APN's daily news review from Israel
Wednesday July 1, 2015
Quote of the day:
"I also argued with him and told him that in the Knesset plenum he accused us (of terror) all and when he said
we need to say thank you that we are here he referred to all of us. So he said to me that he did not mean all
the Arabs, but only those who support terror. I told him that there were no terrorists in the plenum.”
--MK Massoud Ghanaim tells Maariv about his hallway conversation with a Likud MK who sparked an
uproar.**
Outrage of The Day:
“Arabs to slaughter,” “Arab blood is cheap,” and “Arab — the son of a whore.”
--Graffiti spray-painted on the walls of the Jewish-Arab Max Rayne Hand in Hand school in Jerusalem on the last day of school. (Read more)
Outrage of The Day:
“Arabs to slaughter,” “Arab blood is cheap,” and “Arab — the son of a whore.”
--Graffiti spray-painted on the walls of the Jewish-Arab Max Rayne Hand in Hand school in Jerusalem on the last day of school. (Read more)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Gas agreement published: State to commit to defend monopoly for 10 years
- Netanyahu had a good reason to hide the details of the agreement // Avi Bar-Eli
- Masses demonstrated in Athens, PM presented new rescue program
- Obama administration against legislation that will force him to act against boycotts on settlements
- One of wounded from terror attack died; Yaalon accused Hamas branch in Turkey
- (Culture Minister) Regev deepening supervision over art: Culture Ministry examining play about demonstrator Rachel Corrie (who was killed by IDF) (Hebrew)
- Knesset Education Committee against teaching with tablets due to harm to equality
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Second tragedy – Malachi Rosenfeld was murdered 13 years after the death of his brother the pilot
- State Comptroller: Wait for (my) report (before voting on the gas agreement)
- Gas agreement revealed: Benefits, drawbacks and the criticism
- Greek salad // Nahum Barnea in Athens
- Special supplement for military recruits
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- The double tragedy of the Rosenfeld family
- Just not an intifada // Yossi Melman
- State Comptroller: Postpone the decision over the gas
- Reunification of families – The battle of Ethiopian-Israeli, who got a medal of honor for his fighting in Operation Protective Edge, ended with a moving meeting with his brother who arrived from Ethiopia
- Greek collapse
- Hello to the big summer holiday
Israel Hayom
- “The gas agreement is good and we will fight for it,” said Netanyahu
- Malachi was murdered – 13 years after his brother, the pilot, was killed
- Greece: Still no solution
- Iran: Still no agreement
- The pilots’ path: List of sections of highways where drivers drive too fast
- Orange storm: Partner to receive millions of euros – if it stops using the brand name
News Summary:
An Israeli settler succumbed to his wounds from a Palestinian shooting attack as talk of a Third Intifada renews and the State Comptroller put another obstacle in the path of approving the Prime Minister’s gas agreement with the cartel making top stories in Hebrew newspapers today. Interestingly, the Shin Bet chief coins a term similar to the Palestinians' in likely reference to stone-throwing. The Obama administration says it won't protect settlements from being boycotted. And a right-wing MK tries to make amends with an Arab MK in the Knesset halls.
Malakhi Moshe Rosenfeld, 26, from Kokhav Hashahar settlement,
died from his wounds incurred in the Palestinian shooting attack near Shvut Rachel settlement in the West Bank. Hamas, PFLP and Fatah al-Intifada all claimed responsibility. Hamas reportedly said that the recent shooting attacks that targeted soldiers and settlers were “an important qualitative development.” Israeli officials expressed anger over the recent wave of attacks, linking it to Ramadan and pointing fingers at both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon accused a Hamas branch in Istanbul of being behind Monday’s shooting attack and another one that took place in the same area days earlier. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu slammed the Palestinian Authority for not denouncing the attacks. Maariv reported that Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel (Habayit Hayehudi) said, "Ramadan has turned into the Eid al-Adha (Muslim ‘sacrifice holiday’) in which Jewish lives are sacrificed,” to which Arab MK Zouheir Bahlul (Joint List) said: "I’m embarrassed at the thought that this man is a minister in the Israeli government.”
Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that since 2012 there has been a steady rise in in what he termed “folk terror” (also can be translated to ‘popular attacks’) and “lone wolf” attacks. In 2012, there were 683 attacks and in 2014 there were 1,834 attacks. The most significant increase in attacks took place following Operation Protective Edge – last summer’s Gaza war, he said. [Note: For the first time a top member of the Israeli security establishment used a term that is similar to the Palestinian term of ‘popular resistance.’ None of the Hebrew articles explained what the difference was between ‘folk’ attacks (Hebrew: ׳עממי׳) and ‘lone-wolf’ attacks. The Israeli press uses the term ‘lone-wolf’ to refer to acts where the intention is to clearly to kill (by use of a gun, knife or tractor). But Cohen likely used the term ‘folk’ to refer to acts such as stone and Molotov Cocktail throwing, which Israel has recently included in its acts that it calls ‘terror.’ The Arabic word for the term in Hebrew ׳עממי׳, which also translates to ‘popular,’ is how the Palestinians refer to their acts of stone-throwing: ‘popular resistance.’ Interestingly, by using both the terms ‘folk/popular’ and ‘lone-wolf’ in the same sentence, Cohen is differentiating between the two types of acts, as the Palestinians do. Nevertheless, in the count of terror incidents, they were all lumped together. Only Times of Israel noted the first-time use of ‘folk' attacks. – OH]
Maan noted that “an average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with two Israelis killed, compared to an average of 39 Palestinians injured by Israeli forces per week and a total of 13 killed. The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Cohen also said that Hamas is improving its military capabilities in Gaza and that it is less popular in Gaza than before, but maintains control due to people's dependence. A senior IDF source told Maariv’s Noam Amir that this is not an intifada, i.e. a civil uprising. "We perceive the recent events as a continuum rather than an intifada," the unnamed source said. "This continuum was experienced in recent years…The main effort is to interrupt it and we are taking a number of actions." Jewish settlers said the recent shooting ambushes have upset their sense of security in living in the West Bank and they called on the IDF to do more.
Maan reported that Israeli forces and settlers carried out reprisals against Palestinians for the shooting. Soldiers stormed homes in the village of al-Mughayir, which is near the site of the shooting, ransacked homes, "detaining young men haphazardly." Soldiers deployed on every street corner in the village after setting up military checkpoints at its entrances and prevented people from praying at the mosque. Soldiers also stormed the village of Kafr Malik east of Ramallah and the villages of Qusra and Qaryout in southern Nablus.
The other big story was that Netanyahu was forced to go public with his gas plan, which until now he kept under wraps, and Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz tried to present it to the Israeli as a good deal, but the State Comptroller said anyway, no vote should be made on it till he finishes his report about it. Haaretz+ also reported that the
government gas negotiating team failed to keep minutes at the meetings and that the US Embassy called on the MKs of the mostly-Arab Joint List to vote in in favor of Netanyahu’s gas proposal, saying it will enable gas supply to Palestinians and Jordan.
Also in the news, the US State Department said it won’t protect Israeli settlements against a boycott, despite Congress’ efforts to discourage European countries from boycotting Israeli settlements by inserting wording in a US trade bill with the EU.
**From the hallway of the Knesset, Maariv’s Arik Bender brings an interesting conversation between an Arab MK and the Likud MK whose words against Israeli Arabs sparked a storm. Last week, MK Yaron Mazuz (Likud) caused an uproar when he addressed the Arab MKs in the plenum and said: 'We're doing you a favor that you are (allowed to be) here. Tuesday, in a chance meeting in the hall with Arab MK Massoud Ghanaim (Joint List), he said he was not properly understood. Ghanaim told Maariv about the conversation. “He said he lives among Arabs in the Haifa and Krayot area and he knows them well. According to him (Mazuz), he would sell them watermelon and fruit and he had good relations with many Arabs ever since he was a fruit seller in the north. He explained to me that he doesn’t hate Arabs, just the opposite, and even in the Knesset Arabs turn to him for help. He even showed me letters he received from Arab.” At this point, Ghanaim said he told Mazuz, “That’s your job. You are Deputy Interior Minister, you were elected to serve. I also argued with him and told him that in the Knesset plenum he accused us all and when he said we need to say thank you that we are here he referred to all of us. So he said to me that he did not mean all the Arabs, but only those who support terror. I told him that there were no terrorists in the plenum.” During the conversation Mazuz explained to Ghanaim that he was especially sensitive to the subject of terror because a relative was murdered in the big terror attack at the school in Maalot. “I understood from him that he and his family experienced terror,” said Ghanaem. “I understood that this was an attempt to apologize. He understood he went overboard. Also in the Knesset plenum he approached some of us and tried to explain his words, but I will consider forgiving him onlh if he stands on the plenum podium and publicly retracts everything he said. I hope he will have the courage to apologize.” Mazuz’s office confirmed that a relative of Mazuz was murdered in the attack in Maalot in 1974.
