APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday November 10, 2016
Quote of the day:
"He does not carry in his genes the genetics that every American politician (including
Hillary) carries: the deep automatic commitment to Israel in any situation and in any weather. Trump broke all
possible rules and it will not be a problem, if he wishes, to smash that one, too. Therefore, I don't think any
one in Jerusalem opened bottles of champagne the morning after the elections."
--Senior Maariv political commentator Ben Caspit writes about US President-elect Donald Trump and Israel.*
--Senior Maariv political commentator Ben Caspit writes about US President-elect Donald Trump and Israel.*
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Shock across the world: Trump was elected President
- Clinton to women: We didn’t break the glass ceiling, but it will still happen
- Merkel was left alone in the battle for liberal values in the West // Ofer Aderet
- Bennett: This is an opportunity; the era of the Palestinian state is over
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Shocked the world: US President, Donald Trump – Trump’s America
- (Hillary Clinton:) “It will hurt for a long time”
Maariv This Week
- The Trump era
- Clinton in her concession speech
Israel Hayom
- President Trump
- American revolution: Donald Trump is the 45th President of the USA; Declared: “This is the time to reunite America”
- Netanyahu called to congratulate, Trump invited the Prime Minister for a meeting at the White House
- (Photo of Hillary Clinton with caption “Clinton’s shock”
- Half a century of diplomatic relations: Russian Prime Minister arrived in Israel for visit
- The drama numbers: How did the Americans vote?
- Not just in the White House: The Republicans kept the majority in the Senate and in the House of Representatives
- The new administration: Gingrich, Giuliani and Christie – this is how Trump’s inner circle will look
- The First Family: From Donald to Barron – the new residents of the White House
News Summary:
Today Israeli commentators and analysts filled the pages of the Hebrew newspapers as they looked at how Donald Trump won the US presidential elections, what that means for America and what it means for Israel. (See Commentary/Analysis below.) Features looked at the biography of Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, (Yedioth included a blurred porn photo of her) and how the pollsters got it so wrong.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called to congratulate Trump (and got a future invitation for “the earliest opportunity” to the White House) and Israeli ministers and right-wing MKs said it was the ‘end of the two-state solution,’ but the Israeli commentators believed that nothing was really clear about Trump’s future policies towards Israel. (See Commentary/Analysis below) As Ben Caspit wrote, “he doesn’t owe anyone anything.” That said, top Trump adviser Jason Greenblatt told Israel Army Radio today that the president-elect doesn't think Israeli settlements should be condemned and they don't pose an "obstacle to peace” – which is a stark departure from America's stance that West Bank settlement construction harms the creation of a future Palestinian state. Palestinians didn’t have high hopes that the occupation would end during Trump’s term. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent Trump a congratulation message and expressed his hopes for “just and comprehensive peace” in the Middle East and the world. A Hamas spokesman said that Palestinians are not expecting any change in US policy, which he described as being 'based on bias.'
Today Israeli commentators and analysts filled the pages of the Hebrew newspapers as they looked at how Donald Trump won the US presidential elections, what that means for America and what it means for Israel. (See Commentary/Analysis below.) Features looked at the biography of Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, (Yedioth included a blurred porn photo of her) and how the pollsters got it so wrong.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called to congratulate Trump (and got a future invitation for “the earliest opportunity” to the White House) and Israeli ministers and right-wing MKs said it was the ‘end of the two-state solution,’ but the Israeli commentators believed that nothing was really clear about Trump’s future policies towards Israel. (See Commentary/Analysis below) As Ben Caspit wrote, “he doesn’t owe anyone anything.” That said, top Trump adviser Jason Greenblatt told Israel Army Radio today that the president-elect doesn't think Israeli settlements should be condemned and they don't pose an "obstacle to peace” – which is a stark departure from America's stance that West Bank settlement construction harms the creation of a future Palestinian state. Palestinians didn’t have high hopes that the occupation would end during Trump’s term. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent Trump a congratulation message and expressed his hopes for “just and comprehensive peace” in the Middle East and the world. A Hamas spokesman said that Palestinians are not expecting any change in US policy, which he described as being 'based on bias.'
