APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday February 19, 2017
Quote of the day:
“The president of the United States is talking like a tin-pot dictator, like an enemy of democracy, and
the only people celebrating are Islamic fanatics, white supremacists, complete anti-Semites and one Benjamin
Netanyahu.”
--In front page Op-Ed, Haaretz’s Washington Bureau Chief, Chemi Shalev, reviews Trump’s first month - and makes a comparison to Nazi Germany.*
You Must Be Kidding:
Only in two out of 17 cases, in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinian terrorists who had been already neutralized or innocent people who were suspected of terrorists, were indictments filed, according to a document submitted to court.**
--In front page Op-Ed, Haaretz’s Washington Bureau Chief, Chemi Shalev, reviews Trump’s first month - and makes a comparison to Nazi Germany.*
You Must Be Kidding:
Only in two out of 17 cases, in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinian terrorists who had been already neutralized or innocent people who were suspected of terrorists, were indictments filed, according to a document submitted to court.**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Kerry presented to Prime Minister a regional peace plan in a secret meeting with Al-Sisi and (King) Abdullah a year ago; Netanyahu disapproved
- Trump called the media the ‘public enemy’ and put the elites in fear of the worst // Chemi Shalev
- State declared a Palestinian widow as absent in order to appropriate inheritance from the death of her husband
- Attorney General: The Jerusalem guidelines to repress demonstrations is illegal
- Congolese soldiers were filmed massacring civilians
- Hanegbi as a puppet // Haaretz Editorial
- What’s the celebration about // Emilie Moatti
- Does the high number of artists coming to Israel testify to the failure of BDS?
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Special: The doctor who revealed the abuse of the 4-year-old speaks: “When I saw the suffering the child was enduring, it tore my heart”
- Trump: “The media? The public enemy”
- They won’t stop us // Emily Schmidt – American journalist
- All the President’s haters // Sever Plocker
- “Strategic weapon in Hezbollah’s hands” – Expose: a new threat from the north, the organization reportedly received Yakhont missiles
- The law against abuse: cameras in nursing homes
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Trump: The media is the “public enemy”
- Helpless – Beatings and threats: Channel 2 News filmed abuse in nursing homes;
- The father sexually abused a toddler in the hospital, the mother shot dangerous chemicals into him
- The Ben Hassin affair – The (Jewish) representation office is closing due to threats
Israel Hayom
- Man suspected of placing bombs in cars of celebrities: “(Singer) Margol? She’s like a mother”
- Suspicion of horrific abuse of 4-year-old
- Trump attacked media: “Public enemy”
- Today: Prime Minister to report to cabinet on liaison system with Washington
- Elor Azariya’s fateful week: Tuesday – Court to give sentence
- Profession that wears out those in it: Most of the teachers leave before pension
News Summary:
US President Donald Trump called the media ‘the public enemy,’ while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke highly of the meeting with him and continued to avoid talk of a two-state solution, but mentioned the creation of a team that will liaison with the US over settlements. Moreover, Netanyahu reportedly rejected a secret regional peace agreement offer, reportedly demanded that former US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, give a long-term visa to the tycoon, Arnon Milchan, who gave his family expensive gifts and he gave up the Communications Ministry portfolio due to a conflict of interests – all making top stories in the Hebrew newspapers along with the reports on the videos that showed two parents horrifically abusing their toddler and caretakers at a nursing home beating the elderly.
“Trump is losing all his breaks…(he is) expressing himself in a way that verges on incitement,” read the subtitle in Maariv’s article. “It’s not criticism and it’s not self-defense. It’s a declaration of war,” read the subtitle in Yedioth’s article. And Haaretz+ ran on its front page a very damning Op-Ed about Trump’s first month in office. Only Israel Hayom reported on Trump’s attack on the media without using any words that classified that attack as problematic. It even mentioned that a Fox News poll found that Trump was considered more trustworthy than American reporters. [NOTE: The English version of the Israel Hayom article is very different from the Hebrew version in that it made the English version seemed more balanced and offered reactions from American journalists – which the Hebrew printed article did not. – OH]
On his part, Netanyahu was very positive about his meeting with Trump, telling the US media in interviews that “…I had a very, very warm meeting with President Trump. There was a great sense of kinship and friendship” and that “It was a meeting of the minds and a meeting of the hearts…” Netanyahu also blamed the Palestinians for lack of peace and refrained from referring to a two-state solution. Moreover, Netanyahu said a special team, headed by Israeli Ambassador to Israel, Ron Dermer, will be formed to discuss the issue of settlements with the US. Today Netanyahu takes off for work visits to Singapore and Australia. (Maariv) Settler leaders urged him not to rein in settlement construction as Trump requested. In a meeting with his American counterpart Gen. James Mattis in Munich, Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman said Israel’s biggest problem was Iran.
