News Nosh 10.10.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday October 10, 2017

NOTE: News Nosh will be on Sukkot holiday hiatus starting tomorrow, the 11th of October, and will return in its full form on Sunday October 15th.
 
You Must Be Kidding: 
Iran reportedly seeks to shut down use of the Israeli-made mobile navigation app Waze, because it's a 'Zionist invention.'**

Front Page:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • Iron Dome on way to US army
  • Iran blocks Waze app because it is a ‘Zionist invention’
  • Female heroes (photo of 70 women with breast cancer posing half naked in photo to encourage awareness of early detection
  • Rare peek into surgery that saved 9-year-old girl
  • MADA launched dozens of new small and electric first aid cars
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
  • (Rain was) shooting and hitting - First rain has already caused damage
  • “Vered will continue to bloom in our hearts” Vered Aviyashar, 26, killed in jeep accident in Nepal
  • Report: Russia bought advertising in YouTube and Google to influence US elections
Israel Hayom
  • Infuriating: Inciting demonstration at municipal community center - Criticism over rally in Um al-Fahem: “It is prohibited to support [leader of northern branch of Israel Islamic Movement] Raed Salah”
  • Iran: We will respond harshly to new sanctions
  • Sukkah and pool  - First rain caused floods on streets
  • Exclusive - The five lives of Commander Abutbul, who was injured five times in battles and survived
  • This is not how to raise champions: This is how Israel almost didn’t get the gymnast Dolgopyat
  • Another deadly accident in Nepal: Vered Aviyashar killed, 8 Israelis wounded
  • The moving battle of Zohi Habracha, 19, who has hearing impairment and is fighting to be recruited to the army
  • Hasta la vist - or not? WIll Catalonia declare independence today?

News Summary:
You know it’s a slow news day when the top story in Maariv is the damage of the first rain. So today’s Hebrew newspapers noted that British Prime Minister Theresa May told Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by phone yesterday that Britain opposed scrapping the Iran nuclear agreement, while, Netanyahu suggested that future existential threats could prevent Israel from reaching its 100th anniversary. Speaking during a Bible study session he hosted last week in honor of this late father, Netanyahu noted that the fabled Hasmonean kingdom only survived for about 80 years before being conquered by the Romans and that Israel needed to prepare now in order to make it to its 100th birthday. Maariv reported that Haaretz journalist Benny Ziffer, who was at the event, said that “Netanyahu said that the Arab occupation (of this land) took the land away from the Jews” and that “Neither the Romans nor the Byzantines did it like the Arabs.” Netanyahu also made a new Iran-related peace process condition for the Palestinian reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas, which continue today under Egyptian mediation. Netanyahu said: “…we expect to see three things: one, recognition of the State of Israel; two, dismantling Hamas’ military wing; and three, severing ties with Iran, which calls for our destruction.” Regarding its armed wing, Hamas said that was not up for discussion. Hamas is also hopeful that the civil servants it hired since the national split will continue to get full rights, Maan reported.

Interestingly, the government official who told Yedioth/Ynet that the US will no longer criticize Israel for settlement construction was wrong. Haaretz reported today that a White House official responded to the report that Israel approved 3,289 homes in settlements saying that “President Trump has publicly and privately expressed his concerns regarding settlements and the administration has made clear that unrestrained settlement activity does not advance the prospect for peace.”

Violence in Israel continues to make headlines. Young children have taken to arming themselves against the phenomenon of scary - and armed - creepy clowns and a new bill takes aim at stopping violence against medical staff.
 
