APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday December 7, 2014
Quote of the day:
"It's a disgrace that even on the last day of the Knesset, the government is trying to use upper handed
opportunism to transfer millions to the settlements without allowing any discussion or questions, working
against Knesset regulations."
--Hadash party MK Dov Khenin slams decision to approve another almost $54 million dollars for settlements hours before the Knesset dispersed and just before he got kicked out of the Knesset Finance Committee.**
--Hadash party MK Dov Khenin slams decision to approve another almost $54 million dollars for settlements hours before the Knesset dispersed and just before he got kicked out of the Knesset Finance Committee.**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Herzog to present Labor party with unity with Livni next week
- Firing zones in the service of settlements - Drawings reveal: Civil Authority is rezoning 35,000 dunams of state land in firing zones - as a preparation to expand settlements
- Russia condemned "Israel's aggressive action" in sharp letter to UN
- US: Iran continuing to acquire parts for nuclear reactor in Arak
- Minister Livnat announced resignation from political life
- Fear that floods will worsen oil spill pollution; Netanyahu has yet to react to disaster
- Deal with the ecological disaster and not the elections // Tzafrir Rinat
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The new Likud: more right-wing, more radical;
- It's official: the Knesset dispersed, elections are March 17th
- Netanyahu is zig-zagging - PM declaring 0% VAT on basic food products - two months after he opposed the same move by Amir Peretz
- This is how elections economy looks // Sever Plocker
- More women choose not to vote
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- The Knesset dispersed
- Suddenly social-welfare oriented // Ben Caspit
- Deri's flute // Yehoshua Sharoni
- (Ultra-Orthodox party leader) Leitzman does not deny: "We received a request to join a coalition headed by Lapid"
- Limor Livnat resigning from politics
- The race to save the (Eilat) bay (from the oil spill)
Israel Hayom
- Knesset dispersed, battles have begun
- After 22 years, Livnat resigns: "I feel I have done all I can"
- Netanyahu: "We will advance 0% VAT on basic food products"
- There is no vision or ideology in the center // Haim Shine
- Good riddance // Dan Margalit
- Kahlon and Lieberman: Now they are doves? // Mati Tuchfeld
News Summary:
The 'zig-zagging' by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over 0% VAT, the resignation from political life of Likud hawk Limor Livnat, the vote surplus agreement between popular former Likudnik Moshe Kahlon and far right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, and Yesh Atid courting Tzipi Livni, were the internal political moves at the top of today's news in the Hebrew newspapers. Yedioth seems to be pushing voters against Netanyahu with its headline about how Likud has radicalized. All the papers, with the exception of Israel Hayom, noted how Netanyahu has now adopted the 0% VAT on basic food products after he had rejected three times in the past.
Meanwhile, Maariv ran a two page article about the "ticking time bomb in Gaza again." Reporter Aviram Zino brings readers attention to the fact that three months after Operation Protective Edge and the promises of quick reconstruction of Gaza and massive aid - not much is left. The billions are delayed in Europe, the building materials from Israel are crawling in - not streaming in, and some 120,000 Gazans are left with no roof this winter following Operation Protective Edge. Sources in the Israeli security establishment warn, "If we don't accelerate the reconstruction, people could turn to terror." The Palestinian Minister of Housing told Maariv: "The situation could deteriorate to another round of violence."
The 'zig-zagging' by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over 0% VAT, the resignation from political life of Likud hawk Limor Livnat, the vote surplus agreement between popular former Likudnik Moshe Kahlon and far right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, and Yesh Atid courting Tzipi Livni, were the internal political moves at the top of today's news in the Hebrew newspapers. Yedioth seems to be pushing voters against Netanyahu with its headline about how Likud has radicalized. All the papers, with the exception of Israel Hayom, noted how Netanyahu has now adopted the 0% VAT on basic food products after he had rejected three times in the past.
