APN's daily news review from Israel
Wednesday April 23, 2014
Quote of the day:
“An excessive and foolish provocation that only deepens the hatred and harms
co-existence.”
--Justice Minister Tzipi Livni slams the Jerusalem municipality for confiscating 'beigeleh' breads from Palestinian street stalls at Jaffa Gate on Passover.**
--Justice Minister Tzipi Livni slams the Jerusalem municipality for confiscating 'beigeleh' breads from Palestinian street stalls at Jaffa Gate on Passover.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Abbas: Ready to continue talks and security cooperation
- Not returning the keys, yet // Zvi Bar’el
- The leading presidential candidate for Ukraine secretly visited Israel
- After losing to the security establishment, (Minister) Erdan calls to dissolve the Home Front Ministry
- Those involved in brawl had criminal past – the suspect in the murder of the young man in Ra’anana turned himself in
- Israel record-breaker skipped drug test, her title will likely be removed
- Rare chisel used for building the Wailing Wall was found
- Did the Education Minister take Ritalin without a prescription?
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The tears and the denials – Hundreds attended funeral. Central suspect in killing of Yiftah Greidi went to police after two days of searches and said: I didn’t stab him
- Suspicion: Young women (financial) distress lured into selling their kidneys
- Height of shame – Will 100-meter run record-maker Olga Lansky be denied the title?
- End to the dispute: Erdan gives up on Home Front Ministry
Maariv
- Not published today
Israel Hayom
- “Abu Mazen proved – He does not want peace” – Chairman of Palestinian Authority conditions continuation of talks, Jerusalem furious
- (Minister) Erdan recommends: Dissolve the Home Front Ministry
- Murder of soldier in nightclub: Suspect turned himself in
- The young women were lured into selling their organs – the middleman got money
- Report: American journalist with Israeli citizenship captive by pro-Russian forces
- Record in danger: Olga Lansky did not show up for drug test
Peace Talk Highlights:
The top stories focused on the suspect in the murder at a nightclub and the resignation of the Home Front Minister following his defeat in a battle with the Defense Ministry for more authority. Also high up in the news were the statements Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made yesterday – which were presented very differently in the Israeli media.
Yesterday, a week before the end of the nine-month negotiations deadline, Abbas hosted Israeli journalists from the whole political spectrum and told them he’d be willing to continue talks after April. Israeli officials, speaking off the record, responded saying that the conditions ‘proved Abbas did not want peace.’ The Israeli papers revealed who they believed more – Abbas or the Prime Minister and his associates - by what they emphasized.
Haaretz stressed Abbas’ willingness to continue talks on its front page.
Yedioth stood somewhere in between, writing: Abbas “turned to the Israeli public and declared: ‘Let’s turn over a new leaf.’ He did not forget to make conditions (‘borders, settlement freeze, fourth prisoner release’ and to threaten (‘If the talks fail, we will give back the keys’)”.
Ynet appeared more receptive towards Abbas with a sub-title reading:'If Israel believes in two-state solution, then let's talk borders,' Abbas says in first public comments regarding possibility of extending peace talks. But, it’s political affairs reporter, Attila Somfalvi, quoted an unnamed political source in an article titled: ‘Source: Abbas doesn't want peace’
The right-wing Maariv’s NRG Hebrew ran on its homepage the article titled, “Abu Mazen proved – he does not want peace." But, the article titled ‘Abu Mazen: “We will continue to talk after April,”’ by Palestinian affairs reporter Asaf Gabor, who attended the event in Ramallah, was almost impossible to find on the website. It was relegated to the ‘Middle East’ section of the ‘World’ section.
