--APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday January 16, 2016
Quote of the day:
"You’re the age of my son. How could you?"
--Mother of Mohammed Abu-Khdeir turned in court to the two youth on trial for burning her son alive, after telling the court how her life ended ever since. Her husband asked for the boys' homes to be demolished.
--Mother of Mohammed Abu-Khdeir turned in court to the two youth on trial for burning her son alive, after telling the court how her life ended ever since. Her husband asked for the boys' homes to be demolished.
You Must Be Kidding:
“The only thing that the Swedish Foreign Minister has yet to do is physically join the Palestinian terrorists and stab Jews. In light of her conduct now, we need to hope very much that this won’t happen.”
--Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman reacts to the call by the Swedish Foreign Minister for a probe into possible extra-judicial killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces in the recent wave of violence.
Breaking News:
- Shimon Peres treated for heart attack (Ynet)
- Palestinian shot and critically wounded after lightly wounding Israeli officer in stabbing attack near Nablus, Palestinian shot dead in thwarted stabbing attack near Hebron, says IDF (Haaretz)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Zionist Camp plan: Arrange status for the masses of asylum seekers
- Israel tried to arbitrate in the civil war in Sudan and promised the UN: We aren’t supplying the sides with deadly weaponry
- Likud court ruled: No primaries, Netanyahu is the Chairman
- A grand farce round // Yossi Verter
- Iran published photos of US sailors surrendering and being detained
- Unsual attack on the Gaza Strip: Air Force attacked cell that was laying mines on border
- Transportation Ministry announced it, but the price reduction for travel on trains and buses from the periphery was frozen
- Firefighters won’t (be allowed to) enter Bedouin communities without a police escort
- A father from (Arab village of) Tira requested, and Cinema City added Arabic subtitles
- Simply launder it // Haaretz Editorial
- Suicidal left-wing // Ari Shavit
- He leaked it and was harmed – Former senior official in Amidar public housing authority sues: I was fired after I exposed attempt to sell hundreds of apartments to associates
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The humiliation – The Iranian Revolutionary Guards documented the US Navy sailors, on their knees with hands in the air, after they mistakenly entered Iranian territory
- Diplomatic crisis with Sweden
- “G-d, let me get to the ceremony” – Sick father of murdered girl, Tair Rada, hopes to attend inauguration of synagogue in her name
- Victory over fear // Sima Kadmon
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Humiliation in Iran
- Cold front – Foreign Ministry: “Cutting off relations with Sweden is possible”
- Instead of the British anthem before the soccer game: A song about Jerusalem
- The bread thieves: A year prison for the heads of the bakeries
- Tragedy in center of country: Youth committed suicide a year after he complained of sexual harassment in his childhood by a teacher
Israel Hayom
- “Friendship” Iranian style
- And this is Obama’s Iranian legacy // Boaz Bismuth
- Today: Decision on fate of Mega supermarket chain
- High fever: “Significant rise in number of flu cases”
- Without discounts: Prison sentences for (CEOs of) bread cartel
- Elections for head of Likud cancelled; Netanyahu declared chairman
- After the attacks: In Jerusalem signaling that Swedish Foreign Minister is not wanted here
News Summary:
Iran ‘humiliated’ US Navy sailors, Israel warned it may cut-off relations with Sweden and could do without an ambassador to Brazil, and Likud cancelled primaries meaning Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will continue to be the party Chairman and making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, the quiet with the Gaza Strip was disrupted with an Israeli attack on a Palestinian cell planting a mine. Haaretz called it ‘an unusual attack.’ One Palestinian was killed, who was identified with the Fatah military wing.
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman called for Jews to stop shopping at IKEA (Yedioth reported they are still going) and to stop buying Volvos. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely suggested Israel possibly even cut off diplomatic relations with Sweden. At this point, Israel simply summoned the Swedish Ambassador to Israel for a talking-to after the Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called for a probe into possible extrajudicial killings of Palestinians by Israeli security forces in the recent wave of violence. This is the ambassador’s second rebuke in less than two months. In November after the Paris attacks, Wallstrom was asked about radicalization of Swedish youth, who fight with Islamic State. "Of course we have cause for concern, not just in Sweden but throughout the world, because there are so many being radicalized," Wallström replied. "And again, it reminds us of the situation in the Middle East, where the Palestinians see that there is no future for them and have to either accept a desperate situation or resort to violence.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman said Wallstrom was "not welcome in Israel" due to her "incendiary and aggressive" comments. Hotovely said, “Israel is closing its doors to Sweden." Minister Yuval Steinitz called Wallstrom 'anti-Semitic.' Meanwhile, a Swedish delegation was in Israel to learn from Israel’s security experience, Ynet reported.
