APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday November 3, 2016
Quote of the day:
“The disease destroys the patient. Israelis are sick with the disease of fear because of their history
and narrative. The Palestinians are sick with the disease of the occupation.
--In a conversation with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, a Palestinian doctor from Gaza, Dr. Izzeldin Abouelaish, compared fear of treatment of disease with Israeli fear of moving towards solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Dr. Abouelaish lost three of his daughters in the first Gaza war 2008-2009.**
You Must Be Kidding:
“It hurts me to arrive in the State of Israel and not be able to get to Gaza in order to visit the graves of my daughters.”
-- Dr. Izzeldin Abouelaish, who worked in an Israeli hospital, visited Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin as part of a Canadian delegation, but was unable to visit his daughters’ graves because of the time needed to get permissions from Israel to enter Gaza and to cross the checkpoint.**
--In a conversation with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, a Palestinian doctor from Gaza, Dr. Izzeldin Abouelaish, compared fear of treatment of disease with Israeli fear of moving towards solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Dr. Abouelaish lost three of his daughters in the first Gaza war 2008-2009.**
You Must Be Kidding:
“It hurts me to arrive in the State of Israel and not be able to get to Gaza in order to visit the graves of my daughters.”
-- Dr. Izzeldin Abouelaish, who worked in an Israeli hospital, visited Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin as part of a Canadian delegation, but was unable to visit his daughters’ graves because of the time needed to get permissions from Israel to enter Gaza and to cross the checkpoint.**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Drop in voting percentage among Blacks; Obama: “The fate of the country is in your hands”
- Netanyahu on Election Day: I will lose because of the worldwide opposition against me with the US support
- Kahlon postpones the end of the public broadcasting corporation // Yossi Verter
- Police to probe Bank Hapoalim agreement to silence a female employee who complained (of sexual harassment) against Zion Keinan
- Lecturer who was accused of indecent assault was forced to resign – and was hired by another college
- The crisis at the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee): Amount of water that was added in October was the lowest in 90 years
- The (Rehavam) Ze’evi embarrassment // Haaretz Editorial
- Praying for rain
- The winner of the Zionist art prize prefers to protest the occupation in Israel and not in Berlin
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The battle over every voice – 5 days to US elections
- (Netanyahu) He understands only force // Sima Kadmon on Kahlon postponing vote on closure of public broadcasting corp
- Justin Bieber is coming to perform in Israel
- “Trump raped me at age 13” – 5 days to US elections
- “The appropriate punishment is to deny his freedom for the rest of his life” – The terrorist who murdered Dafna Meir from Otniel was sent to life imprisonment
- Temporary ceasefire: Fate of public broadcasting corporation will be decided in a committee appointed by Netanyahu and Kahlon
- The fear of the explosion // Ben Caspit writes that in the political battle over the public broadcaster, Moshe Kahlon has taught Netanyahu the limits to his power
- Kahlon the civil society man // Yehuda Sharoni
Israel Hayom
- At Trump rally: many women – and some Hispanics
- Sickening: (Step) Father suspected of drugging his daughter and raping her for years
- Police probing alleged “silence agreement” in the Keinan affair at Bank Hapoalim
- Exceptional brutality: Life imprisonment of 16-year-old who murdered Dafna Meir
- Exclusive: Prime Minister interested in appointing Ron Prosor as ambassador to Turkey
News Summary:
The battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the US Presidency, the latter whom Israel Hayom stressed had female support, while Maariv stressed was accused of raping a 13-year-old, and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s overpowering of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in regards to the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation were today’s top stories. Yedioth’s Itamar Eichner also reported that a Palestinian doctor from Gaza, who lost three of his daughters when an Israeli tank fired at his home, asked to shake hands with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, whom he greatly admires.
With the obvious exception of Israel Hayom, the Israeli political analysts were impressed. Finance Minister Kahlon stood his ground against Netanyahu’s hinted threats to bring down the government and did not agree to close down the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation, as Netanyahu so desperately wanted. But the saga is not over: the two agreed to convene a task force to rule over the IPBC's future.
