APN's daily news review from Israel

Monday April 27, 2015 
 

Quote of the day:

"It is dangerous and irresponsible to deposit the education portfolio in the hands of Naftali Bennett. We are at such a critical time. The video going around the Internet yesterday of young people brutally abusing a helpless dog, the violence and racism that long ago left the Internet comments and reached the street, the absolute indifference of so many people to the pain of people living in poverty, of refugees, of Palestinians - those things are closely related to the image of the education system, to the values or lack of values that it bequeaths to the citizens it raises. We must not give its reins to the leader of Messianic nationalism, who has never been ashamed to instigate and incite."
--Meretz party leader Zehava Gal-On fears the likely appointment of far right leader of Habayit Hayehudi, Naftali Bennett, as the next Education Minister.**

Front Page:

Haaretz

• Tension at northern border: IDF thwarted laying of mine in Golan Heights
• 31-year-old from Shuafat arrested on suspicion of car hit-and-run attack in Jerusalem
• The disaster in Nepal: At least 2,500 killed, fear for the lives of thousands more
• Surrogate babies to be flown to Israel
• Nepali (caregivers) in Israel fear the fate of their relatives
• Bennett’s love, Erdan’s problem // Yossi Verter
• Upper Nazareth mayor to do community service for receiving bribes; No declaration of crime of moral turpitude
• Prosecutors punished for delays, Gapso got a lenient punishment // Ido Baum
• Doctors who refused to operate on HIV carrier will compensate him 35,000 shekels
• Armenian Patriarch: Israelis see us as enemies, their treatment of us is getting worse
• Access to surrogacy // Haaretz Editorial

Yedioth Ahronoth

• Desperate call for help from Israelis in remote village in Nepal
• Drama in rescue of (surrogate) babies: Who will get on the plane first
• Givatayim: Like a terror attack – Criminal assassination attempt using booby-trapped car in the heart of a quiet neighborhood
• Standing at the gate – The ultra-Orthodox woman who married a secular man, helps those leaving orthodoxy and is a member of the board of a soccer team
• On the way to IMI – Shaul Mofaz is in negotiations to join group that is candidate to acquire Israel Military Industries

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

• Attack thwarted on northern border: Four terrorists eliminated
• “Waiting for a sign from Matan” – Son of Freulich family is one of 150 Israelis in Nepal with whom there is no contact
• The legal obstacle that will make it difficult for Netanyahu to increase the number of ministers (from 18) // Ben Caspit

Israel Hayom

• Blue and white aid (to Nepal)
• Escalation in the north: Attack on Golan border thwarted
• In mid-day: Assassination attempt in the heart of Givatayim
• On the way to the government: Kahlon is getting closer to signing, Deri hardened his positions
• Nazareth Mayor Shimon Gapso convicted of bribery – but got away without moral turpitude
• Fateful day of (former Bat Yam mayor) Lihiani: Decision on his appeal on his sentence today
• Why did the national Judo team train on Memorial Day?

News Summary:
The IDF killed three people planting a mine on the Golan border, Israelis were concerned for their missing loved ones in Nepal and faced legal issues bringing surrogate Indian mothers to the country making top stories in today's Hebrew newspapers, along with the bribe-taking Nazareth mayor who got off easy.

Two days after Israel reportedly attacked Hezbollah missile arsenals near Damascus, four people tried to place a bomb on the border fence between Israel and Lebanon in the Golan Heights, near Majdal Shams (Maariv) or Mt. Dov (Haaretz). They were identified and at least three of them were killed by a missile shot from an Israeli drone (Maariv) or an IAF plane (Yedioth). Security establishment sources told Maariv this was likely Hezbollah’s response to Israel’s Friday night arsenal attack. This attack took place in the same location as a similar incident in March 2014, which also followed another alleged Israeli attack on Hezbollah munitions. Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon hinted admission that Israel was behind the Friday attack on the Hezbollah missile arsenal, Maariv wrote. "Iran continues attempts to arm Hezbollah, even now," Ya'alon said. "They are aware of the red lines that Israel has set, and that it has no intention of compromising. We will not allow the transfer of quality weapons to terrorist organizations, especially Hezbollah." However, Yedioth's military affairs analyst Yossi Yehoshua warned in yesterday's Yedioth that "even if the alleged Israeli strike in Syria destroyed a missile shipment to Hezbollah, it's still a drop in the ocean." Yehoshua wrote that Hezbollah is very powerful and that "there is a ticking bomb waiting for us on the northern border which requires us to think outside the box. If the defense establishment fails to defuse it, quickly, we are in for a battle which we have never experienced before."

Interestingly, Reuters quoted an unnamed Israeli official who said that Israel will participate in the NPT review conference as an observer, in order to build on the opposition shared by Israel and some Arab states to the Iran nuclear deal.

