APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday March 23, 2017
Quote of the day:
"The man who is unable to read an intelligence document with more than nine paragraphs is not interested in
the details, in the history, in the complexity and in the drives of the region’s people. His vision is to see
towers rising on both sides of the Green Line, with water fountains and marble everywhere. That’s what he’s
familiar with."
--Yedioth's Washington correspondent looks at what motivates US President Donald Trump to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.*
--Yedioth's Washington correspondent looks at what motivates US President Donald Trump to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.*
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Three killed and 20 wounded in attack near parliament in London
- The attack will challenge the democracy in the United Kingdom // Anshel Pfeffer
- Russia requested information about (deceased Israeli spy) Eli Cohen at Israel’s request; Syria: His burial place is unknown
- US asked Israel to stop building in settlement blocs
- Eisenkot: We attacked tunnels from Gaza with a new method
- Coca Cola faces an unprecedented fine of 62 million shekels
- A researcher filed a complaint against a professor at the Hebrew University, but remained subordinate to him for months
- Son of (Minister) Haim Katz suspected of forcing employees at Israel Aerospace Industries to register as Likud party members
- Tonight the clock changes an hour ahead
- A cheeky fantasy // Uri Misgav
- People like him (Israel Prize laureate who heads Elad far-right wing settler group) // Nave Dromi
- (Artist Yair Garbuz) was saved by a miracle and won the real prize // Shani Littman
- Terror under Big Ben
- Chief of Staff to rabbis: We will separate between female and male combat soldiers at Base #1
- A grenade in the building of (celebrity chef) Aharoni
- From the East, with love – Bibi and Sara (Netanyahu), Rubi and Nechama (Rivlin) in a touristic moment in China and Vietnam
- Tonight turn the clock forward an hour
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Terror paralyzed the parliament
- Tonight turn the clock forward an hour
- Trump celebrates: Congress’ Intelligence Committee finally revealed that information was collected on the President’s associates
- Mystery in central Tel-Aviv: Who threw a stun grenade into the building where the chef, Israel Aharoni, lives?
Israel Hayom
- Terror in front of Big Ben
- Terror turned into an inseparable part of Europe // Boaz Bismuth
- Eizenkot: “No to exclusion of religious – and no to exclusion of women”
- The (Israel Public Broadcasting) Corporation crisis: Today – Prime Minister expected to meet with Kahlon
- The corruption affair at the Israel Aerospace Industries: Son of Minister Haim Katz was arrested
- Prime Minister: Significant progress in talks with the US about construction in settlements”
- Stun grenade thrown in building of chef Israel Aharoni in Tel-Aviv; Police investigating
- Goodbye, winter: Tonight we move to summer clock
News Summary:
Terror in London kills three, Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot promises to separate female and male combat soldiers at cadet school as the army plans to recruit more women to combat, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says there was ‘significant progress’ in talks with the Trump administration over settlement construction, (but Channel 2 News reports that Netanyahu rejected a formula presented by Trump's emissary, Jason Greenblatt, whereby construction would be frozen in isolated settlements and allowed in East Jerusalem and Netanyahu reportedly rejected it), and the son of Likud minister Haim Katz was arrested on suspicion of forcing employees at the Israel Aerospace Industries to register for the Likud party, making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu is due to return from China and meet with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon today over the dispute concerning the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation. Maariv reported that if Netanyahu fails to compromise with Kahlon, the Likud party is considering establishing an alternative government headed by a senior Likud minister.
Barely mentioned in the news, Gazans buried 15-year-old Yousif Shaaban Abu Athra, a 10th grader, who was killed early Wednesday by Israeli artillery. Two other Palestinians were wounded in the incident. Israel said the three were acting in a suspicious manner near the border fence. [Note: There have been numerous cases of young Palestinians trying to escape Gaza over the fence into Israel. – OH] Israeli media mistakenly reported he was 18-years-old.
Also, in his first public event, Hamas’s new Gaza chief, Yihyeh Sinwar, spoke at a ceremony marking 13 years since Israel’s assassination of Hamas’ spiritual leader, Ahmed Yassin, saying that Hamas will continue in his path. (Also Maariv.) Hamas will release its new manifesto at the end of this month, after Hamas completes internal elections, including who will replace Khaled Mashal as the new political bureau chief.
