News Summary:
Legislation to suspend Arab MKs, rejection of a French peace initiative, a failed attempt to silence an Israeli journalist and the detention of a Washington Post reporter were top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers along with Hezbollah leader’s threat to attack Israel’s ammonia plant.
 
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Narallah had a number of messages about Israel in his televised speech, but the one that made headlines was about Hezbollah’s capability to kill many Israelis by hitting the ammonia plant in Haifa. “A few missiles on a few ammonium plants equals the same amount of death as an atomic bomb….You can destroy Lebanon and Dahiyeh. You have the strongest air force, you have missiles, and you have other means by which to do it. But we can do the same thing to you (Israel) with only a few missiles aimed at a few ammonium plants." [On further reading, it becomes clear that Nasrallah sees that as a response, which the Hebrew papers did not point out - OH]. Nasrallah said it was those very missiles that prevented the next war. “We must keep this capability because it acts as a deterrent for the Third Lebanon War,” he said. Haifa Municipality expressed an ‘I-told-you-so’ moment of satisfaction from Nasrallah’s statements on Hezbollah’s ability to kill tens of thousands of Israelis by hitting the ammonia plant near Haifa because authorities have not moved forward with the issue of moving the plant, despite a State Comptroller report – which Nasrallah quoted. Nasrallah also slammed the Sunni states who are in contact with Israel because they feel threatened by Iran.

Netanyahu insisted that a “democracy must defend itself,” and ordered the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, which had just suspended discussion on the bill after criticism from the President and the Speaker, to continue its work on the bill that would allow the Knesset to suspend any MK who expresses support for a so-called lone wolf attacker or for not accepting Israel as a Jewish democratic state. Speaker Yuli Edelstein retracted his opposition to the bill following a phone call with Netanyahu. But the Committee’s legal advisor called to remove the clause allowing MKs to be suspended for denying Israel’s Jewish and democratic nature. 
 
A few hours after a French official presented France’s three-step peace initiative at Israel’s Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, Netanyahu rejected it at a press conference in Berlin. The initiative would begin with an international peace summit. Netanyahu called the initiative ‘puzzling’ and said only direct negotiations without preconditions between the parties could advance peace. Earlier this week, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said the opposite: that only negotiations with international involvement could bring peace. Interesting was how the Israeli papers framed Angela Merkel’s comments. Israel Hayom's headline quoted her saying that “Now is not the time for two-state solution.” Yet, Haaretz+ noted that she voiced support for a two-state solution. She actually said: "Now is certainly not the time to make really comprehensive progress, but you can achieve improvements in certain places," Merkel said. 
 
Merkel told Netanyahu she was worried about the effect of the 'NGO bill' on Israeli civil society. Netanyahu said that the clause requiring representatives of NGOs receiving more than half their funding from abroad to wear tags when they come to Knesset has been removed. Netanyahu asked Merkel to assist in mediating the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul from Hamas in Gaza. (Also Maariv)
 
Speaking of Hadar Goldin, whose father demanded the suspension of Army Radio journalist, Razi Barkai, for saying the parents of killed Israeli soldiers and parents of killed Palestinians who killed Israelis was the same: Barkai got to keep his show. Yaron Dekel, Army Radio director, had earlier announced he cut the show by half and put in a right-wing journalist in that hour. But yesterday, after Barkai threatened to quit, Dekel reinstated the full show. (Haaretz Hebrew and Maariv)
 
**The one-hour detention of Washington Post Bureau Chief William Booth and his translator, Sufian Taha, were highly embarrassing to the Israeli government, “all the moreso because this was a journalist who represents a centrist pro-Israeli media network, thereby harming Israel’s image,” wrote Yedioth’s Itamar Eichner. Eichner reported that the Foreign Ministry tried to minimize the damage by apologizing, as did the Israeli Government Press Office, but foreign media, including the New York Times, made the comparison, noting that just last month Iran also released a Washington Post reporter held in jail. Booth and Taha were detained while interviewing locals at the tense Damascus Gate, where numerous Palestinian attacks on Border Police have taken place. The reporters showed their Israeli government press cards to the Border Police, but to no avail, they were taken to the police station. The police later explained its actions saying Border Police at the site got a false complaint from a passerby that an Arab woman told Booth that if he paid some of the bystanders, they would provoke the nearby police officers and start a violent demonstration, Times of Israel reported. Booth denied any such woman approached him. Note, Netanyahu did not actually express regret. [It actually sounded more like a denial. - OH] At the press conference in Berlin he said: “We do not arrest journalists. The press in Israel is very energetic and free to say anything it wants.”
  
