APN's daily news review from Israel
Wednesday December 23, 2015
Quote of the day:
“Breaking the Silence protects IDF soldiers in the impossible situation in which politicians have
abandoned them."
--Former Shin Bet security services chief Ami Ayalon and Israel Police Maj. Gen. (ret.) Alik Ron wrote in an ad they published in Haaretz Hebrew edition.**
--Former Shin Bet security services chief Ami Ayalon and Israel Police Maj. Gen. (ret.) Alik Ron wrote in an ad they published in Haaretz Hebrew edition.**
You Must Be Kidding:
“Arguments against land expropriation by the state” are one of the causes of the “Jewish-Arab conflict.”
--Precept of the Education Ministry’s rewritten textbook on civics.***
Clarification:
Yesterday’s ‘You Must Be Kidding’ quote was chosen based on the misunderstanding that the ‘drawing of the knife’ was a sketch of the weapon. However, the ‘drawing’ actually referred to pulling a knife out (as Ynet Hebrew reported), a sadly common incident these days, and therefore unsuitable to be a ‘You Must Be Kidding.’
Breaking News:
Three Wounded in Stabbing Attack in Jerusalem's Old City
One victim in critical condition; Border Police officers shoot two assailants, their condition is unknown. (Haaretz and Ynet)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- State retracts: Will reorganize private psychiatric hospitals (into rehab communities)
- Finance Minister and Histadrut (National Labor Union) Chairman met last night in attempt to avert general strike
- Two gas grenades thrown inside Palestinian house in West Bank [Main photo: Palestinian woman holding toddler looking at house with graffiti ‘Revenge Hello Zion Detainees’ sprayed on wall]
- Despite criticism, Education Ministry approved rewritten civics textbook
- High Court to rule today in Zadorov trial appeal
- Four years after battle over Palmachim beach, plan to establish national park in danger of being cancelled
- Nargilla smokers – the new enemy of Jerusalem Municipality
- Due to obesity problems, Malta is trying to return to Mediterranean food (NYT)
- Stop answering // Haaretz Editorial
- Art creation that deals with Rabin was censored // Yair Ashkenazi
- Our friend Erdogan // Zvi Bar’el
- Night effort to avert general strike
- (Tycoon) Nochi Dankner survived a helicopter crash in jungle
- Sarah Netanyahu expected to be questioned under warning
- Murderer or innocent – Drama in murder case of Tair Rada
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Compromise or strike
- Disputes that can be bridged // Yehuda Sharoni
- Haredim (fearful) of being drafted – Thousands held protest in Jerusalem against new draft law
- Murderer or innocent? High Court rules today on appeal of prisoner Zadorov in 2010 Tair Rada murder
Israel Hayom
- Night effort to avert general strike
- Today: High Court to rule in Zadorov appeal
- Look at the future: First Ethiopian-Israeli to be UAV operator
- Netanyahu, Yaalon and Bennett stand behind the Shin Bet: “It’s acting within the framework of the law”
- The citizens know: The Shin Bet worked day and night to protect us // Haim Shine
- In the end, Attorney General confirmed: I met with Sarah Netanyahu’s attorney in connection with the PM’s Residence affair
- For the first time: Israeli exhibit to be built in the heart of the Cannes International Film Festival
News Summary:
Whether a general strike today would be averted (yes), whether a convicted murderer would be acquitted (no) and whether a Jewish terror suspect was being tortured (unclear) were the big questions that the Hebrew papers discussed today along with the tear gas attack on a Palestinian home near Ramallah. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone three days after the assassination of Samir Kuntar and agreed to continue cooperation over Syria.
Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, and Education Minister and leader of the far right-wing Habayit Hayehudi party, Naftali Bennett, stood behind the Shin Bet amid claims that it was torturing the three Jewish suspects arrested and interrogated over the July arson-murders of the Dawabsheh family in Duma. Right-wing Jews have been holding protests across the country against the alleged use of torture by the Shin Bet. Ynet revealed that on Monday, two officers were hospitalized with fractured bones after being hit by stones hurled by the protesters. [NOTE: It remains in question if the assailants will be dealt with like Palestinian stone throwers. –OH] Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said, “It is important for the public to know that the three suspects who were arrested have already seen a lawyer and that their medical state is in perfect condition,” Shaked said. She denied there was any truth to the claims that one of the suspects had attempted to commit suicide. Worthy of note, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, an Israeli human rights groups that is one of the key targets of a vicious right-wing campaign, wrote a letter to the Attorney General condemning the use of torture against the right-wing Jewish detainees. (Maariv)
But even as these detainees are interrogated, what one MK has called, ‘Dawabsheh II’ took place last night. Tear gas grenades were thrown into a Palestinian home in what the Hebrew media called another suspected Jewish terror attack. A young couple, Hussein Abed Hussein Al-Najjar and his wife Zeinab were asleep with their nine-month-old baby at the time, but their neighbors rescued them before they lost consciousness. The words "Revenge from the prisoners of Zion” were sprayed on a nearby house. MK Itzik Shmuli: "This is the result of an overly lax response by the state to Jewish terrorism." Al-Najjar told Maariv about the moment of rescue from the smoking house in Beitilu village. “They came at 1:30 in the morning, when we were sleeping. They broke the window and threw three hand grenades inside. I immediately called my parent’s house. My wife and I felt dizzy and we were in real danger. Neighbors came to the house and rescued us after they broke down the front door.” One of the neighbors said, "The family was in a stupor, and we undoubtedly saved them from certain death. It seems that the murder of the Dawabsheh family was not enough for the settlers." Al-Najjar: "Until now, the house is full of gas and you can’t enter it. We discovered that they sprayed hostile graffiti on my brother Sharif’s house. All the people were asleep, so no one saw who did it." Al-Najjar said that this is the second time that his house was damaged. "They also burned my neighbors’ car," he added. "I request that the government and the army make sure that no damage is done to homes. I don’t harm anyone, I want to live in peace. This is an act of terrorism, and we must put an end to actions like this that only put fuel to the fire. It was a miracle we survived, I, my wife and son. As soon as the grenades were thrown, I thought about the Dawabsheh family in Duma.”
Whether a general strike today would be averted (yes), whether a convicted murderer would be acquitted (no) and whether a Jewish terror suspect was being tortured (unclear) were the big questions that the Hebrew papers discussed today along with the tear gas attack on a Palestinian home near Ramallah. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone three days after the assassination of Samir Kuntar and agreed to continue cooperation over Syria.
Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, and Education Minister and leader of the far right-wing Habayit Hayehudi party, Naftali Bennett, stood behind the Shin Bet amid claims that it was torturing the three Jewish suspects arrested and interrogated over the July arson-murders of the Dawabsheh family in Duma. Right-wing Jews have been holding protests across the country against the alleged use of torture by the Shin Bet. Ynet revealed that on Monday, two officers were hospitalized with fractured bones after being hit by stones hurled by the protesters. [NOTE: It remains in question if the assailants will be dealt with like Palestinian stone throwers. –OH] Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said, “It is important for the public to know that the three suspects who were arrested have already seen a lawyer and that their medical state is in perfect condition,” Shaked said. She denied there was any truth to the claims that one of the suspects had attempted to commit suicide. Worthy of note, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, an Israeli human rights groups that is one of the key targets of a vicious right-wing campaign, wrote a letter to the Attorney General condemning the use of torture against the right-wing Jewish detainees. (Maariv)
But even as these detainees are interrogated, what one MK has called, ‘Dawabsheh II’ took place last night. Tear gas grenades were thrown into a Palestinian home in what the Hebrew media called another suspected Jewish terror attack. A young couple, Hussein Abed Hussein Al-Najjar and his wife Zeinab were asleep with their nine-month-old baby at the time, but their neighbors rescued them before they lost consciousness. The words "Revenge from the prisoners of Zion” were sprayed on a nearby house. MK Itzik Shmuli: "This is the result of an overly lax response by the state to Jewish terrorism." Al-Najjar told Maariv about the moment of rescue from the smoking house in Beitilu village. “They came at 1:30 in the morning, when we were sleeping. They broke the window and threw three hand grenades inside. I immediately called my parent’s house. My wife and I felt dizzy and we were in real danger. Neighbors came to the house and rescued us after they broke down the front door.” One of the neighbors said, "The family was in a stupor, and we undoubtedly saved them from certain death. It seems that the murder of the Dawabsheh family was not enough for the settlers." Al-Najjar: "Until now, the house is full of gas and you can’t enter it. We discovered that they sprayed hostile graffiti on my brother Sharif’s house. All the people were asleep, so no one saw who did it." Al-Najjar said that this is the second time that his house was damaged. "They also burned my neighbors’ car," he added. "I request that the government and the army make sure that no damage is done to homes. I don’t harm anyone, I want to live in peace. This is an act of terrorism, and we must put an end to actions like this that only put fuel to the fire. It was a miracle we survived, I, my wife and son. As soon as the grenades were thrown, I thought about the Dawabsheh family in Duma.”
