APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday November 8, 2015
Quote of the day:
“What urgently needs renovations is the work ethic of Israeli spokespersons and the relations between
the White House and The Prime Minister’s Office. In reverse order, of course."
--Maariv’s political affairs reporter Dana Somberg wrote after the Israeli embassy in Washington told her that the reason that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was not invited to stay at the White House’s luxurious guest house was because “it is undergoing renovations.” Somberg checked and found that other state leaders had recently been guests there.
--Maariv’s political affairs reporter Dana Somberg wrote after the Israeli embassy in Washington told her that the reason that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was not invited to stay at the White House’s luxurious guest house was because “it is undergoing renovations.” Somberg checked and found that other state leaders had recently been guests there.
You Must Be Kidding:
53%
--Percentage of Israelis who believe that one must kill a Palestinian who attacked an Israeli even if he were already caught and no longer posed a danger to anyone.
Breaking News:
Four wounded in West Bank car attack, one wounded in knife attack
Palestinian driver shot dead by Border Police after ramming car into crowd of Israelis in West Bank, Tapuah junction; an Israeli security guard was lightly wounded when stabbed by a Palestinian woman at the West Bank settlement of Beitar Illit. He shot her moderately wounding her, both were hospitalized. (Ynet, Israel Hayom and Haaretz)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Escalation in Hebron: Two shooting attacks within hours; Netanyahu to present Obama with package of gestures towards Palestinians
- Next step: Collective punishment // Amos Harel
- Not ‘Why Hebron,’ why now? // Amira Hass
- In Obama administration, talk about one state // Barak Ravid
- Special to Haaretz: Israel Peace Conference
- French Foreign Minister: Who thought that it is possible to manage a failed status quo
- German Foreign Minister: Only the establishment of a Palestinian state will assure your security
- US intelligence sources: We intercepted talks between ISIS activists in Egypt and Syria who were boasting about downing the Russian plane
- Fifth president of Israel, Yitzhak Navon, died
- Asylum seeker killed and five wounded from shooting when crossing into Israel
- The candidates for the position of head of anti-trust authority asked about merging Golan Telecom and a large cellular company
- Thousands demonstrated against gas (monopoly) agreement
- The serial embarrasser // Haaretz Editorial
- What will Miri Regev discover when she listens for two days to Army Radio
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The man who knew how to be everyone’s President – Fifth President, Yitzhak Navon, will be laid to rest today
- My father // Naama Navon
- Love story // Nahum Barnea
- Marched with the country // Ruvi Rivlin
- Sephardi noble // Eli Amir
- Rivlin’s associates for ministers: vote against Baratz’s appointment
- “I want to be Chief of Staff” – “No terrorist is going to ruin my plan,” said Sgt. Orel Ozeri, recovering from car-ramming attack near Kibbutz Gan Shmuel
- Thousands demonstrated against approval of gas agreement
- Now let them pay – Sever Plocker on the sale of Golan Telecom and on the death of the cellular reform
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Parting from a loved one – Yitzhak Navon 1921-2015
- Summit in Washington: lowering expectations
- Fear in security establishment: attacks by sharpshooters will escalate the wave of terror
- Thousands demonstrated in streets of country against gas agreement: “The public smells a dirty deal”; Eight arrested
- The father took revenge eight years later – killed son of man who ran over and killed his own son
Israel Hayom
- Yitzhak Navon, 1921-2015
- Man of honor – who was worthy of honor // Dan Margalit
- President Navon: Warm, popular and moral // Gideon Alon
- Good news for soldiers: Soon, free travel on trains also on Sundays
- “I understood that I have a responsibility for the lives of citizens” – The young man who jumped over the injured woman to attack the terrorist in Rishon L’tsion is an expert at krav maga, and responds to his detractors
- Today: PM leaves for Washington; Will meet President Obama tomorrow
- Crash of the Russian plane in Sinai: Black box indicates explosion before crash
News Summary:
News
The death of Israel’s popular fifth president, the NYT’s report that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu won’t be receiving what he hoped from his meeting with US President Barack Obama and the violent demonstration against the Netanyahu-backed gas monopoly agreement were top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, among the weekend attacks and alleged attacks by Palestinians against Israeli security services and citizens, was one involving a 72-year-old woman, which sparked a storm among Palestinians on social media networks.
