APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday December 3, 2015
Quote of the day:
“Donald Trump is an (MK) Oren Hazan who has made money. He is rude, quick-tempered and addicted to the
noise he makes as if it were a drug. Ben Carson is a (MK) Bezalel Smotrich with a PhD. He has dark views,
screaming ignorance and problematic credibility. The possibility that one of these two will hold world peace in
his hands is as scary as ISIS's sleeper cells in Molenbeek.”
--Yedioth’s top political commentator Nahum Barnea writes that it's harder to understand the extent of the damage posed by those who don't dress like extremists, but think like them.
--Yedioth’s top political commentator Nahum Barnea writes that it's harder to understand the extent of the damage posed by those who don't dress like extremists, but think like them.
Breaking News:
Soldier and civilian wounded in shooting attack in West Bank, near E. Jerusalem
A civilian was moderately or severely wounded and a soldier was lightly wounded in a shooting attack today near Hizmeh. The assailant was shot and killed. The papers gave conflicting reports, but Maariv had the most details, describing that while a soldiers inspected vehicles the assailant took advantage of the moment when one of the soldiers was looking inside the trunk, got out of his car - and shot the soldier. According to Maariv, a bystander who was likely Arab was was severely injured. (Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
Shin Bet: Several (Jewish) Israelis Arrested for West Bank Arson Murders in Duma
Weeks-long gag order partially lifted: Suspects are 'young people suspected Jewish terrorists carrying out terrorist acts.' (Israel Hayom, Haaretz, Ynet)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Minister Gabbai at Knesset: “I'm worried about the gas agreement – lines were crossed”
- 14 killed from shooting in treatment center in California; the assailants escaped
- State Comptroller: MK Oren Hazan submitted a false deposition, that is a criminal act
- German legislators: The bill against left-wing NGOs will make it difficult for us to help Israel
- Netanyahu will be required to disclose timing of his conversations with Sheldon Adelson and with the editor-in-Chief of Israel Hayom
- No to silencing // Haaretz Editorial
- Shake out the evil from among us // Ari Shavit
- Silver medal for Israel at European swimming championship
- The accused (former minister Binyamin) Ben-Eliezer
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Lied and will be interrogated – State Comptroller said MK Hazan submitted a false deposition about the results of the primaries
- Hilltop youth: Black Flag (Photo of masked Jewish youth next to black flag with scull, kippah, sidelocks and swords
- Again: Mass shooting in US
- Get ready to warm the house: From tomorrow a cold wave
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Murder campaign in California
- State Comptroller: MK Hazan deceived
- Daesh claims: We executed a Russian spy
Israel Hayom
- Massacre in California
- Assessment: “MK Hazan will be interrogated”
- Indictment against (former minister Binyamin) Ben-Eliezar: “Received 2.2 million shekels in bribes”
- Police Commissioner Alsheikh: Today he will be appointed as the 18th commander of the police
- Discovery at the southern Kotel (Wailing Wall): Stamp of King Hezekiah
News Summary:
Controversial Likud MK Oren Hazan may face jail time and former minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezar (Labor) was indicted on corruption charges making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Yedioth also focused on the so-called ‘hilltop youth,’ extremist Jewish settler youth, who are believed to be behind the deadly arson attack in Duma village.
Controversial Likud MK Oren Hazan is in hot water. Shortly after he learned that the Knesset Ethics Committe suspended him yesterday for 1 month after complaints about his behavior, the State Comptroller released his report that showed that Hazan could face jail time for false deposition. He isn’t alone. Former Labor leader and presidential candidate Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was indicted on charges that include bribery and money laundering. Meanwhile, the Likud party fears Hazan's absence will wipe out the coalition's majority - which is a single vote.
This morning, the Shin Bet security agency announced it had arrested an unspecified number of Jewish youth who are suspects in the arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler and his parents in July in the West Bank village of Duma. But the details of the investigation remain under gag order. Yesterday, a UN official expressed concern over what he described as "slow progress" in solving the probe into the Dawabsheh family murders.