Quick Hits:
- Stabbing attempt in the West Bank - No [Israeli - OH] injuries reported after the terrorist, who was neutralized at the scene, attempted to stab an IDF soldier using a screwdriver. (Ynet and Maan)
- Palestinian sentenced to 16 years in prison over 2015 stabbing attack - Miqdad al-Hih, 27, was detained in October 2015 after carrying out a stabbing attack with another Palestinian in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh, moderately injuring a young Israeli man. (Maan)
- Prosecution calls for 2 Palestinian children to serve 2 years in juvenile detention center - Defense lawyers Muhammad Mahmoud and Lea Tsemel said they reached an agreement with the Israeli prosecution regarding the sentence for Shadi Anwar Farrah, and Ahmad Raed Zaatari, both 13-years old, over alleged knife possession and attempted murder. The details of exact accusations remained unclear. (Maan)
- Israel demolishes commercial and residential structures across East Jerusalem - The car wash, which was demolished without prior notice, was owned by two brothers and had been in business for four and a half years before the demolition. (Maan)
- No Injuries as Mortar From Syria Lands in Northern Golan Heights - IDF attacks Syrian Army artillery battery in the Quneitra area in response to the mortar fire. (Haaretz)
- Israelis raid Al-Aqsa amid Israeli MP demands to change status quo - At least 100 Jewish Israelis, including students, escorted by Israeli police toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Wednesday, while the Islamic Endowment (Waqf) condemned recent attempts by Israeli politicians to challenge the status quo at the holy site. (Maan)
- Custodian of Muslim Holy Sites Slams Israeli Politicians Over Temple Mount Remarks - The Waqf warns the newly formed Knesset caucus that a change in the status quo on the Mount could ignite the Muslim world. (Haaretz)
- The noise of the muezzin ruled: A bill to ban public address systems reaches the Knesset - Are you suffering from noise from houses of prayer? You can soon sleep properly without waking up from noise. MK Moti Yogev (Habayit Hayehudi) proposed bill that will ban mosques from using loudspeakers to make the call to prayer. Yogev: "Freedom of religion should not impair the quality of life." (Maariv)
- Committee pleads for cancer patient to be allowed out of Gaza to access treatment in Egypt - The Fatah movement’s prisoners committee in the Gaza Strip said that urgent action was needed to save the life of Sabr Suleiman Abd al-Qader Abu Laban, who has been waiting to travel to Egypt to receive medical care for his liver cancer for more than 7 months. (Maan)
- Israeli bulldozers enter southern Gaza, level lands - Witnesses also told Ma’an that Israeli forces deployed in military towers east of al-Wadi area also opened fire toward Palestinian lands. No injuries were reported. (Maan)
- Behind Netanyahu's Belligerent Response to Israeli Journalist - PM's response to TV journalist Ilana Dayan's critical report on workings of his bureau, and interference by his wife Sara, was disproportionate, his associates say. (Haaretz+)
- MK Oren Hazan: "Most people speak and express themselves like Donald Trump" - The (controversial) Likud MK who predicted the rise of the US president claimed: "You are not connected to reality, if something is beautiful, we say it is beautiful." Then he added: "At the age of 13, I said I'll be prime minister one day.” (Maariv)
- Jewish Organizations Congratulate Trump, Call for National Unity - 'Any expression of bigotry and exclusion must never be allowed to corrode our pluralistic fabric,' says American Jewish Committee in statement. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Israel Razes Jerusalem Home of Jewish Family, Evicting Them After 60 Years - Authorities plan to evict another 12 Jewish families who have been living in homes in Lifta, a deserted Palestinian village, for over half a century. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli Apaches modified to use Israeli-made missiles - US refusal to supply the IAF with helicopter missiles during Operation Protective Edge necessitated that Israel adapt its Apaches to fire Israeli missiles, enabling a degree of independence on when and where they are deployed. (Ynet)
- Rights Group Accuses Iraqi Forces of Torturing, Murdering Civilians Near Mosul - Amnesty International claims 'men in federal police uniform have carried out multiple unlawful killings.' (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Iran to Move Sensitive Material After UN Finds Minor Violations of Nuclear Deal - Nuclear watchdog says Iran was just above the limit of 130 tons on its heavy water stock set by the deal with world powers. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
Israeli film on shell shock gets personal and political
‘Made Like a Gun’ topped off five years of relentless exploration by actor-director Eldad Prives of his own PTSD and that of other Israelis. (Netta Ahituv, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Trump's Win, the Greatest Victory for anti-Semitism in America Since 1941 (Bradley Burston, Haaretz) The Jew haters are celebrating. And Jews – from Jared Kushner to Sheldon Adelson –helped it happen.
