APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday April 24, 2014
Number of the day:
7,500.
--The amount of shekels that an anonymous donor will give to any Jewish settlement living “near enemy populations” to hold a fireworks display on Israeli Independence Day. One settler called it 'incitement.'**
--The amount of shekels that an anonymous donor will give to any Jewish settlement living “near enemy populations” to hold a fireworks display on Israeli Independence Day. One settler called it 'incitement.'**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Palestinian reconciliation: Fatah and Hamas to establish unity government
- Conflicting motives // Amira Hass
- A different Authority // Zvi Bar'el
- Actually an opportunity // Barak Ravid
- Not a happy ending yet // Amos Harel
- Erdogan expressed condolences for suffering of Armenians
- Tens of thousands under the poverty line - 66% of Holocaust survivors living off less than 3000 shekels a month, 1/3 live alone
- What they do at 'Birthright' when they don't find Jews to bring to Israel
- Committee recommends: Jet and residence for prime minister at cost of hundreds of million
- Holiday in the West Bank: Budget for fireworks for those (settlers) who celebrate next to the Palestinians
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The empire returns - Amazing victory by Maccabi Tel-Aviv over Milano last night 86:66 put Maccabi back in European basketball elite
- The disgracing of the Holocaust survivors: 50,000 live in poverty
- In Israel, anger: "Or us or Hamas" - Netanyahu to Abu-Mazen: Those who choose peace with Hamas don't want peace with us
Maariv
- not published today
Israel Hayom
- The cabinet decides: stopping the negotiations - Anger in Israel following the signing of reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas
- Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are // Dan Margalit
- The reconciliation - only a show // Prof. Eyal Zisser
- The stadium of glory (Maccabi Tel-Aviv defeated Milano)
- "There is a basis for a new indictment against Olmert"
- Committee's recommendation: Acquire Israeli "Air Force One"
- A new page: Owners of Keter publishing house to purchase Steimatzky bookstores
Peace Talk Highlights:
The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas and Israel's reaction, verbal, diplomatic and possibly even military, was today's top story in the Hebrew papers.
Around 4PM Wednesday, the two leading Palestinian factions reportedly agreed to hold elections within six months and to form a unity government within five weeks
headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas until then and with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh as his deputies. Haaretz noted that it was not yet clear whether Hamas would agree to dismantle its security forces or to allow them to be under the supervision and command of the Palestinian Authority's security forces.
About an hour later, "while thousands of Palestinians were celebrating the reconciliation agreement in the streets of Gaza" (NRG Hebrew), the Israeli Air Force made an assassination attempt shooting two missiles at a Palestinian riding a motorcycle in Gaza, but missed and injured a father and his two children, in addition to nine other civilians, including children between the ages of nine and twelve. The papers noted how closely the Israeli attack followed the Palestinian announcement, but did not say one was the result of the other. The Shin Bet said the attack was preventative, meant to stop someone from launching rockets on Israel. Ironically, the Palestinian reaction to the injurious attack was to shoot four rockets at Israel. Three landed inside Gaza. No Israelis were injured. With the notable exception of Israel Hayom, the Israeli papers, both right and left, noted that the Palestinian rockets were a reaction to the Israeli attack. Israel Hayom, however, ran the title: "After the reconciliation: Qassam (rockets)." Only in its sub-title did it note that the rockets followed an Israeli Air Force assassination attempt.
Shortly thereafter, sometime after 6PM, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ordered chief Israeli negotiator Justice Minister Tzipi Livni to cancel the peace talks meeting shortly before it was to take place that evening (NRG Hebrew). Netanyahu slammed Abbas for agreeing to reconcile with Hamas, saying: "Abbas chose Hamas and not peace. Those who choose Hamas do not want peace."
However, Abbas insisted that the unity deal did not contradict peace talks. Nevertheless, The US took the Israeli stance and said it was 'disappointed' by the deal.
Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub slammed Netanyahu for nixing the negotiations, saying that Hamas-Fatah reconciliation is an internal matter and adding that Netanyahu is leading a ‘racist, fascist coalition,’ Times of Israel reported. However, PLO official Hanan Ashrawi said peace negotiations have proven to be "self-defeating" as Israel continues to violate international law on the ground.
Today the government's political-security cabinet meets to determine how Israel will proceed to respond to the Fatah-Hamas alliance. Interestingly, in a document distributed late Wednesday, Israel's Foreign Ministry intel unit recommended Israel withhold its response and wait to see whether the agreement would actually be implemented because the unit believed the gaps between the two Palestinian parties remained too wide for that to happen.
Among the politicians, center-right Finance Minister Yair Lapid questioned whether the Palestinians wanted state. He told the European Jewish Congress that the Palestinians could quickly have independence if leadership was flexible. But Opposition leader, Isaac Herzog said that the Palestinian unity deal was a result of "Netanyahu's lack of political initiative." Nevertheless, he said the "the burden of proof regarding the implications of the agreement lies on President Abbas."
The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas and Israel's reaction, verbal, diplomatic and possibly even military, was today's top story in the Hebrew papers.
Around 4PM Wednesday, the two leading Palestinian factions reportedly agreed to hold elections within six months and to form a unity government within five weeks
headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas until then and with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh as his deputies. Haaretz noted that it was not yet clear whether Hamas would agree to dismantle its security forces or to allow them to be under the supervision and command of the Palestinian Authority's security forces.
About an hour later, "while thousands of Palestinians were celebrating the reconciliation agreement in the streets of Gaza" (NRG Hebrew), the Israeli Air Force made an assassination attempt shooting two missiles at a Palestinian riding a motorcycle in Gaza, but missed and injured a father and his two children, in addition to nine other civilians, including children between the ages of nine and twelve. The papers noted how closely the Israeli attack followed the Palestinian announcement, but did not say one was the result of the other. The Shin Bet said the attack was preventative, meant to stop someone from launching rockets on Israel. Ironically, the Palestinian reaction to the injurious attack was to shoot four rockets at Israel. Three landed inside Gaza. No Israelis were injured. With the notable exception of Israel Hayom, the Israeli papers, both right and left, noted that the Palestinian rockets were a reaction to the Israeli attack. Israel Hayom, however, ran the title: "After the reconciliation: Qassam (rockets)." Only in its sub-title did it note that the rockets followed an Israeli Air Force assassination attempt.
Shortly thereafter, sometime after 6PM, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ordered chief Israeli negotiator Justice Minister Tzipi Livni to cancel the peace talks meeting shortly before it was to take place that evening (NRG Hebrew). Netanyahu slammed Abbas for agreeing to reconcile with Hamas, saying: "Abbas chose Hamas and not peace. Those who choose Hamas do not want peace."
However, Abbas insisted that the unity deal did not contradict peace talks. Nevertheless, The US took the Israeli stance and said it was 'disappointed' by the deal.
Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub slammed Netanyahu for nixing the negotiations, saying that Hamas-Fatah reconciliation is an internal matter and adding that Netanyahu is leading a ‘racist, fascist coalition,’ Times of Israel reported. However, PLO official Hanan Ashrawi said peace negotiations have proven to be "self-defeating" as Israel continues to violate international law on the ground.
Today the government's political-security cabinet meets to determine how Israel will proceed to respond to the Fatah-Hamas alliance. Interestingly, in a document distributed late Wednesday, Israel's Foreign Ministry intel unit recommended Israel withhold its response and wait to see whether the agreement would actually be implemented because the unit believed the gaps between the two Palestinian parties remained too wide for that to happen.
Among the politicians, center-right Finance Minister Yair Lapid questioned whether the Palestinians wanted state. He told the European Jewish Congress that the Palestinians could quickly have independence if leadership was flexible. But Opposition leader, Isaac Herzog said that the Palestinian unity deal was a result of "Netanyahu's lack of political initiative." Nevertheless, he said the "the burden of proof regarding the implications of the agreement lies on President Abbas."
