APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday August 07, 2014
Quote of the day:
"Iron Dome did not succeed to protect Israelis from the precise and efficient missile of hatred
between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel."
-- Dep. President of the Israel Democracy Institute in an Op-Ed in today's Yedioth.**
-- Dep. President of the Israel Democracy Institute in an Op-Ed in today's Yedioth.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Talks in Cairo: Hamas threatens to renew fire
- Gaza as a prep for the third Lebanon war // Amos Harel
- Israel mocked Kerry - and caused damage to itself // Chemi Shalev
- Palestinians: Humanitarian aid convoys needed
- In the shadow of fear, the south has begun to return to its routine
- High Court ruled: Talansky file to be re-opened; Zaken recordings will be used as evidence against Olmert
- Zaken's smoking gun // Gidi Weitz
- The judges' ears were ringing // Ido Baum
- 1/4 page ad: When there is no peace, war comes: Mass rally Saturday 20:00 Rabin Square - Meretz party
- "I don't want a medal of honor. I am not a hero. It was what was expected of a soldier" - Lt. Eitan tells about the decision to jump into the tunnel after the kidnappers of the the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin
- The truth is exposed - Foreign reporters admit: "Israel is right, Hamas turned Gazans into human shields"
- The hypocrisy continues - UN chief insists to condemn Israel and demands it stand trial
- Leaving the protective shelter rooms and going out for fun
- Do you also have a right to compenstation?
- Almost his wife - Gali Nir, fiance of fallen officer Beniya Sarel, speaks
- The half that's left - Tzur Goldin, twin brother of Hadar, speaks
- #1 Wanted man - Ronen Bergman gives profile of Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas' military wing
- Lapid against Netanyahu: Damaged relations with the US
- Political source: If the Finance Minister were more experienced, he would have demanded a rotation now
- Returning to the routine (in the south)
- Security source: Hamas is likely to abandon the rockets
- Ehud Olmert again on trial: Talansky file to return to district court
- Returning to the routine - the ceasefire held also on the second day and Israel's residents, especially in the south, went out to the beach and shopping. Reports of extending the ceasefire and Hamas threatens: "We will renew the fire on Friday"
- Normalization is at the gate // Dan Marglit
- The world supports Hamas // Boaz Bismuth
- The UN is the same UN: Sec. Gen. Ban: Investigate the IDF attacks on the UNRWA facilities and put on trial those responsible; Netanyahu: Hamas is responsible for the harm to civilians
- Support of IDF: (Ethics prof.) Asa Kasher: "It is wrong to make criticisms during war"
- Leadership in battle: Golani Brigade commander Ghassan Alian: "We won"
- Missing her love: Edna Sarusi, fiances of Lt. Hadar Golind, on mourning
The top story in many of today's Hebrew papers focused on the battle over who was to blame for the deaths of the
Palestinians killed in Operation Protective Edge. Also in the news were the negotiations in Cairo, with Hamas
threatening to resume fighting if its demands for an end to the siege are not met.
At almost the same time that UN Chief Ban Ki-moon lambasted Israel for the deaths of innocent Palestinians and called for those responsible for attacking UN shelters be held accountable,Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave a press conference trying to convince the foreign media that the killings were justified and Hamas was to blame, saying it would be a “moral mistake” as well as a practical one to not take action against terrorists operating from mosques, schools and other civilian areas, Netanyahu laid out the state's defense. He said he regretted every civilian death but they were Hamas' fault and he called on the world to ostracize Hamas, comparing it again with ISIS and Boku Haram. During the speech, Netanyahu screened videos by foreign journalists of Hamas militants launching rockets from near homes. Yedioth's main article was titled "Reality and hypocrisy" and also spoke of the use of Gaza's population as human shields.
However, Ban told the General Assembly that "Mere suspicion of militant activity does not justify jeopardizing the lives and safety of many thousands of innocent civilians," Ban told the UN General Assembly. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said that the Commission of Inquiry established last month by the UN Human Rights Council "will help to establish clarity..." about the casualties in this conflict - nearly 1,900 Palestinians, "the vast majority civilians," and 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians. A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry diplomatic source told Ynet that Israel should refuse to cooperate with any international investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes during Operation Protective Edge.
