier, lone soldier killed after others 'played with a grenade' - An initial investigation into a grenade explosion which killed Staff Sgt. Husam Tafash and Sgt. Shlomo Rindenow has shown that the tragedy occurred as a result of soldiers 'playing with a grenade'; IDF Chief of Staff Eisencott orders that all soldiers be told about incident to prevent its recurrence. (Ynet)
- 2 soldiers wounded in training accidents on IDF bases - One soldier is seriously injured after apparently being hit in the head by a tank cannon during a training exercise in southern Israel. Another soldier suffers shrapnel injuries to his back after a weapon misfires. IDF is investigating both incidents. (Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
- 10% drop in immigration to Israel since start of last Jewish New Year - Following several years of steady, even rapid growth, immigration to Israel is down. The most pronounced downturn? In emigration from France and Ukraine. (Haaretz+)
- Jerusalem mayor meets with Pollard in New York - 'If Jonathan is not allowed to come to Jerusalem, Jerusalem will come to him,' Nir Barkat tells the former Israeli spy, who is currently not allowed to leave the US. (Ynet)
- Israeli forces demolish water cisterns in Hebron-area village - Israeli troops demolished four wells in agricultural lands in the Jurat al-Kheil area east of Sair village that were used for sheep to drink and to irrigate crops. There were no permits from Israel to build the wells. (Maan)
- Israeli American Council called 'Israel's soldiers' in the US - Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson pledge to donate $14 million to the Israeli American community. Sheldon Adelson calls Israeli Americans an untapped resource. Miriam Adelson: When we strengthen the IAC, we strengthen Israel. (Israel Hayom)
- Dispute within JNF after private eyes hired to spy on workers - 'Over the past few years, the JNF has been going through an organizational recovery process, which includes improving oversight on donors’ money. As part of that, there are ongoing checks,' Jewish National Fund responds. (Haaretz+)
- "Harms the victims of rape": Women's organizations oppose the use of mediation in the case of Brig. Gen. Buchris - Chairman of WIZO Israel petitioned the Military Judge Advocate General before the reading of the indictment against the reserve officer, Buchris, who is accused of sexual offenses: "Holding such a procedure spits in the faces of the victims." (Maariv)
- Head of Israeli Film Academy Fires Back, Blames Minister for Uproar Over Palestinian Poet - In response to culture ministry official, Mosh Danon says admittedly disrespectful atmosphere was due to her declaration that filmmakers' futures are in doubt. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli ministries feud over anti-BDS warfare in U.K. - Diplomats warn that actions of ministry other than the Foreign Ministry are in potential violation of British law. (Haaretz+)
- Judge admonishes Facebook in terror victim lawsuit - At a hearing for a class action lawsuit against Facebook for incitement by Israeli victims of terrorism, Judge Nicholas Garaufis accuses Facebook of not doing enough to stop incitement and not taking global terrorism seriously enough. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Facebook apologizes after disabling two Palestinian news sites' accounts - The accounts affected are critical of Israel; Facebook called the suspension a 'mistake'; Israel has been critical of Facebook permitting online incitement. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Settlements, politics are just a few of the things Israeli and U.S. Jews disagree about - Young American Jews, for example, are likely to say that Washington gives 'too much' support to Israel, according to Pew Research Center. (Haaretz)
- Israel's Supreme Court to rule on appeals of Olmert cases - All three cases involve incidents that occurred before he became prime minister, during his terms as industry minister and/or mayor of Jerusalem. (Haaretz+)
- 'In Between,' about three Palestinian Israelis living in Tel Aviv, dazzles San Sebastian film festival - The feature debut of Maysaloun Hamoud takes three prizes at film festival. (Haaretz+)
- The Legion Run comes to Israel - The international extreme obstacle is coming to Manara Cliff on October 14; the event boasts demanding physical and mental challenges including fire, ice, climbing obstacles and strength events. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, Obama Reflects on Past Year's Achievements and Challenges - U.S. president speaks with over 600 rabbis from the American Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Reconstructionist movements, recounts military aid deal, Iran agreement. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Sheldon Adelson Reportedly to Give $25 Million to anti-Clinton Super PAC - Super PAC's strategy is to take shots at Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton rather than promoting Republican contestant Donald Trump. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Bowing to Khamenei's Wishes, Iran's Ahmadinejad Says Won't Run in 2017 Election - Iran's supreme leader warns the hardline former president's candidacy would increase divisions in the Islamic Republic. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
IDF is preparing for an ISIS attack: "The scenarios made us think differently"
A unique exercise held recently in the mixed gender Caracal battalion was intended to prepare men and women fighters for an attack in the field by the Islamic State attack and the friction itself. (Maariv)
Not just Amona: Thousands of settlement homes face possible evacuation
A mapping project based on Civil Administration maps and database marks more than 2,500 housing units, residential buildings and commercial structures in dozens of Jewish communities; Many buildings it turns out were built on private rather than state-owned lands, making them illegal; project shows how complicated settling West Bank settlement issue is. (Oded Shalom and Elisha Ben-Kimon, Yedioth/Ynet)
Testimonies of survivors and blaming the military: the tragedy of the sinking of the ship is shaking up Egypt
"We saw the bodies of children and we could not help them”: The sinking of the vessel carrying illegal immigrants and which claimed the lives of at least 204 people who were looking for a better future in Europe, has raised a storm in the country. (Maariv)
The assassination of the journalist is shaking up the Hashemite Kingdom
The state is also suffering from economic instability and from waves of refugees. Now it being evaluated for its ability to protect its persecuted Christian minority and to restore freedom of expression which received a mortal blow after a gunman shot dead Nahed Hattar, a Christian journalist who was about to go on trial for sharing on Facebook a cartoon deemed by some as offensive to Islam. (Jacky Khougy, Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Come to the Knesset, Abbas (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) It’s true that Netanyahu didn’t really mean it, but an invitation is an invitation. Find the courage, prepare an ardent speech and tell us and your people what exactly is it that you want.
