APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday July 15, 2014
Quote of the day:
"Cameras here, in Israel, film and tell about the suffering and pain of Israeli citizens subject to
missile attacks....A dialogue must be established, an acknowledgment of the suffering of the other. Today,
we want to direct those cameras to the suffering of Gaza residents, men, women and children killed during
the last few days."
--Part of a statement read by Israeli filmmakers, in the midst of the Jerusalem Film Festival, calling for a ceasefire.**
--Part of a statement read by Israeli filmmakers, in the midst of the Jerusalem Film Festival, calling for a ceasefire.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Cabinet to discuss this morning Egyptian draft for immediate ceasefire
- A week since the Operation began, Israel is navigating its way out // Amos Harel
- Achievement on condition for Hamas // Amir Oren
- Israel the savior of Hamas // Chemi Shalev
- In the world press, they are more indifferent to rockets // Asaf Ronal
- Testimonies of refugees at UNRWA shelter
- Suspects in murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir planned their act in advance and purchased gasoline and plastic handcuffs
- (MK) Miri Regev to MK Zahalka: "Traitor, go to Gaza"
- (Former Olmert aide) Shula Zaken expected to enter jail today - will serve 11 months
- Anglican church approved appointing women as bishops
- An eye for an eye: In outlying villages in India, rape is a method of punishment
- Ceasefire agreement likely
- And thanks for the dome // Alex Fishman
- Profits and losses // Yossi Yehoshua
- Blind alley // Shimon Shiffer
- Thanks to the restraint // Ariella Ringel-Hoffman
- The limitations to morality // Yoaz Hendel
- Israel: Critical day; If Hamas opens fire - it will continue to get hit
- The day after // Ben Caspit
- So what did we have here // Yossi Melman
- Waiting for rescue // Avi Benayahu
- What achievement? // Ron Kaufman
- Surprise: Hamas drone entered Israel airspace - and was intercepted
- On the way to a ceasefire - 9AM - According to the Egyptian draft: 7 days after it began, Operation Protective Edge is expected to end today
- Hamas was wounded badly by IDF, maybe even mortally // Dan Margalit
- Achievements, expectations - and concerns: Shooting could still renew // Yoav Limor
- Two girls injured from rocket in Bedouin village near Beersheva
- After midnight: 3 lightly injured from rocket attacks on Eilat
- Today: Shula Zaken begins serving prison time at Naveh Tirtza
- Restaurants open on Shabbat will also get a kosher certificate
The Egyptian-drafted ceasefire that was to begin today was the top story in the Hebrew newspapers, as military
analysts wrote about how Israel had achieved so much in Operation Protective Edge and how Hamas had achieved
nothing. The papers provided numbers for proof. Columnists agreed it was time to end the operation before Israel
got hurt on the international legitimacy front. Also in the news were the details of the horrific murder of the
Palestinian teenager, Mohammed Abu Khdeir, as told by the three suspects who confessed to it.
The papers reported that Israel's security-cabinet intended to accept the Egyptian document during a meeting this morning and to stop Israeli air and naval strikes on Gaza by 9AM today. Hamas, however, said it had not been consulted and that it refused to accept the ceasefire because it did not answer the demand for an end to the siege on Gaza. Former Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh said, "The problem is the reality of Gaza, the siege, the starving, the bombing ... The siege must stop and Gaza people need to live in dignity." Some Israelis have said things along the same lines. Today Yedioth's political analyst Shimon Shiffer wrote, that "If the ceasefire cannot promise the establishment of a trustworthy mechanism that will make certain that Hamas will not renew its effort to arm itself with long-range rockets, and at the same time, that will give hope to the millions of Gazans...who, as they say, 'live in an enormous jail,' this whole thing was not worth the damage that we suffered." Yesterday, Meretz MK Nitzan Horovitz also wrote in Maariv that Israel needs to give a solution to Gazans that will improve their lives. US Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive in Egypt today to help bring about a ceasefire agreement. Haaretz has an excellent review of Monday, Day 7 of the Gaza-Israel crisis (no paywall).
