APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday March 20, 2016
Quote of the day:
"This year, we brought fewer toy rifles and pistols; people are afraid of their children walking around
with these things.”
--Toy store owners in Jerusalem decided to limit the sale of toy guns and knives for the Purim Holiday.
You Must Be Kidding:
"The orange ISIS prisoner costume sold like crazy. It also has a collar of blood. It's really a hit. The costume is designed for adults, but there were also parents who bought it for their children."
--Eliran Ben David, who works at an Israeli store that imports costumes and accessories, noted the demand in Israel for an unusual Purim costume.
--Toy store owners in Jerusalem decided to limit the sale of toy guns and knives for the Purim Holiday.
You Must Be Kidding:
"The orange ISIS prisoner costume sold like crazy. It also has a collar of blood. It's really a hit. The costume is designed for adults, but there were also parents who bought it for their children."
--Eliran Ben David, who works at an Israeli store that imports costumes and accessories, noted the demand in Israel for an unusual Purim costume.
Front Page:
Haaretz
- At least two Israelis killed in attack in central Istanbul
- Circle with no way out // Zvi Bar’el
- Minister to discuss lowering voting age to 17
- Four months after Paris terror attacks, terrorist who escaped was caught in raid at a home in Brussels
- Sanders won’t participate in AIPAC conference: Rabbis calling for boycott of Trump’s speech
- Yaalon: Probe into transfer of military information to Breaking the Silence
- Policeman in warning talk with Ethiopian activist ahead of demonstration: “I want you to protect yourself”
- Stop the persecution // Haaretz Editorial
- Danger to the State Prosecution // Ido Baum
- When celebrities began living in the streets // Itai Stern
- 150 years ago, bears and crocodiles were here. A journey in the steps of the zoological fathers of Israel
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Inferno during foodie trip (to Istanbul)
- Senior member of Erdogan’s party Tweeted, “I hope all the injured Israelis die”
- Dangerous country // Alex Fishman
- Price of radicalization // Ben-Dror Yemini
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Inferno in Istanbul – Israelis killed and injured in attack in Turkey
- Activist in Erdogan’s party Tweeted that she hoped the (injured) Israelis die – and she was fired
- Israelis continue to fly to Turkey: “Tel-Aviv also isn’t safe”
- Travel agency managers aren’t worried: “We don’t expect a sharp drop in tourism to Turkey”
- The boomerang went back to Erdogan // Yossi Melman
- Straight to the soft stomach // Dr. Galia Lindenstrauss
- Organizer of Paris attacks was caught
- Parting from Dagan: former head of Mossad to be buried today
Israel Hayom
- Murderous attack on culinary trip – Inferno in heart of Turkey:
- The infuriating Tweet: Member of Erdogan’s party wished the death of (injured) Israelis – and was dismissed
- Gantz against ‘Breaking the Silence’: “They did something prohibited”
- In a full military ceremony: Meir Dagan will be laid to rest
News Summary:
A Daesh suicide bomber kills three Israelis (and an Iranian) in Istanbul and the fugitive Daesh attacker from the Paris attacks was caught in Brussels making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, the IDF opens a probe into a Channel 2 report that ‘Breaking the Silence’ collected confidential information, but the organization revealed it was approved by the military censor. And, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a long meeting with an Israeli author who pursues peace.
Israel is looking into whether the Istanbul bomber targeted Israelis. The Hebrew media appeared unaware that Arab MK Ayman Odeh said that six of the 11 Israeli citizens injured in the blast were six Arab-Israelis. A member of the ruling Turkish party sparked outrage in Israel for ‘Tweeting’ that she hoped the injured Israelis died. However, the Turkish Prime Minister expressed his condolences to the families of the Israeli victims. At first, the Turks suspected Kurds were behind the attack. But now it believes the suicide bomber was a Daesh man wanted for other attacks perpetrated last year in Turkey.
The Israeli Defense Minister opened a probe into allegations that suggested that members of the anti-occupation group, Breaking the Silence, were actively collecting classified military information. The group came under scathing criticism over the weekend, following a Channel 2 News report that broadcast videos filmed by the right-wing organization, Ad Kan. However, the group reiterated on its Facebook page that the “very classified information” mentioned in the TV report was approved for publication in full by the IDF censors. Senior security figures have come to the defense of ‘Breaking the Silence,’ including former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin and Brig. Gen. (res.) Amiram Levin, former Northern Command chief and deputy Mossad chief.
