APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday January 22, 2017
Quote of the day:
"Almaleh was fired because she did something much more dangerous and subversive: the courage to not
make a distinction between Jew and Arab. Almaleh sees people without reference to their ethnicity or national
affiliation. That is a genuinely intolerable sacrilege. Khen Almaleh is Satan. 'I too would have run if I were
being forced out of my home in order to build a community for people more powerful than I,' she wrote. Whoa!
She doesn’t care if the perpetrator is Arab. She doesn’t care if the “more powerful” people are Jews. She
doesn’t care about the Zionist enterprise. She has empathy for the underdog, despite his being Arab and her
being Jewish. That is not merely justifying the murder of a policeman. That is genuinely
dangerous.”
--Haaretz commentator Rogel Alpher writes about the firing of an Army Radio DJ for expressing sympathy with a Bedouin man who ran over a policeman who had come to demolish his home. (Later, the autopsy revealed that he was shot in the leg which likely caused him to lose control of the car and hit the policeman.)**
--Haaretz commentator Rogel Alpher writes about the firing of an Army Radio DJ for expressing sympathy with a Bedouin man who ran over a policeman who had come to demolish his home. (Later, the autopsy revealed that he was shot in the leg which likely caused him to lose control of the car and hit the policeman.)**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Police think that they have put together evidence against Netanyahu; Investigation will be completed within weeks
- The Milchan trap // Ido Baum
- Senior members of Trump administration were sworn-in to their positions
- Netanyahu: I’m willing to give the Palestinians a 'state-minus'; We won’t limit construction in [East] Jerusalem or in the blocs
- In the Knesset, fears that the Prime Minister will try to thwart the publication of the State Comptroller’s report on Operation Protective Edge
- Artist Moshe Gershuni died
- State Prosecutor gave guidelines when to indict parents for causing their children’s death
- Michal Ben-Naftali won the Sapir Prize for her book, ‘The Teacher’
- (Public Security Minister Gilad) Erdan must go // Haaretz Editorial
- The degree of Sodom – A government that pushes civilians to break the law – like in Um al-Hiran – is not allowed to hold them to account // Mordechai Kremnitzer
- The controversy-sparking pyramid tower in Jerusalem won’t be built
- The corrupt administration of the Jewish National Fund could now reach also National Insurance
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Milchan vs. Netanyahu
- Trump invited Netanyahu to Washington
- Forget his right hand // Nahum Barnea
- Loads of (Multi-use) bags – Because of law against use of plastic bags: Factory that manufactures multi-use bags is collapsing from so many orders
- The Palestinian crembo dessert – A visit to the factory in Shchem (Nablus)
- The protest of the (Hollywood) stars (to Trump)
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Facing towards Jerusalem (Photo of Trump)
- Police Commissioner hinted: Evidence has been collected against Netanyahu
- Tension ahead of decision tomorrow over whether to publish the report on Operation Protective Edge: “Politically-explosive material”
- “I feel I was re-born” – (Ethiopian) Noa from Australia found her biological family in Netanyahu
- Prohibited in Europe, allowed in Israel – Agriculture Ministry ignores the dangerous pesticides in the market (photo of vegetables)
Israel Hayom
- Trump invited the Prime Minister for a meeting in the White House in February
- Netanyahu and the President spoke for the first time; PM: “It was a very warm discussion”
- Internal document reveals: In MADA they admit – the ambulances come late
- Police Commissioner: “The Netanyahu investigations will be completed in a few weeks”
- Life imprisonment and another 30 years for one of the murderers of Malachi Rozenfeld
- Again: A major was suspended after a confidential cellular phone and secret materials were stolen from his car
- Due to the cost of the security: Fear of holding the Baba Sali Hilula next week
News Summary:
US President Donald Trump invited Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a meeting next month in Washington, the Israel Police Commissioner hinted that Netanyahu may be indicted for breach of trust as the police say they have sufficient evidence to confirm that Netanyahu committed at least some of the crimes of which he is suspected of (also Maariv), while associates of Israeli billionaire Arnon Milchan slammed Netanyahu associates, who suggested Milchan lied about the presents he gave the Netanyahu family - making top stories in the Hebrew newspapers.