Quick Hits:
- **Two new defense brass join in support for Breaking the Silence - Under heading 'I too am breaking the silence,' ex-Shin Bet chief and former northern police commander publish ad in favor of anti-occupation group, joining other security officials. (Haaretz+)
- Ex-general slams leftist group that criticizes IDF abroad - Former National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror on Breaking the Silence: "The problem here is that instead of transferring the testimonies to the IDF, they transfer them to the world, and there is no way to look into what they're saying." (Israel Hayom)
- Which Israeli non-profits get tax-deductible status? It’s hard to say - The government doesn’t publish a full list and the criteria remain murky even after recent reforms. It seems left-wing groups face an uphill battle. (Haaretz+)
- ***Education Ministry okays disputed civics textbook - Critics call it ‘ethnocentric’; Arab MKs, academics protest absence of Arab among authors. (Haaretz+)
- US State Department rejects lawmakers' calls to close PLO office - Congressmen call on Kerry to revoke waiver that allows PLO office in Washington to remain open in light of Palestinian incitement, but State Dept. says closing office 'would be detrimental to efforts to calm tensions.' (Agencies, Ynet)
- Israeli embassy in U.S. sends out holiday gift packages with settlement products - 'This year I decided to send a gift for the holiday that would also help combat BDS,' ambassador Ron Dermer tweets. (Haaretz)
- Ex-general slams leftist group that criticizes IDF abroad - Former National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror on Breaking the Silence: "The problem here is that instead of transferring the testimonies to the IDF, they transfer them to the world, and there is no way to look into what they're saying." (Israel Hayom)
- Education Ministry to establish Israel's first Arab college in north - New college to focus on studies with employment potential, in bid to advance integration of Israeli Arabs into Israeli workforce. Education Minister Bennett: There is no reason to send young Arabs to study in Arab states, where they can get radicalized. (Israel Hayom)
- Iranian 'Embassy' opens in Jerusalem, without a diplomat in sight - Group of Israeli artists creates space to spotlight Persian culture and recall the strong ties between the two countries that were cut by the Iranian revolution. (Haaretz+)
- IDF to close information bureaus due to cutbacks - Twelve centers nationwide to be closed by the summer of 2016. Bureaus, whose chief task is to notify families of casualties, to be replaced by call center. Casualty notification officer: This regrettable decision will hurt bereaved families in the future. (Israel Hayom)
- City hall cracks down on smoking of water pipes in East Jerusalem - 'They chose the wrong time for this campaign. The city started the campaign as if it were a war,' says local hotel manager. (Haaretz+)
- Attorney General Weinstein meets with Sara Netanyahu's lawyer - Weinstein says they met three weeks ago on another matter, and Yaakov Weinroth raised the case of irregularities in the running of the prime minister’s homes. (Haaretz+)
- Israel Hayom petitions to vacate ruling on conversations with PM - Three weeks afte court tells Israel Hayom to release phone records, paper says Channel 10 lawsuit was inherently flawed. Among claims: Lawsuit failed to list paper as respondent, denied due process. Prime Minister's Office to appeal ruling. (Israel Hayom)
- Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat signs up as Likud member - While he asserts that he plans to remain in current post until end of term, indications are that he may contest party leadership and enter national politics. (Haaretz+)
Features:
My Great-grandfather, the Man Who Held the Key to the Aleppo Codex
Descendant of man who cared for the oldest complete copy of the Hebrew Bible sets out to trace the text's history in a documentary - and maybe solve the mystery of its missing pages. (Judy Maltz, Haaretz+)
For Iraqis, a Name May Mean the Difference Between Life and Death
Christians and Sunni Muslims in Iraq increasingly find it prudent, or at least a good career move, to change their names in order to conceal their religious identity. (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+)
'Land of Fire' Ignites Questions and Passions About a Terrorist and His Israeli Victim