The papers reported that Israel sees the fact that Haniyeh did not mention the other Hamas condition, the release of the Hamas legislators and of the former prisoners released in the Shalit prisoner exchange, all of whom were detained following the kidnapping and murder of three yeshiva teens, meant that Hamas is weakened.
The de-escalation draft (full text here) calls for a stop to the shooting and speaks vaguely of opening of crossings for people and commerce, but does not say how many and how much. It leaves the details to negotiations to take place between the sides (with an intermediary) in Egypt 48 hours after it goes into effect. It left open the time that the 'de-escalation agreement' would begin. Haaretz writes that it will take several more days before a deal is finalized.
[Note: The last Israeli military operation against Gaza, Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012, ended with an unsigned document listing the issues agreed upon between the two sides. - OH]
Yedioth's military analyst, Alex Fishman, writes that according to an analysis by Israel, "It becomes clear that the motives for this round of fighting were much more complex than originally thought. The head of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, pushed for fighting out of a real fear that the reconciliation government with Fatah would lead to the harming of his independence and to the dismantling of the military wing (that he heads)...Even though Hamas continues to launch rockets, there are signs of change in the type of shooting - which could point to weakness. Fewer shooting of mid-range rockets in the morning, but short-range rocket shooting continues. Also fewer varied targets. Now it is focused on (shooting at) specific areas [article didn't say where - possibly military areas only and not civilian - OH), which could be a sign of weakness or an atmosphere of negotiations - but it's also possible that Hamas is just saving the rockets it has left to renew the fire if the negotiations fail."
The IDF says it cannot hit many more rocket sites in Gaza without harming many civilians. Maariv's Ben Caspit writes that this operation has exhausted itself. Caspit writes, "It's time to accept the Egyptian draft, and afterward the American arrival and in the end a ceasefire and a type of understanding - until the next round."
Operation Protective Edge in numbers:
IDF STRIKES:
As of Monday night, the IDF hit 1,535 targets in Gaza.
PALESTINIANS KILLED:
The Israeli air and naval attacks killed 180 Palestinians and wounded about 1,200 people. According to the IDF, nearly half of those killed were Hamas affiliated terrorists.
The UN had a similar figure of dead at 177 as of Monday, but included that 1/4 of that figure was children. Health officials in Gaza said that 1,280 Palestinians had been wounded over the seven days of military action.
According to Maan, as of Tuesday morning, at least 192 were killed and 1,400 injured.
PALESTINIAN ROCKETS:
There were 9000 in Gaza according to IDF, some 1,000 were fired at Israel, while nearly 3,000 were destroyed by Israel. Of the remaining 5,000, most are short-range, but a few hundred are thought to be medium-range. About half of all known rocket-production facilities in Gaza have been destroyed.
ISRAELIS KILLED:
No Israelis were killed. [Number of injured not listed, but I estimate about a dozen or less. - OH]
The papers reported that Israel's security-cabinet intended to accept the Egyptian document during a meeting this morning and to stop Israeli air and naval strikes on Gaza by 9AM today. Hamas, however, said it had not been consulted and that it refused to accept the ceasefire because it did not answer the demand for an end to the siege on Gaza. Former Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh said, "The problem is the reality of Gaza, the siege, the starving, the bombing ... The siege must stop and Gaza people need to live in dignity." Some Israelis have said things along the same lines. Today Yedioth's political analyst Shimon Shiffer wrote, that "If the ceasefire cannot promise the establishment of a trustworthy mechanism that will make certain that Hamas will not renew its effort to arm itself with long-range rockets, and at the same time, that will give hope to the millions of Gazans...who, as they say, 'live in an enormous jail,' this whole thing was not worth the damage that we suffered." Yesterday, Meretz MK Nitzan Horovitz also wrote in Maariv that Israel needs to give a solution to Gazans that will improve their lives. US Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive in Egypt today to help bring about a ceasefire agreement. Haaretz has an excellent review of Monday, Day 7 of the Gaza-Israel crisis (no paywall).
