APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday March 03, 2014
Quote of the day:
"If our excellent boys wanted to prove that the Israeli media are loyal and obedient, they can check
that one off their list, too...'Troops forcibly entered the building and found his body; – that was the line
dictated by the IDF Spokesman’s Office. This is a lie."
--Amira Hass investigated the killing of Muatazz Washaha, 24, and found that a young man who didn't show up for a police summons was shot dead at point-blank range in his house and that the Israeli media covered for the killing.**
--Amira Hass investigated the killing of Muatazz Washaha, 24, and found that a young man who didn't show up for a police summons was shot dead at point-blank range in his house and that the Israeli media covered for the killing.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Obama to Netanyahu: Israel's time for peace is running out
- Special report from European visit to Teheran // Piotr Lewandowski
- Demonstration of unity of ultra-Orthodox sector; Hundreds of thousands protested against draft law
- Russia establishing its control in Crimea; Ukraine drafting reserve soldiers
- Russia already lost Ukraine // Asaf Ronel
- Ministers approved: Surrogacy in Israel also for gay community
- Shin Bet and Mossad employees prohibited from signing up for biometric database
- The haze will settle by tomorrow
- 1/4 page ad: Not smart. Not constitutional - The bill for sharing the burden not only does not advance equality, but it puts it backward. -- Israel Democracy Institute
Yedioth Ahronoth
- We won't be drafted - Hundreds of thousands at demo in Jerusalem
- Crying over spilt milk // Nahum Barnea
- The power of the Torah // Shoshana Chen
- The disgrace of the rabbis // Yoaz Hendel
- Warning from Obama: "Israel can expect a bleak future, international isolation and a demographic disaster if Netanyahu does not accept Kerry's framework (agreement)"
- Don't care what they say - He is Muslim, married to an immigrant from the former Soviet Union and he represents women in the Rabbinate court
Maariv
- Hundreds of thousands (of ultra-Orthdox) demonstrated against draft (Hebrew)
- Unity for a moment // Shalom Yerushalmi
- Pushing towards radicalism // Yaeli Nagid-Mizrachi
- Not with power // Uri Elitzur (Hebrew)
- Obama will tell Netanyahu this morning at their meeting in the White House: Without a peace agreement we will have difficulty controlling the international response (Hebrew)
- The dilemma of the cancer-stricken Kishon River fishermen - After losing a lawsuit for compensation from a factory infecting the river, they are forced to pay court costs of 4.5 million shekels. The factory is offering to cover the court costs if they don't appeal to the High Court
- Ukrainian Navy Commander defected to Russia
- The great heat wave passed - After two days of heat wave with dust particles and sand from the north African desert: the heavy haze will settle this afternoon
Israel Hayom
- Obama: Time is running out; Netanyahu: I will stand strong
- Ultra-Orthodox fear of draft and the ultra-Orthodox who went to the army
- Ukraine waving piece of paper: "You promised that you would come and protect us"
- On the way to a deal? Progress in contacts between Zaken and the Prosecution (in Olmert trial)
- On the way to your wallet: This is how the new 50 shekels not will look
Peace Talk Highlights:
The top stories in today's Hebrew media were about yesterday's mass ultra-Orthodox protest demonstration against military draft and US President Barack Obama's warning to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ahead of their meeting today: Israel's time to make peace is running out and without it Israel's future is bleak. Netanyahu responded by blaming the Palestinians and saying he would 'stand firm' on Israeli interests. Meanwhile, the papers note, the Ukraine crisis has stolen the show from the AIPAC conference, which has also had a PR initiative backfire on it.
In an interview with Bloomberg's Jeffrey Goldberg published Sunday when Netanyahu was already in flight, Obama sent a blunt message to the Israeli Prime Minister, telling him that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was the most moderate leader Israel would encounter in the foreseeable future, that time was running out for a peace deal and that if he didn't agree to Kerry's draft, he needed to offer an alternative, because otherwise, Israel's future was bleak. According to Goldberg, Obama gave the impression that Netanyahu was the one who had to be flexible in order to advance the peace talks. Yedioth wrote that Obama "prepare a tense reception" for Netanyahu, noting that Goldberg wrote that there was also an implied threat when Obama said the US would also be limited by how long it could protect Israel if the present situation continues.
