APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday December 28, 2015
Quote of the day:
“…they also sing songs similar to the ones in the video (‘Burn down the mosque’ and ‘We will avenge one
of the two eyes of Palestine, curse them’), and while the Arabs shut themselves into their homes, the dancers
chant ‘Death to Arabs.’ Not only are the police there, they also try to prevent leftists from recording the
events.”
--Amira Hass describes a monthly religious Jewish event in the Old CIty and other reasons why Israelis should not be shocked by the ‘Wedding of Hate’ video.**
--Amira Hass describes a monthly religious Jewish event in the Old CIty and other reasons why Israelis should not be shocked by the ‘Wedding of Hate’ video.**
You Must Be Kidding:
“Professional literature to strengthen the IDF’s fighting spirit from Jewish sources.”
--The IDF military rabbinate’s description of the 25,000 books it bought for IDF soldiers, which include an illustrated children’s prayer book and “The Industry of Lies,” by right-wing journalist Ben-Dror Yemini.***
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Construction Ministry gave millions to planning in E. Jerusalem and E-1
- Ministerial Committee approved bill to tag human rights organizations
- The reading list of the military rabbinate: Braslev stories and criticism of the left-wing (by Ben-Dror Yemini)
- Head of Arrow missile plan dismissed due to security information breach
- State completing privatization of institutions for at-risk youth: 370 waiting for an open spot
- Clalit HMO: Mental health reform doesn’t give aid to many insured
- Ramat Negev will destroy the stalls of the asylum seekers in Holot Detention Facility
- Continue the struggle (to save the shoreline) // Haaretz Editorial
- Bypassed the law // Ora Koren and Zvi Zrahiya
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Sacked – Shock in security establishment: head of missile defense system, Yair Ramati, world-renowned brilliant scientist, dismissed when discovered he transferred “top secret material” to his private laptop
- Strange story // Alex Fishman
- The punishment for rape: community service
- This week: (Sarah Netanyahu) to be questioned under warning
- Special grant to every family with children: Hundreds of shekels
- Tomorrow: Olmert’s judgment day
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Head of Arrow missile program dismissed for security offenses
- NGOs bill approved by government
- Deputy Attorney General met with Duma (murder) suspects
- Enemies of the kingdom // Kalman Libskind
- Lowest in four years for apartment purchases
- Sentence for rape: community service
Israel Hayom
- Sky-high shock – Yair Ramati…dismissed from his position
- Sad ending to stellar career // Yoav Limor
- Tomorrow: Ruling in Olmert’s appeal
- Shalev Hazan, the soldier who suffered from nut allergy, died
- Third generation of air force pilots
- Convicted of rape – and won’t be sent to jail
- Terror continues: 3 soldiers injured in two stabbing attacks
- Ministerial legislative committee approved the NGOs bill
News Summary:
A top security scientist was sacked over a security breach, shocking the security establishment, the controversial bill to tag Israeli human rights organizations received cabinet approval angering many and a convicted rapist got a sentence of community service making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned Israelis of the retaliation that awaits them in response to the assassination of Samir Kuntar and two Palestinian assailants were shot dead in two stabbing attacks that saw three Israeli soldiers injured.
The controversial bill, which applies almost exclusively to left-wing NGOs, was passed by the ministerial cabinet and is expected to pass in some form by the Knesset. All the opposition parties, with the exception of MK Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, opposed the bill. The EU slammed the bill saying it was “reminiscent of totalitarian regimes.” Also known as the transparency bill, it only applies to NGOs who receive more than 50% foreign funding, but does not apply to those mainly receiving funding from private foreign donors, which are namely the right-wing NGOs. German MP Volker Beck, who heads the Bundestag’s German-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group said the bill was undemocratic, Maariv reported.
Meanwhile, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged threats. In a speech during a ceremony marking a week after the assassination of organization operative Samir Kuntar, Nasrallah said Israelis should brace themselves in Israel and abroad for the response. In a message reportedly from Israel, European diplomats told a Kuwaiti paper that "Israel will unleash a massive and merciless attack on Lebanon if Hezbollah retaliates for the assassination of Samir Kuntar.” Israel’s northern border remains on high alert. Syrian opposition said that the Israeli Air Force struck at seven Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, but Hezbollah and other Lebanese media denied any airstrikes.