The papers reported that Israel sees the fact that Haniyeh did not mention the other Hamas condition, the release of the Hamas legislators and of the former prisoners released in the Shalit prisoner exchange, all of whom were detained following the kidnapping and murder of three yeshiva teens, meant that Hamas is weakened.
The de-escalation draft (full text here) calls for a stop to the shooting and speaks vaguely of opening of crossings for people and commerce, but does not say how many and how much. It leaves the details to negotiations to take place between the sides (with an intermediary) in Egypt 48 hours after it goes into effect. It left open the time that the 'de-escalation agreement' would begin. Haaretz writes that it will take several more days before a deal is finalized.
[Note: The last Israeli military operation against Gaza, Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012, ended with an unsigned document listing the issues agreed upon between the two sides. - OH]
Yedioth's military analyst, Alex Fishman, writes that according to an analysis by Israel, "It becomes clear that the motives for this round of fighting were much more complex than originally thought. The head of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, pushed for fighting out of a real fear that the reconciliation government with Fatah would lead to the harming of his independence and to the dismantling of the military wing (that he heads)...Even though Hamas continues to launch rockets, there are signs of change in the type of shooting - which could point to weakness. Fewer shooting of mid-range rockets in the morning, but short-range rocket shooting continues. Also fewer varied targets. Now it is focused on (shooting at) specific areas [article didn't say where - possibly military areas only and not civilian - OH), which could be a sign of weakness or an atmosphere of negotiations - but it's also possible that Hamas is just saving the rockets it has left to renew the fire if the negotiations fail."
The IDF says it cannot hit many more rocket sites in Gaza without harming many civilians. Maariv's Ben Caspit writes that this operation has exhausted itself. Caspit writes, "It's time to accept the Egyptian draft, and afterward the American arrival and in the end a ceasefire and a type of understanding - until the next round."
Operation Protective Edge in numbers:
IDF STRIKES:
As of Monday night, the IDF hit 1,535 targets in Gaza.
PALESTINIANS KILLED:
The Israeli air and naval attacks killed 180 Palestinians and wounded about 1,200 people. According to the IDF, nearly half of those killed were Hamas affiliated terrorists.
The UN had a similar figure of dead at 177 as of Monday, but included that 1/4 of that figure was children. Health officials in Gaza said that 1,280 Palestinians had been wounded over the seven days of military action.
According to Maan, as of Tuesday morning, at least 192 were killed and 1,400 injured.
PALESTINIAN ROCKETS:
There were 9000 in Gaza according to IDF, some 1,000 were fired at Israel, while nearly 3,000 were destroyed by Israel. Of the remaining 5,000, most are short-range, but a few hundred are thought to be medium-range. About half of all known rocket-production facilities in Gaza have been destroyed.
