News Nosh 09.10.15

APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday September 10, 2015 
 
Number of the day:
68.1.
--Percentage of Israelis who believe the U.S. is committed to Israel's security, according to a new poll.

You Must Be Kidding: 
"City of David Slopes" - "Maalot Ir David"
--One of a number of Hebrew names to be given to streets in Arab E. Jerusalem neighborhoods, where settlements enclaves are situated.  


Front Page:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
Israel Hayom
  • The face of the agreement: Khamenei promises to destroy Israel
  • We will eat apples and honey also in another 25 years // Boaz Bismuth
  • Now it’s official: Russia admits for first time that it deployed military forces to help Assad in Syria – and it isn’t moved by criticism
  • Today: The haze is expected to gradually dissipate, the heat wave will continue, but less tomorrow
  • Another horrifying photo from Europe: TV camerawoman in Hungary tripped refugees

 
News Summary:
The Attorney General says soccer games will be allowed on Sabbath, the State Comptroller says Israel is unprepared for natural disasters, numerous Brits call Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu a war criminal during his visit to London, while Netanyahu slams Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khamenei, the latter who said the Zionist regime won't exist in 25 years, making top stories in the Hebrew newspapers along with the continued haze across the region.

Meanwhile, Israel outlawed two Palestinian groups from their vigils at the Al-Aqsa/Temple Mount compound. The groups, composed mainly of women and elderly men, would confront Israeli right-wing visitors, yelling “Allahu Akbar.”

Israel also finally re-opened its embassy in Cairo, but only after acceding to the Egyptian demand that it be set up inside the ambassador’s residence. The embassy had been closed for four years since demonstrators attacked it. 
 
Quick Hits:
  • The next explosion? Caused by Hebrew names to streets in East Jerusalem - For the first time, the (Jerusalem) municipal names committee decided to give Hebrew names to streets in East Jerusalem where there are Jewish (settlement) enclaves, near the tomb of Shimon Hatzadik and in ‘Ir David.’ Arab residents have already promised: "We will appeal to the EU." (MYnet)  
  • Jewish neighborhood in E. Jerusalem: 24 Molotov cocktails in one week - A barrage of bottles thrown toward Armon Hanatziv neighborhood from the Arab neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber. The (Jewish) residents are planning to move to live at the Jerusalem Municipality square. (Yedioth’s Friday supplement/MYnet)
  • Embarrassing: bulldozers opened the way for teachers - Dozens of teachers could not come to teach the children in the E. Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya on the first day of school because of the (police) barrier of concrete blocks. The blocks were removed after the village head promised there will be no stone throwing. (MYnet)
  • Palestinian stone-throwers can now face detention without bail until end of proceedings - Jerusalem court extends detention for two stone throwers, following release of new set of guidelines that call for harsher punishments for stone throwers. (Haaretz)
  • Jerusalem light rail stone-throwers to be sued for damages - In addition to criminal indictments, State Attorney will seek a heavy fine of NIS 40,000 from vandals over 18 for broken windows; 'There's no reason for the Israeli taxpayer to cover these damages.' (Ynet)
  • Poll: 52% of east Jerusalem Arabs prefer Israeli citizenship - Washington Institute for Near East Policy finds 70% of east Jerusalem's Arab residents support the two-state solution and "recognize the Jewish people's right to a state." Some 40% "recognize that Jews have some rights" to Israel, survey says. (Israel Hayom)
  • Monitor: Israeli settlers assault 3 Palestinians near Nablus - Israeli settlers on Tuesday evening violently assaulted three Palestinians near the illegal Israeli settlement of Shave Shomron in northern Nablus while they were returning from visiting the grave of Riham al-Dawabsha, another victim of settler violence. The three were treated at hospital. (Maan
  • Israeli woman wounded in Samaria shooting - Car carrying two Israeli nurses comes under fire in Hawwara village on Route 60 south of Nablus in Samaria on Wednesday. Wounded woman, settler from Yitzhar, does not require hospitalization. Israeli security forces launch searches in the area for the perpetrator of the shooting. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees after West Bank shooting - Israeli settlers from Yizhar on Wednesday set fire to olive trees in the village of Burin south of Nablus, after an Israeli settler was lightly injured in a shooting earlier Wednesday morning. (Maan
  • Israeli navy opens fire at fishing boats off Gaza coast - Israeli naval boats on Wednesday evening opened fire at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian security officials said. No injuries were reported in the incident. (Maan)
  • Ramallah district road opened after 15 years of closure - The closure of the West Bank road between Ramallah and the eastern village of Beitin forced residents to take a 20-kilometer route even though the village is only 3-kilometers away. (Maan
  • Poll: Most Israeli Jews Predict Netanyahu Campaign in Congress Will FailBut 70% agree Iran deal is existential threat, according to Peace Index; 68.1% of Israelis believe U.S. is committed to Israel's security. (Haaretz)
  • Israeli officials: Clinton's Iran remarks prove Netanyahu ties with Democrats are strong - Clinton says if she were president, she would meticulously enforce deal and work to thwart any negative Iranian activity in the Mideast. (Haaretz)
  • UN likely to back raising Palestinian flag - General Assembly to vote on draft resolution allowing non-member states to raise their flags at NY headquarters; 'It is a symbolic thing, but another step to solidify the pillars of the state of Palestine in the international arena,' says Palestinian envoy. (Agencies, Haaretz and Ynet)
  • Rivlin says he has 'exhausted' differences with PM over foreign policy - President says in interview with Army Radio that he hasn't met with Netanyahu in two months. (Haaretz)
  • World-renowned chefs headed for Israel - International culinary project to come to Israel in November, offering customers a unique blend of food culture in new and unique dishes. (Ynet
  • 50% jump in immigration from Ukraine over past Jewish year - Tel Aviv top destination among 29,500 newcomers to Israel since last Rosh Hashanah. (Agencies, Haaretz
  • Palestine hosts World Cup qualifier for first time - About 14,000 spectators came to the Faisal Husseini stadium in Al-Ram, near Jerusalem, and watched the Palestine football team play a World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates in a goalless draw. (Agencies, Maan
  • Israel ready with plan for UN conference on climate change - Every country is obligated to present their national target for reducing the greenhouse emission. (Haaretz+) 
  • Syrian air base falls to rebels, state TV reports - Rebel sources say Al-Qaida's Nusra Front had played a leading role in the capture of the airport in northwestern Syria. (Agencies, Haaretz
  • Moscow confirms Russian military experts present in Syria - Bulgaria says it would allow Russia's Syria aid flights if Moscow agrees on checks. (Agencies, Haaretz and Ynet
  • British Jews Come to the Aid of Refugees in Calais - But established community leaders’ reaction has been somewhat lackluster. (Haaretz+)
  • Dutch Jewish Activist: Arab Refugees May Import anti-Semitism - Esther Voet, editor of Netherlands' largest Jewish paper, says that the Gulf States, not the EU, should settle the tens of thousands of migrants. (JTA, Haaretz)
  • UAE defends decision not to absorb more Middle East refugees - The government released a statement Wednesday saying that it has extended residency permits to more than 100,000 Syrians since 2011. (Agencies, Haaretz