Israel Hayom, the paper that supports Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, was accusatory: “He wants to take – and to give” was the headline of the pages 2 and 3 article in Hebrew and the subtitle quoted an unnamed Israeli official, who was quoted elsewhere, saying: “He presents conditions Israel cannot accept.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators made no breakthrough after five hours of talks in Jerusalem, mediated by U.S. special Mideast envoy Martin Indyk, Haaretz+ reported. However, there may be some leeway, after all. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman hinted that Israeli Arab prisoners may be freed, despite Israel saying it cannot do so. Lieberman said that there was no chance Naftali Bennett's pro-settler party Habayit Hayehudi would leave the government coalition if Israeli Arab prisoners were freed and the party’s threats should 'not be taken seriously.' On peace talks, Lieberman, like Netanyahu, said the 'ball is in the Palestinian court.'
In regards to the reports that the Palestinian Authority would ‘give Israel back the keys’ to the rule of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said yesterday that the Palestinians have no intention of dissolving the PA, however, Israel's actions 'have annulled all legal, political, security, economic and operational aspects of the PA.' Nevertheless, Likud Minister Yisrael Katz called for retaliatory measures against the PA if it dismantles, including cancelling the immunity of PLO leaders, and cancelling the 'safe passage' clause between Gaza and the West Bank.
The top stories focused on the suspect in the murder at a nightclub and the resignation of the Home Front Minister following his defeat in a battle with the Defense Ministry for more authority. Also high up in the news were the statements Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made yesterday – which were presented very differently in the Israeli media.
Yesterday, a week before the end of the nine-month negotiations deadline, Abbas hosted Israeli journalists from the whole political spectrum and told them he’d be willing to continue talks after April. Israeli officials, speaking off the record, responded saying that the conditions ‘proved Abbas did not want peace.’ The Israeli papers revealed who they believed more – Abbas or the Prime Minister and his associates - by what they emphasized.
Haaretz stressed Abbas’ willingness to continue talks on its front page.
Yedioth stood somewhere in between, writing: Abbas “turned to the Israeli public and declared: ‘Let’s turn over a new leaf.’ He did not forget to make conditions (‘borders, settlement freeze, fourth prisoner release’ and to threaten (‘If the talks fail, we will give back the keys’)”.
Ynet appeared more receptive towards Abbas with a sub-title reading:'If Israel believes in two-state solution, then let's talk borders,' Abbas says in first public comments regarding possibility of extending peace talks. But, it’s political affairs reporter, Attila Somfalvi, quoted an unnamed political source in an article titled: ‘Source: Abbas doesn't want peace’
The right-wing Maariv’s NRG Hebrew ran on its homepage the article titled, “Abu Mazen proved – he does not want peace." But, the article titled ‘Abu Mazen: “We will continue to talk after April,”’ by Palestinian affairs reporter Asaf Gabor, who attended the event in Ramallah, was almost impossible to find on the website. It was relegated to the ‘Middle East’ section of the ‘World’ section.
Israel Hayom, the paper that supports Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, was accusatory: “He wants to take – and to give” was the headline of the pages 2 and 3 article in Hebrew and the subtitle quoted an unnamed Israeli official, who was quoted elsewhere, saying: “He presents conditions Israel cannot accept.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators made no breakthrough after five hours of talks in Jerusalem, mediated by U.S. special Mideast envoy Martin Indyk, Haaretz+ reported. However, there may be some leeway, after all. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman hinted that Israeli Arab prisoners may be freed, despite Israel saying it cannot do so. Lieberman said that there was no chance Naftali Bennett's pro-settler party Habayit Hayehudi would leave the government coalition if Israeli Arab prisoners were freed and the party’s threats should 'not be taken seriously.' On peace talks, Lieberman, like Netanyahu, said the 'ball is in the Palestinian court.'
In regards to the reports that the Palestinian Authority would ‘give Israel back the keys’ to the rule of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said yesterday that the Palestinians have no intention of dissolving the PA, however, Israel's actions 'have annulled all legal, political, security, economic and operational aspects of the PA.' Nevertheless, Likud Minister Yisrael Katz called for retaliatory measures against the PA if it dismantles, including cancelling the immunity of PLO leaders, and cancelling the 'safe passage' clause between Gaza and the West Bank.
