APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday May 08, 2014
Quote of the day:
"The Iranian nuclear program will only be operational in another 10 years."
--Former Israel Atomic Energy Commission chief, Brig.-Gen. Uzi Eilam, disputes Prime Minister Binaymin Netanyahu's claims of an immediate Iranian threat.**
--Former Israel Atomic Energy Commission chief, Brig.-Gen. Uzi Eilam, disputes Prime Minister Binaymin Netanyahu's claims of an immediate Iranian threat.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Security establishment: 100 activists responsible for wave of hate crimes
- More than 200 killed in massacre by Islamists in Nigerian village [main photo]
- Former employee in Minister (Silvan Shalom's) office spoke about sexual offense, but refused to testify; case closed
- Intentional escalation in battle over budget: (Defense Minister) Yaalon threatens to stop military training
- Asylum seeker agreed to leave to his country - but was forced to return to his own country
- Coup in Thailand: Prime Minister dismissed
Yedioth Ahronoth
- "Netanyahu using Iranian nuclear (issue) for political goals" - Uzi Eilam, former head of Israel Atomic Energy Commission
- Suddenly, winter
- Yitzhar storm - Following Yedioth expose: Eliraz Fein was arrested on suspicion of incitement to kill soldiers (Hebrew)
- Closed case - Attorney General closed sexual harassment case against Minister Silvan Shalom
Maariv
- not published
Makor Rishon
- Putin: We withdrew the Russian soldiers from the Ukrainian border
- PM Netanyahu: "No one has the right to raise a hand on an IDF soldier" (Hebrew)
- Case closed - AG decided investigation of sexual harrassment claims against Minister Shalom closes and he can run for President
- The Syrian rebels are evacuating (Homs)
- The gaps are widening - Taub Institute report: Gaps in Israeli education - largest in West (Hebrew)
Israel Hayom
- "Serious damage to the regular and reserve forces" - Defense Minister Yaalon vs. Treasury: The battle over the defense budget renewed
- The truth must be acknowledged: IDF needs to be strong - and that costs money // Dan Margalit
- There is an economic model (to Israel Hayom), and it is winning // Hezi Sternlicht
- Winter in the midst of spring
- Getting closer to the presidential race? Case closed against (Minister) Shalom
- Netanyahu against price-tag (attacks): "No one has the right to raise a hand against an IDF soldier"
- International report: High level of air pollution in Israel; Record pollution - in Ashkelon
- Health Ministry to pharmacies: Selling e-cigarettes and smoking products is prohibited
News Summary:
Price-tag attacks and the battle over Israel's security budget were top stories in today's Hebrew papers. Meanwhile, a rift is re-opening between Israel and the US over what deal to make with Iran over its nuclear program. However, a former senior Israel official said that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's anti-Iran stance is meant to advance his political goals. On the peace front, Israeli President Shimon Peres insists the window for peace with the Palestinians is still open, while Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said it was not - and that Israel won't allow Hamas to run in national elections in the West Bank.
The people behind the price-tag attacks, also referred by the Israeli press and politicians as hate-crimes when they are directed against Arabs in Israel and in Palestine, number only about 100 people and they are followers of the racist rabbi, Yitzchak Ginzburg, security sources told Haaretz+. [Note: the press and politicians refer to similar attacks by Arabs against Jews as 'nationalist crimes' which is considered more severe - OH] Ginsburg, an immigrant from the US and a follower of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, is the head of the Yitzhar yeshiva, Od Yosef Chai. While Justice Minister Tzipi Livni held an emergency meeting on latest spate of anti-Arab hate crimes in Israel, vandals scrawled "Greetings to Fureidis, Price Tag," and "Death to Arabs" on the windows of the practice of a Druze dentist in the Jewish city of Yokneam on Wednesday. Later that day, a 25-year-old Yokneam resident was caught red-handed puncturing tires of an Arab's car. Also on Wednesday, graffiti of swastikas was discovered in a graveyard in the northern Menashe Regional Council and on a guard post in the northern Jewish town of Harish.