Nearly four decades after the event it depicts, the new and provocative play by Argentina-born Mario Diament is compelling, despite a few dissonant notes. (Debra Nussbaum Cohen, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
Descendant of man who cared for the oldest complete copy of the Hebrew Bible sets out to trace the text's history in a documentary - and maybe solve the mystery of its missing pages. (Judy Maltz, Haaretz+)
For Iraqis, a Name May Mean the Difference Between Life and Death
Christians and Sunni Muslims in Iraq increasingly find it prudent, or at least a good career move, to change their names in order to conceal their religious identity. (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+)
'Land of Fire' Ignites Questions and Passions About a Terrorist and His Israeli Victim
Nearly four decades after the event it depicts, the new and provocative play by Argentina-born Mario Diament is compelling, despite a few dissonant notes. (Debra Nussbaum Cohen, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
A win-win situation for Israel (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Removing the blockade on Gaza is not a concession to Turkey's Erdogan, but a
necessity that will serve Israel’s security. And, primarily, it will give us a new friend.
They changed sides: Many who oppose the Assad regime in Syria thank Israel (Elizabeth Tzorkov, Maariv) The assassination of Kuntar helped opponents of Assad get rid of an important symbol of the forces participating in the oppression, and thus contributed to improving Israel's image in the Arab discourse in the Middle East.
An Immigrant's Answer to Amira Hass: We Are Not Criminals (Liza Rozovsky, Haaretz+) Just as we must oppose the imposition of collective punishment on Palestinians, we must not impose collective responsibility for the discrimination in the Law of Return or the crimes of the occupation on Israelis.
Next attorney general must lead, think independently (Guy Lurie, Yedioth/Ynet) Curbing advisory activism would be tantamount to ripping out the core of the attorney general’s role. Should this kind of destructive step be taken, all the residents and citizens of Israel will suffer.
Mendelblit Is Worthy of the Role (of attorney general) (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) He was an inseparable part of a system whose role was to provide juridical justification for the persecution and subjugation of Palestinians.
Israel Must Say 'No' to Torture (Haaretz Editorial) Human and civil rights aren’t the property of any particular national, ethnic or religious group; everyone deserves to enjoy them.
Not just another news alert (Noa Buchris, Israel Hayom) A month ago, Noa Buchris swiped an alert about a terrorist stabbing off her phone screen, never thinking that the victim was her beloved sister.
The Secret in the Safe in the Muqata (Benny Begin, Haaretz+) The peace initiatives that have been tossed around here for decades are based on a delusionary expectation that PLO members will abandon their ideology.
Yair Lapid, the Israeli Left's new enemy (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The Yesh Atid leader dared to say what Herzog and Livni are afraid to say: That Breaking the Silence is spewing poison against Israel in the world. What exactly is wrong or inappropriate here?
The world's most ethical occupation army (Amnon Abramovich, Yedioth/Ynet) Since the elections, Yair Lapid has been strongly steering to the right, from Israeliness to Jewishness, from the center-left to the right. His and other’s criticism of Breaking the Silence is based on two problematic assumptions: That the IDF is the world’s most ethical army and that it is influenced by foreign funding.
If the mighty have fallen (Uri Heitner, Israel Hayom) The Breaking the Silence organization is not worthy of Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amiram Levin's support.
Fascism in Israel? It's Up to You (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) I'm sick to death of the Zionism of horseshit, of the incitement which prides itself on hatred and, yes, that 'beautiful face' of fascism. It's up to every one of us. We can stand up now, or be put down later. Like dogs.
Reverse this shameful decision (Judith Bergman, Israel Hayom) Our tradition teaches not to be merciful to the cruel. Foreign-funded, hostile NGOs must not be allowed to dictate life-and-death issues for Israeli citizens.
