APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday September 6, 2015
Quote of the day:
"Israel is like family, you love it but you also want it to be the best it can be."
--American-Israeli actress Natalie Portman speaks to Ynet at the Jerusalem premier of her latest film.
--American-Israeli actress Natalie Portman speaks to Ynet at the Jerusalem premier of her latest film.
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Merkel announced that Germany will accept unlimited number of refugees
- “We floated on the sea for five hours till they saved us”
- MKs in Labor party: They threatened to act against us if we promote justice in municipal taxes (arnona)
- European Union: Soon we will publish the guidelines for marking settlement products
- (Likud MK) Akunis got a hazing from Netanyahu and resigned
- State prosecuting poor people for crimes that result from hardship instead of referring them to welfare services
- Christian schools strike: Arab students across the country to demonstrate today in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in protest of lack of budgets
- The municipal tax (arnona) theft // Haaretz Editorial
- Barak forgot // Raviv Drucker
Yedioth Ahronoth
- “Hungary for Hungarians – We don’t want a population that will change us” – Hungarian Prime Minister to Yedioth
- My nightmare // Sever Plocker
- Used and threw him away // Nahum Barnea on Netanyahu giving green light to MK Akunis over law prohibiting expression of personal opinions on public broadcasting media and then retracting his support
- Humiliation on live TV // Sima Kadmon
- Peace begins with hummous – Israeli and Palestinian opened restaurant in Holland
- I froze on the spot – The photographer, who gave the world the photo of the dead toddler on the beach, speaks
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- The new Germans
- The Israeli dilemma – Herzog: “Receive Syrian refugees in Israel”. Lapid: “First deal with our own”
- Blow to (Governor of Bank of Israel) Flug: Lowering VAT will be financed by increasing deficit targets and collecting taxes
Israel Hayom
- Opening gates – Germany and Austria: We will accept refugees without limits. Still no answer to question: What to do with the hundreds of thousands on the way?
- Russia starting military operations in Syria
- The tourists who were saved from the lynch: “The police didn’t take care of us”
- Iran celebrates the nuclear agreement: “We bent the will of the world powers”
- Prime Minister announced: “I will work to fix the provision in the law”; Akunis: “I give back my authority over the Broadcasting Authority”
News Summary:
Germany allows refugees to enter freely, while Israeli politicians debate over whether Israel should accept any and the Palestinian President hopes to pressure Israel to allow the Palestinian refugees in Syria to flee to the West Bank. Meanwhile, the Arab League will join the UN and the European Union in talks to push for Israel-Palestinian peace talks and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ‘humiliates’ a loyal Likud MK by backtracking support for a bill making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Opposition leader and Labor chief, MK Isaac Herzog, said “Jews cannot be indifferent while hundreds of thousands of refugees are looking for safe haven,” but Yesh Atid chief Yair Lapid insisted it could because, otherwise, it would open a "back door for a discussion of the Palestinian right of return." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wants the UN and EU to pressure Israel into allowing Palestinian refugees, who were living in and are now fleeing from Syria, to go to the West Bank.
Meanwhile, the UN will host a meeting on September 30th of key global players, that includes the EU, the US and the Arab League, to try to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Also, the EU is preparing its guidelines for labeling settlement products. But, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told Maariv that "France strongly condemns boycott of Israel” and promised that his country wouldn’t pressure Israel to advance a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also said that "An invasion of Syria would have prevented the migrants’ crisis.”
Also in the news, Likud Minister Ofir Akunis resigned as head of the Israel Broadcasting Authority after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu looked to cancel a law that he had previously supported that restricts expressing personal opinions on public broadcasting – and which outraged many.