US President Donald Trump called the media ‘the public enemy,’ while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke highly of the meeting with him and continued to avoid talk of a two-state solution, but mentioned the creation of a team that will liaison with the US over settlements. Moreover, Netanyahu reportedly rejected a secret regional peace agreement offer, reportedly demanded that former US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, give a long-term visa to the tycoon, Arnon Milchan, who gave his family expensive gifts and he gave up the Communications Ministry portfolio due to a conflict of interests – all making top stories in the Hebrew newspapers along with the reports on the videos that showed two parents horrifically abusing their toddler and caretakers at a nursing home beating the elderly.
“Trump is losing all his breaks…(he is) expressing himself in a way that verges on incitement,” read the subtitle in Maariv’s article. “It’s not criticism and it’s not self-defense. It’s a declaration of war,” read the subtitle in Yedioth’s article. And Haaretz+ ran on its front page a very damning Op-Ed about Trump’s first month in office. Only Israel Hayom reported on Trump’s attack on the media without using any words that classified that attack as problematic. It even mentioned that a Fox News poll found that Trump was considered more trustworthy than American reporters. [NOTE: The English version of the Israel Hayom article is very different from the Hebrew version in that it made the English version seemed more balanced and offered reactions from American journalists – which the Hebrew printed article did not. – OH]
On his part, Netanyahu was very positive about his meeting with Trump, telling the US media in interviews that “…I had a very, very warm meeting with President Trump. There was a great sense of kinship and friendship” and that “It was a meeting of the minds and a meeting of the hearts…” Netanyahu also blamed the Palestinians for lack of peace and refrained from referring to a two-state solution. Moreover, Netanyahu said a special team, headed by Israeli Ambassador to Israel, Ron Dermer, will be formed to discuss the issue of settlements with the US. Today Netanyahu takes off for work visits to Singapore and Australia. (Maariv) Settler leaders urged him not to rein in settlement construction as Trump requested. In a meeting with his American counterpart Gen. James Mattis in Munich, Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman said Israel’s biggest problem was Iran.
Quick Hits:
- Funeral held Saturday for Palestinian shot by Israeli forces 3 months ago while crossing the street on way to chemo therapy - The day that Muhammad Jallad, 25, was shot at the Huwwara checkpoint in Nablus, he was on his way to his final chemo session after his cancer had gone into remission. After the shooting, he was taken to Israel’s Beilinson Hospital, where he was hospitalized for three months and died nine days ago. Israel only returned the body a week later. (Maan)
- Israeli Settlers Harm Livestock, Intimidate Shepherds in Jordan Valley, Palestinians Say - In latest incident, masked settlers threw stones at a flock, killing a sheep. Attack is said to be a clear escalation of violence against Palestinian shepherds in area, Palestinians say. (Haaretz+)
- **Document: Israeli civilians who harmed already neutralized (Palestinians) are not punished - Only in two out of 17 cases, in which civilians attacked terrorists who had been already neutralized or innocent people who were suspected of terrorists, were indictments filed, according to document submitted to court at the request of Attorney Moshe Sragovich, who represents someone who is accused of beating to death a foreign citizen at the Beersheva central bus station. The lawyer: "It's comfortable for the state to close the files with the excuse of 'unknown criminal' or 'justified violence.' State Prosecutor: "There is no basis for the claim of (our office using) selective enforcement." (Maariv)
- Palestinian prisoner's health condition deteriorates in Israeli custody - Palestinian prisoner Walid Ghaith, 43, is suffering from heart problems and is in need of a pacemaker implant. Ghaith is expected to finish his sentence next month. (Maan)
- Palestinian protesters stage sit-in as administrative detention of 2 hunger-striking prisoners from Qalandiya refugee camp confirmed - Protesters held pictures of the prisoners, Jamal Abu al-Leil and Raed Fayez Mteir, head of the Qalandiya youth center, who began an open hunger strike on Thursday protesting their administrative detentions -- prison without charge or trial based on undisclosed evidence. (Maan)
- Weekly (West Bank) marches against Israeli settlements launched in Bilin, Nilin, and Kafr Qaddum - The march set off after Friday prayers with protesters holding up Palestinian flags and shouting national slogans condemning the Israeli occupation, Israeli confiscations of Palestinian land, and the “Muezzin bill” which aims to impose limits on the Muslim call to prayer in Israel and in occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli forces chased the protesters and temporarily detained a group of children. (Maan)
- Israeli forces open fire at fishermen in Gaza - Witnesses told Ma’an that Israeli naval ships opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of al-Sudaniyyeh. No injuries were reported. (Maan)
- Bennett and Shaked reassure Amona evacuees - In a series of Tweets Friday, Bayit Hayehudi ministers of both education and justice, Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, promised that the government will abide by an agreement to establish a new community for Amona evacuees. (Ynet)