Netanyahu responded upon landing Sunday night in Washington saying, "It takes at least three to dance the Middle East tango" and that it has yet to be seen if the Palestinians would dance. Before he left for Washington, Netanyahu vowed to 'stand firm' on Israeli interests in his talks with Obama, which will be focused on Iran and the peace process. The papers write that US officials tried to cool expectations ahead of the 10AM meeting today between Obama and Netanyahu, saying there won't be major announcements coming from the Oval Office. (Yedioth reported that Netanyahu traveled with his wife Sara and his son Yair, but that Yair's travel expenses were paid for by the Netanyahu family.) Maan reported that the extension of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations will be determined by the upcoming meeting between Abbas and Obama. The Palestinian Representative at the Arab League Mohammad Sbeih told Maan that "extending negotiations ... is highly dependent on Abu Mazen’s (Abbas') visit to Washington and what will be proposed."
Meanwhile, the papers noted that the crisis over Crimea is stealing the thunder from the AIPAC conference and that an AIPAC social media campaign allowing users to upload a photo captioned "I am AIPAC" backfired, when some activists (who oppose Israeli policies in the West Bank) posted pictures of Israeli soldiers pointing their rifles at Palestinians captioned, "I am a friend. I am AIPAC".
The top stories in today's Hebrew media were about yesterday's mass ultra-Orthodox protest demonstration against military draft and US President Barack Obama's warning to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ahead of their meeting today: Israel's time to make peace is running out and without it Israel's future is bleak. Netanyahu responded by blaming the Palestinians and saying he would 'stand firm' on Israeli interests. Meanwhile, the papers note, the Ukraine crisis has stolen the show from the AIPAC conference, which has also had a PR initiative backfire on it.
In an interview with Bloomberg's Jeffrey Goldberg published Sunday when Netanyahu was already in flight, Obama sent a blunt message to the Israeli Prime Minister, telling him that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was the most moderate leader Israel would encounter in the foreseeable future, that time was running out for a peace deal and that if he didn't agree to Kerry's draft, he needed to offer an alternative, because otherwise, Israel's future was bleak. According to Goldberg, Obama gave the impression that Netanyahu was the one who had to be flexible in order to advance the peace talks. Yedioth wrote that Obama "prepare a tense reception" for Netanyahu, noting that Goldberg wrote that there was also an implied threat when Obama said the US would also be limited by how long it could protect Israel if the present situation continues.
Netanyahu responded upon landing Sunday night in Washington saying, "It takes at least three to dance the Middle East tango" and that it has yet to be seen if the Palestinians would dance. Before he left for Washington, Netanyahu vowed to 'stand firm' on Israeli interests in his talks with Obama, which will be focused on Iran and the peace process. The papers write that US officials tried to cool expectations ahead of the 10AM meeting today between Obama and Netanyahu, saying there won't be major announcements coming from the Oval Office. (Yedioth reported that Netanyahu traveled with his wife Sara and his son Yair, but that Yair's travel expenses were paid for by the Netanyahu family.) Maan reported that the extension of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations will be determined by the upcoming meeting between Abbas and Obama. The Palestinian Representative at the Arab League Mohammad Sbeih told Maan that "extending negotiations ... is highly dependent on Abu Mazen’s (Abbas') visit to Washington and what will be proposed."
Meanwhile, the papers noted that the crisis over Crimea is stealing the thunder from the AIPAC conference and that an AIPAC social media campaign allowing users to upload a photo captioned "I am AIPAC" backfired, when some activists (who oppose Israeli policies in the West Bank) posted pictures of Israeli soldiers pointing their rifles at Palestinians captioned, "I am a friend. I am AIPAC".