Things aren’t much brighter on the Brazil-Israel diplomatic front. Netanyahu said either Brazil accepts settler Dani Dayan as ambassador or there won’t be one. (Also, Maariv)
Iran ‘humiliated’ US Navy sailors, Israel warned it may cut-off relations with Sweden and could do without an ambassador to Brazil, and Likud cancelled primaries meaning Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will continue to be the party Chairman and making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, the quiet with the Gaza Strip was disrupted with an Israeli attack on a Palestinian cell planting a mine. Haaretz called it ‘an unusual attack.’ One Palestinian was killed, who was identified with the Fatah military wing.
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman called for Jews to stop shopping at IKEA (Yedioth reported they are still going) and to stop buying Volvos. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely suggested Israel possibly even cut off diplomatic relations with Sweden. At this point, Israel simply summoned the Swedish Ambassador to Israel for a talking-to after the Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called for a probe into possible extrajudicial killings of Palestinians by Israeli security forces in the recent wave of violence. This is the ambassador’s second rebuke in less than two months. In November after the Paris attacks, Wallstrom was asked about radicalization of Swedish youth, who fight with Islamic State. "Of course we have cause for concern, not just in Sweden but throughout the world, because there are so many being radicalized," Wallström replied. "And again, it reminds us of the situation in the Middle East, where the Palestinians see that there is no future for them and have to either accept a desperate situation or resort to violence.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman said Wallstrom was "not welcome in Israel" due to her "incendiary and aggressive" comments. Hotovely said, “Israel is closing its doors to Sweden." Minister Yuval Steinitz called Wallstrom 'anti-Semitic.' Meanwhile, a Swedish delegation was in Israel to learn from Israel’s security experience, Ynet reported.
Things aren’t much brighter on the Brazil-Israel diplomatic front. Netanyahu said either Brazil accepts settler Dani Dayan as ambassador or there won’t be one. (Also, Maariv)
Quick Hits:
- Abu Khdeir Family Seeks Demolition of Jewish Terrorists' Homes Too - As court mulls sentence, parents of slain Palestinian teen say if killers houses had been torn down 'Dawabsheh family wouldn’t have been burned.' Prosecutors urge life sentence. (Haaretz+ and Times of Israel and Maariv)
- Little Ahmed Dawabshe on the way to Ronaldo - The invitation that made the injured child happy. He was burned on 60% of his body and lost his family in the arson in Duma. Now he has a reason for a first smile: Real Madrid invited the 5-year-old for a visit. (Yedioth, p. 18 and Israel Hayom)
- EU may demand compensation for demolition of donated Palestinian buildings in E-1 - Israel claims structures part of 'illegal construction' in controversial West Bank area, home to some thousands of Bedouin. (Haaretz+)
- 'EU funding illegal Palestinian construction in Area C' - Habayit Hayehudi MK Moti Yogev claims illegal Palestinian construction in Judea and Samaria is directed by PA and funded by EU nations • Yogev accuses Civil Administration of "inaction, incompetence, irresponsibility and abandonment" in Area C. (Israel Hayom)
- Tel Aviv terrorist gets late night burial in Arara - Nashat Melhem, who murdered 3 people on January 1, was buried after a low-key funeral, attended by only 80 people and under heavy police guard; at the end several participants cried out: 'Nashat died a martyr.’ (Ynet, Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
- Rivlin to family of Amin Shaaban who was murdered in Tel Aviv: "We will defeat the evil" - President visited the grieving family in Lod and said: "I try to visit all the families who lost loved ones because of the terrible terror. I share in your loss, which is the mourning of the State of Israel.” (Maariv)
- New Knesset Bill Seeks to Outlaw Breaking the Silence - Lawmaker from right-wing Habayit Hayehudi calls soldiers' anti-occupation NGO 'subversive.’ (Haaretz+, Maariv and Times of Israel)
- Catholic bishops prevented from reaching separation fence near Bethlehem - Cape Town Bishop tells journalists observations near the fence 'remind me so much of apartheid times.' (Haaretz)
- East Jerusalem Palestinian Gets Prison Time for Facebook Incitement - Obeidah Tawil confesses to incitement to violence and terrorism in plea bargain. Among other items, Tawil expressed support for car ramming and his hope that when his son grows up he will decapitate people 'and not just run them over.' (Haaretz+)
- Hamas sentences four Gazans to death for spying for Israel - Three of the defendants were convicted in absentia after reportedly fleeing to Israel. (Haaretz+)
