News Nosh 03.17.16

by APN 03/17/16
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APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday March 17, 2016
 
Quote of the day:
"Here the regime has no intention of “supporting” the art world. It wants to buy it off. To domesticate it. To shut its insolent mouth, or at least compel it to deal only with “circuses” so that it’s thrown some crumbs in return."
--B. Michael writes in Haaretz+ that Israeli artists shouldn't let the state buy their silence, their collaboration, their fear, obedience and principles.

You Must Be Kidding: 
"We are not commenting on the issue."
--The response from Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon's office to a query about a Peace Now report that Israel has just made the largest land confiscation in the West Bank in recent years.

Breaking News:
Former Mossad Chief Meir Dagan Dies at 71
Dagan, who headed the spy agency from 2002-2011 and who fought in the Six Day, Yom Kippur, and First Lebanon Wars, underwent a liver transplant in Belarus in 2012. Netanyahu: 'He led the organization in daring, pioneering and groundbreaking operations.' (Haaretz, Ynet)
 
Israeli Woman Wounded in West Bank Stabbing Attack; Two suspected Palestinian assailants killed
The two assailants of the attack at the Ariel junction were shot. 20-year-old woman wounded and conscious.Witnesses told Ma'an that the two Palestinians were shot "dozens" of times. (Haaretz, Maariv, Maan and Ynet)

Front Page:
Haaretz
  • Rivlin asked Putin to act to return UN observers to Golan Heights
  • After years of no relations, Ashkenazi and Barak shook hands
  • Clinton close to winning in primaries; Trump: If I’m not the candidate, walls will be broken
  • The fear that Trump will help Clinton beat Sanders // Chemi Shalev
  • Lawyer of second woman accusing Buchris: She was also found speaking truth
  • Knesset Finance Committee approved: Salaries of senior managers of banks and insurance companies will be limited to 2.5 million shekels a year
  • Is the instrument on the half shekel coin fake?
  • Problematic message // Haaretz Editorial
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • The secret badge of courage – to the soldiers of ‘Sayeret Matkal’
  • (Former Golani battalion commander) Shai’s victory (over his injuries)
  • Smile of winners (Photos of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump)
  • Batman’s new car and the surprising Israeli connection
  • Exclusive interview with our new friend, Roseanne Barr 
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
Israel Hayom
  • “Your friend is leading in the race” – Donald Trump tells Israel Hayom: “I love Israel”
  • The Buchris affair: Getting closer to the moment of truth
  • State Prosecutor probing: “Associates of Shas party got certified for rabbinate more easily”
  • The daring (Sayeret Matkal elite combat soldiers) won, also a medal
  • History in economy: End to the outrageous salaries of senior (bank and insurance company) managers
  • First summit after the withdrawal; Rivlin to Putin: Israel is interested in continuing security coordination
  • (Big Brother reality show participant) Shai Chai tells all: “Big Brother will marry us”

News Summary:
Today’s Hebrew papers celebrated the salary ceiling for top managers in Israel, revealed that the general accused of rape will likely have to resign from the army, reported that Israeli President Reuven Rivlin lobbied his Russian counterpart to continue military coordination with Israel and to get the UN to return observers to the Golan Heights and the papers declared that US Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were the frontrunners.
 
The papers also reported that Israel is holding secret talks with Indonesia and they barely mentioned in the news was the Israeli confiscation of hundreds of acres of land in the West Bank.
 
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tsipi Hotovely revealed that Israel has been participating in clandestine meetings in Jakarta. Hotovely said that the reason that Israel did not allow the Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit Ramallah was because the understandings stipulated that a visit to the Palestinians would only be allowed if there were a visit with Israelis. Yedioth reported interesting details on Israeli efforts to win over Indonesian public opinion, through free trips to Israel, a website and invitations to Independence Day celebrations.
  
Maariv also reported in a meeting with 50 outstanding students from Harvard Law School Hotovely said: "The occupation is a political invention that is not backed by international law. It is another lie in the industry of Palestinians lies.”
 
