APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday August 9, 2015
Quote of the day:
“Which do you prefer burning: a church or a baby?”
103FM Radio talk show hosts ‘Shai and Dror’ ask Beni Gopstein director of racist right-wing organization Lehava in a surprise phone call after Palestinian baby burned to death in arson attack and Gopstein says he believes churches need to be burned.
103FM Radio talk show hosts ‘Shai and Dror’ ask Beni Gopstein director of racist right-wing organization Lehava in a surprise phone call after Palestinian baby burned to death in arson attack and Gopstein says he believes churches need to be burned.
You Must Be Kidding:
"I can deliver a message to Ruby Rivlin: you can sleep peacefully at night…Nobody is going to kill him. He is not important enough for someone to kill him."
-- Daniella Weiss, a settler activist and supporter of hilltop youth believed to be behind murder of Palestinian baby and father, 'reassures' Israeli President he doesn't need to worry about threats to his life.
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Attack in Duma: Father of family died from his wounds [Main photo: Female relatives of Dawabshe relatives crying; Small photo: Saad Dawabsheh]
- Fear for life of (Palestinian) in administrative detention, who is 51st day of hunger-strike; Dozens of prisoners began hunger-striking
- Government committee: Supervision over gas would have lowered the price by a third
- Senior Democratic senator announced he would oppose nuclear agreement: “The danger is too great”
- The Republican debate: Trump opened front against women, which could signal the beginning of his crash
- Soldiers obligated to participate in ceremony for a Torah introduction in honor of a donor
- Light-rail works: Maariv junction to be closed Thursday evening
- Instead of Hotline 100, sending WhatsApp message to Police
- Right to nature // Haaretz Editorial
- The reason for the laxity // Eli Bachar
- Price of government’s submission to Israel Chemicals Co.: Hundreds of millions of shekels a year
Yedioth Ahronoth
- “I’m not responsible for the lives of the (Iranian) nuclear scientists” – Defense Minister Yaalon opposes nuclear agreement and sends threat to Iran
- Sting from Obama – President on Netanyahu: Don’t remember intervention in US by a foreign leader ever
- Alert for revenge attacks – Saad Dawabshe, father of baby that burned to death, died of his wounds and Hamas threatening
- Standing at the finish line – Defense Minister expected to declare who is new Police Commissioner
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Hamas calls for ‘all-out-war’ against Israel [sic against settlers – OH] – to avenge death of Saad Dawabshe, who was injured in arson on his family’s home in Duma village
- Deceptive calm // Yossi Melman
- “I’m not responsible for the lives of (Iran’s) nuclear scientists” – Defense Minister Yaalon hints to Iran
- All the President’s people - Hundreds participated in Kabbalat Shabbat outside President’s Residence as sign of support for the threatened President
- Map of the new traffic jams of Tel-Aviv
Israel Hayom
- Highest alert in Judea and Samaria – Security establishment fears wave of violence following death of Saad Dawabshe, father of baby Ali, who was murdered in Duma village
- Blow to Obama: Democratic Senator Schumer announced – “opposes agreement”
- Mr. President – Iran is the enemy, not Israel // Boaz Bismuth
- Price of the heat wave: Baby died after dehydrating
- Ahead of the appointment (of the new Police Commissioner)
- Suspicion: Senior doctor molested patient
News Summary:
Israeli security forces are on high alert after the father of the Palestinian baby who burned alive succumbs to his own burn wounds, Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon threatens Iranian nuclear scientists, US President Barack Obama ‘stings’ Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Israeli public is divided between support and threats for their own President, Reuven Rivlin, making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Hamas called for an 'open and comprehensive confrontation against the occupation', after Sa'ad Dawabsheh, 31, of Duma succumbed to wounds inflicted by an arson attack by suspected Jewish terrorists. [Ynet Hebrew has numerous photos and videos from the house in mourning and the demonstrations after the funeral.) Thousands of Palestinians attended Dawabsheh's funeral in Duma Saturday, many rallying afterwards and saying the arson was “because of Israel’s silence.”“The Israeli terrorists burned 15 homes and not a single terrorist was arrested. Those who support and subsidize the settlement enterprise create a comfortable atmosphere for these terrorists to continue to burn and to kill. Instead of cutting down trees, they burn people. The State of Judea is the legitimate son of the State of Israel,” said MK Ahmed Tibi in a eulogy, Maariv reported. Indeed, former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin accused the government of not wanting to deal with Jewish terror. In a Facebook post similar to Tibi’s eulogy, he wrote that a lawless State of Judea is forming in the West Bank, and that the extremists are more dangerous than many think and law enforcement is 'shockingly weak' against them. Haaretz+s settlements correspondent Chaim Levinson wrote a feature called “Meet the Jewish extremist group that seeks to violently topple the state.” Haaretz+ also reported that Mordechai Meyer, the Jewish extremist in Israeli administrative detention on suspicion of involvement in a Jewish terror group, is a US citizen.