**Gaza doctor Izzeldin Abouelaish, who lost three daughters and a niece when an Israeli tank shot directly at his house during the first Gaza war (also known as Operation Cast Lead), asked to shake the hand of President Rivlin, whom he met as part of a visiting delegation from the Canadian government, Yedioth's diplomatic affairs correspondent, Itamar Eichner reported. “I see him as a father and grandfather,” Abouelaish told Yedioth. “He works to bring hearts together. We must find a way to live together.” At the meeting, Abouelaish, drew a medical comparison between the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and fatal illness. Abouelaish was the first Palestinian doctor to receive a staff position at an Israeli hospital. After that 2008-2009 war, he emigrated to Canada and has since devoted his life to co-existence. He established a foundation called “Daughters for Life,” whose goal is to advance Arab and Jewish women in academia. More here.
Quick Hits:
- Jerusalem approves construction of 181 housing units beyond the Green Line - U.S. State Department says Israel's actions raise questions as to its commitment to a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli settlement Ariel expands onto suspected private Palestinian land - Sixteen buildings have gone up recently in an area not defined as state land. The Israeli Civil Administration says it is examining the issue. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli lawmakers push new bill to legalize unauthorized West Bank outposts - The legislation distinguishes between ownership of land and the right to use land, and would enable the government to have the right to use private Palestinian land without taking ownership of it. (Haaretz+)
- High Court Chief Justice to Justice Minister: "You put a gun on the table" - Chief Justice Naor was furious over the desire Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to cancel the veto power of the justices who are on the committee to appoint justices. Naor announced the suspension of consultations regarding the appointment of judges. "You should have spoken with me about this issue beforehand.” (Maariv)
- Palestinian teen receives life sentence for murder of Israeli mother of six - The murderer, who confessed to the crime, murdered Dafna Meir outside her home in the West Bank settlement of Otniel in January 2016. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- Israeli city bans film about Israeli-Arab existence - Municipality scraps public screening of 'Junction 48,' co-written by Palestinian rapper Tamer Nafar, under right-wing pressure. (Haaretz+)
- Israel wary of Obama's 'November surprise' in Security Council - According to Wall Street Journal, U.S. administration could seek a U.N. Security Council resolution setting "parameters" for a final agreement between Israel and the Palestinians ... which "would be unacceptable to any Israeli government, left or right." (Israel Hayom)
- White House Is Trying to Topple Me, Netanyahu Said on Israeli Election Day - Senior reporter who spoke to premier that day says Netanyahu blamed global conspiracy to oust him using U.S. 'super-software that locates voters.' Sources close to Netanyahu respond: 'We hope that the fact that Haaretz owners, who disseminated Nazi propaganda, have nothing to do with this spirit.' (Haaretz)
- Israel’s U.S. Envoy Ron Dermer to Be Honored by anti-Muslim Hate Group - Embassy spokesman: Ambassador 'not aware' of any anti-Muslim views held by the Center for Security Policy, included in the Southern Poverty Law Center's hate group watch list. (Haaretz+)
- Study: Ethiopian Israelis Report Being Bullied More Than Other Kids at School - Education Ministry study: Immigrants from former Soviet Union also report more negative school experiences than native Israelis; Western-born students fare about the same as locally born peers. (Haaretz+)
- Unprecedented Clashes as non-Orthodox Rabbis Bring Torah Scrolls Into Western Wall - Protesting Israel's inaction, hundreds of demonstrators led by top Reform, Conservative rabbis break through security barrier and enter Kotel plaza, where ultra-Orthodox await. (Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
- Netanyahu: Non-Orthodox Western Wall protest is breach of status quo - Responding to march on Kotel by non-Orthodox rabbis – which ended in clashes – prime minister's office says he told Reform and Conservative movements to be patient. (Haaretz)
- Israeli army keeps dozens of AWOL soldiers in cold prison yard overnight - Arrested soldiers, forced to wait outside several hours to be processed, complained of being very cold because they received no sleeping bags. (Haaretz+)
- Israel Navy planning to replace 3 submarines in coming decade - Fleet will not increase beyond six, but Defense Ministry is negotiating with Germany to buy three new Dolphin-class subs. (Haaretz+)
- Documents missing from Duma attack investigation - Defense charges that missing documents would shed light on material that Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) investigators gave the court before issuing indictment against the defendant; Prosecution admits that two documents are missing, as all attempts to locate them are being made. (Ynet)
- Israeli forces demolish Bedouin village of al-Araqib for 105th time - Officers from Israeli police’s Yoav unit, the section created to implement demolitions of Bedouin homes in the Negev, were heavily deployed while bulldozers raided and demolished the unrecognized Palestinian Bedouin village in Israel. (Maan)
