APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday April 16, 2015
Quote of the day:
"A further two officials soon joined the group. One of them approached me and asked if I was born in
Israel. I nodded.”
--Yedioth reporter Orly Azoulay tells about her visit to Iran and firstly, meeting Iranian passport control officials at the airport, which has since caused an uproar.**
--Yedioth reporter Orly Azoulay tells about her visit to Iran and firstly, meeting Iranian passport control officials at the airport, which has since caused an uproar.**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- High Court ruled: Right to sue over calls for boycott
- Even if they narrow the bill, High Court justices failed to protect freedom of speech // Aeyal Gross
- Holocaust Remembrance Day (Main photo: torch lighting)
- Foreign Ministry: Israel could pay heavy price for crisis with US
- Rift between Hamas leadership and military wing deepens // Amos Harel
- We are foreigners in Germany – Story of one family from Berlin discovered in letters that were kept in a tin box
- “Don’t know where” – 73 years after the Jewish tailor from Cracow disappeared, his grave was discovered in Teheran
- Black flag – Why they decided at my son’s school to pin yellow patches on the pupils shirts // Sharon Geva
- Two seriously wounded from car in Jerusalem; probing suspicion of terror attack
- Environment Ministry: Declare the Haifa Bay an air-polluted area
- A different appointment // Haaretz Editorial
Yedioth Ahronoth
- They live in our hearts - Today at 10AM: Siren in memory of those lost in the Holocaust
- The love that grew from the inferno
- The moral order // President Reuven Rivlin
- Spirit of heroism // Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot
- The children that won // Noah Klieger on March of Life in Poland
- Because of you, my brother // Chief Rabbi Yisrael Lau
- There is no other Holocaust // Ben-Dror Yemini
- Iron Dome of the tunnels
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links)
- Never forget – Holocaust Remembrance Day
- http://www.maariv.co.il/news/israel/Article-471928
- Carrying the torch of life // President Reuven Rivlin
- At the gate of death // Mordechai Chaimovitch
- Tel-Aviv: 13-year-old burned his friend’s hand with a hot ladle because “he spoke not nice”
Israel Hayom
- PM: Even if we stand alone, our hearts will not fear
- Special edition for Holocaust Rememberance Day
- The treasure of the lost names from Cubana
- Indeed, Israel is not a compensation for the Holocaust // Dror Eydar
- High Court approved “boycott law’ against those calling for boycotts of Israel
News Summary:
Ceremonies held and personal stories told for Holocaust Remembrance Day today led the Hebrew newspapers. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu used the platform to berate the world on the Iran deal, while Israel’s Foreign Ministry director general said the crisis with the US could cost Israel dearly. And in Iran, a storm over an Israeli reporter's visit.
Netanyahu again compared Iran to the Nazi regime, and even erroneously declared that Iran “says openly that it wants to kill Israel’s six million Jews.” [Reference to the mistranslated 2005 quote by former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who quoted Ayatollah Khomeini who called for an end to the Zionist regime. – OH] But Minister Yuval Steinitz expressed satisfaction with the Obama-Congress compromise on the Iran bill, which will make it harder to pass an Iran nuclear deal, calling it "an achievement for Israeli policy" that would serve “a very important element in preventing a bad deal.” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed Congress’ bill, saying "If there is no end to sanctions, there will not be an agreement." And, in a two-page document obtained by Haaretz+, Israel’s Foreign Ministry director-general Nissim Ben-Sheetrit warned that Israel must take steps to quickly repair U.S.-Israel ties or face the consequences in regards to coordinating with the US in dealing with the Palestinian UN bid and the rearming of Hezbollah.
**Iranian hardliners are slamming the Rouhani government for allowing the visit of Israeli Yedioth reporter, Orly Azoulay. The Minister of Culture and Tourism was summoned for a parliamentary hearing, Yedioth reported. Azoulay said she made no efforts to conceal her identity and her US passport even says her birthplace is Israel. This was her second visit to Teheran. See link for the interesting full article and Iranian TV video reports about her visit.
Ceremonies held and personal stories told for Holocaust Remembrance Day today led the Hebrew newspapers. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu used the platform to berate the world on the Iran deal, while Israel’s Foreign Ministry director general said the crisis with the US could cost Israel dearly. And in Iran, a storm over an Israeli reporter's visit.
Netanyahu again compared Iran to the Nazi regime, and even erroneously declared that Iran “says openly that it wants to kill Israel’s six million Jews.” [Reference to the mistranslated 2005 quote by former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who quoted Ayatollah Khomeini who called for an end to the Zionist regime. – OH] But Minister Yuval Steinitz expressed satisfaction with the Obama-Congress compromise on the Iran bill, which will make it harder to pass an Iran nuclear deal, calling it "an achievement for Israeli policy" that would serve “a very important element in preventing a bad deal.” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed Congress’ bill, saying "If there is no end to sanctions, there will not be an agreement." And, in a two-page document obtained by Haaretz+, Israel’s Foreign Ministry director-general Nissim Ben-Sheetrit warned that Israel must take steps to quickly repair U.S.-Israel ties or face the consequences in regards to coordinating with the US in dealing with the Palestinian UN bid and the rearming of Hezbollah.