Quick Hits:
- Settler group Elad edges closer to controlling Western Wall, despite protests - Jerusalem District Court approves agreement that will transfer control of Jerusalem Archaeological Park and the Davidson Center to the Elad-City of David Foundation. (Haaretz+)
- Mufti: Jerusalem municipality to require quieter call to prayer - Israeli municipal authorities in Jerusalem are planning to require mosques to lower the volume of the Muslim call to prayer, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem said condemning the plan. (Maan)
- (Right-wing) Jewish groups tour Al-Aqsa Mosque compound - More than 40 settlers entered the compound in groups Sunday. One large group was led by the controversial rightist lawyer Yehuda Glick, an American-born Israeli who has been banned in the past by Israeli authorities from entering the compound due to provocations. (Maan)
- Settlers uproot 180 saplings near Qalqiliya - A number of settlers from Kedumim uprooted the olive saplings in the Kafr Qaddum village Sunday. They belonged to villager Nathmi Obeid. (Maan)
- Court verdict on Israeli cops who let injured Palestinian die full of errors - Most glaring mistake in verdict claims there is no 'written and proper' police procedure for dealing with a Palestinian prisoner who is in Israel illegally. However, a document describing the procedure was appended to the file and discussed extensively in court, including by a brigadier general and a policeman. (Haaretz+)
- Activists destroy part of checkpoint near Nablus - Around 10 masked youths smashed the control room and removed metal barriers at the Beit Furik checkpoint Saturday using a metal grinder in response to Israel's policies of land confiscation and "assassinations," the latest which was the killing in Bir Zeit of Muatazz Washaha, 24. (Maan)
- Jerusalem protesters march to condemn recent Israeli killings - Protesters marched through streets of (E.) Jerusalem Saturday to condemn deaths of Jihad Abd al-Rahman al-Taweel, the father of five in jail on a traffic violation, who got a heart attack after allegedly being beaten by Israeli prison guards, and Muatazz Washaha, 24, who was shot dead in his home when he refused to surrender. (Maan)
- Crowds bury 'mentally ill' Gaza woman shot dead by Israeli forces - Although Aminah Qudeih, 57, was shot late Friday by Israeli forces east of Khan Younis, Israeli forces prevented ambulance crews from reaching her until Saturday morning, at which time they found her dead. Mourners demanded Palestinian leadership take Israel to The Hague for the crime. (Maan)
- Molotov cocktail thrown at Israeli car near Tuqu - Israeli forces were heavily deployed in a village near Bethlehem on Sunday after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli car. (Maan)
- IDF chief meets with ultra-Orthodox soldiers - IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz visits Nahal Haredi battalion on Sunday, the same day as mass ultra-Orthodox rally in Jerusalem against new enlistment bill. The Nazis did not differentiate between different kinds of Jews, Gantz tells soldiers. (Israel Hayom)
- Israel's plan to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners up for public critique - Israeli Medical Association says forcing hunger-strikers to eat is tantamount to torture. (Haaretz+)
- PA seeks Egyptian support to improve Israeli prison conditions - After meeting in Hebron with the families of hunger striking prisoners, PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Qaraqe called on Egypt to support efforts to improve conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. (Maan)
- Israeli outposts who were critical of settler leadership targeted for demolition - Buildings were razed in only one-fifth of all outposts between 2011 and 2012. Targeted sites were identified as being opposed to the Yesha Council of settlements. (Haaretz+)
- Suspected terror attack: Haredi man stabbed in Petah Tikva - Victim walking with group of ultra-orthodox men near Geha bridge, in Petah Tikva, stabbed in possible nationalistic-motivated attack. (Ynet)
- Shamed Fatah leader Dahlan hopes to replace Abbas - Fatah members deny claim Dahlan vying for Palestinian Presidency as rumors, but Palestinian street could welcome him. (Ynet)
- A new 'course' at UC Davis: Boycotting Israel - Pro-Palestinian organization teaches boycott tactics at UC Davis. New 'course' already gaining popularity. Dozens of young Israelis fight back against anti-Israel initiatives on campuses, as part of Jewish Agency mission. (Israel Hayom)