Iraqi Jewish-Israeli author Sami Michael talked with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a meeting that lasted longer than was expected, Yedioth reported. After he was personally invited by Abbas, the two met last week and talked in Arabic. Abbas lauded Michael for his efforts in the name of peace and for the humanistic messages in his books. “Both people have no choice but to reach a peace agreement,” Abbas said. Michael called Abbas a “brave man” for his efforts towards reaching peace despite all the difficulties entailed in that.
Weekend Israel-Palestinian Violence:
Israeli soldier lightly wounded in Hebron stabbing attack; 17-year-old Palestinian assailant shot and killed (Haaretz and Maan)
Palestinian who allegedly exited vehicle with knife was shot dead by soldiers
IDF said Mahmud Ahmad Abu Fanunah, 21, exited his vehicle with a knife and charged at soldiers. Witness said a settler in car next to him stopped and spoke to soldiers and pointed at him and when Abu Fanunah stepped out of his car he was shot dead. Hisham Abu Shaqra, a reporter for the Turkish Anadolu News Agency, was detained by Israeli forces after taking footage of the incident. No Israelis were injured. (Maan and Haaretz)
Israeli forces shoot, wound 5 Palestinians in Gaza clashes
An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed that Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinian protesters Friday east of Khan Younis along the border, saying that "dozens of Palestinians" had rolled burning tires and thrown stones toward Israeli troops. (Maan)
Israeli forces open fire at Palestinian farmers, shepherds in Gaza
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces deployed at the border fence opened fire Saturday on Palestinians east of Khan Younis, who were in nearby agricultural lands, with no injuries reported. (Maan)
Israeli forces shoot, injure 2 Palestinians with live fire
Village residents told Ma’an that violent clashes broke out between locals and Israeli military forces after forces raided the village of Tuqu east of Bethlehem. (Maan)
Quick Hits:
- Former Mossad Chief Meir Dagan to Be Laid to Rest in Northern Israel - Israel Prison Service denies Dagan family's request to allow incarcerated ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to attend the funeral. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli ministers to reconsider death penalty for terrorists - The bill, the flagship of the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party, is the same as one that the Knesset voted down last year. (Haaretz+)
- Bill that would limit donations to political nonprofits up for debate - Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to demand that the proposed amendment to the Party Financing Law be reworded to avoid hurting the Right-wing and smaller parties. (Israel Hayom)
- Israeli ministers to consider bill that would lower voting age to 17 - The legislation, which has broad political support, is an effort to boost voter turnout rates, but one think tank warns it could do the opposite. (Haaretz+)
- Israel made preemptive arrest of protester against Jerusalem Marathon - Mahmoud Abu Humus told the police: 'Israel must not hold a marathon in a place that’s Palestinian and the whole world says is Palestinian.’ (Haaretz+)
- Police drop charges against activist rabbi who fought Bedouin home demolitions - Rabbi Arik Ascherman, the president of Rabbis for Human Rights, had been charged in after he refused to vacate premises in a protest over the demolition of an unauthorized Bedouin Negev village. (Haaretz+)
- Bible Lands Museum brings together Jewish, Palestinian children - 'Image of Abraham' program encourages coexistence for Israeli and Palestinian students from Jerusalem. (Ynet)
- Officials in Northern Israeli Town Reconsider Dismissal of Teacher Over 'Offensive' Film - Labor court orders Baka al-Garbiyeh officials to re-examine firing Ali Muasi, who showed students Oscar-nominated film 'Omar.' (Haaretz+)
- Young Duma Arson Victim Meets Soccer Star Idol Ronaldo in Madrid - Ahmed Dawabsheh, who is now 5, is the sole survivor of the firebombing of their home in their West Bank Palestinian village, which killed his parents and younger brother. (Haaretz)
- 850 Gaza Christians receive permits to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem - The inflow of permits comes after hundreds were revoked from Palestinians in Gaza last month, and Israel froze an agreement earlier this week that permitted a limited number of Gazans above the age of 60 to travel to Al-Aqsa Mosque. (Maan)
- Hamas slams Israeli decision to freeze weekly Aqsa trips - Hamas made the statement on social media days after Israel on Wednesday 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. (Maan)