According to Haaretz and Maariv, Netanyahu will unveil new gestures towards the Palestinians, in his talks with Obama. The papers quoted the NY Times, which reported that the Obama has no intention of giving Netanyahu the $2 billion a year increase he had wanted in military aid. Maariv’s Dana Somberg writes that the US will focus the talks on how to build confidence between the Palestinians and Israelis, lower the tension and violence and avoiding moves in settlements, but not on returning to talks. Maariv also noted that Netanyahu is getting the “cold shoulder” from the US President: He and his delegation won’t be hosted at Blair House, the White House’s luxury guest house. They will have to stay in a hotel. The Israeli Embassy in the US said it was because "the building is being renovated.”
On Friday, thousands of Jews entered Hebron and visited the Cave of the Patriarchs to mark a religious day and two shooting attacks took place injuring Israelis. Someone opened fire shooting two religious Jewish teens near the entrance to the site holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians. The assailant escaped. And, a 16-year-old Palestinian was arrested and allegedly admitted to shooting an Israeli soldier in a separate shooting attack.
Also on Friday, an Israeli man was seriously wounded after being stabbed by a Palestinian at Shaarei Binyamin industrial park near Ramallah. The attacker posted a video of himself on Facebook saying he was not sent by anyone and made the attack for the sake of Al-Aqsa (Temple Mount). He later turned himself in to Palestinian security forces.
But what made the biggest headlines was an incident which raised questions among even some Israeli reporters. Border Police soldiers shot and mortally wounded a 72-year-old woman who was driving her car and almost rammed into them. But the son of Sarwat al-Shawari said she was just going to get gas and drove into an area that soldiers had closed off. Elior Levy wrote in Yedioth that the video clip raises questions whether that was really her intention or if she were possibly 'misidentified' as an attacker. (They Ynet version did not raise any doubt about misidentifying her.) Maariv wrote about the video clip: “You can see the woman enters a lane where the soldiers are, not at a high-speed, two soldiers stepped back, one of them was heard saying "ready" and they started firing at the woman driving the car. Meanwhile, the question arises how did the video reach the Palestinian social media networks. An IDF official said the matter will be examined.” The security establishment also said they found knives in her car and noted that her husband was killed in 1988 in the first Intifada.
The Hebrew papers did not mention that clashes broke out following al-Shawari’s death as Israeli forces deployed across the area, with 15 Palestinians injured by live fire and six by rubber-coated steel bullets during the clashes and 10 others suffered from severe tear gas inhalation. On the Gaza border, one young Palestinian man was shot and killed in clashes with the IDF.
With the increase in violence, the IDF has increased its presence in Hebron and the Israeli human rights organization, B'Tselem, said that Hebron district residents are undergoing 'draconian' measures that protect Israeli settlers in the area while punishing the greater Palestinian public.
Possibly in order to deter Palestinians from clashing with Israeli soldiers, the IDF has released more footage of undercover soldiers immersing themselves within a crowd of Palestinian demonstrators before springing to action and arresting the chief inciters.
The latest "Peace Index" survey shows feelings of revenge among Israeli Jews and fear among both Jewish and Arab Israelis. According to the joint survey by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, 53% of Israeli Jews believe that one must kill a Palestinian who made an attack there, even if he were caught and is it is clear he is no longer a danger to anyone.” 44% disagreed. Moreover, 35% of Jewish Israelis and 53.5% of Arab Israelis changed their lifestyle as a result of the security situation. And, 79.5% of Jewish Israelis think that Israel should demolish the home of an Arab who murdered Jews for nationalist reasons, but only 41% thought Israel should demolish the home of a Jew who murders an Arab, Maariv and Yedioth reported.
News
The death of Israel’s popular fifth president, the NYT’s report that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu won’t be receiving what he hoped from his meeting with US President Barack Obama and the violent demonstration against the Netanyahu-backed gas monopoly agreement were top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news, among the weekend attacks and alleged attacks by Palestinians against Israeli security services and citizens, was one involving a 72-year-old woman, which sparked a storm among Palestinians on social media networks.
According to Haaretz and Maariv, Netanyahu will unveil new gestures towards the Palestinians, in his talks with Obama. The papers quoted the NY Times, which reported that the Obama has no intention of giving Netanyahu the $2 billion a year increase he had wanted in military aid. Maariv’s Dana Somberg writes that the US will focus the talks on how to build confidence between the Palestinians and Israelis, lower the tension and violence and avoiding moves in settlements, but not on returning to talks. Maariv also noted that Netanyahu is getting the “cold shoulder” from the US President: He and his delegation won’t be hosted at Blair House, the White House’s luxury guest house. They will have to stay in a hotel. The Israeli Embassy in the US said it was because "the building is being renovated.”