A top security scientist was sacked over a security breach, shocking the security establishment, the controversial bill to tag Israeli human rights organizations received cabinet approval angering many and a convicted rapist got a sentence of community service making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned Israelis of the retaliation that awaits them in response to the assassination of Samir Kuntar and two Palestinian assailants were shot dead in two stabbing attacks that saw three Israeli soldiers injured.
The controversial bill, which applies almost exclusively to left-wing NGOs, was passed by the ministerial cabinet and is expected to pass in some form by the Knesset. All the opposition parties, with the exception of MK Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, opposed the bill. The EU slammed the bill saying it was “reminiscent of totalitarian regimes.” Also known as the transparency bill, it only applies to NGOs who receive more than 50% foreign funding, but does not apply to those mainly receiving funding from private foreign donors, which are namely the right-wing NGOs. German MP Volker Beck, who heads the Bundestag’s German-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group said the bill was undemocratic, Maariv reported.
Meanwhile, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged threats. In a speech during a ceremony marking a week after the assassination of organization operative Samir Kuntar, Nasrallah said Israelis should brace themselves in Israel and abroad for the response. In a message reportedly from Israel, European diplomats told a Kuwaiti paper that "Israel will unleash a massive and merciless attack on Lebanon if Hezbollah retaliates for the assassination of Samir Kuntar.” Israel’s northern border remains on high alert. Syrian opposition said that the Israeli Air Force struck at seven Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, but Hezbollah and other Lebanese media denied any airstrikes.
Quick Hits:
- Israel Renews Building Plans in Hot-button E1 Near Ma'aleh Adumim Settlement - Move comes a year after Netanyahu canceled similar plan for the neighborhood, whose construction would more closely link Jerusalem and West Bank settlement. (Haaretz+)
- Shin Bet was in contact with father of groom in notorious 'wedding of hate' video - Family claims text messages prove that Shin Bet knew about the wedding, participated in it, and could have stopped the event. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- "Latma" singer star reacts to the ‘Wedding of hate’: "I stopped singing because they waved guns in the air" - The [right-wing] satirist and wedding singer, Noam Jacobson commented on his Facebook page about the storm that followed the waving of the photo of the (murdered) Dawabsheh baby: "We need to do some soul-searching." (Maariv)
- U.S. Orthodox Rabbis Condemn 'Wedding of Hate' - The Rabbinical Council of America calls the Israeli government for efforts on raising values in Israeli society and to ‘work to prevent the awful acts it encourages.’ (JTA, Haaretz)
- Netanyahu comes out in defense of religious-Zionist sector - In the wake of 'Wedding of Hate,' prime minister stresses guests seen in the video celebrating murder of Ali Dawabsheh belong to a marginal extremist group which 'certainly does not represent religious-Zionism.' (Ynet)
- Netanyahu: No room for comparison between Jewish and Arab terror - Prime minister says 'there's a difference between Israeli society's healthy attitude and the PA's, which encourages terror. (Haaretz+)
- Deputy FM Hotovely: Israel to step up pressure on Brazil for settler leader's ambassadorship - Israel will use a number of channel to secure Brazil's consent to the nomination of Dani Dayan, the former head of the Yesha Council of Jewish settlements, Hotovely says. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- Senior official in Brazil Foreign Ministry: "Israel will have to find a new ambassador" - The source, who asked not to be identified by name, added, "The choice of Dani Dayan has worsened relations that were already made sour in 2010, when Brazil decided to recognize a Palestinian state." (Maariv)
- Fighting boycott, Knesset hosts gala for settlement-made wines - Following reports that editors of "The New Israeli Wine Guide" will boycott wineries from Judea and Samaria, members of the Knesset Land of Israel Lobby host a wine-tasting event and plan to publish a wine guide including every winery in the country. (Israel Hayom)
- Israel Looks to Address Funding Gaps for Arab Community With $3.9 Billion Plan - Arab lawmakers welcome 5-year plan in principal, but question whether it will actually be implemented. (Haaretz+)
- Gov't postpones plan to invest NIS 15 billion in Arab municipalities - Likud ministers raise objection to the plan that does not include mixed cities; five-year plan to include development of education, transportation, employment and housing. (Ynet)
- ***Some dubious titles on Israeli army rabbinate’s book list for soldiers - Volume on media ‘lies’ about Israel, kids’ prayer book among selections said to be ‘professional literature to strengthen army's fighting spirit from Jewish sources.’ (Haaretz+)