An Israeli settler succumbed to his wounds from a Palestinian shooting attack as talk of a Third Intifada renews and the State Comptroller put another obstacle in the path of approving the Prime Minister’s gas agreement with the cartel making top stories in Hebrew newspapers today. Interestingly, the Shin Bet chief coins a term similar to the Palestinians' in likely reference to stone-throwing. The Obama administration says it won't protect settlements from being boycotted. And a right-wing MK tries to make amends with an Arab MK in the Knesset halls.
Malakhi Moshe Rosenfeld, 26, from Kokhav Hashahar settlement,
died from his wounds incurred in the Palestinian shooting attack near Shvut Rachel settlement in the West Bank. Hamas, PFLP and Fatah al-Intifada all claimed responsibility. Hamas reportedly said that the recent shooting attacks that targeted soldiers and settlers were “an important qualitative development.” Israeli officials expressed anger over the recent wave of attacks, linking it to Ramadan and pointing fingers at both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon accused a Hamas branch in Istanbul of being behind Monday’s shooting attack and another one that took place in the same area days earlier. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu slammed the Palestinian Authority for not denouncing the attacks. Maariv reported that Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel (Habayit Hayehudi) said, "Ramadan has turned into the Eid al-Adha (Muslim ‘sacrifice holiday’) in which Jewish lives are sacrificed,” to which Arab MK Zouheir Bahlul (Joint List) said: "I’m embarrassed at the thought that this man is a minister in the Israeli government.”
Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that since 2012 there has been a steady rise in in what he termed “folk terror” (also can be translated to ‘popular attacks’) and “lone wolf” attacks. In 2012, there were 683 attacks and in 2014 there were 1,834 attacks. The most significant increase in attacks took place following Operation Protective Edge – last summer’s Gaza war, he said. [Note: For the first time a top member of the Israeli security establishment used a term that is similar to the Palestinian term of ‘popular resistance.’ None of the Hebrew articles explained what the difference was between ‘folk’ attacks (Hebrew: ׳עממי׳) and ‘lone-wolf’ attacks. The Israeli press uses the term ‘lone-wolf’ to refer to acts where the intention is to clearly to kill (by use of a gun, knife or tractor). But Cohen likely used the term ‘folk’ to refer to acts such as stone and Molotov Cocktail throwing, which Israel has recently included in its acts that it calls ‘terror.’ The Arabic word for the term in Hebrew ׳עממי׳, which also translates to ‘popular,’ is how the Palestinians refer to their acts of stone-throwing: ‘popular resistance.’ Interestingly, by using both the terms ‘folk/popular’ and ‘lone-wolf’ in the same sentence, Cohen is differentiating between the two types of acts, as the Palestinians do. Nevertheless, in the count of terror incidents, they were all lumped together. Only Times of Israel noted the first-time use of ‘folk' attacks. – OH]
Maan noted that “an average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with two Israelis killed, compared to an average of 39 Palestinians injured by Israeli forces per week and a total of 13 killed. The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Cohen also said that Hamas is improving its military capabilities in Gaza and that it is less popular in Gaza than before, but maintains control due to people's dependence. A senior IDF source told Maariv’s Noam Amir that this is not an intifada, i.e. a civil uprising. "We perceive the recent events as a continuum rather than an intifada," the unnamed source said. "This continuum was experienced in recent years…The main effort is to interrupt it and we are taking a number of actions." Jewish settlers said the recent shooting ambushes have upset their sense of security in living in the West Bank and they called on the IDF to do more.
