APN's daily news review from Israel

Wednesday November 28, 2018

NOTE: News Nosh will be published in a truncated version from December 2nd-13th.

 

Quote of the day:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

News Summary:
The police hunt for the killers of two young girls, one Eritrean, one Christian-Arab-Israeli, and the government coalition tries to hold itself together, while the opposition hopes to take advantage of the narrow one-seat majority to pass laws such as to increase old age pensions (Hebrew), making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Meanwhile, Hamas reportedly agreed to transfer control over the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority on condition that elections are held soon and Maariv’s reporter, Avishai Greenzweig, seems to be shocked when Israeli police told a court that Al-Aqsa is not holy to Jews and that Muslims at the holy site are ‘locals,’ while Jews are ‘visitors.’

Israel Police in court: "Temple Mount is not holy to Jews, Muslims are the locals" - In a recent criminal case the state is holding against prominent Temple Mount activist, Tom Nisani, the police's perception of the Temple Mount and the question of Israel's practical sovereignty over the most sacred and explosive land in Israel was somewhat revealed. Testifying in the court this week, Chief sergeant Raouf Alian, who served as a scout on the Temple Mount said that the fact that Arabs surrounded the Jewish group and shouted at them "Allahu Akbar" is not a violation of public order, and that Nisani's decision to sit on the floor is a violation of public order. He explained: "Do not compare the area of the Temple Mount to another place in the country. There are guidelines and rules for the Temple Mount area. You want to enter, there is a detailed briefing that they go through, which explains how to behave." The policeman further claimed that "Jews are visitors at the Temple Mount, and Arabs are the locals.” Police Inspector Idan Ben Nun, commander of the police guard on the Temple Mount also testified in court that the culprit in attacking of the Arabs was Nissani, who provoked and decided to sit down. "As a commander in the field, first of all, I need to know what the public disturbance stems from, and as soon as I see what is causing the disturbance I am detain. At that moment, the person who violated the arrangement and caused people to attack him and endangered the security of the group, was the suspect (Tom Nissani). The officer even said in his testimony that the Temple Mount is not holy to the Jews. “Who is it holy to?” asked the lawyer. “To the Muslims," replied the officer. "And to the Jews it’s not holy?” The officer replied: "The Al-Aqsa Mosque is not a holy place for the Jews." In his testimony, this officer also referred to the "local" Muslims, unlike Jews who are "visitors." (Maariv)
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

How Cremation Became a Hot Israeli Business
A battle with the ultra-Orthodox community and the daily encounter with death haven't deterred this couple from entering the new business of cremation in Israel. (Moran Sharir, Haaretz+)
Anti-Semitism Cover-up' Rocks Sweden's Most Prestigious Medical Institute
A former department head at Karolinska hospital, affiliated with the body that grants the Nobel Prize in Medicine, is accused of anti-Semitic behavior toward Jewish doctors. Haaretz speaks to one of his alleged victims to hear about years of alleged bullying. (David Stavrou, Haaretz+)
Then we take Manhattan: How the 'State of Tel Aviv' was reborn in NYC
Whether it's high-techies hobnobbing with each other, glittery dinners by celebrity chefs or a myriad cultural and social activities held in Hebrew – it's clear that Israelis feel right at home in NYC today. (Haim Handwerker, Haaretz+)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
Israeli Arabs Are More Israeli Than People Think (Alexander Yakobson, Haaretz+) Most want to live under Israeli rule without giving up the Palestinian narrative, and are persevering in this despite all the obstacles.
Netanyahu’s challenges as defense minister and right-wing leader (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Stabilizing the Gaza border while appeasing the right wing is not an easy task, which might lead Netanyahu to either avoid making required decisions altogether or blame the failures on the outgoing and incoming chiefs of staff.
*Netanyahu Is Pushing Palestinians Into a Pressure Cooker, Assuming It Won't Explode in Israel's Face (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Crushing Palestinian aspirations is no less significant for the prime minister than derailing the Iran nuclear deal.
The Armored Corps makes history (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) Despite the shift in Israel from a "we" society to a "me" society, there are still enough Israeli youngsters who will show up and lead Israel to victory, should they be called up. Let's just hope they are never called up.
Why comparing the Mexican and Gaza borders is irresistible, but dangerous (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) The comparison does little more than score political points, and by fanning the already-high level of rhetorical flames, may actually be making matters worse.
Escaping Gaza is easier now — for Palestinians who can afford it (Pam Bailey and Fadi O. al-Naji, +972mag) Egypt has kept the Rafah crossing from Gaza continuously open since May, diverging from a years-long policy. But leaving the Strip is only the first of many challenges.
Israel bolsters Hamas at PA's expense (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Israeli PR aside, Israel handed Hamas a windfall with its recent policies, blundering the last confrontation and erasing any previous gains. Weakening the PA will inevitably result in a dangerous escalation in the West Bank.
The seven worst double standards undermining Israel (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) Let me begin by agreeing with Benjamin Netanyahu. I'm speaking here about one of the prime minister's most fervently stated positions.
Next foreign minister will have his work cut out (Itamar Eichner, Yedioth/Ynet) The Foreign Affairs Ministry, which has been under Netanyahu's leadership since May 2015, has a NIS 330 million budget deficit; 'Netanyahu shattered the ministry. Whoever takes the job needs to condition the appointment on a commitment for funding, otherwise he would have a hard time functioning,' says ministry official.
Victims of a Punitive Policy (Haaretz Editorial) The asylum seekers and violence against women are among the issues most neglected by the Netanyahu government. The government must begin demonstrating loyalty to society’s most vulnerable groups by budgeting existing committees.
Violence against women is the norm that needs to change (Anat Lev Adler, Yedioth/Ynet) Only educating men about equality can help neutralize the toxic perception that women are of a lesser status and have fewer rights than men. The more the need for behavioral and cognitive changes is instilled in the young generation, the more we can be certain norms will change.
Why the Murder of a 12-year Old in South Tel Aviv Comes as No Surprise (Lee Yaron, Haaretz+) Violence against women and distress among asylum seekers are two of the issues most neglected by successive Israeli governments.
 

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