Dawabshe’s injured four-year-old son, Ahmed, is off the respirator system, but his wife, Riham, is still in critical condition.
A Hamas official in Qatar called for an all-out-war in the West Bank. Maariv wrote that it was a war against the settlers. “Saed Dawabsheh's death emphasizes the magnitude of the crime the Zionists committed against the family. The resistance in the West Bank has turned into a privilege, an obligation, and the way to protect ourselves," Ynet quoted ‘a Hamas statement.’ "The only thing that deters the settlers is an offensive initiative and not waiting until they reach our villages and homes. We have no choice left [in the West Bank – 'West Bank' was not translated from the Hebrew article – OH] but to start an all-out war against Israel." Maariv’s Arab affairs correspondent Yasser Ukbi translated the last word to ‘occupation,’ not ‘Israel.’ [Ynet English also did not write that the statement was actually a Facebook post by senior Hamas member Hossam Badran, writing from Qatar. – OH] Ynet Hebrew has numerous photos and video from the funeral and the clashes that took place afterward. Ynet Hebrew reported that no Palestinian Authority officials attended the funeral, only Hamas people, but Maan reported that many Palestinian officials attended.
Meanwhile, Yedioth and Maariv reported that hundreds of Israelis showed their support for President Reuven Rivlin after other Israelis threatened his life on social media networks after he said that ‘People of his nation committed terror." Some translated the sentence as meaning “The people of his nation committed terror,” but he has since said that was not what he meant. A ‘kabbalat Shabbat’ was held outside his official residence Friday evening as a sign of support. He said he was ‘moved.’ That night on the Channel One news program, a settler leader and activist, Daniella Weiss, who is supportive of the ‘hilltop youth’ who are believed to be behind the Dawabsheh murder, refused to condemn the murders, said the arson attack on the Dawabsheh family was a ‘Shin-Bet conspiracy.' But most significantly, Weiss said that Rivlin did not need to worry about his life. “He isn’t important enough to kill,” she said.
MK Yaakov Peri, a former Shin Bet chief, said she should be indicted for incitement to murder.
Israeli security forces are on high alert after the father of the Palestinian baby who burned alive succumbs to his own burn wounds, Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon threatens Iranian nuclear scientists, US President Barack Obama ‘stings’ Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Israeli public is divided between support and threats for their own President, Reuven Rivlin, making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Hamas called for an 'open and comprehensive confrontation against the occupation', after Sa'ad Dawabsheh, 31, of Duma succumbed to wounds inflicted by an arson attack by suspected Jewish terrorists. [Ynet Hebrew has numerous photos and videos from the house in mourning and the demonstrations after the funeral.) Thousands of Palestinians attended Dawabsheh's funeral in Duma Saturday, many rallying afterwards and saying the arson was “because of Israel’s silence.”“The Israeli terrorists burned 15 homes and not a single terrorist was arrested. Those who support and subsidize the settlement enterprise create a comfortable atmosphere for these terrorists to continue to burn and to kill. Instead of cutting down trees, they burn people. The State of Judea is the legitimate son of the State of Israel,” said MK Ahmed Tibi in a eulogy, Maariv reported. Indeed, former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin accused the government of not wanting to deal with Jewish terror. In a Facebook post similar to Tibi’s eulogy, he wrote that a lawless State of Judea is forming in the West Bank, and that the extremists are more dangerous than many think and law enforcement is 'shockingly weak' against them. Haaretz+s settlements correspondent Chaim Levinson wrote a feature called “Meet the Jewish extremist group that seeks to violently topple the state.” Haaretz+ also reported that Mordechai Meyer, the Jewish extremist in Israeli administrative detention on suspicion of involvement in a Jewish terror group, is a US citizen.
