APN's daily news review from Israel

Wednesday January 13, 2016

 

Quote of the day:

---

Breaking News:
Jewish French politician found dead with stab wounds in his apartment (Haaretz)

1 Palestinian killed by IDF artillery fire into Gaza; IDF says Palestinians were planting explosives on border fence (Ynet and Maan)

Front Page:

Haaretz

---

 

News Summary:
Israel’s fifth nuclear submarine anchors in Israel with great fanfare, French Jews in Marseilles remove their kippahs out of fear after an ISIS-inspired machete attack, Turkey suffers from an ISIS attack and Israel rages after Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom calls to probe Israeli extra-judicial killings of Palestinians making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. No longer making front pages, Israeli shot and killed two Palestinians it accused of attempting to stab soldiers, and in one case it was unclear whether it was an accident or whether a third man was killed. The IDF killed another young Palestinian in clashes.
 
Israel slammed Wallstrom’s call for a probe into Israeli security forces killings of Palestinians in the recent wave of violence as “irresponsible and delusional” and charged that it “gave support to terror and thus encourages violence.” (Meanwhile, an Israeli judge slammed police for shooting dead a Jewish Israeli criminal.)
 
Haaretz reported that Palestinian bystander, Adna'an al-Khalaika, 18, from Hebron, was killed by IDF soldiers when they opened fire on Mohammed Ahmad Khawazbeh, 23 or 18, from the village of Sair, who the IDF said was attempting to stab them with a knife at the checkpoint. But Maan and Israel Hayom reported that the IDF also killed Adnan Hamid al-Mashni, from Shayouch village, who the IDF said drove Khawazbeh and tried to get out of his car to stab as well. Maan reported that Al-Mashni was shot and fatally wounded at the same time while driving near the junction.
  
In the normally quiet village of Bethlehem, Israeli forces shot in the chest and killed Srour Ahmad Abu Srour, 21, during clashes that broke out in Beit Jala after Israeli forces stormed the town and several other parts of Bethlehem and around it after gunshots were reportedly fired at a military outpost from a speeding car at the Container checkpoint northeast of Bethlehem. IDF said it was looking into the incident. 
 

Quick Hits:

---

Features:

Doesn’t keep the silence
“You in ‘Breaking the Silence’ are being used as a warhead that tells the world that the occupation is intolerable. Only the international community, like in the case of South Africa, can change the Israeli public opinion. In every meeting with members of parliament abroad, you help create the sense that the occupation is illegitimate.” Alon Liel, former director of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, is responsible for making those quotes. The event: A briefing with ‘Breaking the Silence’ activists in which he freely explains why it is important that they operate in the world in order to create pressure on Israel. The briefing was documented by two hidden video cameras and an audio recorder, which were planted by ‘L.’ from ‘Ad Kan’ organization [which also used a mole to record left-wing activist Ezra Nawi saying he reported Palestinian landbrokers selling Palestinian land to settlers – OH]. In the video, Liel also says that   Liel in response: “I act from concern for the future of the state, which I served for over 30 years.” (Yifat Ehrlich, Yedioth’s ’24 Hours’ magazine cover story)
[NOTE: This was also broadcast, unsurprisingly, on Channel 20’s ‘Patriots’ program. Channel 20 The far-right-wing State Channel 20 accused President Reuven Rivlin on Facebook of “spitting in the faces of IDF soldiers for speaking at the Haaretz Peace Conference, where ‘Breaking the Silence’ was also speaking. – OH]
In his Arab hometown, neighbors and relatives shun Tel Aviv shooter
Few in Arara believe Nashat Melhem was a terrorist, yet even fewer are mourning the man who killed three in the Tel Aviv terror attack. (Danna Harman, Haaretz+) 
Deaths climb as Israel tightens grip on Palestinian village of Sair
A small plot of land set aside for the bodies of “martyrs” in the center of Sair is rapidly running out of space. Lying in a quiet valley in the hills northeast of Hebron -- far from Israel’s separation wall and settlements -- there is no immediately obvious reason the village has seen so much bloodshed. For Sair’s residents, however, the explanation is simple. (Killian Redden, Maan)
Letters to the Editor: U.S. Jews on Israeli Democracy and Madaya, Syria (Haaretz)

