APN's daily news review from Israel

Monday January 21, 2019

 

Quote of the day:

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Breaking News:
Israel launches massive bombardment on Iranian targets in Syria after rocket attack (Read 'Other News Summary' below.)

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Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

Elections 2019 News:
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s party attacked two fronts, Attorney General Avichai Mendelblitt (when coalition chairman, Likud MK David Amsalem, said yesterday that the investigations into corruption allegations against Netanyahu were “not legitimate”) and against political challenger Benny Gantz. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s attorneys met today with Mendelblitt to try to convince him not to announce ahead of the April elections whether he will indict the prime minister or not. Maariv called it “a meeting under pressure” - the pressure being on Mendelblitt.
 
*The most-talked about political candidate running against Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, launched campaign videos, which finally provided some information about his platform. He took pride in killing Hamas activists and at the same time expressed hope for and interest in making peace. The New Right party of Ministers Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked attacked Gantz's security record. Israel’s elections watchdog said Bennett’s ad for his Education Ministry doubles as a campaign ad. Former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi plans soon to announce his entry to politics - either to Gantz’s Hosen L’Yisrael (Resilience for Israel) party or to Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, Yedioth reported. There's talk that a Gantz-Lapid ticket could be a strong challenge to Netanyahu (See Commentary/Analysis below). An earlier poll revealed that a unified Lapid-Livni ticket would be voted as the second-largest bloc in the Knesset. Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman launched his campaign and took aim at Netanyahu, whom he said was weak on security matters. Haaretz+ reported that a major campaign is calling on Israeli centrist leaders to unite in the election,

Other News Summary:
Sunday happened to be the first day that Israel’s only ski resort, at Mt. Hermon in the northern Golan Heights, opened for business when a confrontation began between Israel and Syria after Israel struck sites in Syria and Syria responded with an unprecedented surface-to-surface missile. Thousands of skiers and visitors saw overhead the Israeli Iron Dome anti-missile battery intercept the Syrian missile. Israeli military analysts warned in today’s newspapers that Israel might find itself in a confrontation with Iran in Syria. Low and behold, hours after the newspapers landed on doorsteps Monday, Israel hit more Iranian targets in Syria, reportedly killing 11 Syrian soldiers. Israel said it was targeting an Iranian arms depot and a military training site.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu was in Chad renewing diplomatic ties that were severed in 1972. Netanyahu said he discussed the Sudanese refugees in Israel in his meeting with Chad's president. It was the first visit to Chad by an Israeli prime minister.
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

How does peace with Egypt look at the beginning of the fifth decade of its existence? Status report
They blame us for the situation of the Palestinians, but they miss the period when they lived alongside the Jews. They recognize our regional status, but are unwilling to write "Israel" in textbooks. A visit to the neighbor. (Iris Georlette, Maariv)
When Israel prepared to conquer Baghdad
During the First Gulf War, Israeli political and military leaders found themselves on a steep learning curve as the country was pounded by Saddam Hussein's Scuds; the lessons from that experience — and the demands of the Americans —still resonate, in particular regarding a devious Iranian plan to strike the Jewish state from Iraq. (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet)
VIDEO EXPLAINER: Applying the law by ethnicity: Israel's dual legal systems explained
In the occupied West Bank, everyone is subject to Israeli military law. Unless, of course, you’re an Israeli settler. The dual legal systems — separate laws and court systems for different people in the same territory — are one of the reasons some refer to Israel’s occupation as apartheid. (+972mag)
Infamous Private Paramilitary Firm Blackwater Planning Comeback. First Stop: Syria
Erik Prince, ex-Navy SEAL and brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, is offering Trump a way to both safeguard allies and pull troops out of the Mideast. Will he agree? (Alexander Griffing, Haaretz+)
Gaza suffers from brain drain as young professionals look for better life
Almost half of the Palestinians who leave the Strip don't return, with many taking advantage of the permanent opening of the Rafah border crossing to get out via Egypt and search for a better life elsewhere. (Elior Levy, Yedioth/Ynet)
 
