News Nosh 12.02.14


APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday December 2, 2014

Quote of the day:
"The writing on the walls isn't just 'Death to Jews' or 'Death to Arabs.' The writing is an attempt to harm the fabric of our lives here and to dilute the joint values of Israeli society. Judges are not enough - we also need leadership that knows how to read the writing and to stop the deterioration."
--Justice Minister Tzipi Livni speaks before the swearing-in of new Israeli judges.**


Front Page:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
Israel Hayom
  • On the way to elections - Coalition dissolving
  • Divorce without abstentions // Dan Margalit
  • There is no redemption for subversion // Mati Tuchfeld
  • Stab attack in Gush Etzion: Yattir (settlement) resident lightly wounded, the female terrorist was shot
  • Not kidnapped: Jill Rosenberg updated - "I didn't fall captive to ISIS, everything is fine"
  • The first Hebrew panda: Soon in Haifa - pair of pandas from China

News Summary:
Israel is heading towards elections after Finance Minister Yair Lapid rejected Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's demands to back Netanyahu's Jewish nation-state bill and drop Lapid's flagship '0% VAT' plan for first-time homebuyers, making the top story in today's Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news were a number of attacks and suspected attacks against Israelis.
 
Lapid and Israeli commentators believe that Netanyahu head into the meeting with Lapid with the intention to go to elections. Maariv writes that he has already made a deal with the ultra-Orthodox parties to make a new coalition, along with far-right-wing Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett. Yedioth wrote that elections are likely to take place in March 2015. 

Only much deeper in the papers were the reports about a young Palestinian woman who stabbed a settler at the Gush Etzion junction. The victim was lightly wounded and did not need hospitalization. The attacker was shot by soldiers, seriously wounded and hospitalized. Maan reported that the young woman's family provided medical records showing their daughter was "mentally ill." Earlier that morning, an 18-year-old Palestinian was arrested at Tapuach junction in the northern West Bank carrying knife. A few hours later a settler in the Jordan Valley was found unconscious on the road. Police suspect he was run over by a Palestinian attacker. And in the evening, an Israeli bus traveling near Ofra settlement was stoned. 