Germany allows refugees to enter freely, while Israeli politicians debate over whether Israel should accept any and the Palestinian President hopes to pressure Israel to allow the Palestinian refugees in Syria to flee to the West Bank. Meanwhile, the Arab League will join the UN and the European Union in talks to push for Israel-Palestinian peace talks and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ‘humiliates’ a loyal Likud MK by backtracking support for a bill making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Opposition leader and Labor chief, MK Isaac Herzog, said “Jews cannot be indifferent while hundreds of thousands of refugees are looking for safe haven,” but Yesh Atid chief Yair Lapid insisted it could because, otherwise, it would open a "back door for a discussion of the Palestinian right of return." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wants the UN and EU to pressure Israel into allowing Palestinian refugees, who were living in and are now fleeing from Syria, to go to the West Bank.
Meanwhile, the UN will host a meeting on September 30th of key global players, that includes the EU, the US and the Arab League, to try to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Also, the EU is preparing its guidelines for labeling settlement products. But, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told Maariv that "France strongly condemns boycott of Israel” and promised that his country wouldn’t pressure Israel to advance a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also said that "An invasion of Syria would have prevented the migrants’ crisis.”
Also in the news, Likud Minister Ofir Akunis resigned as head of the Israel Broadcasting Authority after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu looked to cancel a law that he had previously supported that restricts expressing personal opinions on public broadcasting – and which outraged many.
Quick Hits:
- Mother of Palestinian toddler killed in arson attack in critical condition - Reham Dawabsheh's health deteriorating, five weeks after firebomb attack in West Bank village of Duma that killed her 18-month-old son Ali. The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health will send a special medical team on Sunday to Tel HaShomer Hospital to evaluate and monitor her health. (Haaretz and Maariv)
- WATCH: Masked Israeli youth attack Palestinian in Hebron - IDF soldier detains Palestinian who is wanted for questioning by police, but before the cops could get there, a group of settlers arrive on the scene and attack him. (Ynet+VIDEO and Maan)
- Israeli forces detain 7, including 5-year-old, in al-Eizariya village - Israeli forces detained a Palestinian woman, her five-year-old child, and five young men after raiding the village of al-Eizariya and erecting checkpoints in the area on Thursday, locals said. (Maan)
- 2 Israeli forces, Palestinian protester lightly wounded in West Bank protest - Weekly protest in Nabi Saleh made headlines last week when a soldier trying to arrest a Palestinian minor was stopped by the boy's family members. (Haaretz)
- Palestinians clean East Jerusalem cemetery facing confiscation - Dozens of Palestinians in Jerusalem gathered to clean the Bab al-Rahma cemetery on Friday, in response to plans announced by Israeli authorities to seize parts of the cemetery for a national park trail. (Maan)
- Israeli forces shoot, injure child of fisherman in Gaza - Israeli forces shot Bilal Abu Amro, 11, in the thigh while he was with his father, a fisherman, near the shores of the Beit Lahiya village in the northern Gaza Strip, medics said. (Maan)
- Israeli Arab schools to go on strike on Monday - Strike announced in solidarity with Christian schools, which have been closed since start of school year due to budget conflict with state. (Haaretz+)
- Rivlin meets with Pope Francis, talks church-run schools and peace - In the meeting Thursday at the Vatican, Israel's president also voiced his concern about growing anti-Semitism worldwide. (Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
- Cardiff withdraws exhibition showing Jews, Arabs playing soccer - Removal of Israeli-sponsored exhibition, on display ahead of European Championship qualifier between Israel and Wales, sparks accusations of censorship. (Haaretz)
- Public Defender Report: Police makes unnecessary arrests – and the courts extend them - The data for 2014 show that the number of arrests has not decreased since the enactment of the arrests law, but rather has increased in the last decade. (Maariv)
- UK petition calling for arrest of PM Netanyahu hits 100,000 target - The petition calls for the arrest of Netanyahu on the grounds of alleged war-crimescommitted by Israel during its 51-day 2014 Gaza offensive, which killed more than 2,200 Palestinians, withmany more wounded in the 139 square mile strip. (Maan and Israel Hayom)
- Nuclear whistle-blower Vanunu: State is punishing me because I'm of Moroccan descent - In a Channel 2 interview, Vanunu calls on state to allow him to leave country, saying, 'If I was an Ashkenazi from the kibbutz I would have been treated right.' (Haaretz)
- 8 Palestinian prisoners (detained without trial) continue hunger strikes - Ghassan Zawahra, who has been on strike since Aug. 20 and is being held in solitary confinement, escalated his protest and stopped drinking water. (Maan)
