APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday December 18, 2016
You Must Be
Kidding:
"I’ll never come back to this place."
--A text message that the co-CEO of the Abraham Fund, an Israeli Jewish-Arab co-existence and equality organization, received from Maqsood Ahmed, a co-leader of Muslim Hands organization and who was decorated by Queen Elizabeth for improving interfaith relations. Ahmed wrote it on his way from the Shin Bet holding cell at Ben-Gurion Airport to the airplane after he was held overnight and refused entry to Israel to participate in Muslim Jewish co-existence activities at the invitation of The Abraham Fund.**
"I’ll never come back to this place."
--A text message that the co-CEO of the Abraham Fund, an Israeli Jewish-Arab co-existence and equality organization, received from Maqsood Ahmed, a co-leader of Muslim Hands organization and who was decorated by Queen Elizabeth for improving interfaith relations. Ahmed wrote it on his way from the Shin Bet holding cell at Ben-Gurion Airport to the airplane after he was held overnight and refused entry to Israel to participate in Muslim Jewish co-existence activities at the invitation of The Abraham Fund.**
Breaking News:
Palestinians: 19-year-old Killed by Israeli Forces Near Ramallah
Violent clashes take place between IDF and youths in West Bank village against backdrop of searches and arrests. Locals said Ahmad Hazim Ata al-Rimawi was shot with live fire in the chest. (Haaretz and Maan)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Trump appointed as US Ambassador a fervent supporter of settlements
- A U-turn after 50 years /// Chemi Shalev
- Trump stand to Netanyahu’s right /// Barak Ravid
- The ceremony is over // Gideon Levy
- Hadash party released announcement supporting “unification of Aleppo) by Syrian Army
- Obama’s speech reflected the incompetence of the US in the face of the brutality of the tyrants // Asaf Ronal
- Top man in Hamas’ drone program shot dead in Tunisia
- Knesset Finance Committee approved tax on third apartment and incentive to selling apartments
- Government financing medicines for jaundice in the millions of shekels, but only a quarter of those ill are tested with it
- Anne Frank Museum: It’s possible she wasn’t turned over to the Nazis but she was caught by chance
- Making a preventative blow // Amir Oren
- Danger, crying child // Amira Hass
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The elimination – 2,300 km from Israel – “Mossad agents assassinated a senior Hamas official
- In Amona they are barricading themselves ahead of the eviction
- Avigayel’s tears // Tamar Nizri, an Amona resident
- “I am dealing with a muscle illness” Dramatic announcement of sportscaster, Meir Einstein
- (Jailed former president) Katsav’s fateful day: Will he be released from jail?
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Elimination of the drones engineer
- Not characteristic of the Mossad // Yossi Melman
- A message, the question is to whom // Alon Ben-David
- Amona alert
- Go to Amona, Mr. Prime Minister // Kalman Libeskind
- The ambassador (David Friedman) and the dispute
- Will he get out? Prison Release Committee expected to rule today over the former President Moshe Katsav
Israel Hayom
- Hamas: “The Mossad assassinated our drone man”
- Every terrorist in the world should know – there is not safe place for terrorists // Boaz Bismuth
- Preparing for the eviction from Amona
- He’ll be released? Moshe Katsav’s judgment day
- Appointed US ambassador to Israel: David Friedman
- Rocky on the way? “Trump is interested in Stallone as Chairman of the National Fund for Art”
News Summary:
The Mossad allegedly assassinated the Hamas drone expert in Tunisia, US President-elect Donald Trump appointed a fervent settlement backer and opponent of the two-state solution as the next US ambassador to Israel, and police and settlers alike prepared for the eviction of Amona settlers from their hilltop outpost built on privately-owned Palestinian land making top news in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, France postponed its Paris Middle East peace conference to January.
The Hamas movement’s military wing acknowledged that Mohammad al-Zawahri, 45, was one its leaders and manufactured drones for the movement and said that only Israel had an interest in assassinating him. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Zawahiri’s brother said he was developing remote-controlled subs. His wife said he was a quiet man and she had no knowledge her husband was connected to armed groups.
The reactions to the appointment of David Friedman as U.S. ambassador to Israel ranged from blessings to warnings of a catastrophe. Friedman, a far-right-wing Orthodox Jew, said he was looking forward to the “U.S. embassy in Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem.” (Trump team people have already backtracked on campaign promises, saying it’s too early for the US embassy move to Jerusalem and a Palestinian official said peace prospects were dead if he did move the embassy.) Sources said Netanyahu was pleased with Trump's choice and that Israeli republicans were thrilled. But the leader of the Meretz party Zehava Galon said it was “catastrophic.” Indeed, Friedman has called supporters of the pro-peace pro-Israel J-Street organization ‘worse than kapos.’