On Wednesday night some 250 protesters, mainly youth, demonstrated in Yokneam against this latest act of anti-Arab vandalism in the town. Haaretz+ noted that hate crime incidents against Israeli Arabs and Palestinians have risen steeply since April 2, when the army took down an outpost on the extremist Yitzhar settlement and then were attacked by locals. Livni and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich asked the security cabinet to consider classifying hate crimes as terror. Aharonovitch said, "The severity of this phenomenon can really damage the already strained relationship between Jews and Arabs and we will do whatever we can not to unravel the texture between Jews and Arabs." Now the Catholic Church is also demanding Israel act to stop hate attacks after suspected Jewish extremists sprayed "Death to Arabs and Christians and those who hate Israel" on Vatican-owned offices in East Jerusalem Monday, just two weeks before a papal visit. While the subject of price-tag attacks filled the new, Netanyahu said that evening that the root of the conflict is the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
**Meanwhile, after meeting visiting US National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Netanyahu said that Israel fears a 'bad deal' on Iran. Rice stressed that the US seeks to solve the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomacy, but Israel insists on a full Iranian nuclear rollback, which Western diplomats say is unrealistic.
**Yedioth ran a front-page interview with Israel's former atomic agency chief, who said that Netanyahu is using scare tactics on the Iran nuclear program to advance his political goals. "The Iranian nuclear program will only be operational in another 10 years," said Brig.-Gen. Uzi Eilam. "Even so, I am not sure that Iran wants the bomb."
President Shimon Peres also met with Rice and was invited to visit the White House in June. Speaking about the stalled peace process, Peres told Rice that the door for peace with the Palestinians is not yet closed. "We must find the way to renew the negotiations between us and the Palestinians," he said, adding that Israel would not be willing to talk to Hamas unless it adheres to the principles of non-violence and recognition of the State of Israel. At At the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said he believes the Fatah-Hamas deal will not be implemented, but that even if it does, Israel won't allow Hamas to participate in the national elections in the West Bank, as it did in the past. "There is no partner on the other side," Ya'alon said, repeating his long-held view.
Price-tag attacks and the battle over Israel's security budget were top stories in today's Hebrew papers. Meanwhile, a rift is re-opening between Israel and the US over what deal to make with Iran over its nuclear program. However, a former senior Israel official said that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's anti-Iran stance is meant to advance his political goals. On the peace front, Israeli President Shimon Peres insists the window for peace with the Palestinians is still open, while Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said it was not - and that Israel won't allow Hamas to run in national elections in the West Bank.
The people behind the price-tag attacks, also referred by the Israeli press and politicians as hate-crimes when they are directed against Arabs in Israel and in Palestine, number only about 100 people and they are followers of the racist rabbi, Yitzchak Ginzburg, security sources told Haaretz+. [Note: the press and politicians refer to similar attacks by Arabs against Jews as 'nationalist crimes' which is considered more severe - OH] Ginsburg, an immigrant from the US and a follower of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, is the head of the Yitzhar yeshiva, Od Yosef Chai. While Justice Minister Tzipi Livni held an emergency meeting on latest spate of anti-Arab hate crimes in Israel, vandals scrawled "Greetings to Fureidis, Price Tag," and "Death to Arabs" on the windows of the practice of a Druze dentist in the Jewish city of Yokneam on Wednesday. Later that day, a 25-year-old Yokneam resident was caught red-handed puncturing tires of an Arab's car. Also on Wednesday, graffiti of swastikas was discovered in a graveyard in the northern Menashe Regional Council and on a guard post in the northern Jewish town of Harish.
On Wednesday night some 250 protesters, mainly youth, demonstrated in Yokneam against this latest act of anti-Arab vandalism in the town. Haaretz+ noted that hate crime incidents against Israeli Arabs and Palestinians have risen steeply since April 2, when the army took down an outpost on the extremist Yitzhar settlement and then were attacked by locals. Livni and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich asked the security cabinet to consider classifying hate crimes as terror. Aharonovitch said, "The severity of this phenomenon can really damage the already strained relationship between Jews and Arabs and we will do whatever we can not to unravel the texture between Jews and Arabs." Now the Catholic Church is also demanding Israel act to stop hate attacks after suspected Jewish extremists sprayed "Death to Arabs and Christians and those who hate Israel" on Vatican-owned offices in East Jerusalem Monday, just two weeks before a papal visit. While the subject of price-tag attacks filled the new, Netanyahu said that evening that the root of the conflict is the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
**Meanwhile, after meeting visiting US National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Netanyahu said that Israel fears a 'bad deal' on Iran. Rice stressed that the US seeks to solve the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomacy, but Israel insists on a full Iranian nuclear rollback, which Western diplomats say is unrealistic.