- Israeli authorities demolish home in Jerusalem-area village of Beit Hanina - Thalji Suleiman, the owner of the building said that an Israeli court had postponed the demolition order by two months on Tuesday, and that his family was attempting to obtain building licences from the Israeli municipality but were taken by surprise by the demolition. (Maan)
- Jerusalem Dips, Tel Aviv Suburbs Rise in New Israeli City Ranking - Survey glosses over the vast differences among Jerusalemites, in order to present East (mainly Arab) and West (Jewish) Jerusalem as Israel’s united capital. (Haaretz+)
- Kahlon: New budget will address high costs of living - Kahlon's introduction of new biennial budget met by protests staged by disgruntled northern residents and authorities bemoaning its alleged failure to develop the region. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Israel seeks to prevent Palestinian Authority from joining Interpol - "Interpol is an important professional organization, and it cannot be politicized or turned into an organization driven by irrelevant considerations," Public Security Minister Erdan says • Interpol to vote on the PA's bid during annual assembly next week. (Israel Hayom)
- Putin cites Israel as positive example in fight against terror - During a conference on foreign policy and security matters at the end of last month, the Russian president referred to Israel as a positive example on counter-terrorism; 'Learn from Israel. They never let go. They fight until the end.' (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Egyptian fans plot to attack Israeli coach - Egyptian national soccer team supporters planned to attack Ghana national team coach Avram Grant, who is Israeli, at a game in Alexandria in November; Security for the game, Ghana national team and Grant have been tightened in light of the report. (Ynet)
- Mossad thwarted terrorist attack in Azerbaijan in 2012, MP says - MP Yevda Abramov, of Baku's Parliamentary Committee on Israel-Azerbaijan Relations, claims "Mossad divers neutralized an Iranian terrorists cell" targeting Eurovision song contest in the capital • PM Netanyahu announces plans to visit Azerbaijan. (Israel Hayom)
- Reports: Sudan government arrests people returning from Israel - Over 3,300 arrest warrants have been issued for Sudanese citizens returning to the country after having been to Israel, which is considered an enemy state by Sudan's government. (Ynet)
Features:
Meet the Israeli Journalist With 'A Blazing Love' for Donald Trump
Trump's wannabe Israeli surrogate, Irit Linur, thinks 'political correctness' is a disease; she mocks Arab culture, when she’s not denying it even exists, and she calls her opponents 'whores' and leftist 'trash.' Oh, and she used to be one of Israel's cutting-edge left-leaning feminists. (Michal Yudelman O'Dwyer, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
If Israel Were the Only Issue, My Vote Would Be for Trump (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) Anti-Semites are all over the fringes of this election. But any suggestion that they are worse on Trump’s right fringe than Clinton’s left fringe is illusory.
Quandary for American Jews, Caught in Bitter U.S. Class War (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) We see ourselves as a historically brutalized minority with a distinct story and perspective. But many Americans on the right and left, we're seen as the elite, the establishment, the beneficiaries of white privilege.
We have always been a nation, whose tribes came together, now we have become a tribal society (Avihu Sofer, Maariv) The rift between Jewish Americans and Israelis has turned from a nuisance into a real problem. Elections there are an opportunity for Israel to examine its relations with American Jews, especially those who choose to act against it.
After Trump, Judaism in America Will Never Be the Same (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) The fact that a major figure in the world of the U.S. Jewish community has been called out for sexual assault must give pause to abusers within the community – and strength to those who seek to expose them.
21 years since Rabin's assassination: the Left-wing camp must do some soul-searching (Amnon Zilberman, Maariv) It is the duty of the Labor party as an important political force to restore the dialogue over a national vision to the forefront and to work day and night to make the public connect with it again.
Real Leftists Won’t Go to the Ceremony for Yitzhak Rabin (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Labor Party is putting together the event, but that party is in cahoots with Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing parties that don’t care about the occupation.
Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated for political reasons, there is no reason that his memorial be apolitical (Shai Cherpnov, Maariv) More than two decades after the assassination of the prime minister why are those who demand that a memorial rally be a non-political event? After all, remember him means fulfilling his legacy and continuing his path [towards a two-state solution with the Palestinians].
Since When Are Transfer and Rape a Heritage’ in Israel? (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) Rehavam Ze'evi is remembered as an inciter against Rabin, friend of criminals, serial rapist and murderer of innocent Arabs.
