APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday May 03, 2016
Quote of the day:
"During his years in power, Netanyahu has fostered a deadly mixture of paranoia, aggressive megalomania and
pessimism. How will he manage to change the awful atmosphere that he himself created, and persuade the right-wing
majority to divide the land without the Golem rising up against its creator?"
--Haaretz+ commentator Iris Leal writes that when eventually Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is forced, like the South African leader F.W. de Klerk, to choose between peace or face trouble, he may find himself facing a paradox of his own making.*
You Must Be Kidding:
The municipality of an Israeli city ordered the removal of a sign protesting the separation of Jewish and Arab women in maternity wards, saying it offended the public’s sensibilities.
--Haaretz+ commentator Iris Leal writes that when eventually Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is forced, like the South African leader F.W. de Klerk, to choose between peace or face trouble, he may find himself facing a paradox of his own making.*
You Must Be Kidding:
The municipality of an Israeli city ordered the removal of a sign protesting the separation of Jewish and Arab women in maternity wards, saying it offended the public’s sensibilities.
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Bennett: If Justice Ministry is taken from us, we will leave the government
- Police Investigations Unit suspects that soldiers abused Palestinian youth for three days
- Ten Palestinian journalists held in Israeli prisons
- Police having difficulty connecting suspect in murder of [4] women to two of the crime scenese
- One moderately wounded in stabbing attack in Old City
- Researchers completed mapping of genes causing breast cancer
- Dozens of mentally retarded people unfit for trial are sent to jail – because there are no rehabilitation frameworks for them
- Intel began firing hundreds of employees in Israel
- Minister of annexation // Haaretz Editorial
- Rebellion in the Knesset Finance Committee? Requests to transfer budgets won’t be brought up for discussion
Yedioth Ahronoth
- On the way to a medicine for breast cancer
- The high school students’ strike
- Holocaust Day - After 71 years – Photo of Rabbi Meir Lau when he arrived as an 8-year-old boy getting off a ship of Holocaust survivors
- Independence Day – ‘Black and White Coffee,’ and Ethiopian-Israeli rapper group will be among those performing at the torch lighting ceremony
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- The high school students’ strike
- Last night: Stabbing attack in Jerusalem
- Why are new male drivers forced to pay more for compulsory insurance than new female drivers? Finance Ministry explains: Men are more dangerous drivers
- Breakthrough in war against breast cancer
- “It’s our obligation to carry the torch of remembrance” – IDF Chief of Staff visited Holocaust survivors in framework of project ‘Flower for a survivor’
- “I didn’t murder” – Arrest of Fiodore Beijinri, suspected of raping and murdering four women, extended. Police: We have strong evidence connecting him to two of the victims
Israel Hayom
- The high school students’ rebellion
- Genes causing breast cancer were mapped
- Remembering with a salute – Senior IDF officials met with Holocaust survivors before Holocaust Day
- Terror in the capital: One moderately wounded in stabbing attack
- Tears of joy: Eden Dadon, who was seriously injured in the attack on bus #12, woke up
- From Cruz’s point of view, it’s to be or not to be // Boaz Bismuth on the primaries in Indiana
News Summary:
Israeli high school students went on strike today, the genomic map of breast cancer was discovered, and more stories of Holocaust survivors, some of whom met with the IDF Chief of Staff, were at the top of the news in today’s Hebrew papers. Also in the news, another stabbing attack took place at Jerusalem’s Old City, Britain’s Labor party suspended more members for anti-Semitic comments, left and center members of Knesset slammed Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked for her proposal to apply Israeli law to settlers in the West Bank – essentially creating two sets of laws for Israelis and Palestinians living there and Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads Habayit Hayehudi party, threatened his party would quit the coalition government if the Justice Ministry was taken from Shaked and given to the Zionist Camp party to include the latter in the coalition. Meanwhile, MK Isaac Herzog, leader of the Zionist Camp, so he had no plans of making a national unity government. Also, the latest on the 'Shooting Soldier from Hebron.'