Meanwhile, Maariv ran a two page article about the "ticking time bomb in Gaza again." Reporter Aviram Zino brings readers attention to the fact that three months after Operation Protective Edge and the promises of quick reconstruction of Gaza and massive aid - not much is left. The billions are delayed in Europe, the building materials from Israel are crawling in - not streaming in, and some 120,000 Gazans are left with no roof this winter following Operation Protective Edge. Sources in the Israeli security establishment warn, "If we don't accelerate the reconstruction, people could turn to terror." The Palestinian Minister of Housing told Maariv: "The situation could deteriorate to another round of violence."
Quick Hits:
- IDF earmarking West Bank firing zones for settler expansion, figures show - Settlement analyst says the areas marked are in the Jordan Valley or near settlements; Civil Administration calls claims baseless. (Haaretz+)
- **MKs outraged at last minute funding to settlements - Funds cut from southern Israeli communities and welfare programs; opposition members erupt in shouts, kicked out of Finance Committee meeting. (Ynet and Haaretz+)
- Official: Settlers expand illegal outpost near Nablus - For the second day in a row, settlers leveled land to expand the outpost of Ahiya near the Palestinian village of Jalud on on privately-owned Palestinian land. (Maan)
- Mother of suspect in arson at bilingual school: I would have done the same - Woman expresses disgust that school teaches both Jews and Arabs, calls suspects 'good kids' with haredi education. (Ynet and Yedioth, p. 29)
- Educational materials that angered people on Internet: "Ayala stabbed Dan" - Social media networks were up in arms over un-educational reading studies text for first graders: "Shame on the education system." The material was taught by a teacher from the center of the country. (Maariv, p. 17)
- Jerusalem art school tightens security after racist acts - As tensions rise in city, Bezalel Academy slams anti-Arab and anti-Jewish graffiti, vandalism while reaffirming freedom of expression. (Haaretz+)
- Israelis assault 2 Palestinian workers (in) Jerusalem
- Two Israelis assaulted Palestinian workers at a gas station in the Jerusalem village of Ein Karem late Sunday. The Palestinians were hospitalized. Israeli police arrested the suspects and confiscated surveillance cameras at the gas station. (Maan)
- Soldier hurt from stones thrown in Nazareth - IDF soldier lightly wounded by stones thrown by unknown perpetrators; stones thrown at bus in West Bank, no injuries. (Ynet)
- Israeli rightists, intelligence officers tour Aqsa compound - On Monday, groups of Israeli right-wingers "stormed the compound and toured its squares under the so-called foreign tourism program (under police escort)," said Director of Al-Aqsa, Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani. (Maan)
- Abbas: Palestinians will go to UN before Israel's elections - PA president says Palestinians won't recognize Israel as Jewish state and won't wait for the upcoming Israeli elections to take the Palestinians case to the UN Security Council. (Haaretz)
- Palestinian status at ICC summit upgraded to 'observe state' - Move said to be step toward joining the world's permanent war crimes tribunal. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Israel high court to rule on deportation of 4 Palestinian MPs - Muhammad Abu Teir, Ahmad Attun, Muhammad Tutah, and Khalid Abu Arafeh, all members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said that they face deportation from Jerusalem and the withdrawal of their residency rights on pretext of disloyalty to the Israeli state. (Maan)
- Erekat condemns Israeli threat to deport Palestinian Jerusalemites - "Israel's policy of coercive deportation, which has affected five citizens, is illegal in the first place, and is nothing but a consolidation of Israel's policy of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians, especially in Jerusalem," Erekat said in a statement. (Maan)
- Israeli national security adviser: PA could collapse if Israel withholds tax funds - Yossi Cohen responds to rightist MK calling to use tax funds to offset the money getting paid to terrorists in Israeli jail. (Haaretz+)
- Officials: Hebrew University heads ‘afraid’ of criticizing government - Criticism follows university’s 'self-censored' release of inconspicuous, mild statement on recent violence in Jerusalem. (Haaretz+)
- MKs clear extra $1.46B for defense spending in stormy session - Allocations come in final day of current Knesset, which is dispersing for elections. (Haaretz)