Meanwhile, the Israel Prison Service prepared three wards for people detained fighting against the eviction of the Amona outpost, which is supposed to take place by next Sunday, as settlers amassed in the outpost. And 12 soldiers declared they refused to participate in the evacuation. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called in video for settlers to avoid violence and ‘assured’ them that he has ordered demolition of Arab homes built illegally in Israel. Haaretz reported that now Israel stands to approve tens of millions of shekels for the establishment of new settlements near Shvut Rachel and compensation for those being evacuated from Amona and nearby Ofra.
On Friday, outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Knesset members to reconsider the Regulation Bill, that would legalize the theft of privately-owned Palestinian land for settling Jews, saying it "will have negative legal consequences for Israel and substantially diminish the chances for Arab-Israeli peace." Ban Ki-moon also noted that "Decades of political maneuvering have created a disproportionate number of resolutions, reports and committees against Israel. In many cases, instead of helping the Palestinian issue, this reality has foiled the ability of the UN to fulfill its role effectively.” Despite the admission however, Ban said, "Israel needs to understand the reality that a democratic state which is run by the rule of the law, which continues to militarily occupy the Palestinian people, will still generate criticism and calls to hold her accountable."
The Mossad allegedly assassinated the Hamas drone expert in Tunisia, US President-elect Donald Trump appointed a fervent settlement backer and opponent of the two-state solution as the next US ambassador to Israel, and police and settlers alike prepared for the eviction of Amona settlers from their hilltop outpost built on privately-owned Palestinian land making top news in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, France postponed its Paris Middle East peace conference to January.
The Hamas movement’s military wing acknowledged that Mohammad al-Zawahri, 45, was one its leaders and manufactured drones for the movement and said that only Israel had an interest in assassinating him. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Zawahiri’s brother said he was developing remote-controlled subs. His wife said he was a quiet man and she had no knowledge her husband was connected to armed groups.
The reactions to the appointment of David Friedman as U.S. ambassador to Israel ranged from blessings to warnings of a catastrophe. Friedman, a far-right-wing Orthodox Jew, said he was looking forward to the “U.S. embassy in Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem.” (Trump team people have already backtracked on campaign promises, saying it’s too early for the US embassy move to Jerusalem and a Palestinian official said peace prospects were dead if he did move the embassy.) Sources said Netanyahu was pleased with Trump's choice and that Israeli republicans were thrilled. But the leader of the Meretz party Zehava Galon said it was “catastrophic.” Indeed, Friedman has called supporters of the pro-peace pro-Israel J-Street organization ‘worse than kapos.’
Meanwhile, the Israel Prison Service prepared three wards for people detained fighting against the eviction of the Amona outpost, which is supposed to take place by next Sunday, as settlers amassed in the outpost. And 12 soldiers declared they refused to participate in the evacuation. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called in video for settlers to avoid violence and ‘assured’ them that he has ordered demolition of Arab homes built illegally in Israel. Haaretz reported that now Israel stands to approve tens of millions of shekels for the establishment of new settlements near Shvut Rachel and compensation for those being evacuated from Amona and nearby Ofra.
On Friday, outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Knesset members to reconsider the Regulation Bill, that would legalize the theft of privately-owned Palestinian land for settling Jews, saying it "will have negative legal consequences for Israel and substantially diminish the chances for Arab-Israeli peace." Ban Ki-moon also noted that "Decades of political maneuvering have created a disproportionate number of resolutions, reports and committees against Israel. In many cases, instead of helping the Palestinian issue, this reality has foiled the ability of the UN to fulfill its role effectively.” Despite the admission however, Ban said, "Israel needs to understand the reality that a democratic state which is run by the rule of the law, which continues to militarily occupy the Palestinian people, will still generate criticism and calls to hold her accountable."
