News Nosh 12.14.17

by APN 12/14/17
Share

APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday December 14, 2017  

Quote of the day:
"What we should fear, as an aftershock of his reckless overturning of standing U.S. policy on Jerusalem, is a further tightening of the chokehold on the Palestinian population through midnight raids, demolitions and child arrests; the Israeli government support of radical settlers evicting Palestinians from their homes; continued settlement building; and the fast tracking of plans to simply dispose of one third of the city’s Palestinians in one legislative stroke."
--Betty Herschman, Director of International Relations & Advocacy at Ir Amim, writes in an Op-Ed in Haaretz+.

You Must Be Kidding: 
The head of media for Israel's 'Burning Man Festival' is a member of the far-right and racist organization Lehava, which encourages hatred of Arabs and xenophobia.

Front Page:
Haaretz
  • Teva Pharmaceuticals will announce dismissals of thousands of its employees in Israel
  • State sequestering salaries from prisoners and leaving them 100 shekels a month
  • Three rockets shot from Gaza Strip to israel, two intercepted
  • Blow to Trump: Senate candidate accused of attacking girls lost elections in Alabama
  • (Attorney General) Mendelblitt in interview on exclusion of women: It’s unacceptable phenomenon, but there is a large sector of society which needs to be respected
  • The pilots’ test // Gideon Levy
  • This far, Netanyahu // Yisrael Harel
  • Yedioth Ahronoth
  • Teva (Pharmaceuticals Co.) Blow - The fear: One out two employees will be fired
  • The directors should pay // Sever Plocker
  • The employees pay the price; The good life at the top: Senior Teva employees  drive Jaguars; The CEO who is cutting receives 35.5 million shekels a year
  • The suspicion: Miki Ganor tried to bribe Yuval Steinitz through fictitious contributions
  • Non-stop shooting: Iron Dome intercepted rockets above Sderot, 3 lightly wounded
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
  • The blow of dismissals at Teva Pharmaceuticals: The Histadrut (National Labor Union) will put the country on strike on Sunday
  • Maariv Investigation - Pulling the wool over their eyes - Patients visiting expert optometrists are being treated by inexperienced interns
  • Dangerous drizzle - Third night in row: Shooting from Gaza Strip towards Israel
Israel Hayom

News Summary:
Teva Pharmaceuticals will cut about one half of its workforce in Israel, and the Iron Dome Missile Defense System Intercepted two rockets out of three, which were fired from Gaza over Israel for the third night in a row, making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, an emergency meeting of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OECD) and reactions to the Maariv interview of former IDF general, Amiram Levin. And, settlers attacked Palestinian villagers with stones, but the papers reported on it very differently. (See Quick Hits.)

Hosted by Turkey following US President Donald Trump’s unilateral declaration that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestinians will go to the UN Security Council to get full UN membership
and that the UN should replace the US as Mideast mediator. The White House was none too happy and said that Abbas’ rhetoric ‘prevents peace' and that Trump was still committed to achieving Israelii-Palestinian peace and that in negotiations, Israelis and Palestinians will decide on the boundaries of Jerusalem. Muslim nations also decided to declare east Jerusalem as future Palestinian state's capital. Some 90% of Palestinians oppose Trump's Jerusalem declaration 

A former IDF general and key Israeli Labor Party figure, Maj. Gen. (res.) Amiram Levin caused an uproar when he said in an interview published in Maariv yesterday: “We were too good in 1967, the Palestinians deserved the occupation.” He also said he supported a two-state solution, but “if (the Palestinians) violated the agreements, then next time we'll throw them over the Jordan River.” Even MK Motti Yogev, from the far right-wing Habayit Hayehudi party called him a “dangerous and irresponsible statesman. Journalist Yaakov Ahimeir, wrote: "What luck for the Palestinians: Amiram Levin was not elected chairman of the Labor Party. Maybe he will compete with [hardline minister of defense) Lieberman, who is on the left of Levin. There is no doubt: The Zionist camp is very, very pluralistic!" Haaretz reporter, Barak Ravid accused Levin of calling for war crimes. "Amiram Levin calls on the IDF to prepare an operational plan to commit war crimes against humanity." The Zionist Camp said Levin's remarks “have no basis in reality.” (Maariv) Arab MK Yusef Jabarin wondered, "If this is how a Labor party person speaks, who will replace the extreme right?"
 