- Russia demands Israeli explanation of air strikes in Syria - Strikes said to have hit weapons and a convoy destined for Hezbollah; Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the action. (Haaretz)
- Israeli forces demolish unrecognized village for 79th time - Inspectors of the Israeli Land Authority raided the al-Araqib unrecognized village escorted by the Israeli police's Yoav unit. They raided an Islamic cemetery and demolished houses of villagers. (Maan)
- Herzog: Time to keep egos in check - After survey showed Herzog-Livni union would beat Netanyahu, Labor Chairman says center-left leaders must work together to form large bloc. Livni: 'This is an opportunity to replace Netanyahu'. (Ynet)
- Moshe Kahlon and (Lieberman's) Yisrael Beiteinu party signed a vote surplus agreement - MK Faina Kirschenbaum closed the agreement with the head of the (Kahlon) party in the making. A political source: "This reveals a lot." (Maariv)
- Palestinian succumbs to wounds sustained in light rail attack - Abd al-Karim Nafith Hamid, 60, was injured when a Palestinian slammed his car into the Sheikh Jarrah tram station, killing a Druze officer in the Israeli border police and injuring at least 13 other people. (Maan)
- Israeli envoy to Sweden: Country should look at itself before it criticizes us - UN panel against torture report on Stockholm's harsh treatment of minors, refugees, minorities prompts ambassador to hit back at country for criticism of Israeli policy in territories. (Ynet)
- U.S. Congressmen ask Obama to explain 'sanctions' against Israel - Query apparently based on Haaretz article that the White House was considering taking action against settlements. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Contender for Mossad chief once caught spying in foreign country - Ram Ben-Barak was detained abroad along with fellow cell members after policeman on routine patrol caught them with listening devices. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Palestinians from Gaza visit relatives jailed in Israel - 21 Palestinians including two children left Gaza through the Erez crossing and visited a total of 16 Palestinians jailed in the Israeli prison of Eshel. (Maan)
- Israeli plan to build houses for Bedouin gains traction - The state would also legalize existing homes in a Negev village as part of efforts to bolster recognized Bedouin communities. (Haaretz+)
- Anti-Semitic incidents in France more than double in 2014 - French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve says the government will defend the Jewish community with "all its force." In the first three months of 2014, more Jews left France for Israel than at any other time since the Jewish state was created in 1948. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
- Canadian Embassy in Cairo closed due to security concerns - British Embassy was also closed Sunday due to security threat; Egypt battling Islamist insurgency centered around Sinai. (Agencies, Ynet)
- US accuses Iran of buying parts for heavy-water reactor - Confidential report by UN c'tee overseeing sanctions compliance reveals allegations by Washington that Tehran has increased its efforts to illicitly obtain equipment for the IR-40 research reactor at Arak. (Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
Why is Israel preventing rights experts from entering Gaza? (Amira
Hass, Haaretz+) The IDF, its lawyers and its commanders hold a monopoly on information from
Israeli theaters of war because of the IDF’s technological superiority.
Livni and Herzog must meet in the political center (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The more the Labor and Hatnua parties shift to the left and sell the public false visions, the more they will push centrist voters towards Netanyahu.
Meet the worst anti-Zionist of them all (Carlo Strenger, Haaretz+) Likudniks, take note: Israeli streets are named after a self-hating Jewish traitor: Herzl.
Getting things straight (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Israel's mainstream media chooses to portray Netanyahu as "extreme" so that pundits can support the Left, pretending it's the "center."
Read my lips: Herzog will replace Netanyahu (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) Netanyahu made the mistake of his life by moving up the elections.
After alleged Israeli strike, the ball is now in Assad's court (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Is it feasible that someone has come up with the idea of trying to heat things up along the northern border in an effort to create a political agenda for the upcoming elections?
