News Nosh 10.18.13

by APN 10/18/13
Share

APN's daily news review from Israel

Friday, October 18, 2013

 

Number of the day:

70.
--Percentage increase in new settlement construction starts in the first half of 2013 compared with the first half of last year, Peace Now reports. **


Front Page News:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

  • The Turkish betrayal - Following Washington Post report that Turkish intel exposed Iranian Mossad agents, security sources in Israel accuse: They are collaborating with out biggest enemy. Accusing finger pointed at head of Turkish Intel, Hakan Fidan
  • Revenge of the brother: Attack - Palestinian drove tractor into base and was shot to death. Palestinian media reported that his brother was shot to death doing the same thing
  • Local elections: Chaos in the schools...where polling stations will be put while school is in session
  • Strong women of the bank - Lilach Asher-Topolski was appointed CEO of Bank Discount - and now women are at the heads of the three biggest banks
  • Wintery weekend

Maariv

Israel Hayom

 

News Summary:
A Palestinian drove a bulldozer into an Israeli military base and Turkey reportedly exposed Iranian Mossad agents making today's top stories in the Israeli newspapers.
 
Soldiers gunned down a Palestinian who tried to run over a soldier with a tractor before smashing through a fence surrounding an army base at Qalandiya checkpoint, in northern E. Jerusalem. It was the fifth incident in a month. The IDF said the attack was another one made by an individual, without any organizational backing, but expressed concern that there is "increased motivation to carry out terror attacks" by individuals. A senior IDF officer told Ynet that more attacks may follow. "It's hard to put a finger on one element as a cause for the recent events. One incident follows the next, and there is an atmosphere that creates motivation to carry out terror attacks, but there is nothing that connects the latest attacks," he said. "We expect a broad range of incidents." Palestinian media reported that the attack was revenge by a young attacker whose brother made a similar attack four years ago in Jerusalem.
 
Turkey denies the Washington Post report, according to which,  Turkey's intel chief, Hakam Fidan, revealed to Iranian intelligence the identities of some 10 Iranian Mossad agents. Israel has avoided issuing an official response to but Israeli officials told Ynet that security cooperation with Ankara is 'very limited.' Turkey said the 'baseless' report was aimed "to spoil the moderate political atmosphere after (Iranian President Hassan) Rohani's election." The Post's David Ignatius wrote that the act, done over a year ago, was meant to be 'an effort to slap the Israelis' for the killing of nine Turks in the Mavi Marmara Flotilla affair in 2010. Israeli and Turkish officials have been in talks following the apology Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan for the killings. The apology came in March this year at the urging of US President Barack Obama. But Israeli officials say the talks with Turkey are 'stuck.' "The Turks are destroying any attempt to reach understandings," an Israeli official close to the talks said. "They don't want to resolve this thing. It's completely stuck and despite President Obama's efforts, they don't want to move ahead at this point." Nevertheless, he stressed that Ankara might decide to resolve the matter if it suited its interests. Earlier reports have said that the talks are stuck on the wording regarding Israel's financial compensation to the families of the killed Turks.


Quick Hits:

  • Settlers attack Palestinian vehicles near Nablus - ettlers from the notorious Yizhar settlement threw stones at passing cars on a nearby road south of Nablus late Wednesday, damaging at least 20 cars. (Maan)
  • **Peace Now: Israel steps up settlement housing starts - NGO says there were 1,708 housing starts in January-June this year, compared with 995 during same period in 2012 and 44% of it took place east of Israel's separation barrier which cuts through the W. Bank, and 32 percent fell to the west of it. Peace Now bills the figures as a "drastic rise." (Agencies, Ynet and Maan)
  • Likud municipal campaigns ordered to drop racist ads - Ads against mosque in Carmiel and muezzin in Jaffa prohibited. The Central Election Committee decision was made despite the attorney general's advice that the committee had no authority over online and street ads. (Haaretz)
  • Settlements' ambulance dispatch centers face cutbacks - MDA decides to shut down centers after State fails to transfer NIS five million, which could lead to critical delays in arrival of armored ambulances in cases such as the Psagot shooting. (Ynet)
  • Abbas invites Pope to 'Holy Land' - Palestinian president extends invitation in meeting with Pope Francis in Vatican. PM Netanyahu set to meet pope next week. (Agencies, Ynet)
  • 'Security necessity pushes Israel to cutting edge of cyber defense' - Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin visits Seoul to tout Israel's cyber-security track record. Says that "upon graduating from the military, our young minds enrich the technology field and help to establish startups." (Israel Hayom)
  • Housing Minister: Netanyahu isn't building in Jerusalem, and Barekat is silent - Uri Ariel spoke at a closed conference of Habayit Hayehudi party and attacked the two men, accusing the Prime Minister of acting on foreign interests. Habayit Hayehudi is considering following Shas and establishing its own Council of Torah Sages. (Maariv/NRG Hebrew)
  • Former chairman of top Israeli bank convicted of fraud - Danny Dankner pleads guilty to reduced charges relating to misconduct during his time at the bank; agrees to pay fine of NIS 1 million, with additional sentencing to come. (Haaretz)
  • Egypt army destroys smuggling tunnel in Rafah - The tunnel was found in the home of a man identified only as H.Q, and was used to smuggle people to and from the Gaza Strip. (Maan)
  • Desperate Gaza man 'ready to sell daughter' - A Palestinian man from Gaza says he will be forced to offer his 6-year-old daughter for "sale" if he does not receive aid from the government, NGOs, or charitable individuals. (Maan)


 

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

Recent Entries