Obama’s policy bolsters Israel (Jeremy Ben-Ami, Yedioth/Ynet) Under a Clinton administration Israeli citizens could have hoped for an active US administration, like Obama's, which does not sit and watch the sides quarrel but tries to make them stop quarreling and start talking.
Donald Trump's Lesson for Netanyahu: Make It Personal and Exaggerate (Aluf Benn, Haaretz) Politics is first and foremost the art of story-telling and image, and those who would replace Netanyahu need to be more radical and more thuggish than Netanyahu himself.
Rejoicing too soon? Donald Trump could still give Israel a cold shoulder (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The president-elect, as already demonstrated in the election campaign, is unpredictable. But we should not forget that this is exactly what they said about the combination of the words 'Donald Trump President of the United States.
Does Trump's love for Israel trump his unpredictability? (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet) Speaking to high ranking Israeli officials, Itamar Eichner concludes that while Trump is expected to be a good partner for Israel, it must always be noted that he will put the US first and can change according to his own caprices.
For Netanyahu, Donald Trump’s Victory Is a Trip Into the Unknown (Barak Ravid, Haaretz) For the first time in Netanyahu's career as prime minister, there is a Republican in the White House, but Trump's victory will test his West Bank policy like never before.
The November revolution (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth) This isn’t just a political shake-up, it’s a revolution. The story of Donald Trump is exceptional because even he, who made and led the revolution, does not know what he will do when he enters the White House on the 20th of January.
I Still Love America. But, After Trump's Victory, I Don’t Trust It (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) I’ve never felt less American and more Jewish. I hear my grandmother's voice in my ear: As Jews, we know history doesn't always march forward toward a better day.
As an Israeli Jew, this is why I supported Trump (Elyakim Haetzni, Yedioth/Ynet) Thanks to Donald Trump, Israel can now dream of unconditional support and friendship from America, without any pressure.
Trump’s Win Will Boost Israel’s Right-wing Populists (Carlo Strenger, Haaretz+) If Israel's most important ally needn’t heed rational thought and minority rights, why should Benjamin Netanyahu?
He’ll positively surprise (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth) In democratic regimes it is not the man who does the job. It’s the job that makes the man. As a candidate, Trump was frightening. But as president he won’t replace the whole military brass and administration officials and those people will act as a restraint.
Trump Won't Legitimize Israel's Right-wing (Haaretz Editorial) Making its international and local actions dependent on the stamp of approval granted by Trump could well endanger the foundations that determine Israel’s character and essence.
Our nightmares: Above the future of the most influential world hovers a question mark (Ron Miburg, Maariv) The election of Trump is worse than the election of Nixon, Reagan and Bush. He comes to power without any political background, surrounded by empty promises, which will be very difficult to fulfill and dangerous to try.
Palestinians Don't Expect Much From Trump, but Fear Losing Self-rule (Amira Hass, Haaretz) The election of the misogynist owner of beauty contests is interpreted as simply a continuation of America's decline.
Feminism was crushed (Danielle Brinn, Yedioth) What shocked even more than Trump’s victory is the painful understanding that Americans still are not ready for a woman in power…We lost an opportunity, we lost our soul.
