"I love Israel even when I can't stand it. If I am destined to fall one day in the street, I want to fall in a street in Israel. Not in London, not in Paris, and not in New York. Here strangers will immediately come and pick me up (and when I am back on my feet there will certainly be those who will be happy to see me fall). I am very scared for the future. I am scared of the state's policies and I am ashamed of them. And I am scared of the fanaticism and of the violence that is becoming common here, and I am ashamed of them. But I'm happy being Israeli. I'm happy being a citizen in which there are eight and a half million prime ministers, eight and a half million prophets, eight and a half million messiahs. Each one of us and his personal salvation, or at least solution. Everyone yells, and only a few listen. It's not boring here. Indeed, it's irritating, outrageous, disappointing, sometimes frustrating and infuriating, but often fascinating and stormy. What I have seen here during my lifetime is much less and also much more than what my parents and what their parents dreamed of."
--An excerpt of Amos Oz's new book, "Peace for Fanatics," which was printed on the front page of today's Yedioth.


You Must Be Kidding: 
"Traitors!"
--Word shouted by right-wing activists at author David Grossman, who lost his son Uri in the Second Lebanon War, and at the other 4000 participants who attended the 'Alternative Memorial Day Ceremony' in Tel-Aviv that commemorated the Israelis and Palestinians who have died as a result of the conflict. This is the 12th year the ceremony has been held by 'Combatants for Peace' and the 'Bereaved Parents Circle.' 

News Summary:
Today Israel both grieves and celebrates as memorial ceremonies take place for Israel’s fallen and, in the evening, the celebrations begin for Israel’s Independence Day, which is tomorrow. The papers shared both stories of grief and heroism and columns about feelings for the state and hope for the future. A poll found that on Israel's 69th birthday, both Jews and Arabs said they were proud to be Israeli. And, the Knesset’s legal adviser announced that lawmakers may mark the 50th anniversary of the occupation of with a “meeting,” but not with an “event.”

And ahead of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington Wednesday, and in a bid to end its international isolation, Hamas will unveil its new charter this evening. And senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Palestinians should not have expectations of progress with Trump.