News Nosh 08.11.14

APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday August 11, 2014

Quote of the day:
"The inability to decide on a compromise (sorry, but negotiations such as this require that each side compromise on something) means the negotiations will explode. Exactly like with negotiations with the Palestinian Authority."
--Maariv commentator Ran Adelist says that Israeli leaders are 'saving their political skin' making them unable to do the obvious for a long-term truce: compromise.**


Front Page News:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • Who will blink first - And again: the ceasefire test
  • The Cairo circus // Alex Fishman
  • "Investigative committee needed" - Prof. Yehezkel Dror says running of Operation Protective Edge requires probe
  • Entering Gaza, sister - Parents of Noam and Al Shmuel live in Australia, but the siblings were serving in the IDF in Gaza
  • The most frightening moment - Racheli Frankel speaks about her kidnapped and murdered son
  • Communities around Gaza planning demonstration at Rabin Square: "Enough of the continuation of the shooting"
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links) Israel Hayom

Another truce began at midnight giving Israeli and Palestinian negotiators 72 hours to make a long-term agreement in Cairo, but no one is sure they will succeed, write today's Hebrew papers. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared that Hamas will not exhaust Israel, but right-wing cabinet ministers say Israel should have gone in and defeated Hamas and they complained that they were being left in the dark over truce talks. Yedioth's military affairs analyst, Alex Fishman, said that while "Israel is prepared to show the generosity of the victorious in fields related to the welfare of the population in Gaza, the Egyptians are dealing with taming the Hamas lion." Turkey wants to operate a seaport in Gaza, reports Maariv and the papers report that Jordan's King Abdullah, who until now did not speak out on the Gaza operation, said: "Israel was responsible for the aggression in Gaza" and he called on the international community to settle accounts with Israel over its actions in Gaza."
 
Meanwhile, Israel said it identified a West Bank Palestinian exiled to Gaza in the Shalit deal who allegedly funded the kidnapping of the three yeshiva teens. Mahmoud Qawasmeh is the third brother from the same family suspected in the kidnapping. [Israel earlier said that the funding came from Hamas in Gaza, but reports about the Qawasmeh family show that while they have connections to Hamas they operate alone and often against Hamas. - OH]
 
Haaretz has an excellent review of live updates from Day 34 of Operation Protective Edge, which Netanyahu said is still ongoing.

Quick Hits:
  • IDF kills Palestinian boy during West Bank clash - IDF admits to opening fire, killing minor, expresses 'regret for his death'; relatives claim 11-year-old wasn't involved in riots: 'Khalil was standing outside and at a distance some kids were throwing stones at the Israeli army.' (Ynet
  • Ten to face charges in assault of East Jerusalem Arabs - Attack was worst of several incidents over the past several weeks in which Jerusalem Palestinians were harassed or assaulted by Jews in what are considered hate crimes. (Haaretz+)
  • Gaza fighting prompts spike in demand for soldier sperm donations - Haifa hospital sees surge in requests for donors who served in combat roles in wake of IDF Operation Protective Edge. (Ynet)
  • For Israel’s arms makers, Gaza war is their top salesman - Factories worked around the clock turning out munitions as the army tested their newest systems against a real enemy. Now, they are expecting their battle-tested products will win them new customers. (Haaretz+)
  • Defense Ministry seeks $5 billion in additional funds
  • -  Following Operation Protective Edge, defense establishment says it needs $2.16 billion to cover direct costs of fighting in Gaza Strip. Defense Ministry demands $2.9 billion increase to its 2015 budget. Finance Ministry: Demands disproportionate. (Israel Hayom
  • Koreans eyeing Iron Dome after seeing wartime success - South Korea interested in buying the short-range missile interceptor, according to its manufacturer, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Rocket strikes prompt Israel to briefly close Gaza border crossing - After rockets were fired at Kerem Shalom crossing, endangering workers transferring aid into Gaza, Defense Ministry closed crossing temporarily. Rockets fired on Tel Aviv just before cease-fire. IAF kills 12 terrorists in targeted strikes. (Israel Hayom)
  • Garnier threatened with boycott over donated products to female IDF soldiers - StandWithUs Israel advocacy group placed Garnier product contributions in care packages. (JTA, Haaretz)
  • Gaza war breathes life into drive to boycott Israel - Social media are abuzz, and companies rush to deny Israeli links, but there are few signs shoppers are actually shunning Israeli goods on the store shelves. (Haaretz+) 
  • Hamas responsible for civilian casualties, says Hillary Clinton - Unlike Obama's administration which rebuked Israel for civilian casualties in Gaza, former secretary of state supports Israel right to defend itself: 'Hamas embed rockets, command and control facilities and tunnels in civilian areas.' (Agencies, Ynet
  • N.Y. Governor Cuomo to visit Israel for 'solidarity demonstration' - The Democratic governor is expected to meet with government officials as well as civilians affected by the Gaza conflict, the Wall Street Journal reported. (Haaretz
  • Left-wing U.K. Jewish groups thrive during Israel’s Gaza war - Jews are highlighting the plight of the Palestinian victims and supporting what one outfit calls its 'welcoming anti-Zionist presence.’ (Haaretz+)
  • Meet Al-Jazeera's pro-Hamas mouthpiece - The al-Jazeera network has chosen a clear side in the Gaza–Israel conflict, and anchorwoman Ghada Owais is taking the lead in the network's one sided-coverage. (Ynet)
  • British Jews: Pro-Gaza protesters trying harder to avoid anti-Semitism - Long-standing U.K. traditions of tolerance, as well as efforts by Muslim and pro-Palestinian groups to avoid incitement, have meant Britain has not suffered similar experiences to France. (Haaretz+)
  • Egyptian court dissolves Muslim Brotherhood's political wing - Ruling calls to seize Freedom and Justice Party's assets, decision will keep Islamist group out of parliamentary elections later this year. Party's lawyer: Move "unconstitutional," designed to get rid of all parties established after 2011 revolution. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)