Quick Hits:
- Hunger-striking Palestinian detainees plead for support - Ahmad Abu Farah and Anas Shadid have been on hunger strike for 83 days; last week they stopped drinking water as well. (Haaretz+)
- Israel hands over seven bodies of Palestinian assailants - The transfer took place after the relatives of five West Bank assailants filed a petition with the High Court. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- Funerals held for slain Palestinians draw large crowds, spark clashes in Beit Ummar - After Israel returned on Friday the bodies of seven Palestinians that were killed by Israeli forces in recent months, funerals held in their hometowns across the occupied West Bank drew large crowds, with clashes erupting in Beit Ummar during the Saturday morning funeral for 15-year-year old Khalid Bahr. (Maan)
- Two Israeli Arab teens charged with arson of Jewish community, no motive given - Political motives have not been ascribed to any of the suspects being held for the series of fires that raged across Israel last month. (Haaretz)
- UN warns of increase in 'arbitrary' detention of Palestinian activists by Israel - The statement, which drew from the investigations of two UN “independent experts,” highlighted the cases of Issa Amro, founder of the Hebron-based group Youth Against Settlements, and Hebron-area lawyer Farid al-Atrash, who were both arrested for participating in a peaceful protest in February. (Maan)
- Longest-held Palestinian prisoner still detained despite completing sentence - Israeli authorities have not released 59-year-old Palestinian prisoner Nael Barghouthi despite him having served the entirety of his 30-month sentence, as the Israeli military prosecutor has submitted an appeal to keep him in prison. He has spent more than 35 years in prison. (Maan)
- Israel Blocks Entry of Two Leaders of British Muslim Aid Group - Muslim Hands was invited to Israel ‘to see how we are building a shared Arab-Jewish society,’ says its host, the Abraham Fund Initiatives. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli forces open fire at farmlands in southern Gaza Strip - Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli forces opened fire from across the border fence at agricultural lands east of Khan Yunis, though no injuries were reported. (Maan)
- Swedish FM warmly received, decorated in Ramallah - Margot Wallström, snubbed by Israel in her visit to the region, is decorated by Mahmoud Abbas with Grand Star of the Order of Jerusalem; FM calls lack of Palestinian hope 'worrying.' (Ynet)
- Israeli Reservists Demand to Be Sent to Help Wounded Syrians - Reserve medics send letter to IDF chief, saying that despite security issues, morality demands that they offer medical assistance. (Haaretz+)
- EU, Spain donate 21 million euros to support Palestinian families in need - The contribution will be made to the Palestinian Authority's (PA) payment of social allowances to around 111,500 Palestinian families living in poverty, who will receive the social allowances through the PA's Cash Transfer Programme (CTP). (Maan)
- Israeli Arab party backs Assad regime's takeover of Aleppo, drawing outcry - Lawmakers from Hadash insist they don’t support the Assad regime but condemn the 'terror groups' who they accuse of tearing Syria apart. (Haaretz+ and Maariv)
- Delegation of UN ambassadors visit Israel - The visit of 14 UN ambassadors was led by Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, who gave participants a tour of Israel including the Gaza Strip and Golan Heights while highlighting Israel's unique security challenges and technological developments. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Shurat HaDin aims to block Boeing-Iran deal - An Israeli law firm specializing in suing terrorists is attempting to block a Boeing deal with Iran, seeking a lien against Boeing until Iran pays $2 billion in damages to terror victims. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Azerbaijan reportedly signs deal to purchase Israel's Iron Dome - Though the scope of the acquisition is unknown, it will add on to nearly $5 billion of arms deals that have occurred between the two countries, according to the Azeri president. (Haaretz+)
- Trump's envoy to Israel: We'll break with 'anti-Semitic' State Dept., move embassy to Jerusalem - David Friedman, Trump's pick for ambassador to Israel, told a Jerusalem rally in October that Trump will not force a two-state solution on Israel. (Haaretz+)
- Artist works to preserve Christian heritage in Hamas-run Gaza - Naser Jeldha is a Christian artist who is working tirelessly to keep the millennia old Christian traditions alive in the Islamist ruled Gaza Strip. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Fund headed by Trump's Israel ambassador pumped tens of millions into West Bank settlement - Rabbi heading yeshiva supported by David Friedman’s organization called on soldiers to resist orders to evacuate settlements. (Haaretz+)
- Jewish Author Beki Ikala Erikli Gunned Down in Istanbul - Beki İkala Erikli was shot three times Thursday evening outside her apartment building, according to the weekly Salom. The gunwoman fled. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Syria suspends Aleppo evacuation amid dispute over villages - Russia said the Syrian army had established control over all districts of eastern Aleppo although government troops were suppressing isolated areas where rebel fighters continued to resist. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Iran Accuses U.S. of Violating Nuclear Deal, Calls for International Meeting - White House says bill extending U.S. sanctions against Iran to become law; Tehran orders scientists to develop systems for nuclear-powered marine vessels. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
'In Arabic, the word for single woman means withered branch'
Sociologist Maha Karkabi-Sabbah has discovered in her own life and in her research that despite some positive signs, the bridging of the gender gap in Israeli Arab society is still a distant dream. (Rotem Starkman, Haaretz+)
Deep waters: how the naval cooperation between Germany and Israel began
Only 15 years after World War II, the Germans helped build the Jewish state's navy. The story of the reserve general Yohai Ben-Nun, who secretly led the IDF's naval revolution without any stories about him getting something out of it. (Tal Bashan, Maariv)
A bleak Christmas in Bethlehem evokes the disaster that befell it
The illusion of normalcy in Jesus' birthplace is shattered at the sight of the wall that chokes the city and the Jewish settlement astride the nearby hill. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
The U.S. Is Finally Out of the Closet (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Following the appointment of a settlement-loving envoy, the pretense is over: the United States will no longer be able to claim that it is an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Say goodbye to peace: Trump’s appointments remove any possibility of a political solution to the conflict (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) There is only one meaning to the appointment of David Friedman as ambassador to Israel and of Exxon-Mobil oil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State: the peace process was stored in deep freeze.