Quick Hits:
- Father of Slain Palestinian Teen Appeals Decision Not to Try Israeli Officer Who Shot Him - Israeli military court had found that colonel, who shot 17-year-old Mohammad Kasba, in back in July 2015 after boy hit army vehicle with rock, had not committed a crime. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli military court orders release of wounded Palestinian teenager - Jihad Muhammad Hammad, 17, from Silwad village, was detained by Israeli forces on March 10 after he was shot in the head with a live bullet during clashes in the town. The teen was evacuated to Israel's Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where he underwent surgery. (Maan)
- Israeli-Arab Ex-lawmaker Formally Convicted for Smuggling Phones to Prisoners- Basel Ghattas, in plea bargain, resigned from the Knesset and will serve two years in prison on charges of providing material support to security prisoners. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- MKs who breach state security may be stripped of benefits - Knesset to debate bill denying pension benefits from former elected officials who are charged with national security offenses • MK Moti Yogev drafts bill after Joint Arab List MK Basel Ghattas resigns as part of plea bargain in a criminal case. (Israel Hayom)
- Israel Police Raid Yeshiva in West Bank Settlement, Arrest Two Students - Minor arrested for participating violence during Amona evacuation, and another man was arrested for attacking police during the raid. (Haaretz)
- With left wing artist on short list, Israel cancels top honors for plastic arts - Panel hadn't reached unanimous decision, says Naftali Bennett's bureau, but a majority had decided to give the prize to left-wing darling Yair Garbuz. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- Israeli Police Refuse to Grant Permit for Annual Nakba March - For 18 years, the March of Return has taken place in parallel with Israel's Independence Day celebrations, but this year police say they don't have enough resources to secure the event. (Haaretz)
- Israeli Supreme Court once again rules not to release slain Palestinians' bodies - The court also a rejected an Israeli petition to bury the four Palestinians, who died while carrying out attacks on Israelis, in Israel's "cemetery of numbers," a series of mass graves comprised of marked and unmarked plots of mostly Palestinians killed by Israeli forces over the past 60 years. (Maan)
- Palestinian prisoners continue hunger strike in protest of administrative detention - Two Palestinian prisoners, Rafat Shalash and Akram al-Fassisi, both 34-years-old, continued their open hunger strikes in protest of being held under administrative detention -- Israel’s widely condemned policy of jail without charge or trial. (Maan)
- One person lightly injured by Israeli fire at Tulkarem-area checkpoint - Israeli media reported that Israeli police chased a “suspect” who reached the military checkpoint between Tulkarem and Israel, before soldiers deployed at the checkpoint opened fire at him, injuring him in the leg. Reports added that the incident was “criminal” in nature. (Maan)
- Victim's parents watch terrorist's home sealed off - Merav and Herzl Hajaj, whose daughter Lt. Shir Hajaj was murdered in a vehicular terror attack in East Talpiot two months ago, joined police forces in Jabel Mukaber to watch them pour concrete to block off entry to the terrorist's home. (Ynet and Maan)
- Minister’s son arrested in Israel Aerospace Industries corruption probe - Yair Katz, the son of Social Affairs Minister Haim Katz, is suspected of blackmailing IAI employees to join the Likud party. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- (Controversial Rabbi) Levinstein warned of Ministry of Defense sanctions - Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman doubles down on his demands for Rabbi Yigal Levinstein to step down by detailing a list of sanctions to be imposed upon Levinstein and his institutions unless the embattled rabbi steps down. (Ynet)
- Artist Group Paints Israel as a Remote and Backward Locale - The women of the New Barbizon group bring Kiev to the Middle East. (Haaretz+)
- Foreign Ministry cadet course to include first Muslim woman - Rasha Uthmani is to be that first Muslim woman to take part in the Foreign Ministry's cadet course; Uthmani had previously represented Israel at the UN Human Rights Council; Uthmani is up for Israeli Embassy in Turkey's spokesperson position. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Attention problems? (Arab-Israeli engineers) developed a helmet that will help you concentrate - A replacement for Ritalin? A helmet developed by entrepreneurs from the Arab sector flows signals to the brain and improves concentration. Their startup is called 'Innosphere.' (Yedioth’s ‘Mamun’ finance supplement, cover, and Globes)
- A night train to Damascus: the new initiative to connect Haifa to the Syrian capital - Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Ayoub Qara (Likud) welcomed the initiative of Syrian opposition leader, Fahd al-Masri: "The time has come to talk about the fruits of future peace with the free Syrian leadership.” (Maariv)
- More Palestinians in Jerusalem seek Israeli citizenship - Fearing they would lose their residency rights and the freedom of movement these rights entail, Palestinians seek citizenship in greater numbers; but Israel, they say, is dragging its feet in granting it; Interior Ministry denies charges, says delays the result of increased workload. (Agencies, Ynet)
- At Israel's Request, Russia Asked Syria for Information on Remains of Mossad Agent Eli Cohen - The Israeli spy was executed and left to hang in Damascus square in 1965, but Syrians say final burial place unknown. (Haaretz+)
- UN removes anti-Israel exhibition from New York headquarters - Exhibition includes paintings with slogan "Free Palestine" scribbled alongside image of Israeli soldier shooting at civilians • Israeli envoy to U.N. welcomes exhibit's removal, says it is a "shameful attempt to spread hatred, anti-Israeli incitement." (Israel Hayom)