Quick Hits:
- IDF to send 'voluntary draft notices' to Christian Arabs - The policy aims to increase enlistments by members of the community, who are not required to serve in the Israeli army. (Haaretz+, Ynet and Israel Hayom)
- Officials: Israeli forces raid Aqsa (Temple Mount), assault (Muslim) worshipers - Israeli forces raided the al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tuesday and assaulted several Palestinian worshipers, after they chanted religious slogans at a group of around 30 right-wing Jews, who were escorted out of the area by Israeli forces without completing their tour. (Maan)
- Israeli troops shower Bethlehem-area village with tear gas - Without any provocation, two Israeli military vehicles entered the village of Tuqu overnight Tuesday, fired tear gas and stun grenades through the windows of several houses in the village, causing a small fire to break out in one of them. (Maan)
- 2 injured as Israeli forces disperse prisoner release celebration - Israeli forces injured two Palestinians and detained one in the Old City of Jerusalem as they dispersed a prisoner release celebration. One young man was hit in the head and hospitalized. (Maan)
- **The ‘beigeleh’ raid – Jerusalem inspectors confiscated pita bread at (Old City’s) Jaffa Gate - Why did they confiscate chametz from a Muslim area? Municipality council member: It bothered Jews on the way to the Wailing Wall. Jerusalem Municipality: It’s not because of the Passover holiday – the stall sellers have no license. Justice Minister Livni: “An excessive and foolish provocation that only deepens the hatred and harms co-existence.” (Yedioth, p. 27)
- Palestinians suspected of torching terror victim's memorial - Monument for Gilad Zar, a (settler) security officer (in W. Bank) who was shot dead by Palestinian terrorists in 2001, was set on fire on Tuesday. Zar's brother: "This is the way of our Arab enemies. First they murder and then they burn the memorial monuments." (Israel Hayom)
- Operation Eagle – When a rare Golden Eagle chick was stolen from its nesting place in Judean Desert (West Bank) and held in Bethlehem, the Nature and Parks Authority had no doubt that people need to go in and rescue it. Soldiers sent on a night operation were sure until the last minute they were going to catch a senior wanted man, referred to as ‘Eagle.’ “We prepared ourselves for the operation with all seriousness, with orders, exercises and everything that was needed,” they said. (Yedioth, pp.14-15)
- BDS activists pressure Scottish photo gallery into shunning Israeli embassy - Ironically, embassy sought to underwrite appearance of anti-occupation artist at opening of exhibit on Tuesday; British embassy calls gallery's decision 'extremely disappointing.' (Haaretz+)
- France withholds funds to association in east Jerusalem - French parliamentarian discovers that the money he pledged for an Israeli association helping French-Israeli students in Jerusalem has been withheld because of the organization's location beyond the Green Line in Gilo. (Israel Hayom)
- Barghouti storm in Italy: Israeli ambassador protested - Criticism in Italy following the awarding of honorary citizenship in Sicilian city of Palermo to Marwan Barghouti last week: Israeli ambassador to Italy sent harsh letter to city mayor, criticizing the decision, which led to protests on the social networks and even a petition calling to prevent the Italians who initiated the move from entering Israel. “Barghouti is not a political prisoner, but a terrorist..,” wrote the ambassador. (Yedioth, p. 27)
- Home Front Minister resigns, urges Netanyahu to shut ministry for good - Erdan tells PM in 5-page letter that lack of budget and defense ministry's inability to share authority spells end for home front ministry. (Haaretz)
- Woman misses father's funeral after Arabs stone her car - New Yorker Tova Richler, who arrived in Israel to attend her father's funeral, suffers shock after 10 Arab youth storm her car en route to Jerusalem's Mount of Olives cemetery. "I never thought this would happen to me," she says. (Israel Hayom)
- Short film shows reality of IDF actions in West Bank - Israeli, Palestinian actors come together in American short film portraying fictional military raid in West Bank refugee camp. (Ynet)
- Pro-Russian separatists reportedly abduct American-Israeli reporter - U.S. administration pledges additional $50 million to Ukrainian government during Vice President Joe Biden's visit. (Israel Hayom)