David Friedman, Trump's Radical-right Ambassador, Makes Netanyahu Look Like a J Street Lefty (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) It’s a good thing ambassador-designate David Friedman will have diplomatic immunity; otherwise he might get arrested for incitement.
If there is anyone who is bringing the Israeli superpower down on its knees it is the settlers (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Most of them are are law-abiding citizens, but a small group among them determines the what the law for themselves. After Bennett and Shaked invested a tremendous effort in the Amona draft plan, they were spat on by those whom they fought for.
In Trump, Netanyahu Sees a Leader to Emulate (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) The Israeli prime minister is enthralled by Trump, talking about their joint tenure in almost messianic terms. Meanwhile, an initiative aimed at spurring an investigation of the premier in the submarine affair may actually help him more than it harms him.
Netanyahu Is Provoking a War of Mutual Destruction (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) In his recent pronouncements about Israel's military might, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is recklessly breaching the long-held approach to nuclear ambiguity.
Mr. Prime Minister, if you are worried about the soul of the youth - come to Amona (Kalman Libeskind, Maariv) I read your letter to the organizers of the struggle in Amona and your call to parents that "this is not the place for the presence of children and youth." This is an idealistic youth which should be saluted. Come and stood before them.
The Grotesque anti-Semitic Turn of David Friedman, Trump’s Pick for Israel Ambassador (David Schraub, Haaretz) You don’t even have to be a J Street fan to consider calling them 'Kapos,' as David Friedman has done, as disqualifying for such a symbolic post for the U.S. Jewish community.
In Israel, the Violence Is Waiting to Erupt (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) Two issues could spread to the streets − the fight over the army and the settlers’ struggle, as represented by the soldier who shot a wounded terrorist and the evacuation of the Amona outpost.
Netanyahu's ties with Sheldon Adelson-backed mouthpiece in crisis (Nati Tucker, Haaretz+) Due to tensions blamed on PMO staff, Sheldon Adelson's Israel Hayom didn't run any pictures of the prime minister's wife from their latest trip abroad. Is there trouble in paradise?
Elimination by the Mossad? The facts on the ground don’t fit the description in the media (Yossi Melman, Maariv) Despite media reports that Israel had a hand in the assassination of the aviation engineer, the fact that a method was used that the Mossad stopped using only reinforces the theory that the murder was criminal or a closing of accounts. The assassins "sprayed" al-Zawahri’s car with many bullets, something that did not characterize previous killings attributed to the Mossad. In recent years, the preferred method of assassination that was attributed to the organization was attaching bombs to the vehicle of the targets or placing them and setting them off through a timer or remote control, even from an aircraft. Direct fire with guns with silencers at close range characterized the operations attributed to the Mossad in the 70s, and the last time this method was used was in 1995 in Malta against Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shikaki.
With Killing of Hamas' Drone Expert, Long List of Alleged Israeli Assassinations Grows (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Israel’s policy is that such strikes are meant to thwart future attacks, not settle scores. Will Hamas renew the fighting just because a Tunisian civilian was killed far from Gaza?
If the Mossad was behind the assassination in Tunisia, this is an impressive mission statement (Alon Ben-David, Maariv) The assassination of the Hamas aviation engineer will not change the balance of power, but it is a powerful message. After years in which Israel's secret organizations appeared lacking initiative - the assassination marks again the long arm.