- Goods to Gaza: Not during rush hour - Good news for residents of the south and problem for residents of Gaza Strip: Minister of Transportation prohibited trucks carrying goods to Gaza to travel on roads during rush hour. (Yedioth, p. 8)
- Discount supermarket allegedly fired Jewish workers for dating Arabs - Rami Levy denies accusations, says he was threatened by former exec after post goes viral (Haaretz+)
- Ex-Foreign Ministry director slammed for helping 'pressure Israel' - "His active participation in the boycott movement and cynical use of his status as a former Foreign Ministry official in the diplomatic arena tarnishes the foreign service and serves those who hate Israel," says Deputy FM Tzipi Hotovely of Alon Liel. (Israel Hayom)
- Firefighters barred from entering Bedouin towns without police escort - Decision comes after a fire engine was attacked Tuesday in Bedouin community of Segev Shalom and one firefighter was injured. (Haaretz+)
- Israel told UN it was not selling lethal weapons to South Sudan - Israel decided to halt arms supplies to South Sudan at early stage of civil war, and even attempted to mediate between warring sides, officials say. (Haaretz+)
- Three arrested on suspicion of inciting against Haredi soldiers - Suspects allegedly put up posters in with personal details and photos of Haredi soldiers, warning public against their 'military missionary work'; dozens of ultra-Orthodox protest arrests outside Jerusalem court. (Ynet)
- Zionist Union: Let African Asylum-seekers Stay in Israel - New bill would grant 41,000 from Sudan, Eritrea work permits, health insurance, and disperse them outside south Tel Aviv. (Haaretz+)
- Bennett’s candidate elected to key academic policy role - Leading professors protest the appointment of Dr. Rivka Wadmany Shauman as deputy head of the Council for Higher Education. (Haaretz+)
- Israel appoints new arbitrator on pre-revolution Iran oil pact - Iran is demanding over $1b for oil sold on credit, but Israel refuses to pay enemy state. (Haaretz+)
- From Bar Refaeli to Gilad Shalit: How Gazan hackers are targeting Israelis - A group of hackers from the Gaza strip have developed new software that grants access to computer systems of strategic Israeli companies and organizations. (Haaretz)
- IDF readying itself for threat from ISIS in the Sinai - A tense kind of quiet has characterized the Israel-Egypt border for the past year as Islamic State terror organization's forces have been combating Egyptian forces for some time, but Israel is now preparing for the possible day when the fighting crosses its border. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- 'Jerusalem' to become England's official national anthem? - The song, written by English poet William Blake, is already considered by many to be England's unofficial national anthem • New bill asks parliament to decide whether England needs an anthem separate from the United Kingdom's "God Save the Queen." (Israel Hayom)
- WATCH: Nikki Haley Calls Out Obama on Israel in Republican Response to State of the Union - 'We would make international agreements that were celebrated in Israel and protested in Iran, not the other way around,' said Republican Governor Nikki Haley in response to Obama's address, which did not mention Israel. (Haaretz)
- WATCH: As a Jew, its incumbent upon me to stand with Muslims, says DNC chairwoman - 'As a member of a minority religion myself, a religion, Judaism, that has been persecuted throughout our existence; it's incumbent upon us to stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters,' said US Florida politician Debbie Wasserman Schultz. (Haaretz)
- WATCH: U.S. college campuses 'won't give pro-Israel students a safe space' - 'I know when I speak on college campuses in favor of Israel, I need armed guards protecting me from radical leftist students who would use physical intimidation,' Alan Dershowitz denounces political environment on college campuses. (Haaretz)
Features:
IDF’s schnorrer culture targets donors in Israel and abroad
Why do individual units come begging to company executives and overseas Jewish communities? (Rotem Starkman, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Why do individual units come begging to company executives and overseas Jewish communities? (Rotem Starkman, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel’s ethical gatekeepers are asleep (Ido Baum, Haaretz+) The interior minister is an ex-con, a convicted PM received a light sentence, a
police commander tainted by scandal was reinstated, and the new AG shows problematic behavior.
Shameless: MK Mickey Zohar and Minister Naftali Bennet put us backward (Prof. Cielo Rozenberg, Maariv) Israel's 2016 model has increasingly adopted the sordid Zhdanovism of Stalin’s days, and even refines and adapts it to the cultureless style of its leaders.
