APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday August 2, 2016

While News Nosh's Israel editor is on vacation during the holidays, we are publishing an abbreviated version produced in Washington and therefore it may be sent later in the day.

Quote of the day:

 

---

Front Page:

Haaretz

• Likud: Habayit Hayehudi leader is 'a darling of the left'
• Trump sets up Israeli campaign HQ to secure votes overseas
• Joint Knesset committee to promote anti-V15 bill

• EU anti-Semitism czar: Refugees not involved in attacks on Jews
• Government mulls new plan to move Amona outpost
• With bomb covered in poisoned nails, Palestinian tried to attack Jerusalem train

• Hezbollah dupes Israeli top brass into TV interview
• Elkin: Boost national service for Arab women
• Knesset cancels core subjects for Haredi schools

News Summary:
On Monday night, the Knesset canceled the reform set in motion by the previous government that would require Haredi schools to teach core subjects, such as math, science, and English, to receive government funding. The ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism set this as a major condition to joining Likud's coalition. 

The government is also seeking to move the Amona outpost, which the High Court of Justice has repeatedly ruled that it must evacuate. The current plan, leaked on Tuesday to Army Radio, aims to move Amona residents to 'non-permanent' homes on a nearby plot of land whose owners - Palestinians who fled during the 1967 Six Day War - are not known. 

Retired Saudi General Anwar Eshki was interviewed on Tuesday by Al-Shams radio, broadcasting out of Nazareth, about his meeting with Israeli senior officials and Knesset members two weeks ago in Jerusalem. He strongly denies that his visit was intended to normalize ties with Israel, to discuss Saudi business investments in Israel, or that it was sanctioned by the royal family. During his visit to Israel he met with the coordinator of government activities in the territories and encouraged dialogue on the Arab Peace Initiative. 

 

Quick Hits:

• Israeli forces delivered demolition notices Monday night for 7 agricultural structures and water wells in the village of Qusra, near Nablus. Israeli authorities said the structures were to be demolished because they weren't built with Israeli-issued building notices. (Ma'an News)
• Tablet Magazine covers the story of IDF Major Alaa Waheeb, a Muslim officer who fights for his right to defend the Jewish state. (Tablet Magazine)
• Neri Zilber, an adjunct fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy writes for the Daily Beast “How Israel Plays Syria’s Civil War." After half a decade sitting out the conflagration across its border, is Israel about to pick a side? In the article, Zilber quotes a senior IDF officer from the Northern Command who told him, “Lebanon might be the most explosive arena, and Gaza might be the most immediate, but the Golan Heights is the most dynamic.” (Daily Beast)
• The NBA reports that Amar’e Stoudemire has signed a two-year contract to play basketball for Hapoel Jerusalem. Stoudemire is quoted as saying this will be a “spiritual journey.” He has previously traveled to Israel to explore what might be his “Hebrew roots.” (NBA)
• “The world is changing and borders are coming back big time” say Saar Kouish of Israel’s Magal Security Systems. This company “wrapped Gaza in a fence” and has constructed barriers along Egypt and Jordan. They have their eyes set on the wall Donald Trump wants to build saying that “Mexico could be next.” That is, if he makes it. (Bloomberg)
• The Bank of Israel reports that as mortgage rates rise there has been a decrease in the number of mortgage originations. In their semi-annual report, the bank went on to say that apartment prices continue to rise and the inventory of homes for sale has reached record levels. State revenues were about NIS 3.2 billion higher than forecasted, and expenses were NIS 1.7 billion lower. (Globes)
• In an op-ed in Ynetnews Yaron London says, "The Knesset’s new 'regularization bill' seeks to legalize the status of a few dozen homes in Amona. But if the people of Amona can get retroactive legal approval for their illegally-built homes, why can’t the people of Israel’s Arab towns?" (Ynetnews)
• Last month an engineering student from Hebron University attempted to bomb the Jerusalem light rail with three pipe bombs and a large explosive covered with nails and screws dipped in rat poison. On Tuesday an Israeli court charged him with attempted murder, creating a weapon, and conspiracy to commit a crime. (Times of Israel)
• Netanyahu spoke with his new UK counterpart, Theresa May, wishing her luck in her new position. They discussed regional issues as well as ways to increase UK-Israeli cooperation. (Times of Israel)