Elections 2019 Commentary/Analysis:
Netanyahu Bemoans 'Unprecedented' Campaign Against Him. Then Launches Unparalleled Attack (Mordechai Kremnitzer, Haaretz+) The prime minister seeks to silence any criticism by the justice minister and the media .
You say it best, when you say nothing at all (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) Benny Gantz hasn't uttered anything of import so far, but it didn't stop the right from branding him a leftist. His campaign is in no rush to have the IDF chief-turned-politician talk about the burning issues, as his silence is seen as an asset and close associates believe he is ready to take on Netanyahu.
Attorney General in the Crosshairs in Netanyahu's Calculated Manipulation (Haaretz Editorial) The prime minister is aiming to raise questions among the public about Mendelblit, but his strategy is blatantly transparent.
The childish attacks on Gantz only place him as someone worthy of replacing Netanyahu (Arik Henig, Maariv) I feel that Gantz will surprise the number of seats he will receive, as Begin did at the time. The rightists did not learn from the past. Begin won because most voters for the most part, the voters who broke the tie were tired of seeing a battered underdog.
The machine works - Netanyahu's battle (Tali Ben-Ovadia, Yedioth) The battle works on all fronts - against the media, against the Attorney General, and soon it will be the court's turn. WAR. The heads of the parties all believe that they should be at the head. But it's not clear what will remain of the kingdom when they succeed, if they do, to reach it. As Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid watch, all the foundations of democracy are being destroyed, and yet they don't succeed in reaching a format that will bring them to run together. A joint race would erase Netanyahu's large advantage - the security card - and allow a real race between two options, and not a race of one large party - Likud - against fragments of the other parties. So when, on one side there is a well-oiled machine that is focused on stopping the legitimacy of the law enforcement establishment, and on the other side there are two people, Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, who are mainly busy with themselves, the days till the elections will be critical to the strength of the foundations of the democratic regime in Israel.
Netanyahu’s Attack on Mainstream Media in Controversial Poster Demonstrates Its Power (Nati Tucker, Haaretz+) When the debate is dispersed, politicians can’t control the agenda and deliver the messages they want. But it may not be enough to save Israeli media.
Netanyahu is no longer campaigning on the issues (Yuval Karni, Ynet) The prime minister is no longer talking about Iran, Hamas or Arabs going in droves to the polls; instead, his 2019 campaign focuses on undermining law enforcement authorities as he battles for his political survival.
"The Palestinian problem" is also the Israeli problem, but no one will talk about it in the elections (Ran Edelist, Maariv) No one will speak in this election campaign about the axis that has driven us over the last 50 years.
Lieberman’s 'Up Yours' Campaign Slogan Will Target Arabs, Leftist Demons and Netanyahu (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The Tel Aviv launch of Yisrael Beiteinu’s election campaign reflected Lieberman’s unique mix of bullying, cynicism and a surprising degree of self-awareness.

Commentary/Analysis:
Weaponizing Medical Treatment to Keep Palestinians Divided (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Israel says 15-year-old girl can’t leave Gaza for tests 'until her brothers return,' and her story is no exception.
A different kind of attack on Syria (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) It appears that the target of the strike was an Iranian plane with unknown cargo due to land at Damascus airport; the timing of the incident, and the Syrian response, are unlike the usual sequence of events we have grown accustomed to.
Syria Flare-up: Israel Signals to Iran That Russia Doesn't Grant It Immunity (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Thousands of skiing Israelis saw missiles on the Syria border. But it's still a secret.
Finger in the enemy's eye: Israel's policy of ambiguity has been completely breached (Tal Lev Ram, Maariv) Several Shiite militias located on the outskirts of Damascus and operated by the Iranian Qods Force are marked by the IDF as being liable to carry out retaliation for the (Israeli) attacks.
Yes, I still care about Israel; I often feel shame and disgust, but I do care (Arnon Grunberg, Haaretz+) During my stay in my sister's settlement, I learnt (again) that emotional blackmail is a Jewish tradition for the ages. But I also realized that her political views weren't the real barrier standing between us. Final part of a three-part report
Changes in response habits: Another variable was introduced into the equation of attacks in Syria (Yossi Melman, Maariv) Iran will continue to try to establish itself in Syria, to transfer rockets or rocket components to Hezbollah, as well as anti-aircraft missiles, and Israel will attack in order to thwart these efforts. But into this familiar and predictable equation, another variable may enter - responses of opening fire or launching missiles by the Syrian army,  whose self-confidence is growing stronger.
The attack on Iran that wasn’t: Ehud Barak’s autobiography (Shemuel Meir, +972mag) As Israel’s defense minister, Ehud Barak was determined to carry out a military strike against Iran’s nuclear program. His book provides the tools to examine the limitations of the U.S.-Israeli relationship and the considerations Israeli leaders put into the decision to go to war.
There is no thriller that can compete with scenes that were screened in the Knesset in its 70 years (Knesset Speaker Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein, Maariv) Sometimes the Knesset is covered with a dust of arguments, shouting and interests. But before and after all this is the place where the Jewish people can once again shape its fate with its own hands.
Israeli army chief, the high priest of human sacrifice (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) Aviv Kochavi's assumption of the position involves an expectation of action. It is an exalted religious status.
Israel's new 'apartheid road' is about more than just segregation (Edo Konrad, +972mag) Israel claims the new road, which separates Israelis and Palestinians by an eight-meter wall, alleviates traffic for settlers while helping Palestinians travel around the West Bank. Critics say it will help create Israeli-only enclaves free of any Palestinian presence.
In Tunisia, the Revolution Succeeded - but Where Is the Dignity? (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) In contrast to other Arab states, the Tunisian revolution did bring forth a democracy, but freedom alone does not suffice for buying food, health and education.
 

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