Quick Hits:
- Video: Border Police forces beat Palestinians in Hebron - Patrol team documented attacking, shooting stun grenades at two Palestinians in Hebron. Incident occured day after shooting attack in which Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi was murdered. (Ynet+VIDEO)
- **Settlers living near Palestinians to get subsidized fireworks for Independence Day - Anonymous donor promises free firecrackers to those who 'live near hostile population.' (Haaretz+)
- Ya'alon introduces new punitive measures for 'violent' settlements - Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon orders military, police and Civil Administration to prioritize razing illegally built structures in Judea and Samaria outposts and settlements where residents are prone to violently clashing with security forces. (Israel Hayom)
- Police nab 3 (female) teens for desecrating Muslim graves - (Jewish Israeli) girls allegedly used rocks to etch ‘Price Tag’ on tombstones in Muslim cemetery next to Jerusalem Old City walls. Girls: "We were only playing in the sand." Court bans them from the cemetery for one month. (Times of Israel and NRG Hebrew and Israel Hayom)
- Police raid Yitzhar rabbi's home, confiscate computer - Police suspect Rabbi Yosef Elitzur of encouraging students at his Od Yosef Hai Yeshiva to carry out "price-tag" attacks and acts of violence against Palestinians. Raid apparently part of investigation of controversial "Torat Hamelech" co-authors. (Israel Hayom)
- Israeli opposition moves to fight right-wing laws - Laws include the so-called Boycott Law, the Nakba Law, the biometric database law and the law that lets small communities use admissions committees to screen potential new residents — seen as a way to keep out Israeli Arabs and others. (Haaretz)
- Controversy erupts over Nakba ceremony request at Galilee forest - Lower Galilee Regional Council head and rights group for internally displaced people in Israel spar over the latter's desire to hold a Nakba march on Independence Day. Council head believes such an event spells violence. Police: It's under review. (Israel Hayom)
- Arabs expelled from village of Ikrit in 1948 ask pope for help - In letter to Pope Francis, Arabs expelled from Galilee village ask pope to pressure Israel to let them back in; Israeli authorities uproot trees. (Haaretz)
- Palestinians in Israel condemn plan to recruit Christians - In joint statement, more than 15 Israel-based Palestinian youth movements and community organizations said Israeli move to recruit Palestinian Christian citizens of state to serve in military was an effort to divide Palestinian citizens of Israel from their own people. (Maan)
- Women, Arabs and gay Israelis to have streets named after them - Bill forcing local authorities to name 40 percent of streets after women comes after discovery of only such 62 out of 2,439 streets in Tel Aviv. (Haaretz+)
- Spoon-bending psychic Uri Geller will help Israelis defy disasters - Celebrity telepathy expert Uri Geller is the beaming new face of Israeli disaster-readiness. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Prime Minister's Residence restricts access to visitors - Following a string of lawsuits and wide media coverage, regulations covering visitors to Prime Minister's Residence become more stringent. (Israel Hayom)
- Netanyahu's driver accused of serially raping young girls under 12 - Attorney for Ilan Shmuel says his client admits 'some of the allegations'; victims thought to include members of his own family. (Ynet)
- Arab-Israeli women break ground on pro soccer team - Hapoel Petah Tikva football club makes waves in mostly Jewish league by recruiting from northern Israel Arab villages. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Pro-Palestinians hijack Israeli military's Holocaust Twitter tag - IDF's 'selfie with a survivor' Holocaust Remembrance Day initiative arouses mixed responses among non-political audiences, too. (Haaretz+ and Times of Israel)
- Unaccompanied Israeli tourists banned from Jordan - New unofficial regulations apparently apply only to Jewish, not Arab, visitors. (Times of Israel)
- Tunisia to normalize relations with Israel in order to boost tourism - Normal Israeli-Tunisian relations hope to bring more Jewish tourists to yearly pilgrimage to Djerba synagogue. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Rabat lawyer seeking to join Islamists says he’s not Jewish - Isaac Charia had asked Moroccan Islamist Justice and Development faction if it accepts Jews as members. (Times of Israel)