ISRAELIS KILLED:
No Israelis were killed. [Number of injured not listed, but I estimate about a dozen or less. - OH]
Quick Hits:
- Two (Bedouin) sisters wounded by rocket explosion in Israel's south
- 6 injured in airstrike on Abu Issa family home in Deir al-Balah
- Teenager killed in airstrike on motorbike in Khan Younis
- 3 killed, including one toddler, and 7 injured in airstrike on house in Rafah
- Gaza conflict reportedly costing Israel $32 million a day - Finance Minister Yair Lapid says Israel can cover costs of an extended conflict. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- Gaza children traumatized by war - Bed-wetting, tearful outbursts as the young residents of the Strip try to deal with the brutal reality of the conflict around them. (Ynet)
- Gazans face psychological toll as fear of death looms - Rana Nashashibi, a Palestinian psychologist said that not knowing when, or how, you could die amid widespread carnage has a deliberate disempowering effect on Gazans, part of the psychological warfare used by Israel to weaken the population, which lives in a state of permanent anxiety as families are unable to find refuge from airstrikes, drones, and naval bombings in the densely populated enclave. (Maan)
- Gaza diary: Evacuated, but still not safe - Testimonies from UNRWA shelter. (Haaretz+)
- Palestinians refuse Israeli humanitarian aid - Megan David Adom offers to transfer blood units to Gaza Strip through Red Cross, but Palestinian Authority rejects gesture. Government approves Red Cross petition to include its representatives in MDA situation assessments of Operation Protective Edge. (Israel Hayom)
- Israeli-Arab MK ejected from panel after 'Your hands are stained with blood’ blast - A right-wing MK responds by calling Jamal Zahalka a terrorist, saying there are traitors in the Knesset. Unclear who Balad lawmaker was referring to. (Haaretz+)
- **Israeli filmmakers interrupt Jerusalem festival to call for Gaza cease-fire - It’s tough to talk cinema during war, say filmmakers, as Jerusalem Film Festival kicks off. Directors also urge Israeli media to show Gazans' suffering, not just Israelis.' (Haaretz+ and Times of Israel)
- Working under rocket fire, Israeli parents face tough choices - Operation Protective Edge has made guardians choose whether to stay home with the kids, and have their pay docked, or bring them to work. (Haaretz+)
- Israel Electric Corp. workers brave rockets, restore power to Gaza - On Sunday, a Hamas rocket downed a high-power line that supplied electricity to Gaza, plunging 70,000 Gazans into darkness. Despite ongoing rocket fire, Israeli technicians don bulletproof vests and special helmets and repair the damage. (Israel Hayom)
- Pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian demonstrators clash violently in Los Angeles - Federal officer fires gun trying to break up street confrontation over Israeli-Gaza fighting; no one injured, four arrested. (Agencies, Haaretz+)
- Madonna angers [right-wing Jewish] fans with call for Mideast ceasefire - American superstar attacked by Israeli Instagram followers after posting picture of murdered Arab youth Mohammed Abu Khdeir. In response, she adds picture of three murdered Israeli teens. (Ynet)
- Jewish passenger thrown off U.S. flight after argument with Palestinian - A Jewish woman was asked to leave flight from Palm Beach to New York following spat about Israel-Hamas conflict. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Pro-Palestinian rallies in Asia as Gaza death toll climbs - Thousands of protesters from Australia to India rallied to voice their support for Palestinians on Sunday. In Sydney some 3,000 people demonstrated, shouting "Free, free Palestine; free, free Gaza" and holding signs declaring "Shame Israel Shame." (Agencies, Maan)
- Iran's lone Jewish MP compares Israel to Nazis over Gaza strikes - Siamak Marreh Sedq, who fills reserved seat for Jews in Iranian parliament, toes regime's line on Israel and anti-Semitism. (Haaretz+)
- New York politicians voice support for Israel - Congressman Eliot Engel: We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel. We're here as New Yorkers to say no to terrorism, no to Hamas. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
- Noble Energy executives ditch Israel due to rockets - Escalations on Gaza border lead gas company's leadership to cancel meetings with Israeli officials, return home. (Ynet)
- NYT reports 'deluge' of complaints about coverage of Israel-Gaza fighting - Public editor receives more than 1,000 emails during week of Operation Protective Edge. (Haaretz+)
Other News:
- Police: Suspects planned Palestinian teen's death in advance, burned him alive - Court lifts gag order on grisly murder of Palestinian teen, reveals suspects' desire to avenge murder of 3 Jewish teens; victim's cellphone found in one suspect's home. Read full details of brutal murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, which shocked Israel and world. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- Mother, 2 children survive 'stabbing attempt' in Jerusalem - Two Israeli extremists attempted to stab a Palestinian woman and her two children as they passed through a Jewish neighborhood in the Old City of Jerusalem late Saturday. (Maan)
- Jerusalem light rail back on tracks after rioting - Service fully restored to capital's light rail network even as repairs continue; cost of damage estimated at tens of millions of shekels. (Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
A prime minister's message to Gaza (Dan Rabinowitz, Haaretz+) A courageous Israeli leader would declare a unilateral cease-fire and launch an
intra-Palestinian dialogue that could bring quiet to Gaza.