With Friedman as Trump's Israel envoy, Netanyahu no longer has the American excuse for settlers (Barak Ravid, Haaretz+) If after Trump’s victory there were enthusiastic cries of joy among the settlers, after the appointment of Friedman they're experiencing genuine messianic euphoria.
IDF troubleshooting goes way beyond the battlefield (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot couldn't have lost a top general at a worse time, as the army grapples with high profile trials and a potentially volatile settlement outpost evacuation.
Netanyahu and Dermer prefer Muslim-baiting Trump to Jew-loving Obama (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) An Islamophobe’s award to the Israeli envoy and the last Hanukkah ceremony at the White House symbolize the changing of the guard.
Aleppo Is a Microcosm of a Middle Eastern Tragedy With No End in Sight (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) If it’s possible to understand the diplomatic considerations that prevented Western countries from intervening in the war in Syria, there can be no explanation for the lack of humanitarian aid. And things will get worse when the fight for Mosul begins.
Netanyahu, Bennett and Regev Are Bringing Back the Inquisition (Larry Abramson, Haaretz+) Forgoing freedom of creativity without a struggle is akin to yielding to terrorism and giving up one’s essence. (The writer, an art professor, resigned from Shenkar College due to censorship of a student’s work.)
Sociologist Maha Karkabi-Sabbah has discovered in her own life and in her research that despite some positive signs, the bridging of the gender gap in Israeli Arab society is still a distant dream. (Rotem Starkman, Haaretz+)
Deep waters: how the naval cooperation between Germany and Israel began
Only 15 years after World War II, the Germans helped build the Jewish state's navy. The story of the reserve general Yohai Ben-Nun, who secretly led the IDF's naval revolution without any stories about him getting something out of it. (Tal Bashan, Maariv)
A bleak Christmas in Bethlehem evokes the disaster that befell it
The illusion of normalcy in Jesus' birthplace is shattered at the sight of the wall that chokes the city and the Jewish settlement astride the nearby hill. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
The U.S. Is Finally Out of the Closet (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Following the appointment of a settlement-loving envoy, the pretense is over: the United States will no longer be able to claim that it is an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Say goodbye to peace: Trump’s appointments remove any possibility of a political solution to the conflict (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) There is only one meaning to the appointment of David Friedman as ambassador to Israel and of Exxon-Mobil oil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State: the peace process was stored in deep freeze.
David Friedman, Trump's Radical-right Ambassador, Makes Netanyahu Look Like a J Street Lefty (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) It’s a good thing ambassador-designate David Friedman will have diplomatic immunity; otherwise he might get arrested for incitement.
If there is anyone who is bringing the Israeli superpower down on its knees it is the settlers (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Most of them are are law-abiding citizens, but a small group among them determines the what the law for themselves. After Bennett and Shaked invested a tremendous effort in the Amona draft plan, they were spat on by those whom they fought for.
In Trump, Netanyahu Sees a Leader to Emulate (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) The Israeli prime minister is enthralled by Trump, talking about their joint tenure in almost messianic terms. Meanwhile, an initiative aimed at spurring an investigation of the premier in the submarine affair may actually help him more than it harms him.
Netanyahu Is Provoking a War of Mutual Destruction (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) In his recent pronouncements about Israel's military might, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is recklessly breaching the long-held approach to nuclear ambiguity.
Mr. Prime Minister, if you are worried about the soul of the youth - come to Amona (Kalman Libeskind, Maariv) I read your letter to the organizers of the struggle in Amona and your call to parents that "this is not the place for the presence of children and youth." This is an idealistic youth which should be saluted. Come and stood before them.
The Grotesque anti-Semitic Turn of David Friedman, Trump’s Pick for Israel Ambassador (David Schraub, Haaretz) You don’t even have to be a J Street fan to consider calling them 'Kapos,' as David Friedman has done, as disqualifying for such a symbolic post for the U.S. Jewish community.
In Israel, the Violence Is Waiting to Erupt (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) Two issues could spread to the streets − the fight over the army and the settlers’ struggle, as represented by the soldier who shot a wounded terrorist and the evacuation of the Amona outpost.
Netanyahu's ties with Sheldon Adelson-backed mouthpiece in crisis (Nati Tucker, Haaretz+) Due to tensions blamed on PMO staff, Sheldon Adelson's Israel Hayom didn't run any pictures of the prime minister's wife from their latest trip abroad. Is there trouble in paradise?