- Ukraine's leading presidential candidate visited Israel in secret, asked for public support- Petro Poroshenko asked Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to publicly support his country’s territorial integrity. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- Prime Minister's Residence restricts access to visitors - Following a string of lawsuits and wide media coverage, regulations covering visitors to Prime Minister's Residence become more stringent. (Israel Hayom)
- Obama's Seder spiced up by Israeli chef - Vered Guttman tells Ynet of exciting evening and the quinoa salad that impressed Michelle Obama at traditional White House Seder. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- After foiling Hezbollah plot, Thailand increases security around Israeli hotspots - Despite heightened alert levels in Bangkok and elsewhere, authorities deny there may be more operatives at large. (Haaretz)
- Jewish lawyer seeks to join Islamist party in Morocco - Lawyer praises party ideals, questions specific policies in open letter: 'There is no longer a viable alternative to your party.' (Ynet)
- Sale of Iran-owned NYC building to benefit terror victims - U.S. government reaches settlement over $500 million skyscraper on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, agreeing to pay families affected by attacks aided by Iran. Five Israeli families, previously awarded $272 million, among the hundreds of plaintiffs. (Israel Hayom)
- New videos show children wounded in chemical weapons attack - Less than a year after the Assad regime agreed to get rid of its chemical arms arsenal by mid-2014, reports continue coming in on chemical attacks. (Ynet)
Features:
IDF ID number 90210
Yarden Yehezkel, 19, grew up in the luxurious Beverly Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. Yarden decided she wanted to take a different path from her classmates -- by moving to Israel and fulfilling her dream of serving in the IDF. (Israel Hayom)
Commentary/Analysis:
Peace talks or not, both Abbas and Hamas need the PA (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Besides being a national asset, the Palestinian Authority is the pipeline for international aid.
Abbas cannot undo the Palestinian Authority (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) The Palestinian Authority leader's threat to close down shop is largely an empty one.
Minister Katz insists on turning the West Bank into Gaza (Shalom Yerushalmi, NRG Hebrew) It appears Netanyahu is joining Minister Katz on congratulations for the collapse of the Palestinian Authority and is on the way to canceling the Oslo Accords. Only that then we will have to deal with Hamas and we will have the responsibility for the fate of millions of Palestinians.
It’s time for the Palestinians to reshuffle the deck (Salman Masalha, Haaretz+) The Palestinian Authority could either dissolve itself and shoot for a one-state solution, or immediately call new elections and get rid of the corrupt old guard.
It's Israel's turn to stretch out its arm (UK Amb. Matthew Gould, Yedioth/Ynet) Sometimes in order to reach the prize of peace, you have to imagine what it looks like, British ambassador to Israel writes.
Assessment: Heat things up in Gaza - to embarrass Hamas (Yochai Ofer, NRG Hebrew) According to Israeli security officials, the launching of rockets at settlements around Gaza and the charge and firing the RPG missile at IDF forces in southern Gaza during Passover was acts by "rogue" terrorist organizations in order to indirectly hurt Hamas.
South Africa's Passover lesson for Israel (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Spending the holiday in the former Apartheid state was a dumbfounding experience.
Ban Muslims from Temple Mount, too (Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom) To show the Muslim community that Israel will not tolerate violence against Jews on the Temple Mount, their access should be totally restricted.
The Temple Mount, capital of the Kingdom of Israel (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) For the settler movement and its supporters, Jewish sovereignty over the Temple Mount is just the first act in a larger messianic drama.
Putin has been disingenuous, but I’m rooting for him in Ukraine (Eyal Megged, Haaretz+) I don’t find European and American preaching to Moscow convincing; it’s a derivative of political correctness and ignorance.
