APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday June 20, 2017
 

Quote of the day:

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Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

News Summary:
The car-ramming attack on Muslim worshippers in London, right-wing anger over the approval for expansion of a Palestinian city – which was falsely described, an outrageous 2015 Likud election campaign that was shelved, but now revealed, and Iran’s warning to Israel were top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also, Gaza was faced with two to three hours of power a day after Israel reduced the electricity supply. Meanwhile, US special envoy Jason Greenblatt holds meetings today with Palestinians and Israelis about reigniting the peace ahead of Jared Kushner's arrival tomorrow.
 
So while a document proved that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was present at the meeting where the Israeli approval was given to build homes in the Palestinian city of Qalqilya, despite his ‘forgetting’ this happened, the report that the number of homes was 14,000 was false, the number is 5000-6000. Haaretz discovered that the erroneous report came from two right-wing sources – Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan and members of the Regavim movement, which objects to the granting of building permits to Palestinians in Area C of the West Bank and they spread it by way of right-wing ministers. Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told ministers to stop attacking the army for giving the final approval because they are only following orders from political leaders and are not setting policy.
 
Following Iran’s remarkable missile attack on ISIS in Syria, an Iranian official said that “Israel understood the message…Israel is our main enemy and it should be worried.” Netanyahu replied saying, “Do not threaten Israel.” See Commentary/Analysis below for the Israeli take. Russia also made a threat to foreign anti-Assad forces operating in Syria after the US downed one of its jets, saying it would intercept “any flying object' in Syria skies. Netanyahu also commented on the New York Times report that Israel was giving direct aid to ‘friendly’ Syrian rebels. Netanyahu said Israel only provides humanitarian aid and “doesn’t get involved in the Syria war.”
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

50 Years After Six-Day War, East Jerusalem's Palestinian Residents Remain Prisoners in Their City
Study shows how ambivalent Israeli policies and denial of the problem have created a status that doesn't exist anywhere else on earth: Native-born residents who are not citizens of the state in whose capital they live. (Nir Hasson, Haaretz+) 
Putting Jerusalem on the map: Ancient drawings of the holy city
From a monk’s simple and enchanting illustration, through the French diplomat who omitted all Muslim sites from his ‘accurate’ map, to the Spanish Jesuit scholar who sketched elements that were archaeologically confirmed later on: Dr. Milka Levy-Rubin of the National Library of Israel explores Jerusalem’s different transformations as they were seen by Christian pilgrims, researchers and scholars. (Tali Farkash, Yedioth/Ynet) 
From occupation to infatuation: 8 new page-turners on Israel-Palestine
The works on this list offer something for everyone, from the disillusioned Zionist to the banned-book fan to the lit-lover with a conscience. (Anat Rosenberg, Haaretz+)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
In Jewish media mania, Netanyahu is Washington and Trump Jr. his Lafayette (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) After two millennia of persecution it's easier to equate erroneous BBC headlines with medieval blood libels. 
Trump’s Jewish advisors butting heads over Israel (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet) Since David Friedman left for Israel, senior officials in Washington say, Jared Kushner has become the most dominant person in the president’s inner circle. While his basic commitment to Israel is unquestionable, Kushner is in favor of a tougher stance towards Jerusalem and reducing the pressure on the Palestinians and the Arab world. 
Let the Israeli Left Squirm (Nitzan Horowitz, Haaretz+) Those same people who trample on freedom of expression know very well that those authors and artists they so enjoy condemning are the secret of Israel’s power. 
Building freeze in the West Bank and the capital, but developing Qalqiliya: Apparently a good prime minister for the Arabs (Dr. Arieh Eldad, Maariv) When he stops the development of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and allows the expansion of a Palestinian city, we can only conclude that Netanyahu, who is prepared to return most of Area C (in the West Bank), is good for our ‘cousins’ (the Arabs).
Not Forgetful, but Afraid (Haaretz Editorial) Israelis have no real reason to be concerned about the state of the prime minister’s memory, but his fear of the settlers should keep them awake at night. 
There is an alternative: Amir Peretz can be a worthy substitute for the right-wing government (Eli Amir, Maariv) The time has come to replace the government, and out all of them, a member of the Knesset, who is running for the head of the Labor Party, can bring about change by raising the security, social and pioneering flag at the same time. 
Gaza slowly brewing up trouble (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) Prof. Mkhaimar Abusada of Al-Azhar University believes that the heat, the humidity from the sea and the increasing pressure on Hamas could blow up in everyone’s face in two months’ time. ‘I don’t see them giving up,’ he says. 
Iran's missile attack: Russia and the US are approaching a military confrontation in Syria (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The IDF is not impressed by Tehran's intervention at its neighbor in the north, and it appears to serve an internal need to raise morale. The concern: The Iranian presence close to the Golan Heights. 
What really happens in the world's most moral army (Eyal Harel, Haaretz+) As a proud Israeli leftist who believes in the two-state solution, I should have been a compassionate soldier in Gaza and the West Bank. But this is a story about the corrupting effect of limitless power. 
It is hard to believe that there are no political interests behind the Olmert documents affair (Lior Ackerman, Maariv) The responsibility for examining the future publications of the former prime minister is not the responsibility of the Israel Prison Service and is not related to his behavior as a prisoner. Therefore, the probe should not affect the decision of the Parole Board. 
Haaretz called on Israelis to listen to Abbas. And listen they should - to every word (Gadi Taub, Haaretz+) While the Palestinian leader's words of peace are not sharp or precise, his remarks about the holy right of return and the martyrs are surprisingly clear. 
Missile strike on ISIS turning Iran into a world power (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) By firing surface-to-surface missiles with a range of up to 700 kilometers into Syria, Iran is both avenging the terror attacks in Tehran and claiming the status and prestige of a military, regional and maybe even global power. This should set off alarm bells not only in Israel, but also in the Arab Gulf states and in the US.
After Settlers' Outrage, Forgetful Netanyahu Suddenly Can't Remember Approving Palestinian City's Expansion (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) West Bank settlers angry over plan, while the senior officers who drafted it at the government's behest take the heat.
This is not representative: the number of members of Knesset in Israel should be increased (Dr. Revital Amiran, Maariv) When the state was established there was logic in 120 Knesset members, but today, when there is one representative in the legislature for every 70,000 people, it is time to increase their number or at least open a discussion on the subject. 
 
 

Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.