*Earlier that morning at Damascus Gate, Border Police detained a 26-year-old man from the Jenin area, after finding a knife under his sleeve. After the detention of the potential knife-stabber and of the Washington Post bureau chief, Yedioth’s Elior Levy spent some time yesterday at Damascus Gate [in Arabic: ‘Bab al-Amoud’] interviewing locals, too. One man who owns a shop across the street, who said he saw all the attacks of the last four months, said, “Damascus Gate is the largest entry of the Old City and the number of Border Police here is the greatest. If there weren’t Border Police then it’s possible there wouldn’t be any attacks. Look at the other entrances. Were there attacks there? No. So apparently the presence of the police has significance. You Israelis are sure that if you shoot to kill someone who made an attack, then it will deter others. That’s maybe true for the older generation, but it causes the opposite effect on the youth. Their blood is hot and they see this and they want revenge.” The manager of the taxi station opposite Damascus Gate explained that the place itself has a special significance. “The name of this gate in Islam is ‘Victory Gate.’ It is an Islamic symbol, and whoever wants to make an attack prefers to reach here because of what this place represents for us.” A taxi driver standing nearby noted bitterly that since the violent escalation, Palestinians changed the name from ‘Bab al-Amoud’ (Gate of the pillar) to ‘Bab al-Tadhiyeh’ (Gate of the Victims).

Quick Hits:

• Court turns down Palestinian hunger-striker's request to move to Palestinian hospital outside of Israel - Arab MK calls move a 'death sentence' for al-Qiq, now in the 83rd day of his hunger strike to protest being held without trial, but court says he 'has the key to his welfare and his health.' In court, justice tells Arab lawmakers to deal with honor killings of Arab women. (Maariv) Lawmakers blame police for neglecting problem. (Haaretz+, Maariv, Israel Hayom and Maan)
• (Another) Palestinian prisoner moved to hospital after entering coma - Rabie Atta Muhammad Jibril was moved from Negev prison to the Soroka Hospital in southern Israel. Jibril, who has been in Israeli custody since Aug. 19, went on hunger strike in protest of his administrative detention -- an Israeli policy that allows Palestinians to be held without charge or trial, indefinitely. (Maan) 
• Another fighter in the ultra-Orthodox ‘Netzach Yehuda’ brigade of the Kfir Battaliion convicted of electrocuting Palestinian prisoners - The fighter was sentenced to nine months in prison plus six months suspended sentence and a demotion to the rank of private. Earlier this week, another fighter of the brigade was sent to prison. (Maariv) 
• Palestinian forces foil bombing near Jenin - Palestinian teenagers stopped with knives and pipe bombs at Jalame checkpoint; attempted use of pipe bombs in an attack is a significant development in the strategy being used by these lone wolf attackers. (Ynet)
• Cyberattacks waned amid Iran nuclear deal, Israeli army officer says - 'If you want to catch a power during a break-in attempt, you have to be a power, and Israel is a cyberpower,' he says, giving rare glimpse into Israel's cyber efforts. IDF preparing for cyber attacks: putting an 'Iron Dome' network over Israel. (Haaretz+ and Maariv)
• IDF officer rules out reported intelligence exposure - "None of the IDF's encoded transmissions were intercepted, and our code remains unbreached," officer says in response to recent report (by 'The Interceptor') that IDF drones were hacked by US and UK spy agencies. IDF establishing Cyber Defense Division with eight "intervention" teams. (Israel Hayom)
• Right-wing 'moles' targeted Palestinian laborers on buses with Israelis - As part of plan to effect separate Jewish and Palestinian West Bank bus lines, right-wing activist Gilad Ach planted 'moles' on mixed buses to extract sexual comments from laborers. Ach: Publication of report by Haaretz motivated by 'vengeful interests.' (Haaretz+)
• Tel Aviv University Tells Call Center Workers Not to Speak Arabic - 'when candidates call from overseas or new immigrants call and speak English, we are required and allowed to speak to them in English, so what is the difference?' (Haaretz+) 
• Israel's military censor asks to join emergency services’ WhatsApp groups - Part of censor’s work is to be 'synchronized with the bodies distributing security information to the media,' says an official. (Haaretz+)
• Israeli forces uproot 100 olive trees in Wadi Qana - Israeli forces uprooted 100 olive trees in the Wadi Qana area west of the village of Deir Istiya in Salfit district amid ongoing efforts to push Palestinians out of the area, locals said. An Israeli spokesman said the trees were planted illegally in an Israeli-declared nature reserve. The valley historically served agricultural and recreational purposes for local Palestinians. (Maan) 
• Palestine ranked 195th in world on children's access to justice – 3rd lowest in the world - Child Rights International Network (CRIN) noted that while Palestinian religious courts had no obligations to children's rights, the Chief Islamic Justice has encouraged these rights be taken into consideration. However, CRIN said that Israel's nearly 50-year military occupation harmed Palestinian children's access to justice. (Maan)
• Homemade guns add to Israeli security woes - Improvised firearms used in some recent terror attacks are reaching level of military-made arms, firing like an AK47 or M-16. (Ynet)
• Palestinian road construction sparks fear of infiltration to settlement - Residents of Leshem say unapproved road being paved meters away from their border fence could provide easy access to the town for possible terrorists. (Ynet) 
• Health Minister Litzmann in harsh letter to Public Security Minister Erdan: "Why did you delay the burials for the bodies of the deceased?” - Minister Litzmann criticized the conduct of the police in the process of identification of those killed in fatal traffic accident on Hwy 1: "The police insisted on a dental check-up conducted by long hours without just cause.” (Maariv)
• Likely: Netanyahu will visit Uganda to mark the 40th anniversary of Operation Entebbe - Netanyahu is expected to visit Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya and attend the event, in memory of his late brother Yoni. The visit has not yet been approved, and the Foreign Ministry hopes that it will promote Israel's ties with the continent. (Maariv, p.1)
• Report: Slain Hezbollah commander made major efforts to find Israeli pilot Ron Arad - Special team set up by Imad Mughniyeh reportedly managed to locate Arad's parachute, personal weapon as well as items of his clothing, but the items did not lead the team to locate Arad or his body. (Haaretz+, Israel Hayom and Ynet)
• London, Paris, step up fight against BDS - British minister Matthew Hancock visits Israel ahead of vote on U.K. bill that aims to block public bodies from boycotting Israeli products. Meanwhile, Paris Municipality orders departments to cut ties with organizations promoting anti-Israel boycotts. (Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
• Oxford University Labour Club co-chair resigns over Israel Apartheid Week dispute - Alex Chalmers, co-chair of student organization affiliated with British Labour Party, stated that he did not feel comfortable with 'poisonous' anti-Jewish attitudes of club members. (Haaretz)
• Israel's Partner cuts ties with France's Orange after dispute - Eight months after public spat between Israel's Partner Communications and French mobile phone company Orange, companies sever ties. Partner launches rebranding campaign, replaces its Orange logo. Partner CEO says it is "a proud Israeli company." (Israel Hayom and Haaretz)
• Pro-Palestinian outcry over inclusion of Israeli envoy aborts South Africa confab - Ambassador Arthur Lenk was meant to sit in panel in water crisis conference; 'We are willing to share expertise to help South Africa with its drought problems,' embassy says after cancelation. (JTA, Haaretz)
• After decades of neglect, academics hope new plan will bail out Israel's humanities - 'Humanities graduates can contribute to business administration, high-tech and public policy, too. It’s important to bring people from the humanities into these fields as well.' (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
• Jerusalem Even Older Than Thought: Archaeologists Find 7,000-year-old Houses - Discovery made while building a road in Shuafat, in north Jerusalem, includes earliest-known houses in Jerusalem, gemstone beads and farming stone tools. (Haaretz+)
• Discovery Near Kibbutz Ein Gev: Ein Gev Hunters Were Ahead of Their Time - A crisis in human settlement that was taking place in Europe seems to have passed over the inhabitants of a Natufian village in northern Israel. (Haaretz+)
• No More Candy Bars and Energy Drinks as ISIS' Revenue Streams Dry Up - Strapped for cash in its so-called caliphate, Islamic State has slashed salaries, and asked Raqqa residents to pay utility bills in American dollars. (Agencies, Haaretz) 
• Turkey Asks Coalition Partners to Take Part in Joint Ground Operation in Syria - Move is necessary to stop civil war, but Turkey wouldn't launch offensive on its own, says government official. (Agencies, Haaretz) 