**Iranian hardliners are slamming the Rouhani government for allowing the visit of Israeli Yedioth reporter, Orly Azoulay. The Minister of Culture and Tourism was summoned for a parliamentary hearing, Yedioth reported. Azoulay said she made no efforts to conceal her identity and her US passport even says her birthplace is Israel. This was her second visit to Teheran. See link for the interesting full article and Iranian TV video reports about her visit.
Quick Hits:
- High Court largely upholds controversial 'Anti-Boycott Law' - Law allows individuals to sue for damages anyone calling for Israel, settlement boycott. Critics say ruling silences ‘one side of the political map.' (Haaretz+ and Maariv)
- Israeli man dies after possible Jerusalem car ramming attack - Palestinian driver has been detained as part of the investigation; Police probing terror motives. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- Dozens of Hamas members arrested in overnight West Bank raid - Shin Bet security service say Nablus sweep comes in light of increased Hamas activity in the area. (Haaretz and Maan)
- New tunnel detection system to operate on Gaza border - Israeli defense company Elbit Systems develops sensor-based detection system to be implemented alongside entirety of Gaza border. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- VIDEO: Firebombs hurled at right-wing activist's house in East Jerusalem - Two masked men coming from Silwan threw Molotov cocktails in what [radical settler – OH] Jerusalem councilman Aryeh King says is the 49th attack on his home since August. (Ynet)
- Israeli Arabs call for general strike over home demolitions - Israel demolishes third illegal Arab construction in 48 hours. (Haaretz+)
- F-35 simulator touches down in Israel - Israeli pilots to train on new Lockheed Martin simulator of next-generation stealth fighter ahead of its scheduled delivery in 2016. (Ynet)
- Israeli naval forces open fire at Gaza fishermen - Israeli forces had fired at several fishing boats working off the coast of Gaza City Wednesday morning, and that no injuries were reported. (Maan)
- Vandals attack Christian graveyard in northern Israel - Vandals have smashed gravestones at a Maronite Christian cemetery in a Kufr Birim, a derelict Palestinian village near Israel's northern border with Lebanon, whose inhabitants were evicted by Israeli forces 1948. (Agencies, Maan)
- IDF charges Palestinian lawmaker with security offenses - “We were surprised by the prosecution, which explicitly said last week there were no grounds to detain her until the end of proceedings,” said MP Khalida Jarrar’s lawyer, Sahar Francis. “The indictment strengthens our argument that the imprisonment is vindictive.” (Haaretz)
- Commander of Nevetim military base: the S-300 missile defense system is a challenge to the air force, but we'll deal with it - Gen. Lihu Hacohen spoke with reporters on the occasion of the exhibition of the F-35 fighter jet simulator: "Receiving the F-35 system is part of the Air Force's vision to strengthen the Negev.” (Maariv)
- Attempts at reconciliation? Netanyahu invited (left-wing leaders) Gal-On and Oudeh to personal meeting - Oudeh had demanded Netanyahu apologize for 'warning' right-wing voters on Election Day that "Arabs were voting in droves." Political sources said the meetings with Meretz Chairwoman Zahav Gal-On and leader of the mostly-Arab Joint List, Ayman Oudeh, were likely designed to prepare the ground for a possible meeting between Netanyahu and Chairman of the Zionist camp, Isaac Herzog. (Maariv)
- Israeli forces injure 22 Palestinians following highly charged funeral - Witnesses reported a large presence of Israeli soldiers, some of them masked, before the funeral procession in Sinjil village of Muhammad Jasser Karakra, who was shot dead last Wednesday after he stabbed two Israeli soldiers. (Maan)
- Palestinian mother to serve 2 years in jail following house arrest - After spending 38 months under house arrest, Alia al-Sheikh Abbasi, 50 and mother of six from Silwan in E. Jerusalem, will serve the remainder of her prison sentence in jail. She was convicted of having attempted to stab an Israeli soldier in 2012. (Maan)
- Hamas calls on unity government to end 'discrimination' - The statement comes one week after public workers union in Gaza began a general strike across all public institutions in protest against the unity government's continued failure to pay salaries to tens of thousands of employees of the former Hamas government. (Maan)
- First Palestinian Business Conference to take place in May - The event in Ramallah aims to support Palestinian economic dependence as well as help to create more job opportunities through building new projects. (Maan)
- Israeli film a big hit at Turkish festival - 'Zero Motivation,' a comedy-drama about a unit of female IDF soldiers at a remote desert base, screened three times at Istanbul International Film Festival, cracking up local audience. (Ynet)
- Iraqis, Syrians caught trying to enter Paraguay with fake Israeli passports - Paraguay envoy to Israel says 11 arrested, some of which are minors, were refugees stopping in South America on their way to the European Union. (Ynet)
- Islamic State withdraws from Yarmouk camp, Nusra remains - After expelling main rival, Hamas-linked Aknaf al Maqdis, hundreds of ISIS fighters pullout back to Hajar al Aswad, residents say. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Millions of children out of school in the Middle East, UN warns - Education is not available to more than 12 million children in countries throughout the Middle East despite advances in efforts to expand schooling, said UNICEF. (Maan)
- Syria mortar shell fired at Israel; no injuries - Security forces investigating whether shot was intentional or errant. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
Growing Hamas rift could endanger Gaza truce (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Split between political and military wings of Hamas on two key issues could lead
to renewal of violence in southern front, Israeli defense experts believe.