Dawabshe’s injured four-year-old son, Ahmed, is off the respirator system, but his wife, Riham, is still in critical condition.
A Hamas official in Qatar called for an all-out-war in the West Bank. Maariv wrote that it was a war against the settlers. “Saed Dawabsheh's death emphasizes the magnitude of the crime the Zionists committed against the family. The resistance in the West Bank has turned into a privilege, an obligation, and the way to protect ourselves," Ynet quoted ‘a Hamas statement.’ "The only thing that deters the settlers is an offensive initiative and not waiting until they reach our villages and homes. We have no choice left [in the West Bank – 'West Bank' was not translated from the Hebrew article – OH] but to start an all-out war against Israel." Maariv’s Arab affairs correspondent Yasser Ukbi translated the last word to ‘occupation,’ not ‘Israel.’ [Ynet English also did not write that the statement was actually a Facebook post by senior Hamas member Hossam Badran, writing from Qatar. – OH] Ynet Hebrew has numerous photos and video from the funeral and the clashes that took place afterward. Ynet Hebrew reported that no Palestinian Authority officials attended the funeral, only Hamas people, but Maan reported that many Palestinian officials attended.
Meanwhile, Yedioth and Maariv reported that hundreds of Israelis showed their support for President Reuven Rivlin after other Israelis threatened his life on social media networks after he said that ‘People of his nation committed terror." Some translated the sentence as meaning “The people of his nation committed terror,” but he has since said that was not what he meant. A ‘kabbalat Shabbat’ was held outside his official residence Friday evening as a sign of support. He said he was ‘moved.’ That night on the Channel One news program, a settler leader and activist, Daniella Weiss, who is supportive of the ‘hilltop youth’ who are believed to be behind the Dawabsheh murder, refused to condemn the murders, said the arson attack on the Dawabsheh family was a ‘Shin-Bet conspiracy.' But most significantly, Weiss said that Rivlin did not need to worry about his life. “He isn’t important enough to kill,” she said.
MK Yaakov Peri, a former Shin Bet chief, said she should be indicted for incitement to murder.