- US-Israeli reporter kidnapped in east Ukraine - Pro-Russian separatists in Slaviansk confirmed they are holding Israeli-US journalist Simon Ostrovsky. Colleagues: 'Brave and adventurous man who has gotten himself into trouble before.' (Ynet)
- Turkish firms discussing vast gas purchase from (Israel's) Leviathan gas fields - Deal to supply Turkey would dwarf agreements already signed with Cyprus and Palestinians. (Haaretz+ and Globes)
- US to deliver 10 Apache helicopters to Egypt - New delivery underscores importantance of Sinai security and reconciliation with responsible Egyptian regime. (Agencies, Ynet)
- El-Sissi’s campaign chief hails ‘anyone who fights Zionist enemy’ - In TV debate, spokesmen for Egypt’s two presidential candidates outdo each other in hostility to Israel. (Times of Israel)
Features:
Iranian Labor
How did works of art arrive from Iran and from Bahrain to an exhibition in Haifa? It's all due to the outstanding initiative of David Tretkover and Larry Jacobson for the 'PICTURE PEACE' exhibition with the participation of Israeli an Arab [sic-Muslim] artists from all over the Middle East. The exhibition is at the Jewish-Arab 'Beit HaGefen' Center in Haifa. The project is taking place in the framework of peacehub.com, an initiative by Eyal and Gilad Sher, to hold live alternative peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians over the internet. For those countries in a state of war with Israel, the art was transferred over the peacehub.com website. (Yedioth's '24 Hours' supplement, p. 6)
For Jews from Arab lands, nostalgia is a two-way street
What does being an Arab Jew mean? Israeli film and music increasingly embrace explorations of the Jewish Arab Diaspora's cultural roots. Nissim Dayan’s latest film, “Farewell Baghdad” (“Mafriah Hayonim,” also known as “The Dove Flyer”), in which all the dialogue is in the Jewish-Arabic Baghdadi dialect, depicts the final days of Iraq’s Jewish community in Iraq. (By Eyal Sagui Bizawe, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
How did works of art arrive from Iran and from Bahrain to an exhibition in Haifa? It's all due to the outstanding initiative of David Tretkover and Larry Jacobson for the 'PICTURE PEACE' exhibition with the participation of Israeli an Arab [sic-Muslim] artists from all over the Middle East. The exhibition is at the Jewish-Arab 'Beit HaGefen' Center in Haifa. The project is taking place in the framework of peacehub.com, an initiative by Eyal and Gilad Sher, to hold live alternative peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians over the internet. For those countries in a state of war with Israel, the art was transferred over the peacehub.com website. (Yedioth's '24 Hours' supplement, p. 6)
For Jews from Arab lands, nostalgia is a two-way street
What does being an Arab Jew mean? Israeli film and music increasingly embrace explorations of the Jewish Arab Diaspora's cultural roots. Nissim Dayan’s latest film, “Farewell Baghdad” (“Mafriah Hayonim,” also known as “The Dove Flyer”), in which all the dialogue is in the Jewish-Arabic Baghdadi dialect, depicts the final days of Iraq’s Jewish community in Iraq. (By Eyal Sagui Bizawe, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
How to lie to college students about Israel, Part One (Bradley
Burston, Haaretz+) The five top lies of the month, brought to you by StandWithUs and other Israel
advocacy groups that target Jewish college students in North America.
Breaking the game rules (Alex Fishman, Yedioth) Fishman writes that Israel will be watching the US reaction to the agreement and cautions that, "Unless there is a marked American response, this will be the start of a diplomatic avalanche that will lead to Western recognition of Hamas." Fishman notes that Jerusalem is calling on Washington, "not to cooperate with Hamas as long as it does not accept the Quartet's three conditions: Recognition of Israel, recognition of the agreements that have been signed between it and the Palestinians and a renunciation of terrorism." Fishman notes that once Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas assumes the leadership of a unified Palestinian Authority government, Israel will hold him responsible for any firing from the Gaza Strip.
