APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday January 27, 2019
 

Quote of the Day #1:

"Between those who believe that the whole command and investigations at the Police Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit - whom the majority there are Likudniks - made an alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades to remove Netanyahu and between those who know the truth. Between those who think that Attorney General Avichai Mendelblitt, a Beitar of Beitar, a more Jabotinsky ideologue than Jabotinsky, a Jew who became religiously observant, who was Netanyahu's cabinet military secretary and whom Netanyahu appointed to all his positions, defected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and decided to bring down a prime minister in Israel because he received signals in Morse code from his operator, (Israel President) Rubi Rivlin, and between those who know he didn’t."
--Maariv political commentator Ben Caspit in a sharp Op-Ed about who is against whom in the upcoming Israeli elections.*

---

Quote of the Day #2:
"We have become used to the privilege accorded to those who kill Arabs in the course of security operations. Even when the killing is premeditated, they are only found guilty of manslaughter, as had happened in the case of Elor Azaria, the soldier who killed a Palestinian in Hebron who was on the ground. Does such a privilege, which is accorded to members of the security forces, now also excuse the acts of civilians who break the law, as long as they are good Jews?"
--Jurist and Haaretz judicial commentator Mordechai Kremnitzer writes that the 2 kilo (4.4 pound) rock allegedly thrown forcefully from only a few meters away and from a high place at the front windshield of 47-year-old Aisha Rabi's moving car, is sufficient evidence of premeditated murder in order to try to obtain a conviction on charges of premeditated killing - and not 'manslaughter,' as the prosecutors decided. And he examines at why they didn't charge the yeshiva youth studying torah at a West Bank settlement with murder.**

---

Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

Top News Summary:
The killing of a Palestinian farmer by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, the interesting speech by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who slighted Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and spoke to the Israelis, the transfer of Qatari cash to Gaza and articles marking International Holocaust Day were the top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.

The newspapers suggested that the IDF did not buy the settler teen's story, according to which three Palestinians tried to kidnap him when they saw him meditating out in an olive grove near the village of Al-Mughayyir. The Jewish teen said he was lightly injured but managed to run away and get help from a security squad at the Adei Ad settler outpost. Security officials called the incident "strange” and even ‘Israel Hayom’ wrote that “it is unclear what provoked the confrontation. One possibility being looked at is that an Israeli teen entered the village and tried to vandalize property.” In any case, the squad decided to make trouble and entered the village and opened fire on houses, killing one farmer, Hamdy Taleb Na'asan, a 38-year-old father of four, was shot in the back. The settlers claimed that they only fired warning shots in the air. Maan and Maariv reported that the settlers injured 30 other Palestinians, of whom six were shot with live ammunition. The IDF said it launched an investigation.

Na'asan was not the only Palestinian killed or injured by Israeli fire over the weekend, but the others did not make headlines. At the weekly Friday march at Silwad village, near Ramallah, Israeli forces stationed at a military watchtower shot and killed 16-year-old Ayman Ahmad Hamad. According to local sources, Israeli forces detained him after shooting him and prevented medical doctors from providing him and he bled to death. The Israeli military said he received medical treatment from soldiers on the scene. Another Palestinian teen was shot in the head at the same march and he was hospitalized in Ramallah in critical condition. The IDF said the incident will be investigated.

In Gaza, Israeli soldiers shot and killed 25-year-old Ihab Atallah Hussein Abed at the weekly Friday protest at the Gaza border fence. Dozens of other Palestinians were injured as well. And a Palestinian child in Gaza was injured by a tear-gas bomb fired by Israeli forces. The children were lighting tires on fire.

In E. Jerusalem predawn Saturday, Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian man, when they opened fire towards his “suspicious vehicle” in a high speed chase near the Damascus Gate in E. Jerusalem. The police believed he posed a threat to members of the Israeli police standing there. The man is Riyad Muhammad Hamad Shamasneh, from Qatanna village. The Police have opened an investigation.

And at Tuqu village, near Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers shot two Palestinians, one in the head in clashes that broke out there Friday, Maan reported.

And Friday night in Hebron, a group of Israeli settlers from Kiryat Arba attacked and injured a Palestinian father and child at their home. Hisham Saifan, 48, said the attack on him and his 10-year-old child, was part of an attempt to force him to leave, as part of a plan to take over the home and the entire street to easily reach the Mosque, which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and has been the site of oft-violent tensions for decades, Maan reported.