Commentary/Analysis:
The 'terror bill' that outed the Israeli left (Asher Schechter, Haaretz+) The Israeli left proves it's as culpable as the right when it comes to destroying Israeli democracy. 
Israel can't afford to take the risk Germany is taking (Yoaz Hendel, Yedioth/Ynet) Morality and justice are a significant part of the Israeli identity, but the need to survive is as important. That's what we learned from the old Germany, and that's why Israel can't take in refugees. 
A dark Israeli city afraid of outsiders (Haaretz Editorial) Fearing 'invasion' by Africans or Bedouins, Arad's mayor takes unilateral decisions that have no moral foundation, but highlight state's lack of policy. 
The girl wonder of Israeli politics is actually an opportunist (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Stav Shaffir, Israel's first lady of transparency, won't let any deal to help the afflicted take place without her.
Waiting for a precedent: Simple and common sense suggests that terrorists should be killed (Karni Eldad, Maariv) The chronicle of prisoner release exchanges repeats itself and acts of terror continue. So why do we fail to end the distortion of thought, according to which, we cannot demand the death penalty for terrorists.
Israel's anti-refugee attitude smells of anti-non-Semitism (Steven Klein, Haaretz+) With the rest of the world taking actions to receive refugees and Israel's historical success at absorbing them, why won't it let the African asylum seekers already within its borders stay? 
Lamentations for the Ancient Near East (Dr. Filip Vukosavovic, Ynet) The systematic attempt by various Islamic groups to completely obliterate everything they deem unfit, unacceptable and unholy is a change we may never recover from. 
The time has come to open our eyes to the Arab disaster (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) The dysfunction that made Syria so different from Indonesia, and Iraq so different from South Korea, was never recognized, diagnosed or treated.
He wasn’t on our side: Obama wants to weaken and isolate Israel (Oded Tira, Maariv) We aren’t losing our alliance with the United States, because there isn’t such an alliance. Not because of Israel's behavior, but because of the messianism of the American President. 
The American Jewish divide is about much more than Iran (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Since the 1960s, American Christians have been waging a bitter culture war. American Jews are now prominent combatants on opposing sides.
Europe's new migration era (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) The millions who want to leave the Arab world are the problem facing Europe.
As Turkey's army fights the PKK, Kurdish cities become battlefields (Zvi Bar’el, Haaretz+) A key question is whether the latent civil war will boost President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or make him look helpless against terror. 
Israel must continue to fight the Iran deal in Congress (Yossi Kuperwasser, Haaretz+) Ingratiating themselves with realistic radical Islam has become the lifeblood of democratic liberalism in the U.S., and of course in Europe. 
Would Joe Biden be good for Israel as U.S. president? (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) Like Obama, Biden seems to think he knows better than Israel's leaders what's best for the Jewish State. 
When I Said I Was Leaving Israel, I Got These 5 Reactions (Ilene Prusher, Haaretz+) 'How could you? Take me with you. It’s a good time to get the hell out of here.' Just a few of the reactions this writer has received as she packed her bags for a trip to America with no defined return date. 
Rosh Hashanah - The Jewish People's Job This Year: Cleaning Up Netanyahu's Mess (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) He stresses the responsibility he feels for Jews everywhere. But the opposite's the case: It's all of us Jews who are stuck with the fallout for what Bibi says and does.

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