APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday April 08, 2014
 

Quote of the day:

"Can you imagine revoking the citizenship of a Jew? Did you revoke the citizenship of Yitzhak Rabin's murderer?"
--Arab MK Ahmed Tibi lashed out at government for suggesting revoking the citizenship of Israeli Arabs meant to be released in Palestinian prisoner deal.**

Front Page News:

Haaretz

• Olmert questioned under warning; Claims that Zaken planned to incriminate him
• Lieberman: It's possible that there will soon be a Russian-speaking prime minister
• Pro-Russians declared independence in area of eastern Ukraine
• Senior security source in Israel confirms: Assad used chemical weapons again two weeks ago
• "A society that does take care of its poor" - State Comptroller: Government abandons hundreds of thousands of poor to the shame of hunger
• New medicine likely to delay spread of breast cancer
• The first female Palestinian commandos

Yedioth Ahronoth

• "The Likud folded up the social issues flag" - Comeback interview with (former Likud minister) Kahlon: I will run in the next elections
• State Comptroller report: Number of hungry is close to 900,000
• (Actor) Yehuda Levi: That's me behind in the censored photo" - Levy was also revealed in the "Drugs and the Famous" affair
• Harsh incident at end of Tel-Aviv derby: (Greek-Cameroonian) basketball player Schortsanitis who was spat on by Hapoal fans, jumped on the galleys and injured a few of them before being removed from the game"Shula tried to get me to say things" - Olmert questioned for 8 hours
• Suspicion: Steimatzky (bookstore franchise) in difficulties

Maariv

• not published today

Israel Hayom

• The return of the "Shula (Zaken) diaries" - Again under warning: Olmert questioned for 8 hours
• State Comptroller: "The poor in the state have been abandoned"
• Story of legends - National Library in Jerusalem acquired a Haggadah that belonged to Montefiore from 1837
• Yehuda Levi: "I'm the man behind the pixels (in the photo)" The actor revealed he too was questioned in the 'Drugs and Celebs' affair
• Crossed the lines - New low in Israeli sports: At end of Tel-Aviv basketball derby, the Maccabi Tel-Aviv Greek centerfield, Schortsanitis. jumped on Hapoel fans who cursed and spit on him
• The heat returned, the snakes came out: Two residents of north bitten
• Books in financial difficulties? Steimatzky's delaying payment to publishers
• (Tycoon) Nochi Dankner selling his villa in order to pay personal debts

Peace Talk Highlights:
Today's top story in the Hebrew press was the State Comptroller report that revealed that Israel had "abandoned its poor," giving monies to charities that basically dispensed most of it to Jewish families at Passover, at the expense of poor Arab families and all the families year-round. Palestinian and Israeli negotiators met again last night, but this time there appears to be a bit of hope for solving the crisis in the talks. However, the Arab League will meet tomorrow to discuss it as Palestinian officials speak of joining more international organizations, if the crisis is not solved. Meanwhile, the Hebrew papers quoted numerous politicians, putting the future of this government coalition in question.
 
Negotiations are not over, Israel Hayom quotes Al-Quds newspaper's website, where a senior Palestinian official said that the Palestinians agreed that they would extend talks by two months in order to determine in that period the borders of the future Palestinian state. Senior Palestinian Authority officials told Israel Hayom that the talks had not come to an end and that "last night's meeting was positive, and helpful to the two sides, unlike the previous meetings in which (chief Israeli negotiator Minister Tzipi) Livni mainly threatened that Israel would take punishing steps and impose sanctions on the Palestinians and senior Palestinian officials." In Gaza, a senior member of the PFLP called on the PLO to cease negotiations and to cease relying on the US. He said the fact that the US-brokered negotiations did not yield results was not because they failed, but because the Palestinians did not yet submit to Israeli and American demands. 