- EU Says Israeli Land Seizure in the West Bank Threatens Peace Process - The EU's foreign policy service issued a rare statement directly criticizing Israel for its appropriation of 579 acres near Jericho. (Haaretz)
- Purim in the shadow of terror - Holiday celebrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to continue as planned, with police preparing reinforcements and the Economy Ministry campaigning against firecrackers that could cause false terror reports. (Ynet)
- In Israel, new generation of ultra-Orthodox Jews integrating - High-school and higher education, enlistment in the IDF, and employment are all trending upwards among Israel's ultra-Orthodox, more and more of whom realize being part of the larger Israeli society doesn't have to clash with their religious beliefs. (Agencies, Ynet)
- UC board weighs statement condemning anti-Zionism - University of California's Board of Regents set to vote on resolution denouncing anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism. Proponents say resolution imperative. Foes say it would trample on academic freedom, squelch political criticism of Israel. (Israel Hayom and Ynet)
- World Jewish Congress assembly adopts resolution calling BDS ‘a manifestation of anti-Semitism’ - Special Plenary Assembly in Buenos Aires says Israel boycott movement is expression of 'anti-Semitic discrimination against the only true democratic country in the Middle East.' (JTA, Haaretz)
- Argentine-Israelis urge Israel to disclose past junta ties - Israel aided the military regime that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983, including by providing arms. Argentine Jews who immigrated to Israel are demanding the release of documents on these ties. (Haaretz+)
- Iran could escape UN sanctions over ambiguous resolution - Unclear guidelines may see Security Council struggle to enforce ban on ballistic missile tests, Case for sanctions weak, diplomats say. U.K.: Missile tests prove Iran's "blatant disregard" of understandings reached under nuclear deal with the West. (Israel Hayom)
- Protests planned for Trump speech at pro-Israel conference - Rabbis plan to urge attendees to boycott or walk out of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's speech at American Israel Public Affairs Committee gathering on Monday. Facebook group calling for walk-out has 300 members. (Israel Hayom and Haaretz)
- U.S. Imam Says Trump’s Muslim-baiting Rhetoric Made of 'Same Cloth' as anti-Semitism - Imam Abdullah Antepli, a partner in the Muslim Leadership Initiative in Jerusalem, warns that the 'cancer' will spread. (Haaretz)
- Senior Latvian Lawmaker: 'Smart' Jews Working to Undermine Country in Disputes With Russia - Karlis Serzants calls Jews 'mostly of a very smart ethnicity with lawyers [among them],' emphasizing that these Jewish legal experts were particularly skillful in operating 'on the edge' of the law. (JTA, Haaretz)
Features:
Breaking the Silence The Poem That Exposed Israeli War Crimes in 1948
A poem published by Natan Alterman during Israel's War of Independence criticizing human-rights abuses was lauded by Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, who even distributed 100,000 copies of it among soldiers; other such testimonies were made to disappear. (Yair Auron, Haaretz+)
The first Israeli at the UN's Peacekeeping Department
Major Jonathan Conricus, who serves in the United Nations’ Department of Peacekeeping Operations, is the first Israeli officer to hold any position at the UN. (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet)
Whither the Bedouin once their homes are demolished?
The High Court and European Union are wondering too. But the state hasn’t frozen plans to evict Bedouin who have lived east of Jerusalem since before 1967. (Amira Hass, Haaretz)
The warrior academics
Jews from all over the world move to Israel and enlist in the IDF every year as lone soldiers. Some come to escape anti-Semitism, war, or failing economies. Others come for a pre-college experience. But there are many who come after obtaining academic degrees, and decide to leave the buiness world behind. Why? (Eitan Goldstein, Yedioth/Ynet)
A Look at Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland's Jewish Life
Garland may have an extensive judicial record – he has more federal judicial experience than any other Supreme Court nominee in history – but far less is known about Garland’s Jewish bona fides. Here's what we do know. (Uriel Heilman, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel Needs Breaking the Silence (Haaretz Editorial) Instead of finding real solutions to terror attacks, Israel's government has embraced a nasty strategy of wild incitement against a human rights organization.