**Yedioth ran a front-page interview with Israel's former atomic agency chief, who said that Netanyahu is using scare tactics on the Iran nuclear program to advance his political goals. "The Iranian nuclear program will only be operational in another 10 years," said Brig.-Gen. Uzi Eilam. "Even so, I am not sure that Iran wants the bomb."
President Shimon Peres also met with Rice and was invited to visit the White House in June. Speaking about the stalled peace process, Peres told Rice that the door for peace with the Palestinians is not yet closed. "We must find the way to renew the negotiations between us and the Palestinians," he said, adding that Israel would not be willing to talk to Hamas unless it adheres to the principles of non-violence and recognition of the State of Israel. At At the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said he believes the Fatah-Hamas deal will not be implemented, but that even if it does, Israel won't allow Hamas to participate in the national elections in the West Bank, as it did in the past. "There is no partner on the other side," Ya'alon said, repeating his long-held view.
Quick Hits:
- 5,100 Palestinian prisoners to go on hunger strike Thursday - Nearly all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will go on hunger strike for one day today in solidarity with administrative detainees who have been on strike for nearly two weeks for being held without charges. (Maan)
- Commander may be fired for backing insubordination on settlements - Yehuda Liebman, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar, said he would encourage insubordination in the case of evacuation. (Haaretz+)
- Lynch at the Sea of Galilee: Severe hate crim - Four youth convicted of attacking Arab couple - He worked with the security forces and helped prevent dozens of attacks, but that did not help the Arab man who arrived with his wife at the Tiberias beach: Israeli (Jewish) youth violently attacked him and almost caused them to drown. (Yedioth, p. 14)
- Ex-prosecutor warns Palestinians on turning to the ICC against Israel - If Palestinians accept war crimes court's jurisdiction, Hamas could face investigation for rocket fire, suicide bombings against Israeli civilians, former chief prosecutor says. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Two IDF officers suspected of trading in stolen munitions - Military prosecutor describes offenses as 'many and serious.' (Haaretz+)
- Lieberman slams Arab Israelis over Nakba protest - Foreign minister denounces the thousands of Arab Israelis who joined a demonstration calling for the right of return for Palestinian refugees, calling them a 'fifth column who aim is the destruction of Israel.' (Ynet)
- Israeli warships 'fire at Gaza fishermen,' 2 injured in boat collision - Two Palestinian fishermen were injured and hospitalized late Tuesday when their fishing boats collided after being fired upon by Israeli warships. (Maan)
- Judea Brigade commander: "I expects soldiers to cock their guns when necessary" - In a speech at an Independence Day ceremony at the Cave of the Patriarch (in Hebron), Judea Brigade commander Col. Avi Balut did not express support for the conduct of David the Nahal fighter (who was video taped cocking gun at Palestinian teen and threatening him), but made clear that he expects his soldiers to exercise discretion and cock their guns or shoot if necessary. (NRG Hebrew)
- Syrian brown bear undergoes surgery in Israel - Mango the bear treated at the Ramat Gan Zoological Park for a slipped disc. (Haaretz)
- Union 'expels' Palestinian professor who took students to Auschwitz - Supposed expulsion occurred after union sent students to Prof. Dajani’s office in Al-Quds University to protest the trip. He says he was never a member, and that the expulsion is phony. (Haaretz+)
- Israelis living longer, economy flourishing, says OECD - Average life expectancy in Israel of 82 years is among the highest in world and two years higher than OECD average, report finds. Economy expected to grow 3.2% in 2014 and 3.5% in 2015. Unemployment remains comparatively low. (Israel Hayom)
- (Palestinian) families of victims of Israeli assault confront Fatah lawmakers in Gaza - Representatives of families of those killed by Israeli assault on Gaza in 2008-9 on Wednesday confronted four Fatah lawmakers and blockaded their office in protest against authorities' failure to pay their monthly compensation. (Maan)
- Despite reconciliation: War between Hamas and Fatah at Bir Zeit - University - At the university student union elections, the (political) organizations are struggling for control of the respected institution ahead of elections in the Palestinian Authority. (NRG Hebrew)
- Hamas propaganda video turns Israel's national anthem on its head - Called 'Sof Hatikvah' ('End of Hope'), video purporting to be from Hamas tells Israelis they will be killed if they refuse to be deported to Germany. (Haaretz)