Quick Hits:
  • Dozens of Israeli settlers throw rocks at Palestinian building, IDF soldiers stand by - Footage of the incident shows Israeli soldiers standing meters away from the settlers; eventually, soldiers dispersed them. Settlers say the incident was a response to stone-throwing by Palestinians. (Haaretz+)
  • Palestinians hurl stones at Israeli cars, settlers respond in kind - Some 40 settlers threw stones at Palestinian residents and their homes in Burin, near Nablus, saying it was done in response to the Palestinians from the village first attacking them; IDF removed the settlers from the village; none hurt. IDF troops who arrived at the scene removed the settlers from the village. No one was hurt. The Rabbis for Human Rights organization claimed the IDF force that arrived at the scene stood by while the Palestinians were attacked by the settlers. (Ynet)
  • WATCH Settlers throw stones near Burin village: "We responded to Palestinian riot" - IDF soldiers arrive at the scene to keep the rioters away The settlers said, "Instead of dealing with Arab rioters, the IDF Spokesperson Unit defames settlers.” (Maariv)
  • 44 Palestinians taken to hospitals from clashes with Israeli forces in West Bank, Gaza - Violent protests mark seventh day of rage since Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. (Haaretz+)
  • Journalist, human rights activist injured as Palestinians continue anti-Trump protests - Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces were renewed on Wednesday in several districts across the occupied West Bank as Palestinians continued to protest in rejection of the US President’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Maan)
  • WATCH: Undercover cops arrest (5) Palestinian rioters in Ramallah, (injure 2) - Border Policemen make arrests during protest staged by 400 rioters in Ramallah over Trump's Jerusalem declaration; in overnight raid, security forces confiscate assault rifles and ammunition, make several arrests. (Ynet and Maan)
  • WATCH: Israeli troops taking away 7 and 8-year-old Palestinian boys - Video shows armed Israeli forces attempting to drag the children into their jeeps in a West Bank refugee camp. (VIDEO+972mag)
  • Elderly Palestinian woman dies of heart attack during Israeli raid on her home - Hamda Zubeidat, 60, suffered a fatal heart attack overnight Tuesday when Israeli soldiers threw a stun grenade at her house during a raid on the village of al-Zubeidat, north of Jericho. (Maan)
  • Israel Arrests Hamas Leader, Dozens Others in Overnight West Bank Raid - Raid comes amid a week of heightened tensions along Gaza border, as Israel and Palestinian factions exchange fire since Trump's declaration on Jerusalem. (Haaretz+)
    Defense minister urges Israeli cooperation with Saudis on Iran  - Strategic divide between fanaticism and pragmatism outweighs sectarian divisions; we see evidence of sober thinking among the Gulf states, Avigdor Lieberman says The region's pragmatic forces must combine security efforts to boost stability, he says. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israeli Intel Minister to Saudi Media: Israel Can Strike Iranian Missile Plants in Lebanon, 'As Is Happening in Syria' - Yisrael Katz invites Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Israel and proposes that kingdom would be sponsor of Israeli-Palestinian peace process
    Katz confirmed to Haaretz that he extended the invitation in an interview to the Saudi online newspaper Elaph, however, the online publication chose to edit the invitation out. (Haaretz)
  • Border Police conduct nationwide sweep against illegal Palestinian residents - Weeks-long covert operation culminates in arrest of 367 Palestinians illegally residing in Israel, among them 38 from Gaza; during raids, police discover weapons, pipe bombs and Molotov Cocktails. (Ynet and Maariv+VIDEO)
  • Shin Bet arrested Hamas members plotting to kidnap Israeli during Hanukkah - Hamas members allegedly disguised themselves as Israeli settlers and observed activity at bus stations in the West Bank during preparation. (Haaretz+, Ynet and Israel Hayom)
  • **The anti-Arab Activist in Charge of PR for Israel’s Burning Man Fest - Two weeks ago the organizers of Midburn hired Raphael Maoz, a Lehava field activist, to head the organization’s media department. (Haaretz+)
  • Justice Minister Shaked Asks: Why Not Segregate Libraries by Gender? - Ayelet Shaked said every local government should find a balance between making sure not to exclude women and preserving 'the freedom of a religious way of life.’ (Haaretz+)
  • Israel treats 2016 fire outbreak as terror despite lack of evidence - There is no proof any of the fires were politically motivated; in some cases it was determined the fire was caused by negligence. (Haaretz+)
  • Supreme Court questions state's seriousness in pressuring Hamas  - Justice says he is not convinced the government is implementing its policy of denying Hamas officials medical care in Israel. Parents of Hadar Goldin, whose remains are held by Hamas, had petitioned the High Court of Justice over alleged inaction. (Israel Hayom)
  • 'Western Wall sky tram will minimize legal challenges'  - Tourism project to connect German Colony with Old City and the Mount of Olives will largely avoid private property, officials say as committee begins approval process • Transport system, unveiled in May, could become operational by 2021. (Israel Hayom)
  • Sokolov Award, the 'Israeli Pulitzer,' honors journalist Ronen Bergman - Dr. Ronen Bergman receives the highest Israeli prize for journalism for ‘serious of important and courageous exposés’; ‘I may be the one receiving the award, but it is shared by the people of Yedioth Ahronoth,’ Bergman says at awards ceremony. (Ynet)
  • Tel Aviv municipality hoists Sudanese, Eritrean flags - briefly - Flags put up as part of upcoming lights festival to connect the neighborhood's past with its multi-cultural present, but city officials quickly order flags' removal after residents of south Tel Aviv complain. (Ynet)
  • Jordanian pilot to passengers: 'We're now flying over Jerusalem, Palestine's capital' - Pilot Yousef Dajah widely praised in Jordan after he told his passengers that their Amman-NY flight path would take them over 'Jerusalem, capital of Palestine'; 'He knew there were many Americans on the flight, but he did it anyway,' says co-pilot. (Ynet)
  • Beer Costs More in Tel Aviv Than It Does in London, and Almost as Much as in New York - The 2016 Beer Price Index placed Tel Aviv 10th among 70 cities surveyed, with an average cost of $5.26 for a cold one. (Haaretz+)
  • Israeli Manufacturers Sold Arms for $7.9 Billion in 2016, Report Says - Global geopolitical unrest sent annual weapon sales up in 2016 for the first time in five years, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. (Calcalist/Ynet)
  • Bahrain interfaith group pays unprecedented visit to Israel - Participants included Sunni, Shiite Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, as guests of Simon Wiesenthal Center; trip was nonpolitical, unconnected to Bahrain government; visit comes at a time when Israel is boasting of warming, covert, ties with moderate Arab countries in shared front against Iran. (Agencies, Ynet)
  • Iran vows support for terror groups fighting US Jerusalem move  - Qasem Soleimani, head of Iran's powerful Quds Force, reaches out to Hamas, Islamic Jihad's military wings, pledges financial, military support for "resistance aimed at blocking the implications" of Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
  • US Congress to let Iran deadline pass, leave decision to Trump  - If U.S. President Donald Trump decides in January not to waive energy sanctions against Iran, he will effectively blow up the 2015 nuclear deal brokered between Iran and the West • European allies, Russia and China oppose new sanctions against Iran. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)