The boomerang returns to Erdogan: His gamble did not pay, Turkey is in a total war (Yossi Melman, Maariv) It was the president of Turkey who put an end to the peace talks and actually declared war on the PKK. Now is involved in an all-out war with the Kurds in his country and also against their brothers in Syria and Iraq.
Anti-Zionism isn't a 'form of discrimination,' and it's not anti-Semitism (Rabbi Brant Rosen, Haaretz+) The University of California's draft 'Statement of Principles against Intolerance' conflates both, a grave error that could end up with restrictions on Palestinian solidarity groups on campus.
The last operation: Dagan was determined to take advantage of every minute of the time he had left to try to bring about a (political) change in the direction (of the country) (Ben Caspit, Maariv) He fought in all the wars since the Six-Day War, he was seriously wounded, he was decorated, and he did not break. In recent years, he looked at what is going on in the country and panicked. His body was getting fading, shrinking and getting weaker, but his voice still echoed, loud and clear.
The quintessential Israeli (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) Former Mossad Director Meir Dagan was a man of conviction, even when the truth made others uncomfortable.
How Meir Dagan restored the Mossad to its former glory (Ronen Bergman, Ynet) Ariel Sharon always had respect for Meir Dagan and chose him to lead the intelligence agency in the hopes that he would revitalize the organization's deterrence capabilities; Dagan immediately set out revolutionizing the Mossad, overhauling its mission, despite fervent internal opposition. Whatever it took to prevent the next war.
The art of intelligence (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom) From daring operations worldwide through mysterious assassinations of arch terrorists in faraway lands to cementing the Mossad's status in the global intelligence community, Israel Hayom offers a look at late Mossad Director Meir Dagan's glorious career.
The story of Meir Dagan, the 'Arab eater,’ who learned the limits of power (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The security man had a long path, a character of contrasts and a unique world view. Dagan's journey, from commando raids in the Gaza Strip to head-on collisions with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
A fighter to the end: Meir Dagan's daring life (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet) Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan died on Thursday morning at 71; his extraordinary life put him right in the center of Israeli history.
After Meir Dagan’s death, what will happen with the idea to build an island off Gaza? (Udi Segal, Maariv) His involvement in promoting the plan to build an artificial island in front of Gaza displays the character of the former Mossad head: the man who believed in thwarting and preventing and not in responding and putting out fires.
With 'death for terrorists' bill, Israel risks joining a very dubious club (Friday Haaretz Editorial) Space will not suffice to enumerate all the arguments against the death penalty, now that bill calling for the death penalty for terrorists has been resurrected.
Turkey Adhering to Military Option, Despite Terror Attacks (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke off talks with the Kurds last June. Despite the wave of terror acts, including Saturday's in Istanbul, he's still talking tough.
While You Slept, Two More Palestinian Children Died (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) The only searing of consciousness achieved here over the last decade was inwardly directed: The Palestinians have become non-existent, six months into the intifada of the invisible.
Terror unifies (Ronni Shaked, Yedioth/Ynet) The unifying force of terror and incitement is the only glue that holds Palestinian society together. Therefore, a complex, overarching solution is needed in order to stop this current wave of violence.
AIPAC Is Destroying Israel, Not Safeguarding It (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) AIPAC corrupted Israel, teaching it that everything is permissible: The day AIPAC weakens, Israel will grow stronger, forced to stand on its own two feet and be more moral.
The failed effort to halt Palestinian incitement (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) Israel tried and failed to interfere with Hamas TV's signal and is now focusing on social media; we can certainly expect this violence to continue for many months.
Who Will Help the Underprivileged Bedouin Soldier? (Tali Heruti-Sover, Haaretz+) Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak just donated more than 500,000 shekels to veterans of an elite IDF unit. Laudable though that is, there are undoubtedly more needy causes.
Fear of ISIS and Sunni Extremism Clouding Hadash Party’s Judgment (Avraham Burg, Haaretz+) The party’s condemnation of Arab organizations for listing Hezbollah as a terror organization highlights what they see as an even bigger problem.
US ELECTIONS AND ISRAEL:
Between Trump and Hitler (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) American Jews should douse their hysteria and learn from other Jewish communities worldwide that engage with demagogues and even dictators.
Let Trump Speak: The Case Against Disrupting His AIPAC Speech (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) Putting emotions and righteousness aside, anyone who truly cares about Israel’s future has to ask whether mega-protests and walkouts are really the wisest political moves.