On Friday, thousands of Jews entered Hebron and visited the Cave of the Patriarchs to mark a religious day and two shooting attacks took place injuring Israelis. Someone opened fire shooting two religious Jewish teens near the entrance to the site holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians. The assailant escaped. And, a 16-year-old Palestinian was arrested and allegedly admitted to shooting an Israeli soldier in a separate shooting attack.
Also on Friday, an Israeli man was seriously wounded after being stabbed by a Palestinian at Shaarei Binyamin industrial park near Ramallah. The attacker posted a video of himself on Facebook saying he was not sent by anyone and made the attack for the sake of Al-Aqsa (Temple Mount). He later turned himself in to Palestinian security forces.
But what made the biggest headlines was an incident which raised questions among even some Israeli reporters. Border Police soldiers shot and mortally wounded a 72-year-old woman who was driving her car and almost rammed into them. But the son of Sarwat al-Shawari said she was just going to get gas and drove into an area that soldiers had closed off. Elior Levy wrote in Yedioth that the video clip raises questions whether that was really her intention or if she were possibly 'misidentified' as an attacker. (They Ynet version did not raise any doubt about misidentifying her.) Maariv wrote about the video clip: “You can see the woman enters a lane where the soldiers are, not at a high-speed, two soldiers stepped back, one of them was heard saying "ready" and they started firing at the woman driving the car. Meanwhile, the question arises how did the video reach the Palestinian social media networks. An IDF official said the matter will be examined.” The security establishment also said they found knives in her car and noted that her husband was killed in 1988 in the first Intifada.
The Hebrew papers did not mention that clashes broke out following al-Shawari’s death as Israeli forces deployed across the area, with 15 Palestinians injured by live fire and six by rubber-coated steel bullets during the clashes and 10 others suffered from severe tear gas inhalation. On the Gaza border, one young Palestinian man was shot and killed in clashes with the IDF.
With the increase in violence, the IDF has increased its presence in Hebron and the Israeli human rights organization, B'Tselem, said that Hebron district residents are undergoing 'draconian' measures that protect Israeli settlers in the area while punishing the greater Palestinian public.
Possibly in order to deter Palestinians from clashing with Israeli soldiers, the IDF has released more footage of undercover soldiers immersing themselves within a crowd of Palestinian demonstrators before springing to action and arresting the chief inciters.
The latest "Peace Index" survey shows feelings of revenge among Israeli Jews and fear among both Jewish and Arab Israelis. According to the joint survey by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, 53% of Israeli Jews believe that one must kill a Palestinian who made an attack there, even if he were caught and is it is clear he is no longer a danger to anyone.” 44% disagreed. Moreover, 35% of Jewish Israelis and 53.5% of Arab Israelis changed their lifestyle as a result of the security situation. And, 79.5% of Jewish Israelis think that Israel should demolish the home of an Arab who murdered Jews for nationalist reasons, but only 41% thought Israel should demolish the home of a Jew who murders an Arab, Maariv and Yedioth reported.