The soft power of diplomacy actually works (Aviad Kleinberg, Yedioth/Ynet) American sanctions led to the rise of a pragmatic regime in Iran, which is holding talks to freeze its nuclear program and silently cooperating with US efforts to restrain radical Sunni forces.
Bibi’s second-worst Iran nightmare: That it will abide by the agreement (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Maybe Tehran will honor the nuclear accord and use its opening to the world to revive its economy - and threaten the region without a bomb at all. It could happen, but probably won't.
Wanted: A new ambassador in Washington (Haaretz Editorial) Obama's advisers are ignoring Ambassador Ron Dermer, a persona non grata at the White House. Opening a new leaf in Netanyahu and Obama's relations requires letting Dermer go.
Israel saving its anger for White House, not Kremlin (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Israeli officials have realized that Putin's decision to lift ban on arms sales to Iran is more of a declarative political move rather than a practical move in the foreseeable future. So why fight with two world powers simultaneously if you can fight with just one?
Why America can't figure out the Middle East (Salman Masalha, Haaretz+) When you lack history how can you understand societies steeped in the past?
Only The Hague can deal with Israel’s war criminals (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The lenient handling of the army’s shooting of an unarmed 16-year-old shows that the International Criminal Court is the address.
Iran: It's the thought that counts (Varda Meyers Epstein, Israel Hayom) The idea that Iran never threatened to wipe Israel off the map is demonstrably untrue.
The two dismal choices Israel faces in the wake of Lausanne (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) About the only thing as bad as a deal with Iran is what would happen if Israel sabotages it.
The case for heresy (Clifford D. May, Israel Hayom) If Western leaders continue to refuse to comprehend who is fighting us and why, the consequences will be dire.
A dozen reasons why Israel should do away with Holocaust Remembrance Day (Ariel Rubinstein, Haaretz+) By sounding sirens, spouting cliches and carrying out rituals befitting a soccer game do we really give meaning to what happened
The modern Israeli: Paralyzed by the past (Roy Isacowitz, Haaretz+) The world fails to understand how the Startup Nation mindlessly repeats its leaders' cliches when it comes to Iran and the Palestinians. This dichotomy stems from fear and Jewish history.
The intolerable ease of leaking classified Israeli intelligence information (Amos Harel and Chaim Levinson, Haaretz+) The espionage indictment against radical settler Ya'akov Sela, an army intelligence NCO, contends he systematically penetrated the secrets of the Shin Bet security service unit that deals with Jewish suspects.
The soft power of diplomacy actually works (Aviad Kleinberg, Yedioth/Ynet) American sanctions led to the rise of a pragmatic regime in Iran, which is holding talks to freeze its nuclear program and silently cooperating with US efforts to restrain radical Sunni forces.
Bibi’s second-worst Iran nightmare: That it will abide by the agreement (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Maybe Tehran will honor the nuclear accord and use its opening to the world to revive its economy - and threaten the region without a bomb at all. It could happen, but probably won't.
Wanted: A new ambassador in Washington (Haaretz Editorial) Obama's advisers are ignoring Ambassador Ron Dermer, a persona non grata at the White House. Opening a new leaf in Netanyahu and Obama's relations requires letting Dermer go.
Israel saving its anger for White House, not Kremlin (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) Israeli officials have realized that Putin's decision to lift ban on arms sales to Iran is more of a declarative political move rather than a practical move in the foreseeable future. So why fight with two world powers simultaneously if you can fight with just one?
Why America can't figure out the Middle East (Salman Masalha, Haaretz+) When you lack history how can you understand societies steeped in the past?
Only The Hague can deal with Israel’s war criminals (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The lenient handling of the army’s shooting of an unarmed 16-year-old shows that the International Criminal Court is the address.