Quick Hits:
  • Israel reportedly rejects Turkish maritime electricity for Gaza - Turkish minister announced in mid-August that Turkey was planning to send a 100 megawatt power-generating ship to Gaza, pending Israeli approval. (Haaretz)
  • 14-year-olds arrested posting signs saying "Arabs are cancer" at Arab-Jewish school - After the Yad B'Yad bi-lingual school was set on fire and vandalized Saturday, two youth tried posting signs with similar words as on spray-painted on the walls of the school, such as "Kahane was right." Police probing whether youth they were connected to Saturday attack. (Maariv, p. 8 and Israel Hayom, p. 9)
  • Arab taxi driver attacked with pepper spray in Jerusalem - The driver, a resident of Sheikh Jarrah, was lightly hurt, taken to Shaare Zedek hospital for treatment. (Haaretz)
  • **Livni against incitement: "In days when they burn schools, there need to be judges in Jerusalem" - Speaking at the swearing in of new judges Monday, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said: "In days when the writing on the streets, on the mosques and on the synagogues is abusive graffiti, we need judges in Jerusalem...The writing on the walls isn't just 'Death to Jews' or 'Death to Arabs.' The writing is an attempt to harm the fabric of our lives here and to dilute the joint values of Israeli society. Judges are not enough - we also need leadership that knows how to read the writing and to stop the deterioration." (Maariv, p. 8)
  • IDF confiscates 8 tarps meant to shelter Bedouin from winter storms - Civil Administration says tarpaulins were slated to be used for illegal construction. (Haaretz+) 
  • Haaretz investigation: Secret flight operating between Israel and Gulf state - Haaretz analysis of publicly available data shows civilian plane following permanent flight path. It remains unclear who or what is using the route, and whether that entity is Israeli. Israel has no formal relations with Gulf states, and business ties decreased after 2010 assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai. (Haaretz
  • With cement in short supply, Gaza reconstruction could take over 30 years - Housing minister says Gaza needs 8,000 tons of cement a day to meet demand; Israel allows only 2,000 in a day. (Agencies, Haaretz
  • City councilors in U.K. city ban Israeli settlement produce - Mayor of Leicester denies that the boycott move by his city council was either anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. (Haaretz)
  • Druze and Circassian leaders speak out against 'Jewish state' bill - Prominent Druze figure Rafik Halabi says if passed, law would exacerbate existing inequalities, prevent non-Jewish minorities from identifying with Israel and its values. Yisrael Beytenu MK: By God's grace, next week Arab parties will be made illegal. (Israel Hayom
  • Conservative movement: Jewish nation-state law will 'erode Israeli democracy' - Masorti movement's American, Israeli leaders call on Netanyahu to reconsider bill that 'risks attrition the rights of Arabs and other minorities' and of Israel's democratic values. (Haaretz+)
  • Despite deaths, IDF to postpone purchase of APCs - Four months after seven Golani soldiers were killed when an anti-tank missile hit their outdated APC, army top brass decides to postpone further talks on procurement of heavy APCs. (Yedioth/Ynet)
  • Terror from home spreads anywhere. Take part in eradicating violence - Most violent people grew up in violent homes or witnessed violence at home. In a society with many tensions, there are other reasons for violence at home. (Maariv
  • Budget dispute threatens future of new IDF Negev base - Much-anticipated move of military training complex from central Israel to south suspended as Defense, Finance ministries trade accusations. Defense Minister Ya'alon demands NIS 6 billion in auxiliary funds promised after Gaza war. (Israel Hayom and Ynet)
  • MKs make 3.7 times Israel's average wage, well above average MP salary worldwide - New Knesset research shows MKs' monthly salary of $10,773 is more in real terms than counterparts in 11 countries, including US, UK and Switzerland. (Ynet)
  • Ben-Gurion University to host Palestinian Authority adviser who promotes holy war - Mahmoud al-Habbash, Palestinian Authority's adviser on religious and Islamic affairs, is invited to speak about religious tolerance. "We are behind them. The leadership is with them," he said of recent Jerusalem terrorists. (Israel Hayom)
  • Soldiers fire at undocumented Palestinian workers near Tulkarem -  Israeli forces on Monday opened fire at Palestinian workers who tried to cross into Israel without permits near the Jubara checkpoint south of Tulkarem, witnesses said. (Maan)
  • Israeli forces demolish East Jerusalem house under construction - Witnesses said Israeli officers escorted demolition team which demolished a house in in the al-Isawiya neighborhood of East Jerusalem belonging to Ishaq Mustafa Hamdan, claiming it was built without a permit in an area designated as green space. (Maan)
  • Palestinian man defies Israeli forces alone - Despite the continuous harassment to him and his family by Israeli soldiers for more than 20 years, and despite the repeated demolitions of his humble tin-roofed house near Israel’s separation wall, 60-year-old Ali Salim Mousa from the town of al-Khadr south of Bethlehem remains firm on his land. (Maan
  • Hamas cancels 27th anniversary festival in Gaza - Ashraf Abu Zeid, who is in charge of public events, said Hamas had canceled the festival marking the movement's founding "in respect for the feelings of our people under siege in Gaza, and in light of the delay in reconstruction" of the Strip following the devastating war with Israel this summer." (Maan
  • Abbas: Egypt right to create buffer zone on Gaza border - In an interview with Egyptian newspaper Al-Akhbar, Abbas said hundreds of Gazans exploited tunnels along the border to make millions. (Haaretz+) 
  • Palestinian Authority confirms ban on purchasing used cars from Israel - The remarks came in a statement in response to a report published on local Palestinian media outlets that claimed the Palestinian Authority would soon allow purchase of used cars from Israel in the Gaza Strip. (Maan)
  • The fare sex? Israeli government looks to train Arab women as bus drivers - Transportation Ministry seeking to address shortfall of drivers, estimated at about 1,500. The effort to recruit Arab women involves a paradigm shift, because Israeli-Arab society is seen by many as traditional and the role of bus driver is viewed as a male occupation. (Haaretz+)
  • Ex-Mossad handler blames Pollard for bungling '85 escape plan - Former handler says an escape plan was in place for Pollard to flee to Israel - but was aborted when he sought embassy asylum. (Haaretz
  • Mossad chief hopeful appointed to head new, unified intelligence ministry - Ram Ben Barak, a former deputy of Israel's spy agency, was chosen by Minister Yuval Steinitz to carry out the merger of the two ministries under his purview. (Haaretz+) 
  • Israeli Canadian fighting ISIS posts on Facebook: I'm safe and secure - Islamist websites this week reported that Gill Rosenberg had been kidnapped by ISIS near Kobani; Rosenberg last posted on November 20 that she would not have internet access for two weeks. (Haaretz and Ynet)  
  • First footage surfaces: Iranian jet seen attacking ISIS targets in Iraq - Iranian bombings in Iraqi airspace unlikely to have taken place without coordination with U.S. (Haaretz)
  • Israel marks first-ever national day remembering Jewish exodus from Muslim lands - 850,000 Jews were expelled, fled or left their homes in Arab lands around the time of Israel’s founding. For many, Sunday is a belated recognition of their collective trauma, to be reconciled in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
  • Egypt: "ISIS activists planned to kidnap an Israeli border patrol boat" - According to the report, on November 14th ISIS activists managed to seize control of an Egyptian Navy missile boat in the Mediterranean Sea, near the Suez Canal, after the ship left Domiat Port. Their goal was to use the vessel to attack and kidnap Israeli vessels - in order to release Palestinian prisoners. The commander of the Navy vessel was in fact an ISIS activist. (Maariv)
  • UNESCO seeks to save Jewish sites from Islamic State's claws - U.N. cultural agency to hold special session on threats posed to Jewish heritage sites in Iraq. Organization outlines emergency measures to protect heritage sites from what top official describes as "a form of cultural cleansing." (Israel Hayom)
  • Palestinian refugee camp Sabra and Chatila gets influx of Syrian refugees - Palestinian refugee camps taking in thousands fleeing Syria, including 5,000 Palestinians, NYT reports. (Haaretz)
  • Iran to turn uranium into reactor fuel under extended deal - The conversion will make the uranium less suitable for building atomic bombs, according to a diplomatic source; US think-tank says Tehran also made specific commitments limiting its development of advanced centrifuges to refine uranium. (Agencies, Ynet)