Maan reported that Israeli forces and settlers carried out reprisals against Palestinians for the shooting. Soldiers stormed homes in the village of al-Mughayir, which is near the site of the shooting, ransacked homes, "detaining young men haphazardly." Soldiers deployed on every street corner in the village after setting up military checkpoints at its entrances and prevented people from praying at the mosque. Soldiers also stormed the village of Kafr Malik east of Ramallah and the villages of Qusra and Qaryout in southern Nablus.
The other big story was that Netanyahu was forced to go public with his gas plan, which until now he kept under wraps, and Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz tried to present it to the Israeli as a good deal, but the State Comptroller said anyway, no vote should be made on it till he finishes his report about it. Haaretz+ also reported that the
government gas negotiating team failed to keep minutes at the meetings and that the US Embassy called on the MKs of the mostly-Arab Joint List to vote in in favor of Netanyahu’s gas proposal, saying it will enable gas supply to Palestinians and Jordan.
Also in the news, the US State Department said it won’t protect Israeli settlements against a boycott, despite Congress’ efforts to discourage European countries from boycotting Israeli settlements by inserting wording in a US trade bill with the EU.
**From the hallway of the Knesset, Maariv’s Arik Bender brings an interesting conversation between an Arab MK and the Likud MK whose words against Israeli Arabs sparked a storm. Last week, MK Yaron Mazuz (Likud) caused an uproar when he addressed the Arab MKs in the plenum and said: 'We're doing you a favor that you are (allowed to be) here. Tuesday, in a chance meeting in the hall with Arab MK Massoud Ghanaim (Joint List), he said he was not properly understood. Ghanaim told Maariv about the conversation. “He said he lives among Arabs in the Haifa and Krayot area and he knows them well. According to him (Mazuz), he would sell them watermelon and fruit and he had good relations with many Arabs ever since he was a fruit seller in the north. He explained to me that he doesn’t hate Arabs, just the opposite, and even in the Knesset Arabs turn to him for help. He even showed me letters he received from Arab.” At this point, Ghanaim said he told Mazuz, “That’s your job. You are Deputy Interior Minister, you were elected to serve. I also argued with him and told him that in the Knesset plenum he accused us all and when he said we need to say thank you that we are here he referred to all of us. So he said to me that he did not mean all the Arabs, but only those who support terror. I told him that there were no terrorists in the plenum.” During the conversation Mazuz explained to Ghanaim that he was especially sensitive to the subject of terror because a relative was murdered in the big terror attack at the school in Maalot. “I understood from him that he and his family experienced terror,” said Ghanaem. “I understood that this was an attempt to apologize. He understood he went overboard. Also in the Knesset plenum he approached some of us and tried to explain his words, but I will consider forgiving him onlh if he stands on the plenum podium and publicly retracts everything he said. I hope he will have the courage to apologize.” Mazuz’s office confirmed that a relative of Mazuz was murdered in the attack in Maalot in 1974.
