APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday April 28, 2014
Note: News Nosh has added to its review 'Makor Rishon' newspaper, many of whose reporters also
write for Maariv, which presently is only found online. The newspaper is popular among religious-nationalist
pro-settlement right-wing Israelis.
Quote of the day:
"One morning I combed my hair in the opposite direction than usual; my mother slapped me across the
face and said, 'Only Hitler combed his hair that way'."
--Former Shin Bet chief shares growing up as the child of Holocaust survivors.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
-
6 million memories
- And the world was silent // Elie Weisel
-
On this planet // Noah Klieger
- Unseen survivors // Tami Arad
- Singing to the flowers // Yael Gervitz
- Letter to Grandma // Ran Sarig
- Hearings for arguments regarding sentencing of Olmert begins
Maariv
Makor Rishon
Israel Hayom
Peace Talk Highlights:
Holocaust stories, memories, reunions and pain filled the papers of today's Hebrew papers. But the papers focused
differently on Holocaust-related statements of the top politicians on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Meanwhile, the special US envoy to the peace talks leaves town while the US and Israel are at odds over what to do
if the Palestinian unity government is formed and the Israeli cabinet is divided about how to respond to the
Hamas-Fatah reconciliation deal.
Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas made a powerful statement Sunday recognizing the Jewish suffering in the
Holocaust and
calling it the 'most heinous crime in modern era.' Haaretz+ made that its top
story.
Yad Vashem said Abbas' Holocaust message may herald a shift in the Palestinian
and Arab world's stance on the subject.
However, in an interview with CNN later on Sunday,
Netanyahu belittled the importance of Abbas' statement, terming it “damage
control.” Yedioth also titled an article on page 7 with Abbas' declaration, only noting at the end of the
subtitle that 'Jerusalem was unimpressed.' However, Israel Hayom and Makor Rishon focused on Netanyahu's
'defiant' speech last night, in which
he linked the Nazi genocide to Iran's suspected drive to acquire nuclear bombs and
charged that the "West has not learned its lesson, but we will protect ourselves next time."
And in an exclusive interview with Ynet, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb
Erekat said that "the Holocaust is the most evil chapter in human history. We stand
tall as Palestinians to condemn it, now and forever." On peace talks, Erekat said
the
Israeli occupation was a major obstacle to peace, denied the need for Palestinian
recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and said "Israel made a mistake by suspending the negotiations" but
that Abbas was still willing to meet with Netanyahu.
The PLO also announced yesterday that
it gives Israel "three months to reach an agreement on the 1967 borders prior to any
discussion on any other matter whatsoever, including security, to reach a peace agreement."
in the coming days,
Abbas will announce the establishment of a unity government and the date for
Palestinian Authority presidential and parliamentary elections, as well as PLO National Council elections, the
PLO said.
Hamas said it would disperse its Gaza government as soon as the new government is
formed, Ynet Hebrew reported.
This has put Israel and the US on a collision course over whether Israel should recognize and
work with the new technocrat government, which will act in keeping with Abbas’ platform and the conditions of the
Mideast Quartet – recognizing Israel, rejecting violence and honoring previous agreements, Haaretz+ reported.
The
US and Europe believe Israel should cooperate with the new unity government and renew
the talks and they will pressure Israel to do so. "However, Israel opposes any cooperation with the new
government as long as some of its components and supporters, particularly Hamas, do not recognize Israel,
reject terror and honor previous agreements," wrote Barak Ravid. In the meantime, with talks stalled, US
envoy Martin
Indyk left Israel and has no clear plans to return. Haaretz+ reported that the
assessment in Jerusalem is that he will only return for “maintenance."
The Israeli cabinet is divided about what to do. Pro-settlement Economy Minister
Naftali
Bennett said Israel should annex 60% of the West Bank - i.e. Area C. Justice
Minister and chief Israeli negotiator Tzipi
Livni said it was crucial to wait and see what sort of government
emerged. Finance Minister Yair Lapid also said it was too early to call time on the negotiations. In
a TIME magazine column on Sunday, center-right Finance Minister Yair
Lapid made the same requirements of Hamas as the government - i.e. accepting the
Quartet conditions - and said, "We don't see it at the moment, but we need to watch and wait and study what's
going on."
Interestingly, US Secretary of State John
Kerry said Israel risks turning into an 'apartheid state.' A recording of him
speaking Friday in a closed forum was revealed by the Daily Beast. He also warned
that
stalled peace talks could bring about violence in the West Bank. "People grow so
frustrated with their lot in life that they begin to take other choices and go to dark places they’ve been
before, which forces confrontation,” he said.
