APN's daily news review from Israel

Monday June 20, 2016
 

Quote of the day:

"I call on our leadership to stop subtly courting an extremist minority, to unequivocally come out against this occurrence and express basic and moral support for a soldier and commander who has shown courage well beyond the battlefield.”
--Former defense minister Moshe Yaalon comes to the defense of Maj. Tom Naaman, who has been vilified for testifying against Sgt. Elor Azariya, the 'Shooting Soldier from Hebron.'**

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Front Page:

Haaretz

 

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

 
News Summary:
Top brass come to the defense of the vilified IDF commander, invoices revealed inflated expenses at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Residences and US Presidential candidate Donald Trump cited Israel as a role model when he said the US should consider racial profiling making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers. Also high in the news were the reports that Opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog had offered the Palestinians that Israel would withdraw to the '67 borders, that Netanyahu planned to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry to plan a regional peace summit, and that ousted defense minister Moshe Yaalon was planning his return – in Netanyahu’s seat.

**Numerous senior people have come to the defense of Maj. Tom Naaman, with the exception of Netanyahu himself. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot met with Maj. Tom Naaman yesterday to give his support in the wake of the flood of bitter criticism and event threats that Naaman has received for his damning testimony in the trial of Sgt. Elor Azaria, who is accused of fatally shooting an incapacitated Palestinian assailant who posed no threat in Hebron in March. Former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon called for end to incitement, blaming the political leadership: “The wild incitement against Company Commander (Na’aman) serves as a further transgression that must be stopped. I call on our leadership to stop subtly courting an extremist minority, to unequivocally come out against this occurrence and express basic and moral support for a soldier and commander who has shown courage well beyond the battlefield.” The papers noted that despite previously expressing support for Azariya and attending his court hearings, newly appointed Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman now expressed his support for Naaman yesterday, saying: "I oppose all attacks and hurling of insults against IDF officers." The papers also noted that Netanyahu, who subtly also expressed support for Azariya in the past, remained silent following the attacks on Naaman. (Maariv) Interestingly, Likud MK Avi Dichter slammed the 'incitement in the country,' but pointed to Netanyahu as the target of it and said he feared for him.  Lieberman spoke from the US, where he is visiting as defense minister for first time. Even the lawyer of Elor Azariya reacted to the severe attacks saying: "It is wrong to discredit or denounce Maj. Naaman." Naaman filed a complaint over threats he received and the police detained a 34-year-old Israeli settler on suspicion of inciting to violence, after he wrote on Facebook that if Naaman had been his commander “he wouldn’t be able to walk on his feet any more.” The man was later released and the post was removed.
 
Just as the EU Foreign Ministers were expected to approve the French Peace Initiative that Israel failed to stop, Netanyahu was moving in another direction. He is expected to meet with Kerry next week to discuss renewing the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and convene an international peace conference as an alternative to the French initiative. Meanwhile, the Mideast Quartet is planning to publish a sharp report blaming Israel for the diplomatic stalemate with the Palestinians and offer its own peace initiative.

Interestingly, Channel 10 News revealed that ahead of the 2015 elections, MK Isaac Herzog had already arranged his own peace initiative directly with the Palestinians. Herzog met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and agreed to withdraw from the West Bank to the ’67 borders with a 4% land swap and including from E. Jerusalem as well as on numerous other issues.

And in the meantime, Yaalon is gearing up to establish a new political framework to replace Netanyahu, Maariv’s Ben Caspit reported. Yaalon began a long series of meetings for mobilizing political support. Among others he dined with one of the veterans' of the ‘Rabin camp’ in the Labor party, Ilik Rozanksy. The branding of Yaalon is clear, wrote Caspit: “values, modesty and security-mindedness.”
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:

The Jordanian magazine defying stereotypes about gays in the Muslim world
The first Arabic issue of My.Kali, the Jordanian-based online gay magazine, went online in May, after nine years mainly in English. They contend with the prejudices and stereotypes in both the Arab and Western worlds. (Eyal Sagui Bizawe, Haaretz+)
Remember and never forget: the cook section of 2,600 years of Jewish life in Iraq
Marking 75 years since the 'Farhud' pogroms against the Jewish population in Baghdad, which claimed the lives of 179 people, we must remember, remind and preserve the heritage of the Jews of Arab lands. (Zvi Gabbay, Maariv)
The Myths and Facts of One Palestinian Town's Jewish Origins
Are the members of the Makhamra hamula (extended family) of Jewish origin? What does the news care that every Palestinian who speaks to an Israeli journalist leaves a deposit with her. A deposit of trust, of expectation that their self-evident humanity will also reach the Israeli reader. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) 
Letters to the Editor: Isaac Herzog Calls Sayed Kashua Cynical and Mean
Israeli Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog says he doesn't deserve to be disparaged by Haaretz columnist Sayed Kashua. (Haaretz)

Commentary/Analysis:
It's Far Too Early - and Too Easy - to Write Off the Threat of BDS (Mose Apelblat, Haaretz+) Not only are boycotts of Israel already a reality, but the Israeli government’s response - well funded though it is - has been shoddy, uncoordinated and incoherent.
Waiting on Netanyahu (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) As the Arab world waits for Netanyahu with bated breath, other forces at play are preparing for the moment when all the excuses will fall away and a real effort for peace will begin. 
EU-backed French Peace Initiative Constitutes a Vote of No-confidence in Netanyahu (Haaretz Editorial) Indeed, it's hard to understand how advancing the settlement enterprise in isolated areas of the West Bank accords with advancing a two-state solution. 
The attacks against Maj. Tom Naaman impairs the ability of the IDF in combat (Gen. (res.) Eliezar Merom Cheney, Maariv) We are on a slippery slope that could cause difficulties for IDF officers to function. The ability of the military to win every battle is based primarily on the ability of commanders to demonstrate leadership. 
The message is more important than the messenger (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) Sima Kadmon argues that although we must remember that Ehud Barak is not to be trusted, Israelis must listen to what he said regarding Netanyahu at the IDC conference last week. 
Ya'alon and Barak's Speeches Bashing Netanyahu Excel in Absurdity and Hypocrisy (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) Do any of Netanyahu's opponents on the 'left' have a comment on the future of the occupation? Everyone is busy making diagnoses, but only a very few are suggesting a treatment.
Israel bucks the global trend (Yoram Ettinger, Israel Hayom) Is Israel becoming isolated or integrating into the global market? 
Enough is enough (Amos Regev and Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) So what if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was democratically elected by the Israeli majority? To those few who "know better," as per their own appraisal, Netanyahu poses a threat to democracy. Now they want to tell the Israelis what is best for them.
Was the Second Lebanon War a Success or Failure? (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) Past blows may be deterring Hamas and Hezbollah from attacking Israel again, but we must not forget that Israel is also deterred from taking action against them. 
A cynical, contradictory attack (Dr. Gabi Avital, Israel Hayom) Ya'alon and Barak willfully defended the very government they are now attacking in a fitful rage.
How Iraq Treats Liberated Fallujah May Decide Fight Against ISIS (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) A bloodbath in Fallujah would send a clear signal to the residents of Mosul, most of whom are Sunni Muslims, on what’s in store if the Islamic State is ousted from their city. 
If ISIS Wills It, Trump Can Still Be President, as Israelis Well Know (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz) No More Fear? Hardly. Sustained terror attacks, such as those that brought Netanyahu to power, can upend the U.S. presidential race.
 

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