Quick Hits:
- Red Cross: Life of hunger-striking Palestinian at 'immediate risk' - Lawyer of Mohammed Allaan says Israeli army to seek court order to force feed him; Allaan's mother begins own hunger strike. (Haaretz+)
- Lawyer: Israel set to force feed Palestinian prisoner - After 55 days without food, hunger striker and Islamic Jihad suspect Mohammed Allaan may be first Palestinian force fed under new Israeli law. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Dozens of Palestinian security prisoners launch hunger strike - Dozens more expected to join strike on Sunday, in protest against treatment and conditions in Israeli prisoner. (Haaretz+)
- Rocket explodes in Israel's south, near Gaza border - Sirens did not go off Friday as the blast took place far from residential areas; Salafist group takes responsibility for rocket fire. (Haaretz)
- IAF strikes Hamas target in Gaza hours after rocket fire - Code red sirens remained silent earlier as rocket landed less than one kilometer from border fence; second projectile apparently fired, landed inside Gaza. (Ynet)
- Unexploded Israeli bomb reportedly kills 4 in Gaza - Around 30 wounded in Rafah Thursday after dud leftover from Gaza conflict blew up during attempts to clear debris left over from the fighting. (Haaretz)
- Catholic Church heads in Israel file complaint against extremist group chief for incitement - Complaint voices deep concern over rise in hate crimes, attacks against Christian holy sites; Vatican has been appraised of statements by Lehava chief Benzi Gopstein. (Haaretz+)
- Jewish, Arab terrorists should be treated equally, Israelis believe - Some 84% of Jewish Israelis believe "terrorism is terrorism," regardless of whether perpetrators are Jews or Arabs. 3% believe Jewish terrorists should be punished more severely than other terrorists, while 6% feel they should be treated more leniently. (Israel Hayom)
- 57% of respondents do not agree with Rivlin, who said: "My people have chosen the path of terrorism" - According to the survey conducted for the Knesset Channel and published in the "open studio", only 39% agree with the statement. The survey also found that 49% believe that Jews were behind the murder of Duma village and 22% believe Arabs were behind the attack. 55% support administrative detention for Jews, 27% oppose. 47% believe that both right-wing and left-wing politicians are equally responsible for creating an atmosphere that encourages hate crimes, 25% believe only the right-wing are responsible and 19% believed that only the left-wing were responsible. (Maariv)
- Special $90 million grant for West Bank settlements included in new budget - The allocation, which was part of the coalition agreements, will be distributed by the Defense and Transport ministries. (Haaretz+)
- Netanyahu cancels visit to Arab city Sakhnin amid uproar from residents - PM scheduled to attend opening of new medical center in Sakhnin, but residents took to social media to protest 'visit of the children murderer Netanyahu'. They still remember Netanyahu's controversial remarks on election day, when he made last-ditch attempt to rally his supporters by (race-baiting). (Ynet)
- Netanyahu thwarts Shaked's plan to divide attorney general's role - Justice minister wants to split AG's authorities into roles of public prosecutor and chief legal counsel to government, but PM says such a move would harm AG's abilities to fulfill his duties. (Ynet)
- 'Suspicious' vehicle leads to closure of Ayalon Highway - Two passengers, Palestinian women from Gaza, detained for questioning after reportedly refusing to cooperate with police during security check. (Haaretz)
- Government passes budget after last-minute deal making - After a long day of debating, nearly all the government's ministers fall in line resulting in approval of a biannual budget; Defense Minister Ya'alon abstains due to demand that the Locker Committee findings be implemented. (Ynet)
- Sen. Chuck Schumer announces his opposition to the deal with Iran - U.S. Representative Eliot Engel, top democrat on U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced he will oppose Iran nuclear deal. (Haaretz)
- Hoenlein criticizes Netanyahu's call on American Jews to oppose Iran deal - 'The Israeli government should not be telling U.S Jews what they should do vis-a-vis their government,' says Conference of Presidents chief. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli soldiers told to attend Torah introduction in honor of U.S. donor's son - Torah was being introduced at base's synagogue in honor of the son's Bar Mitzvah; army says ceremony was a military event, approved according to Israel Defense Forces protocol. (Haaretz+)
- Poster wars: Jerusalem broadsheets support and oppose pride parade stabber - After posters praising Yishai Shlissel appear in haredi neighborhoods, posters condemning attack are hung, reflecting tension between radical fringe and 'silent majority' opposing violence. (Ynet)