A Hamas media advisor
denied he said Hamas would recognize Israel and said that "he had been misquoted and
that the party 'could not' individually recognize the country." [Hamas leaders have said in the past that the
organization recognizes that Israel exists as a state, it just doesn't accept the right to exist. -
OH]
Quick Hits:
-
Relatives blast Foreign Ministry over Israeli-Palestinian found dead in Kiev - Family
alleges that Rafaa Tzartzur was shunned by Israeli Consulate in Ukraine, despite possessing valid Israeli
residency status. Tzartzur, who was studying medicine in Ukraine, had been trying to return to Israel, but the
Israeli Consulate in Ukraine claimed that his residency status had been revoked and refused to issue him a
visa. (Haaretz+)
-
Settlers cut down 60 olive trees near Nablus - A group of settlers raided a neighborhood
known locally as Al-Luhuf and chopped down more than 60 olive trees using chainsaws in private fields in the
village of Huwwara. (Maan)
-
2 detained after posting signs calling for Muslim 'evacuation' at Aqsa (Temple Mount)
- Israeli police said the suspects posted an inflammatory sign on one of the main gates of
al-Aqsa mosque compound, urging Muslims to evacuate the mosque so that Jews can build a Jewish temple in
its place. (Maan and NRG Hebrew)
-
Israeli forces arrest 2, injure 2 in Jerusalem village - Israeli forces raided a shop for
health equipment that belongs to Saad Mohammad Mustafa at the southern entrance of the village and assaulted
the shop owner, who was hospitalized, and a customer. They also verbally abused women in the area.
(Maan)
-
4 Palestinians indicted for throwing firebombs at synagogue - The Jerusalem District
Court indicts 18-year-olds Mohammad Abid, Ibrahim Darbas, Waleed and Mohammad Alian from Issawiya for arson,
aggravated assault, manufacturing weapons, carrying a weapon and attacking a police officer.
(Israel Hayom)
-
Baptism in ruins of Arab village disrupted by Jewish neighbors - Shlomi residents called
out racial slurs, say Israeli Arabs; Shlomi official sympathizes with residents, calling baptism 'provocation.'
(Haaretz)
-
Again, harassment of Arabs in Yokneam: tires punctured and the "price tag" graffiti - The
words "price tag" and a Star of David were painted on the car of an Arab contractor in Yokneam, Israel. In
addition, two tires were punctured. This is the fourth case of harassment of Arabs in the city in the last
month. Afula Police and the Shin Bet launched an investigation. (Ynet and Israel Hayom)
-
Israel blocking Palestinian permits over bid to join UN organizations, IDF officer (admits)
- Testimony to Knesset committee contradicts government claim to Supreme Court
that professional considerations behind halt in approving West Bank building permits in Area C.
(Haaretz+)
-
'Less than a third of illegal Palestinian buildings have been taken down' - "Anyone
driving through Judea and Samaria can see the increased illegal Palestinian construction in Area C. The
situation has gotten worse near the Adumim bloc, where it has become an intense industrial undertaking,"
Habayit Hayehudi MK Moti Yogev tells Knesset committee. (Israel Hayom)
-
Sanctions: Israel freezes 19 Palestinian construction projects - Israel on Sunday said it
would freeze 19 Palestinian construction projects in the West Bank in an apparent effort to impose sanctions on
the Palestinian Authority in response to a Hamas-PLO deal. (Maan and NRG Hebrew)
-
Palestinians have completed the preparations to join Interpol - Earlier this month, PA
Chairman signed the documents to join fifteen international organizations, and now says senior Palestinian
official, the preparations for joining the international police organization have been completed: "The moment
there is a order from the political leadership, there will be a petition to the organization's offices in
Paris." (NRG Hebrew)
-
Initiative adopted PLO Mahmoud Abbas join 60 UN organizations Sunday - PLO Central Council
decided to adopt the initiative of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to join 60 UN bodies and sign
international treaties. (Agencies, Ynet)
-
Lod mayor clashed with Arabs who shot fireworks over homes - Mayor Yair Revivo clashed
with Arab youth to stop them from shooting fireworks at houses in the city Sunday on Holocaust Remembrance Day
eve. "We will not allow anyone to violate the minimum quiet that Jewish and Arab residents have a right to."
(Ynet)
-
Army treads lightly as era of Haredi draft beckons - IDF to begin by exempting
ultra-Orthodox men over 22, redirecting them to job market. (Haaretz+)
-
WATCH: IDF to jail ultra-Orthodox Jew for refusing to serve the occupation - Uriel
Ferera, a 19-year-old Haredi from Be’er Sheva, was raised on the values of social justice and peace. Now, the
IDF has announced it will jail him for an undetermined period of time for refusing to serve.
(+972Mag+VIDEO)
-
4 more Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jail on hunger strike in protest against their detention
without trial - In a letter describing the "tyrannical" system of administrative detention, one
detainee wrote how prisoners are forced to stand up before the judge on charges that are considered "top
secret," meaning that the prisoner does not know what they are. It was unclear whether the four were in contact
with the 100 other hunger strikers. (Maan)
-
Mayor of Nice receives honorary degree from Netanya college - Christian Estrosi, one of
Israel's strongest supporters in the French political arena, receives honorary degree on Thursday from Netanya
Academic College president. Estrosi grants Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg the title "Friend of Nice."
(Israel Hayom)
-
Gazan 'Arab Idol' performs in Israel for crowd of 10,000 - Mohammed Assaf grew up in
refugee camp in Gaza; comes to Nazareth for first concert in Israel. MK Tibi dances. (Ynet)
-
Bethlehem family condemns daughter's pro-Israel video - The family said it "rejects and
distances" itself from the content of a video featuring their daughter's video proclaiming "God has given
this land to the Jews," and that she was forced to flee Palestine because of persecution for her beliefs.