Quick Hits:
  • Police minister files complaint against Arab MK for Temple Mount visit - Ahmad Tibi in turn accuses police of 'incitement,' calls ban on lawmakers visiting Jerusalem holy site 'illegal.’ (Maariv and Times of Israel)
  • Hundreds of right-wing Israelis continue visits to [Temple Mount] Al-Aqsa Mosque for Jewish holiday - The Islamic Endowment, or Waqf -- in charge of running Al-Aqsa Mosque compound -- told Ma’an that 462 Israeli settlers “raided” the compound, in addition to 150 Jewish religious students through the Moroccan Gate entrance. (Maan)
  • Palestinians claim: "Israel finances (rocket) launching squads in the Gaza Strip" - In an interview with the Palestinian news agency Safa, a Palestinian source said that members of cells that had been established with the support and guidance of Israeli intelligence had recently been arrested. "We have confessions that an Israeli intelligence officer gave instructions to these cells, with the aim of damaging the security in the Gaza Strip and conducting a war of attrition against the resistance. We’re talking about Salafist activists who fell into the trap of becoming traitors.” (Maariv)
  • Iron Dome showcased as US military gathering launched - Israeli missile defense system, developed in collaboration with US company, goes on display at three-day Association of the US Army meeting demonstrating latest radar technology and operational launchers; US shows increasing interest in purchasing system following successful tests; system expected to be inspected by high-ranking officials. (Ynet)
  • Israeli forces open fire at 2 Palestinian women at Qalandiya checkpoint, no injuries - Israeli forces deployed at the Qalandiya military crossing between Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank opened fire at two Palestinian women who attempted to cross through the checkpoint on foot using the vehicle lane. (Maan)
  • Palestinian families prevented from leaving Gaza to visit imprisoned relatives in Israel - Families of prisoners in Gaza told Ma’an that they were denied entry to Israel on Monday due to border closures for ongoing Jewish holidays in Israel. The International Committee of the Red Cross organizes weekly visits on Mondays for Gazan families to their imprisoned relatives. (Maan)
  • Thousands visit President Rivlin's open sukkah - Mingling with some 6,000 jubilant Israelis who flocked from around the country to visit the president's open sukkah, President Rivlin welcomes the people as 'guests and hosts,' tells crowds everyone is 'responsible for one another'; Rivlin asks clown 'What're you doing, buddy?' after he unexpectedly approaches and invites him to press his red nose. (Ynet)
  • Pimp my yacht, Israeli navy style: Two used Israeli reconnaissance boats up for sale - They look like 'civilian; catamarans, ready for a three-hour booze cruise — except for the machine guns and the radar and night-vision systems. (Haaretz+)
  • Ken Loach donates Israel screening profits to BDS - Proceeds from screenings of Ken Loach's latest film 'I, Daniel Blake' are donated by the pro-boycott director to BDS’s UK branch, turning Israelis into unwitting supporters of a boycott against their own country. (Yedioth/Ynet)
  • Nobel Economics Laureate Thaler Has Strong Israel Connection - Richard Thaler worked during his career with Israelis Daniel Kahneman, Shlomo Benartzi and Amos Tversky – and has a long-standing rivalry with Dan Ariely. (Haaretz+)
  • WATCH TMZ founder gets up close and personal with Netanyahu on Fox News - The hour-long episode which aired Sunday gives a candid behind the scenes look at Netanyahu's family and his childhood. (Haaretz)
  • Ne me quitte pas: Netanyahu intervenes to keep Israel French friendly - Haaretz reported that Israel plans to stop providing services in French, leaving about 3,000 French-speaking immigrants in linguistic limbo. (Haaretz)
  • Gaza power watch: How many hours of electricity did Gaza get yesterday - A severe electricity shortage in Gaza leaves residents with as little as four hours of power a day. Who gets electricity and when? (Haaretz
  • Israeli Team Chosen to Lead EU Medical Nanotech Project - The winning Israeli team will develop nanoparticles capable of tracking the effects of cell injection therapies for a number of diseases, including cancer and autism. (Haaretz)
  • Al Jazeera Admits [sic-Reveals ] Planting Undercover Reporter in U.S. pro-Israel Organizations - A new documentary will 'reveal how the Israel lobby in America works,' says Al Jazeera's director of investigative reporting. (Haaretz)
  • UAE Urges Qatar to Give Up 2022 World Cup to End Sunni Arab Boycott - Qatar’s opponents have pointed to allegations of corruption surrounding Qatar’s winning bid, as well as the conditions of laborers working in Qatar. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Lebanese public figures speak out against Hezbollah - In rare and risky display, dozens of renowned Shiite public figures, including professors, writers, journalists and businessmen, meet in Beirut to voice their opposition to Hezbollah and call for a transfer of power, claiming oppression and drawing the ire of the terror group's supporters. (Ynet)
  • **Iran seeks to permanently block access to ‘Zionist’ Waze - After several temporary blackouts, Iran now moves to stop local drivers from using Israeli-made community navigation app Waze, citing its 'Zionist' roots; other popular online services blocked in the country include Facebook, YouTube. (Ynet)
  • ISIS Used Promise of Rape to Lure Recruits With History of Sexual Violence, Report Says - British think-tank finds 'relationship between committing terrorist attacks and having a history of physical and/or sexual violence,' Guardian reports. (Haaretz)