- ZAKA medic volunteer: "If a Jew stabbed an Arab, I would treat the Arab first because he is the victim" - Haim Foxman told Gabi Gazit about the treatment of the Jewish injured victims over the critically wounded Arab attacker at the recent attack at Jaffa Gate. The treatment was contrary to medical ethics: "Jewish morality requires us to first treat the victim." (Maariv)
- Massive funerals after Israel hands over terrorists' bodies - Despite pledging to keep funerals low key, thousands attend funerals of Palestinian terrorists whose bodies were handed over by Israel. Palestinian media reports say seven bodies were transferred, but Israel has yet to confirm. (Israel Hayom and Maan)
- Two construction workers killed in Israel - An 18-year-old Arab-Israeli was electrocuted and another unidentified man fell to his death in the latest casualties in the construction industry. (Haaretz+)
- Rivlin says warned in 1967 against extensive annexation of Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem - The president, then a young officer, says he was among those who warned Moshe Dayan against annexing parts of East Jerusalem in 1967. (Haaretz+)
- Minister: Toughen penalties for employing Palestinians illegally - "Israelis who employ illegal Palestinian workers put the lives of Israeli citizens at risk," says Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, as Arab violence against Israelis continues. Erdan proposes doubling jail time for offenders from two years to four. (Israel Hayom)
- 'New Commando Brigade needed to defend Israel against ISIS' - Growing regional threats require the IDF to make the most of its abilities, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot says at new unit's inauguration ceremony. Special forces' brigade made up of four elite military units: Maglan, Duvdevan, Egoz and Rimon. (Israel Hayom)
- Watch: Shachar Battalion trains at rescuing an elite unit from house that collapsed in a Palestinian village - The Home Front Command trained at a stressful scenario that simulated a situation where an elite army unit entered the military operations in enemy territory, in which there was suspicion of terrorist activity. (Maariv)
- Germans flock to Kibbutz for hummus and Hebrew lessons - Dor Asraf and Barak Krips open restaurant with the goal of creating a 'bridge between Israelis living here and this society'; bingo nights, movie screenings, and language exchanges over shakshuka are all the rage. (Ynet)
- Ostrich caught after strolling Jerusalem streets - A passer-by (or) the city's veterinary service workers caught the large avian, who escaped from its owner's home. (Times of Israel and Walla)
- Haaretz journalists awarded Israel's most prestigious journalism prize - Amos Harel, Haaretz's defense analyst, and Gidi Weitz, head of investigative reporting, win Sokolow Prize for 2015. (Haaretz+)
- IDF increasing fight against ISIS in Sinai - SIS-Sinai Province has become the terrorist group's most effective branch in the Middle East; Military Intelligence believe that an attack is likely be carried out in one of the towns near the Sinai border. (Ynet)
- Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher Donate $1 Million to Help Syrian Children - The sum is to be divided between two organizations, which help children in Syria and Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Iraqi Troops Take Ramadi From ISIS Militants - The army declares victory over the Islamic State in the provincial capital, the first major achievement since troops fled in defeat 18 months ago. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Rouhani: Up to Muslims to correct Islam's image - At a conference on Islamic unity, Iranian president makes a rare statement that it is 'our greatest duty to correct the image of Islam in world public opinion.’ (Agencies, Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel's New Bill 'Marking' Leftist NGOs: Yet Another Attempt to Shoot the Messenger (Aeyal Gross,
Haaretz+) Proposed law requiring heavily foreign-funded NGOs to wear tags in Knesset is
further a
NGO labeling: A biased and political bill (Tali Nir, Yedioth/Ynet) Rather than advancing transparency, the real goal of the proposed law requiring NGOs to declare foreign funding is to label and silence specific organizations.
Rabbis force Israeli military to rethink limiting religious influence on troops (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) IDF’s proposal to lessen authority of its Military Rabbinate hits fierce resistance from religious circles
Sinister motives: On the (NGO) transparency bill that Minister Shaked passed in the government (Attorney Yechiel Gutman, Maariv) Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked managed through the power of a coalition agreement that was signed at the last minute, to force the Ministerial Committee on Legislation to approve, in the name of murky transparency, the irrelevant amendment to the law.
Don't Complain About Hilltop Youth When Israeli Ethics Contradict the Rest of the World's Ethics (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) The thunderous laugh of history rang out Sunday after the government backed the bill forcing representatives of NGOs to wear a special tag. Oh, Europe of the benighted 1930s, we have returned.