After the US condemnation came German, French and UK criticism to the Israeli move to confiscate 2,342 dunams [578 acres] of West Bank land near Jericho and the Dead Sea for Israeli use. The countries said, as they always do, that they were “extremely concerned” and that the move violated international law and contradicted a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “This decision is, in our view, the latest step in what appears to be an ongoing process of land expropriations, settlement expansions, and legalizations of outposts that is fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution,” US State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters in Washington. Interestingly, most of the Hebrew newspapers did not report on it. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said the move was “In accordance with the decision of the political level and the examining of the professional authorities.” Peace Now said some of the reclassified property is already in use along Route 1 for road-side stands and restaurants. This includes the landmark gas station and rest stop Almog Al Haderech and that some of the land is inside the boundaries of Almog settlement, allowing it to move forward on a plan to build 358 new homes, Peace Now told JPost. Peace Now said the land -- equivalent in size to more than 250 international football pitches -- is the biggest reclassification since a seizure of 400 hectares in 2014. When asked about the report of the land confiscation, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon's office told Reuters: "We are not (commenting) on the issue."
 
Quick Hits:
  • Police, soldier to be charged for allegedly entrapping left wing activist - Cop, IDF officer accused of deliberately leading peace activist Ezra Nawi into committing traffic violation. (Haaretz+) 
  • 7 Palestinian children sentenced to prison for stone-throwing - The Israeli court on Wednesday in Jerusalem sentenced seven Palestinian children (three aged 14, two aged 16, and one aged 17) to jail time ranging from 12 to 39 months. (Maan) 
  • Palestinian teens detained for throwing rocks in Jerusalem - Five Palestinian teens suspected of throwing rocks and paint cans at the light rail train in occupied East Jerusalem were detained Wednesday. (Maan)
  • Tons of goods fail to reach Gaza after truckers protest tight Israeli security - Palestinian drivers demonstrate against alleged tighter security and stepped up police activity at a main crossing point for vital supplies reaching Gaza. (Haaretz) 
  • Despite promises, government delays demolition of terrorists' homes - About 230 Palestinians have attempted to kill Jews in the past six months, but so far only 10 homes have been demolished. One more has been sealed, and the demolition of the rest is being delayed by legal proceedings. (Ynet)
  • Report: EU funds Palestinian construction in Area C - British daily says EU has used taxpayer money to pay for construction of over 1,000 buildings in area of Judea and Samaria under full Israeli jurisdiction. Projects aims to "pave the way" to increase Palestinian control on the ground, report says. (Israel Hayom)
  • Settler who planned to protest in front of IDF general's home banned from West Bank - Roni Numa, the head of Central Command, accuses the right-wing activist, Tzuriel Hacohen, of plotting anti-government violence. (Haaretz+)
  • (Arab Israeli anchorwoman) Lucy Aharish was cursed, but responded:  “To which God do you pray?" - Media woman was invited by the Ministry of Agriculture to give lecture on the occasion of Women's Day and met with a barrage of insults from a young religious woman. "I went onstage with tears. I have lectured for two years and I've never run into such a low level of people," said Aharish. (Maariv) 
  • Honorable Speaker of the Knesset, Al-Knesset Al-Muhtaramah – Ahead of the first Arabic Language Day in May, Arab MK Yusuf Jabarain (Joint List) requested a permanent simultaneous translator in them plenum that would allow them to be understood by all if they gave speeches in Arabic, but Speaker MK Yuli Edelstein rejected the request: “I think the Arab MKs are doing the right thing when they speak in Hebrew on the Knesset podium.” (Yedioth, p. 23)
  • Former Defense Minister Barak: Israel Must View War as Last Resort - Ehud Barak joins former IDF chief of staff Gabi Asheknazi at launching of book covering the details of Israel's withdraw from Lebanon in 2000. (Haaretz+) 
  • Israel cancels weekly visit from Gaza to Al-Aqsa - Sources at the Palestinian liaison office said that Israel had called off the agreement, which previously allowed 200 Gazans above the age of 60 to worship at the holy site as part of a ceasefire agreement that ended the 2014 Gaza war, on the grounds that Palestinian worshipers were not on the same day they left. (Maan) 
  • Im Tirzu report exposes Israelis behind 'Apartheid Week' - Im Tirtzu: "The Israelis who take part in Israeli Apartheid Week are the ones who authorize, inflame and feed the boycott movement against Israel."  Numerous Israeli academics, filmmakers reportedly took part in the vehemently anti-Israel event. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israeli forces demolish 6 shops in Nablus-area village - Imad Hilal, owner of one of the demolished stores, said that Israeli bulldozers raided the market around 12 a.m. escorted by several military jeeps and demolished six fruit and vegetable shops, as well as a washroom. (Maan)