Quick Hits:
- >****Anti-Arab graffiti found near Jerusalem (Jewish-Arab) bilingual school - On last day of the school year, children at the Max Rayne Hand in Hand bilingual school arrived to find swastikas, hateful slogans sprayed on the wall. (Haaretz and Photos and Times of Israel)
- Security forces shoot, wound Palestinian at Qalandiya checkpoint - Palestinian did not heed security officer's instructions to stop and began running through vehicle inspection at checkpoint yelling 'Allahu Akbar'. (Ynet, Maan and Maariv)
- Arab Interior Ministry cadets boycott tour of Judea and Samaria - Arab cadets who refused to partake in an Interior Ministry seminar in Judea and Samaria told they would not have to attend • Ministry explains it failed to properly explain program's guidelines, vows to make all tours mandatory when new class enrolls. (Israel Hayom)
- ISIS vows to topple Hamas in Gaza, uproot 'state of the Jews' - In video statement, Islamic State accuses Hamas of being insufficiently stringent about religious enforcement. (Agencies, Haaretz and Maariv)
- Israel's new kamikaze droneVIDEO: Unobservable, invulnerable' K1 suicide UAV shows potential for surgical strikes on terrorists and light vehicles. (Ynet)
- Why do Jewish camps in the U.S. erase the Green Line from maps of Israel? - In contrast, the U.S. government, the UN and major mapmakers use maps that demarcate Israel proper from the Palestinian territories. (Haaretz)
- Israel deports Tunisia ex-president after Gaza flotilla - Israel deported Tunisian ex-president Moncef Marzouki and European parliament member Ana Miranda on Monday after they took part in a flotilla seeking to defy its Gaza blockade, an official said. (Maan)
- Moroccan flotilla to Gaza in next few days - Tunisian ex-president Moncef Marzouki said Tuesday that a Moroccan flotilla will be heading to the Gaza Strip within a few days. Marzouki reached Paris Tuesday morning after he was arrested by Israeli forces on a Swedish flotilla Sunday night. (Maan)
- Police admit they don’t escort ambulances to Palestinian Jerusalem suburbs - Policy has been in place for about a decade; admission included in minutes of meeting between Jerusalem’s police chief and civil rights group. (Haaretz+)
- West Bank settlers suing WZO Settlement Division for overcharging on property fees - Two West Bank residents claim Settlement Department exploits monopoly status in overseeing property registry, charges higher fees than allowed. (Haaretz+)
- Palestinian jailed for Facebook posts rearrested hours after release - Hours after Tareq Qurd, 21, was released on Monday night after a six-month detention for "incitement on Facebook,” and his family held a celebration, Israeli forces rearrested him at his home. (Maan)
- Israeli forces deliver demolition, stop-work orders in southern Hebron - Masafir Yatta's mayor, Othman Jabarin, said the orders were for tin shacks and tents belonging to 10 families in the hamlet of Jinba and that Israeli authorities are planning to confiscate 50,000 dunams (12,500 acres) of private Palestinian land in the area. (Maan)
- US church to divest over Israeli treatment of Palestinians - Delegates call on United Church of Christ's financial arms to sell off stock in any company profiting from 'human rights violations arising from the occupation', ie. any companies with ties to Israeli settlements. Economic impact on Israel expected to be negligible. (Agencies, Haaretz and Ynet)
- 'Arab MKs only care about Gaza, they don't care about murders in the sector' - After four people murdered over the past week in violent incidents in the Arab sector, Israeli Arabs are frustrated at what they perceive as lack of interest from authorities. (Ynet)
- Government panel set to suggest defense budget revisions - Special forum tasked with reviewing budget to endorse setting defense spending at 55 billion shekels. Defense minister, IDF chief expected to oppose cuts. Committee to recommend raising combat soldiers' wages, change career officers' pension plans. (Israel Hayom)
- Initial training begins for David's Sling missile defense system - Six-month course will be led by Defense Ministry's Homa Directorate, which oversees country's missile defense program. Yair Ramati, the head of the Homa Directorate: "The vision outlined a decade ago is becoming a reality." (Israel Hayom)
- Mental health centers in south see dramatic rise in local distress - Eshkol Regional Council Resilience Center staff say 70% of calls come from parents seeking help for children profoundly affected by the trauma of rocket fire and terror tunnels. Number of people seeking help jumped fourfold since recent war with Hamas. (Israel Hayom)
- Germany to invest 500,000 euros in Israeli initiatives - Program launched at Israel-Germany Innovation Day event in Tel Aviv. Merck pharmaceutical company to acquire remaining stake in Jerusalem-based Qlight Nanotech, which will serve as Merck's official research and development center in Israel. (Israel Hayom)
- UNRWA to cut 85 percent of international short-term staff - The UN agency for Palestinian refugees announced Monday that it will cut 85 percent of its international staff on short term contracts in coming months in light of a $100 million deficit. (Maan)