- Hamas executes two men in Gaza as spies for Israel
- The condemned men "provided the Occupation (Israel) with information that led to the martyrdom of citizens." Since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, at least 19 prisoners have been executed, 10 of them as alleged spies. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Egyptian official: Hamas must recognize Israel - Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa told Al-Arabiya that its "normal" Palestinian factions choose unity, but said that if they want a state of their Hamas must accept the Arab (peace) initiative. (NRG Hebrew)
- Al-Sisi: "Only if Israel recognizes Palestine, will I visit it" - In his first reference to relations with Israel, the leading presidential candidate in Egypt also said that Egypt will respect the peace deal with Israel. (Agencies, NRG Hebrew and Ynet)
- Tunisian ministers' welcome of Israeli tourists meets fierce opposition - Tunisia's leaders are standing up for the right of Israelis to visit their country, but opponents say doing so violates the principle of non-normalization. (Haaretz+)
- Palestinian protesters disrupt women's football match in Malta - The match continued after Maltese police dispersed the protesters and arrested one person. (Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
Parental love, Israeli-style (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Where else do they force a little child to crawl with a backpack on his back?
When Hamas treats its children like this, Israeli parents tut-tut with disgust: Look at these
beasts.
The PA still glorifies terror (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) As long as the PA celebrates the murder of innocent men, women and children, it must seem to Israelis that peace is far away.
Don't dismiss Yitzhar settlers as 'errant weeds' (Ariela Ringel Hoffman, Yedioth/Ynet) Young woman who supports assaulting and even killing IDF soldiers is not just 'one of a few psychos,' as those downplaying the issue claim.
Letter to a Palestinian reader: Holocaust, resurrection and Nakba (Yair Auron, Haaretz+) Unless Israelis recognize the crimes we committed in 1948 and Palestinians recognize the horrors of the Holocaust, there is no chance of reconciliation.
The Nakba according to Haaretz (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz) Reality is always complex, and we do need to teach it in Israel’s schools — but not the unilateral Palestinian narrative that was adopted in the Haaretz editorial from April 29.
Action is late but welcome (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Racist "price-tag" attacks can no longer be dismissed as marginal mischief by bad apples. It is time for the police and Shin Bet to discover who is responsible and bring them to justice.
Price tag and terrorist attacks - are they the same thing? (Zeev Kamm, NRG Hebrew) Somebody here is looking to find a Jewish/Israeli parallel to Palestinian terrorist attacks and put it on equal weight.
United, the Palestinians have endorsed 1967 borders for peace. Will Israel? (Munib al Masri, Haaretz) Now Hamas has indicated its recognition of the 1967 borders, the main Palestinian players all seek an historic agreement with Israel. But is Netanyahu's government strong enough to respond?
Establishment’s rebuff highlights J Street’s success in changing Jewish America (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) The liberal lobby group will have to adapt to the collapse of the peace process - but it has already sparked a more open and honest American debate about Israel.
'The J Street Challenge' (Richard Baehr, Israel Hayom) A new documentary exposes J Street's real agenda.
When Jews hate leftists for loving Israel (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) I was wrong about the Conference of Presidents and StandWithUs. I thought their main goal was defending Israel. Turns out, there's a more pressing matter for them to address: Boycotting Jews.
The PLO's manipulation exposed (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) The peace talks crisis let the Palestinian cat out of the bag of lies.
Palestinian dead end highlights the right of return (Al-Shabaka, Maan) Like a broken record perpetually playing a deeply disturbing refrain, the peace process has scratched on despite missed deadlines, threats, and promises, with intermittent halts. It is worth drawing some of these lessons to map a different road moving forward.
Israel Air Force is deadlier than ever (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) IAF believes it can shorten next war on its own by striking thousands of targets a day, dropping more than 10 accurate bombs from one plane on different areas. Ron Ben-Yishai reviews revolution in aerial warfare branch perceived as 'Israel's insurance policy.'