In diplomacy, or lack of it, Netanyahu said ahead of his phone call with Trump yesterday, that he was willing to give the Palestinians a ‘state-minus.’ And in the phone call, Trump told Netanyahu that Israeli-Palestinian peace could only be achieved through direct negotiations – which is what Netanyahu believes. Netanyahu wants the meeting with Trump as soon as possible because he plans to travel to Australia and Singapore at the end of January and does not want to wait till the end of March, when he visits Washington for the annual AIPAC conference, in order to meet Trump, wrote Yedioth’s Itamar Eichman.
On the US embassy move, Trump aides said no announcement of an embassy move to Jerusalem is imminent, it’s only “at the very beginning stages of even discussing.” Palestinians and Jordan agreed to take steps if the embassy is moved to Jerusalem. And the new US Ambassador David Friedman plans to reside in his private home in Jerusalem, rather than in the official US Ambassador's Residence in Herzliya. Also, the Chinese President called for East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian State.
Trump’s swearing-in has opened the flood gates for settlement construction and right-wing legislation to annex parts of the Palestinian territories, the papers reported. Habayit Hayehudi leader, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, said he gave Netanyahu an ultimatum: Renounce your Bar-Ilan speech and the two-state solution or his party would push through legislation to annex Ma'aleh Adumim. Despite having previously supported the controversial ‘Regulation Bill,’ which seeks to retroactively legalize thousands of homes in settlements that were built on privately-owned Palestinian lands, Netanyahu said Sunday it was an 'irresponsible move.' Moreover, Netanyahu sought to thwart the vote for annexation of Maaleh Adumim and succeeded, saying that Trump advisors told him not to. But Haaretz+ reported that Netanyahu convinced Bennett, to postpone the vote on annexing Maaleh Adumim till after his meeting with Trump, by pledging unrestricted settlement construction in East Jerusalem and in settlement blocs. The beginning of the wave of settlement construction was already seen following Trump’s swearing-in, when Israel approved 566 new housing units in Jewish settlement neighborhoods over the Green Line. The Jerusalem Municipality zoning committee head said Trump’s inauguration was the motivation for the permits. Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) said he would propose a plan to the cabinet for Israel to annex most of the West Bank settlements surrounding Jerusalem, in what Times of Israel said appeared designed to challenge Netanyahu and outflank Education Minister Naftali Bennett.
Quick Hits:
- Release of Bedouin Driver's Body Reaches Israel's Top Court - Family of man who fatally ran over cop and was himself shot to death refuses to agree to police’s conditions, including limit on funeral attendees. (Haaretz+)
- Knesset subcommittee to vote for release of Protective Edge report - A subcommittee within the State Control Committee is expected to vote in favor of releasing the findings of the comptroller's report on Operation Protective Edge to the public; report is expected to be critical of the cabinet and government before and during the summer 2014 campaign. (Ynet)
- Killed IDF soldier Hadar Goldin's family demands Protective Edge report to be made public - The family of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed by Hamas during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, joined other bereaved families from the operation and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lift his objection from making the state comptroller's full report available to the public. Goldin's body, along with the body of Sgt. Oron Shaul, were taken by Hamas terrorists for future negotiations. (Ynet)
- Netanyahu May Try to Suppress Gaza War Report - The prime minister might aim to keep under wraps a state comptroller report on 2014's Operation Protective Edge, but what will the bereaved families say? (Haaretz+)
- Israeli ministers postpone decision on Jewish nation-state legislation - Ministers delay a vote on compromise suggested by MK Benjamin Begin which softens the original bill, by specifying that all of Israel's citizens would have equal rights regardless of their faith. (Haaretz)
- Pro-Israel conference at the European Parliament in Brussels: Fighting the boycott against Israel - The event, in which European Parliament members, Knesset members and senior Israeli officials will participate, will be held at the same time as a conference to be held by the BDS. The conference was organized by the Foreign Ministry with the help of Minister Gila Gamliel (Likud), MK Yoav Kish (Likud) and MK Hilik Bar (Zionist Camp). (Maariv)
- After Receiving Home Demolition Orders, Druze Threaten to Join Israeli Arabs’ Fight - Some of the Druze receiving demolition orders due to illegal construction are parents of fallen soldiers. (Haaretz+)