Ahead of the trial of the Shooting Soldier from Hebron, the Military Prosecution has signaled it won't make a plea bargain. It has called to reserve duty a high-profile lawyer, Nadav Weissman, to serve as the military prosecutor, Yedioth reported. Moreover, Channel 10 News exposed the testimony of Captain N., the commander of Elor Azariya, the soldier who shot dead the already neutralized Palestinian assailant in Hebron. “I shouted, 'Who shot?' Three or four seconds went by and no one answered, and then someone shouted 'Elor' or 'I shot.’ I don’t remember,” Captain N. testified. “I approached the soldier and asked him, ‘Why did you do that?' He said he saw him moving. He had no intelligent answer.” Captain N. was asked: “What did you do after the shooting?" The commander replied: “I told him not to move and to stay put." (Maariv)
Quick Hits:
- Israeli soldiers suspected of abusing three Palestinian youths, military police say - Haaretz has learned that Military Police investigation unit has begun probing incident in which three minors were beaten and humiliated after crossing into Israel illegally. (Haaretz+)
- Israel Holding 10 Palestinian Journalists, Six of Them Without Charges - Six of the journalists are being held in administrative detention; Shin Bet says all are suspected of involvement in terrorist activity or organizations. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli forces open fire on fishermen, level land in Gaza - Witnesses told Ma’an that four armored military bulldozers and three digging machines escorted by Israeli military vehicles stormed the Gaza Strip buffer zone east of Rafah. (Maan)
- Israel plans to reopen Erez border crossing to Gaza, official says - As stipulated in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Israel will open Erez crossing to goods going in an out of Gaza. Official says no date has been set for opening, but that Erez will eventually handle half of the traffic flowing through Kerem Shalom. (Agencies, Haaretz and Ynet)
- Israeli forces to reopen Jerusalem-area gate after 7 years - Some 100,000 Palestinian holders of Israeli-issued Jerusalem IDs would be able to cross into al-Ram and the Kafr Aqab area through the gate, which would decrease the traffic at the notorious Qalandiya checkpoint near Ramallah, where a 23-year-old pregnant Palestinian woman and her 16-year-old brother were killed last Wednesday. (Maan)
- Israel to Invest Millions in Improving Settlements' Cellular Reception Despite IDF Opposition - Plan was hatched after emergency teams were late to arrive at scene of terrorist attack due to poor reception. (Haaretz+)
- Israel renews Palestinian lawmaker's administrative detention - Hatim Rabah Rashid Qafisha, 56, a Hamas-affiliated member of the PLC, was scheduled to be released in three days, but the Israeli high court rejected an appeal and decided to extend his administrative detention for another three months. (Maan)
- Gaza families visit imprisoned relatives in Israel - 78 Palestinians -- including 31 children -- entered Israel through the Erez crossing early Monday morning, to visit 41 first-degree relatives held in Ramon. (Maan)
- **Kfar Sava to Remove Sign Against Arab-Jewish Separation in Maternity Wards - Municipality deems sign near Meir Hospital, erected by activists, 'offensive.' Physician: There is racism among the staff.' (Haaretz+)
- Israeli military takes aim against combat casualty leaks over social media, WhatsApp - The Israeli military has launched a social media campaign to persuade the public against sharing casualty details that can spur panic as in the 2014 Gaza war. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- Man arrested for [transporting] the Jaffa promenade terrorist - E. Jerusalem resident, Mohammed Ouida, is being held on suspicion of having transporting the stabber who killed the American tourist Taylor Force in May; he is suspected of manslaughter, conspiracy and transporting illegal residents. His lawyer: “If the suspect is as dangerous as the police allege, why didn’t they arrest him at the beginning of March?” (Ynet and Maariv)
- Tourism in Israel slowly recovering from violence - While lone-wolf attacks reduced number of tourists from the United States and Britian over Passover holiday, many hotels across the country were filled with Israelis. (Ynet)
- Illegal underage marriages being ignored by authorities, committee finds - According to the report, 716 underage couples registered for marriage between March of 2014 and December of 2015 with 517 of the juvenile marriages being performed in Sharia court and 22 of them for Jewish couples. 466 of the cases were performed illegally. (JPost and Maariv)
- Power supply in Gaza is reduced to 6 hours for every 18 hours - The reduction is due to a problem with the Egyptian power lines. (Maan)
- Kerry Works to Renew Cease-fire in Syria's Embattled Aleppo - Syria announced temporary truces in other areas but failed to extend it to Aleppo, where government air strikes, rebel shelling have killed hundreds in past week. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- ISIS Car Bomb Kills at Least 18 Pilgrims in Baghdad - Police officer says explosives-laden car bomb struck Shi'ite worshipers visiting Iraqi capital to commemorate imam's death anniversary. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Iranian Mobile Game Aims Missiles at Israeli City of Haifa - 'Missile Strike' challenges players to break through Israel's Iron Dome defense system to hit Haifa with Emad, Zofaqar and Sejjil missiles - once they accumulate enough points of course. (Haaretz)
- Egyptian Journalists Stage Sit-in Over Police Raid and Arrests at Journalist Union Building - The protest is considered 'open ended' after police detain two on premises of journalists' syndicate. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
WATCH: American slackliner walks between Jerusalem's ancient towers
Heather Larsen walks across a 35 meter span and then a 20 meter line inside the courtyard of the ancient museum of Jerusalem's Tower of David. (Haaretz)
Lessons from Nuremberg: 'The Holocaust started with words'
International legal symposium in Krakow to focus on lessons of the Holocaust and steps that can be taken to prevent genocide • "BDS movement mainly harms the Palestinians," world-renowned Canadian legal expert Irwin Cotler says. (Yair Altman, Israel Hayom)
How a New York play links Black Lives Matter to Palestinians’ suffering
An American playwright has penned a gripping tale about an Israeli Arab killed in the October 2000 events — and his steadfast sister. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+)
Letters to the Editor: Beinart Is Wrong About AIPAC Members (Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
*Boycott or Not, Israel's Era of 'Managing the Conflict' Is Over (Iris Leal, Haaretz+) When the world finally forces Netanyahu to the negotiating table, he'll discover that his previous messages to Israelis will make him an enemy of the people.