We've reached the stage of open warfare between Israel and the U.S. (Amnon Lord, NRG Hebrew) The current administration in Washington is de-legitimizing Israel bluntly. It is signaling to all the anti-Israel groups that Israel is in a zone free for hunting.
The Jewish National Fund must be made transparent (Haaretz Editorial) The JNF is an effective cash box for the government, and it is no wonder that cabinet ministers hastened to block Livni’s proposal to subject it to the state comptroller’s scrutiny.
Is America blaming Israel? Not so fast (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) A responsible overall assessment of this past year's negotiating effort would be far more balanced than Indyk's jaundiced attack on Netanyahu.
Thank you, Shimon Peres (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) After 70 years of public service, it's time to acknowledge that our president has made a crucial contribution to Israel's strength.
The PA still glorifies terror (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) As long as the PA celebrates the murder of innocent men, women and children, it must seem to Israelis that peace is far away.
Don't dismiss Yitzhar settlers as 'errant weeds' (Ariela Ringel Hoffman, Yedioth/Ynet) Young woman who supports assaulting and even killing IDF soldiers is not just 'one of a few psychos,' as those downplaying the issue claim.
Letter to a Palestinian reader: Holocaust, resurrection and Nakba (Yair Auron, Haaretz+) Unless Israelis recognize the crimes we committed in 1948 and Palestinians recognize the horrors of the Holocaust, there is no chance of reconciliation.
The Nakba according to Haaretz (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz) Reality is always complex, and we do need to teach it in Israel’s schools — but not the unilateral Palestinian narrative that was adopted in the Haaretz editorial from April 29.
Action is late but welcome (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Racist "price-tag" attacks can no longer be dismissed as marginal mischief by bad apples. It is time for the police and Shin Bet to discover who is responsible and bring them to justice.
Price tag and terrorist attacks - are they the same thing? (Zeev Kamm, NRG Hebrew) Somebody here is looking to find a Jewish/Israeli parallel to Palestinian terrorist attacks and put it on equal weight.
United, the Palestinians have endorsed 1967 borders for peace. Will Israel? (Munib al Masri, Haaretz) Now Hamas has indicated its recognition of the 1967 borders, the main Palestinian players all seek an historic agreement with Israel. But is Netanyahu's government strong enough to respond?
Establishment’s rebuff highlights J Street’s success in changing Jewish America (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) The liberal lobby group will have to adapt to the collapse of the peace process - but it has already sparked a more open and honest American debate about Israel.
'The J Street Challenge' (Richard Baehr, Israel Hayom) A new documentary exposes J Street's real agenda.
When Jews hate leftists for loving Israel (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) I was wrong about the Conference of Presidents and StandWithUs. I thought their main goal was defending Israel. Turns out, there's a more pressing matter for them to address: Boycotting Jews.
The PLO's manipulation exposed (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) The peace talks crisis let the Palestinian cat out of the bag of lies.
Palestinian dead end highlights the right of return (Al-Shabaka, Maan) Like a broken record perpetually playing a deeply disturbing refrain, the peace process has scratched on despite missed deadlines, threats, and promises, with intermittent halts. It is worth drawing some of these lessons to map a different road moving forward.
Israel Air Force is deadlier than ever (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) IAF believes it can shorten next war on its own by striking thousands of targets a day, dropping more than 10 accurate bombs from one plane on different areas. Ron Ben-Yishai reviews revolution in aerial warfare branch perceived as 'Israel's insurance policy.'
We've reached the stage of open warfare between Israel and the U.S. (Amnon Lord, NRG Hebrew) The current administration in Washington is de-legitimizing Israel bluntly. It is signaling to all the anti-Israel groups that Israel is in a zone free for hunting.
The Jewish National Fund must be made transparent (Haaretz Editorial) The JNF is an effective cash box for the government, and it is no wonder that cabinet ministers hastened to block Livni’s proposal to subject it to the state comptroller’s scrutiny.
Is America blaming Israel? Not so fast (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) A responsible overall assessment of this past year's negotiating effort would be far more balanced than Indyk's jaundiced attack on Netanyahu.
Thank you, Shimon Peres (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) After 70 years of public service, it's time to acknowledge that our president has made a crucial contribution to Israel's strength.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.