APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday December 8, 2015  
 

Quote of the day:

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Breaking News:
Israeli forces kill Palestinian teen in Duheisha camp 
Israeli forces shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian during a predawn detention raid Tuesday into Duheisha refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. Palestinian medics identified him as Malik Akram Shahin and said he had been shot in the forehead, where the bullet remained lodged. (Haaretz+, Maan)

Front Page:

Haaretz

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News Summary:
A new Mossad chief and another stabbing attack were the top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also in the papers, Israeli military analysts were not impressed with US President Barack Obama’s speech on how it would fight Daesh terror, Sweden gets Israel even angrier over the issue of extrajudicial killings and minister’s.
 
Yossi Cohen, a politically savvy observant Jew, known for his elegance and charisma, was appointed as the new Mossad chief. Commentators differed over whether Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s appointment of National Security Advisor Yossi Cohen was the man the job. Some said the appointment was due to his close relationship with Netanyahu and Netanyahu’s wife, others said he was the yes man that Netanyahu seeked. (See Commentary/Analysis below.) Cohen lives in Modiin with his wife, a nurse, and his four children, one of whom has cerebral palsy, Yedioth reported. Jonathan, 29, is Yossi’s personal hero, wrote Itamar Eichner. He did not let cerebral palsy stop him and insisted on joining the army – where he became an officer in the elite Unit 8200. “The proud father took a vacation from the Mossad in order to take care of him,” wrote Eichner. "Jonathan is the real fighter in my view,” the father said.
 
Another attack near the Cave of the Patriarchs (Ibrahimi Mosque). A settler in his 40’s was stabbed in the back and critically wounded by Ihab Fathi Miswadi, 21, who was shot and killed. According to Maan, Israeli forces prevented Palestinian medics from reaching Miswadi nor did they provide him with any medical care themselves. 
 
While Netanyahu lambasted the Swedes for accusing Israelis of extrajudicial executions of Palestinian assailants, the Israel Attorney General's Office is considering investigating Israeli security forces who shot assailants after they were stopped by the forces and ceased to pose a threat. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström has already since denied that she accused Israel of killing Palestinians without trial, and said that she believed she had been deliberately misunderstood by Israel. [Note: She did infer it in her statement. – OH] But Sweden got into hotter water with Israel when Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven on Monday tried to improve the strained ties by saying that anyway, stabbing attacks were not considered terrorism.
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

For the First Palestinian Male Model, Starting Out Has Its Challenges
At 17, Qaher Harhash navigates IDF checkpoints and Milan agencies. (Shachar Atwan, Haaretz+)
U.S. Jews and Presidential Elections: Q&A With Haaretz's Peter Beinart
Put your questions to our columnist on anything from the candidates' ties with the Jewish community and Israel, to race issues in the race to the White House, and the future of liberal American Judaism. (Haaretz)

Commentary/Analysis:

Israeli Leadership Mustn't Keep Mum in Face of Racist Protest in Northern City (Haaretz Editorial) Leadership has a duty to fight isolation, alienation and hostility between the two parts of the Israeli population. Lack of response indicates encouragement for feelings of hatred toward Israeli Arabs.
The two-state bluff (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) American administration officials learned an important lesson from Israeli officials at Saban Forum this past weekend: As far as Israeli government is concerned, two-state solution is dead. Nonetheless, Americans will keep holding on to this formula, as it's easier than searching for other solutions.  
Jerusalem adapts to strange terror routine, again (Nir Hasson, Haaretz+) The current terror wave is completely different to the second intifada, but Jerusalemites are learning to live with the complex reality.
'Terrorism': The undefinable word (Adv. John V. Whitbeck, Maan) The Western world has reacted to the “terrorist” shooting spree in Paris with near-hysteria, Israel is branding as a wave of “terrorism” the continuing suicidal attacks by hope-deprived Palestinian children and Americans are debating whether the latest in a long line of domestic gun rampages, carried out by a Muslim married couple, deserves to be deemed an act of “terrorism." In this context, it may be enlightening to recall the last international effort to define this indefinable word.
Mossad Chief's Test: Telling Netanyahu What He Doesn't Want to Hear (Barak Ravid, Haaretz+) Yossi Cohen has the requisite talent and operational experience, along with an intimate familiarity with the organization. However, his familiarity with the prime minister could turn out to be his greatest disadvantage.
New Mossad chief: Netanyahu's real foreign minister (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) The prime minister's decision to appoint his national security advisor, Yossi Cohen, as the secret service's new director reflects his clear preference for secret relations with countries that have no official diplomatic ties with Israel and with foreign intelligence communities. 
The choice of Yossi Cohen was obvious: The challenges which the appointed head of the Mossad will have to face (Yossi Melman, Maariv) Despite the drama and the delay in the announcement, Netanyahu’s choice is not surprising. The head of the National Security Council was the leading candidate among the three, and in his capacity he was closest to the Prime Minister. The changing reality in the Middle East will put new missions before him.
Israel's Joint Arab List Deserves the Plaudits, Not Its Leader (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) MK Ayman Odeh may be one of Foreign Policy magazine’s 100 leading global thinkers of 2015, but he owes his prominence to the Arab faction that made him a household name. 
The politics of Islamophobia (Ian Buruma, Maan) There are many roads to political disaster: greed, hubris, the charisma of the demagogue, and, perhaps most dangerous of all, fear. When people panic, they can become hysterical, and hysteria often leads to mass violence. When politicians convince people that they are in a life-or-death battle – that survival is a matter of “us or them” – anything becomes possible.
Between foolish and dangerous: As if we didn’t have enough enemies, the right-wing government adds fire to the fire (Mossi Raz, Maariv) The NGO bill of the Justice Minister Shaked sends democratic countries the message: You and your money are not welcome here. Shaked and her friends in the right-wing are marketing the bill as its sole purpose were "transparency." 
Russia Pulls Syrian Rug From Under Iran’s Feet (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Analysis | With Russians replacing Iranians and Hezbollah on the Syrian battle field, and a Saudi-backed opposition summit, Iran fears its influence could be waning. 
The key is only in our hands: the simplest solution is to turn to America for it to offer an outline for a political settlement (with the Palestinians) (Zalman Shoval, Maariv) The expectation that the White House will initiate an outline for an agreement is inconsistent with the reality that shows that you can not dictate to the parties how to proceed. A response to Gilead Sher. 
Obama’s Counter-terrorism Strategy Only Works on Prime Time Television (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Obama claims air strike campaign is enough to defeat ISIS, but there are few global precedents of winning a campaign with air power alone. Israel, for instance, had limited success with such efforts.
Between Turkey and California (Prof. Abraham Ben-Tzvi, Israel Hayom) The Obama administration is determined to perpetuate its reluctance to take any kind of stand, regardless of the cost.
The Ideology Behind Obama's Fight Against Terror (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) Unlike Bush and GOP presidential hopefuls, Obama perceives jihadism as a toxic strain within Islamic civilization, but not a civilization itself. 
"Difficult is the life of a true prophet”: Yossi Sarid battled against populism and surrendering to public opinion (Yariv Oppenheimer, Maariv) …Rare are the leaders who, instead of swimming with the flow, choose the most difficult task of all and work to change its trajectory. Such was Yossi Sarid, a leader who made breakthroughs, who told the truth, who shaped public opinion and did not serve it. A role model, a loud piercing voice, which in times of confusion and dilemmas showed the way for many and served as an ideological compass for many thousands. Yossi Sarid battled against settlements, battled against the right-wing, battled against polluters, battled against the wealthy, battled against religious coercion, but above all, Yossi Sarid battled against populism, against yielding to public opinion, to the position of the majority and the desire to please. Sarid did not believe in the political center, he despised those public officials who were adapting themselves to the ideology of this and that. Of also wanting peace and supporting the settlements, of supporting human rights and supporting the occupation, of also wanting to strengthen the periphery and supporting massive investment in the Territories. Sarid would never have given a political speech about peace in Ariel (settlement), would never declare united Jerusalem together while supporting a Palestinian state and would not demand social justice within Israel while simultaneously accepting the lack of rights of Palestinians across the Green Line. Difficult is the life of a prophet of truth, it is not always pleasant to remain outside of the warm lap of consensus. Sarid often found himself a lone voice in the opposition, but because he was a true ideologue, sharp and incisive, he got to feel the moment in which he had the ability to change public opinion, influence the path of the state and make a real difference. Very few politicians will have few such moments and a place of honor in the political and social history of the State of Israel. Alongside telling the truth and presenting clear and incisive views on any subject, he managed to do the almost impossible and to remain relevant and meaningful. Thanks to his tremendous knowledge, rhetorical ability, wit and personal example, Sarid managed to get beyond the delegitimization campaigns and present incisive and reliable stances that cracked the Israeli consensus. Many of those who will eulogize him in the coming days, were the objects of Sarid’s relentless attacks…and exposed their ideological nakedness. They, in turn, saw Sarid and often felt, deep down, great respect bordering on envy for the courage and determination to tell the truth and not to cut corners to please. This feature is what turned Sarid into a leader in his lifetime and it is what makes his legacy meaningful even after his death. 
Trump's Dodge on Jerusalem Might Be Smarter Policy Than It Seemed (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) Trump evaded Republican Jewish questioning on the status of Jerusalem by saying he would wait until he 'meets with Bibi.' Soon we'll find out if his is a more honest position than his predecessors.' 
American Jews: Ignore dangerous Republican games on Israel (Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, Haaretz+) Both parties pander to Jewish donors and Jewish voters, attacking the Israel bona fides of the other side. But the Republicans have taken the campaign theatrics to new and irresponsible extremes. 
From ISIS to Le Pen: After Far-right Victory, French Jews Feel Surrounded by Enemies (Shirli Sitbon, Haaretz+) Following the National Front’s win in the first round of regional elections, French Jews fear they will be more vulnerable to attacks from extremists of all colors.
 

 

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