As he does, Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah gave a pointed TV interview Saturday, in which mocked Netanyahu and the Israeli military, had a message for Israeli citizens and wiped out Israeli suspicions that he was ill. Maariv’s Yasir Ukbi translated key portions of it to Hebrew and News Nosh translated to English. About the cross-border tunnels Israel recently discovered and destroyed, Nasrallah expressed surprise that Israel took so long to discover them, saying one was more than 13 years old (predating UN Security Council Resolution passed after Second Lebanon War), and noting that Hezbollah has been able to infiltrate Israel for years. He mocked Netanyahu and former chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, saying they “did us a good service" in the psychological war against Israelis by convincing Israelis that Hezbollah was serious and specifically for scaring Israelis into thinking that Hezbollah planned to take over northern Israel via the four tunnels. "I admit that my enemy is smart, but their interests did not help them in their thinking. They should have thought about whether it would be logical for Hezbollah to enter the Galilee with thousands of fighters through four tunnels. I do not know whether we will enter the Galilee, as part of a defensive campaign, via the sea, air land or tunnels.”

He warned Netanyahu against miscalculating before the Israeli elections in April by starting a war or assassinating a Hezbollah fighter. “We are making all the defensive preparations to protect Lebanon," Nasrallah said. "This is in the face of the war of devastation and destruction that Israel is threatening, and some of our preparations are perhaps to conquer the Galilee, and we have had the ability to do so for years. After our experience in Syria, entering the Galilee will be easier, and we have a solution to the fences that they have established. We call on Netanyahu and the new chief of staff not to make mistakes in their assessments. They will regret it. The price of aggression will be greater than they estimate, all the options are open. We are not talking about an all-out war, but rather a change in the rules of the campaign, which we will not allow the enemy to change. We will respond to any Israeli aggression, whether war or assassination of Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon or Syria. Any harm or aggression is, from our point of view, a declaration of war.”

Nasrallah also accused Netanyahu of using the tunnels and possibly force in the future to improve his status. “Netanyahu is suspected of corruption, suffers from a crisis, and presents himself as a hero in front of his people and residents of the north. He presented the tunnels in this way to improve his situation in the courts, which are also corrupt. As far as he is concerned, he is ready to go to war in Syria in order to improve his situation. He is willing to sacrifice anything to remain prime minister and stay out of jail.”

After being asked why Netanyahu chose to remove ambiguity over IDF attacks on Iranian targets in Syria, Nasrallah said it was because “Israel has failed in terms of its intelligence in Syria. We must expect an ill-advised move on the Netanyahu’s part on the eve of the elections.”

As for the struggle Israel is waging against Hezbollah's precision missiles, Nasrallah turned to the citizens of Israel: "Tell Netanyahu that your interests are that Hezbollah will have accurate missiles so that if we send a missile to a military base in Tel Aviv, it will activate there, not 500 or 1,000 meters away. We have precise missiles that can hit any target we want in the next war, we do not need to send more precise missiles to Lebanon, we have enough missiles to achieve our goals in any future war," he said. In response to a question about whether Hezbollah missiles can reach Beersheva, he said that "the resistance advanced with an arsenal of missiles from the Galilee to Haifa and south of it. The resistance was able in 2006 to attack Tel-Aviv. In any war, all of occupied Palestine will be under fire. The next war will not be like its predecessors."

On Donald Trump's 'Deal of the Century' peace plan, Nasrallah said: “The role of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman was to agree to the deal in exchange for 50 years in power. That fell through also as a result of the murder of the Saudi journalist Khashoggi. No Palestinian faction will be willing to sign a deal unless it will at least include East Jerusalem, and Hezbollah has good relations with all the Palestinian factions, including the Palestinian Authority.”

A day earlier, Israel told Lebanon that it won't hesitate to act against Hezbollah's precision missiles. Meanwhile, Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Rybakov denied Russia had an alliance with Iran in Syria and said that Israel’s security is a “top priority.” Rybakov turned to Israelis in the CNN interview and said: "Please do not be afraid of your own shadow, we are not the threat.” (Maariv)

In Gaza, Hamas refused to accept the Qatari cash to pay civil servants because of Israel’s delay, saying Gaza is not an Israeli pawn. The money is the third installment of a series of payments aimed at keeping Gaza from collapsing. But then Qatar said it would deliver it to humanitarian organizations to distribute. Now, 94,000 families in need will receive $400 in cash over the next four months. Maariv’s Tal Lev-Ram reported that the agreement for the transfer of aid to the Gaza Strip was decided between the Qatari ambassador and the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the [Palestinian] Territories and that Israeli sources said that Hamas also approved the agreement. The cash entered Saturday.
 