(Maan)
-
Pro-Palestinians 'evict' Jews from NYU dorm - Fake eviction notices posted on doors of
dorm believed to house many of New York University's Jewish students warn of destruction of property.
Pro-Palestinian group says seeks to raise awareness of Palestinian hardships. (Israel Hayom)
-
Pew Survey says: Israelis more open-minded than most of the world - Israelis relatively
okay with homosexuality, alcohol use and premarital sex, but they ain't got nothing on those laissez-faire
French. (Haaretz)
-
**"No participation for supporters of the boycott (of settlements) at the (Israel) march of support"
- Gov’t coalition chairman Yariv Levin joined the protest against the inclusion of the New Israel
Fund, B’Tselem, Partners for a Progressive Israel and J Street in the annual NY Israel
parade. (NRG Hebrew)
Features:
Elected: The man who refused to strip for Netanyahu
Foreign Press Association picks its first Palestinian chairman: Samer Shalabi. It's outgoing head says
violence by IDF against journalists has increased. (By Matthew Kalman,
Haaretz+)
The Secret Life of My Aunt, Fatma Yodkovitz
Just this year NRG reporter Asaf Gabor discovered that his Aunt Fanny was called as a child Fatma Mohammed bin
al-Hassan. Her (aunt’s) mother fled from the Nazis to France where she married an Arab, who secretly converted to
Judaism. Together they lived a double life. (By Asaf Gabor,
NRG Hebrew)
Christian lone soldier decides to cross the 'Finnish' line
Daniel Bana's Christian Arab father married a Finnish tourist 30 years ago and moved to Finland. But Bana, who
is now a lone soldier in the IDF, calls Israel home. "We would visit my dad's family every year, he has a warm and
loving family," he says. (
Israel Hayom)
From Druze village to March of the Living
Buteina Halabi, an artist from northern town of Daliyat al-Karmel who dedicates most of her work to Holocaust,
invited to participate in annual march from Auschwitz to Birkenau. (
Yedioth/Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
Sullen Netanyahu reaction amplifies PR success of Abbas’ Holocaust statement (Chemi
Shalev,
Haaretz+) PM asserts Israel won’t negotiate with any Palestinian government 'backed by
Hamas,' exposing looming dispute with U.S. if the reconciliation reaches fruition. Even if the PM’s diagnosis
is correct, one has to admit Abbas’ ploy is working wonders - with the active assistance of
Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
Palestinian unity leaves Israel with few options (Eitan Haber,
Yedioth/Ynet) We can either annex territories and establish a bi-national state or
unilaterally set borders. Third option is to continue current situation, but for how long?
Apartheid in planning rights (
Haaretz Editorial) Israel’s discriminatory planning policy in the West Bank violates its
most basic obligations.
The world has learned the lessons of the Holocaust better than Israel (Oudeh
Basharat,
Haaretz+) Instead of crying out to end the injustice against the Palestinians, the
Israelis are depicting the Palestinians as a continuation of the evil.
Fatah-Hamas 'unity': Not so fast (Smadar Perry,
Yedioth/Ynet) Knowing that 'historic reconciliation' could very well end in nothing,
Netanyahu left the door open by suspending, rather than killing, the talks.
Holocaust recognition is not for Jews only (Zvi Bar'el,
Haaretz+) Now that one 'Holocaust denier' has slipped through Netanyahu’s fingers,
Hamas is the last thin hanger on which to hang the threat of a new Holocaust.
Hamas is the same Hamas (Boaz Bismuth,
Israel Hayom) Hamas will continue to strive to do what it knows how to do -- kill
Jews
Peace talks are over, back to reality (Moshe Arens,
Haaretz+) Now that the negotiations have failed, it’s time to concentrate on really moving
toward peace, among other things by integrating Israeli Palestinians into military service.
Holocaust and the Nakba: the Jews turned to construction, the Palestinians to
incitement (Ben-Dror Yemini,
NRG Hebrew) The universal lesson of the Holocaust is that acts of genocide continue to run
rampant in many parts of the world. But nothing - and certainly not the Nakba – compares to the Jewish
genocide.
And where is the silence? (Yitzhak Laor,
Haaretz+) The sense of victimhood that the state has fostered over the years has grown to
replace the Zionist ethos.
How the Holocaust tripped up Kerry's peace process (Emanuela
Rubinstein,
Haaretz+) The shadow of the Holocaust, falling on Israelis of all political affiliations,
is the key complicating factor tripping up John Kerry's attempts to bring peace.
Hamas-Abbas: A reality check (Prof. Ron Breiman,
Israel Hayom) Israel has already agreed to a far-reaching territorial compromise when it
signed the peace treaty with Jordan, which is the real Palestinian state.
**I was named after my grandfather who perished (Former Shin Bet chief Avi
Dichter,
Israel Hayom) "One morning I combed my hair in the opposite direction than usual; my
mother slapped me across the face and said, 'Only Hitler combed his hair that way'."
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.