- Palestinian poet 'Abu Arab' dies at 83 - Palestinian poet Ibrahim Mohammad Saleh, known as Abu Arab and deemed “the poet of the Palestinian revolution”, was born in al-Shajara village near Tiberias in 1931. His father was killed fighting Israeli forces in 1948 and his son was killed in the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. He died in Homs, Syria Sunday. (Maan)
- Israel removed from intellectual property violators' list - U.S. removes Israel from government blacklist of countries that fail to protect patent, intellectual property rights. Decision follows lengthy talks, pledge to step up enforcement. (Israel Hayom)
- Report: Israel paying Syrian rebels for information - Abu Dhabi paper says quotes rebel leaders in southern Syria who claim Israel is handing over money for intelligence on Islamist elements near its border. (Ynet)
- US media report: U.S. pressures Israel to halt assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists - Israel has never acknowledged assassination campaign 'aimed at Iran's top nuclear scientists,' which article says has lasted for several years. (Haaretz and Maariv/NRG Hebrew)
Features:
You are hereby recruited to me
They are young women who fell in love, got married and made families and only years later did they discover that their partners were agents for the Jewish (terror) unit of the Shin Bet. Now they talk for the first time about the personal crisis, the ostracism from the (nationalist-religious settler) community, the understanding that it's possible that their whole lives were actually a fake cover story, and of their fear of the long arm of the Big Brother (the State), who continues to hang over them even after many years. (By Yifat Ehrlich and Elkana Shor, Maariv Friday Sofshavua magazine/NRG Hebrew)
Can Poland truly be a 'bridge' to Iran, despite EU sanctions?
During the first visit to Iran by a high-ranking Polish official in over 10 years, Warsaw and Tehran vow to augment economic bilateral cooperation. (An exclusive report by Piotr Lewandowski from Tehran for Haaretz+.
Commentary/Analysis:
They are young women who fell in love, got married and made families and only years later did they discover that their partners were agents for the Jewish (terror) unit of the Shin Bet. Now they talk for the first time about the personal crisis, the ostracism from the (nationalist-religious settler) community, the understanding that it's possible that their whole lives were actually a fake cover story, and of their fear of the long arm of the Big Brother (the State), who continues to hang over them even after many years. (By Yifat Ehrlich and Elkana Shor, Maariv Friday Sofshavua magazine/NRG Hebrew)
Can Poland truly be a 'bridge' to Iran, despite EU sanctions?
During the first visit to Iran by a high-ranking Polish official in over 10 years, Warsaw and Tehran vow to augment economic bilateral cooperation. (An exclusive report by Piotr Lewandowski from Tehran for Haaretz+.
Commentary/Analysis:
**Israeli soldier's needless killing of Palestinian activist: punishable by death? (Amira
Hass, Haaretz+) An elite unit shot a Palestinian activist at point-blank range dozens of times.
He had received a summons and failed to appear. What should be the penalty? Amira Hass attends Muataz
Washaha's funeral and examines the lies in the description of his killing.
A partner, not an enemy in the White House (Haaretz Editorial) Netanyahu's only goal appears to be extracting himself and Israel from negotiations that could yield peace. But as Israel's Prime Minister, he has a responsibility to push them forward.
Kahane's legacy, 20 years later (Hanan Ashrawi, Maan) Twenty years ago , a Brooklyn-born Israeli settler named Baruch Goldstein walked into the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and opened fire, killing 29 Palestinians and wounding 150 others. Although generally not as horrifically lethal as the events that day, settler violence against Palestinians has risen steadily, particularly over the last few years. So-called "price tag attacks" against Palestinians and their property, including holy sites, have become routine. A culture of hate has been encouraged by the impunity granted to Jewish extremists who attack Palestinians. Meanwhile, settlers and Kahanists have risen to powerful positions in the government and a steady stream of racist laws directed at Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up about 20 percent of the population, have been passed by the Israeli parliament.