The IDF Chief of Staff Beni Gantz also said Hamas leaders were to blame for the 'devastating' results of the fighting in Gaza. He said that Hamas leaders were hiding and warned, "We will hit them when we want."
On the negotiation front, Palestinians say that the Israeli demand for demilitarization is a red line. Israel said it was willing to extend the cease-fire, but Hamas say no such agreement was yet reached and that it will renew fire on Friday unless its demands are met. "There is no agreement on the extension of the truce," Moussa Abu Marzouk wrote on his Twitter feed.
Meanwhile, the EU countries are pushing to reactivate the mission supervising Gaza's Rafah crossing. And, Turkey is seeking to create an air corridor to Gaza to help the wounded. Haaretz has an excellent review of live updates from Day 30 of Operation Protective Edge.
At almost the same time that UN Chief Ban Ki-moon lambasted Israel for the deaths of innocent Palestinians and called for those responsible for attacking UN shelters be held accountable,Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave a press conference trying to convince the foreign media that the killings were justified and Hamas was to blame, saying it would be a “moral mistake” as well as a practical one to not take action against terrorists operating from mosques, schools and other civilian areas, Netanyahu laid out the state's defense. He said he regretted every civilian death but they were Hamas' fault and he called on the world to ostracize Hamas, comparing it again with ISIS and Boku Haram. During the speech, Netanyahu screened videos by foreign journalists of Hamas militants launching rockets from near homes. Yedioth's main article was titled "Reality and hypocrisy" and also spoke of the use of Gaza's population as human shields.
However, Ban told the General Assembly that "Mere suspicion of militant activity does not justify jeopardizing the lives and safety of many thousands of innocent civilians," Ban told the UN General Assembly. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said that the Commission of Inquiry established last month by the UN Human Rights Council "will help to establish clarity..." about the casualties in this conflict - nearly 1,900 Palestinians, "the vast majority civilians," and 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians. A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry diplomatic source told Ynet that Israel should refuse to cooperate with any international investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes during Operation Protective Edge.
The IDF Chief of Staff Beni Gantz also said Hamas leaders were to blame for the 'devastating' results of the fighting in Gaza. He said that Hamas leaders were hiding and warned, "We will hit them when we want."
On the negotiation front, Palestinians say that the Israeli demand for demilitarization is a red line. Israel said it was willing to extend the cease-fire, but Hamas say no such agreement was yet reached and that it will renew fire on Friday unless its demands are met. "There is no agreement on the extension of the truce," Moussa Abu Marzouk wrote on his Twitter feed.
Meanwhile, the EU countries are pushing to reactivate the mission supervising Gaza's Rafah crossing. And, Turkey is seeking to create an air corridor to Gaza to help the wounded. Haaretz has an excellent review of live updates from Day 30 of Operation Protective Edge.
Quick Hits:
- Carter urges West to recognize Hamas as legitimate 'political actor' - In an op-ed published by Foreign Policy magazine, the former U.S. president levels scathing criticism at Israel over Operation Protective Edge, says recognizing Hamas' "legitimacy as a political actor" is "the only way to ensure it lay down its weapons." (Israel Hayom)
- IDF soldiers tasked with tunnel destruction not trained for primary mission - Soldiers were trained to fight in tunnels, though never taught how to search and destroy them. (Haaretz+)
- Al Jazeera report shows al-Qassam militants in terror tunnel - After a month of hiding from IDF attacks, Hamas terrorists come out of the woodwork and say they're ready to resume rocket fire at any moment. (Ynet)
- Iron Dome commander: We made decisions that saved lives - Revolutionary missile defense system records 90% success rate in Operation Protective Edge. (Ynet)
- 23 militants rescued after weeks in collapsed tunnel, Hamas says - Members of Hamas military wing reportedly entered the tunnel at the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, and became trapped after an Israeli strike. (Haaretz)
- MK Tibi against MK Ayelet Shaked: Filed a complaint with the Attorney General for incitement - The complaint states that MK Ayelet Shaked posted an article by journalist Uri Elitzur on her Facebook page that allegedly calls, inter alia, "to kill Palestinians because they are Palestinians, to kill mothers of martyrs 'because there is nothing more just than that' and other extremely racist calls." Shaked: "I've never called and I'll never call to harm innocent people." (Maariv)