In Knesset, MK Basel Ghattaas (Joint List) sparked a storm when he asked whether the Shin Bet were trying to cover up its own failures, Yedioth and Walla news website reported. “Is it true, as published in sources abroad, that the Shin Bet has not filed an indictment in a serious security case, not in order to hide its intelligence sources, but to cover its ass and not reveal a new affair?" He asked whether it wasn’t trying to avoid revealing another ‘Avishai Raviv’ affair. (NOTE: Ghattas may be referring to the report by blogger Richard Silverstein that the problem the Shin Bet may be facing was that it had a Shabak undercover agent among the conspirators, who neglected to reveal the plan to murder a family, “in much the same way that Avishai Raviv did when he goaded Yigal Amir to assassinate Yitzhak Rabi and “neglected” to tell his bosses of the killer’s plans.”
The Israel Democracy Institute announced that "there is concern that the gag order on the current security affair is disproportionate.” (Walla) And a lawyer for one of the arrested youth also asked to lift the gag order. (Maariv)
Former Shin Bet chief Yaakov Perry analyzed the major challenges the Shin Bet has in bringing Jewish terrorists to justice: "It is very difficult to crack them in the interrogation with the legal tools given. It’s also hard to turn the intelligence into legal evidence." Perry told Maariv radio 103FM that “Jewish terrorism advocates a delusional ideology.”
“Our children hate the state,” the father of one of the Jewish youth who was in administrative detention told Yedioth. Yedioth also published quotes from Facebook posts of the father, such as: “A country of scared Arabs wimps liars dogs ‘spit’ shitty country.” And: “Go f*#c yourself all of you who call this the ‘State of the Jews.’
In a separate article, Yedioth showed a photo from the Facebook page of one of the radical right-wing activists: two masked youth standing before a large black flag on which there is are two swords and a skull with sidelocks wearing a kippah. The article profiles the ‘Baladim Hill’ outpost, which "is filled with youth who fell out of educational frameworks and found refuge in the wild west of Judea and Samaria – and turned into the headache of the security forces. On their Facebook page they don’t hesitate to threaten high-ranking officers."
Controversial Likud MK Oren Hazan may face jail time and former minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezar (Labor) was indicted on corruption charges making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Yedioth also focused on the so-called ‘hilltop youth,’ extremist Jewish settler youth, who are believed to be behind the deadly arson attack in Duma village.
Controversial Likud MK Oren Hazan is in hot water. Shortly after he learned that the Knesset Ethics Committe suspended him yesterday for 1 month after complaints about his behavior, the State Comptroller released his report that showed that Hazan could face jail time for false deposition. He isn’t alone. Former Labor leader and presidential candidate Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was indicted on charges that include bribery and money laundering. Meanwhile, the Likud party fears Hazan's absence will wipe out the coalition's majority - which is a single vote.
This morning, the Shin Bet security agency announced it had arrested an unspecified number of Jewish youth who are suspects in the arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler and his parents in July in the West Bank village of Duma. But the details of the investigation remain under gag order. Yesterday, a UN official expressed concern over what he described as "slow progress" in solving the probe into the Dawabsheh family murders.
In Knesset, MK Basel Ghattaas (Joint List) sparked a storm when he asked whether the Shin Bet were trying to cover up its own failures, Yedioth and Walla news website reported. “Is it true, as published in sources abroad, that the Shin Bet has not filed an indictment in a serious security case, not in order to hide its intelligence sources, but to cover its ass and not reveal a new affair?" He asked whether it wasn’t trying to avoid revealing another ‘Avishai Raviv’ affair. (NOTE: Ghattas may be referring to the report by blogger Richard Silverstein that the problem the Shin Bet may be facing was that it had a Shabak undercover agent among the conspirators, who neglected to reveal the plan to murder a family, “in much the same way that Avishai Raviv did when he goaded Yigal Amir to assassinate Yitzhak Rabi and “neglected” to tell his bosses of the killer’s plans.”
The Israel Democracy Institute announced that "there is concern that the gag order on the current security affair is disproportionate.” (Walla) And a lawyer for one of the arrested youth also asked to lift the gag order. (Maariv)
Former Shin Bet chief Yaakov Perry analyzed the major challenges the Shin Bet has in bringing Jewish terrorists to justice: "It is very difficult to crack them in the interrogation with the legal tools given. It’s also hard to turn the intelligence into legal evidence." Perry told Maariv radio 103FM that “Jewish terrorism advocates a delusional ideology.”