- Hamas shuts down Gaza's sole mobile provider amid tax dispute - While Jawwal offices were closed, Gazans were still able to use their mobile phones and access the Internet - although it was not clear for how much longer. (Agencies, Haaretz and Maan)
- Rainbow flag on West Bank barrier touches nerve for Palestinians - Palestinian protesters paint over a gay pride flag in an act the artist describes as reflective of 'absence of tolerance in Palestinian society.' (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Obama: U.S. will walk away from bad nuclear deal with Iran - Iran and world powers extend nuclear talks until July 7; Diplomats: Iran has complied with a key condition of reducing its stockpile of enriched uranium. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Israel says Syria's Assad may be left with rump state - Defense minister's advisor: War-torn nation is undergoing de facto partition, potentially leading to Assad ruling over a much-reduced 'Alawistan'. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Middle East Updates / At least 3 killed in car bomb attack in western Cairo suburb - Massive Yemen jail break sees over 1,000 escape, including suspected Al-Qaida operatives; ISIS retakes Syrian border town from Kurdish forces; Tunisia beach killer trained with gunmen behind March attack on national museum. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Netanyahu had secret, unconventional treatment for benign prostate enlargement - Twice visited Bnei Brak hospital incognito – once in bakery van, once in exterminator’s van, reports Channel 2. (Haaretz+)
- Yahoo's elite high tech unit arrives in Israel - What brings the participants of Yahoo's exclusive executive training program to Israel? 'Marissa Mayer always believed there is something special about Israel.' (Ynet)
- Jewish history exhibit defaced in Munich - The graffiti, which was discovered Monday, includes Hitler mustaches burned on photographs of rabbis and politicians. The department for politically motivated crimes is investigating, according to local reports. (JTA, Haaretz)
Features:
Life in the ruins of post-war Gaza (Text/Photo/Video online essay)
It was a hardscrabble existence in the Gaza Strip even before last summer’s war. Now, the young dream of emigration and adults despair over ruined homes and lives. Haaretz reports from inside Gaza. (Khaled Diab, Haaretz)
A year after war, Israelis relocate to Gaza area and are loving life
"This place is amazing and there is a different type of security here -- financial security," says Miriam Cohen from Kerem Shalom • "Quality education for the kids and a good environment is something that's hard to find," says Tzion Eliyahu from Nirim. (Yael Branovsky, Israel Hayom)
Commentary/Analysis:
It was a hardscrabble existence in the Gaza Strip even before last summer’s war. Now, the young dream of emigration and adults despair over ruined homes and lives. Haaretz reports from inside Gaza. (Khaled Diab, Haaretz)
A year after war, Israelis relocate to Gaza area and are loving life
"This place is amazing and there is a different type of security here -- financial security," says Miriam Cohen from Kerem Shalom • "Quality education for the kids and a good environment is something that's hard to find," says Tzion Eliyahu from Nirim. (Yael Branovsky, Israel Hayom)
Commentary/Analysis:
In the State of Israel's waning democracy, Arabs are only the first target (Avirama
Golan, Haaretz+) Arab MKs are easy prey, but they are only a means to redefining the pact between
the state and its citizens on the basis of loyalty to the state's purported representatives, the far
right.
Just don’t say Intifada: 11 attacks and two deaths last week (Yossi Melman, Maariv) In a situation where there is no diplomatic horizon, all that remains for the IDF and the Shin Bet is to walk on eggshells until the next incident, or worst of all – until a large-scale explosion.
Detention without trial? All of Gaza is suffering from that (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) The prisoner Khader Adnan is ending his hunger strike, but giving Gazans freedom of movement or letting them export their crops? Forget it.
Israel's defense spending must be restrained (former Likud minister Gideon Sa'ar, Yedioth/Ynet) Investing in education, science, research and higher education and in reducing social gaps is as important for Israel's national security as an ongoing increase in the defense budget.
What last week’s historic changes in America mean for Israel (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Without a two-state solution, Americans will one day embrace one non-Jewish state, in the name of equality.
The campaign that forgot about Gaza (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz) How Netanyahu won re-election despite Israel's costly 2014 ground offensive in Gaza.
What do Israel's Druze want? (Reda Mansour, Yedioth/Ynet) We don’t want a single Israeli soldier to set foot in Syria in order to save the Druze, but we do expect Israel to stop providing medical care to Syrian rebels who have murdered Druze in cold blood.
How Hamas holds onto power (Amira Hass, Haaretz) The Israeli siege makes suppression by Hamas even more effective, because there’s nowhere to escape to.