- The Gaza effect: In shaky economy, Arab businesses hit hardest - Relations between Jews and Arab in Israel have rarely been as strained as in the past month, during which the allegiance of Israeli Arabs has been called into question. (Haaretz+)
- 'Smashing a peanut with a hammer': Foreign journalists on int'l coverage of Gaza fighting - Since Gaza op started, IDF released scores of videos of pilots calling off strikes and Israel urging Gazans to evacuate, but foreign reporters tell Ynet that in Europe a photo of dead Palestinians is worth more than a thousand Israeli words. (Ynet)
- Only 6% of Americans lay blame on Israel for Gaza hostilities - 34% of Americans say Hamas is mostly to blame for Gaza hostilities, while 47% think both sides equally responsible; half of Americans disapprove of Obama's handling of the Gaza crisis. (Ynet)
- Before and after: Satellite photos reveal extent of Gaza destruction - Palestinians estimate the cost of rebuilding destroyed structures at $5 billion. (Haaretz+)
- Beaches and malls fill up as Israel’s south cautiously returns to normal - Ministerial officials meet with local council heads in south to plan the region’s post-war economic and social development. (Haaretz+)
- Code Red sirens sounded in Sha'ar HaNegev - 30 hours into ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, silence broken with rocket alert sirens. [Turned out to be false alarms. - OH] (Ynet)
- Murdered Palestinian teen's father: Burn my son's killers and destroy their homes - Protesters say homes of suspected killers of Mohammed Abu Khdeir who was kidnapped and murdered in July should be razed, just as Israel demolishes homes of Arab terrorists. In courtroom, Abu Khdeir's father called out to the suspects "You are Nazis." (Haaretz and Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel’s fake victory (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) There were many examples of heroism and sacrifice in this war, but pride isn’t
the only thing the IDF bequeathed to Israel. We cannot forget that the destruction and mass killing were also
the work of IDF soldiers.
In some wars, both sides lose (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Despite its huge military advantage, advanced intelligence and remarkable protection means, it may be difficult for the IDF to subdue several thousand terror fighters.
IDF Southern Command cold to proposal of underground barrier to thwart Gaza tunnels (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Army discussing $2.3-billion project to prevent and identify tunnels reaching from Gaza into Israel, but a senior officer warns it could still be bypassed.
Israel's leaders got it right (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) What more could Israel have achieved in Operation Protective Edge than it already did?
Learning the lessons: Hamas may abandon rockets and invest in mortars (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The small number of casualties in Israel's home front after 29 days of non-stop shooting may completely undermine Hamas' perception of armament and combat, according to assessment of security officials and senior IDF officers following the recent events.
Culture of death (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Contrary to the West's delusion, Israel is not alone in its battle against radical Islam. It is a war facing the entire free world.
In Israel, as in Gaza, human rights are our last line of protection (Yonatan Gher, Haaretz+) You're no traitor to Israel if you express dismay over Gaza's dead; Israel itself has consistently supported the creation of international human rights norms, just not their application to its own violations.
**Israeli co-existence: A call for empathy (Yedidiya Stern, Yedioth) There is a fear that Hamas made one win success in this campaign - and an important one. Iron Dome did not succeed to protect Israelis from the precise and efficient missile of hatred between Jews and Arab citizens of Israel...It's easy for a person to barricade himself in his identity and to judge others from this point. It's much more difficult, also painful and confusing and frustrating, to judge others from a place of empathy for his situation. The call for an empathetic mind is not relevant to racists. The fanatics are not able to see the reality, which does not come from their point of view. But most of the public is not fanatic and not extremist. This majority must separate itself from the fringe, Jews and Arabs, from the well-poisoners...Now that the campaign is over (temporarily, apparently) we must slow down the race of the emotional roller-coaster that has shaken us and return to who we are: humans, Jews and Arabs, who share an wide civil common ground, the fabric of joint society.
Cairo truce talks could radically reshuffle Hamas deck (Jacky Khoury, Haaretz+) Moussa Abu Marzouk comes to the fore as a player Egypt can do business with.