Quick Hits:

---

Features:

What Drove This British-Israeli Jewish Exec to Convert to Islam and Abet Terrorist Activity
Timothy Bernard was a married father of four, an aspiring mayor and director of a company in central Israel. Here's how he ended up in jail with Palestinian terrorists. (Josh Breiner, Haaretz+)
'If you're black in Israel, you're scared to walk down the street'
Yosef Salmasa, Ilan Tefera Bhatta, Abraham Damati, all of Ethiopian descent, have died after tragic encounters with the Israel Police. Their relatives talk about the racism, their anger and the feeling of discrimination. (Vered Goldman, Yedioth/Ynet)
‘The lucky ones’ 80 years on, Kindertransport survivors still meet to share memories of love and loss
At their annual reunion, 10 Israeli Kinder reconnect over their wartime escape from the Nazis, but are unimpressed by a new onetime payment from the German government. (Dina Kraft, Haaretz+)
Like father, like son: The Ottoman governor who tortured the Jews of Jerusalem
In the 17th century, some 3,000 Jews were living in Jerusalem under the Ottoman rule. During that century, they suffered, in particular, under the boot of Muhammad Ibn Farouk, intermittent ruler of Jerusalem from 1621-1626. (Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot, Haaretz+)
 
Elections 2019 Commentary/Analysis:
*The elections will be between  those who think that Attorney General Mendelblit has defected and wants to topple the prime minister, and those who do not (Ben Caspit, Maariv) In these elections, the contest is not between right and left. The left is closed in on itself, between Meretz and Haaretz newspaper, immersed in its purity and dreams. There are no voters. I have analyzed here more than once the reasons for the disappearance of the left-wing. The rest will be left to historians. At the moment it's irrelevant. There is no peace process, both sides are convinced that they have no partner, the world is fed up with  Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and it seems so are the sides themselves. When will it return? When it will be very bad. It’s not bad at the moment. So what are these elections about? For a moment it seemed that these elections were between conservatives and liberals. Between those who want to turn Israel into a dark, closed and stark halachic state, and those who dream of universalism, humanism, democracy and human rights. Elections between the adherents of the infamous Rabbi Berland (an incredible investigation was broadcast this week on Channel 12) and the scientists at the Weizmann Institute and the Technion. Between the Gay Pride Parade and the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv and between the murder of Shira Banki at the gay pride parade in Jerusalem. But it seems to me that this is not accurate either. This story is much simpler: these elections are between those who lie and those who speak the truth. Between those who believe in the fictional reality created for them and those who continue to cling to the true only reality, which is deteriorating in front of them. It's that simple. These are elections between those who claim that “you only replace a prime minister at the ballot box,” and between those who know that at least two prime ministers (including the previous prime minister) have been replaced by virtue of integrity, regardless of the ballot box. Between those who say that it is permissible to receive gifts from friends, even when it comes to millions of shekels, between those who know that this is that this is a blatant violation of the law. Between those who claim that "there is no bribery without money," and those who know that there is. The law defines bribery in money, in the equivalent of money, in favors, in promises, in sympathetic media coverage…and even planning to give or receive bribes without actually executing that. Yes, all this is bribery, so the law states. Without money. These are elections between those who mark targets and who need an enemy from within against whom they can incite, and between those who do not. Between those who try to silence anyone who does not think like them, and those who believe in everyone's right to his opinion and voice. Between those who mark journalists as enemies of the public and claim that “They will not decide,” and those who know that journalists do not determine anything, they are only acting in favor of the sacred right of the public to know as much as possible. Among those who think that the press attacks and hates only Netanyahu, and those who know that the press attacked Olmert and Barak much more, because that's its job. Between those who threaten the gatekeepers and law enforcement authorities, and those who see them as public servants. Between those who believe that the investigations against the Prime Minister are a plot by the left, the New Israel Fund, George Soros, the Deep State and Gideon Sa'ar, and those who know that they are not. Between those who believe that (former police commissioner) Ronnie Alsheikh, that honest and strange man from the Shin Bet, who was appointed by Netanyahu,and who has clear right-wing views, wears a yarmulke and lived for years in the settlements, is a friend of Israel's anti-Semitic enemies and decided to bring Netanyahu down, and those who know the truth. Between those who believe that the whole command and investigations at the Police Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit - the majority there are Likudniks - made an alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades to remove Netanyahu and between those who know the truth. Between those who think that Attorney General Avichai Mendelblitt, a Beitar of Beitar, a more Jabotinsky ideologue than Jabotinsky, a Jew who became religious, who was Netanyahu's cabinet military secretary and whom Netanyahu appointed to all his roles, defected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and decided to bring down a prime minister in Israel because he received signals in Morse code from his operator, (Israel President) Rubi Rivlin, and between those who know they didn’t.
**Opposition to Leaks From Netanyahu Probes Are Based on Fear of Truth, Not of Fake News (Mordechai Kremnitzer, Haaretz+) When the prime minister’s associates seek criminal charges against the leakers, it’s to hide the truth from the public. And the public is entitled to know.
Signs of a false Messiah: Benny Gantz comes to redeem Israel? (Prof. Arieh Eldad, Maariv) From time to time, great spiritual or mad leaders appear and tell us that they have come to redeem Israel. Now came a new, silent man who had killed no less than 1,364 terrorists.
Ex-IDF Chief Benny Gantz Is Killing It in the Israeli Elections. Literally (Daniel Gouri de Lima, Haaretz+) Scorched earth and baby blue eyes: Why Benny Gantz, Clint Eastwood reincarnation and Gaza Destroyer, strikes fear into Netanyahu's corrupt heart.
After Attacking Media and Law Enforcement, Netanyahu Moves to Next Target (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) The imperial family has no intention of moving out of the Balfour Street residence quietly. They want to leave scorched earth behind them, a Ground Zero.
The piercing conversation with (former police commissioner Roni) Alsheikh: "They wiped me out me, I’m lucky I had the backing from the Golani (brigade)“ (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The April 9 elections are between the liars and the truth-tellers. And also: The only union that will improve the situation of the center-left is between Lapid and Ganz, and the former police commissioner talks about the investigations against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s Shadow Adviser and the Cache of Voter Phone Numbers That Could Come Back to Haunt Him (Hagai Amit, Haaretz+) Netanyahu is expected to use the services of prominent pollster John McLaughin, who advised him in the 2015 campaign, now that the prime minister's former associate is now advising his right-wing competition.
In the upcoming election, choose the rule of law (Friday Haaretz Editorial) Haaretz investigation found that nearly all parties in Netanyahu's coalition would join another one headed by him, even if he stood trial. If politicians don't change course, the rule of law can be easily dismantled.
The Sorry Fate of Israel’s Historical Parties (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) Labor is spent, while Habayit Hayehudi is functioning as a sectoral party, with rabbis calling the shots.