Hezbollah's unsuccessful revenge (Ronen Bergman, Yedioth/Ynet) Most of Lebanese terror organization's attempts to avenge its commander's assassination have failed thanks to improvement in Israel's intelligence collection abilities.
The world is silent, and so are we (Yair Auron, Haaretz+) 20 years after the massacre in Rwanda, the international community sheds a crocodile tear while everyone knows that this genocide could have been prevented easily.
Revoke the citizenship of released Israeli terrorists (Einat Wilf, NRG Hebrew) Even leftists and supporters clearly understand that the Palestinian demand to release Israel-Arab terrorists crosses a dangerous red line in its attempt to undermine the State of Israel.
When I cooked the seder for the Obamas (Vered Guttman, Haaretz+) I'm not usually fazed by cooking for Passover, but cooking for the President is a different (matza-)ball-game.
Yarden Yehezkel, 19, grew up in the luxurious Beverly Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. Yarden decided she wanted to take a different path from her classmates -- by moving to Israel and fulfilling her dream of serving in the IDF. (Israel Hayom)
Commentary/Analysis:
Peace talks or not, both Abbas and Hamas need the PA (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Besides being a national asset, the Palestinian Authority is the pipeline for international aid.
Abbas cannot undo the Palestinian Authority (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) The Palestinian Authority leader's threat to close down shop is largely an empty one.
Minister Katz insists on turning the West Bank into Gaza (Shalom Yerushalmi, NRG Hebrew) It appears Netanyahu is joining Minister Katz on congratulations for the collapse of the Palestinian Authority and is on the way to canceling the Oslo Accords. Only that then we will have to deal with Hamas and we will have the responsibility for the fate of millions of Palestinians.
It’s time for the Palestinians to reshuffle the deck (Salman Masalha, Haaretz+) The Palestinian Authority could either dissolve itself and shoot for a one-state solution, or immediately call new elections and get rid of the corrupt old guard.
It's Israel's turn to stretch out its arm (UK Amb. Matthew Gould, Yedioth/Ynet) Sometimes in order to reach the prize of peace, you have to imagine what it looks like, British ambassador to Israel writes.
Assessment: Heat things up in Gaza - to embarrass Hamas (Yochai Ofer, NRG Hebrew) According to Israeli security officials, the launching of rockets at settlements around Gaza and the charge and firing the RPG missile at IDF forces in southern Gaza during Passover was acts by "rogue" terrorist organizations in order to indirectly hurt Hamas.
South Africa's Passover lesson for Israel (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Spending the holiday in the former Apartheid state was a dumbfounding experience.
Ban Muslims from Temple Mount, too (Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom) To show the Muslim community that Israel will not tolerate violence against Jews on the Temple Mount, their access should be totally restricted.
The Temple Mount, capital of the Kingdom of Israel (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) For the settler movement and its supporters, Jewish sovereignty over the Temple Mount is just the first act in a larger messianic drama.
Putin has been disingenuous, but I’m rooting for him in Ukraine (Eyal Megged, Haaretz+) I don’t find European and American preaching to Moscow convincing; it’s a derivative of political correctness and ignorance.
Hezbollah's unsuccessful revenge (Ronen Bergman, Yedioth/Ynet) Most of Lebanese terror organization's attempts to avenge its commander's assassination have failed thanks to improvement in Israel's intelligence collection abilities.
The world is silent, and so are we (Yair Auron, Haaretz+) 20 years after the massacre in Rwanda, the international community sheds a crocodile tear while everyone knows that this genocide could have been prevented easily.
Revoke the citizenship of released Israeli terrorists (Einat Wilf, NRG Hebrew) Even leftists and supporters clearly understand that the Palestinian demand to release Israel-Arab terrorists crosses a dangerous red line in its attempt to undermine the State of Israel.
When I cooked the seder for the Obamas (Vered Guttman, Haaretz+) I'm not usually fazed by cooking for Passover, but cooking for the President is a different (matza-)ball-game.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.