- Palestine Cup soccer final delayed after Israel bars Gaza players from traveling to West Bank - The Gaza team must cross the Israeli border to reach the West Bank city of Hebron, where Sunday's game was set to take place. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Justice Ministry is paying disgraced pathologist to be expert witness - Yehuda Hiss was forced to leave his post at Israel's only forensic medicine institute in 2012, with the state paying out $920,000 to date to families whose loved ones' body tissue was unlawfully kept there. (Haaretz+)
- Report: Farewell party for outgoing IDF chief cost over $150,000 - $56,000 was spent on a specially commissioned film for Benny Gantz, while the Tel Aviv venue for the 1,000 or so guests cost a further $29,000. (Haaretz)
- X-Men Director Bryan Singer Developing Documentary on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Singer's film to follow Israeli-Arab activist fighting for coexistence, Variety reports. (Haaretz)
- Iran rejects accusations about military site as 'lies' - US think tank says movement of vehicles near Parchin does not appear like road work, as Tehran claims, but rather attempts to clean up site before IAEA inspectors arrive. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Iran: Quds chief visited Russia despite UN travel ban - Iranian source says head of the Revolutionary Guards' elite Quds Force met Putin in Russia, where they reportedly discussed complex missile systems delivery. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Indonesia Hampers Israeli Badminton Player's Way to World Championship - Misha Zilberman says applied for visa 6 months ago, but immigration department says request is still being processed. (Haaretz)
- Mysterious Ancient Mikveh With Aramaic Graffiti Found While Building a School in Jerusalem - Second Temple-era ritual bath found after a stone suddenly vanished into an unknown underground cave. The 2,000-year old writing also began to vanish the second it was exposed. (Haaretz)
Features:
Israeli army demolishes 260th structure in the West Bank in 2015 - For the IDF bulldozers, it
was just another day at the office. For Rashid Dabak, 61, it was the demolition of his modest home. (Haaretz+)
PT. 7: ‘Isaac and Ishmael are brothers’ – Otniel yeshiva and The Field, Gush Etzion bloc, Winter 2015
Walking the Green Line: 48 years of occupation
It is now 48 years since the Six-Day War, a short military campaign with long-term consequences for Israel and the Palestinians. Writer Nir Baram spent a year meeting people on both sides of the Green Line. (Nir Baram, Haaretz+)
Surprise call to director of Lehava (racist right-wing religious organization): “What do you prefer burning: a church or a baby?”
After recordings were heard in which Lehava director Bentzi Gopstein responded positively to question whether churches (in the Land of Israel) should be burned, the 103FM radio talk show hosts ‘Shai and Dror’ decide to hear his version. Gopstein avoids question and says Arab MKs should be asked about terror. Listen in Hebrew. (Maariv)
The Americans who aren't allowed to visit Israel
U.S. citizens of Palestinian origin are routinely humiliated upon entry to Israel, yet representatives of their country refuse to come to their aid. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+)
Why Did Palestinian Jaffa Fall More Quickly Than Jerusalem in 1948?
New and pioneering work sheds light on these similar yet different cities in their war against the Jewish community and the State of Israel. (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
PT. 7: ‘Isaac and Ishmael are brothers’ – Otniel yeshiva and The Field, Gush Etzion bloc, Winter 2015
Walking the Green Line: 48 years of occupation
It is now 48 years since the Six-Day War, a short military campaign with long-term consequences for Israel and the Palestinians. Writer Nir Baram spent a year meeting people on both sides of the Green Line. (Nir Baram, Haaretz+)
Surprise call to director of Lehava (racist right-wing religious organization): “What do you prefer burning: a church or a baby?”
After recordings were heard in which Lehava director Bentzi Gopstein responded positively to question whether churches (in the Land of Israel) should be burned, the 103FM radio talk show hosts ‘Shai and Dror’ decide to hear his version. Gopstein avoids question and says Arab MKs should be asked about terror. Listen in Hebrew. (Maariv)
The Americans who aren't allowed to visit Israel
U.S. citizens of Palestinian origin are routinely humiliated upon entry to Israel, yet representatives of their country refuse to come to their aid. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+)
Why Did Palestinian Jaffa Fall More Quickly Than Jerusalem in 1948?
New and pioneering work sheds light on these similar yet different cities in their war against the Jewish community and the State of Israel. (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Accept the other? Actually, what Israel needs is humane behavior (Avi Sagi, Haaretz+) Under the mechanism of rejecting and including, ‘others’ are judged, marked,
restricted and arranged in a hierarchical order in relation to the ‘I.’