The papers shared personal stories of families of some 150 Israelis, who are still out of contact in Nepal as the IDF and Israeli paramedics prepared to fly there on search and rescue missions. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu wished the Israeli rescue teams luck and said they were “the real face of Israel.” However, one of the more complicated stories that has come out of the disaster in Nepal is about the Israeli surrogate babies and their Indian surrogate mothers. Israeli couples are worried for fate of the babies, some born and some not yet. However, some Op-Eds are asking what about concern for the surrogate mothers who just gave birth. Moreover, the Foreign and Justice Ministry fear the legal repercussions of flying the pregnant Indian surrogate mothers to Israel. Meanwhile, no solution has yet been finalized for the dozens of prospective parents in Israel and their surrogates in Nepal who are in various stages of pregnancy.

Also, interesting, Yedioth's Alex Fishman writes that Israel is in direct talks with Hamas to reach a long-term calm on the Gaza border and Yedioth's Shimon Shiffer writes that more Israeli soldiers will die if the Israeli leadership continues to avoid pursuing a deal with the Palestinians. (See Commentary/Analysis)
 

Quick Hits:

• Israeli army indicts three soldiers for looting during Gaza war - The Golani soldiers stole thousands of shekels from a home in Shujaiyeh neighborhood. The move marks the first of the military police’s 19 investigations into Operation Protective Edge to produce indictments. (Haaretz+, Maariv and Ynet)
• Police arrest suspect in Jerusalem car ramming attack - Four police officers were wounded in the attack, which was third violent incident in less than a day. (Haaretz+ and Maan)
• Thousands attend funeral for Hebron Palestinian accused of stabbing soldier - Participants in funeral of Mahmoud Abu Jheisha on Sunday reportedly chanted slogans condemning Israeli crimes and calling for an end to Israeli practices as part of the occupation. (Maan) 
• Israeli authorities to release Abu Ghannam's body - Israeli authorities have agreed to release the body of Muhammad Abu Ghannam, 17, who Israeli police shot dead in E. Jerusalem on Friday after he allegedly ran at them "wielding" a knife. Israeli authorities said they would allow 70 people to attend his burial. (Maan) 
• Israeli forces shoot, injure Palestinian in northern Gaza Strip - Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man, 37,  east of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday. (Maan) 
• Israeli forces open fire on fishermen, farmers in Gaza - Witnesses reported that Israeli naval forces fired on fishing boats four miles off the coast Sunday, resulting in damage to the boats that forced the fisherman to return to land. (Maan) 
• **Meretz leader: Bennett as Minister of Education? "This is bad news, dangerous and irresponsible" - Meretz chairwoman Zehava Gal-On promised that if (far right-wing) Habayit Hayehudi Chairman is appointed Minister of Education, "We are here to drive him crazy" and added: "I'm going to follow every penny coming out of the Ministry of Education's budget and keep it from trickling racist messages and incitement." (Maariv)
• Palestinian official skeptical about peace with next Israeli government - Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat says Netanyahu's rhetoric will foster despair and leaves no room for discussion. (Agencies, Ynet) 
• Report: 10% of needed construction materials enter Gaza - The report added that the amount of reinforcing steel (re-bar) entered would be enough for building 500 apartments, while 30,000 apartments were destroyed during the war. (Maan) 
• Peres says big money from speeches goes to charity - The former president makes speeches for Keren Hayesod and the Jewish Federations of North America. He is already being rapped for a similar deal with Bank Hapaolim. (Haaretz+) 
• Ex-PM Barak to head Bank Hapoalim event after Peres furor - Ehud Barak was reportedly tapped by bank to cover for Peres in New York event in honor of 40th anniversary of activities in US after Peres cuts $30,000 a month deal. (Calcalist/Ynet)
• Israel nationalized oil pipeline once part-owned by Iran, says chairman - Contrary to policy of military censor, Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Company boss Yossi Peled says he is in favor of disclosing information about the top-secret firm that once operated in partnership with Iran. (Haaretz+) 
• President Rivlin: Armenians were the first victims of modern mass killing - Despite working for years to achieve recognition of the Armenian genocide, president refrains from using the word 'genocide' is his remarks at Jerusalem ceremony. (Haaretz+) 
• Rivlin's failure to recognize Armenian genocide disappoints Armenian leader - Armenians had pinned hopes on Rivlin, according to Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, the Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem and head of the country's Armenian community. (Haaretz+) 
• Minister: No dialogue between unity government and Hamas - The national unity government has cut off contact with Hamas in the wake of a high-profile visit to Gaza that ended in disarray last Monday, said Minister of Labor Mamoun Abu Shahla. (Maan)
• Itamar Ben Gvir vs. Hapoel Katamon soccer team and the and rainbow flag - The (far) right-wing activist filed a complaint against the [left-wing liberal – OH] Jerusalem soccer team, which replaced the corner flag with a rainbow flag (representing homosexual). "It’s an unnecessary mixing of politics and sports with a private agenda." (Maariv)
• Druze salute divers who found gold coins on Caesarea seabed - More than 2,500 coins from the Fatimid Islamic dynasty, dating from 11th century C.E. were discovered in February; image imprinted on most of coins is that of Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, leading figure in Druze tradition. (Haaretz+)
• Israel's next military attorney general to be chosen early - Candidates being screened ahead of appointment in fall, to prevent last-minute hitches. (Haaretz+) 
• At Republican Jewish confab, Cruz pledges to repair Israel relations - Four-day long gathering at Las Vegas resort owned by Sheldon Adelson draws more 700 activists from across the country. (JTA, Haaretz)
• Report: Sheldon Adelson choose to support Marco Rubio in the US presidential race - The news site 'Politico' claim Adelson "fell in love" with Rubio, who once worked as a taxi driver and displays sympathy and unreserved support for Israel. According to the report, the two met several times and fostered friendly relations. (Maariv)
• Obama pokes fun at strained ties with Netanyahu: He'll speak at my funeral - At annual correspondents' dinner, US president also addresses claims he's a Muslim: 'I need to issue veto threats, negotiate with Iran, all the while finding time to pray five times a day'. (Ynet + VIDEO) 
• Injured Israeli swift gets feather transplant from German bird - Broken flight feathers spell doom for swifts, and this one would have been a dead duck if not for a unique collaboration between a German bird clinic and an Israeli zoo hospital. (Haaretz+)
• Middle East Updates / Palestinian operatives helped free Swedish hostages in Syria - Saudi-led air strikes hit Yemen capital, ending lull; Car bombings kill at least six civilians in, around Baghdad; Syria's former spy chief dies in unclear circumstances. (Haaretz)