- Palestinian family in East Jerusalem forced to demolish their own home - The Qarrain family in the neighborhood of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem demolished their own home on Saturday, in order to avoid the exorbitant fees imposed by the municipality when their crews carry out home demolitions. (Maan)
- Jerusalem kindergartners urged to pay tribute to the military - Teachers say Education Ministry pressuring them to register for an event and to drill the children to recite a greeting. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli forces 'attack' Palestinian activists near Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron - Israeli border guards had attacked several demonstrators, including local Sheikh Ziad Abu Heleil, activists Anan Daana and Muhammad al-Jibrini, and human rights activists Badie al-Dweik and Imad Abu Shamsiyeh, after they shouted slogans calling for ending the military closure on Shuhada street in Hebron. (Maan)
- Report: Israel warns Hezbollah of 'colossal retaliation' if attacked - Al-Hayat newspaper: Israel used a third-party Arab official to warn the Lebanese terrorist group that any provocation would meet a forceful military response • Lebanese President Michel Aoun warns Israel against undermining Lebanon's sovereignty. (Israel Hayom)
- Israeli Threats to Lebanon Will Meet 'Appropriate Response,' President Says - Comments by Hezbollah-ally Aoun come week after Hezbollah called Trump an 'idiot', threatened Israel's nuclear reactor. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Female ambassadors in Israel meet - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely organizes the meeting; 20 out of 86 ambassadors stationed in Israel are women. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Because of threats: The Jewish representative office will be closed in the Muslim country where an Israeli is in custody - The mission's employees in the country, where Ben Hassin was arrested a year and a half ago for manslaughter, are receiving death threats. The ransom deal that was supposed to release Hassin - was canceled. Hassin's lawyer: "The threats are coming out of Israel." (Maariv)
- Netanyahu appoints Tzachi Hanegbi interim minister of Communications - On his way back to Israel from the US, Netanyahu tells reporters that he intends to appoint Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi to be the interim minister of Communications for the next 3 months. (Yedioth/Ynet and Israel Hayom)
- State ceremony honors memory of late PM Ariel Sharon - Friends, family and officials gather at Sharon family ranch to honor late prime minister and his late wife, Lily • President Reuven Rivlin: Here, on Anemone Hill, facing the home at the heart of the ranch, Lily and Arik have found their resting place. (Israel Hayom)
- Palestinian Wins Berlinale Award With Documentary on Israeli Prison - In Raed Andoni's 'Ghost Hunting,' which won the first-ever Silver Bear for best documentary, former inmates discuss prison life at Israel's main interrogation center. (Haaretz)
- 'Fauda,' Thriller Picked Up by Netflix, Blurs the Israeli-Palestinian Divide - Critically acclaimed Israeli drama 'Fauda' focuses on undercover soldiers hunting an arch-terrorist on Palestinian territory – where they discover they have internalized the local culture. (Haaretz+)
- Toda = Shukran: Teaching Hebrew to Arabs online - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs begins a new initiative to teach Arabic-speakers via online videos; in future, they hope to share more information about Israeli life and holidays. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- NYT Editorial on Trump's anti-Semitism Answers: 'As if His Brain Had Short-circuited' - On two occasions, Trump missed the chance to denounce anti-Semitism by either sidestepping the question, blasting the reporter or 'playing the ace card': Netanyahu. (Haaretz)
- 16 deaf Palestinian children get to hear for the first time - A 'marathon' of cochlear implant surgeries is performed at Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital on 16 deaf Palestinian children; all surgeries are declared a success. (Ynet)
- Only five NFL players show up for Israel trip, after others refuse to be 'goodwill ambassadors' - The decision by the other players not to travel to Israel was led by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, who expressed resentment at what he saw as a manipulation by Israel’s government. (Haaretz+ and i24News)
- Data on Israelis who become German released - More than 33,000 Israelis have obtained German nationality since 2000; 95% of them have done so by virtue of a forebear whose nationality was stripped by the Nazis. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Palestinian Fatah faction picks deputy leader to Abbas - Mahmoud Al-Aloul was not chosen deputy leader of the Palestinian Authority, but rather as Abbas's deputy as the head of Fatah, making it unclear whether he would also be favorite to succeed him as president. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Hamas: Israel not showing seriousness in forming new prisoner exchange deal - Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said that the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, had received Israeli offers through intermediaries last week, but said what Israel is offering did not “meet even the minimum of the demands made by the resistance.” (Maan)
- 'Israeli captives to be returned only as part of prisoner exchange' - Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar dismisses Defense Minister Lieberman's call on group to return Israeli captives in exchange for help in stabilizing Gaza's economy. "If we wanted to turn Gaza into Singapore, we would have done it ourselves," he says. (Israel Hayom)