- Ofra (settlement) residents threatened to go on hunger strike if the demolishing of their houses is not canceled - The settlement’s leadership announced that it expects Netanyahu, Bennett worked to "put an end to the demolition of houses in the settlement" and has called for a hunger strike protest in front of the Knesset: "We cannot just be satisfied with declarations, it's time for action." The homes were built on privately-owned Palestinian land belonging to five families from Ein Yabrud village, despite a court order in 2008 to stop the construction. (Maariv)
- Netanyahu's chief of staff: "There is no option for leaving residents of Amona (outpost) on the mountain" - Yoav Horowitz said at a meeting of Likud ministers, that the Absentee Property solution ran into justified legal objections and he added that residents were given two options: move to Ofra or establish a new settlement near Amona. (Maariv)
- Amona (outpost) settlers renew protest as relocation deal falters - Following the lack of progress in building the new settlement, the representatives of the illegal outpost wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Education and demanded: "Pass the Regulation Law, including the article on Amona." The settlers say Netanyahu, Bennett ‘betrayed us’ with compromise, claim they are no longer bound by agreement. (Maariv and Times of Israel)
- Cabinet approves 2 new ministerial appointments - Former Knesset Reforms Committee head MK Eli Cohen (Kulanu) named economy and industry minister. MK Ayoob Kara named minister without portfolio. Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid blasts Kara appointment: "Appointing unnecessary ministers is corruption." (Israel Hayom)
- Netanyahu Breaches Regulations by Dodging Opposition Questions in Knesset - The opposition gave Netanyahu two weeks notice to appear on January 9, but his office said he could not attend and asked for a postponement, which is not allowed according to Knesset rules. The Knesset legal adviser Eyal Yinon criticized Netanyahu, but permitted a postponement until January 30. (Haaretz+)
- Israel Prison Service Refrains From Treating Prisoners With Hepatitis C Due to High Costs - Contagion rates in prisons are high due to fights, needle sharing and sexual intercourse. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli Children’s Hospital Charging for Psychological Services That Come for Free Under New Law - Petah Tikva’s Schneider Medical Center insists it operates according to Health Ministry guidelines. (Haaretz+)
- Defense minister meets with former CIA head David Petraeus - Lieberman tells Petraeus U.S. should create "anti-terror coalition" with moderate Arab states, Israel • "No chance" of bilateral understanding between Israel and Palestinians, only comprehensive regional settlement will solve conflict, Lieberman says. (Israel Hayom)
- IDF changing tactics for possible Third Lebanon War - The IDF is adapting its tactics to counter Hezbollah's tunnel systems and projected strategy of rapidly invading Israeli territory at the onset of hostilities to project a picture of victory by taking a community or IDF outpost. (Ynet)
- Israeli forces fire at Gaza fishermen, force them to sail back to shore - Israeli gunboats opened heavy machine gun fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip in the early predawn hours Sunday morning,forcing fishermen to sail back to shore, with no injuries or damages reported. (Maan)
- Palestinian gets life in prison plus 30 years in fatal West Bank shooting of Israeli - Abdallah Ashayek drove the vehicle from which a gunman killed Malachi Rosenfeld in June 2015, a military court rules. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- IDF colonel suspended after classified documents, phone stolen from his car - The incident follows the resignation of the head of the IDF personnel division after his army computer was stolen from his home. (Haaretz+)
- IDF issues new social media guidelines - The Israeli Army publishes new guidelines on how to interact with others on social media; the guide comes after a recent report uncovered that Gazan terrorist group lures soldiers by using fake women's profiles before infecting their phones with spyware. (Ynet)
- Moshe Gershuni, 'The Soul of Israeli Art,' Dies at 80 - Painter-sculptor took the state to court in 2003 when his Israel Prize win was revoked after he refused to attend ceremony with then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. (Haaretz+)
- Muslim Scholars Warn Against U.S. Embassy Move to Jerusalem - Such a step 'would fuel the spirit of conflict and sedition, play into the hands of extremists and incite hatred against those assaulting the rights of the Palestinian people,' the Qatar-based group stated. (Haaretz)
- PHOTOS: Hundreds protest Trump in Tel Aviv Women's March - Hundreds of women and men march to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. (+972mag)
- Jared Kushner's Brother Reportedly Spotted at anti-Trump Protest March in D.C. - Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared, was at the Women's March, the Washingtonian reports. (Haaretz)
Features:
Who Is Stephen Miller, the Jewish Adviser Behind Trump's 'American Carnage'?