Time to choose: Liberalism or Zionism? (Dov Waxman, Haaretz+) How much longer can liberal Zionists uphold Jewish self-determination at the expense of Palestinian self-determination?
Hamas wins, Abbas loses (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) The unity agreement signed Wednesday is a lifeline for the Islamist organization struggling to ruling Gaza, and poses a threat to the development in the West Bank.
The new Palestinian Authority (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas presents a dilemma not only for Israel, but for the U.S. as well.
A draft intended to sow dissent (Haaretz Editorial) By inviting Christian citizens to enlist in the army, Israel is distinguishing between Arabs on the basis of religion.
The troubling reality of Gaza's tunnels (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) Terrorists emerging from Hamas tunnel discovered last month could have reached closest Israeli community within five minutes.
Embracing the Temple Mount (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) If Israel would dare to grant Jews equal rights at the Temple Mount, then, after time, it will become the new norm.
Abbas' fictional state (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) The inception of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is a recipe for internal Palestinian disaster.
There’s no security like a U.S. visa (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) It was with good reason that someone once said the occupation will not end until Israelis are refused entry to the Galeries Lafayette.
Abbas, leading to nowhere (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom) Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is playing a game of nerves. Israel must show determination.
Palestinians are still a long way from real reconciliation (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Abbas has not yet 'chosen Hamas over peace’ and can press the ejector seat button at any time.
Does Israel's triumph mean we are guilty? (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) The Palestinian collective has a state in Jordan and in Gaza and a mini-state in Ramallah. Is that inferiority?
Waiting for the Palestinian Godot (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) Why are we repeatedly surprised every time Mahmoud Abbas fails to sign a peace agreement with Israel?
Oslo: Replacing liberation with economic neo-colonialism (Khalil Nakhleh, Maan) The Oslo Accords systematically undermined the Palestinian struggle for liberation and self-determination and replaced it with a dangerous form of economic neo-colonialism. The political and economic leadership of the PLO/PA has been a willing and indeed a profiting partner, facilitating the creation of new "predatory classes."
Palestinian reconciliation: Real unity, or tactic? (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Abbas may be using the agreement with Hamas to pressure Israel and the U.S. by demonstrating that he has other options.
World powers must reject Iranian offer (Amos Yadlin, Yedioth/Ynet) Headlines about compromises and concessions offered by Tehran are simply part of its negotiation strategy.
Peace talks or not, both Abbas and Hamas need the PA (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Besides being a national asset, the Palestinian Authority is the pipeline for international aid.
Palestinian unity in face of the Israeli political rift (Einat Ehrlich, NRG Hebrew) Politicians on the Left are just looking for whom to stab the knife of accusations for the failure of the negotiations, thereby weakening Israel's position.
For Palestinian unity, the devil is in the implementation (Avi Issacharoff, Times of Israel) While Hamas and Fatah hail the reconciliation deal, its on-the-ground execution is unlikely to succeed.
Historical fact confronts Zionism's narrative on Diaspora Jews (Mira Sucharov, Haaretz+) My father was no less of a Jew for fighting for his country of Canada in WWII than would be those many souls who would eventually don the uniform of the IDF.
Rewriting history: The 'rais' (Palestinian President) is a serial liar (Zeev Kamm, NRG Hebrew) Abu Mazen can invent in a single moment a history of two thousand years without blinking, and this is the man that the Left says that there is no one better for Israel to sign a peace treaty with.
Tony Blair just endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu's worldview (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) In his latest speech, the former British prime minister brands Israel as a central player in the Western alliance facing off with Islamic extremism.