Commentary/Analysis:
Waiving murder charge in killing of Palestinian, Israel fails to deter next Jewish terrorist (Mordechai Kremnitzer, Haaretz+) Lesser indictment of Jewish teen in West Bank stoning attack proves yet again lenient treatment and shows Israel may be tainted by the Weimar Republic syndrome of setting apart 'our own' patriotic political criminals.
It is important that Nation-State law be a central issue in the election campaign (Amos Gilboa, Maariv) Benny Gantz made the mistake of using the campaign slogan "Israel before everything.” The Jewish people, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, precedes the state. Anyone who attacks the Nation-State law will put a sword in its heart.
Toward a democratic, not Jewish, state (Avraham Burg, Haaretz+) A civil alternative to the right’s doctrines – one God, one people, one land and one leader – is urgently needed, and whoever has the courage and inspiration to stand at this front will win it all.
Protect the Palestinian Village of Al-Mughayyir (Haaretz Editorial) Village residents, like most Palestinians living under the occupation, rightly feel there is no one to defend them and no one to secure their property.
The sadists who destroyed a decades-old Palestinian olive grove can rest easy (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Another Palestinian village joins the popular protest, its inhabitants no longer able to bear attacks by settlers. Vandals have butchered a grove of 35-year-old olive trees in the village. The tracks led to a nearby settler outpost.
The Israel Prison Service’s Brutal Raid on Palestinians ‘To Locate Unauthorized Cellphones’ (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Around 140 Palestinian prisoners were injured in Monday’s onslaught at Ofer Prison, which is seen in the West Bank as PR for Israel’s public security minister before the April election
Hamas' poker face (Shimrit Meir, Yedioth/Ynet) Playing a game of nerves with Benjamin Netanyahu until the bitter end, Hamas has the ability to tip the whole table over, and knock its opponents off balance.
Qatari Money Calms Hamas, but Doesn’t Guarantee Long-term Quiet in Gaza (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The Israeli government would have liked a quieter Gaza front in the run-up to election, but Netanyahu will no longer be able to halt Qatari money flow, which, in a win for Hamas, is now provided by official channels.
A better way to benefit the people of Gaza (Dr. Roee Kibrik, Ynet) The donor model in Gaza is ineffective as countries can only provide the Palestinians with so much money, and have almost no responsibility for the effective use of these funds. An investment model, however, will encourage increased involvement and increased interest in stability.
Welcome to the Palestine Circus (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Israeli trainer and his Qatari and Egyptian assistants throw a few bones, and the caged animal in Gaza surrenders.
The fact that Hamas did not retaliate to the death of its activists gave flexibility in transferring the Qatari money (Tal Lev-Ram, Maariv) Israel won this week on the tactical level in another small chapter against Iran, but suffered a severe strategic blow from the Russians. And in the south, Netanyahu is in taking the line of the defense establishment…Israel’s upper echelons must look inside and examine why last week a Russian ultimatum was made, something which did not even happen after the Syrians downed the Russian spy plane. Presumably the bragging, arrogance, and exaggerated festivities did not help. Assuming that the air force continues to attack Syria, the choice of goals must be well thought out, the conduct must be relevant, and especially wisdom will be required in regards to the media arena…In the Gaza Strip, last week was marked by Islamic Jihad's attempt to drag the confrontations out of Israel's security prisons into escalation, but Hamas is currently blocking this trend. Like Israel, it is also not interested in a confrontation at this stage. For the past two weeks, we have heard about explorations about the POWs and MIAs, but it is clear that there will be no political progress in the coming months. Netanyahu is interested in preserving the existing status quo, as is the defense establishment, which advocates the use of sticks and carrots and it supported the introduction of Qatari money (to Gaza). The advantages, the defense establishment believes, are many more than the disadvantages, and deterrence must be achieved in other ways. And anyway, it’s always possible to stop the money if you want to. Netanyahu accepted this position in spite of the criticism that it sparked toward him in the political establishment. It should be said to his credit that he is motivated by practical considerations, even though in today's political reality, this is not a simple decision for him.