Nu, Bernie Sanders, Instead of Shvitzing You Can Still Come Talk to AIPAC (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The Jewish presidential candidate should seize the chance to speak some inconvenient truths about Israel, to an audience that never hears them.
Protesting Bigots and Demagogues at AIPAC? Don’t Stop at Trump. Call Out Netanyahu Too (Roy Isacowitz, Haaretz+) American Jews are capable of recognizing the potential fascism of Trump, but not the existing tyranny of Israel’s rule over the Palestinians, under the decade-long leadership of Netanyahu.
Down with Trump: Hating each other is not the answer (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) Donald Trump and others are able to inject hatred and racism into the hearts of the masses, to fan the flames of enmity among the deprived and the oppressed. It’s going to take something major to stop the rot.
A poem published by Natan Alterman during Israel's War of Independence criticizing human-rights abuses was lauded by Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, who even distributed 100,000 copies of it among soldiers; other such testimonies were made to disappear. (Yair Auron, Haaretz+)
The first Israeli at the UN's Peacekeeping Department
Major Jonathan Conricus, who serves in the United Nations’ Department of Peacekeeping Operations, is the first Israeli officer to hold any position at the UN. (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet)
Whither the Bedouin once their homes are demolished?
The High Court and European Union are wondering too. But the state hasn’t frozen plans to evict Bedouin who have lived east of Jerusalem since before 1967. (Amira Hass, Haaretz)
The warrior academics
Jews from all over the world move to Israel and enlist in the IDF every year as lone soldiers. Some come to escape anti-Semitism, war, or failing economies. Others come for a pre-college experience. But there are many who come after obtaining academic degrees, and decide to leave the buiness world behind. Why? (Eitan Goldstein, Yedioth/Ynet)
A Look at Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland's Jewish Life
Garland may have an extensive judicial record – he has more federal judicial experience than any other Supreme Court nominee in history – but far less is known about Garland’s Jewish bona fides. Here's what we do know. (Uriel Heilman, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel Needs Breaking the Silence (Haaretz Editorial) Instead of finding real solutions to terror attacks, Israel's government has embraced a nasty strategy of wild incitement against a human rights organization.
The boomerang returns to Erdogan: His gamble did not pay, Turkey is in a total war (Yossi Melman, Maariv) It was the president of Turkey who put an end to the peace talks and actually declared war on the PKK. Now is involved in an all-out war with the Kurds in his country and also against their brothers in Syria and Iraq.
Anti-Zionism isn't a 'form of discrimination,' and it's not anti-Semitism (Rabbi Brant Rosen, Haaretz+) The University of California's draft 'Statement of Principles against Intolerance' conflates both, a grave error that could end up with restrictions on Palestinian solidarity groups on campus.
The last operation: Dagan was determined to take advantage of every minute of the time he had left to try to bring about a (political) change in the direction (of the country) (Ben Caspit, Maariv) He fought in all the wars since the Six-Day War, he was seriously wounded, he was decorated, and he did not break. In recent years, he looked at what is going on in the country and panicked. His body was getting fading, shrinking and getting weaker, but his voice still echoed, loud and clear.
The quintessential Israeli (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) Former Mossad Director Meir Dagan was a man of conviction, even when the truth made others uncomfortable.
How Meir Dagan restored the Mossad to its former glory (Ronen Bergman, Ynet) Ariel Sharon always had respect for Meir Dagan and chose him to lead the intelligence agency in the hopes that he would revitalize the organization's deterrence capabilities; Dagan immediately set out revolutionizing the Mossad, overhauling its mission, despite fervent internal opposition. Whatever it took to prevent the next war.
The art of intelligence (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom) From daring operations worldwide through mysterious assassinations of arch terrorists in faraway lands to cementing the Mossad's status in the global intelligence community, Israel Hayom offers a look at late Mossad Director Meir Dagan's glorious career.
The story of Meir Dagan, the 'Arab eater,’ who learned the limits of power (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The security man had a long path, a character of contrasts and a unique world view. Dagan's journey, from commando raids in the Gaza Strip to head-on collisions with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
A fighter to the end: Meir Dagan's daring life (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet) Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan died on Thursday morning at 71; his extraordinary life put him right in the center of Israeli history.