- Americans attacked in West Bank tried to call police but were repeatedly disconnected - A local Palestinian's attempt to alert the authorities on the tourists' behalf failed; civilian rescue crew arrived before Israeli security forces. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- Mayors of rich towns warn Knesset lawmakers not to support bill - Bill stipulates a more fair allocation of state funds between poorer and wealthier communities. (Haaretz+)
- Leading Jewish senator Ben Cardin says he will oppose Iran deal - The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he would offer legislation to reimpose sanctions should Iran break its part of the deal. (Haaretz)
- Israel reportedly refuels Jordanian jets during combat exercise - U.S., Israeli, Singaporean and Jordainian air forces participate in joint Red Flag drill against imaginary enemy at a base in Nevada. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- 400 right-wing Israelis, settlers pray at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus - Young Palestinian men from the adjacent Balata refugee camp, tens of meters away, hurled stones at the Israeli military vehicles. (Ynet)
- Israeli contractors suspected of hiding ancient Roman sarcophagus - Builders allegedly concealed an antiquity discovered on a building site in Ashkelon to avoid delays in their work schedule. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- Israeli athletes bare (almost) all - 14 of Israel's strongest, fastest, and most driven athletes reveal themselves in a photo shoot inspired by ESPN's 'Body Issue.' (Yedioth/Ynet+PHOTOS)
- Culture Ministry reiterates: No funding for institutes supporting boycott, Nakba - Three weeks after AG says state cannot defund cultural institutes based on content, ministry publishes grant criteria. (Haaretz+)
- Amsterdam to Compensate Jews for Overdue Rent Fines From WWII - Descendants of Dutch Holocaust survivors fined for not paying rent on time while they were incarcerated in Nazi camps can claim compensation. (Haaretz+)
- Palestinian girl Merkel reduced to tears gets German residency permit - 14-year-old Reem Sawhil and father receive permit valid until March 2016; chancellor widely derided online for stroking teen making her cry during immigration debate. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Aunt of Drowned Syrian Boys Wants to Bring Family to Canada - Tima Kurdi blames herself for the tragedy: 'I sent him the money to pay the smuggler.' (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Saudi FM: We support Iran deal - Saudi FM says country supports agreement, has 'one less problem for the time being' after Pres. Obama hosts King Salman. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Biden to Jewish Leaders in Florida: Iran Deal Will Make Israel Safer - Speaking in predominantly Jewish district in key swing state, vice president attempts to assuage fears. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Trump: Hezbo-who? Hama-what? - Republican presidential candidate dismisses need to know the 'individual players' in Middle East conflict, says the key is hiring the right advisors. (Ynet)
Features:
Children of the Genocide: A journey to the Yazidi minority, which ISIS is trying to annihilate in
Iraq
Lior Dayan landed in Iraq and went for a heartbreaking visit to the world of the people of the Yazid religion, who are coping with the horrors of ISIS and begging the West to stop the slaughter. (Lior Dayan, Maariv)
An Israeli island in Finland
Four Israeli investors were searching for some peace and tranquility - so they bought an island in the Scandinavian country for only 450,000 euros, and plan on building an Israeli colony there, for other nature lovers like them. (Ofer Petersburg, Yedioth/Ynet)
Handicapped Israelis make music with their bodies thanks to lasers
A unique and ingenious music room at the Grabski Rehabilitation Center in Migdal Haemek allows residents of the care facility, some of whom are wheelchair-bound and unable to move their arms or legs, to play instruments and create music of their own. (Danny Brenner, Israel Hayom)
Commentary/Analysis:
Lior Dayan landed in Iraq and went for a heartbreaking visit to the world of the people of the Yazid religion, who are coping with the horrors of ISIS and begging the West to stop the slaughter. (Lior Dayan, Maariv)
An Israeli island in Finland
Four Israeli investors were searching for some peace and tranquility - so they bought an island in the Scandinavian country for only 450,000 euros, and plan on building an Israeli colony there, for other nature lovers like them. (Ofer Petersburg, Yedioth/Ynet)
Handicapped Israelis make music with their bodies thanks to lasers
A unique and ingenious music room at the Grabski Rehabilitation Center in Migdal Haemek allows residents of the care facility, some of whom are wheelchair-bound and unable to move their arms or legs, to play instruments and create music of their own. (Danny Brenner, Israel Hayom)
Commentary/Analysis:
Drowned Syrian boy exposes Israeli hypocrisy (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Why are Israelis so moved by the image of a dead Syrian refugee, but oblivious
to the plight of a slain Palestinian child?
