APN's daily news review from Israel

Friday September 13, 2013

Quote of the day:

"There is no doubt some Palestinian news outlets incite against Israel and the Jews, but it is clear this is not an official policy of the PA."
--Tel-Aviv District Court Judge Dalia Gannot completely rejects the testimony of the founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch, Itamar Marcus, making minced meat out of his claims.**

Front Page News:

Haaretz

• 40 years to the Yom Kippur War:
• Golda's testimony revealed - PM told Agranat Committee that she didn't dare argue with the head of Military Intel and the Chief of Staff
• The lies method - The political and military elite in the war continuously preferred not to say the truth // Amir Oren
• Our soldiers will stand on the side - A new study shows depth of cooperation between Jordan and Israel during the war // Ofer Aderet
• Leaving the bunker - Generational turnover and the shake-up in the Arab world are finally rescuing the IDF from the trauma // Amos Harel
• US rejects Assad's condition for disarming from chemical weapons
• Putin turns to Americans in special Op-Ed: "It is dangerous to encourage states to feel extraordinary" (NYT)
• Shortening of sentence because of sexual identity - High Court ruling: Prison Authority imprisons transgenders in discriminatory conditions
• For the first time in Israel, particle accelerator extends archaeological discoveries
• Jerusalem municipality digging ditch to separate between French Hill and Issawiya neighborhoods

Yedioth Ahronoth

• The war that never ends - Golda's testimony is revealed
• To die for our country // Nahum Barnea
• Special Yom Kippur edition
• IDF Chief of Staff Beni Gantz to serve fourth year
• Silent streets - When does transportation stop and begin again
• Fasting on a hot day

Maariv

• Golda's alibi:  "I couldn't fight with the head of military intel or chief of staff" (Hebrew)
• The October Revolution - The Yom Kippur War saved democracy here. The arrogant state, whose leaders were convinced they were invincible, was overwhelmed by the sorrow of war. But the trauma has made us more humble // Shalom Yerushalmi (Hebrew)
• Warning signs // Moshe Yaalon (Hebrew)
• There is no king in Israel // Dan Halutz
• We sinned, we committed crimes // Ben-Dror Yemini (Hebrew)
• In Moscow they think that the agreement for chemical weapon disarmament will end the civil war in Syria and leave Assad in power (Hebrew)
• Status quo dissolving: Increase in number of Jews secretly praying on Temple Mount (Hebrew)
• Special Yom Kippur edition

Israel Hayom

• "If we are needed, we will return and win"
• New Israel Hayom poll: Majority of public - We won't be caught surprised again (by war)
• When Obama zigzags even Assad raises his head // Boaz Bismuth
• (Israel Hayom poll) 67%: Obama failed in dealing with the Syrian crisis
• This is how to pass the fast well
• Going out on bicycles? The equipment that will protect your children
• Friday reading - Recommendations for books about soul searching

News Summary:
The Israeli papers today shared more stories, many of them about the trauma that Israelis feel, from the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The biggest story was the testimony of then-prime minister Golda Meir, who said that she could not stand up to the Chief of Staff and head of Military Intel. Groupthink prevented decision-makers from challenging security experts, former Meir told the inquiry commission in newly-released transcripts. (Haaretz and Ynet). Other documents revealed that Jordan and Israel cooperated during the war.

On the Syrian front, Maariv's Eli Bardenstein writes that with the disarming of Syrian chemical weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin's goal is to stop the arming of rebels and end the civil war in Syria. In the Kremlin, they see the agreement that is forming to disarm Syria of chemical weapons as only the first step that will lead to the suppression of the opposition, he writes. Indeed, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made stopping the arming of the rebels and disarming Israel of chemical weapons a condition to his chemical weapons disarmament. Haaretz reported yesterday that Israel said it would do no such thing and the papers write today that the US is still arming the rebels. The papers noted the open letter Putin to the American people in the New York Times.

The next step in Putin's plan includes a solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis on the basis of a similar outline, wrote Maariv's Bardenstein. Meanwhile, the US and Teheran are likely to open direct talks, the papers report.

Quick Hits:

• Palestinians clash with Israeli forces as hundreds of Jews pray at Joseph's Tomb - Palestinian stone-throwers target Israeli troops as some 1,400 Jewish worshippers enter West Bank holy site under tight security; live fire erupts, one Palestinian hurt. (Haaretz)
• Israeli minister enters Al-Aqsa compound under guard - Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel visited the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Wednesday under Israeli police protection. Ariel, who is a member of the far-right Jewish Home party, headed a tour group of some 100 right-wing religious students and Rabbis. (MaanPHOTOS)
• End to the status quo - Phenomenon: Jews go to the Temple Mount and pray - The Police forbids Jews from praying in order to prevent riots, but religious [right-wing -OH'] organizations are encouraging groups to go up to the Temple Mount and pray in hiding. The number has increased quickly and reached hundreds of people a day. The decision not to allow Jews to pray at the Temple Mount was made October 1, 1967 by the government cabinet. (Maariv, p. 1/NRG Hebrew)
• Police: We will prohibit playing ball on the Temple Mount - Police announced that from now on it will prevent [Palestinian children - OH] from playing ball in the Temple Mount compound. This is following a petition by (far-right wing) MK Moshe Feiglin. Police have not prevented it until now, he claimed, even though the Law for Preservation of Holy Sites forbids it. (Maariv, p. 10/NRG Hebrew)
• Israeli forces demolish property in West Bank village - Two Israeli bulldozers demolished commercial and industrial property early Thursday, including a commercial complex in Bartaa al-Sharqiya in the northern West Bank district of Jenin. (Maan)
• Security forces raise alertness for Yom Kippur - Police commissioner tells forces to be alert in sensitive areas; Haifa attempts to coordinate overlap with Feast of the Cross; MDA will treat dehydration. (Ynet)
• Witnesses: Israeli forces bulldoze land south of Qalqiliya - Israeli civil administration crews arrived with bulldozers and razed land belonging to Jalud village and also uprooted olive trees. Locals say Israeli authorities plan to confiscate the land to expand the illegal Alfe Menashe settlement. (Maan)
• Israeli forces demolish houses, barns in East Jerusalem village - "Families were surprised with Israeli military vehicles storming a tract of land where ten Palestinian households live in steel structures and use ten other structures as barns. The soldiers started to empty the structures and demolish them," said Abu Mousa As-Saedi, one of the owners. (Maan)
• Jerusalem digs ditch to separate Jewish, Palestinian neighborhoods - Ditch necessary to deter violence and crime, Jewish residents and city officials say; Critics maintain separation will only further alienation and neglect. (Haaretz)
• **Israel court rejects media watchdog 'incitement' charge - A Tel Aviv district court has rejected legal claims against Palestinian officials accusing them of incitement against Israel, which led to "terrorist" attacks against Israel and Israelis. (Maan)
• Group: Abu Sisi to be moved out of solitary confinement - Jailed Gaza engineer Dirar Abu Sisi is due to be moved out of solitary confinement in the next 48 hours. Abu Sisi began a hunger strike on Aug. 16 to demand his release from solitary confinement and to be allowed family visits. (Maan)
• Arrow 3 trials successful, may move operational timetable ahead - Seven months after testing of improved system for interception of ballistic missiles, program's announcement as operation may move ahead. Former program head says 'system demonstrated high reliability.' (Ynet)
• Presidential Medal to be presented to Kahalani, Wiesel, Spielberg - President Peres announces names of Israel's Presidential Medal; winners include Elie Wiesel, Steven Spielberg, Avigdor Kahalani, among others. (Ynet)
• Former IDF spokesman drops Haaretz, Yedioth Ahronoth from libel suit - Benayahu suing over ad that accused him, former CoS Ashkenazi and Boaz Harpaz of 'putsch' during the infighting over the appointment of successor to Ashkenazi. (Haaretz)
• Israel court upholds ban on Polish aid worker - Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a decision to bar entry to a Polish humanitarian worker for having unspecified links to "terrorist elements." (Maan)
• (Minister) Sofa Landver was insulted and left the (EU) convention - A run in with a female Palestinian Authority minister who accused Israel of suppression of human rights led the immigration minister to storm out of an international conference on empowerment of women, after she failed to forcefully take the floor. (Maariv, p. 11/NRG Hebrew)
• AG may order police to question Barak over forged document - Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has expanded the scope of the investigation into dirty tricks within the top army ranks and may order the questioning of additional individuals in connection with the Harpaz Affair. (Haaretz)
• IDF chief Benny Gantz's term extended by one year - Prime minister agrees with defense minister's recommendation, extends Gantz's three-year term by a further year. Decision pending cabinet vote. Gantz is the right man to see Israel through regional security challenges, Netanyahu and Ya'alon say. (Israel Hayom)
• Israeli delegation arrives at Cairo airport - An Israeli delegation arrived at Cairo airport on Wednesday on a private jet to discuss the recent events in the Sinai, an airport official told Ma'an. The delegation was greeted by Egyptian security officials. (Maan)
• Cairo accuses Hamas of training Egyptian militants - Egyptian security authorities have said Hamas provided jihadists military training and explosives, an allegation that the Islamic movement strongly denied. (Agencies, Haaretz)
• Report: Two Egyptian tanks crossed the border into Gaza - For the first time since the beginning of the anti-terror campaign in the Sinai Peninsula, two Egyptian tanks crossed into Gaza. Last week, the Egyptian army began creating a buffer zone along the border to stop the flow of terror into its territory. (NRG Hebrew)
• Gaza Palestinians feel pain of new Egypt border restrictions - Palestinians seeking Egyptian medical care must wait as border, smuggling tunnel closures deepen Gaza isolation; fuel, consumer goods prices rise. (Agencies, Ynet)

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