Miller, the 31-year-old, who grew up in a liberal home in Santa Monica, California, was Trump’s chief speechwriter throughout the campaign and reportedly a good friend of controversial white nationalist Richard Spencer. (Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel's Public Security Minister Must Be Ousted (Haaretz Editorial) Gilad Erdan makes allegations against Arab citizens without any proof. He's leading an incitement campaign.
By siding with the police, the media incites against Arab citizens (Samah Salaime, +972mag) The majority of Israeli journalists simply copied the official police version of the deadly events in Umm el-Hiran last week, effectively painting 20 percent of Israeli citizens as terrorists.
Left to Bleed to Death, And Called a Murderer (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) Yakub Abu al-Kiyan is called a murderer, while the police officers who shot him are only said to have killed. At worst, they caused an Arab’s death.
A President and the opposite: Trump is the opposite of Obama and we will miss him (Uri Savir, Maariv) Whoever did not know until now the attributes of the outgoing president, will be convinced of them over time through his replacement. Instead of a leader who realized the values of equality, we got someone who acts exactly the opposite.
The Israeli Fantasy Regarding the Deaths of Palestinians (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) The trial of Border Policeman Ben Dery has dragged on for more than two years. A visit to the courtroom shows the wheels of justice turning very strangely indeed.
The president's three promises (Yossi Beilin, Israel Hayom) Trump will need to choose between returning America to its former glory, which requires that the U.S. remain a central player in the international arena, and "America first." He may find he is unable to realize either one.
Do People Really Deserve to Die Because They Live in Gaza? (Alon Idan, Haaretz+) When Haaretz published a story about female cancer sufferers being denied permits to visit Israel or the West Bank for treatment, most of the responses were distinctly lacking in love for the stranger.
Jerusalem is the center of gravity (Prof. Efraim Inbar, Israel Hayom) Jerusalem carries great symbolic and strategic value for Israel, and Israeli control of the city must be protected. Moving the U.S. Embassy to the capital would help secure this goal.
Resisting Trump Means Resisting Netanyahu (Larry Derfner, Haaretz+) Tel Aviv joined cities around the world to protest Trump. For us, it's not theoretical. The new administration's decisions could have an immediate, serious impact on the safety of both Israelis and Palestinians.
The modern blood libel against Benjamin Dreyfus (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) While Likud members have rushed to support Netanyahu against the law enforcement authorities, the Left and the media, the party’s ministers are remaining silent about the prime minister’s investigations. While some believe Netanyahu already knows how the investigations will end, most of them are keeping their fingers crossed for an indictment.
**The Real Reason an Israeli Army Radio DJ Was Fired (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) Khen Almaleh's real offense was to imagine a political alliance that unites all of Israel's vulnerable communities, Jewish and Arab, Mizrahi and Russian and Ethiopian and Bedouin.
Not a messiah (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Don't make U.S. President Donald Trump into a messiah. Messiahs disappoint. We must wait patiently and take action at the correct time, or we will lose.
Netanyahu May Try to Suppress Gaza War Report (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The prime minister might aim to keep under wraps a state comptroller report on 2014's Operation Protective Edge, but what will the bereaved families say?
Despite war crimes, Israel insists on selling arms to Myanmar (John Brown, +972mag) The heads of Myanmar’s army had a shopping spree with the Israeli security industries, even meeting with the president and the Chief of Staff. Despite ongoing war crimes, Israel continues to maintain extensive security ties with the South East Asian country.
My Wife Went to Israel and All I Got Was a Fit of Tears (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) While my wife was in Israel, I stayed with the kids. I thought I’d had it hard – until she told me about her trip.
Sayed Kashua's Apology to Palestinian Filmmaker (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) How pathetic of me to hope the movie would generate a fruitful discussion in Palestinian society in Israel.
Trump and Israel: It's About More Than Settlements (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) The president-elect’s economic policies risk the international economic order that has benefited the Israeli economy so much.
The Problem With Iran Isn’t Its Nuclear Program (Sima Shine, Haaretz+) Israel must insist, from both Moscow and Washington, that any future agreement on Syria include the removal of all foreign forces.
Miller, the 31-year-old, who grew up in a liberal home in Santa Monica, California, was Trump’s chief speechwriter throughout the campaign and reportedly a good friend of controversial white nationalist Richard Spencer. (Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel's Public Security Minister Must Be Ousted (Haaretz Editorial) Gilad Erdan makes allegations against Arab citizens without any proof. He's leading an incitement campaign.