Features:
Trump and Israel vs. the World: Which Countries Support Preserving Iran Nuclear Deal?
Though U.S. defense officials say the landmark nuclear accord is in America's interest, Trump looks poised to decertify it – where does the rest of the Western world stand? (Haaretz.Reuters)
Explained What Actually Happens if Trump Decertifies the Iran Nuclear Deal
Trump, who has called the agreement 'a very very bad deal,' is facing a near-consensus among his diplomatic and military advisers against killing it. What will decertification do for the agreement and the region? (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+)
1000 students moved to Israel from 50 countries: 25 years to the Na'aleh program
The program, which absorbs Jewish youth from abroad, marks the 25th anniversary of its establishment, and thousands of families have immigrated to Israel in the footsteps of their children. We met several of them for a talk about the home they left and the new home they built in Israel. (Ofer Livnat, Maariv)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
A Proper Restricting of the Police’s Authority (Haaretz Editorial) The High Court has showed that the police’s policy of requiring a permit for any demonstration over 50 people is unnecessary, especially when the subject is government corruption.
The right to protest: Determination is the name of the game (Tami Arad, Yedioth/Ynet) From the disabled people’s protest through the war on religionization in schools to the anti-corruption demonstrations, Israel’s civil society is finally waking up. The large majority is still indifferent, but small groups of determined people are succeeding in creating a change.
As Reconciliation Talks Begin, Fatah and Hamas Must Transcend Old Formulas (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) Fatah has failed in its talks with Israel, while Hamas, with its strategy of armed struggle, has neither eased the blockade on Gaza nor gained a foothold in the West Bank.
Like Israeli leftists, Trump-tortured American liberals will learn to live with rage (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Disillusioned Israelis know that long national nightmares, such as the occupation or Netanyahu, can go on forever.
Learn From Begin, Not Golda (Dan Margalit, Haaretz+) Israel should return to the proposals made by Barak and Olmert and show that there is an Israeli peace partner, even if there is no easy Palestinian one.
Red lines and regional interests (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The lessons of World War II are too fresh and the discovery of crematoria in Syria, used by the regime to conceal evidence of war crimes, should have prompted the West to do more than just talk.
American Jews: If You Really Want Pluralism in Israel, Drop the Palestinians (Daniel Goldman, Haaretz+) Fighting for an unpopular pro-Palestinian agenda that's easily framed as disloyalty fatally weakens liberal U.S. Jews' push for religious pluralism in the Jewish state.
Israel's Economy of Swine (Yitzhak Laor, Haaretz+) Israelis pay more and more out of their pockets for health, a bigger chunk than in any Western country; but capitalism is running rampant here, led by the arrogant Netanyahu government.
Who will blink first? (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) U.S. President Donald Trump's boorish conduct, offensive language and unpredictability are assets in handling the bullies in Tehran. But without determination to stay the course, his actions won't yield results
Imagining Palestinian Flexibility (MK Ze'ev Binyamin Begin, Haaretz+) Despite all the indications of the reality, the assumption that this unique conflict must have a solution that is acceptable to both Israel and the PLO is still running around like a chicken without a head.
Catalonia and its kindred spirit (Ariel Serra, Israel Hayom) Israel and Catalonia have seen their enemies try to deny their history through unprovoked, unjust hatred.
The Iranian Threat and the Arab Peace Initiative (Uri Bar-Joseph, Haaretz+) We should consider the initiative a way to deal with the threat from Iran and its creation, Hezbollah. And if Iran opposed the foray, its isolation in the Arab and Muslim world would grow.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.