“Our children hate the state,” the father of one of the Jewish youth who was in administrative detention told Yedioth. Yedioth also published quotes from Facebook posts of the father, such as: “A country of scared Arabs wimps liars dogs ‘spit’ shitty country.” And: “Go f*#c yourself all of you who call this the ‘State of the Jews.’
In a separate article, Yedioth showed a photo from the Facebook page of one of the radical right-wing activists: two masked youth standing before a large black flag on which there is are two swords and a skull with sidelocks wearing a kippah. The article profiles the ‘Baladim Hill’ outpost, which "is filled with youth who fell out of educational frameworks and found refuge in the wild west of Judea and Samaria – and turned into the headache of the security forces. On their Facebook page they don’t hesitate to threaten high-ranking officers."
Quick Hits:
- Exclusive: U.S. teen slain in terror attack was on way to volunteer at illegal West Bank outpost - While more and more study abroad programs restrict travel to West Bank, Haaretz learns that yeshiva of murdered Ezra Schwartz sent students to do community service at illegal outpost. Givat Oz Vegaon, the name of the memorial site, is an illegal outpost, as Haaretz has learned, against which 18 demolition orders have been issued by the Defense Ministry. (Haaretz+)
- Court orders Netanyahu to divulge timing of conversations with Adelson - Channel 10 petitions court in effort to prove links between prime minister and Israel Hayom, the Israeli newspaper owned by Sheldon Adelson. (Haaretz+ and Maariv)
- German MPs Implore Netanyahu to Bury NGO 'Transparency' Bill - Bill restricting left-wing NGOs in Israel would make it difficult for Israel’s friends in Germany to fend off BDS, heads of pro-Israel parliamentary group say. The bill would obligate any group that receives more than half of its funding from “foreign diplomatic entities” to state this in its publications, and force their representatives to wear identifying tags when they come to the Knesset. (Haaretz+)
- Head of German parliament slams EU move to label settlement products - German Bundestag President Norbert Lammert calls labeling "unnecessary and unwise." German Chancellor Angela Merkel urges refugees coming to Germany to reject anti-Semitism. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein to meet Merkel Thursday. (Israel Hayom and Jpost)
- State comptroller metes out fines to ministers, MKs for misconduct - Education Minister Naftali Bennett, Welfare Minister Haim Katz, other MKs across spectrum rebuked for financial improprieties. Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev gets warning. Yesh Atid decries "political, and possibly criminal, corruption." (Israel Hayom)
- Tel Aviv synagogue [sic – Panorama building] terrorist: 'I wanted to die as a martyr'Raed Musalma who killed two at the Panorama Building: 'I was sure they would kill me'; he apologized for his act. (Ynet)
- Israeli forces shoot, critically injure elderly woman in Gaza - An elderly woman was hit with a live bullet in her neck and was evacuated to hospital. It is unclear whether the woman was shot during such clashes. An Israeli army spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment. (Maan)
- Molotov cocktails thrown on a Palestinian home, the case was closed - Two months ago, bottles with flammable material were thrown on a home in the village of Al-Khader, which did not catch on fire. According to 'Rabbis for Human Rights,' Shai police refused to send a forensics team: "Basic measures were not taken in the investigation." The police gave no response. (Ynet Hebrew)
- Victim of 2013 rape to be recognized as victim of terror - The girl, who was 17 at the time of the rape in 2012, was raped by a Palestinian man. At the time the prosecution said there was no evidence of a nationalist motive. (Ynet)
- Controversial plan for museum at Western Wall gets final zoning approval - Planning board rejects most objections to Western Wall Heritage Foundation building, but limits its area; opponents considering petitioning High Court. (Haaretz+)
- 13 Palestinians shot in clashes after house demolition in Shufat camp of terrorist who killed two - 1,200 troops and police enter the problematic refugee camp in order to destroy the home of Hamas terrorist Ibrahim al-Akari, who killed two Israelis in November of last year. (Ynet+VIDEO and Maan)
- Report: Shocking mural painted on the wall of the home of the Dawabsheh family - Channel 2 journalist Ohad Hemo reported on Twitter Tuesday on the graffiti painted on the wall of the family house, which was set on fire four months ago. The painting depicts a hand with the Israeli flag and a menorah that lights a fire and burns a cage (or playpen) with a picture of a baby inside wrapped in a Palestinian flag. (Maariv+PHOTO)
- Israeli forces raid home of Palestinian teen shot dead in Tulkarem - Israeli soldiers broke into the home of Maram Hassouna, who allegedly attempted to stab a soldier, and interrogated her family and reportedly tore up pictures of the slain teenager during the raid. (Maan)