- 3 Egyptian soldiers killed, 4 injured in Sinai bomb attack - Islamic State fighters allegedly targeted an Egyptian army tank in a bomb attack in the town of Hasna in the central Sinai Peninsula on Friday, causing the death of three Egyptian soldiers while four others were injured, according to Egyptian security sources. (Maan)
- 'Blind sheikh' convicted in 1993 World Trade bombing dies in US prison - Omar Abdel-Rahman, the extremist Muslim cleric known as 'the blind sheikh' convicted of conspiracy in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and planning more attacks as part of a "war of urban terrorism" in the United States, died on Saturday in a North Carolina prison, authorities say. (Agencies, Ynet)
- In Unprecedented Step, Reform Jewish Movement Opposes Trump's Pick for Israel Envoy - David Friedman lacks both the 'basic qualifications' and 'temperament' required by the position of Israel envoy, the largest Jewish movement in North America says. (Haaretz+)
- Over 100,000 Palestinians send Trump letters for Palestine - A massive public campaign urges Trump not to give up on Palestine by keeping with the longstanding US policy supporting a two-state solution; 'All of the letters focused on the Palestinians’ right to freedom and self-determination, putting an end to the occupation,' says the director of the Palestinian youth center behond the campaign. (Ynet)
- Israeli Lawmaker to Rivlin: Reject Friedman as Ambassador Over Illegal Settlement Building - Meretz MK Issawi Frej cites Friedman's connections to illegal structures built on private Palestinian land in West Bank settlement of Beit El in call to reject his credentials if approved as ambassador to Israel. (Haaretz+)
- Vice President Mike Pence to Attend AIPAC's Annual Conference in March - It remains unclear if Donald Trump will attend the D.C. conference. Last year, the then-presidential candidate addressed the convention, where his harsh attack on Obama led AIPAC to publicly apologize for his speech. (Haaretz)
Features:
Palestinian Dies After Being Shot by Israeli Troops on His Way to His Last Chemo Session
No one bothered to keep the young Palestinian's family informed. In his native town of Tul Karm, in the northwestern part of the West Bank, no one believes that Mohammed-Aamar Jalad, 25, tried to attack soldiers on the way to his last chemo session. His father is the city’s legendary driving instructor – 45 years behind the wheel – and his grandfather was the first local resident to serve in the Israel Police. A photo of the grandfather in uniform hangs on a wall of Mohammed's family's house. This, then, was the life and death of the 25-year-old student, who dreamed of living in the United States, and who in 2010 won a U.S. green card through the lottery – but had fulfillment of his dream delayed by cancer, and terminated by Israeli soldiers. (Gideon Levy and Alex Levac, Haaretz+)
B’Tselem: 2016 a record year in Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes - A look at some of those affected
A new report reveals that Israel destroyed 274 structures in the West Bank last year, leaving 1,134 people homeless. ‘This reflects Israel’s increased efforts to reduce the Palestinian presence in the areas it is attempting to take over through planning and administrative measures,’ the NGO says. (Elior Levy, Ynet)
It's raining Alpinists: A day in the life of the IDF Alpine soldiers
At the beginning of winter, the fighters of the IDF Alpine Unit receive their reserve orders and head to Mt. Hermon since only they know how to execute military operations in the heavy snow; Ynet joins the unit on one of its patrol in extreme weather conditions. (Itai Blumental, Ynet)
Israelis help German aid workers deal with Syrian refugees
After taking the dangerous and arduous journey from the war-torn Syria to Berlin, refugees are surprised to be greeted by professionals from the Israeli Trauma Coalition, who teach German aid workers how to handle the 1.5 million refugees who came into their country. (Yaniv Halili, Yedioth Magazine/Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
The D.C. Ego Summit: Netanyahu Surprised Even His Cabinet Ministers (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Israeli right wing's jubilance over the absence of 'Palestinian state' from the Washington meeting may be premature; While Netanyahu confronts a host of legal troubles, Ehud Barak fails (again) to achieve peace.
*Trump Is Talking Like a Tin-pot Dictator, Pleasing Netanyahu and Other Die-hard Fans (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Imagine commentators in 1939 Berlin explaining how the Fuhrer was invigorating his base.
The ball is now in Netanyahu’s court (Shlomo Puterkovsky, Yedioth/Ynet) The Trump administration is the most permissive administration the Israeli prime minister could have dreamed of. It’s time to set brave objectives, like applying Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, and to meet them.
In the right power relationship, even Netanyahu is willing to talk peace (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) The prime minister simply craved a public reprimand from a manly authority. And if Trump thinks someone is un-American, the president’s lie detector goes off.
Road to nowhere: Trump gave Netanyahu what he always wanted (Udi Segal, Maariv) When the President of the United States sent the Israelis to the Palestinians with the goal of reaching a peace agreement, he actually gave the Prime Minister permission to march without moving, and thus refrain from offering proper plan or vision (for peace).
Gaza War Report Will Shirk the Main Issue: Can Israel Beat Hamas or Hezbollah? (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) If there’s no proven solution for tunnels and an increasing number of rockets, Israelis might have to settle for another bleak draw after the next conflict.