Breaking the game rules (Alex Fishman, Yedioth) Fishman writes that Israel will be watching the US reaction to the agreement and cautions that, "Unless there is a marked American response, this will be the start of a diplomatic avalanche that will lead to Western recognition of Hamas." Fishman notes that Jerusalem is calling on Washington, "not to cooperate with Hamas as long as it does not accept the Quartet's three conditions: Recognition of Israel, recognition of the agreements that have been signed between it and the Palestinians and a renunciation of terrorism." Fishman notes that once Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas assumes the leadership of a unified Palestinian Authority government, Israel will hold him responsible for any firing from the Gaza Strip.
Time to choose: Liberalism or Zionism? (Dov Waxman, Haaretz+) How much longer can liberal Zionists uphold Jewish self-determination at the expense of Palestinian self-determination?
Hamas wins, Abbas loses (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) The unity agreement signed Wednesday is a lifeline for the Islamist organization struggling to ruling Gaza, and poses a threat to the development in the West Bank.
The new Palestinian Authority (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas presents a dilemma not only for Israel, but for the U.S. as well.
A draft intended to sow dissent (Haaretz Editorial) By inviting Christian citizens to enlist in the army, Israel is distinguishing between Arabs on the basis of religion.
The troubling reality of Gaza's tunnels (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) Terrorists emerging from Hamas tunnel discovered last month could have reached closest Israeli community within five minutes.
Embracing the Temple Mount (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) If Israel would dare to grant Jews equal rights at the Temple Mount, then, after time, it will become the new norm.
Abbas' fictional state (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) The inception of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is a recipe for internal Palestinian disaster.
There’s no security like a U.S. visa (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) It was with good reason that someone once said the occupation will not end until Israelis are refused entry to the Galeries Lafayette.
Abbas, leading to nowhere (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom) Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is playing a game of nerves. Israel must show determination.
Palestinians are still a long way from real reconciliation (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Abbas has not yet 'chosen Hamas over peace’ and can press the ejector seat button at any time.
Does Israel's triumph mean we are guilty? (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) The Palestinian collective has a state in Jordan and in Gaza and a mini-state in Ramallah. Is that inferiority?
Waiting for the Palestinian Godot (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) Why are we repeatedly surprised every time Mahmoud Abbas fails to sign a peace agreement with Israel?
Oslo: Replacing liberation with economic neo-colonialism (Khalil Nakhleh, Maan) The Oslo Accords systematically undermined the Palestinian struggle for liberation and self-determination and replaced it with a dangerous form of economic neo-colonialism. The political and economic leadership of the PLO/PA has been a willing and indeed a profiting partner, facilitating the creation of new "predatory classes."
Palestinian reconciliation: Real unity, or tactic? (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Abbas may be using the agreement with Hamas to pressure Israel and the U.S. by demonstrating that he has other options.
World powers must reject Iranian offer (Amos Yadlin, Yedioth/Ynet) Headlines about compromises and concessions offered by Tehran are simply part of its negotiation strategy.
Peace talks or not, both Abbas and Hamas need the PA (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Besides being a national asset, the Palestinian Authority is the pipeline for international aid.
Palestinian unity in face of the Israeli political rift (Einat Ehrlich, NRG Hebrew) Politicians on the Left are just looking for whom to stab the knife of accusations for the failure of the negotiations, thereby weakening Israel's position.
For Palestinian unity, the devil is in the implementation (Avi Issacharoff, Times of Israel) While Hamas and Fatah hail the reconciliation deal, its on-the-ground execution is unlikely to succeed.
Historical fact confronts Zionism's narrative on Diaspora Jews (Mira Sucharov, Haaretz+) My father was no less of a Jew for fighting for his country of Canada in WWII than would be those many souls who would eventually don the uniform of the IDF.
Rewriting history: The 'rais' (Palestinian President) is a serial liar (Zeev Kamm, NRG Hebrew) Abu Mazen can invent in a single moment a history of two thousand years without blinking, and this is the man that the Left says that there is no one better for Israel to sign a peace treaty with.
Tony Blair just endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu's worldview (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) In his latest speech, the former British prime minister brands Israel as a central player in the Western alliance facing off with Islamic extremism.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.