Commentary/Analysis:
A European green light to kill, destroy and pulverize Gaza (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) If the security of Jews in the Mideast were of real interest to European countries like Germany and Austria, they wouldn't continue subsidizing the Israeli occupation. 
Gantz's anemones speech (Yossi Yehoshua, Yedioth/Ynet) It is unclear what made the IDF chief of staff deliver such an optimistic message to the residents of the south, when the fragile ceasefire's continuation was already in doubt.
Islamic State draws heat from Israel - but not for long (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The government has been sending out all the wrong messages since last week's temporary cease-fire with Hamas.
Stand in the way of attrition (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Hamas must not underestimate Israel like it did several weeks ago, when it assessed that Israel would not launch a ground offensive.
There are no shortcuts: Hamas is not going anywhere, it's just get stronger (Ben Caspit, Maariv) Yaalon was afraid to go in, he did not want a confrontation, he wanted to skip the problem, hold it, put it in a box and throw it in the sea of Gaza. It seems to me that won't work. Hopefully, next time there will be a prime minister, defense minister and chief of staff here who will be able to look reality in the eye.
The stage that comes after force (Yigal Elam, Haaretz+) The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has gone through three stages. Now it’s entering the toughest one for Israel: the diplomatic. 
The IDF has lost its creativity (Michael Bar-Zohar, Ynet) Instead of targeting Hamas leaders, Israeli army is destroying their homes. It's no wonder Hamas thinks it won Gaza war.
Israel’s fighting opposition is fighting well for Netanyahu (Oudeh Basharat, Haaretz+) How many Gazans must be killed to stir the conscience of a Labor Party member? Alas, the alternative to the government has no plan. 
Fight Hamas to curb Islamic tsunami (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) Israel must convince US that if it fails to combat murderous Islam, missiles exploding at Eshkol region today will explode in Boston's farmers market in coming years. 
Mr. Weissglass' theory (Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, Israel Hayom) Instead of explaining the irresponsible decision to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza, Dov Weissglass provided us with an unfounded theory disconnected from reality. 
Israel's right wing has failed (Yair Assulin, Haaretz+) Those who do not know how to make peace, those who cannot imagine taking risks to create a new reality, cannot create a new reality by means of war either. 
War on Hamas is war on the Islamic State (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) The Europeans are still trying to differentiate between acceptable terrorism and terrorism that must be eliminated. 
Can Netanyahu create a new reality? (Niva Lanir, Haaretz+) We’ve tried the path of war, occupation, terror and hatred dozens of times, so why the rush to permanently divorce ourselves from peace after a single failure? 
What Israel needs right now is patience (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) Israel must make it clear to Hamas that it will not benefit from ongoing rocket fire, while IDF builds new sophisticated offensive plan against terror organizations and their leaders. 
Hamas is fighting for its life (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) Operation Protective Edge struck Hamas such a critical blow that the group has no choice but to keep up the struggle.
Don't leave unfinished business in Gaza (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) The IDF is the only army that can oust Hamas. That is, if Israel decides that it should be done. 
Gaza diary: The worst of times for Gaza and it may not be over (Abeer Ayyoub, Haaretz+) Despite the large number of people killed, the spirit of strength and steadfastness is palpable in the streets of the Strip.