Israel’s new idea: Three states for two peoples (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) As Egypt-brokered draft cease-fire agreement takes shape, Netanyahu has gone from trying to kill Hamas’ Khaled Meshal to looking to partner with him in Gaza.
Israel's goal must be demilitarization of Gaza (Yossi Yehoshua, Yedioth/Ynet) Ahead of ceasefire, IDF must demand a complete stop to rocket manufacturing in Strip or a free hand to attack Hamas' military industry. Otherwise, next round will follow very soon.
Jewish Israelis have no monopoly on victimhood and pain (Alaa Hamdan, Haaretz) We must be as passionate for reconciliation between Israel’s Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens as those within both our societies who seek to widen the divide between us.
'Human rights activists' at Hamas' service (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Islamic organization has a huge reservoir of marionettes waging its PR war in Israel and around the world.
Catch-22 in Gaza: How Israel always winds up as Hamas’ best friend (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The incessant bombing raids and the casualties inflicted on civilians have re-cast the Gaza extremists as a pillar of Palestinian resistance against the evil Zionists.
With Hamas hurting, it's time for a decision (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) One thing is for certain: We must not let this descend into a war of attrition.
Why Israelis don’t talk about peace (Jessica Apple, Haaretz+) Three years after Israel’s social protest movement studiously avoided talking about Palestinians and human rights in favor of demanding cheaper cottage cheese, talking peace is still considered divisive.
A hotbed of hatred created by Hamas (Eli Amir, Yedioth/Ynet) Islamic organization has thrown Palestinian and Israeli societies into an insane situation, a factory of hate for generations to come.
Lowest deeds from loftiest heights (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Israel’s 'heroic' pilots push buttons and joysticks, battling the weakest and most helpless of people.
There are no rescuers, the Americans are fed up (Avi Benayahu, Maariv) Despite the hardship and harassment - Hamas in Gaza is not the main challenge of the security establishment presently. They are more afraid of, for example, a negative change in the kingdom of Jordan and along its long border with Israel, and of other hands suddenly replacing Assad's hold on the steering wheel in Damascus or of another error in judgment by Nasrallah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, waiting for a suitable and fair rescuer. Unlike in the past, this time the Americans belatedly sent Secretary of State John Kerry, and even he went first to Egypt. Apparently, the Americans are fed up with the Middle East.
As Jews, we can't be neutral in this conflict (Rabbi Neil Janes, Haaretz+) How can I be neutral when it is my friends running for the bomb shelter? And how can I be neutral when the State of Israel has too much power over the Palestinian people’s destiny?
The battle played itself out. It's time for a ceasefire, until next time (Ben Caspit, Maariv) It seems we are on the way to the end. Both sides are exhausted. This struggle, in its current configuration, has completely exhausted itself. So it's time for the Egyptian draft, then for the Americans to arrive, and at the end, a cease-fire and a kind of "understanding."
Police are obliged to protect every Israeli citizen (Haaretz Editorial) Israeli citizens have the right to demonstrate anywhere, at any time, and on behalf of any issue, without having to fear for their safety.
How do we cease the fire? (Giora Eiland, Yedioth/Ynet) In order to create more stability and deterrence, Israel's strategy should be to treat Gaza as an actual state.
Israel must maintain its weapons siege of Gaza (Alan M. Dershowitz, Haaretz+) If it’s too late and costly to reoccupy Gaza, even after a ceasefire Israel must impose a forceful siege to prevent the importation of rockets, like those being fired now on Israel’s civilians.