Commentary/Analysis:

Israel Must Stop With the 'Good Arab' Generalizations (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) The settlements contain people who see the Israeli government as an enemy and the prime minister as a traitor - just like in the Arab community.
I, too, was undercover when I met Ezra Nawi. Here's what I saw (Mijal Simonet Corech, +972mag) I have plenty of criticism for Ezra Nawi. I also have lots of love for him. Part of being a leftist is using language that transcends black and white.
Nuclear family: a fleet of submarines to Israel was established to provide a second nuclear strike capability (Yossi Melman, Maariv) After sailing approximately 3000 miles from a German port, the Navy submarine Rahav, Israel’s fifth Navy submarine, arrived at Haifa port. Israel hopes that by 2020 it will be able to purchase a sixth submarine. According to foreign reports, Israel is upgrading the submarines so that they can shoot nuclear warheads from their torpedo openings. 
The Jews Who Said 'No, Thank You’ to Netanyahu (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) More Jews came to Israel in 2015 because of Putin and the low price of oil than due to the threat of terror. 
Alon Liel is right – enough of the persecution (Yehuda Shohat, Yedioth’s ’24 Hours’ supplement) …The best evidence for what Alon Liel said to ‘Breaking the Silence’ activists (see Features above) can be found here, in the very broadcasting of the recordings and in the campaign of ‘Im Tirtzu’ and its proxies. The blunt attempt to put views of Alon Liel and others outside of the consensus, as if their views were an injustice in and of itself, is proof that the battle here (in Israel) is practically lost. That there is no one who will listen. In the State of Israel, a hunt is taking place against organizations and people who are trying to battle against an injustice - the occupation - and therefore there is no choice but to turn outwards (to the international community) and ask for help. This is also the best evidence that Liel and those like him love Israel and are loyal to it. Because if they weren’t, none of them would bother to struggle and pay such a public price. They could easily and with honor abandon the sinking ship. But they are here, fighting for Israeli democracy and inviting reinforcement. Ask Bibi, who gave the speech to the American people and its elected officials, above the head of President Obama, in order to pressure him from outside. Legitimate, no?
The True Face of the Palestinians' Leader (Yossi Kuperwasser, Haaretz+) Mahmoud Abbas' recent statements, unreported in the West, show that the wave of knifings and car-ramming attacks against Israelis is a national campaign whose fighters act according to the directives of their leadership. 
Abbas fears an internal intifada (Elior Levy, Ynet) The chairman of the Palestinian Authority is worried that ongoing economic woes will lead to an uprising against him and in recent speeches has focused on social issues. Hamas is waiting for the PA to collapse even though they could be brought down at the same time.
Bennett's Pawns Show Contempt for Israel's Higher Education System (Haaretz Editorial) The ouster of the Higher Education Council head is yet another attempt to weaken the regulators, restrict their authority and subordinate them to the politicians. 
Impose sanctions on the PA (Judith Bergman, Israel Hayom) Sanctions seem reasonable as long as the PA's declared is to "water the soil" of our ‎country with their "pure blood."
Israeli Attorney General Gives Netanyahu Cover to Leak Information at Will (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) Netanyahu is fond of calling for hearings and investigations of leaks, as long as the leaks came from others, especially from others in his cabinet. 
Don’t interfere: Amos Gilboa wonder’s where the US Administration's gets its chutzpah from (Amos Gilboa, Maariv) As a democracy that is libeled, it’s no wonder the world does not give us respect, openly slanders our leaders and dares to intervene in our legislation.
Integration, not isolationism (Yechiel Shabi, Israel Hayom) We can't pretend that terrorists who are citizens of the state are an aberration.
When GOP Obstructionism Trumps the Fight Against Iran and ISIS (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Senate committee withholds confirmation of Adam Szubin at crucial anti-terrorist Treasury post for 270 days and counting.
Let's lower the flames (Dr. Haim Shine, Israel Hayom) The Left relies on incitement, slander and intimidation.
When every fire is a potential arson attack (Haggai Mattar, +972mag) As incitement against the Israeli Left grows, it is no surprise so many people believed right-wing arsonists were behind the fire at the offices of Israel’s oldest human rights organization.
 

 

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