We are the higher ones: This is how it seems when judges perceive themselves as angels (Kalman Liebeskind, Maariv) The affair of (Israel Bar Association resigned chairman) Effi Naveh raises several questions related to the conflicts of interest of High Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut, and what she allows herself with regard to her associates.
Israeli pride: When you return from Davos - you understand how great our success is (Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, Maariv) If the Israeli press had reported on our economy as the senior experts at the International Economic Forum talked about us, the picture would have been quite different.
The Supreme Commander: Kochavi's job as chief of staff is to dig a minimum number of graves and to preserve (the army’s) humanity (Ran Edelist, Maariv) Netanyahu's situation and the election period make the new chief of staff a central screw in Israel's decision-making process, the first test being held in Syria these days.
To Get Israel Ready for War, New Army Chief Needs to Fight a Different Battle (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) For big plans, you need a big budget.
While Israel and Iran were fighting (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) Syrian president has refrained from interfering in the battles between the Jewish state and its archenemy on his territory, since he has much to gain from a conflict that bolsters the stability of his rule in the war-battered country.
Iran's Soleimani seeks new balance of terror with Israel. For now, he failed (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Netanyahu and new army chief reap benefits from Syria strikes – but who will sound the alarm bells when Israel approaches the precipice of war?
Despite the boasting, doubt is eroding the defense establishment: Is it possible to get Iran out of Syria? (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The security establishment and the IDF are beginning to wonder whether it is really possible to prevent Iran from gaining ground in the north, how much have we succeeded in delaying the move, and what do they want in Russia?
Russia's rebuke of Israel's Syria strikes wasn't mere lip service (Ron Ben Yishai, Ynet) By making itself the sole superpower in the region, Moscow must create balance that keeps everyone happy; but the Israelis, the Syrians and the Iranians are all griping and fighting to advance their own interests.
Contrary to what appears in the media: Israeli freedom of action in Syria continues to exist (Brig. Gen. (Res.) Eli Ben Meir, Maariv) The IDF must continue to act against the attempts by Iran to establish itself in Syria, while continuing to maintain a policy of ambiguity and secrecy where necessary.
We must return to the policy of ambiguity in order to allow Syria and Iran to continue to absorb (our attacks) (Avi Benayahu, Maariv) It is not desirable that a military operation in the south take place during an election period, so party leaders must strengthen the defense establishment and the defense minister while they take the necessary steps.
Trump, Terror and Tomatoes: As U.S. Eyes Iraq Buildup, Iran May Stand to Gain (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Washington has announced an intent to build more bases in Iraq as part of its strategy of containing Iran, but that might simply empower anti-American forces in the country.
Two Years In, Gulf States Disappointed in Trump on Everything From Iran to Peace (Amir Tibon, Haaretz+) Optimism has been replaced by confusion as Arab officials admit they have no idea what the U.S. president is trying to achieve, whether it’s Israeli-Palestinian peace or a sound strategy against Iran.
Why the rebuilding of Syria isn’t going to happen (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) The Russians hope to recruit the West for the $250 billion-plus effort, but it’s a non-starter and Assad's allies can’t do it alone

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