  • Israel demolishes structures across West Bank, East Jerusalem - In the village of al-Khader south of Bethlehem, Israeli forces tore down a two-story home under construction belonging to local resident Judah Masoud Mousa. (Maan) 
  • PM tells Ivory Coast leader: We are united against terrorism - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with Ivory Coast President Alassane Dramane Ouattara to express his condolences and the solidarity of the Israeli people following Sunday's al-Qaida terrorist attack at a seaside resort in the town of Grand-Bassam. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israeli culture minister, man who called her a 'whore' on Facebook to drop dueling lawsuits - Man to apologize to Miri Regev, who will condemn threats against him, which began after she published his name and address. (Haaretz+)
  • Arab boy achieves dream of meeting with Netanyahu - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invites Ali Salati, 13, of Nazareth, to a meeting in Jerusalem. Ali asks Netanyahu to do everything possible to bring peace to the region. MK Zoher Behalul helped arrange meeting after being contacted by Variety Israel. (Israel Hayom)
  • Kenyan-born Runner Wins Race to Attain Israeli Citizenship - Lonah Chemtai is finally becoming an Israeli. This August she’ll be racing the marathon at the Rio Olympics. (Haaretz+) 
  • Friends of the IDF raises record $33.1 million at New York gala - Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson contribute $10 million to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which recognizes them as "Defenders of Israel." Sheldon Adelson: If Israel and the IDF had existed before Second World War, Holocaust would not have happened. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israel ranks 11th in 2016 World Happiness report - Israel places above the U.S. but below Scandinavian nations, Canada, Australia. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
  • New Eilat area airport to open next year - First commercial flights at Ramon International Airport, north of Eilat, are expected to take place in spring 2017. The NIS 1.7 billion ($436.5 million) new airport will replace the smaller airport in downtown Eilat. (Israel Hayom)
  • Hamas Says 'New Page Opened' With Egypt, but Cairo Silent After Talks - As talks in Cairo end, the group pledges nonintervention in Egyptian affairs and says more visits are on the agenda. (Haaretz+) 
  • Hamas: 'Egypt’s security is Palestine's security' - The deputy head of the Hamas movement said Wednesday that common security concerns between Palestine and Egypt were confirmed during a visit by a Hamas delegation to Cairo. (Maan) 
  • Fourteen Palestinians Killed, 36 Wounded in Jordanian Bus Accident - West Bank passengers were reportedly on their pilgrimage to Mecca when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle. (Haaretz+ and Maan) 
  • 5 Egyptian soldiers killed, 10 wounded in attack on Rafah-area military base - The sources said insurgents targeted an ammunitions stockpile in the attack. (Maan) 
  • Two Jews arrested in Iran for spray-painting graffiti "Death to Haman" - Two boys aged 17 were caught writing on the wall in the center of the capital. US Jewish groups are working for their release and trying to convince the authorities that it was not political graffiti - but rather a Purim prank. (Maariv)
  • Syrian Kurds say they'll declare federal region in Syria - The Democratic Union Party, or PYD, is considering declaring a region of the war-torn nation as its own independent land, in similar fashion to the independant Kurd region of neighboring Iraq. (Agencies, Ynet)
  • UK's Labour suspends anti-Semitic member a second time - After tweeting in 2014 that Hitler was the 'Zionist God' and that Jews have 'big noses,' Vicki Kirby was suspended. Recently, however, she regained an official position in the party, leading to an uproar. (Ynet and Times of Israel) 
  • 49% of Poles think Israel is an aggressive country - A survey conducted by the Israeli embassy in Poland shows widespread misconceptions about Israel among Polish people, with 83% seeing Israel as a very religious country. (Ynet) 
  • Poll: Palestinians say political affiliation of US president ‘makes no difference’ - The poll, conducted by Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Survey and Research (PSR), revealed that while 27% of Palestinians said a Democratic US president would be better for the peace process, 16% preferred a Republican. (Maan) 
  • Poll: American Jews and Muslims United in Support for Obama, Democrats - In survey conducted at the end of January, Jews identify with being American more than Muslims, Catholics or Protestants. (Haaretz)
  • J Street: Donald Trump Is Unfit to Be President - A statement issued by the liberal Jewish American advocacy group claimed 'Trump lacks seriousness and capacity to advance American interests and to help Israel.' (Haaretz)