- Israel releases Palestinian human rights lawyer on bail - Prisoners and Former Prisoners’ Affairs Committee said that Israel had no lawful reason to detain their lawyer Tareq Barghouth, adding that they and other institutions pressured the Israeli court for his swift release. Barghouth has reportedly been banned from using his Facebook page for three days. (Maan)
- PA launches international campaign to release imprisoned children - The Palestinian Ministry of Education is sponsoring the campaign, entitled “Give Them Space to Learn and Play,” which will be launched across the occupied West Bank, the society said. Since the start of October, Israeli forces have detained at least 2,044 Palestinians, 345 of which have been children, according to documentation by human rights group Addameer. (Maan)
- East Jerusalem hospital units tear-gassed during clashes - Clashes had erupted between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian youth in the al-Tur neighborhood before Israeli soldiers began firing tear gas from a main road adjacent to the hospital. (Maan)
- IDF's five-year plan to focus on strategic supplies - Israel's military is learning the lesson from Gaza conflicts which left its stocks depleted. IDF chief Eisenkot has instructed that a larger portion of the budget be allocated to acquiring supplies. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Officials Square Off on Role of Gas in Regional Security - Israel’s national security chief says energy deals will ensure regional stability, but a predecessor has his doubts. (Haaretz+)
- No Supermarket Wants to Feed the Netanyahus - Tender to deliver groceries to the prime minister’s residence gets no bidders. (Haaretz+)
- Soup kitchens feeding Holocaust survivors at risk of closure - Claims Conference stops funding for soup kitchens in second half of 2015, demanding Welfare Ministry to ensure their aid goes solely to Holocaust survivors. (Ynet)
- Knesset speaker: We cannot turn a blind eye to racism - "There are many evil forces rearing their heads, and too many among us prefer to turn a blind eye to them. We must resist apathy and burying our heads in the sand," Yuli Edelstein says in ceremony at memorial held at infamous Platform 17 in Berlin. (Israel Hayom)
- Jewish U. of Michigan Student Under Fire for Confronting pro-Palestinian Student Activists - The student, Jesse Arm, is from the same Massachusetts community as Ezra Schwartz, and verbally disagreed with pro-Palestinian students about regional politics before they called for his removal from student government. (JTA, Haaretz)
- Palestine embassy in Peru marks solidarity day with football match - The Palestinian embassy in Peru, together with the Peruvian government, on Sunday organized a football match in commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. (Maan)
- Report: Lebanese army finds second spying device - Device reportedly found near site of first device, which Al Manar claimed on Tuesday was blown up by Israel; Lebanese troops said disposed of second device. (Ynet)
- Former PA premier Salam Fayyad visits Gaza - Fayyad was invited to the Gaza Strip by the Beit al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) organization headed by Ahmad Yousif, a former adviser to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. (Maan)
- Following Magal's departure, Bennett goes back to being MK - Habayit Hayehudi chairman had resigned his Knesset seat to expand party's list in the legislature. (Haaretz+)
- Army recommends limiting Israel's submarine fleet to five vessels to save money- The air force, meanwhile, will spend less on preparedness for attacking Iran. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- UN Atomic Agency Believes Iran Worked on Developing Nuclear Weapons till 2003 - Israel welcomes assessment by IAEA, which says most 'coordinated' work on developing such arms was done before 2003, with some activities continuing up to 2009. (Agencies, Haaretz and Maariv)
- WATCH: 'U.S. not putting troops back into Syria or Iraq to fight ISIS,' says Hillary Clinton - 'I cannot conceive of any circumstances where I would agree to do that,' the leading Democrat running for president told Charlie Rose. (Haaretz)