Deceptive quiet: Jewish terrorism may lead to a large fire in the West Bank (Yossi Melman, Maariv) No illusions: Even though the funeral cortege of Saad Dawabsheh passed quietly, the Palestinians will not accept further terror attacks by settlers.
True Judaism Will Kill Us if We Don’t Reject It in Time (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) This religion did not survive by remaining true to its roots. It deliberately lost its authenticity and assimilated and adapted and evolved.
Fanning the flames of hate (Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom) With little specific evidence to tie recent acts of terrorism and hate crimes against Palestinians and Christians to Jewish extremists, Israel's security apparatus and rabbis and educators in the settler community are at their wits' end.
Stopping the nuclear deal won’t halt the funding of regional terror (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) One of the reasons Israel says sanctions should be maintained against Iran is that, otherwise, it will provide a financial bonanza to the likes of Hezbollah and Hamas. But most of their funding already comes from other countries with ties to Israel.
It's not American Jewry's responsibility to save Israel from Iran deal (Former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy, Yedioth/Ynet) It would be a historic mistake to push US Jews into a corner, and force them to choose between the trust and respect they have for their president, and answering the cry for help coming from Jerusalem.
The Iran accord: Not what you thought (Shemuel Meir, Haaretz) A detailed analysis of the Vienna deal shows that there is no basis for the dramatic scenario posited by Netanyahu.
Jewish terrorists are bad weeds in our own backyard (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Zionism bred not just a Jewish thief, as Herzl predicted, but also a Jewish Nazi. Abraham asked for only ten righteous men to save Sodom. For us, it's the other way around. Because of fractions of evil, we are all made evil.
Israel and Egypt need Hamas on their side (Ari Heistein, Haaretz+) It is in the interest of regional stability for Saudi Arabia to pull Hamas into its orbit and isolate ISIS-affiliated Wilayat Sina' in Sinai.
It is time to look within (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) If we ignore the fact that the Jewish terrorists we are so quick to condemn came from our midst, we will lose the battle. It is much easier to weed them out when they are few and young than after they set down roots and spread.
Forget Iran - Bibi just wants to humiliate Obama on his own turf (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Since the world won't be bound by what Congress decides on the Iran deal, someone in the PM's cabinet should wake up and ask whether he isn’t dragging Israel into a dangerous place with his off-the-rails conduct.
The shteitel complex: Netanyahu presents Israel as if it were a weak Jewish town in Europe (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) The Prime Minister also fudges the truth and refrains from criticizing the other world powers, besides the US, which signed the nuclear agreement and are eager to implement it.
Israel’s new plan for dealing with Jewish terrorists is all wrong (Asher Schechter, Haaretz+) When there’s so much hatred in the air, terrorism – whether it be Jewish or Palestinian – will always prevail.
Does Israel's president want to be FW de Klerk or Shimon Peres? (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Is anyone else in Israel expressing such courageous truth as the president, Reuven Rivlin? If he wants to make history, though, he must keep going on the road to freedom for all.
Detainment without trial is a slippery slope (Yitzhak Laor, Haaretz+) So, the Shin Bet has introduced administrative detainment for Jewish extremists. What are the odds on it extending to Arabs from Galilee next?
What does Benjamin Netanyahu really want? (Yonit Levi and Udi Segal, Haaretz+) The Israeli prime minister is determined not to go down in history as the leader who moved an inch with regard to the Iran nuclear deal.
Improving ties between India and Israel (Prof. Efraim Inbar, Israel Hayom) One important lesson from India's behavior is that the fears of international isolation among Israelis are greatly exaggerated.
Iran is not an 'existential' threat to Israel - no matter what Netanyahu claims (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) There are good reasons to worry about Iran's rising power and legitimate questions about a nuclear deal. But it is not Nazi Germany.
Our hands did not shed this blood (Emily Amrousi, Israel Hayom) The horrific deaths of Shira and of Ali -- may God avenge their young lives -- are not an opportunity to acquire political capital.