Features:
How Levi Eshkol's government 'engineered' Israel's 1966-67 recessionAlready in late 1964, according to newly released archival documents, the PM was affected by political and other considerations and made a series of decisions that embroiled Israel in a recession that ended only after the 1967 war broke out. (Ofer Aderet, Haaretz+)
There won’t be a terror law for Arabs and a different terror law for Jews
Deputy Attorney General Raz Nezri is being threatened and vilified for the administrative detention of suspects in the murder of the Dawabsheh family members in Duma. At a Judicial conference of the right-wing that was recently held, Nezri, who himself wears a kippah, called on the leaders of religious Zionism to condemn the ‘price-tag’ attacks. He emphasized: “Be as right-wing as there is, but condemn terror.” (Tovah Tzimuki, Yedioth’s ’24 Hours’ supplement, p. 8)
U.K. Jews, Muslims and Christians embrace God and broad gender expression
The 'Twilight People' project explores the unique experiences of transgender and gender-variant individuals from a cross-section of faith communities. (Daniella Peled, Haaretz+)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
Revisiting Israeli peace activist Emil Grunzweig's murder, 33 years later (Yael Gruenpeter, Haaretz+) Despite biting criticism in 1983 of the atmosphere of verbal and physical aggression, and of the incitement behind and 'criminality' of killing a person for his political views, it seems that not much has changed. 
Facts prove: the Arab sector wants to be part of Israel (Lior Akerman, Maariv) Former senior Shin Bet official claims that despite the provocations of the Arab MKs and radicalization among individuals, the fears are unrealistic, Israeli Arabs want to integrate into the state.
Bill to Suspend Legislators Is the Suspension of Israeli Democracy (Haaretz Editorial) The bill, which targets Arab lawmakers, is another link in the chain of legislation that reflects a narrow and feeble concept of democracy as majority rule and nothing more. 
Until I Came to Live in Israel, I Was Sure That Jews Were Smart (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) Detaining the Washington Post for 'incitement': Unable to stem the terror attacks that now number as many as eight per day, the government has clearly decided that incitement, its declared mortal enemy, can now be its best friend. 
Saying goodbye to Israel's oldest dissident Zionist (Avi Dabach, +972mag) He was an officer in the IDF, a supporter of a bi-national state, and fundraised money to build a school in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. Until his very last day, Dov Yermiya remained a man of contradictions.
Jerusalem First: The Plan to Forge Peace With the Palestinians (Ephraim Sneh, Haaretz+) Zionist Union chief Isaac Herzog’s ideas about separation in the capital reflect rare political courage. 
The panic over the (Gaza) tunnels? IDF manipulation (Ran Adelist, Maariv) The panic over the tunnels is the way that the General Staff signals to the political echelons that the continuation of the existing policies will lead to disaster. This is not a leftist opinion, but a political consensus. 
Army Terror Against the Palestinians That Journalists Only Yawn At (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Children’s fear of rifles, the disruption of family life and violent invasive acts have become a natural norm in a state where settlers’ needs define everything. 
If Michelle Obama Behaved Like Sara Netanyahu, Congress Would Be Talking Impeachment (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) Israelis are shouldering the cost of the deplorable behavior at the Prime Minister's residence. Last week's ruling should bring heavy political consequences for the Netanyahus, but it won't. 
The Enemy of Israel's Enemy Is Still Israel's Enemy (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Suddenly the only democracy in the Middle East is boasting that the despots of the Middle East are willing to embrace it, and perhaps some day even to be seen on the street with it. 
Realistic defense aid (Zalman Shoval, Israel Hayom) Contrary to media reports, negotiations on the scope of the American aid package to Israel are going as planned.
Despite Jail Term, Don't Forget Olmert's Good Deeds (Uzi Baram, Haaretz+) When he resigned from the prime minister's office, he left in the hands of his successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, a political will and testament that cries out with its truth. 
'No brains, no worries' (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Leftist attacks on anyone who thinks differently as "vulgar" and "ignorant" embody those exact qualities, but no one objects.
How to stop Israel’s 'delegitimization' among American progressives (Peter Beinart, Haaretz) Israel’s treatment of the stateless Palestinians over which it rules is not a public relations problem. It is a moral problem.
 

SodaStream, alone in the fight against BDSThe Israeli company, which had to move its factory from the West Bank to the Negev, has been on the frontlines of boycott battles for over 8 years now. CEO Daniel Birnbaum talks about handling public relations abroad, his Palestinian employees, and bubbly water. (Interviewed by Ariela Ringel Hoffman in Yedioth/Ynet)
 

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