The universalism of Jewish Americans is what drives their Israel activism (Benjy Cannon, Haaretz+) Jewish universalists are passionate activists around Israel/Palestine because they care about both who the Jewish state hurts and who it helps.
Israel’s new idea: Three states for two peoples (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) As Egypt-brokered draft cease-fire agreement takes shape, Netanyahu has gone from trying to kill Hamas’ Khaled Meshal to looking to partner with him in Gaza.
Israel's goal must be demilitarization of Gaza (Yossi Yehoshua, Yedioth/Ynet) Ahead of ceasefire, IDF must demand a complete stop to rocket manufacturing in Strip or a free hand to attack Hamas' military industry. Otherwise, next round will follow very soon.
Jewish Israelis have no monopoly on victimhood and pain (Alaa Hamdan, Haaretz) We must be as passionate for reconciliation between Israel’s Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens as those within both our societies who seek to widen the divide between us.
'Human rights activists' at Hamas' service (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Islamic organization has a huge reservoir of marionettes waging its PR war in Israel and around the world.
Catch-22 in Gaza: How Israel always winds up as Hamas’ best friend (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The incessant bombing raids and the casualties inflicted on civilians have re-cast the Gaza extremists as a pillar of Palestinian resistance against the evil Zionists.
With Hamas hurting, it's time for a decision (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) One thing is for certain: We must not let this descend into a war of attrition.
Why Israelis don’t talk about peace (Jessica Apple, Haaretz+) Three years after Israel’s social protest movement studiously avoided talking about Palestinians and human rights in favor of demanding cheaper cottage cheese, talking peace is still considered divisive.
A hotbed of hatred created by Hamas (Eli Amir, Yedioth/Ynet) Islamic organization has thrown Palestinian and Israeli societies into an insane situation, a factory of hate for generations to come.
Lowest deeds from loftiest heights (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Israel’s 'heroic' pilots push buttons and joysticks, battling the weakest and most helpless of people.
There are no rescuers, the Americans are fed up (Avi Benayahu, Maariv) Despite the hardship and harassment - Hamas in Gaza is not the main challenge of the security establishment presently. They are more afraid of, for example, a negative change in the kingdom of Jordan and along its long border with Israel, and of other hands suddenly replacing Assad's hold on the steering wheel in Damascus or of another error in judgment by Nasrallah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, waiting for a suitable and fair rescuer. Unlike in the past, this time the Americans belatedly sent Secretary of State John Kerry, and even he went first to Egypt. Apparently, the Americans are fed up with the Middle East.
As Jews, we can't be neutral in this conflict (Rabbi Neil Janes, Haaretz+) How can I be neutral when it is my friends running for the bomb shelter? And how can I be neutral when the State of Israel has too much power over the Palestinian people’s destiny?
The battle played itself out. It's time for a ceasefire, until next time (Ben Caspit, Maariv) It seems we are on the way to the end. Both sides are exhausted. This struggle, in its current configuration, has completely exhausted itself. So it's time for the Egyptian draft, then for the Americans to arrive, and at the end, a cease-fire and a kind of "understanding."
Police are obliged to protect every Israeli citizen (Haaretz Editorial) Israeli citizens have the right to demonstrate anywhere, at any time, and on behalf of any issue, without having to fear for their safety.
How do we cease the fire? (Giora Eiland, Yedioth/Ynet) In order to create more stability and deterrence, Israel's strategy should be to treat Gaza as an actual state.
Israel must maintain its weapons siege of Gaza (Alan M. Dershowitz, Haaretz+) If it’s too late and costly to reoccupy Gaza, even after a ceasefire Israel must impose a forceful siege to prevent the importation of rockets, like those being fired now on Israel’s civilians.
The universalism of Jewish Americans is what drives their Israel activism (Benjy Cannon, Haaretz+) Jewish universalists are passionate activists around Israel/Palestine because they care about both who the Jewish state hurts and who it helps.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.