The supreme interest: Trump may help with the removal of Iran from the Syrian zone (Alon Ben-David, Maariv) The US President will not solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will not establish peace in the area. But together with Putin he is certainly likely to help regarding other matters in the Arab world.
Netanyahu, Trump and the Origins of Totalitarianism (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Netanyahu went gaga over Trump who uses lies as a weapon, as Hannah Arendt described in her famous book.
So what have we learned from the ‘historic’ White House meeting? (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) In the coming years, President Trump will realize that there is no such thing as ‘one state, two states, whatever you like.’ Very soon, he will understand the need for a forced agreement in the Middle East.
David Friedman will say (almost) anything to become U.S. ambassador to Israel (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) At the Senate confirmation hearing, an unrecognizable Friedman goes back on contentious past remarks on settlements and peacemaking, but stops short of full-throated apology for insulting Jewish leaders.
Netanyahu’s unforgivable statement in White House meeting (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Donald Trump is the person who opened the door to the rise in anti-Semitism in America by making racist comments, by encouraging radical right-wing movements and by refusing to condemn them. This is not the way a great supporter of the Jewish people acts. This is not even the way a small supporter of the Jewish people acts.
Trump is delusional and ignorant about Israel. His meeting with Netanyahu proved it (Ilene Prusher, Haaretz+) 'So I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like,' Trump said, but finding a deal both sides like is exactly the problem.
"Abnormal behavior": Jews in the United States against the government of President Trump (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) In Israel, Trump's beginning is perceived as the beginning of a future that promises great things, but the vast majority of American Jews believes that the President is imposing on them an era of confrontations.
End of the American Excuse (Haaretz Editorial) From now on, responsibility for the nature of the policy and achieving the deal rests on Netanyahu alone.
Trump pulled the rug of excuses from under Netanyahu’s feet (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) After his meeting with the US president, the prime minister will have to deal with his greatest fear—the need to decide. Will he stick to the two-state vision he presented eight years ago, or will he adopt Bennett’s plan for the annexation of Judea and Samaria? He may suffer from either choice he makes.
Palestinians Do Not Take Netanyahu’s Peace Declarations Seriously (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) 'Netanyahu doesn’t want to end the occupation but to intensify it, and he thinks he’ll get Arab backing for this. It won’t happen,' says senior Palestinian official.
Civics lesson: you democrats? The current government does not represent you (Tomer Avital, Maariv) Put aside your security concepts. If you valuable freedom of expression, the right of citizens to strive for happiness and principle of authorities, then regardless of whether you are left or right-wing, those elected do not represent you. At the heart of democracy is respect for minorities.
Supersizing the Solution to the Israeli-Arab Conflict (Iris Leal, Haaretz+) The big question, after all the sweet fog of Netanyahu’s White House visit has lifted, is whether the prime minister’s rival on the right, Bennett, is satisfied. The simple answer is yes.
The Nobleman and the Vassal (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) Israel is an American satellite state, a country that can’t stand on its own for even a minute, one that is totally dependent on the good will of the U.S. president.
Trump and the territories (Ophir Falk, Yedioth/Ynet) Most disputed land in Judea and Samaria is barren and unpopulated by either Jews or Arabs. Until the title to that territory is negotiated and finalized, if Jews are asked to stop building homes, Arabs should be required to do the same. Limiting Jews while giving Arabs a free hand is not reciprocity — it’s racism.
There Is No God, and Belief in Him Is Stupidity (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) How can one accuse of arrogance those who fight against the metaphysical foolishness of religion? It’s the religious who lord it over the atheists and claim exclusive ownership of spirituality, values and belief.
Turning over a new leaf (Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi, Israel Hayom) The warm meeting between President Trump and PM Netanyahu sent a clear message: After eight tough years, there is a new era in Israel-U.S. relations.
Does Trump Understand About Israel? (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) Maybe he does understand the difference between Jews and the State of Israel, and is teaching Netanyahu to stick only to the business of the country he heads.
World alliance: the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump holds good news for the entire region (Avihu Sofer, Maariv) After a successful visit to Washington, Netanyahu can put his feet up on a chair and light a cigar. Clearly the music in Washington has changed completely. The relationship between individuals is a strategic asset for the country.
Why We Protested David Friedman’s Senate Hearing (Lila Weintraub, Isaac Samuel Flegel-Mishlove & Thomas Corcoran, Haaretz+) Like Donald Trump, David Friedman traffics in hate. His nomination as U.S. ambassador to Israel represents the moral failure of the Jewish communal establishment.
Donald Trump’s Terrible, Awful, No Good, Very Bad and Very Scary Horror Show (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Donald Trump’s presidency, to paraphrase Churchill, is turning into denial wrapped in resentment inside a blinding rage.