Yasser Arafat International Airport (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) An airport in Gaza ‎under the control of terrorists could not possibly be better named.
When hostility to Israel hijacks science (Leeat Granek, Haaretz+) When The Lancet runs a one-sided, unfounded open letter accusing Israelis of the indiscriminate massacre of Palestinian children, it’s not just an Israel or Jewish problem - it’s a problem for academia as a whole.
**Ministers will save their political skin (Ran Adelist, Maariv) A ceasefire requires the lifting of the siege from Gaza, but the government can not make a decision for fear of "what will our voters say." FULL TEXT:
Again we saw how dsiputes within the Cabinet and their internal political ramifications prevent any progress - whether it is negotiations for an agreement with the Palestinian Authority or whether it is a ceasefire with Hamas. The reason: Israel refused to start the negotiations from opening of equal footing. Hence, the negotiations are being conducted as if there is no enemy and there are no demands....The inability to decide on a compromise (sorry, but negotiations such as this require that each side compromise on something) means the negotiations explode. Exactly like with negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. Here, too, it is the foot dragging in the hope that being stubborn, proud and threatening to continue to bomb will cause the other side to move aside.
Negotiations with the PA requires territorial concessions, and the composition of the present coalition government is not able to make them. Negotiations over a cease-fire with Hamas towards a long-term truce requires lifting the blockade. The current government coalition for political reasons (i.e. fear that Likud voters will transfer their votes to Habayit Hayehudi party or to Lieberman's party) is not able to offer these simple moves dictated by reality, and in fact sacrifices its people for the benefit of personal and political scores. The cold, cruel reckoning of the ministers is - what will our voters say if we 'give in'? The fact that this giving in does no damage to the security and existence of the state is neither here nor there for them. They save their political skins.
The government policy is based on storage of fears of Hamas that has been pounded (into people's heads - OH) for years and was enhanced by its military activities (terrorism) and its ideology (the Charter). The military activity needs to be curbed. "Operation Protective Edge" destroyed their tunnel arm. The public patience and Iron Dome, more or less effective, sustained the rocket fire.
Some try to understand Hamas' moves on the basis of the Hamas charter - like Amos Oz who told German radio in an interview: "The Charter says that the Prophet Muhammad ordered all Muslims to kill every Jew in the world." Come on. Prof. Menachem Klein, a world expert for Hamas and the Middle East, who for reasons of his academic career does not deal with the Israeli government said this to Calcalist in an interview: "Put to the test, Hamas is not faithful to its Covenant (...) This is not a monotonous movement but constantly explores the political process."
These days, the government administration is beginning to be a personal matter even without getting hit with a mortar to the head. I expect (Minister Yaakov) Perry and Ofer Shelah to catch their presentor, change his text and mainly to get out from this evil government as long as (what remains of) their spirit is in them. Probably (Justice Minister Tzipi) Livni will join them.


Interviews: 
"Give Hamas an escape route, so it won't start war of attrition"
Hamas, pushed into a corner, would feel like it had no other alternative but to return to the method of the sprinkling of rockets, says Maj.-Gen. (res.) Israel Ziv. (Ynet)
GOC Commander: 'We made mistakes in some of our announcements'
Maj. Gen. Sami Turgeman tells Nahal Oz residents that announcement to return home was a mistake, stresses success of Operation Protective Edge. (Ynet)
 

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