Eyes wide open (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The attacks on Sunday were against targets on Syrian soil, which theoretically absolves Hezbollah of any obligation to retaliate, yet there is no escaping the need for extra vigilance in the coming days.
The right way to equality in Jewish State (Dov Lipman, Yedioth/Ynet) Israel should be defined as a Jewish state. But part of being a Jewish state includes the core Jewish value of equality for all human beings and reaffirming equal rights for non-Jews.
What does Hillary Clinton really think about Netanyahu and America's Israel policy? (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) The potential 2016 presidential candidate seems loathe to distance herself from Obama, under whom Israeli-American relations have reached their nadir. Perhaps this is because she disfavors Netanyahu, too.
Europe's Israel obsession (Dr. Ephraim Herrera, Israel Hayom) Israeli manufacturers have been losing sleep over a possible sudden boycott of Israeli goods that would spread like wildfire.
Suddenly Netanyahu is social welfare oriented (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The man who made the middle class crash, who rolled the 0% VAT on food products down the stairs, suddenly realizes he could lose the elections and tries to change. Where is the shame?
Netanyahu lands unexpected endorsement: the Boycott Israel movement (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) Omar Barghouti credits the prime minister for the BDS movement's success in recent years.
Netanyahu's team of losers (Attila Somfalvi, Ynet) After he singlehandedly drove away the best people in the Likud, the prime minister is left with those who are prepared to burn down the house as long as they win in the primary elections.
Pipeline disaster proves: Israel must remove unjustified shroud of secrecy (Haaretz Editorial) Residents of southern Israel didn't even know a pipeline was under their feet for 46 years - until it exploded.
Livni and Herzog must meet in the political center (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The more the Labor and Hatnua parties shift to the left and sell the public false visions, the more they will push centrist voters towards Netanyahu.
Meet the worst anti-Zionist of them all (Carlo Strenger, Haaretz+) Likudniks, take note: Israeli streets are named after a self-hating Jewish traitor: Herzl.
Getting things straight (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Israel's mainstream media chooses to portray Netanyahu as "extreme" so that pundits can support the Left, pretending it's the "center."
Read my lips: Herzog will replace Netanyahu (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) Netanyahu made the mistake of his life by moving up the elections.
After alleged Israeli strike, the ball is now in Assad's court (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Is it feasible that someone has come up with the idea of trying to heat things up along the northern border in an effort to create a political agenda for the upcoming elections?
Eyes wide open (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The attacks on Sunday were against targets on Syrian soil, which theoretically absolves Hezbollah of any obligation to retaliate, yet there is no escaping the need for extra vigilance in the coming days.
The right way to equality in Jewish State (Dov Lipman, Yedioth/Ynet) Israel should be defined as a Jewish state. But part of being a Jewish state includes the core Jewish value of equality for all human beings and reaffirming equal rights for non-Jews.
What does Hillary Clinton really think about Netanyahu and America's Israel policy? (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) The potential 2016 presidential candidate seems loathe to distance herself from Obama, under whom Israeli-American relations have reached their nadir. Perhaps this is because she disfavors Netanyahu, too.
Europe's Israel obsession (Dr. Ephraim Herrera, Israel Hayom) Israeli manufacturers have been losing sleep over a possible sudden boycott of Israeli goods that would spread like wildfire.
Suddenly Netanyahu is social welfare oriented (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The man who made the middle class crash, who rolled the 0% VAT on food products down the stairs, suddenly realizes he could lose the elections and tries to change. Where is the shame?
Netanyahu lands unexpected endorsement: the Boycott Israel movement (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) Omar Barghouti credits the prime minister for the BDS movement's success in recent years.
Netanyahu's team of losers (Attila Somfalvi, Ynet) After he singlehandedly drove away the best people in the Likud, the prime minister is left with those who are prepared to burn down the house as long as they win in the primary elections.
Pipeline disaster proves: Israel must remove unjustified shroud of secrecy (Haaretz Editorial) Residents of southern Israel didn't even know a pipeline was under their feet for 46 years - until it exploded.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.