APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday December 6, 2015  
 

Number of the day:

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Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

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News Summary:
Respected sharp-tongued left-wing lawmaker Yossi Sarid passed away, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned the Israel is moving toward a one-state reality, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström accused Israel of extra-judicial killings of Palestinian assailants along with the latest news pointing to radical Islam as the source of the massacre in San Bernadino and making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
 
Former left-wing lawmaker Yossi Sarid, who died over the weekend, was known for his deep belief in co-existence between Arabs and Jews, for a two-state solution, and despite this, he was respected by right-wing politicians, too, the Hebrew papers noted. He was also known for his fairness and honesty, his sharp tongue and pen, and his commitment to helping people, not just talking about it.
 
At the Saban Forum in Washington, D.C., Kerry warned Israel that “If the current situation continues, it's not clear how long the Palestinian Authority can survive.” That would cost Israel greatly he noted as the responsibility and cost for governing them would fall upon Israel. Kerry urged leaders on both sides to return to the negotiating table, lamenting that “the level of distrust between them has never been more profound.” Only Israel Hayom made this a small item on its front page, instead focusing on the attack in California.

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid told the Saban Forum that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be Israel’s only priority. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon told the Forum he opposed a one-state solution and that Israel had no interest in governing the Palestinians. "We are happy they already have their political independence," he said, adding that Israel wants to strengthen Palestinian competence to govern themselves. Yaalon criticized the US saying it was not involved enough in the Middle East, specifically in Syria, where Russia and Iran were increasing their influence, he said. He also said that Israel’s defense ties with the US were “superb” and he revealed that U.S. President Barack Obama has directed that a new ten-year Memorandum of Understanding with Israel be completed within two months.
 
Swedish Foreign Minister Wallström said Israelis have a right to defend themselves, but “..the response cannot be, and I say this in other situations as well, where the response becomes so that there are extrajudicial executions, or that it becomes disproportionate so the numbers of dead on the other side is greater than the original death toll by several factors.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded in an angry statement: "The Swedish Foreign Minister is suggesting that Israeli citizens offer up their necks to murders, who would stab them with their knives." Her ministry later released a statement claiming her statement was misconstrued.
 
On Friday, four Israeli troops were wounded in three attacks:
 
The IDF said two Palestinians stabbed and lightly wounded an IDF soldier in the face in Hebron's Tel Rumeida neighborhood early Friday morning, before they were shot and killed by security forces. The two assailants were cousins Taher Faysal Fannoun, 19, and Faysal Abd al-Minem Fannoun, 15.

The IDF said it shot and killed a Palestinian young man at the entrance to Abud village, near Ramallah, Friday after he tried to stab one of the soldiers. But witnesses and relatives insisted Abed al-Rahman Barghouti, 26, was shot dead "in cold blood," after soldiers stopped him at a checkpoint near the main entrance to the village. Barghouthi was reportedly a US citizen who had recently arrived in the West Bank for his marriage. Israeli forces closed the entrance to the village after the alleged attack. The village is home to around 3,000 Palestinians, a significant number of whom are Christian. Thousands joined Barghouti’s funeral Saturday.

An hour later, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian who drove a car into a group of soldiers, lightly injuring two, near Ofra settlement north of Ramallah, said the army. Anas Bassam Hammad, in his 20’s, was shot and killed on the spot.
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

Foreign residents abroad fund Israeli politicians with millions of shekels
Despite the fierce opposition of the State Comptroller and despite recommendations of public committees calling to stop the flood, MKs from the right and left insist that it is the right thing for the state. Is it really? (Sara Leibovich-Dar, Maariv Friday Magazine)
Lineup: A poem by Yossi Sarid: 'I went to a famous man’s funeral'
Yossi Sarid's poem strikes a heartfelt note following his death. (Yossi Sarid, Haaretz+) 
Why Jenin is staying out of current wave of terrorism
Jenin, once the home of suicide bombers, is now the quietest city in the West Bank. After 4 attempted attacks at the Jalamah checkpoint, the residents realized their economic prosperity could stop, and rushed to restore calm; 'an attack at the checkpoint is an attack against us,' says local businessman. (Elior Levy, Yedioth/Ynet)
In a Palestinian village, the smell of fire and fear remains
After the arson that killed a mother, father and toddler in Duma, everyone is talking about fear of settlers. With reports of arrests, there are now questions about how fair the trial can be. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) 
Through German eyes
"Those who trust that our relationship with the new generation of Germans will continue as it has been going for years ... are misreading the situation," says Ambassador Yakov Hadas-Handelsman ahead of German delegation's arrival in Israel. (Adi Rubinstein, Israel Hayom)
Joint Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian plan envisions a solar power paradise
The solar fields would dot the Jordanian desert, while Israel would supply water, says environmental organization EcoPeace. (Haaretz+)
'In Israel, something that was missing clicked into place'
Martinique-born David Peretz traded in the sunny beaches of the Caribbean island for Israel and the muddy training course of an elite military unit. Faith and love both played a part in his decision to make aliyah. "It was divine intervention," he says. (Israel Hayom) 
Revisiting the UN Partition Plan: Is it still relevant?
On the occasion of the 68th anniversary of the Partition Plan, a comprehensive survey of the resolution's place in Israel's history and its demographic ramifications today. (Ehud Ein-Gil, Haaretz+)
Sponsor a Refugee: For Canadian Jews 'It's the Human Thing to Do'
While Congress dithers over accepting a meager 10,000 souls, Canada has pledged to receive 25,000 Syrian refugees of which 10,000 are expected to be sponsored privately. Jewish communities, especially through synagogues, are on the front lines of this effort. (Mira Sucharov, Haaretz+)