Iran: It's the thought that counts (Varda Meyers Epstein, Israel Hayom) The idea that Iran never threatened to wipe Israel off the map is demonstrably untrue.
The two dismal choices Israel faces in the wake of Lausanne (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) About the only thing as bad as a deal with Iran is what would happen if Israel sabotages it.
The case for heresy (Clifford D. May, Israel Hayom) If Western leaders continue to refuse to comprehend who is fighting us and why, the consequences will be dire.
A dozen reasons why Israel should do away with Holocaust Remembrance Day (Ariel Rubinstein, Haaretz+) By sounding sirens, spouting cliches and carrying out rituals befitting a soccer game do we really give meaning to what happened
The modern Israeli: Paralyzed by the past (Roy Isacowitz, Haaretz+) The world fails to understand how the Startup Nation mindlessly repeats its leaders' cliches when it comes to Iran and the Palestinians. This dichotomy stems from fear and Jewish history.
The intolerable ease of leaking classified Israeli intelligence information (Amos Harel and Chaim Levinson, Haaretz+) The espionage indictment against radical settler Ya'akov Sela, an army intelligence NCO, contends he systematically penetrated the secrets of the Shin Bet security service unit that deals with Jewish suspects.
Interviews:
The officer who was captured by the Syrians with Uri Ilan: "I did not betray"
60 years after being secretly sentenced and convicted for delivering secrets to the enemy and a decade after receiving an apology from the state and a pardon, Meir Moses tells about the mission, captivity, Uri Ilan (who committed suicide as a POW) and about one of the biggest crimes in the history of the IDF. Chilling interview. (Interviewed by Avi Tzur in Biton Halochem and published in Maariv)
Esther Herlitz will receive a lifetime achievement award, "Ben-Gurion taught us that you can not manage if there is no hope"
At the age if 93, Herlitz, who was an officer, diplomat and member of Knesset, is a serial glass ceiling breaker, and looks at a country without leadership, path or vision, and says: "(Foreign Minister) Lieberman behaves like a bull in a china shop," (Interviewed by Yaakov Bar-On in Maariv)
EXCERPT: She vigilantly follows what is happening (in the country). “I sincerely hope that the Labor party will not join the government," says Herlitz, but she is concerned that in the end they will. “It's time to end Netanyahu’s policy of not talking with the Palestinians and not trying to make peace with them on the assumption that there is no hope. You can not run (a country) if there is no hope. Ben Gurion taught us that. It is unfortunate to hear that people do not believe that there can be a Jewish state here in peace with the Palestinians."
Why are you afraid the Labor party will join the government?
“Because those that represent the party today in the Knesset today they are people of action and cannot stand being in the opposition. Mentally, they are not prepared for it. They do not understand the importance of the opposition in a parliamentary democracy. Today there are no oppositionists like Begin. I sat next to him in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, before he became prime minister. It was a pleasure to hear him, even if I disagreed. But Begin in part of the past, like Ben-Gurion. Currently, there is no vision. And without vision it is impossible to lead a people.”
60 years after being secretly sentenced and convicted for delivering secrets to the enemy and a decade after receiving an apology from the state and a pardon, Meir Moses tells about the mission, captivity, Uri Ilan (who committed suicide as a POW) and about one of the biggest crimes in the history of the IDF. Chilling interview. (Interviewed by Avi Tzur in Biton Halochem and published in Maariv)
Esther Herlitz will receive a lifetime achievement award, "Ben-Gurion taught us that you can not manage if there is no hope"
At the age if 93, Herlitz, who was an officer, diplomat and member of Knesset, is a serial glass ceiling breaker, and looks at a country without leadership, path or vision, and says: "(Foreign Minister) Lieberman behaves like a bull in a china shop," (Interviewed by Yaakov Bar-On in Maariv)
EXCERPT: She vigilantly follows what is happening (in the country). “I sincerely hope that the Labor party will not join the government," says Herlitz, but she is concerned that in the end they will. “It's time to end Netanyahu’s policy of not talking with the Palestinians and not trying to make peace with them on the assumption that there is no hope. You can not run (a country) if there is no hope. Ben Gurion taught us that. It is unfortunate to hear that people do not believe that there can be a Jewish state here in peace with the Palestinians."
Why are you afraid the Labor party will join the government?
“Because those that represent the party today in the Knesset today they are people of action and cannot stand being in the opposition. Mentally, they are not prepared for it. They do not understand the importance of the opposition in a parliamentary democracy. Today there are no oppositionists like Begin. I sat next to him in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, before he became prime minister. It was a pleasure to hear him, even if I disagreed. But Begin in part of the past, like Ben-Gurion. Currently, there is no vision. And without vision it is impossible to lead a people.”
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.