Features:
Why are the alternatives to the far right staying (in Jerusalem) despite the kicks and curses?
Against the background of rising violence in Jerusalem, every week social activists come to Zion Square to encourage dialogue and provide an alternative to the extreme right that fills the place calls of "Death to Arabs." (Eyal Levy, Maariv magazine supplement)
Injury, then insult, at the hands of the Israeli army
IDF soldiers fired four rounds at Ahmed Hassouna, leaving the young man from Beitunia paralyzed. Then it turned out they were looking for someone else. (Gideon Levy and Alex Levac, Haaretz+)
The Israeli army gets its first Moroccan chief-of-staff - so why the Ashkenazi name?
The name's German meaning makes it unlikely to be European in origin, more likely an Israeli clerk played a decisive role in the forming of Gadi Eisenkot's name. (Haaretz+)

Commentary/Analysis: 
A worthy response to racist pyromaniacs (Haaretz Editorial) The educational model developed by the Jerusalem bilingual school attacked by arsonists screams for greater support. Now is the time to replicate it throughout Israel to help reduce Arab-Jewish polarization.
WATCH: 'Jewish nation-state bill is akin to incitement' (Haaretz video with Bradley Burston) Burston unpacks the nation-state bill, explaining its three key flaws, and asserts how Israel could define itself as primarily Jewish without sacrificing its democracy.
Netanyahu is not practical: an agreement with Iran is the best thing possible (Uri Savir, Maariv) An agreement with Iran is better than the other options: an attack on its nuclear facilities, which encourages revenge, or to leave Tehran alone, which would cause its radicalization.
Don't shoot, he's Jewish (Tal Niv, Haaretz+) What does it say when a lawyer argues that police shouldn't have shot his client because it was clear he wasn't an Arab? 
Netanyahu has given in to his paranoia (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) If the prime minister has decided to go to the polls, he should be honest enough to say so; instead, he is looking for ways to call elections and blame someone else for it. 
A moment before Armageddon (Sefi Rachlevsky, Haaretz+) To form a government that can reverse the country's direction, personal egos must be set aside - and the example must be set by Yair Lapid. 
On Netanyahu's agenda there was no intention of reconciliation (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The statement released by the Prime Minister's office after the meeting with (Yesh Atid leader Yair) Lapid was written in advance. He wants elections now. The conditions he presented to the Minister of Finance indicate that he has an agreement with the ultra-Orthodox. And don't forget (Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali) Bennett, who, according to the polls, can fantasize about the defense ministry portfolio.
How ISIS' strategy differs from Al-Qaida: West isn't its main target (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) The objective for the Islamic State is not the West, but uniting the various Islamic groups under its leadership. It isn’t working out so well in Syria.
Nationality bill affects Diaspora Jews too (Yaron London, Yedioth/Ynet) An affiliation between two populations separated by an ocean, living conditions and a language can only be based on identical values; but our values, as reflected in Jewish nation-state bill, are moving further apart. 
The appointment of the Chief of Staff: The right-wing and Netanyahu wanted Gen. Naveh - the army did not allow it (Ran Adelist, Maariv) Between pressure to appoint Yair Naveh and the pressure to do so by (outgoing Chief of Staff) Gantz and (Defense Minister) Yaalon, Netanyahu had to appoint Eisenkot. But he had to prove to his right-wing friends that he was waging a battle over it.
When Israel isn’t a black and white story (Marcy Perlman Tardio, Haaretz+) Many within my multi-cultural circle of family and friends refused to support my participation in a charity bike ride in Israel, an ‘oppressor’ and ‘colonialist’ state.
 

Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.