Commentary/Analysis:
It's Never Israel's Fault: Two Gazan Children Are Dead and Their Story Goes Untold (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) It’s not hard to imagine what would have happened had Hamas killed two Israeli children, brother and sister, with a Qassam. 
Israel's Artists Need to Tell Their Culture Minister She Can Keep Her Money (B. Michael, Haaretz+) In proto-fascist states – and Israel has long been one – there is no way to be close to the regime’s coffers yet remain liberated, to lick the ruler’s boots while continuing to create art for its own sake. 
Revealing the cards: This is how the year in foreign relations looked (Dana Somberg, Maariv) Against the background of the nuclear agreement with Iran and the boycott of Israel, in the past year the Foreign Ministry has had to fight for world public opinion without a minister to centralize its activities.
The Day After Netanyahu: The Center-left Needs a Plan (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) We have to stop running superficial ‘anti’ politics and start cultivating deep ‘for’ politics. We need a creative 1,000-day program. 
Netanyahu is pouting, Ya'alon is negotiating (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) While the prime minister decided not to travel to the US to discuss the new 10-year military aid package to Israel, his defense minister did fly to Washington to talk business with his American counterpart. 
A year since elections: The most significant activity in the field of law – was on the war on terror (Mor Shimoni, Maariv) Between the storm over the transparency law and the criticism of the Supreme Court, the most important legal actions over the past year was legislation in the field of the war on terror. 
A review of a year of culture according to Miri Regev: "I am proud to lead a war against freedom of speech" (Carmit Sapir-Weitz, Maariv) It was a turbulent year in culture, but if you examine it closely, almost nothing happened except for polarization, which continues to deepen. 
Israelis are happy because what else is there left to do? (Carmit Sapir-Weitz, Maariv) The first and thrilling government report on the subject of indexes of quality of life, sustainability and national strength. And, according to the report, for the Jews life is light and joy. That is, if you do not count all the hardships. 
Police Chief Mandated to Restore Public Trust Is Protecting Sex-crimes Suspects Instead (Haaretz Editorial) Roni Alsheich stepped into the role of commissioner after a series of scandals and sexual harassment allegations. Recent events put the appropriateness of his appointment in doubt.
Israel replacing US with strange bedfellows (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Israel is forging new relationships with dubious and corrupt regimes, fundamentally harming our longstanding alliance with America. 
A year after the elections: the question "What is the Likud's platform" remains relevant (Tal Schneider, Maariv) The enormous parts of the continue to see Netanyahu as an irreplaceable leader, even though he did not offer them any vision, demonstrates that it simply does not interest them.
Russia is a superpower again (Ariel Bolstein, Israel Hayom) With the announcement that Russia will be withdrawing most of its forces from Syria, that puzzle that is Putin became even more unfathomable.
On U.S. military aid to Israel, Obama should tell Netanyahu: Take it or leave it (Gershom Gorenberg, Haaretz+) Netanyahu's public bickering over U.S. defense assistance is embarrassing, and its timing is disastrous. 
Palestinian political disintegration, culture, and national identity (Jamil Hilal, Maan) The Palestinian political field, dominated by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) since the late 1960s, has been in a state of disintegration since the Palestinian Authority (PA) was established under the Oslo Accords. What has been the impact of PLO dominance and what were the repercussions of its disintegration for the Palestinian body politic? And to what extent has the disintegration of the political field affected the cultural field and its contribution to Palestinian national identity?
Can Jews Learn to Stop Worrying and Love Donald Trump? (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz) While some Jewish leaders frantically oppose the GOP frontrunner, others are softening their criticism and seem ready to fall in line should the candidate become the nominee. 
Brussels Terror raids: For the mothers of Molenbeek’s Jihadis, a lonely struggle (Esti Judah, Haaretz+) 'Our children are buying one way tickets to their graves': In a Brussels neighborhood infamous for being a radical Islamist incubator for the Paris attacks and the Syrian jihad, a mothers’ movement is trying to stem the tide, alone. 

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

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