Netanyahu's great Iran failure (Raviv Drucker, Haaretz+) The prime minister staked everything — especially his reputation — on preventing a nuclear Iran.
It's time for a red flag (Tali Nir, Yedioth/Ynet) The new counter-terrorism laws are far too broad, leaving a wide opening for false accusations of terrorism, and preventing adequate legal defenses.
The Israeli De Gaulle has been found (Yossi Sarid, Haaretz+) Only one person is innocent of everything, free of all blame for the tragic fiasco that put a spoke in the wheel of peace and sent the left down to the torments of hell.
Preventing another Gaza war through 'Palestinian relief' (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Netanyahu and Ya'alon don't want to negotiate with Hamas, but are working through backdoor channels to prevent next conflict with a push to rebuild Gaza, including a port, solar farms, and joint industrial zones. There's even a Qatari envoy waiting with a billion dollars in his pocket.
Israeli parents fight for the right to sacrifice their own kids (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) Ashkelon parents sought to block the appointment of a school principal because she voiced support for soldiers who refused to serve in the occupied territories. This isn't your run-of-the-mill political persecution.
A tsunami warning for Europe (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The refugee crisis in Europe is, strangely, giving new life to old borders. Not long ago, Europeans condemned Israel for building fences; now they are learning from us. In Israel, people complained that there was no policy; this week, Hungary changed its policy on a daily basis.
Apartheid policies put Israel on path to becoming failed state (Roy Isacowitz, Haaretz+) It is not right-wing governments that institutionalized racial domination here; the process started decades before they took power.
A new wind blowing out of Washington (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) Obama chose Roosevelt's foreign policy - 'speak softly and carry a big stick' - unlike Bush, who chose to strike with the big stick, and then wondered why there was no one left to talk to.
On peace and realism (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) Israel should worry less about Mahmoud Abbas' shenanigans, and focus more on buttressing and broadcasting its own myriad successes.
After Bibi's double failure, now comes the self-justification (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) The disparity between the prime minister's words and deeds became apparent once again this week, in his failures with regard to the Iran deal and the natural gas accord.
Oy Jerusalem (Yoram Ettinger, Israel Hayom) Something has to be done to curb the growing Jewish emigration from Jerusalem, which puts the city's Jewish majority at risk.
Wanted, a foreign minister for Israel (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+) Is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu so isolated that he is unable to find someone he can trust to carry out his policies as foreign minister?
Where are Saudi Arabia and Qatar? (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom)The question looming over the dreadful Syrian civil war and the 4 million refugees it has produced: Where is the Arab solidarity?
Netanyahu's great Iran failure (Raviv Drucker, Haaretz+) The prime minister staked everything — especially his reputation — on preventing a nuclear Iran.
It's time for a red flag (Tali Nir, Yedioth/Ynet) The new counter-terrorism laws are far too broad, leaving a wide opening for false accusations of terrorism, and preventing adequate legal defenses.
The Israeli De Gaulle has been found (Yossi Sarid, Haaretz+) Only one person is innocent of everything, free of all blame for the tragic fiasco that put a spoke in the wheel of peace and sent the left down to the torments of hell.