- Paris police arrest 2 with suspected links to Nov. 13 attacks - The first detainee is suspected of being an intermediary to Jawad Bendaoud, who has been handed preliminary charges for providing housing to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged architect of the attacks that killed 130 people. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Turkey Accuses Russia of Soviet-era 'Lies,' 'Propaganda' - Tensions continue to rise between Turkey and Russia as the fight against ISIS in Syria rages on. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Sandy Berger, Bill Clinton's National Security Adviser, Dies at 70 - In the closing months of Clinton's term, Berger was a prominent player at the 2000 Camp David summit in which Clinton tried unsuccessfully to advance the Middle East peace process. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Germany's Merkel Urges Refugees to Reject anti-Semitism - 'This is not about forgetting your own roots but living with your roots within our values and social order,' says German chancellor. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Seal impression of King Hezekiah discovered near Temple Mount - Major archaeological discovery as first-ever seal impression of an Israelite or Judean king found in location of a scientific archaeological excavation. (Ynet)
Features:
The daily questionnaire: What do you know about Knesset members who have resigned from the
Knesset
Throughout history, serving MKs resigned from Knesset, often following a report by the state comptroller and sometimes for other reasons entirely. Do you know who they are? (Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Throughout history, serving MKs resigned from Knesset, often following a report by the state comptroller and sometimes for other reasons entirely. Do you know who they are? (Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Breaking the Silence Is Indispensable to Israeli Democracy (Haaretz Editorial) Instead of giving in to incitement and violence, police must do their
duty to protect the organization.
The difference between identifying Jewish terror suspects and putting them on trial (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The gag order and terse hints in the media may create a mistaken impression that authorities are close to fully solving the cases involving Jews who have committed anti-Arab terrorist acts.
Greetings from the Middle Ages (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Many of those preaching a return to the past are clerics from different religions, who pose a clear and imminent danger to human society. It's harder to understand the damage reflected by those who are not dressed like ayatollahs but share their views.
Who’s Afraid of a Binational State? (Musa Hasdeya, Haaretz+) No more stagnation. No more sitting on the fence. It’s time to roll back our sleeves and start working, for us and for our children.
With Russian anti-aircraft missiles in Syria, Israeli army prepares for more surprises (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The IDF girds for cyberwar, massive rocket barrages, attacks on strategic infrastructure, attacks by ISIS, and a wider Palestinian uprising.
Miracle in the Holy Land (Clifford D. May, Israel Hayom) Israeli policymakers and scientists have found a way to create an essential resource -- water. Perhaps Israel could now trade "water for peace"?
Israel’s poisonous racism: Neither religious nor secular can claim immunity (Gershom Gorenberg, Haaretz+) Israeli social media has erupted over a housing company's anti-Mizrahi ad presenting a fair-haired Ashkenazi family as model clients: the clip expressed everyday racism just that bit too explicitly.
U.S. Jews and Muslims must fight together Trump’s racism (Haroon Moghul, Haaretz+) Given Trump’s position atop the polls, America’s Jews and Muslims have every reason to cooperate. But many of us are more concerned with excluding and demonizing each other.
How American Jews Can Protect American Muslims (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) The next time someone threatens a mosque, we should be there.
Israeli High Court support of home demolitions begins to soften (Aeyal Gross, Haaretz+) Two rulings this week serve as cracks, although not yet wide enough, in the court’s long-standing tradition permitting destruction of terrorists’ homes regardless of harm to families.
Before ISIS, there was Black September (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) In Munich in 1972, Palestinian terrorists brutally tortured their Israeli hostages, providing a blueprint for the unbridled malice we see in today's jihadists.
As a Jew, Israeli and Zionist, I Cannot Tolerate Jewish Terrorism (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) The time has come for the government to make it clear that Jewish and Palestinian terrorists will be treated the same.
Comptroller catches the small fish while swimming with the whales (Gidi Weitz, Haaretz+) Joseph Shapira's report, which implicates MK Oren Hazan in illegality, only proves how weak and shameless the institution of the comptroller really is.
An anti-Israel agenda disguised as human rights (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) As an organization comprised of human rights activists, Amnesty should be expected to uphold different norms, rather than automatically accept false Palestinian claims. With such a record, how can its reports be taken seriously?
Israel wins KaDeWe battle, but real war awaits (Nachman Shai, Haaretz+) BDS is busy every day, U.S. academic associations are boycotting Israel, and a third intifada is gaining momentum.