Tomorrow, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki were scheduled to leave for Cairo for an emergency session of the Arab League to discuss the crisis in the talks. PLO official Nabil Shaath said the PLO would apply for membership in 48 more international organizations if the peace talks failed and that the US needs to put more pressure on Israel to prevent that from happening. "Israel wants a framework for negotiations rather than a framework for a solution," Shaath said. Former Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Ishtayeh said the Palestinians won't agree to an extension unless Israel first agrees to release the final group of prisoners, but that in the meantime, the Palestinians "are keeping the door open for any serious talks" until April 29, but that gaps on almost all issues have only widened and that Israel isn't negotiating in good faith. When asked about possible Israeli retaliation if the Palestinians joined more organizations, Ishtayeh said he believes the Palestinians can count on continued financial aid from Europe and the Arab world.
 
After saying earlier this week that elections were preferable to continuing negotiations with the Palestinians, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman suggested that he might be the next prime minister. He was speaking to Russian-speaking Jews yesterday at a Brooklyn synagogue.
 
Popular former (Likud) Communications minister Moshe Kahlon told Yedioth that "the extremist right-wing has taken over the Likud party" and folded up the social justice aspect in exchange for adopting the political-security issues, which is the "main damage to the party." Kahlon said that "very many" of his friends in the party agree with him. Kahlon, who left politics a year and a half ago, said he would run in the next elections, but "it's not clear in what framework."
 
Opposition leader and Labor party chief Isaac Herzog called on Livni and Finance Minister Yair Lapid to leave the coalition and join him in a party led by Labor.  “The Knesset can put together an alternative coalition which will lead to peace. I call on Lapid and Livni to join me in an alternative course of action," he said on Army Radio. Herzog also called for elections at a poorly attended special Knesset session yesterday about the looming collapse of negotiations.  Only 15 MKs turned out for a special debate on the looming collapse of peace talks and the failure to secure spy Jonathan Pollard's release. Herzog said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was infuriating, but he's the partner Israel has.
 
However, Meretz party members don't see the coalition collapsing anytime soon. Meretz Chairwoman MK Zehava Gal-On said, "Livni and Lapid are prime collaborators with Netanyahu and joined the Danny Danons and Ofir Akunises who aren't partners to Abu Mazen. All of their promises to resign if the negotiations do not proceed have been revealed to be a sham." Indeed, MK Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) said that Livni and Lapid are making preparations for staying in Netanyahu’s coalition. “It looks as if they are busy constructing an alibi for the failed talks. For Livni, the process was the whole rationale for her joining the coalition. Lapid committed to leaving a government that doesn’t negotiate. They are both starting to build a case against Abu Mazen,” said Zandberg. However, Yedioth ran an news item titled '(Environment Minister Amir) Peretz: "Without negotiations we won't be in the government."' There was no quote in the article itself of the Hatnua minister saying that, but he was quoted saying: "The radical right-wing is celebrating the crisis in the negotiations...While Tzipi Livni made incredible efforts, they did everything to put spikes in her wheels: They published tenders for extraneous (settlement) construction, insulted the Americans and the Palestinians."
 
**At the Knesset special session, Arab MK Ahmed Tibi lashed out at the US for failing to stand up to Israeli intransigence. "The weakness and subservience of the American government was revealed at its worst in the face of demands from the Israeli government," he said. He said it was "brazen, insolent and racist" of Israel to suggest revoking the citizenship of Israeli Arab prisoners who would be released in the deal. "Can you imagine revoking the citizenship of a Jew? Did you revoke the citizenship of Yitzhak Rabin's murderer? No one ever suggested such a thing."
 

Quick Hits:

• Nablus man shot by Israeli forces Sunday 'undocumented worker' - Ashraf Abu al-Huda, 35, was shot, injured and detained by Israeli forces Sunday, after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a military jeep. But the man's brother said Abu al-Huda left his home Sunday as he regularly does to go to work in Israel. (Maan)
• MK holds up Housing Ministry funding to protest lack of transparency in settlement budget - Hatnuah MK Elazar Stern's move comes after Knesset committee rejects Livni’s proposal to extract more information about WZO settlement division. (Haaretz and Yedioth, p. 8)
• Israeli forces destroy structure, confiscate wood near Jenin - Several Israeli vehicles stormed the village of Bartaa al-Sharqiya west of Jenin, demolished a steel structure and ransacked a garage. In nearby Zabda village, Israeli troops raided a charcoal factory belonging to Nour and Khaled Ibrahim Amarnah and confiscated 200 tons of wood. (Maan) 
• Six Border Policemen hurt, IDF post destroyed in settlers' rampage near Yitzhar - Following demolition of illegal structures, hundreds of far-right activists tear down tents, destroy water stores and toilets at IDF post for reservists guarding the area. (Ynet and Haaretz) 
• Right-wing MK tours Aqsa compound under armed guard -  Likud MK Moshe Feiglin toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday under heavy armed police guard. A group of around 50 right-wing Jews also toured the area. (Maan) 
• High Court backs longer detention periods for Palestinians than for Israelis - Petition on behalf of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Yesh Din and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel was rejected after state shortens maximum detention period for Palestinians from eight days to four, vs. 24 hours for Israeli citizens. (Haaretz)
• Pro-settler MK's son who abused Palestinian gets jail time shortened - Zvi Struck, son of Habayit Hayehudi MK Orit Struck, was originally sentenced to 30 months in prison but his sentencing has been shortened by 9 months. (Haaretz) 
• Israeli military vehicles enter Gaza, 'fire shell' - Six bulldozers escorted by military vehicles and tanks drove about 150 meters into Gaza east of Deir al-Balah and leveled lands. A tank fired a mortar shell towards a Palestinian neighborhood, but no injuries were reported. (Maan)
• Israel under cyber attack, but only few sites brought down - Technion calls attacks so far 'unsophisticated'; Anonymous says day of targeting Israel in response to IDF strikes on Gaza. (Ynet)
• Israeli lawyer charged with passing notes from Hamas leaders to jailed operatives - Shin Bet: Inmates have been involved in planning terror attacks meant to kidnap Israelis for use as bargaining chips. (Haaretz)
• State Comptroller: Israel increasingly reduces responsibility to the hungry - Government is relying too heavily on charities, focuses on Passover baskets instead of helping the needy in Israel’s Arab community. (Haaretz)
• Thousands of East Jerusalem Arabs without water - Security barrier leaves Shuafat refugee camp in legal no-man's land; population growth, 'pirated' pipes overwhelm water infrastructure. (Agencies, Ynet)
• Nixing of terror operative's lecture roils Tel Aviv University - Tel Aviv University's decision to invite Muhammad Kanaana, an Israeli Arab convicted of having contact with Hezbollah, to lecture before students and its subsequent decision to cancel the event sparks new controversy on campus. (Israel Hayom)
• Netanyahu backer's bid for pro-settler paper rips Israeli right - (Pro-settler) Minister Bennett worries Makor Rishon newspaper will turn into a mouthpiece for prime minister, similar to reputation of Sheldon Adelson's Israel Hayom newspaper. (Agencies, Ynet)
• High Court to debate Gaza runner's petition to race in Bethlehem marathon - Olympian Nader al-Masri files petition against the state's refusal to allow him to travel to the marathon in Bethlehem. (Haaretz)
• Israeli security guards violently clash with immigration officer at India airport - Diplomatic debacle at India's airport in New Delhi: Three Israeli security officers with diplomatic immunity detained after entering violent altercation. (Haaretz)
• New deal to purchase V-22s relies on future US aid - Complicated military procurement scheme keeps Israel dependent on US foreign aid for at least another decade. (Ynet)
• Channel 10 signed contract to promote JNF in the news - The station says the $430,000 deal with the Jewish National Fund was never implemented due to ethical concerns. (Haaretz)
• Pilgrims, construction material cross at Rafah - Some 403 Palestinian pilgrims crossed from Gaza into Egypt, while 319 went the other way and 107 trucks of construction materials entered into the Gaza Strip from Qatar and the UAE. [Egypt has kept the crossing mostly closed for months. - OH] (Maan)
• Bulgaria certain Hezbollah behind bus bombing, identifies third suspect - Bulgarian newspaper says man responsible for 2012 bombing in Black Sea resort was of Algerian origin and trained in South Lebanon. (Agencies, Haaretz)
• Israeli official: Assad used chemical weapons in Damascus two weeks ago - Israeli security sources confirm there is solid evidence Syrian regime used neutralizing chemical materials in two locations in the capital. (Haaretz and Ynet)
• Egypt court upholds jailing of prominent pro-democracy activists - In the midst of crackdown against Morsi's supporters, the military-led government in Egypt clamps down on liberals too. (Agencies, Haaretz)
•  Seven dead in clashes between rival Palestinian groups in Lebanon - Commander of armed group is among those killed, security officials say. (Agencies, Haaretz)
• Iran hopes drafting of nuclear deal can start soon - Iranian FM Zarif confirms timetable given by US official last week; Russia: Number of issues still in early stages. (Agencies, Ynet)
• Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it dismantled West-linked spy ring - Report does not name countries behind alleged espionage network. (Agencies, Haaretz)

