Quote of the day:

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News Summary:
A male member of Knesset pat the buttocks of a female member of Knesset sparking an uproar and forcing an apology, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu voted against allowing homosexual couples to use surrogacy to become parents, even though he had said earlier he supported it, sparking a protest in Tel-Aviv, and reports said that Hamas instructed its members to stop launching burning balloons and kites at Israel and it was making efforts to stop independent groups, but the latter said they “receive orders from no one” and will continue until the siege is lifted - making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Meanwhile, Haaretz (Hebrew) reported that Egypt presented a new Hamas-Palestinian Authority reconciliation plan for the removal of Palestinian Authority sanctions on Hamas in Gaza and Hamas has agreed.

And when the newspapers went to print late Wednesday night, the Knesset was still debating on the contentious Jewish Nation-State law, which defines Israel as a Jewish homeland and further marginalizes the Arab citizens of the state. It had already passed a second and third reading 8:7 in a special joint committee on Wednesday morning. The law says that the state encourages the establishment of Jews-only communities, it downgraded the official status of the Arabic language and it declared that "the realization of the right to national self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish people.” Late last night the controversial law was passed. Arab lawmakers tore copies of it in protest and were thrown out of the plenum. MK Ahmed Tibi and MK Aida Toumeh-Suleiman confronted Netanyahu yelling: “You passed an apartheid law, a racist law." MK Tibi lashed at Netanyahu: "Why are you afraid of the Arabic language?” to which Netanyahu ironically replied: “How dare you talk this way about the only democracy in the Middle East?" Right-wingers called it “a historic and defining moment.” Arab lawmaker Ahmed Tibi said: "I announce with shock and sorrow the death of democracy.”
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:
Meet the Israeli Volunteers That Offer Rides and Hope to Sick Palestinians
The Road to Recovery organization collects Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza borders and takes them to Israeli hospitals for treatment. Haaretz goes along for a ride. (Dina Kraft, Haaretz+)
How Israel honored Gino Bartali, the Italian cycling champion who saved Jews
Gino Bartali helped save hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust by smuggling forged documents in his bike. (Ariel David, Haaretz)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
If Trump Really Loves Israel, He Would Let His Peace Plan Go (Ori Nir, Haaretz+) Those who suggest a dead-on-arrival U.S. peace plan will be simply thrown into the dustbin of history and will have no long-term consequences are dangerously wrong. A defective plan could have catastrophic consequences.
Is the nationality law a wolf in sheep's clothing? (Yedidia Stern, Yedioth/Ynet) A unilateral nationality law contradicts the vow we made to ourselves and to the world in the Declaration of Independence, which says the state is the national home of the Jewish people, but at the same time will 'maintain full equality for all its citizens, regardless of religion, race or gender.'
A Zionist constitutional revolution (Dr. Aviad Bakshi, Israel Hayom) Some say that that the nation-state bill states the obvious and creates more antagonism. But it helps our judiciary, bolsters the bond with the world's Jews and sends a clear message to Israel's detractors.
Listen to Eisenkot, Not to Bennett (Haaretz Editorial+) There are partners who are willing to help Israel and the Palestinians. The government must advance sustainable plans before and instead of rushing into war.
If Trump Goes, Netanyahu’s in Serious Trouble (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) What happens if Trump’s summit debacle this week proves to mark the beginning of the end of the American president’s obstacle-studded political road?
Breaking Birthright (Dr. Eitan Orkibi, Israel Hayom) The women who walked out on Birthright trips said they did so to learn about the "occupation" because they were not getting the full picture about Israel. What would they know about politics?
Oren Hazan is a disgrace to the Likud and to the Knesset of Israel, which is forced to have him (Maariv reporter, Avishai Greenzweig, Maariv) All of the scandals and provocations to which the name of the Knesset member is attached do not leave room for doubt about his problematic personality. He, for his part, always finds false explanations.
Hamas Willing to Rein in Launchers of Flaming Kites , Israeli Defense Sources Say (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Hamas leadership has been sending indirect messages showing its willingness to tone down the 'kite terror,' but will probably demand easing of Gaza restrictions as a condition for cease-fire.
We have to think carefully if we want to enter and manage Gaza (Right-wing Journalist Erel Segal, Maariv/103FM) I suggest that we all be careful in this scenario that is playing out now that Egypt is closing the border and at the same time we are cutting the number of trucks entering Gaza. You have to let this process ripen, although I think going to war because of kites would be a little overkill…Israel needs to think whether it wants to conquer and manage the Gaza Strip. I do not see any other force coming in there. The Gaza Strip is not mud - it's shit. If you go in there, you have to manage this thing. There should be no adventurism and risking soldiers' in vain. I think that sometimes we have to get out of political positions because there is meaning to what we broadcast. Shakespeare was right - life is theater. There is an outward appearance here and I think we have to tell people that the situation in Gaza is annoying and terrible, but the question is whether going to war is more complicated, regardless of the suffering of the people of the south.
Israel, Land of Miracles (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The days of kites abound with miracles here. The fact that more Israelis were scratched while shaving in recent months than from kite fires is attributed entirely to miracles.
Good decision, Mr. Science Minister (Ariel Bolstein, Israel Hayom) Ofir Akunis should be praised for refusing to allow a scientist who questions the legitimacy of the nation and its military to represent Israel in an international forum.
How Putin's Russia Is Taking Over the Middle East, One Country at a Time (Chuck Freilich, Haaretz+) Obama thought Syria would be Russia’s Vietnam: in fact, the Mideast has become Putin’s playground. Thanks to diplomacy, arms sales and nuclear reactors - and Trump’s policy mayhem - Russia is back, big time.
From destruction to Orban: We should welcome the Prime Minister of Hungary(Shmuel Rosner, Maariv) The visit proves that we are not above cynical politics, but sometimes we have to plug our nose and ears and rely on one interest: the survival of the State of Israel.
Netanyahu and Orbán: An illiberal bromance spanning from D.C. to Jerusalem(Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) The parallels between the current prime ministers of Israel and Hungary are astonishing, so it is perhaps unsurprising they have forged a strong alliance over the past decade and learned new tricks from each other. The third and final part of a special report.