The state of the Jewish race (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) 'Zero tolerance’ was made popular by New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani when he cleaned up the streets, and it was achieved by force. In a 'Jewish nation,' will a proud Arab be considered a criminal, to be dealt with using clubs and pistols?
Nasrallah's dilemma (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah's political position may be at an all-time low, but the position of the missiles he has trained on Israel has never been better.
It’s Jordan that’s a light unto the nations (Oudeh Basharat, Haaretz+) That country is taking in refugees, while Benjamin Netanyahu is counting the bodies in Syria to show that Israel isn’t part of the region.
Our security comes first (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will stand firm in his meeting with Barack Obama and tell him that he is not authorized to endanger the security of Israel's citizens or give up any part of the Jewish people's birthright.
The most moral army in the world (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Israel Defense Forces believes brute strength is the only way to act, yet Israelis refuse to see what Amnesty International and others tell them.
8 tips for Netanyahu as he meets Obama (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) Eitan Haber offers PM Netanyahu some advice ahead of his US trip, meeting with Obama: Ignore rabbis, remember US support.
The laws that make fools of us all (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) Legislators trying to push through laws to share the military burden and improve governance will achieve the opposite of what they intend, unless they change course.
Not Arab enough for a Jewish MK? (Khaled Diab, Haaretz+) Despite what some in the Knesset think, Christians in Israel are Arabs too and have played prominent roles in Palestinian politics, society and culture.
A partner, not an enemy in the White House (Haaretz Editorial) Netanyahu's only goal appears to be extracting himself and Israel from negotiations that could yield peace. But as Israel's Prime Minister, he has a responsibility to push them forward.
Kahane's legacy, 20 years later (Hanan Ashrawi, Maan) Twenty years ago , a Brooklyn-born Israeli settler named Baruch Goldstein walked into the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and opened fire, killing 29 Palestinians and wounding 150 others. Although generally not as horrifically lethal as the events that day, settler violence against Palestinians has risen steadily, particularly over the last few years. So-called "price tag attacks" against Palestinians and their property, including holy sites, have become routine. A culture of hate has been encouraged by the impunity granted to Jewish extremists who attack Palestinians. Meanwhile, settlers and Kahanists have risen to powerful positions in the government and a steady stream of racist laws directed at Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up about 20 percent of the population, have been passed by the Israeli parliament.
The state of the Jewish race (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) 'Zero tolerance’ was made popular by New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani when he cleaned up the streets, and it was achieved by force. In a 'Jewish nation,' will a proud Arab be considered a criminal, to be dealt with using clubs and pistols?
Nasrallah's dilemma (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah's political position may be at an all-time low, but the position of the missiles he has trained on Israel has never been better.
It’s Jordan that’s a light unto the nations (Oudeh Basharat, Haaretz+) That country is taking in refugees, while Benjamin Netanyahu is counting the bodies in Syria to show that Israel isn’t part of the region.
Our security comes first (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will stand firm in his meeting with Barack Obama and tell him that he is not authorized to endanger the security of Israel's citizens or give up any part of the Jewish people's birthright.
The most moral army in the world (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Israel Defense Forces believes brute strength is the only way to act, yet Israelis refuse to see what Amnesty International and others tell them.
8 tips for Netanyahu as he meets Obama (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) Eitan Haber offers PM Netanyahu some advice ahead of his US trip, meeting with Obama: Ignore rabbis, remember US support.
The laws that make fools of us all (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) Legislators trying to push through laws to share the military burden and improve governance will achieve the opposite of what they intend, unless they change course.
Not Arab enough for a Jewish MK? (Khaled Diab, Haaretz+) Despite what some in the Knesset think, Christians in Israel are Arabs too and have played prominent roles in Palestinian politics, society and culture.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.