After Meir Dagan’s death, what will happen with the idea to build an island off Gaza? (Udi Segal, Maariv) His involvement in promoting the plan to build an artificial island in front of Gaza displays the character of the former Mossad head: the man who believed in thwarting and preventing and not in responding and putting out fires.
With 'death for terrorists' bill, Israel risks joining a very dubious club (Friday Haaretz Editorial) Space will not suffice to enumerate all the arguments against the death penalty, now that bill calling for the death penalty for terrorists has been resurrected.
Turkey Adhering to Military Option, Despite Terror Attacks (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke off talks with the Kurds last June. Despite the wave of terror acts, including Saturday's in Istanbul, he's still talking tough.
While You Slept, Two More Palestinian Children Died (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) The only searing of consciousness achieved here over the last decade was inwardly directed: The Palestinians have become non-existent, six months into the intifada of the invisible.
Terror unifies (Ronni Shaked, Yedioth/Ynet) The unifying force of terror and incitement is the only glue that holds Palestinian society together. Therefore, a complex, overarching solution is needed in order to stop this current wave of violence.
AIPAC Is Destroying Israel, Not Safeguarding It (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) AIPAC corrupted Israel, teaching it that everything is permissible: The day AIPAC weakens, Israel will grow stronger, forced to stand on its own two feet and be more moral.
The failed effort to halt Palestinian incitement (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) Israel tried and failed to interfere with Hamas TV's signal and is now focusing on social media; we can certainly expect this violence to continue for many months.
Who Will Help the Underprivileged Bedouin Soldier? (Tali Heruti-Sover, Haaretz+) Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak just donated more than 500,000 shekels to veterans of an elite IDF unit. Laudable though that is, there are undoubtedly more needy causes.
Fear of ISIS and Sunni Extremism Clouding Hadash Party’s Judgment (Avraham Burg, Haaretz+) The party’s condemnation of Arab organizations for listing Hezbollah as a terror organization highlights what they see as an even bigger problem.
US ELECTIONS AND ISRAEL:
Between Trump and Hitler (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) American Jews should douse their hysteria and learn from other Jewish communities worldwide that engage with demagogues and even dictators.
Let Trump Speak: The Case Against Disrupting His AIPAC Speech (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) Putting emotions and righteousness aside, anyone who truly cares about Israel’s future has to ask whether mega-protests and walkouts are really the wisest political moves.
Nu, Bernie Sanders, Instead of Shvitzing You Can Still Come Talk to AIPAC (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The Jewish presidential candidate should seize the chance to speak some inconvenient truths about Israel, to an audience that never hears them.
Protesting Bigots and Demagogues at AIPAC? Don’t Stop at Trump. Call Out Netanyahu Too (Roy Isacowitz, Haaretz+) American Jews are capable of recognizing the potential fascism of Trump, but not the existing tyranny of Israel’s rule over the Palestinians, under the decade-long leadership of Netanyahu.
Down with Trump: Hating each other is not the answer (Sayed Kashua, Haaretz+) Donald Trump and others are able to inject hatred and racism into the hearts of the masses, to fan the flames of enmity among the deprived and the oppressed. It’s going to take something major to stop the rot.
Interviews:
Trump: If I win, it will be incredible news for Israel
In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says: "If the Republican establishment stops me from running, it would be a disaster for America." "Hillary Clinton has always failed," he says of his rival. (Interviewed by Boaz Bismuth in Israel Hayom)
The widow of Rabbi Froman: "It's an oxymoron, the settlements are the outstretched hand for peace"
In the midst of a wave of terrorism, the rabbi’s widow, Hadassah, is organizing an event at the bloody Gush Etzion junction, where settlers and Palestinians meet to talk about freedom. (Interviewed by Sara Beck in Maariv)
Trump: If I win, it will be incredible news for Israel
In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says: "If the Republican establishment stops me from running, it would be a disaster for America." "Hillary Clinton has always failed," he says of his rival. (Interviewed by Boaz Bismuth in Israel Hayom)
The widow of Rabbi Froman: "It's an oxymoron, the settlements are the outstretched hand for peace"
In the midst of a wave of terrorism, the rabbi’s widow, Hadassah, is organizing an event at the bloody Gush Etzion junction, where settlers and Palestinians meet to talk about freedom. (Interviewed by Sara Beck in Maariv)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.