Benjamin Netanyahu is a danger to Israel (Yoel Marcus, Haaretz+) The prime minister bears responsibility for everything bad that happens among us and around us.
They will not forget nor forgive: The real battle between Netanyahu and Obama is still ahead (Prof. Cielo Rosenberg, Maariv) Even if the unthinkable happens and Netanyahu's struggle against the nuclear agreement succeeds, American politics towards Israel after foiling the agreement may turn out to be dangerous for us.
A prime minister’s confession (Yossi Sarid, Haaretz+) Spend the evening with Benjamin Netanyahu as he ponders his next cabinet meeting and whatever happened to his dreams of greatness.
‘Handful,’ ‘wild weeds’ — the right is still putting a spin on murder (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) One cabinet member talked about 'a marginal anarchist group,' while another mentioned a mere 'handful.' But the culprits are from the center of the action.
Kerry's dangerous fantasy (Yoram Ettinger, Israel Hayom) Washington will soon realize the consequences of its Iranian adventure, Saudi media figures warn.
The 'enlightened' Israeli public is anything but (Benny Ziffer, Haaretz+) Recent events, in particular the tragic murder at the Jerusalem Pride Parade, will make a lot more sense if we rid ourselves of a number of myths that people use to flatter themselves.
Proud in the ‘State of Tel Aviv’ (Avner Bernheimer, Haaretz+) In the face of two horrific murders committed in the name of God, we must stand up for a secular, humanistic, and pluralistic culture.
Obama Accused of Using Dark, Nasty Stuff’ Against Jewish Critics Like Schumer (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The NY senator’s intention to vote against Iran deal unleashes hints of anti-Semitism on social media – and wild counter-accusations against the president in a Tablet Magazine editorial.
When It Comes to Jewish Connections, Trump Trumps His GOP Competitors (Uriel Heilman, Haaretz+) Not only is the outspoken Republican U.S. presidential candidate's right-hand man a Jewish lawyer, but Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, converted to Judaism.
Deceptive quiet: Jewish terrorism may lead to a large fire in the West Bank (Yossi Melman, Maariv) No illusions: Even though the funeral cortege of Saad Dawabsheh passed quietly, the Palestinians will not accept further terror attacks by settlers.
True Judaism Will Kill Us if We Don’t Reject It in Time (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) This religion did not survive by remaining true to its roots. It deliberately lost its authenticity and assimilated and adapted and evolved.
Fanning the flames of hate (Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom) With little specific evidence to tie recent acts of terrorism and hate crimes against Palestinians and Christians to Jewish extremists, Israel's security apparatus and rabbis and educators in the settler community are at their wits' end.
Stopping the nuclear deal won’t halt the funding of regional terror (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) One of the reasons Israel says sanctions should be maintained against Iran is that, otherwise, it will provide a financial bonanza to the likes of Hezbollah and Hamas. But most of their funding already comes from other countries with ties to Israel.
It's not American Jewry's responsibility to save Israel from Iran deal (Former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy, Yedioth/Ynet) It would be a historic mistake to push US Jews into a corner, and force them to choose between the trust and respect they have for their president, and answering the cry for help coming from Jerusalem.
The Iran accord: Not what you thought (Shemuel Meir, Haaretz) A detailed analysis of the Vienna deal shows that there is no basis for the dramatic scenario posited by Netanyahu.
Jewish terrorists are bad weeds in our own backyard (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Zionism bred not just a Jewish thief, as Herzl predicted, but also a Jewish Nazi. Abraham asked for only ten righteous men to save Sodom. For us, it's the other way around. Because of fractions of evil, we are all made evil.
Israel and Egypt need Hamas on their side (Ari Heistein, Haaretz+) It is in the interest of regional stability for Saudi Arabia to pull Hamas into its orbit and isolate ISIS-affiliated Wilayat Sina' in Sinai.
It is time to look within (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) If we ignore the fact that the Jewish terrorists we are so quick to condemn came from our midst, we will lose the battle. It is much easier to weed them out when they are few and young than after they set down roots and spread.