Witch-hunt Against Left Wing Activist Is the Prologue to a Stasi State (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) One day, when things get out of control, some will be sorry that they collaborated or stood by, but by then it will be too late.
Israel Needs Another Kind of Left, One That Won't Commit Moral Suicide (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) A moral left should be faithful to the values of criticism and openness, not attack those that expose the morally repulsive actions of those on the fringes of the struggle against the occupation.
“Uvda” investigative TV program professes to be neither right-wing or left-wing, as if we are living in a Swiss bubble (Ran Adelist, Maariv) With regard to the program’s investigation on left-wing activist Ezra Nawi, things need to be kept in proportion: the right-wing groups are infected with thousands of violations of human rights, while the human rights organizations were now caught with one.
Israel's Dangerous and Kafkaesque Infatuation With a Stained Flag (Haaretz Editorial) Rather than cultivating an expansive national identity that fosters a connection with the Israeli flag, the government is persecuting an anarchist artist for defecating on it.
Close the Israeli embassy in Sweden (Former Israeli Amb. to US, Danny Ayalon, Maariv) Danny Ayalon thinks that Israel will gain twice over if relations with Sweden continue without an ambassador: “It’s not only a budgetary savings, but a message of deterrence, that Sweden is a marginal country and we do not depend on it. Maybe others will get the message.
Disturbing Photos of Iranian-held U.S. Soldiers Outdo Diplomatic Coup of Setting Them Free (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Republicans rushed in with rash reactions but may reap the rewards of the 24-hour 'hostage crisis': don’t forget, it's happened before.
Embarrassment on the high seas: Iran's humiliation of US sets the tone (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) The release of images depicting American sailors on their knees with their hands over their heads only days before removal of sanctions is part of an intra-Iranian struggle between moderate and the hawkish Khamenei; it also shows that while it won't seek unnecessary provocations, it also won't pass up an opportunity to embarrass the West.
Anti-democratic? Moi? Why Israel Ignores America's NGO Bill Warning (Asher Schechter, Haaretz) Israelis and American officials are going through the motions: Israel transgresses, the U.S. expresses concern. And on and on and on we go.
Coexistence and the status quo (Elyakim Haetzni, Yedioth/Ynet) If this intifada drags on or escalates to the use of firearms, it will eliminate the status quo, but not coexistence in the West Bank. Just like the Jewish settlements, coexistence has become a part of life in the territories.
The Duma Murder Is an Exception to the Already Violent Rule (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) The murder of the Dawabsheh family did not mess anything up because Israel fully backs Jews stealing Palestinian lands, a subtle form of violence.
There is no 'day after' Netanyahu (Edo Konrad, +972mag) Short of allowing Palestinians to establish an independent state, there is nothing Netanyahu won’t do to ensure his political survival.
American Jews' concern for Israeli democracy ends at '67 borders (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Anti-NGO law sparks protest because it infringes on a democracy that exists. In the West Bank, there is no democracy.
Ramat Aviv corner of Arara: In Tel Aviv, they don’t chase or neutralize (attackers), because they need to go buy memorial candles (Ron Kaufman, Maariv) Nashat Melhem pulled one over on us. With an old-fashioned rifle he killed three civilians here, and without SIGINT, HUMINT, and all the elite forces, until SWAT forces killed him, he walked around the country as if it were his own.
There's nothing progressive about Jews and Arabs kissing (Janan Bsoul, Haaretz+) The fuss generated by a video featuring Jews and Arabs kissing is actually evidence of the disconnect between the two communities.
Israel’s NGO law inspired by non-democratic regimes, certainly not by the U.S. (Frances Raday, Haaretz+) Ayelet Shaked’s proposed bill is no pale imitation of any U.S. law, as the justice minister has tried to suggest. Instead it transparently supports discrimination against human rights activism in Israel.
Israel’s evasion of moral responsibility (Gershom Gorenberg, Haaretz+) Former Israeli Interior Minister Arye Dery was jailed for taking bribes and is now returning to the exact same government ministry where he committed his felony. It’s kosher – but it stinks.
Do Bloody Corpses of Murderers and Terrorists Have a Place on Our TV Screens? (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) Showing gory images of dead terrorists may risk desensitizing us, but perhaps we need to see blood and corpses around us to understand that something is not right in our world.
