APN's daily news review from Israel

Wednesday August 9, 2017
 

Quote of the day:

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Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

News Summary:
An IDF helicopter crash killed a beloved man and led to malicious rumors that it was the Chief of Staff who was killed, the ‘Shooting Soldier from Hebron,’ Elor Azaria, enters prison today, a rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip and Israel responded injuring four, a former deputy minister from Yisrael Beiteinu and nine others were indicted for bribery along with the latest on numerous other corruption cases made top news in today’s Hebrew newspapers.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his coalition whip, MK David Bitan, are hoping for a big turnout tonight at the rally Bitan organized to show support for Netanyahu amid the investigations against him for graft. Bitan pressured Likud ministers and MKs saying they should resign if they think Netanyahu did something wrong and that he expected them "to stand on the front lines of the battle for public opinion.” Netanyahu also slammed Transport Minister Yisrael Katz for allegedly planning to replace him in the event he is forced to resign amid the numerous corruption investigations.

Meanwhile, Haaretz+ reported that former Netanyahu-confidante-turned-state-witness, Ari Harow, reportedly received a hefty ‘consulting fee’ from a right-wing US group after he served as Netanyahu’s bureau chief. In another corruption case, state witness, Miki Ganor, is expected to provide recordings and texts implicating officials in bribery, including Netanyahu’s personal lawyer and cousin, David Shimron. And the Inteior Minister, Arieh Deri, and his wife, were questioned again by police over possible corruption.
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

When the Israeli Occupation Meets a New York Moving Company
In Joshua Cohen’s new novel, two discharged Israeli soldiers join a moving firm and evict tenants as if they’re giving grief to Palestinians. The young American writer tells Haaretz about his complex relationship with Israel. (Tzach Yoked, Haaretz+)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
Bylaws: No Entry for Arabs (Haaretz Editorial) Israel has never ceased to demonstrate creativity when it comes to discriminating against Arab citizens of the state. Hiran and Kochav Yair are just the latest examples.
Why Jews and Arabs must not give up on each other (Yaniv Sagee, Yedioth/Ynet) If we blindly follow the voices of fear and hate coming from both nationalities that share this land, our lives will become hell on earth. A shared life, the common interest of the vast majority of Israeli citizens, is the only thing that can ensure the security the Jewish society yearns for and the equality the Arab society longs for.
Those who invite over to us enemies like Saeb Erekat are crazy (Kalman Liebeskind, Maariv) It is impossible to understand anyone who suggests to those, who in their day-to-day lives are responsible, directly or indirectly, for the murder of Jews, to receive medical assistance in Israel. Someone higher-up has to stop it, and the sooner the better.
The New Right-wingers Are Self-hating Israelis (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) They detest leftists, academics, journalists, artists, Arabs, Tel Aviv, democracy, the army and the rule of law.
The rise and decline of Benjamin Netanyahu (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) With his impressive list of achievements, our talented prime minister should have led Israel and himself to much better and higher places. But as a hedonist, his appetite grew, and the personal interest repeatedly came before the national interest.
Netanyahu Case Presents Rare Opportunity to Break Hold of Media Boss Mozes (Nati Tucker, Haaretz+) Police investigation of Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher, titled Case 2000, gives Israelis a chance to put an end to deals between the press and politicians
Washington and Jerusalem: Two leaders, one fate? (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) Both Netanyahu and Trump believe the multiple investigations against them and their people and relatives are the fruit of conspiracies fostered by the left-wing media in a bid to ensure they are ousted.
Once bitten, twice shy (Yossi Beilin, Israel Hayom) Following our unfortunate experience on the Temple Mount, those who want to keep this Pandora's box closed should exert extra caution in the absence of a final agreement with the Palestinians.
Peace Plan for a New Era: Israel and Palestine Should Apply to Join the EU (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) What if there were a peace plan that actually offered the people on both sides something that they would truly want?
Once ISIS is eliminated, Hezbollah will take its place (Dr. Yaron Friedman, Yedioth/Ynet) Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are all up to their necks in wars taking place in their territories or near their borders. After the war on jihadist terror is over and the Islamic State is destroyed, Hezbollah will become the region’s leading terror organization—and a close and imminent problem for Israel.
Courageous Selfishness (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Those who refuse to serve in the army spare themselves the experience of jolting awake one morning with the realization that they were directly involved in a crime.
Netanyahu is different (Amnon Lord, Israel Hayom) The prime minister's every move is being scrutinized unfairly, but unlike his predecessors, he has not buckled under the pressure.
It’s difficult to find decisions of the Ministry of Communications under Netanyahu that were made in a business-like manner (Tal Schneider, Maariv) When the High Court comes to decide on the decisions made during Netanyahu's term as communications minister, it should pay attention to the last paragraph in the ruling forcing him to reveal the dates of his talks with Adelson. "Israel, Hayom” writes Justice Handel, plays a prominent role in the market. "Without the need for an accurate analysis of the authority of the Minister of Communications with regard to the newspaper, the reciprocal relations between the written and broadcast media, and the affiliation of the two branches to a broad media arena that the minister is responsible for, it is important to learn about the real link between Netanyahu's public role and the areas of activity of his long-time friends, Amos Regev And Sheldon Adelson."
Israeli Public, Not Its Leader, Is in Check (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) In this democracy, the summer is too hot for protests, the winter is too damp and the spring is too short to waste on upheavals
In the campaign against Netanyahu, it is hard to find smart thinking and integrity (Nadav Haetzni, Maariv) Many of the leaders of the campaign to topple the prime minister are running the same spin and disguises of virtues that were used in the past to bring down the rule of the nationalist camp.
At Sheldon Adelson's Hotel (Nitzan Horowitz, Haaretz+) Nevada is the embodiment of the American dream. Everything here is free: the gambling, the prostitution, the alcohol. Above all, you’re free to lose your money.
Al Jazeera is a weapon (Ariel Bolstein, Israel Hayom) Just as we would be appalled to find Islamic State's channel on our cable box, so too is there no place for Al Jazeera or other such hate networks.
The True Message Behind Jordan’s King Abdullah’s West Bank Visit (Daoud Kuttab, Haaretz+) Jordan's beloved king is facing a level of public anger that he hasn't encountered in his 17-year rule. His visit sends a message to two audiences: Israel and his fuming constituency.

 

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