'Peace' puts the airport in jeopardy (Prof. Ron Breiman, Israel Hayom) It is important to emphasize the lesson of Israel's only international airport coming under rocket fire.
Time to resume negotiations with Abbas (Haaretz Editorial) If anything has been proven over the last month, it’s that Israel’s future is more important than coalition considerations and political survival.
Wanted: A political Iron Dome (Gen. (res.) Eliezar Merom, Maariv) Post-war campaign requires professionalism and determination just like the military campaign. IDF morals and the justness of our path will enable us to win this battle too.
Open the Erez border crossing, immediately (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) People and merchandise must be able to move freely.
Complex realities of victory (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The military campaign in the Gaza Strip may be over, but Israel still faces a number of serious challenges.
Top brass sees Gaza diplomacy as an opportunity, not a threat (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Israel will demand careful inspection of the goods entering the Strip, not to mention the right to attack any new tunnels.
Hamas had the final word in Gaza op (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) Forget about demilitarizing Gaza and disarming Hamas. Things will remain unchanged – until the next round.
Israel's 'battering husband syndrome' and ongoing feud with the Obama administration (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Israeli governments have hitherto tried to downplay tensions with their superpower ally because its strategic stature depends on global perceptions of its ties to Washington.
Terrorism has gone out of fashion in the U.S. (Shmuel Rosner, Maariv) Israel is alone facing in the battle against a stubborn enemy, not always because Israel's policy is perceived to be wrong, but often because of its focus on a battle that is out of fashion disturbs the world's peace of mind.
After Protective Edge: Five things for the IDF to think about (Yoav Zitun, Ynet) Old equipment, a reluctance to go deep into Gaza, inadequate protection of soldiers - after 29 days of fighting, the military will now have some questions to answer.
Who are the true Jewish allies of Hamas? (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) The destruction of the two-state solution and the suppression of nonviolent protest convince Palestinians that Israel only understands the language of force.
A hole without a bottom (Jacky Khougy, Maariv) Despite claims over an intelligence failure, the IDF has known for years about the existence of the Gazan tunnels that were destroyed in Operation Protective Edge. The bad news: Hamas will dig new tunnels and in the next campaign we are likely to face an underground threat also from the north.
Beware the 'peacemakers' (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) Over a decade ago, after Israel's peace moves were met by Palestinian terror, Rabbi Eric Yoffie admitted the peace camp needed to reexamine its founding assumptions. But now, after Gaza, he's calling for peace moves again.
How will Israel deal with Hamas’ secret weapon? (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) Unless Israel completes the aerial attacks and ground fighting with a diplomatic move, all its achievements will be endangered.
Using Gaza lessons to prepare for next Hezbollah war (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Sober reflection indicates that the capabilities the army displayed against Hamas will need an upgrade if better results are to be obtained in Lebanon.
Israel Prize laureate Professor Asa Kasher says criticism of the IDF during a military campaign destroys morale and casualty numbers do not indicate wrongdoing. Kasher also says murder of Arab teen before the operation requires "some soul-searching. (Interviewed by Naama Lansky in Israel Hayom)
In some wars, both sides lose (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Despite its huge military advantage, advanced intelligence and remarkable protection means, it may be difficult for the IDF to subdue several thousand terror fighters.
IDF Southern Command cold to proposal of underground barrier to thwart Gaza tunnels (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Army discussing $2.3-billion project to prevent and identify tunnels reaching from Gaza into Israel, but a senior officer warns it could still be bypassed.
Israel's leaders got it right (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) What more could Israel have achieved in Operation Protective Edge than it already did?
Learning the lessons: Hamas may abandon rockets and invest in mortars (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The small number of casualties in Israel's home front after 29 days of non-stop shooting may completely undermine Hamas' perception of armament and combat, according to assessment of security officials and senior IDF officers following the recent events.
Culture of death (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Contrary to the West's delusion, Israel is not alone in its battle against radical Islam. It is a war facing the entire free world.
In Israel, as in Gaza, human rights are our last line of protection (Yonatan Gher, Haaretz+) You're no traitor to Israel if you express dismay over Gaza's dead; Israel itself has consistently supported the creation of international human rights norms, just not their application to its own violations.