Is Russia’s hidden hand somewhere in the Samir Kuntar assassination? (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Missile strike on target in Damascus is clear challenge to Moscow, which raises question of whether there was some kind of understanding or coordination in advance.
Why Adelson’s Campus anti-BDS Group Will Be a Bust (Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, Haaretz+) The head of the Maccabee Task Force thinks that a ‘no-criticism of the current Israeli government’ litmus test can be applied in building pro-Israel and anti-BDS coalitions. That’s delusional.
When Bahrain once welcomed Israelis (Nimrod Goren, Haaretz+) The late Yossi Sarid made the first Israeli ministerial visit to the Gulf state, proving that a different reality between Israel and the Arab world is possible - and within reach.
They changed sides: Many who oppose the Assad regime in Syria thank Israel (Elizabeth Tzorkov, Maariv) The assassination of Kuntar helped opponents of Assad get rid of an important symbol of the forces participating in the oppression, and thus contributed to improving Israel's image in the Arab discourse in the Middle East.
An Immigrant's Answer to Amira Hass: We Are Not Criminals (Liza Rozovsky, Haaretz+) Just as we must oppose the imposition of collective punishment on Palestinians, we must not impose collective responsibility for the discrimination in the Law of Return or the crimes of the occupation on Israelis.
Next attorney general must lead, think independently (Guy Lurie, Yedioth/Ynet) Curbing advisory activism would be tantamount to ripping out the core of the attorney general’s role. Should this kind of destructive step be taken, all the residents and citizens of Israel will suffer.
Mendelblit Is Worthy of the Role (of attorney general) (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) He was an inseparable part of a system whose role was to provide juridical justification for the persecution and subjugation of Palestinians.
Israel Must Say 'No' to Torture (Haaretz Editorial) Human and civil rights aren’t the property of any particular national, ethnic or religious group; everyone deserves to enjoy them.
Not just another news alert (Noa Buchris, Israel Hayom) A month ago, Noa Buchris swiped an alert about a terrorist stabbing off her phone screen, never thinking that the victim was her beloved sister.
The Secret in the Safe in the Muqata (Benny Begin, Haaretz+) The peace initiatives that have been tossed around here for decades are based on a delusionary expectation that PLO members will abandon their ideology.
Yair Lapid, the Israeli Left's new enemy (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The Yesh Atid leader dared to say what Herzog and Livni are afraid to say: That Breaking the Silence is spewing poison against Israel in the world. What exactly is wrong or inappropriate here?
The world's most ethical occupation army (Amnon Abramovich, Yedioth/Ynet) Since the elections, Yair Lapid has been strongly steering to the right, from Israeliness to Jewishness, from the center-left to the right. His and other’s criticism of Breaking the Silence is based on two problematic assumptions: That the IDF is the world’s most ethical army and that it is influenced by foreign funding.
If the mighty have fallen (Uri Heitner, Israel Hayom) The Breaking the Silence organization is not worthy of Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amiram Levin's support.
Fascism in Israel? It's Up to You (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) I'm sick to death of the Zionism of horseshit, of the incitement which prides itself on hatred and, yes, that 'beautiful face' of fascism. It's up to every one of us. We can stand up now, or be put down later. Like dogs.
Reverse this shameful decision (Judith Bergman, Israel Hayom) Our tradition teaches not to be merciful to the cruel. Foreign-funded, hostile NGOs must not be allowed to dictate life-and-death issues for Israeli citizens.
Is Russia’s hidden hand somewhere in the Samir Kuntar assassination? (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Missile strike on target in Damascus is clear challenge to Moscow, which raises question of whether there was some kind of understanding or coordination in advance.
Why Adelson’s Campus anti-BDS Group Will Be a Bust (Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, Haaretz+) The head of the Maccabee Task Force thinks that a ‘no-criticism of the current Israeli government’ litmus test can be applied in building pro-Israel and anti-BDS coalitions. That’s delusional.
When Bahrain once welcomed Israelis (Nimrod Goren, Haaretz+) The late Yossi Sarid made the first Israeli ministerial visit to the Gulf state, proving that a different reality between Israel and the Arab world is possible - and within reach.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.