Preventing another Gaza war through 'Palestinian relief' (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Netanyahu and Ya'alon don't want to negotiate with Hamas, but are working through backdoor channels to prevent next conflict with a push to rebuild Gaza, including a port, solar farms, and joint industrial zones. There's even a Qatari envoy waiting with a billion dollars in his pocket.
Israeli parents fight for the right to sacrifice their own kids (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) Ashkelon parents sought to block the appointment of a school principal because she voiced support for soldiers who refused to serve in the occupied territories. This isn't your run-of-the-mill political persecution.
A tsunami warning for Europe (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The refugee crisis in Europe is, strangely, giving new life to old borders. Not long ago, Europeans condemned Israel for building fences; now they are learning from us. In Israel, people complained that there was no policy; this week, Hungary changed its policy on a daily basis.
Apartheid policies put Israel on path to becoming failed state (Roy Isacowitz, Haaretz+) It is not right-wing governments that institutionalized racial domination here; the process started decades before they took power.
A new wind blowing out of Washington (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) Obama chose Roosevelt's foreign policy - 'speak softly and carry a big stick' - unlike Bush, who chose to strike with the big stick, and then wondered why there was no one left to talk to.
On peace and realism (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) Israel should worry less about Mahmoud Abbas' shenanigans, and focus more on buttressing and broadcasting its own myriad successes.
After Bibi's double failure, now comes the self-justification (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) The disparity between the prime minister's words and deeds became apparent once again this week, in his failures with regard to the Iran deal and the natural gas accord.
Oy Jerusalem (Yoram Ettinger, Israel Hayom) Something has to be done to curb the growing Jewish emigration from Jerusalem, which puts the city's Jewish majority at risk.
Wanted, a foreign minister for Israel (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+) Is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu so isolated that he is unable to find someone he can trust to carry out his policies as foreign minister?
Where are Saudi Arabia and Qatar? (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom)The question looming over the dreadful Syrian civil war and the 4 million refugees it has produced: Where is the Arab solidarity?
Interviews:
Between Nineveh and Jerusalem
Even from Syria and Iraq, ISIS is systematically destroying precious testimony of Jerusalem's historical links to the region's great ancient empires. Dr. Donald Sanders sits with Israel Hayom to discuss how virtual reality can help solve the problem. (Interviewed by Nadav Shragai in Israel Hayom)
'Israel is like family, you love it but you also want it to be the best it can be'
Natalie Portman tells Ynet about her new movie 'A Tale of Love and Darkness,' which takes place in Jerusalem, acting in Hebrew and her love of Israel. (Interviewed by Danny Spektor and Noam Kessel in Ynet+VIDEO)
'This is how we freed the hostages on Sabena Flight 571'
The accolades went mainly to the elite IDF unit Sayeret Matkal when a small team brazenly confronted four hijackers who took over a flight to Israel in 1972, but one of the brave fighters was former air marshal Mordechai Rahamim. This is his story. (Interviewed by Michal Yaakov Itzhaki in Israel Hayom)
Even from Syria and Iraq, ISIS is systematically destroying precious testimony of Jerusalem's historical links to the region's great ancient empires. Dr. Donald Sanders sits with Israel Hayom to discuss how virtual reality can help solve the problem. (Interviewed by Nadav Shragai in Israel Hayom)
'Israel is like family, you love it but you also want it to be the best it can be'
Natalie Portman tells Ynet about her new movie 'A Tale of Love and Darkness,' which takes place in Jerusalem, acting in Hebrew and her love of Israel. (Interviewed by Danny Spektor and Noam Kessel in Ynet+VIDEO)
'This is how we freed the hostages on Sabena Flight 571'
The accolades went mainly to the elite IDF unit Sayeret Matkal when a small team brazenly confronted four hijackers who took over a flight to Israel in 1972, but one of the brave fighters was former air marshal Mordechai Rahamim. This is his story. (Interviewed by Michal Yaakov Itzhaki in Israel Hayom)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.