Israeli Secularism Isn't Hollow When It's Steeped in History and Culture (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+) It's no coincidence that the father of modern Jewish historiography opens his key work with Joshua, not Abraham. This is the history of a nation, even if the religion was destined to become a major element.
Trump’s 'Deal' for the Mideast Sounds More Like Netanyahu’s Wishful Thinking (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Despite Netanyahu's love for his 'newfound Arab partners,' it will take a lot to get Saudi Arabia and its allies to tinker with the Arab Peace Initiative.
The start of a beautiful friendship (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) If anyone had any doubt, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting proved that the new president is good for Israel • Dictates for Israeli concessions are out, and out-of-the-box thinking on the peace process is in.
Trump Wants the 'Ultimate' Peace Deal? The Two-state Solution Is Still Waiting (Susie Gelman, Haaretz+) Pursuing unworkable and Utopian avenues toward Israeli-Palestinian peace serves no one's interests: not those of Israel, the Palestinians, nor the U.S. president himself.
The 'Alt-right' Is Playing Jews to Join Its anti-Muslim Campaign. Don't Let Them Succeed (Fiyaz Mughal , Haaretz) Far right bigots are retooling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories against the Muslim community while adopting a vocal defense of Israel. Sadly, a handful of Jewish individuals are buying it.
Where do we go from here? (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) The two-state solution was an illusion the Arab world never accepted • It is time for the moderate Left to join the Right in ensuring our future in Israel for generations to come • Until such time, we must beware the false messiahs' doomsday prophecies.
The Golan in Return for Iran (Zvi Hauser, Haaretz+) International recognition of Israel’s sovereignty on the Golan isn’t only an interest of Israel, but of all who want to block Tehran's growing regional influence.
The end of the 2-state solution (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom) President Trump's assertion that with regard to the regional conflict he will subscribe to whatever solution both parties like, erases the policies of past U.S. administrations • He wants to make a deal where neither side feels it was taken for a fool.
Yes, Donald Trump IS an anti-Semite (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) We have to just come out with it, those of us who are American Jews in the media. It's time we made Trump bathe in his own batshit.
Palestinian Dies After Being Shot by Israeli Troops on His Way to His Last Chemo Session (Gideon Levy and Alex Levac, Haaretz+) No one bothered to keep the young Palestinian's family informed.
No one bothered to keep the young Palestinian's family informed. In his native town of Tul Karm, in the northwestern part of the West Bank, no one believes that Mohammed-Aamar Jalad, 25, tried to attack soldiers on the way to his last chemo session. His father is the city’s legendary driving instructor – 45 years behind the wheel – and his grandfather was the first local resident to serve in the Israel Police. A photo of the grandfather in uniform hangs on a wall of Mohammed's family's house. This, then, was the life and death of the 25-year-old student, who dreamed of living in the United States, and who in 2010 won a U.S. green card through the lottery – but had fulfillment of his dream delayed by cancer, and terminated by Israeli soldiers. (Gideon Levy and Alex Levac, Haaretz+)
B’Tselem: 2016 a record year in Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes - A look at some of those affected
A new report reveals that Israel destroyed 274 structures in the West Bank last year, leaving 1,134 people homeless. ‘This reflects Israel’s increased efforts to reduce the Palestinian presence in the areas it is attempting to take over through planning and administrative measures,’ the NGO says. (Elior Levy, Ynet)
It's raining Alpinists: A day in the life of the IDF Alpine soldiers
At the beginning of winter, the fighters of the IDF Alpine Unit receive their reserve orders and head to Mt. Hermon since only they know how to execute military operations in the heavy snow; Ynet joins the unit on one of its patrol in extreme weather conditions. (Itai Blumental, Ynet)
Israelis help German aid workers deal with Syrian refugees
After taking the dangerous and arduous journey from the war-torn Syria to Berlin, refugees are surprised to be greeted by professionals from the Israeli Trauma Coalition, who teach German aid workers how to handle the 1.5 million refugees who came into their country. (Yaniv Halili, Yedioth Magazine/Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
The D.C. Ego Summit: Netanyahu Surprised Even His Cabinet Ministers (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Israeli right wing's jubilance over the absence of 'Palestinian state' from the Washington meeting may be premature; While Netanyahu confronts a host of legal troubles, Ehud Barak fails (again) to achieve peace.
*Trump Is Talking Like a Tin-pot Dictator, Pleasing Netanyahu and Other Die-hard Fans (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Imagine commentators in 1939 Berlin explaining how the Fuhrer was invigorating his base.
The ball is now in Netanyahu’s court (Shlomo Puterkovsky, Yedioth/Ynet) The Trump administration is the most permissive administration the Israeli prime minister could have dreamed of. It’s time to set brave objectives, like applying Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, and to meet them.
In the right power relationship, even Netanyahu is willing to talk peace (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) The prime minister simply craved a public reprimand from a manly authority. And if Trump thinks someone is un-American, the president’s lie detector goes off.