Elimination by the Mossad? The facts on the ground don’t fit the description in the media (Yossi Melman, Maariv) Despite media reports that Israel had a hand in the assassination of the aviation engineer, the fact that a method was used that the Mossad stopped using only reinforces the theory that the murder was criminal or a closing of accounts. The assassins "sprayed" al-Zawahri’s car with many bullets, something that did not characterize previous killings attributed to the Mossad. In recent years, the preferred method of assassination that was attributed to the organization was attaching bombs to the vehicle of the targets or placing them and setting them off through a timer or remote control, even from an aircraft. Direct fire with guns with silencers at close range characterized the operations attributed to the Mossad in the 70s, and the last time this method was used was in 1995 in Malta against Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shikaki.
With Killing of Hamas' Drone Expert, Long List of Alleged Israeli Assassinations Grows (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Israel’s policy is that such strikes are meant to thwart future attacks, not settle scores. Will Hamas renew the fighting just because a Tunisian civilian was killed far from Gaza?
If the Mossad was behind the assassination in Tunisia, this is an impressive mission statement (Alon Ben-David, Maariv) The assassination of the Hamas aviation engineer will not change the balance of power, but it is a powerful message. After years in which Israel's secret organizations appeared lacking initiative - the assassination marks again the long arm.
With Friedman as Trump's Israel envoy, Netanyahu no longer has the American excuse for settlers (Barak Ravid, Haaretz+) If after Trump’s victory there were enthusiastic cries of joy among the settlers, after the appointment of Friedman they're experiencing genuine messianic euphoria.
IDF troubleshooting goes way beyond the battlefield (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot couldn't have lost a top general at a worse time, as the army grapples with high profile trials and a potentially volatile settlement outpost evacuation.
Netanyahu and Dermer prefer Muslim-baiting Trump to Jew-loving Obama (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) An Islamophobe’s award to the Israeli envoy and the last Hanukkah ceremony at the White House symbolize the changing of the guard.
Aleppo Is a Microcosm of a Middle Eastern Tragedy With No End in Sight (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) If it’s possible to understand the diplomatic considerations that prevented Western countries from intervening in the war in Syria, there can be no explanation for the lack of humanitarian aid. And things will get worse when the fight for Mosul begins.
Netanyahu, Bennett and Regev Are Bringing Back the Inquisition (Larry Abramson, Haaretz+) Forgoing freedom of creativity without a struggle is akin to yielding to terrorism and giving up one’s essence. (The writer, an art professor, resigned from Shenkar College due to censorship of a student’s work.)
Interviews:
David Friedman: Trump would support Israeli annexation of parts of West Bank
In interview with Haaretz, David Friedman, Trump's chosen ambassador to Israel, says Trump doesn't believe Palestinian state is 'an American imperative.' He's also not concerned over possibility of binational state: 'Nobody really knows how many Palestinians live there.' (Interviewed by Barak Ravid, Haaretz+)
The prosecutor
Adv. Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, who stands at the head of 'Shurat HaDin" legal organization, has already gotten compensation in the hundreds of millions of dollars for families whose loved ones were murdered in terror attacks. Now, after she filed a law suit against Iran and Syria in the name of the relatives of the youth, Naftali Frankel, she says: "Only if we charge them with a high enough price will we succeed in fighting them." (Interviewed by Avi Sofer in Maariv)
Gaza Water Crisis Has Caused Irreversible Damage, World Bank Warns
In interview with Haaretz, bank's local specialist warns that without more water from Israel, Gaza will continue to move toward being uninhabitable by 2020. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+)
David Friedman: Trump would support Israeli annexation of parts of West Bank
In interview with Haaretz, David Friedman, Trump's chosen ambassador to Israel, says Trump doesn't believe Palestinian state is 'an American imperative.' He's also not concerned over possibility of binational state: 'Nobody really knows how many Palestinians live there.' (Interviewed by Barak Ravid, Haaretz+)
The prosecutor
Adv. Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, who stands at the head of 'Shurat HaDin" legal organization, has already gotten compensation in the hundreds of millions of dollars for families whose loved ones were murdered in terror attacks. Now, after she filed a law suit against Iran and Syria in the name of the relatives of the youth, Naftali Frankel, she says: "Only if we charge them with a high enough price will we succeed in fighting them." (Interviewed by Avi Sofer in Maariv)
Gaza Water Crisis Has Caused Irreversible Damage, World Bank Warns
In interview with Haaretz, bank's local specialist warns that without more water from Israel, Gaza will continue to move toward being uninhabitable by 2020. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.