Is This the End of the World? (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) One of two things is going to happen: Either Trump will be Trump, or President Trump won’t be the Trump we’ve come to know.
Fasten your seat belt: Prepare for four tough years for democracy (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) The president-elect tried - and succeeded - to be presidential in his victory speech. It did not make him more qualified for the job. Now he has to prove to the terrified world that it doesn’t need to worry.
Jerusalem Shouldn’t Celebrate Trump's Victory Too Long (Amir Oren, Haaretz) White America has spoken, and now the rest of the world must suffer.
Orange time (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth) If I could, I would ask the American citizen not who he thinks should answer the red phone at three in the morning, but whether he would leave his 13-year-old daughter alone in the room with the new President. There is no more place in the world for grey candidates. The more that you are crass, vulgar, arrogant, tend to exaggerate and lack any sense of political propriety – so your chances of reaching leadership are greater.
Iran Could Be the Big Winner of the Donald Trump Presidency (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz) Many Middle East leaders have congratulated President-elect Donald Trump, but silent Tehran may have the most to gain from his victory.
Kick in the face (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Trump doesn’t owe anyone anything. He identified the wave and rode on it, kicking at everything that politics knew until now about being politically correct, and he won...Netanyahu finally got a Republican president. Until now he had only Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and he lamented his fate at every turn. The problem with Trump is that he is not the Republican that Netanyahu wished for. The truth is, he is not a Republican. Trump is Trump. He does not owe anything to anyone, he's not afraid of AIPAC, he didn't receive an extraordinary amount of Jewish funding and mainly he is a man with a short fuse who is unpredictable .Indications received from people who have worked with him over the years are that he does not particularly like Jews or Israelis. He does not carry in his genes the genetics that every American politician (including Hillary) carries: the deep automatic commitment to Israel in any situation and in any weather. Trump broke all possible rules and it will not be a problem, if he wishes, to smash that one, too. Therefore, I don't think any one in Jerusalem opened bottles of champagne the morning after the elections. Yes, it's possible that Trump will turn into a hawkish and militant version of George Bush and will order us to build much more in the [Palestinian] Territories and to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. But the opposite is also possible, and if it is realized, we are all in trouble.
‘Made Like a Gun’ topped off five years of relentless exploration by actor-director Eldad Prives of his own PTSD and that of other Israelis. (Netta Ahituv, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Trump's Win, the Greatest Victory for anti-Semitism in America Since 1941 (Bradley Burston, Haaretz) The Jew haters are celebrating. And Jews – from Jared Kushner to Sheldon Adelson –helped it happen.
Obama’s policy bolsters Israel (Jeremy Ben-Ami, Yedioth/Ynet) Under a Clinton administration Israeli citizens could have hoped for an active US administration, like Obama's, which does not sit and watch the sides quarrel but tries to make them stop quarreling and start talking.
Donald Trump's Lesson for Netanyahu: Make It Personal and Exaggerate (Aluf Benn, Haaretz) Politics is first and foremost the art of story-telling and image, and those who would replace Netanyahu need to be more radical and more thuggish than Netanyahu himself.
Rejoicing too soon? Donald Trump could still give Israel a cold shoulder (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The president-elect, as already demonstrated in the election campaign, is unpredictable. But we should not forget that this is exactly what they said about the combination of the words 'Donald Trump President of the United States.
Does Trump's love for Israel trump his unpredictability? (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet) Speaking to high ranking Israeli officials, Itamar Eichner concludes that while Trump is expected to be a good partner for Israel, it must always be noted that he will put the US first and can change according to his own caprices.
For Netanyahu, Donald Trump’s Victory Is a Trip Into the Unknown (Barak Ravid, Haaretz) For the first time in Netanyahu's career as prime minister, there is a Republican in the White House, but Trump's victory will test his West Bank policy like never before.
The November revolution (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth) This isn’t just a political shake-up, it’s a revolution. The story of Donald Trump is exceptional because even he, who made and led the revolution, does not know what he will do when he enters the White House on the 20th of January.