Quick Hits:
- Palestinians shut Arab newspaper, allegedly over report on Israel ties - Publication alleged daily jailing, torturing of anti-Israel protesters; newspaper says closure politically motivated, minister claims it lacked license to operate. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Proposed Amendment Would Defer Israeli Military Service, Sanctions for ultra-Orthodox - Faction chairman MK Ofer Shelah said that if the amendment passes, the government 'would no longer have the moral authority to draft people into the people's army and send them to defend the homeland.' (Haaretz+)
- Another minister comes out against PM's appointment of controversial spokesman - Arye Dery is third cabinet member to publicly oppose Nir Baratz’s appointment over derogatory comments Baratz made against Obama, Rivlin, Kerry and others. (Haaretz)
- Prisoners tortured in Etzion, face difficult conditions in Ashkelon - Muhammad al-Khatib, 19, received fractures in his hands when he was beaten by Israeli forces inside of a military vehicle, Israel’s prison service guards pushed Hazem Ishaq Abu Hadwan, 19, down a flight of stairs. Two teenage Palestinian girls are held In the Ashkelon prison, which does not have a women’s section. (Maan)
- Poll: Shelly Yachimovich defeats Isaac Herzog in Labor party - The new survey was conducted by Panels Politics Institute for the Knesset Channel, and states that in the general public, the gap in favor of Yachimovich is even greater - 30% for Yachimovich versus 10% for Herzog. (Maariv)
- Following Haaretz investigative report, Attorney general to probe Netanyahu’s links to news site Walla - Sources have told Haaretz the site portrays the prime minister positively in return for rulings favorable to an owner, Shaul Elovitch. (Haaretz+)
- Israel continues to hold human rights activist detained in Hebron - Mohammed Zoghour, spokesperson for local group Youth Against Settlements, was arrested at 2 a.m. on Oct. 28, hours after a mass protest in Hebron to demand that Israel returns the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces. He has reportedly been denied access to a lawyer. (Maan)
- IDF releases photo of 'Terminator' soldier, Palestinians call for revenge - Israeli army hands out photo of Kfir Brigade soldier who killed three terrorists in nine days; photo massively shared on Facebook, with many commenters calling for revenge. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli 'spotters' forced to look for new hobbies - The flight spotters have lost access to nearly all their favorite locations due to new security regulations within the Israel Airports Authority. (Ynet)
- 172 Jordanians start working in Eilat hotels - Hotels in the southern resort city to hire up to 1,500 Jordanians under recent bilateral agreement. (Haaretz+)
- Due to the attack on Channel 10 reporter: Bill that will differentiate between targeting civilians and journalists - A new bill called the "Roi Sharon bill," named after the Channel 10 reporter attacked by right-wingers in Givat Ze'ev (violently demonstrating Thursday against demolition of synagogue built on privately-owned Palestinian property), will soon be proposed to Knesset by MK Yoel Hasson. Hason: "A group of outlaws who attacked Roi Sharon yesterday must go to prison." (Maariv)
- Israel lets Gazans export furniture, but not to import wood to make it - Woodworkers in the Strip say the ban, which Israel says was spurred by the use of boards in Hamas tunnels, will close 80 percent of Gaza’s carpentry shops. (Haaretz+)
- PA removes steel door settlers installed inside Joseph's Tomb - Governor Akram Rajoub told Ma’an that the door, which was installed by “extremist” settlers was a violation of agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority over Joseph’s Tomb, which is under PA control. (Maan)
- Egyptian troops shoot at asylum seekers on Israel border, killing one, wounding five - Group of 28 asylum seekers, most from Sudan, manages to cross into Israel; wounded, two of them seriously, rushed to Be'er Sheva hospital. (Haaretz+)
- PLO slams presidential hopeful for calling it terrorist group - Republican Senator Ted Cruz tells Senate subcommittee that Palestine Liberation Organization, Iranian government have American blood on their hands. Palestinians slam "biased and inflammatory" hearing. Cruz: Not surprising PLO is upset by the truth. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
- Pro-Palestinian Activists Disrupt Talk by Israeli Scholar at University of Minnesota - Activists attempt to silence IDF ethics code co-author Moshe Halbertal at lecture due to “his support and justification of the war crimes commited in Gaza”; Police clear protesters and make three arrests, as incident sparks condemnation from university officials. (Haaretz+)
- Noise Heard in Last Seconds of Russian Plane's Cockpit Recording - Egyptian investigators will conduct further analysis; U.S., U.K. officials have cited intel indicating there was a bomb aboard the flight, which crashed in Sinai last month. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Report: ISIS Leaders in Syria Boasted About Downing Russian Passenger Jet - Russia suspended all passenger flights to Egypt after days of resisting U.S. and British suggestions that a bomb may have brought down a Russian plane in the Sinai Peninsula a week ago. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Toxic Mustard Gas Was Used in Syria, Says Chemical Weapons Watchdog - A report by the organization concludes that chemical weapons were used in a town north of Aleppo, where ISIS was fighting with a rebel group, but stopped short of assigning blame. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