Road to nowhere: Trump gave Netanyahu what he always wanted (Udi Segal, Maariv) When the President of the United States sent the Israelis to the Palestinians with the goal of reaching a peace agreement, he actually gave the Prime Minister permission to march without moving, and thus refrain from offering proper plan or vision (for peace).
Gaza War Report Will Shirk the Main Issue: Can Israel Beat Hamas or Hezbollah? (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) If there’s no proven solution for tunnels and an increasing number of rockets, Israelis might have to settle for another bleak draw after the next conflict.
The supreme interest: Trump may help with the removal of Iran from the Syrian zone (Alon Ben-David, Maariv) The US President will not solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will not establish peace in the area. But together with Putin he is certainly likely to help regarding other matters in the Arab world.
Netanyahu, Trump and the Origins of Totalitarianism (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Netanyahu went gaga over Trump who uses lies as a weapon, as Hannah Arendt described in her famous book.
So what have we learned from the ‘historic’ White House meeting? (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) In the coming years, President Trump will realize that there is no such thing as ‘one state, two states, whatever you like.’ Very soon, he will understand the need for a forced agreement in the Middle East.
David Friedman will say (almost) anything to become U.S. ambassador to Israel (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) At the Senate confirmation hearing, an unrecognizable Friedman goes back on contentious past remarks on settlements and peacemaking, but stops short of full-throated apology for insulting Jewish leaders.
Netanyahu’s unforgivable statement in White House meeting (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Donald Trump is the person who opened the door to the rise in anti-Semitism in America by making racist comments, by encouraging radical right-wing movements and by refusing to condemn them. This is not the way a great supporter of the Jewish people acts. This is not even the way a small supporter of the Jewish people acts.
Trump is delusional and ignorant about Israel. His meeting with Netanyahu proved it (Ilene Prusher, Haaretz+) 'So I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like,' Trump said, but finding a deal both sides like is exactly the problem.
"Abnormal behavior": Jews in the United States against the government of President Trump (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) In Israel, Trump's beginning is perceived as the beginning of a future that promises great things, but the vast majority of American Jews believes that the President is imposing on them an era of confrontations.
End of the American Excuse (Haaretz Editorial) From now on, responsibility for the nature of the policy and achieving the deal rests on Netanyahu alone.
Trump pulled the rug of excuses from under Netanyahu’s feet (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) After his meeting with the US president, the prime minister will have to deal with his greatest fear—the need to decide. Will he stick to the two-state vision he presented eight years ago, or will he adopt Bennett’s plan for the annexation of Judea and Samaria? He may suffer from either choice he makes.
Palestinians Do Not Take Netanyahu’s Peace Declarations Seriously (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) 'Netanyahu doesn’t want to end the occupation but to intensify it, and he thinks he’ll get Arab backing for this. It won’t happen,' says senior Palestinian official.
Civics lesson: you democrats? The current government does not represent you (Tomer Avital, Maariv) Put aside your security concepts. If you valuable freedom of expression, the right of citizens to strive for happiness and principle of authorities, then regardless of whether you are left or right-wing, those elected do not represent you. At the heart of democracy is respect for minorities.
Supersizing the Solution to the Israeli-Arab Conflict (Iris Leal, Haaretz+) The big question, after all the sweet fog of Netanyahu’s White House visit has lifted, is whether the prime minister’s rival on the right, Bennett, is satisfied. The simple answer is yes.
The Nobleman and the Vassal (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) Israel is an American satellite state, a country that can’t stand on its own for even a minute, one that is totally dependent on the good will of the U.S. president.
Trump and the territories (Ophir Falk, Yedioth/Ynet) Most disputed land in Judea and Samaria is barren and unpopulated by either Jews or Arabs. Until the title to that territory is negotiated and finalized, if Jews are asked to stop building homes, Arabs should be required to do the same. Limiting Jews while giving Arabs a free hand is not reciprocity — it’s racism.
There Is No God, and Belief in Him Is Stupidity (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) How can one accuse of arrogance those who fight against the metaphysical foolishness of religion? It’s the religious who lord it over the atheists and claim exclusive ownership of spirituality, values and belief.
Turning over a new leaf (Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi, Israel Hayom) The warm meeting between President Trump and PM Netanyahu sent a clear message: After eight tough years, there is a new era in Israel-U.S. relations.
Does Trump Understand About Israel? (Carolina Landsmann, Haaretz+) Maybe he does understand the difference between Jews and the State of Israel, and is teaching Netanyahu to stick only to the business of the country he heads.
World alliance: the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump holds good news for the entire region (Avihu Sofer, Maariv) After a successful visit to Washington, Netanyahu can put his feet up on a chair and light a cigar. Clearly the music in Washington has changed completely. The relationship between individuals is a strategic asset for the country.