I Still Love America. But, After Trump's Victory, I Don’t Trust It (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) I’ve never felt less American and more Jewish. I hear my grandmother's voice in my ear: As Jews, we know history doesn't always march forward toward a better day.
As an Israeli Jew, this is why I supported Trump (Elyakim Haetzni, Yedioth/Ynet) Thanks to Donald Trump, Israel can now dream of unconditional support and friendship from America, without any pressure.
Trump’s Win Will Boost Israel’s Right-wing Populists (Carlo Strenger, Haaretz+) If Israel's most important ally needn’t heed rational thought and minority rights, why should Benjamin Netanyahu?
He’ll positively surprise (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth) In democratic regimes it is not the man who does the job. It’s the job that makes the man. As a candidate, Trump was frightening. But as president he won’t replace the whole military brass and administration officials and those people will act as a restraint.
Trump Won't Legitimize Israel's Right-wing (Haaretz Editorial) Making its international and local actions dependent on the stamp of approval granted by Trump could well endanger the foundations that determine Israel’s character and essence.
Our nightmares: Above the future of the most influential world hovers a question mark (Ron Miburg, Maariv) The election of Trump is worse than the election of Nixon, Reagan and Bush. He comes to power without any political background, surrounded by empty promises, which will be very difficult to fulfill and dangerous to try.
Palestinians Don't Expect Much From Trump, but Fear Losing Self-rule (Amira Hass, Haaretz) The election of the misogynist owner of beauty contests is interpreted as simply a continuation of America's decline.
Feminism was crushed (Danielle Brinn, Yedioth) What shocked even more than Trump’s victory is the painful understanding that Americans still are not ready for a woman in power…We lost an opportunity, we lost our soul.
Is This the End of the World? (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) One of two things is going to happen: Either Trump will be Trump, or President Trump won’t be the Trump we’ve come to know.
Fasten your seat belt: Prepare for four tough years for democracy (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) The president-elect tried - and succeeded - to be presidential in his victory speech. It did not make him more qualified for the job. Now he has to prove to the terrified world that it doesn’t need to worry.
Jerusalem Shouldn’t Celebrate Trump's Victory Too Long (Amir Oren, Haaretz) White America has spoken, and now the rest of the world must suffer.
Orange time (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth) If I could, I would ask the American citizen not who he thinks should answer the red phone at three in the morning, but whether he would leave his 13-year-old daughter alone in the room with the new President. There is no more place in the world for grey candidates. The more that you are crass, vulgar, arrogant, tend to exaggerate and lack any sense of political propriety – so your chances of reaching leadership are greater.
Iran Could Be the Big Winner of the Donald Trump Presidency (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz) Many Middle East leaders have congratulated President-elect Donald Trump, but silent Tehran may have the most to gain from his victory.
Kick in the face (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Trump doesn’t owe anyone anything. He identified the wave and rode on it, kicking at everything that politics knew until now about being politically correct, and he won...Netanyahu finally got a Republican president. Until now he had only Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and he lamented his fate at every turn. The problem with Trump is that he is not the Republican that Netanyahu wished for. The truth is, he is not a Republican. Trump is Trump. He does not owe anything to anyone, he's not afraid of AIPAC, he didn't receive an extraordinary amount of Jewish funding and mainly he is a man with a short fuse who is unpredictable .Indications received from people who have worked with him over the years are that he does not particularly like Jews or Israelis. He does not carry in his genes the genetics that every American politician (including Hillary) carries: the deep automatic commitment to Israel in any situation and in any weather. Trump broke all possible rules and it will not be a problem, if he wishes, to smash that one, too. Therefore, I don't think any one in Jerusalem opened bottles of champagne the morning after the elections. Yes, it's possible that Trump will turn into a hawkish and militant version of George Bush and will order us to build much more in the [Palestinian] Territories and to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. But the opposite is also possible, and if it is realized, we are all in trouble.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.