Commentary/Analysis:

Terrorists and spies of Zion (Yossi Sarid's last Op-Ed before his death, Haaretz+) Every country helps out its own spies and murderers who have acted on behalf of the country. And the Jewish tribe does better at it than any other of them. 
Yossi Sarid: Israel's fearless politician (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) The former Meretz chairman's voice, loud and clear and uncompromising, held up a cruel mirror to Israelis' face. He will be greatly missed. 
Yossi Sarid: The Man Who Showed Israel in Its True Light (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Sarid was a courageous, uncompromising politician whose bitterness toward his country’s leaders only grew over the years. 
Jewish terrorism: The missing link (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) After years of failures, the Shin Bet has switched gears in its fight against Jewish terrorism. From technology to operations, the entire organization was enlisted to find the killers of the Dawabsheh family members, and the recent arrests indicate that at least some progress has been made. 
Russia and Iran’s Alliance of Rivals in Syria (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Iran works with both the Russian air force and the Free Syrian Army — forces on the opposite sides of Bashar Assad’s good graces. Then there are the Kurds. 
No alternative for strategic Israel-US dialogue (Haim Saban, Yedioth/Ynet) The relationship with America is an important element in Israel's national security perception. We must not give it up or harm it, especially at a time of such significant regional and international changes. 
Trump Can Insult Jews, but Don’t Mess With Their Jerusalem Syndrome (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Jewish Republicans relish empty promises on Iran deal and U.S. embassy that will never be kept. 
The realities of jihad (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) Like Obama, we, too, would very much like to think the tragic mass shooting in California was not inspired by religion. 
Israel Will Miss Yossi Sarid, a Devoted Zionist Patriot (Haaretz Editorial) Sarid was a principled and courageous man, determined and humble, yet one who recognized his own worth. He wanted a just society that for its own good must free itself of the burden of ruling another people. 
A major Shin Bet achievement (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) Efforts to solve the Duma arson case have all but stopped the wave of Jewish terrorism in its tracks. 
Yossi Sarid, Rebel With a Cause (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) Sarid remained part of the antiestablishment, even while being in the establishment. 
The Gas Protest: What It Says About the Occupation (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) When the left joins the right in protesting the gas deal, it signals that it has given up on dismantling the apartheid state.
The column of Alon Ben-David: What is Israel's role in shaping the future of the Middle East? Almost nothing (Alon Ben-David, Maariv) The Middle East is going through a historic shift, but instead of being an active player in it, our leaders missed the opportunity and are dealing mainly with guaranteeing their own re-election.
Cholera Epidemic Could Be Biggest Danger to Middle East (Dan Barel, Haaretz+) The fighting in Iraq and Syria is severely affecting sanitation conditions and raises the risk of an epidemic.  
Indigenous in Jerusalem (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) The latest archaeological finds broadcast the rootedness of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. 
Britain Is Fighting ISIS and for Relevance (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) The true battle during Wednesday night's parliamentary vote on airstrikes in Syria was for the soul of the left, which is tearing itself apart on an issue that Britain has zero influence over.
Why do Palestinian refugees get so much more attention than others? (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Day of remembrance for Jews expelled from Arab countries - Jewish Nakba - passed with barely a whisper. Palestinian Nakba, however, gets showered with attention. Why? Answer might have something to do with Breaking the Silence organization, and far left's tendency to distort history.  
Despite Kahlon's warnings, Netanyahu courts the Israeli right (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) The chances Zionist Union will join the coalition seem slimmer than ever. Meanwhile, scandals are threatening Habayit Hayehudi. 
House demolitions, a barbaric practice (Haaretz Friday Editorial) Home demolitions are legally and morally unacceptable.
A war of evil vs. evil (Daniel Friedmann, Yedioth/Ynet) The Islamic State poses a much smaller threat to Israel than the Iran-Syria-Hezbollah-Hamas axis. An ISIS defeat will strengthen the axis of evil's power of destruction - a disastrous outcome for Israel. 
With Israel Too, No Means No (Yoel Marcus, Haaretz+) When a woman says no, it’s important to understand what she means. But when Israel says no and the world doesn’t understand what it means, then we’re really in trouble. 
Abu Dhabi first, Palestinians later (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) The opening of an Israeli mission in the U.A.E. capital could launch a revolutionary process in which the Palestinians may, from a lack of choice, start moving forward. 
Israel's inertia on Palestinian conflict has a price: American support (Tamara Cofman Wittes, Haaretz) A year of unprecedented tension between Israel and the United States confirms that the bilateral relationship, now bitterly partisan in Israel as well as in the U.S., faces deep challenges. 

Should Israel's Mossad Accept Donations From Jewish Millionaires?
On the line with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesman. (Interviewed by Nir Gontarz in Haaretz+)

 

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