**Israeli co-existence: A call for empathy (Yedidiya Stern, Yedioth) There is a fear that Hamas made one win success in this campaign - and an important one. Iron Dome did not succeed to protect Israelis from the precise and efficient missile of hatred between Jews and Arab citizens of Israel...It's easy for a person to barricade himself in his identity and to judge others from this point. It's much more difficult, also painful and confusing and frustrating, to judge others from a place of empathy for his situation. The call for an empathetic mind is not relevant to racists. The fanatics are not able to see the reality, which does not come from their point of view. But most of the public is not fanatic and not extremist. This majority must separate itself from the fringe, Jews and Arabs, from the well-poisoners...Now that the campaign is over (temporarily, apparently) we must slow down the race of the emotional roller-coaster that has shaken us and return to who we are: humans, Jews and Arabs, who share an wide civil common ground, the fabric of joint society.
Cairo truce talks could radically reshuffle Hamas deck (Jacky Khoury, Haaretz+) Moussa Abu Marzouk comes to the fore as a player Egypt can do business with.
'Peace' puts the airport in jeopardy (Prof. Ron Breiman, Israel Hayom) It is important to emphasize the lesson of Israel's only international airport coming under rocket fire.
Time to resume negotiations with Abbas (Haaretz Editorial) If anything has been proven over the last month, it’s that Israel’s future is more important than coalition considerations and political survival.
Wanted: A political Iron Dome (Gen. (res.) Eliezar Merom, Maariv) Post-war campaign requires professionalism and determination just like the military campaign. IDF morals and the justness of our path will enable us to win this battle too.
Open the Erez border crossing, immediately (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) People and merchandise must be able to move freely.
Complex realities of victory (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The military campaign in the Gaza Strip may be over, but Israel still faces a number of serious challenges.
Top brass sees Gaza diplomacy as an opportunity, not a threat (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Israel will demand careful inspection of the goods entering the Strip, not to mention the right to attack any new tunnels.
Hamas had the final word in Gaza op (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) Forget about demilitarizing Gaza and disarming Hamas. Things will remain unchanged – until the next round.
Israel's 'battering husband syndrome' and ongoing feud with the Obama administration (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Israeli governments have hitherto tried to downplay tensions with their superpower ally because its strategic stature depends on global perceptions of its ties to Washington.
Terrorism has gone out of fashion in the U.S. (Shmuel Rosner, Maariv) Israel is alone facing in the battle against a stubborn enemy, not always because Israel's policy is perceived to be wrong, but often because of its focus on a battle that is out of fashion disturbs the world's peace of mind.
After Protective Edge: Five things for the IDF to think about (Yoav Zitun, Ynet) Old equipment, a reluctance to go deep into Gaza, inadequate protection of soldiers - after 29 days of fighting, the military will now have some questions to answer.
Who are the true Jewish allies of Hamas? (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) The destruction of the two-state solution and the suppression of nonviolent protest convince Palestinians that Israel only understands the language of force.
A hole without a bottom (Jacky Khougy, Maariv) Despite claims over an intelligence failure, the IDF has known for years about the existence of the Gazan tunnels that were destroyed in Operation Protective Edge. The bad news: Hamas will dig new tunnels and in the next campaign we are likely to face an underground threat also from the north.
Beware the 'peacemakers' (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) Over a decade ago, after Israel's peace moves were met by Palestinian terror, Rabbi Eric Yoffie admitted the peace camp needed to reexamine its founding assumptions. But now, after Gaza, he's calling for peace moves again.
How will Israel deal with Hamas’ secret weapon? (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) Unless Israel completes the aerial attacks and ground fighting with a diplomatic move, all its achievements will be endangered.
Using Gaza lessons to prepare for next Hezbollah war (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Sober reflection indicates that the capabilities the army displayed against Hamas will need an upgrade if better results are to be obtained in Lebanon.
Interviews:
Ethics expert: IDF fulfilled all ethical requirements in GazaIsrael Prize laureate Professor Asa Kasher says criticism of the IDF during a military campaign destroys morale and casualty numbers do not indicate wrongdoing. Kasher also says murder of Arab teen before the operation requires "some soul-searching. (Interviewed by Naama Lansky in Israel Hayom)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.