Departures / Arrivals: 'It was hard for people on the flight to hear our Arabic'
But the same people who looked nervously at Reem, Silvia and Rula ended up showering them with kisses at the airport. (Liat Elkayam, Haaretz+)
Mossad reveals that Israel intervened in the civil war in Sudan
Former Mossad man, David "Tarzan" Ben Uziel, tells in detail in a new book about Jerusalem's involvement in the African country's civil war in 69'-’71. (Yossi Melman, Maariv)
The story of the life of spy Akiva Feinstein embodies Zionism
Akiva Feinstein was born in the Galilee, abandoned by his parents and soon found himself in the A company of the Palmach. Then he was sent to Syria and Lebanon for six years and worked as a spy and smuggled Jews to Israel, until he was caught in 1946 in Beirut and thrown in jail in Syria. In an effort to free Akiva, in 1950, Israel kidnapped two Syrian officers which were returned in exchange for him. (Dr. Uri Milstein, Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
But the same people who looked nervously at Reem, Silvia and Rula ended up showering them with kisses at the airport. (Liat Elkayam, Haaretz+)
Mossad reveals that Israel intervened in the civil war in Sudan
Former Mossad man, David "Tarzan" Ben Uziel, tells in detail in a new book about Jerusalem's involvement in the African country's civil war in 69'-’71. (Yossi Melman, Maariv)
The story of the life of spy Akiva Feinstein embodies Zionism
Akiva Feinstein was born in the Galilee, abandoned by his parents and soon found himself in the A company of the Palmach. Then he was sent to Syria and Lebanon for six years and worked as a spy and smuggled Jews to Israel, until he was caught in 1946 in Beirut and thrown in jail in Syria. In an effort to free Akiva, in 1950, Israel kidnapped two Syrian officers which were returned in exchange for him. (Dr. Uri Milstein, Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Are Palestinians murderers from birth or an incited herd? For Israel, they're both (Carolina
Landsmann, Haaretz+) If there is no one to talk to, why is the Jerusalem municipality sending local
Palestinian parents a letter about how to shield their children from ‘incitement’?
How to save Jewish Jerusalem (Haim Ramon, Yedioth/Ynet) It's time to fix the tragic mistake made in 1967 and remove most of the 28 Palestinian villages from Jerusalem's municipal area, thereby returning 200,000- 250,000 of the city's Palestinian residents to the West Bank.
When the White House Starts Talking About One State, Netanyahu Should Worry (Barak Ravid, Haaretz+) Senior U.S. officials believe that the U.S. must formulate a policy for a situation in which the two-state solution dies, and think about how this will mold ties with Israel.
Baladim (outpost) Hill is not answering: Every expulsion only shows those evicted just how important they are (Karni Eldad, Maariv) Until the tensions went down between the elitist residents of Kochav Hashachar (settlement) and between the anti-establishment hilltop youth Baladim hill, the Civil Administration forces arrived and evacuated the outpost from its residents, destroyed their homes and confiscated their sheep. [Note: Israeli security establishment say the outpost has some of the most violent youth, perpetrating attacks against Palestinians. - OH]
The Israeli News Site in Netanyahu's Pocket (Gidi Weitz, Haaretz+) The popular Hebrew news portal Walla has developed an appetite for positive stories about Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu, revealing the links between politicians and tycoons.
When Netanyahu teaches us history (Dr. Sharon Geva, Ynet) The prime minister may have issued a clarification on his mufti-Hitler comments, but as far as he is concerned he made no error. His exact intention is that we'll learn the history of the Holocaust by reciting and memorizing, without asking difficult questions.
Obama, Ask Netanyahu Straight Out: Do You Believe in the Two-state Solution? (Former Palestinian negotiator, Muhammad Shtayyeh, Haaretz+) Honoring the Palestinian people’s rights, as per international law, would undoubtedly be the main stabilizing factor for the region.
At the law it will be divided: changing Jerusalem’s borders in Israel’s Basic Law will collapse the government (Attorney Yechiel Gutman, Maariv) The only way to revoke residency of people from villages in East Jerusalem is through redrawing the municipal boundaries of the city. But to do that, you need to for that you pass the "Basic Law: Jerusalem" and the "Basic Law on Referendum.” It will not be simple.
Palestinian Political Crisis Worries Israel No Less Than Terror Wave (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Abbas is continuing to restrain his people, but it’s clear that the president – along with all the other players in the Palestinian arena – is already engaged in a political countdown.
A meeting of interests at the White House (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) While Netanyahu wishes to add to his album a smiling picture with Obama to prove to his critics that he did not destroy Israel-US relations, the American president would like to show that his deep commitment to Israel does not depend on the prime minister's whims.
The 'Great Satan' and the Even Greater Iranian Paradox (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Recent Iranian actions suggest it wants to ‘punish’ America more than it is afraid that U.S. hamburgers and movies will corrupt Iranians.