By siding with the police, the media incites against Arab citizens (Samah Salaime, +972mag) The majority of Israeli journalists simply copied the official police version of the deadly events in Umm el-Hiran last week, effectively painting 20 percent of Israeli citizens as terrorists.
Left to Bleed to Death, And Called a Murderer (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) Yakub Abu al-Kiyan is called a murderer, while the police officers who shot him are only said to have killed. At worst, they caused an Arab’s death.
A President and the opposite: Trump is the opposite of Obama and we will miss him (Uri Savir, Maariv) Whoever did not know until now the attributes of the outgoing president, will be convinced of them over time through his replacement. Instead of a leader who realized the values of equality, we got someone who acts exactly the opposite.
The Israeli Fantasy Regarding the Deaths of Palestinians (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) The trial of Border Policeman Ben Dery has dragged on for more than two years. A visit to the courtroom shows the wheels of justice turning very strangely indeed.
The president's three promises (Yossi Beilin, Israel Hayom) Trump will need to choose between returning America to its former glory, which requires that the U.S. remain a central player in the international arena, and "America first." He may find he is unable to realize either one.
Do People Really Deserve to Die Because They Live in Gaza? (Alon Idan, Haaretz+) When Haaretz published a story about female cancer sufferers being denied permits to visit Israel or the West Bank for treatment, most of the responses were distinctly lacking in love for the stranger.
Jerusalem is the center of gravity (Prof. Efraim Inbar, Israel Hayom) Jerusalem carries great symbolic and strategic value for Israel, and Israeli control of the city must be protected. Moving the U.S. Embassy to the capital would help secure this goal.
Resisting Trump Means Resisting Netanyahu (Larry Derfner, Haaretz+) Tel Aviv joined cities around the world to protest Trump. For us, it's not theoretical. The new administration's decisions could have an immediate, serious impact on the safety of both Israelis and Palestinians.
The modern blood libel against Benjamin Dreyfus (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) While Likud members have rushed to support Netanyahu against the law enforcement authorities, the Left and the media, the party’s ministers are remaining silent about the prime minister’s investigations. While some believe Netanyahu already knows how the investigations will end, most of them are keeping their fingers crossed for an indictment.
**The Real Reason an Israeli Army Radio DJ Was Fired (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) Khen Almaleh's real offense was to imagine a political alliance that unites all of Israel's vulnerable communities, Jewish and Arab, Mizrahi and Russian and Ethiopian and Bedouin.
Not a messiah (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Don't make U.S. President Donald Trump into a messiah. Messiahs disappoint. We must wait patiently and take action at the correct time, or we will lose.
Netanyahu May Try to Suppress Gaza War Report (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The prime minister might aim to keep under wraps a state comptroller report on 2014's Operation Protective Edge, but what will the bereaved families say?
Despite war crimes, Israel insists on selling arms to Myanmar (John Brown, +972mag) The heads of Myanmar’s army had a shopping spree with the Israeli security industries, even meeting with the president and the Chief of Staff. Despite ongoing war crimes, Israel continues to maintain extensive security ties with the South East Asian country.
My Wife Went to Israel and All I Got Was a Fit of Tears (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) While my wife was in Israel, I stayed with the kids. I thought I’d had it hard – until she told me about her trip.
Sayed Kashua's Apology to Palestinian Filmmaker (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) How pathetic of me to hope the movie would generate a fruitful discussion in Palestinian society in Israel.
Trump and Israel: It's About More Than Settlements (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) The president-elect’s economic policies risk the international economic order that has benefited the Israeli economy so much.
The Problem With Iran Isn’t Its Nuclear Program (Sima Shine, Haaretz+) Israel must insist, from both Moscow and Washington, that any future agreement on Syria include the removal of all foreign forces.
Interviews:
'There's an Urgency When It Comes to Trump. I'm Beginning to See What My Parents Saw in 1930s'
Irena Klepfisz, daughter of Holocaust survivors and a second-wave feminist, explains why she joined the Women's March on N.Y.C. against President Donald Trump. (Interviewed by Neta Alexander in Haaretz+)
'There's an Urgency When It Comes to Trump. I'm Beginning to See What My Parents Saw in 1930s'
Irena Klepfisz, daughter of Holocaust survivors and a second-wave feminist, explains why she joined the Women's March on N.Y.C. against President Donald Trump. (Interviewed by Neta Alexander in Haaretz+)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.