We have already been there: Foreign Ministry is trying to formulate a response to the ‘PR attack’ made by the wedding video clip (Dana Somberg, Maariv) the ‘Wedding of Hate’ is is making waves around the world and the Foreign Ministry are formulating a response: "This is amazing raw material for those wishing to smear the name of Israel." Is it possible to use this (clip) to our advantage?
Blame Jewish Terrorism on Nationalism, Not Judaism (Rabbi Avi Shafran, Haaretz+) We should not conflate the abhorrent murderers of the Dawabsheh family, those who celebrated their deaths at a wedding and the hilltop youth with all Jewish Orthodoxy.
**Why Are Israelis So Shocked by the 'Wedding of Hate' Video? (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Thanks to the country's mainstream, the West Bank has become the land of unlimited possibilities for the average Israeli Jew. This is the soil that gave rise to those young dancers with their bouncing sidelocks and their guns.
For his own personal gain: The support Minister Bennett showed toward the Shin Bet was intended to pave the way for his entry to the security cabinet (Karen Haber, Maariv) Naftali Bennett's speech at the ‘Bisheva’ newspaper conference was indeed important, but it does not signify a solution to the problem, but rather first aid to the wounded political career of the minister.
Who’s to Blame for the Acts of Israel's Extreme Right Fringe? (Ravit Hecht, Haaretz+) Those who accepted the legal anomaly of the settlements from Day 1 and even encouraged them are suddenly looking in the mirror at the ugliest parts of their faces.
The Jewish Equivalent of ISIS (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) The Jewish extremists running amok in Israel have far more in common with the Islamic State than they realize. Both groups need to be confronted and destroyed.
NGO labeling: A biased and political bill (Tali Nir, Yedioth/Ynet) Rather than advancing transparency, the real goal of the proposed law requiring NGOs to declare foreign funding is to label and silence specific organizations.
Rabbis force Israeli military to rethink limiting religious influence on troops (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) IDF’s proposal to lessen authority of its Military Rabbinate hits fierce resistance from religious circles
Sinister motives: On the (NGO) transparency bill that Minister Shaked passed in the government (Attorney Yechiel Gutman, Maariv) Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked managed through the power of a coalition agreement that was signed at the last minute, to force the Ministerial Committee on Legislation to approve, in the name of murky transparency, the irrelevant amendment to the law.
Don't Complain About Hilltop Youth When Israeli Ethics Contradict the Rest of the World's Ethics (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) The thunderous laugh of history rang out Sunday after the government backed the bill forcing representatives of NGOs to wear a special tag. Oh, Europe of the benighted 1930s, we have returned.
We have already been there: Foreign Ministry is trying to formulate a response to the ‘PR attack’ made by the wedding video clip (Dana Somberg, Maariv) the ‘Wedding of Hate’ is is making waves around the world and the Foreign Ministry are formulating a response: "This is amazing raw material for those wishing to smear the name of Israel." Is it possible to use this (clip) to our advantage?
Blame Jewish Terrorism on Nationalism, Not Judaism (Rabbi Avi Shafran, Haaretz+) We should not conflate the abhorrent murderers of the Dawabsheh family, those who celebrated their deaths at a wedding and the hilltop youth with all Jewish Orthodoxy.
**Why Are Israelis So Shocked by the 'Wedding of Hate' Video? (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Thanks to the country's mainstream, the West Bank has become the land of unlimited possibilities for the average Israeli Jew. This is the soil that gave rise to those young dancers with their bouncing sidelocks and their guns.
For his own personal gain: The support Minister Bennett showed toward the Shin Bet was intended to pave the way for his entry to the security cabinet (Karen Haber, Maariv) Naftali Bennett's speech at the ‘Bisheva’ newspaper conference was indeed important, but it does not signify a solution to the problem, but rather first aid to the wounded political career of the minister.
Who’s to Blame for the Acts of Israel's Extreme Right Fringe? (Ravit Hecht, Haaretz+) Those who accepted the legal anomaly of the settlements from Day 1 and even encouraged them are suddenly looking in the mirror at the ugliest parts of their faces.
The Jewish Equivalent of ISIS (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) The Jewish extremists running amok in Israel have far more in common with the Islamic State than they realize. Both groups need to be confronted and destroyed.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.