Rather Than Cast Blame or Demand Glory, Israel's Cabinet Must Heed IDF (Haaretz Editorial) The government’s absence from an important military exercise is a badge of dishonor for its handling of national security.
Who will look after us? (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Until the last moment, Peres remains the country's greatest lover.
When a Misogynist Like Trump Questions Clinton's 'Stamina,' It's Code for Something Darker (Ilene Prusher, Haaretz+) With these words, Trump was fishing for voters who still doubt that a woman can be president.
Time of danger: a new wave of violence could break out because of the collective punishment on the Temple Mount (Aviv Tatarsky, Maariv) Restrictions on Muslims entering the site during the High Holidays can be devastating for everyone and bring a rerun of the bloody events of the past two years.
Without Solution to Palestinian Issue, No Arab State Will Seek Relations With Israel (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) If Netanyahu is really serious, let him pull the Arab initiative out of the trash bin where he unceremoniously tossed it, and give it a closer look.
A political realist in an irrational world (Sever Plocker, Yedioth/Ynet) Hundreds of thousands of Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi citizens were sacrificed, unknowingly and with good intent, for the sake of Obama’s sincere desire to talk to tyrant regimes, precisely in order to prevent unnecessary victims; it’s a shame the bad guys failed to understand and play by his rules.
Palestinian Authority's Malaise Fans Flames of Lone-wolf Attacks (Ohad Hemo, Haaretz+) The resurgence in knifing attacks show that the Palestinian sovereign is increasingly less relevant in the lives of its subjects and its legitimacy is eroding.
A unique exercise held recently in the mixed gender Caracal battalion was intended to prepare men and women fighters for an attack in the field by the Islamic State attack and the friction itself. (Maariv)
Not just Amona: Thousands of settlement homes face possible evacuation
A mapping project based on Civil Administration maps and database marks more than 2,500 housing units, residential buildings and commercial structures in dozens of Jewish communities; Many buildings it turns out were built on private rather than state-owned lands, making them illegal; project shows how complicated settling West Bank settlement issue is. (Oded Shalom and Elisha Ben-Kimon, Yedioth/Ynet)
Testimonies of survivors and blaming the military: the tragedy of the sinking of the ship is shaking up Egypt
"We saw the bodies of children and we could not help them”: The sinking of the vessel carrying illegal immigrants and which claimed the lives of at least 204 people who were looking for a better future in Europe, has raised a storm in the country. (Maariv)
The assassination of the journalist is shaking up the Hashemite Kingdom
The state is also suffering from economic instability and from waves of refugees. Now it being evaluated for its ability to protect its persecuted Christian minority and to restore freedom of expression which received a mortal blow after a gunman shot dead Nahed Hattar, a Christian journalist who was about to go on trial for sharing on Facebook a cartoon deemed by some as offensive to Islam. (Jacky Khougy, Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Come to the Knesset, Abbas (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) It’s true that Netanyahu didn’t really mean it, but an invitation is an invitation. Find the courage, prepare an ardent speech and tell us and your people what exactly is it that you want.
Rather Than Cast Blame or Demand Glory, Israel's Cabinet Must Heed IDF (Haaretz Editorial) The government’s absence from an important military exercise is a badge of dishonor for its handling of national security.
Who will look after us? (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Until the last moment, Peres remains the country's greatest lover.
When a Misogynist Like Trump Questions Clinton's 'Stamina,' It's Code for Something Darker (Ilene Prusher, Haaretz+) With these words, Trump was fishing for voters who still doubt that a woman can be president.
Time of danger: a new wave of violence could break out because of the collective punishment on the Temple Mount (Aviv Tatarsky, Maariv) Restrictions on Muslims entering the site during the High Holidays can be devastating for everyone and bring a rerun of the bloody events of the past two years.
Without Solution to Palestinian Issue, No Arab State Will Seek Relations With Israel (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) If Netanyahu is really serious, let him pull the Arab initiative out of the trash bin where he unceremoniously tossed it, and give it a closer look.
A political realist in an irrational world (Sever Plocker, Yedioth/Ynet) Hundreds of thousands of Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi citizens were sacrificed, unknowingly and with good intent, for the sake of Obama’s sincere desire to talk to tyrant regimes, precisely in order to prevent unnecessary victims; it’s a shame the bad guys failed to understand and play by his rules.
Palestinian Authority's Malaise Fans Flames of Lone-wolf Attacks (Ohad Hemo, Haaretz+) The resurgence in knifing attacks show that the Palestinian sovereign is increasingly less relevant in the lives of its subjects and its legitimacy is eroding.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.