Kerry, Rabin, the PLO, and peace (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) It is uncertain whether Rabin would have pushed forward to the two-state solution under the conditions that existed when he was assassinated, or would today.
Hillary Clinton Is No Friend of Israel (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Democratic presidential candidate’s love letter to Israel last week was simply embarrassing, and proves she is an obstacle to what is best for the Israeli state.
Netanyahu’s Appointments Aren’t the Problem. He Is. (Haaretz Editorial) With the prime minister, it’s never the eyebrow-raising candidate who’s to blame.
Sour meeting: Netanyahu's total surrender to the US (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) On the surface, the parties will act like 'business as usual,' but the image that comes to mind when talking about the current visit is a contrived meeting with the participation of spouses who meet after quarrels, conflicts and mutual insults.
The Perils of Praising Netanyahu (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) Why is it so difficult to make left-wing statements on mainstream Israeli television these days? This story sheds light on the problem faced by one leading TV host.
George H.W. Bush Is Wrong to Blame Cheney and Rumsfeld for Iraq (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Former vice president and secretary of defense may have had a strong voice in George W. Bush's administration, but the president's grandiosity and recklessness empowered them.
Netanyahu's universe has no opposition (Ran Edelist, Maariv) When there is no real opposition in the Knesset and among the people, those who enter into battle with the government of Netanyahu's antics is the world, and more surprising - the IDF.
'Right' man for the job: Israeli Tea Party type as national explainer (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) Netanyahu's appointment of Ran Baratz shouldn't surprise anyone.
Netanyahu and Obama, take 2 (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) The upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama will be a test. On the one hand, people can change, but on the other hand, they have a lot of baggage. One thing will never change: U.S.-Israel relations.
The problem with Israel's peace camp (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) While those in it demonstrate empathy for the enemy, they evince alienation, if not worse, toward the beliefs, customs, culture and way of life of their own people.
Like talking to a wall (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Some 15 years after the failure of the Camp David talks, there are people who still have not acknowledged there is no Palestinian partner for peace. The Left keeps letting the Palestinians off the hook and thinking that peace is only up to us Israelis.
The Flight of Moderate, Educated Citizens Is the True Cause of the Syrian Nakba (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+) As with the Palestinians in 1948, when the backbone of society isn’t willing to fight for the country, it can’t survive.
How to save Jewish Jerusalem (Haim Ramon, Yedioth/Ynet) It's time to fix the tragic mistake made in 1967 and remove most of the 28 Palestinian villages from Jerusalem's municipal area, thereby returning 200,000- 250,000 of the city's Palestinian residents to the West Bank.
When the White House Starts Talking About One State, Netanyahu Should Worry (Barak Ravid, Haaretz+) Senior U.S. officials believe that the U.S. must formulate a policy for a situation in which the two-state solution dies, and think about how this will mold ties with Israel.
Baladim (outpost) Hill is not answering: Every expulsion only shows those evicted just how important they are (Karni Eldad, Maariv) Until the tensions went down between the elitist residents of Kochav Hashachar (settlement) and between the anti-establishment hilltop youth Baladim hill, the Civil Administration forces arrived and evacuated the outpost from its residents, destroyed their homes and confiscated their sheep. [Note: Israeli security establishment say the outpost has some of the most violent youth, perpetrating attacks against Palestinians. - OH]
The Israeli News Site in Netanyahu's Pocket (Gidi Weitz, Haaretz+) The popular Hebrew news portal Walla has developed an appetite for positive stories about Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu, revealing the links between politicians and tycoons.
When Netanyahu teaches us history (Dr. Sharon Geva, Ynet) The prime minister may have issued a clarification on his mufti-Hitler comments, but as far as he is concerned he made no error. His exact intention is that we'll learn the history of the Holocaust by reciting and memorizing, without asking difficult questions.
Obama, Ask Netanyahu Straight Out: Do You Believe in the Two-state Solution? (Former Palestinian negotiator, Muhammad Shtayyeh, Haaretz+) Honoring the Palestinian people’s rights, as per international law, would undoubtedly be the main stabilizing factor for the region.
At the law it will be divided: changing Jerusalem’s borders in Israel’s Basic Law will collapse the government (Attorney Yechiel Gutman, Maariv) The only way to revoke residency of people from villages in East Jerusalem is through redrawing the municipal boundaries of the city. But to do that, you need to for that you pass the "Basic Law: Jerusalem" and the "Basic Law on Referendum.” It will not be simple.
