APN's daily news review from Israel

Friday August 30, 2013

Number of the day:

77.
--Percentage of Israeli public that opposes Israeli intervention in the case that the US does not attack Syria, according to Maariv poll.**

Front Page News:

Haaretz

• Masquerade party - Obama does not want to attack, Assad does not want to retaliate and Netanyahu does not want to intervene - but the reality in the Middle East has it's own laws - Ahead of an attack (on Syria): Extensive coverage
• The third country to which migrants are being deported: Uganda
• Investigator in Harpaz affair: The recordings in Ashkenazi's office - security break in
• Suspicion: Beilinson Hospital falsified weight of premature babies in order to increase its revenue
• First Israeli gold medal in world Judo championships

Yedioth Ahronoth

• Tense wait - Attack on Syria believed will be delayed a few days; Chief of Staff: Continue with your routine and prepare for the holiday
• The devil wears Prada // Sima Kadmon
• No surprise attack // Alex Fishman
• The embarrassing line for gas masks // Yossi Yehoshua
• Enormous achievement for Israeli sport: Yarden Gerby is world champion in Judo

Maariv

• Despite European opposition, US continues to prepare for attack in Syria (Hebrew)
• Criticism in Jerusalem: Netanyahu mistaken about threatening Assad - retaliation against Syria is against Israeli interests
• In the end it will come to Israel // Ben-Dror Yemini
• The hour of the pretentious // Nadav Eyal
• If everything were rational // Amir Rappaport
• Assad decides, not Obama // Shmuel Rosner (Hebrew)
• Judoka Yarden Gerby won the gold medal at world championship after defeating her opponent from France in 43 seconds
• Investigation: Did Beilinson hospital report babies as premature in order to increase its revenue?

Israel Hayom

• Gantz: "If we are attacked, the enemy's loss will be stinging and difficult - In the shadow of the expected attack on Syria: In Israel, calling on people to continue with their routines
• The panic for a gas mask
• 54%: Netanyahu is most suited to be Prime Minister
• Official document in US: Israel on list of strategic targets for American spying
• Readers write about the Yom Kippur War
• Revealed: Uganda is the third state to which African infiltrators will be deported
• On Saturday night: Price of gasoline for liter to jump by 25 agorot
• Israeli pride: Yarden Gerby won gold medal in world championships in Judo

Peace Talks Highlights:
As peace talks with the Palestinians continue, a senior Likud minister said Israel won't return to the '67 borders, Jerusalem would never be divided and settlements would not be removed. Speaking at a Jewish New Year's ceremony attended by ministers, Knesset members and hundreds of Likud activists, Interior Minister Gideon Saar said that the "1967 lines are not defensible borders." Saar further stated, "We shall insist on keeping a united and undivided Jerusalem as Israel's capital." He also addressed the issue of potential settlement evacuation and said, "We do not believe in uprooting Jewish communities and do not believe that this will lead to peace."

Syria-related News:
The Israeli papers this morning reported on the Chief of Staff's warning to Syria, should it attack Israel, and at the same time leaders calling on citizens to remain calm and continue with their daily routines and preparations for the Rosh Hashana holiday. However, both sources in the security establishment and associates of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Maariv that threats made to Syria this week by Netanyahu and others are a mistake. The diplomatic-security establishment is not happy about the war-like declarations of the Prime Minister, saying a military response to Syria contradicts Israel's interests and that Israel should just restrain itself.
 
Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Israel told Israel Radio that there will be a strong and serious response to Syria. While Israeli leaders call on people to continue with their routines, the IDF is preparing for the worst. It has now deployed an Iron Dome anti-missile system to the Tel Aviv area. Gas mask distribution centers are overwhelmed by run on gas masks, as there are only enough kits for 60% of Israel's citizens and the fear is that if there is an attack on Israel, it's imminent. Foreigners are complaining that they don't get gas masks and the ultra-Orthodox say they have been told they need to shave their beards because there aren't any special masks for people with beards.
 
Israel Hayom poll: 67% of Israeli Jews support US attack against Syria, 66.8% believe such an attack would drag Israel into war. 57% think IDF will act against specific targets or threats.

**Maariv Poll: 77% of Israeli public oppose Israeli intervention in case that the US does not intervene in what is happening in Syria, 11% believe Israel should attack in Syria and 12% don't know.

Quick Hits:

• After five-year legal battle, Supreme Court orders eviction of East Jerusalem family - Judges rule against 79-year-old Ayoub Shamasna and his family, who have been living in a tiny Sheikh Jarrah home for decades, 'with heavy heart.' (Israel Hayom)
• Washington Post: Secret budget reveals US spying on Israel - Newspaper reveals clauses from top secret 'black budget' meant to finance 'counterintelligence operations focused against priority targets of China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Israel.' (Ynet)
• British MPs called to debate Syria strike - and bicker over Israel - In a session dedicated to chemical weapons allegedly used by Damascus, veteran Labor MP Gerald Kaufman said that Israel too used such weapons in Gaza. (Agencies, Haaretz)
• Influential Rabbi Cherlow pens prayer for Syrian people - National Service volunteers petition prominent rabbi to write a prayer for the Syrian people. Bnei Akiva director approves the idea and calls on national movement to include the prayer on Shabbat. Prayer asks for peace in Syria and for Israel. (Israel Hayom)
• Israel prepares for possible cyber attack - Syrian threat to Israel not limited to missiles: Cyber warfare specialists warn against Assad's hackers, mysterious Syrian Electronic Army. (Ynet)
• State budgeting millions of shekels to fight price-tag attacks - Anti-price-tag police force to receive millions of shekels, boost officers from 30 to 80. State Prosecutor's Office says Shin Bet has enforced "dozens" of restraining orders over the last year to reign in Jewish violence against Palestinians. (Israel Hayom)
• Yitzhar residents throw stones at IDF-employed Druze driver - Settlement refuses to allow non-Jews in to work. Activists block road and stone car of Druze driver attempting to enter to work at an IDF construction site. (Israel Hayom)
• Study: Academic 'tracking' causes ethnic education gap - Schools could mend the Jewish ethnic breach, but the Jewish-Arab divide is beyond their ability to heal, say researchers. (Haaretz)
• International film competition disinvites Israeli doc due to Dubai ceremony' - Israel: A Home Movie' made it to the finals of the International Federation of Television Archives' competition, but was dropped because this year's awards ceremony will take place in Dubai. (Haaretz)
• IAEA: Iran expands nuclear capacity but delays sensitive reactor - U.N. nuclear agency says Iran plans to test 1,000 centrifuges, but its most sensitive nuclear stockpile has hardly grown in recent months and remains below Israel's "red line" for military action. Ten fruitless rounds of talks with Iran since 2012. (Israel Hayom)
• Uganda migrants deal signed as military, business ties with Israel balloon - Human rights groups say migrants from Israel most likely destined for isolated 'warehouses for human beings' in Uganda. (Haaretz)

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