Shameless: MK Mickey Zohar and Minister Naftali Bennet put us backward (Prof. Cielo Rozenberg, Maariv) Israel's 2016 model has increasingly adopted the sordid Zhdanovism of Stalin’s days, and even refines and adapts it to the cultureless style of its leaders.
Witch-hunt Against Left Wing Activist Is the Prologue to a Stasi State (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) One day, when things get out of control, some will be sorry that they collaborated or stood by, but by then it will be too late.
Israel Needs Another Kind of Left, One That Won't Commit Moral Suicide (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) A moral left should be faithful to the values of criticism and openness, not attack those that expose the morally repulsive actions of those on the fringes of the struggle against the occupation.
“Uvda” investigative TV program professes to be neither right-wing or left-wing, as if we are living in a Swiss bubble (Ran Adelist, Maariv) With regard to the program’s investigation on left-wing activist Ezra Nawi, things need to be kept in proportion: the right-wing groups are infected with thousands of violations of human rights, while the human rights organizations were now caught with one.
Israel's Dangerous and Kafkaesque Infatuation With a Stained Flag (Haaretz Editorial) Rather than cultivating an expansive national identity that fosters a connection with the Israeli flag, the government is persecuting an anarchist artist for defecating on it.
Close the Israeli embassy in Sweden (Former Israeli Amb. to US, Danny Ayalon, Maariv) Danny Ayalon thinks that Israel will gain twice over if relations with Sweden continue without an ambassador: “It’s not only a budgetary savings, but a message of deterrence, that Sweden is a marginal country and we do not depend on it. Maybe others will get the message.
Disturbing Photos of Iranian-held U.S. Soldiers Outdo Diplomatic Coup of Setting Them Free (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Republicans rushed in with rash reactions but may reap the rewards of the 24-hour 'hostage crisis': don’t forget, it's happened before.
Embarrassment on the high seas: Iran's humiliation of US sets the tone (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) The release of images depicting American sailors on their knees with their hands over their heads only days before removal of sanctions is part of an intra-Iranian struggle between moderate and the hawkish Khamenei; it also shows that while it won't seek unnecessary provocations, it also won't pass up an opportunity to embarrass the West.
Anti-democratic? Moi? Why Israel Ignores America's NGO Bill Warning (Asher Schechter, Haaretz) Israelis and American officials are going through the motions: Israel transgresses, the U.S. expresses concern. And on and on and on we go.
Coexistence and the status quo (Elyakim Haetzni, Yedioth/Ynet) If this intifada drags on or escalates to the use of firearms, it will eliminate the status quo, but not coexistence in the West Bank. Just like the Jewish settlements, coexistence has become a part of life in the territories.
The Duma Murder Is an Exception to the Already Violent Rule (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) The murder of the Dawabsheh family did not mess anything up because Israel fully backs Jews stealing Palestinian lands, a subtle form of violence.
There is no 'day after' Netanyahu (Edo Konrad, +972mag) Short of allowing Palestinians to establish an independent state, there is nothing Netanyahu won’t do to ensure his political survival.
American Jews' concern for Israeli democracy ends at '67 borders (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Anti-NGO law sparks protest because it infringes on a democracy that exists. In the West Bank, there is no democracy.
Ramat Aviv corner of Arara: In Tel Aviv, they don’t chase or neutralize (attackers), because they need to go buy memorial candles (Ron Kaufman, Maariv) Nashat Melhem pulled one over on us. With an old-fashioned rifle he killed three civilians here, and without SIGINT, HUMINT, and all the elite forces, until SWAT forces killed him, he walked around the country as if it were his own.
There's nothing progressive about Jews and Arabs kissing (Janan Bsoul, Haaretz+) The fuss generated by a video featuring Jews and Arabs kissing is actually evidence of the disconnect between the two communities.
Israel’s NGO law inspired by non-democratic regimes, certainly not by the U.S. (Frances Raday, Haaretz+) Ayelet Shaked’s proposed bill is no pale imitation of any U.S. law, as the justice minister has tried to suggest. Instead it transparently supports discrimination against human rights activism in Israel.
Israel’s evasion of moral responsibility (Gershom Gorenberg, Haaretz+) Former Israeli Interior Minister Arye Dery was jailed for taking bribes and is now returning to the exact same government ministry where he committed his felony. It’s kosher – but it stinks.
Do Bloody Corpses of Murderers and Terrorists Have a Place on Our TV Screens? (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) Showing gory images of dead terrorists may risk desensitizing us, but perhaps we need to see blood and corpses around us to understand that something is not right in our world.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.