Why We Protested David Friedman’s Senate Hearing (Lila Weintraub, Isaac Samuel Flegel-Mishlove & Thomas Corcoran, Haaretz+) Like Donald Trump, David Friedman traffics in hate. His nomination as U.S. ambassador to Israel represents the moral failure of the Jewish communal establishment.
Donald Trump’s Terrible, Awful, No Good, Very Bad and Very Scary Horror Show (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Donald Trump’s presidency, to paraphrase Churchill, is turning into denial wrapped in resentment inside a blinding rage.
Israeli Secularism Isn't Hollow When It's Steeped in History and Culture (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+) It's no coincidence that the father of modern Jewish historiography opens his key work with Joshua, not Abraham. This is the history of a nation, even if the religion was destined to become a major element.
Trump’s 'Deal' for the Mideast Sounds More Like Netanyahu’s Wishful Thinking (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Despite Netanyahu's love for his 'newfound Arab partners,' it will take a lot to get Saudi Arabia and its allies to tinker with the Arab Peace Initiative.
The start of a beautiful friendship (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) If anyone had any doubt, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting proved that the new president is good for Israel • Dictates for Israeli concessions are out, and out-of-the-box thinking on the peace process is in.
Trump Wants the 'Ultimate' Peace Deal? The Two-state Solution Is Still Waiting (Susie Gelman, Haaretz+) Pursuing unworkable and Utopian avenues toward Israeli-Palestinian peace serves no one's interests: not those of Israel, the Palestinians, nor the U.S. president himself.
The 'Alt-right' Is Playing Jews to Join Its anti-Muslim Campaign. Don't Let Them Succeed (Fiyaz Mughal , Haaretz) Far right bigots are retooling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories against the Muslim community while adopting a vocal defense of Israel. Sadly, a handful of Jewish individuals are buying it.
Where do we go from here? (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) The two-state solution was an illusion the Arab world never accepted • It is time for the moderate Left to join the Right in ensuring our future in Israel for generations to come • Until such time, we must beware the false messiahs' doomsday prophecies.
The Golan in Return for Iran (Zvi Hauser, Haaretz+) International recognition of Israel’s sovereignty on the Golan isn’t only an interest of Israel, but of all who want to block Tehran's growing regional influence.
The end of the 2-state solution (Shlomo Cesana, Israel Hayom) President Trump's assertion that with regard to the regional conflict he will subscribe to whatever solution both parties like, erases the policies of past U.S. administrations • He wants to make a deal where neither side feels it was taken for a fool.
Yes, Donald Trump IS an anti-Semite (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) We have to just come out with it, those of us who are American Jews in the media. It's time we made Trump bathe in his own batshit.
Palestinian Dies After Being Shot by Israeli Troops on His Way to His Last Chemo Session (Gideon Levy and Alex Levac, Haaretz+) No one bothered to keep the young Palestinian's family informed.
Interviews:
In Interview to Haaretz, Tim Kaine Warns Trump: Israeli-Palestinian Peace Is About People, Not Real Estate
Senator Time Kaine (D-VA), a former-VP hopeful, explains how he got Trump's pick for Israel envoy to admit what a one-state solution actually means, and why, despite it all, he's optimistic. Kaine, however, also sees room for optimism. At the White House this week, President Trump talked about an opportunity for a regional peace deal that would involve not only the Palestinians, but also other Arab states in the region (Trump called it "a deal much larger than many people in this room would realize," to which Netanyahu only nodded, somewhat awkwardly.) Kaine thinks such a deal could be made possible – if Israel was willing to move towards a two-state solution. (Interviewed by Amir Tibon in Haaretz+)
'The next war will be different'
In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, outgoing GOC Homefront Command Maj. Gen. Yoel Strick warns the next war will present the public with new challenges • "We won’t be able to intercept everything, and we will sustain some lethal hits," he says. (Interviewed by Yoav Limor in Israel Hayom)
In Interview to Haaretz, Tim Kaine Warns Trump: Israeli-Palestinian Peace Is About People, Not Real Estate
Senator Time Kaine (D-VA), a former-VP hopeful, explains how he got Trump's pick for Israel envoy to admit what a one-state solution actually means, and why, despite it all, he's optimistic. Kaine, however, also sees room for optimism. At the White House this week, President Trump talked about an opportunity for a regional peace deal that would involve not only the Palestinians, but also other Arab states in the region (Trump called it "a deal much larger than many people in this room would realize," to which Netanyahu only nodded, somewhat awkwardly.) Kaine thinks such a deal could be made possible – if Israel was willing to move towards a two-state solution. (Interviewed by Amir Tibon in Haaretz+)
'The next war will be different'
In an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, outgoing GOC Homefront Command Maj. Gen. Yoel Strick warns the next war will present the public with new challenges • "We won’t be able to intercept everything, and we will sustain some lethal hits," he says. (Interviewed by Yoav Limor in Israel Hayom)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.