Dear Abbas, Answer Kerry, and Establish a Palestinian State Now (Yossi Beilin, Haaretz+) You more than anyone else can kick-start the process of finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Military aid, but at what price? (Amos Yadlin, Yedioth/Ynet) Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin analyzes the fundamental disparities between the US and Israel that are holding up negotiations on the aid deal.
Ayelet Shaked: Israel's Minister of Annexation (Haaretz Editorial) By applying Israeli law in the West Bank, the justice minister's proposal is expected to deepen the apartheid in Israel's code of law between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
Time to panic: Benjamin Netanyahu is doubly terrified and pretending to be a responsible adult (Ran Adelist, Maariv) The Prime Minister is fearful of the prospect that the IDF plan for disengagement from West Bank cities will be implemented (a danger to the coalition) and also of the possibility that the plan will be thwarted by the right-wing (which is a danger to receiving American aid).
Only Putin Can Pressure Assad to Stabilize Syria Cease-fire (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) More than five years after the war broke out, the U.S. presidential elections do not bear any tidings for Syrian citizens. The truth is that none of them dares touch the crisis in Syria with a 10-foot pole.
When Jew hatred trumps national security (Judith Bergman, Israel Hayom) Europeans should ask why Israel and the Jews continue to be an almost clinical obsession for their politicians.
The Cultural Revolution That Tramples Israel’s Secular Heritage (Roni Bar, Haaretz+) Freedom of worship is supposed to let a person conduct his spiritual life as he wishes, but apparently in Israel this principle protects religious ritual only.
Heather Larsen walks across a 35 meter span and then a 20 meter line inside the courtyard of the ancient museum of Jerusalem's Tower of David. (Haaretz)
Lessons from Nuremberg: 'The Holocaust started with words'
International legal symposium in Krakow to focus on lessons of the Holocaust and steps that can be taken to prevent genocide • "BDS movement mainly harms the Palestinians," world-renowned Canadian legal expert Irwin Cotler says. (Yair Altman, Israel Hayom)
How a New York play links Black Lives Matter to Palestinians’ suffering
An American playwright has penned a gripping tale about an Israeli Arab killed in the October 2000 events — and his steadfast sister. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+)
Letters to the Editor: Beinart Is Wrong About AIPAC Members (Haaretz)
Commentary/Analysis:
*Boycott or Not, Israel's Era of 'Managing the Conflict' Is Over (Iris Leal, Haaretz+) When the world finally forces Netanyahu to the negotiating table, he'll discover that his previous messages to Israelis will make him an enemy of the people.
Dear Abbas, Answer Kerry, and Establish a Palestinian State Now (Yossi Beilin, Haaretz+) You more than anyone else can kick-start the process of finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Military aid, but at what price? (Amos Yadlin, Yedioth/Ynet) Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin analyzes the fundamental disparities between the US and Israel that are holding up negotiations on the aid deal.
Ayelet Shaked: Israel's Minister of Annexation (Haaretz Editorial) By applying Israeli law in the West Bank, the justice minister's proposal is expected to deepen the apartheid in Israel's code of law between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
Time to panic: Benjamin Netanyahu is doubly terrified and pretending to be a responsible adult (Ran Adelist, Maariv) The Prime Minister is fearful of the prospect that the IDF plan for disengagement from West Bank cities will be implemented (a danger to the coalition) and also of the possibility that the plan will be thwarted by the right-wing (which is a danger to receiving American aid).
Only Putin Can Pressure Assad to Stabilize Syria Cease-fire (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) More than five years after the war broke out, the U.S. presidential elections do not bear any tidings for Syrian citizens. The truth is that none of them dares touch the crisis in Syria with a 10-foot pole.
When Jew hatred trumps national security (Judith Bergman, Israel Hayom) Europeans should ask why Israel and the Jews continue to be an almost clinical obsession for their politicians.
The Cultural Revolution That Tramples Israel’s Secular Heritage (Roni Bar, Haaretz+) Freedom of worship is supposed to let a person conduct his spiritual life as he wishes, but apparently in Israel this principle protects religious ritual only.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.