Palestinian Political Crisis Worries Israel No Less Than Terror Wave (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Abbas is continuing to restrain his people, but it’s clear that the president – along with all the other players in the Palestinian arena – is already engaged in a political countdown.
A meeting of interests at the White House (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) While Netanyahu wishes to add to his album a smiling picture with Obama to prove to his critics that he did not destroy Israel-US relations, the American president would like to show that his deep commitment to Israel does not depend on the prime minister's whims.
The 'Great Satan' and the Even Greater Iranian Paradox (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Recent Iranian actions suggest it wants to ‘punish’ America more than it is afraid that U.S. hamburgers and movies will corrupt Iranians.
Kerry, Rabin, the PLO, and peace (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) It is uncertain whether Rabin would have pushed forward to the two-state solution under the conditions that existed when he was assassinated, or would today.
Hillary Clinton Is No Friend of Israel (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Democratic presidential candidate’s love letter to Israel last week was simply embarrassing, and proves she is an obstacle to what is best for the Israeli state.
Netanyahu’s Appointments Aren’t the Problem. He Is. (Haaretz Editorial) With the prime minister, it’s never the eyebrow-raising candidate who’s to blame.
Sour meeting: Netanyahu's total surrender to the US (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) On the surface, the parties will act like 'business as usual,' but the image that comes to mind when talking about the current visit is a contrived meeting with the participation of spouses who meet after quarrels, conflicts and mutual insults.
The Perils of Praising Netanyahu (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) Why is it so difficult to make left-wing statements on mainstream Israeli television these days? This story sheds light on the problem faced by one leading TV host.
George H.W. Bush Is Wrong to Blame Cheney and Rumsfeld for Iraq (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) Former vice president and secretary of defense may have had a strong voice in George W. Bush's administration, but the president's grandiosity and recklessness empowered them.
Netanyahu's universe has no opposition (Ran Edelist, Maariv) When there is no real opposition in the Knesset and among the people, those who enter into battle with the government of Netanyahu's antics is the world, and more surprising - the IDF.
'Right' man for the job: Israeli Tea Party type as national explainer (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) Netanyahu's appointment of Ran Baratz shouldn't surprise anyone.
Netanyahu and Obama, take 2 (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) The upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama will be a test. On the one hand, people can change, but on the other hand, they have a lot of baggage. One thing will never change: U.S.-Israel relations.
The problem with Israel's peace camp (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) While those in it demonstrate empathy for the enemy, they evince alienation, if not worse, toward the beliefs, customs, culture and way of life of their own people.
Like talking to a wall (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Some 15 years after the failure of the Camp David talks, there are people who still have not acknowledged there is no Palestinian partner for peace. The Left keeps letting the Palestinians off the hook and thinking that peace is only up to us Israelis.
The Flight of Moderate, Educated Citizens Is the True Cause of the Syrian Nakba (Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz+) As with the Palestinians in 1948, when the backbone of society isn’t willing to fight for the country, it can’t survive.
Interviews:
Can There Be Equality for Palestinian-Israelis in the Jewish State?
Meet Yousef Jabareen, the Joint List MK who accepts the two-state solution, pushes for Arab-Jewish equality – and thinks Israelis should accept the Palestinian right of return. (Interviewed by Mira Sucharov in Haaretz+)
Moshe Feiglin: "There is no greater liberal or fighter for human rights than I"
With a gun in his pants, a new movement in the pocket and a promise to end the occupation in an unusual way, he is charging again at the Israeli public. A special interview with the former MK, one of the first to carry the flag of Jews visiting (praying) on the Temple Mount. (Interviewed by Sara Leibovich-Dar in Maariv)
Meet Yousef Jabareen, the Joint List MK who accepts the two-state solution, pushes for Arab-Jewish equality – and thinks Israelis should accept the Palestinian right of return. (Interviewed by Mira Sucharov in Haaretz+)
Moshe Feiglin: "There is no greater liberal or fighter for human rights than I"
With a gun in his pants, a new movement in the pocket and a promise to end the occupation in an unusual way, he is charging again at the Israeli public. A special interview with the former MK, one of the first to carry the flag of Jews visiting (praying) on the Temple Mount. (Interviewed by Sara Leibovich-Dar in Maariv)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.