Israel's Foreign Ministry Is Being Gutted (Victor Harel, Haaretz+) PMO heads Israel’s foreign relations, but interior minister deals with Palestinians. Ties with Moscow? Try our Jerusalem minister. Confused? So are EU ambassadors.
The Putinization of Israel: Netanyahu Cozying Up to Russia May Cost Israel Dearly (Asher Schechter, Haaretz+) Mistrustful of the U.S. and feeling alienated from Europe, Bibi hasn't defected, but he recognizes the region’s new top dog.
The True Glue That Holds Israel Together: Shopping (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Nation-building and the army have taken back seat to consumerism as the one experience that brings all Israelis together.
The difference between identifying Jewish terror suspects and putting them on trial (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The gag order and terse hints in the media may create a mistaken impression that authorities are close to fully solving the cases involving Jews who have committed anti-Arab terrorist acts.
Greetings from the Middle Ages (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Many of those preaching a return to the past are clerics from different religions, who pose a clear and imminent danger to human society. It's harder to understand the damage reflected by those who are not dressed like ayatollahs but share their views.
Who’s Afraid of a Binational State? (Musa Hasdeya, Haaretz+) No more stagnation. No more sitting on the fence. It’s time to roll back our sleeves and start working, for us and for our children.
With Russian anti-aircraft missiles in Syria, Israeli army prepares for more surprises (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) The IDF girds for cyberwar, massive rocket barrages, attacks on strategic infrastructure, attacks by ISIS, and a wider Palestinian uprising.
Miracle in the Holy Land (Clifford D. May, Israel Hayom) Israeli policymakers and scientists have found a way to create an essential resource -- water. Perhaps Israel could now trade "water for peace"?
Israel’s poisonous racism: Neither religious nor secular can claim immunity (Gershom Gorenberg, Haaretz+) Israeli social media has erupted over a housing company's anti-Mizrahi ad presenting a fair-haired Ashkenazi family as model clients: the clip expressed everyday racism just that bit too explicitly.
U.S. Jews and Muslims must fight together Trump’s racism (Haroon Moghul, Haaretz+) Given Trump’s position atop the polls, America’s Jews and Muslims have every reason to cooperate. But many of us are more concerned with excluding and demonizing each other.
How American Jews Can Protect American Muslims (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) The next time someone threatens a mosque, we should be there.
Israeli High Court support of home demolitions begins to soften (Aeyal Gross, Haaretz+) Two rulings this week serve as cracks, although not yet wide enough, in the court’s long-standing tradition permitting destruction of terrorists’ homes regardless of harm to families.
Before ISIS, there was Black September (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) In Munich in 1972, Palestinian terrorists brutally tortured their Israeli hostages, providing a blueprint for the unbridled malice we see in today's jihadists.
As a Jew, Israeli and Zionist, I Cannot Tolerate Jewish Terrorism (Ari Shavit, Haaretz+) The time has come for the government to make it clear that Jewish and Palestinian terrorists will be treated the same.
Comptroller catches the small fish while swimming with the whales (Gidi Weitz, Haaretz+) Joseph Shapira's report, which implicates MK Oren Hazan in illegality, only proves how weak and shameless the institution of the comptroller really is.
An anti-Israel agenda disguised as human rights (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) As an organization comprised of human rights activists, Amnesty should be expected to uphold different norms, rather than automatically accept false Palestinian claims. With such a record, how can its reports be taken seriously?
Israel wins KaDeWe battle, but real war awaits (Nachman Shai, Haaretz+) BDS is busy every day, U.S. academic associations are boycotting Israel, and a third intifada is gaining momentum.
Israel's Foreign Ministry Is Being Gutted (Victor Harel, Haaretz+) PMO heads Israel’s foreign relations, but interior minister deals with Palestinians. Ties with Moscow? Try our Jerusalem minister. Confused? So are EU ambassadors.
The Putinization of Israel: Netanyahu Cozying Up to Russia May Cost Israel Dearly (Asher Schechter, Haaretz+) Mistrustful of the U.S. and feeling alienated from Europe, Bibi hasn't defected, but he recognizes the region’s new top dog.
The True Glue That Holds Israel Together: Shopping (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Nation-building and the army have taken back seat to consumerism as the one experience that brings all Israelis together.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.