End the Ze’evi Embarrassment (Haaretz Editorial) The Israeli public is discovering that Ze’evi was fundamentally an unsavory person. The law to commemorate him is a blot on the Israeli law books and desperately needs to be repealed.
The day after Abbas: All possible scenarios (Elior Levy, Ynet) The era of an international diplomatic battle against Israel alongside a ‘popular uprising’ is coming to an end, and the elderly Palestinian president is preparing the ground for the day after his retirement; meanwhile, the uncertainty regarding the new era has sent both internal and external players into a frenzy.
Speaking of our righteousness (Ariel Bolstein, Israel Hayom) The 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration is an excellent opportunity to remind ourselves and the world that Israel exists by right, not by the grace of our might.
Israeli minister foils Netanyahu's plan to kill broadcast agency - for now (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Postponing the fate of the Israel Broadcasting Authority by three weeks does not remove the noose from its neck, but preserves the coalition.
B’Tselem Was Right to Turn to the UN (Vered Lee, Haaretz+) Throughout all its years of existence, the human rights NGO has tried to create a dialogue with Israeli society and the Israeli media, but has suffered from jaded reactions, alienation and incitement.
Trump's wannabe Israeli surrogate, Irit Linur, thinks 'political correctness' is a disease; she mocks Arab culture, when she’s not denying it even exists, and she calls her opponents 'whores' and leftist 'trash.' Oh, and she used to be one of Israel's cutting-edge left-leaning feminists. (Michal Yudelman O'Dwyer, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
If Israel Were the Only Issue, My Vote Would Be for Trump (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz+) Anti-Semites are all over the fringes of this election. But any suggestion that they are worse on Trump’s right fringe than Clinton’s left fringe is illusory.
Quandary for American Jews, Caught in Bitter U.S. Class War (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) We see ourselves as a historically brutalized minority with a distinct story and perspective. But many Americans on the right and left, we're seen as the elite, the establishment, the beneficiaries of white privilege.
We have always been a nation, whose tribes came together, now we have become a tribal society (Avihu Sofer, Maariv) The rift between Jewish Americans and Israelis has turned from a nuisance into a real problem. Elections there are an opportunity for Israel to examine its relations with American Jews, especially those who choose to act against it.
After Trump, Judaism in America Will Never Be the Same (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) The fact that a major figure in the world of the U.S. Jewish community has been called out for sexual assault must give pause to abusers within the community – and strength to those who seek to expose them.
21 years since Rabin's assassination: the Left-wing camp must do some soul-searching (Amnon Zilberman, Maariv) It is the duty of the Labor party as an important political force to restore the dialogue over a national vision to the forefront and to work day and night to make the public connect with it again.
Real Leftists Won’t Go to the Ceremony for Yitzhak Rabin (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) The Labor Party is putting together the event, but that party is in cahoots with Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing parties that don’t care about the occupation.
Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated for political reasons, there is no reason that his memorial be apolitical (Shai Cherpnov, Maariv) More than two decades after the assassination of the prime minister why are those who demand that a memorial rally be a non-political event? After all, remember him means fulfilling his legacy and continuing his path [towards a two-state solution with the Palestinians].
Since When Are Transfer and Rape a Heritage’ in Israel? (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) Rehavam Ze'evi is remembered as an inciter against Rabin, friend of criminals, serial rapist and murderer of innocent Arabs.
End the Ze’evi Embarrassment (Haaretz Editorial) The Israeli public is discovering that Ze’evi was fundamentally an unsavory person. The law to commemorate him is a blot on the Israeli law books and desperately needs to be repealed.
The day after Abbas: All possible scenarios (Elior Levy, Ynet) The era of an international diplomatic battle against Israel alongside a ‘popular uprising’ is coming to an end, and the elderly Palestinian president is preparing the ground for the day after his retirement; meanwhile, the uncertainty regarding the new era has sent both internal and external players into a frenzy.
Speaking of our righteousness (Ariel Bolstein, Israel Hayom) The 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration is an excellent opportunity to remind ourselves and the world that Israel exists by right, not by the grace of our might.
Israeli minister foils Netanyahu's plan to kill broadcast agency - for now (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Postponing the fate of the Israel Broadcasting Authority by three weeks does not remove the noose from its neck, but preserves the coalition.
B’Tselem Was Right to Turn to the UN (Vered Lee, Haaretz+) Throughout all its years of existence, the human rights NGO has tried to create a dialogue with Israeli society and the Israeli media, but has suffered from jaded reactions, alienation and incitement.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.