Israel's deceptive diplomatic success (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz) The long-term effects of the 2014 Gaza war are still being felt: Israel’s international credit is depleted, public opinion has turned hostile and prospects of boycott loom larger than ever.
Combating the new anti-Semitism (Isi Leibler, Israel Hayom) "The War of a Million Cuts" presents a detailed strategy on how to fight anti-Semitism's latest mutation -- the delegitimization of Israel.
The last Gaza war – and the next (Amos Harel, Haaretz) Neither Israel nor Hamas seemingly wants another war this summer. But then, we said the same thing this time last year before Operation Protective Edge.
Caving in to Iran (Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, Israel Hayom) The U.S. is so eager to ink a nuclear deal with Iran, it will most likely find a way to capitulate to more of Tehran's demands.
There’s no escaping Gaza (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Try as it might, Israel cannot ignore the Gaza Strip. The lessons and implications of last summer's Operation Protective Edge remain unheeded, but the unavoidable fact is that the fighting will erupt again and again.
Latest string of attacks points to a Palestinian terror cell, not lone wolves (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) It’s now clear that there is a cell — or two — moving freely about the Ramallah area; it’s also possible the gunmen are tying their efforts to the month of Ramadan.
Trump's real mistake? Not running in Israel. And we've got just the party for him (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) If only he would consider running with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. He would be perfect. He'd fit right in. It's not just the comb-over and the billions. It's the racism.
Just don’t say Intifada: 11 attacks and two deaths last week (Yossi Melman, Maariv) In a situation where there is no diplomatic horizon, all that remains for the IDF and the Shin Bet is to walk on eggshells until the next incident, or worst of all – until a large-scale explosion.
Detention without trial? All of Gaza is suffering from that (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) The prisoner Khader Adnan is ending his hunger strike, but giving Gazans freedom of movement or letting them export their crops? Forget it.
Israel's defense spending must be restrained (former Likud minister Gideon Sa'ar, Yedioth/Ynet) Investing in education, science, research and higher education and in reducing social gaps is as important for Israel's national security as an ongoing increase in the defense budget.
What last week’s historic changes in America mean for Israel (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Without a two-state solution, Americans will one day embrace one non-Jewish state, in the name of equality.
The campaign that forgot about Gaza (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz) How Netanyahu won re-election despite Israel's costly 2014 ground offensive in Gaza.
What do Israel's Druze want? (Reda Mansour, Yedioth/Ynet) We don’t want a single Israeli soldier to set foot in Syria in order to save the Druze, but we do expect Israel to stop providing medical care to Syrian rebels who have murdered Druze in cold blood.
How Hamas holds onto power (Amira Hass, Haaretz) The Israeli siege makes suppression by Hamas even more effective, because there’s nowhere to escape to.
Israel's deceptive diplomatic success (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz) The long-term effects of the 2014 Gaza war are still being felt: Israel’s international credit is depleted, public opinion has turned hostile and prospects of boycott loom larger than ever.
Combating the new anti-Semitism (Isi Leibler, Israel Hayom) "The War of a Million Cuts" presents a detailed strategy on how to fight anti-Semitism's latest mutation -- the delegitimization of Israel.
The last Gaza war – and the next (Amos Harel, Haaretz) Neither Israel nor Hamas seemingly wants another war this summer. But then, we said the same thing this time last year before Operation Protective Edge.
Caving in to Iran (Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, Israel Hayom) The U.S. is so eager to ink a nuclear deal with Iran, it will most likely find a way to capitulate to more of Tehran's demands.
There’s no escaping Gaza (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Try as it might, Israel cannot ignore the Gaza Strip. The lessons and implications of last summer's Operation Protective Edge remain unheeded, but the unavoidable fact is that the fighting will erupt again and again.
Latest string of attacks points to a Palestinian terror cell, not lone wolves (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) It’s now clear that there is a cell — or two — moving freely about the Ramallah area; it’s also possible the gunmen are tying their efforts to the month of Ramadan.
Trump's real mistake? Not running in Israel. And we've got just the party for him (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) If only he would consider running with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. He would be perfect. He'd fit right in. It's not just the comb-over and the billions. It's the racism.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.