Features:
IN PHOTOS: Hanukkah menorah lightings around the world
Jews gather worldwide for public Menorah lighting ceremonies on the first night of Hanukkah. Below are some photos from celebrations in Berlin, Budapest and Moscow. (Ynet)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
*Trump's Green Light for Israeli Annexation and Transfer in Jerusalem (Betty Herschman, Haaretz+) Israel's right understood Trump was winking at them and their war cry: All of Jerusalem belongs to us, and no one is going to stop us.
Lieberman adding fuel to the fire of hooligans (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The defense minister should be reminded that a boycott against Wadi Ara's residents would be the biggest victory for Sheikh Raed Salah’s supporters, as that is exactly what they want: More animosity and more hostility between Jews and Arabs.
The flourishing 'Hebrew Spring' (Dr. Edy Cohen, Israel Hayom) We are witnessing undeniable rapprochement between Israel and moderate Arab countries, which are forming a bloc with us against Iran and its allies in the Middle East.
How Trump energizes deniers of Palestinian independence (Dahlia Scheindlin, +972mag) Taking their cues from the American president, right-wingers like Bret Stephens argue that the Palestinians don’t deserve a state. Here’s why they’re wrong.
Christians and Jews Now Compare Trump to Persian King Cyrus – Will He Build the Third Temple? (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) Like Cyrus 2,500 years ago, Trump is seen as an instrument of God. And the plan: to build the Third Temple on the Temple Mount – where the Al-Aqsa Mosque currently stands.
US-Saudi alliance: The pessimist's view (Irina Tsukerman, Israel Hayom) The alliance against Iranian hegemony can work, but only if the parties outline their vision of success, mutual roles, and realistic and systemically pursued paths to achieving their goals.
Former Israeli intel chief displays pre-intifada cluelessness (Raviv Drucker, Haaretz+) Amos Yadlin says Trump's speech will help make the Palestinians compromise – a notion out of the playbook of December 1987.
Jerusalem recognition: A Jewish-Christian reconciliation (Daniel Friedmann , Yedioth/Ynet) Jerusalem occupies a unique spot in Christianity, which includes not only religious sacredness but a political status as well. Both Christians and Jews chose Jerusalem as their capital when they had the military and political power to do so. The Muslims, on the other hand, never did that.
Israelis still confident in the military despite year of headaches and scandal (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) And that confidence is likely to rise once the army drops its obsession with drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews and other dissenters and becomes more selective.

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

Recent Entries