Forget Iran - Bibi just wants to humiliate Obama on his own turf (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Since the world won't be bound by what Congress decides on the Iran deal, someone in the PM's cabinet should wake up and ask whether he isn’t dragging Israel into a dangerous place with his off-the-rails conduct.
The shteitel complex: Netanyahu presents Israel as if it were a weak Jewish town in Europe (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) The Prime Minister also fudges the truth and refrains from criticizing the other world powers, besides the US, which signed the nuclear agreement and are eager to implement it.
Israel’s new plan for dealing with Jewish terrorists is all wrong (Asher Schechter, Haaretz+) When there’s so much hatred in the air, terrorism – whether it be Jewish or Palestinian – will always prevail.
Does Israel's president want to be FW de Klerk or Shimon Peres? (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Is anyone else in Israel expressing such courageous truth as the president, Reuven Rivlin? If he wants to make history, though, he must keep going on the road to freedom for all.
Detainment without trial is a slippery slope (Yitzhak Laor, Haaretz+) So, the Shin Bet has introduced administrative detainment for Jewish extremists. What are the odds on it extending to Arabs from Galilee next?
What does Benjamin Netanyahu really want? (Yonit Levi and Udi Segal, Haaretz+) The Israeli prime minister is determined not to go down in history as the leader who moved an inch with regard to the Iran nuclear deal.
Improving ties between India and Israel (Prof. Efraim Inbar, Israel Hayom) One important lesson from India's behavior is that the fears of international isolation among Israelis are greatly exaggerated.
Iran is not an 'existential' threat to Israel - no matter what Netanyahu claims (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) There are good reasons to worry about Iran's rising power and legitimate questions about a nuclear deal. But it is not Nazi Germany.
Our hands did not shed this blood (Emily Amrousi, Israel Hayom) The horrific deaths of Shira and of Ali -- may God avenge their young lives -- are not an opportunity to acquire political capital.
Benjamin Netanyahu is a danger to Israel (Yoel Marcus, Haaretz+) The prime minister bears responsibility for everything bad that happens among us and around us.
They will not forget nor forgive: The real battle between Netanyahu and Obama is still ahead (Prof. Cielo Rosenberg, Maariv) Even if the unthinkable happens and Netanyahu's struggle against the nuclear agreement succeeds, American politics towards Israel after foiling the agreement may turn out to be dangerous for us.
A prime minister’s confession (Yossi Sarid, Haaretz+) Spend the evening with Benjamin Netanyahu as he ponders his next cabinet meeting and whatever happened to his dreams of greatness.
‘Handful,’ ‘wild weeds’ — the right is still putting a spin on murder (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) One cabinet member talked about 'a marginal anarchist group,' while another mentioned a mere 'handful.' But the culprits are from the center of the action.
Kerry's dangerous fantasy (Yoram Ettinger, Israel Hayom) Washington will soon realize the consequences of its Iranian adventure, Saudi media figures warn.
The 'enlightened' Israeli public is anything but (Benny Ziffer, Haaretz+) Recent events, in particular the tragic murder at the Jerusalem Pride Parade, will make a lot more sense if we rid ourselves of a number of myths that people use to flatter themselves.
Proud in the ‘State of Tel Aviv’ (Avner Bernheimer, Haaretz+) In the face of two horrific murders committed in the name of God, we must stand up for a secular, humanistic, and pluralistic culture.
Obama Accused of Using Dark, Nasty Stuff’ Against Jewish Critics Like Schumer (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) The NY senator’s intention to vote against Iran deal unleashes hints of anti-Semitism on social media – and wild counter-accusations against the president in a Tablet Magazine editorial.
When It Comes to Jewish Connections, Trump Trumps His GOP Competitors (Uriel Heilman, Haaretz+) Not only is the outspoken Republican U.S. presidential candidate's right-hand man a Jewish lawyer, but Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, converted to Judaism.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.