Features:

Why do Israelis live longer despite stress?
We are surrounded by enemies and threats, face a difficult economic situation and are under a lot of pressure, yet Israel is one of the countries with the highest life expectancy; a psychologist, a sociologist and a geriatric physician try to explain why. (Dr. Itay Gal, Ynet)
 
Commentary/Analysis:

Israel's secret cooperation with Hamas (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) For several weeks now, official representatives of the Israeli government and defense establishment have been holding a real dialogue - partly direct, partly indirect - with the Islamic terrorist group in a bid to reach a long-term calm on the Gaza border. 
Israel's High Court denies justice to Palestinian property owners (Talia Sasson, Haaretz+) The court said the state may confiscate East Jerusalem property held by West Bank residents. That reflects intolerable harm to property rights in a democratic state.
How to prevent the next fallen soldier (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) Rocket fired at southern Israel on Independence Day served as a reminder that if Israeli leadership continues to avoid pursuing a deal with Palestinians, circle of bereavement will grow.
This right-winger's about-face on settlements might inspire Netanyahu to stop building (Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, Haaretz+) Elliott Abrams admits that settlements do indeed make it harder for Israel to reach a two-state solution. 
A ticking bomb awaits Israel on its northern border (Yossi Yehoshua, Yedioth/Ynet) Even if the alleged Israeli strike in Syria destroyed a missile shipment to Hezbollah, it's still a drop in the ocean; the Shiite organization's monstrous weapons arsenal will not be eliminated by occasional surgical strikes.
Israel’s Arabs can still identify with the Jews' tragic fate (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) Some Joint Arab List legislators sound as if they seek Israel’s destruction. Their boss Ayman Odeh has a tough job ahead of him.
Between equality and rights: Ran Adelist on the sweet and sour flavor of the country’s birthday (Ran Adelist, Maariv) On one side people wave flags, and on the other (Palestinian) side a curfew and closure, and there are those who think that this is independence and that it is normal. And who believed that independence was a cow that needs to be kept from running away from the barn?
Am I trying to destroy the Jewish people? (Oudeh Basharat, Haaretz+) Apparently yes, according to the ruling of an Israeli High Court judge who drew on the Passover Haggadah to support the anti-boycott law. 
Cut off from the field: American voter complicates the politics of Jerusalem (Shmuel Rosner, Maariv) Israel is expecting the Republican Party to rebuild its relations with the United States. But the American public actually is leaning more and more toward the Democrat’s camp. That does not mean they will win the presidential race.
This Israel, wandering naked at 67 (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) Something happened to my faith this week. It was restored. Let 8 million narratives bloom. 12 million. 
Hezbollah is in denial (Alon Ben-David, Maariv) Hezbollah is really not in a position to enter into a conflict now, but it dares again to get out of hand, and it increases the chances that both sides will reach a clash neither want.
 
 

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