Features:

The proposal Balfour rejected: A Jewish state in the Persian Gulf
The British Library exposes an ambitious plan of a Jewish doctor who promised to conquer a desert oasis - with a little help from British forces. (Haaretz) 

Commentary/Analysis:

Likud must pay for its many crimes (Sefi Rachlevsky, Haaretz) The ruling party's rap sheet is too long to be tolerated any longer. 
Peace requires a different Israeli government (Ephraim Sneh, Yedioth/Ynet) Israel's citizens have to choose between two dreams: An isolated Greater Israel and a democratic Jewish state on four-fifths of the land. 
The noiseless retreat of Israeli democracy (Roni Bar, Haaretz) Religion has seeped ever more deeply into the state, to the point where it is hard to draw the boundary between them.
Let common sense prevail (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom)
A situation in which both sides engage in mock negotiations, pretending to be talking peace, is still better than having both sides hunker down.
How Sheldon Adelson is changing the face of Israeli media (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz) Under the right-wing American casino magnate, Makor Rishon is likely to start toeing the Bibi line along with Israel Hayom.
Netanyahu wants the peace talks to go on - and on and on (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz) But he does not even dream of giving up the West Bank.
Blaming Israel for the collapse of talks (Isi Leibler, Israel Hayom) We must not make further concessions to bribe the Palestinians to negotiate with us. But when they are ready for bona fide negotiations without preconditions, we will respond positively. 
End the conflict - a Jewish imperative (Rabbi Daniel Landes, Haaretz) We must not allow the messianisms of the religious right to cloud the call from our greatest religious authorities to return the territories, for the sake of saving life.
Are Jewish rioters above the law? (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) Settlers know that despite condemnations, security forces won't lift a finger to prevent next 'price tag' activity against Palestinians or IDF commanders.
Democracy, Friedman-style (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman is willing to entertain any opinion, as long as it corresponds with his own.  
Why the fight against anti-Semitism is not the role of the right-wing (Ben-Dror Yemini, Maariv's NRG Hebrew) When the Hadash political party at Tel Aviv University invited a terrorist who helped Hezbollah to speak before students, the right-wing protested, but the left was silent. Racism is not an opinion, but a situation, and therefore it does not need any political affiliation.
Why young U.S. Jews are drifting away from Israel (Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, Haaretz) When U.S. Jewish commentators such as Daniel Gordis focus solely on how the world, Palestinians and the UN hate us, offering no vision for peace in Israel’s future, no wonder young Jews turn off.
The Left must sober up (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) Optimism is a noble virtue. But in this violent region, where martyrdom often trumps the sanctity of life, naivete and shortsightedness are dangerous traits to have. 

Interviews: 

Interview with Leila Khaled: 'For me, Palestine is paradise'
Leila Khaled is a former resistance fighter with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Born in Haifa but forced to flee to Lebanon in 1948, she gained worldwide notoriety for her role in the PFLP's strategy of hijacking aircraft carriers in the late 1960's and 1970's [Khaled is a convicted airline hijacker caught by Israel and later released in a prisoner exchange for civilian hostages kidnapped by her fellow PFLP members. - OH] (Interviewed by Frank Barat in Maan)

 

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