- Kuwait moves to oust the Knesset from the International Parliaments' Union - The speaker of the Kuwaiti parliament, Marzuq al-Ghanem, accused Israel of violating international law, and said that his country’s move was not motivated by racism, but in support of the Palestinians. (Maariv)
- Israeli ban targeting boycott supporters raises alarm abroad - Magazine: With the Knesset passing a law that would block non-Israeli citizens from entering the country, many left-leaning Diaspora Jews are raising concern over what they feel is a step toward state-sanctioned oppression. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Israel and Venezuela could see thaw in relations, ministry says - Jerusalem has recently stepped up efforts to renew ties with Caracas, Foreign Ministry says, but "nothing concrete" yet. Possible thaw comes eight years after Venezuela expelled Israeli diplomats and cut off relations over Operation Cast Lead. (Israel Hayom)
- Trump administration says will honor Iran nuclear deal - "Until otherwise decided, the U.S. will adhere to the Iran nuclear deal and ensure that Iran also does," says Christopher Ford, U.S. President Donald Trump's nuclear adviser. On Capitol Hill, Trump seeks Republican support to dismantle Obamacare. (Israel Hayom)
Features:
"The IDF must not become a tool in the hands of politicians"
Worried about Iran, warning about the day after the war in Syria, fearing a bi-national state, and particularly concerned about the rift in the nation. Friends of former Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, talk about Israel 2017. Brig. Gen. (res.) Efraim Sneh, Gen. (res.) and former Mossad chief Danny Yatom, and Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, (Avi Sofer, Maariv Magazine supplement, cover, 21.3)
Commentary/Analysis:
The Enemy Just Blinked: Why Hamas's New Charter Is a Big Deal (Björn Brenner, Haaretz+) The revisions to Hamas’ infamously anti-Semitic and pro-violence founding document is unprecedented evidence that even an extremist organization is capable of change.
With or without IPBC crisis, Israel is heading towards elections (Yoaz Hendel, Yedioth/Ynet) Between the risk involved in going to elections and his desire to avoid dealing with the promises he made and to postpone the police investigations by several months, Netanyahu has chosen the second option.
Netanyahu may want to call elections, but he can’t really do it (Moran Azulay, Yedioth/Ynet) The prime minister knows very well that an attempt to drag Israel to early elections could cost him the premiership, and so—at the end of the day—he won’t act on his threat.
An alliance between Israel and the moderate Muslim countries is impossible (Amos Gilboa, Maariv) Do not be deluded. The gaps between the reality of Saudi Arabia and others and that of the State of Israel will not allow for comprehensive, and especially open, security cooperation between us and them.
Leftist Parties Have Abandoned the State (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) A long list of ideological battles that were once the life’s blood of this political camp but have now been 'outsourced.'
*Why is Trump so obsessed with Israeli-Palestinian peace? (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) The US president doesn’t really care about the Mideast conflict, he just needs a foreign policy achievement. He wants a grandiose deal and is approaching the issue with no sentiments whatsoever. Failure means a bleeding wound to his ego, and he won’t let that happen.
A matter of outlook: the anti-Semitic nationalist right-wing that loves Israel (Ran Adelist, Maariv) The fascinating phenomenon of the relations between the nationalist movements in the West with the Jewish people. On the one hand, there is a wave of attacks on the basis of religion, and on the other hand, they admire us over there.
Israelis Who Care About the Fate of Their Country Must Appeal to the International Community (Ilana Hammerman, Haaretz+) We want to live here in peace alongside our Palestinian neighbors, to live and let them live, while our government has chosen the path of war.
An economic stick against dark forces (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The march of foolish resolutions, produced by unenlightened Arab states and radical anti-Semitic professors, must be stopped. And if common sense can’t do it—halting funding to the UN will.
A Light Unto The Nations (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) How right-wingers in West wish they could shut their states to citizens of Muslim countries and suspect anyone who has an Arabic last name – like Israel is doing.
Beware doomsday prophecies (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Many defense officials speak of the urgent need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but none of them seem willing to think outside the box.
At Oxford, Education Proves No Barrier to Bigotry and anti-Semitism (Ilan Manor, Haaretz+) I’d assumed that Oxford's dreaming spires would provide some kind of immunity from – or at least skepticism towards – the bigotries animated by Brexit and the rise of populism.
On religious extremism (Isi Leibler, Israel Hayom) Habayit Hayehudi has become so deeply entrenched in politics and focused on the settlement issue that it has neglected Israel's soul.
In London, Terror Changes Form, but Challenge to Democracy Remains (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Attack on mother of all parliaments shows that even Europe's best security services can't stop every lone wolf.
Worried about Iran, warning about the day after the war in Syria, fearing a bi-national state, and particularly concerned about the rift in the nation. Friends of former Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, talk about Israel 2017. Brig. Gen. (res.) Efraim Sneh, Gen. (res.) and former Mossad chief Danny Yatom, and Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, (Avi Sofer, Maariv Magazine supplement, cover, 21.3)
Commentary/Analysis:
The Enemy Just Blinked: Why Hamas's New Charter Is a Big Deal (Björn Brenner, Haaretz+) The revisions to Hamas’ infamously anti-Semitic and pro-violence founding document is unprecedented evidence that even an extremist organization is capable of change.
With or without IPBC crisis, Israel is heading towards elections (Yoaz Hendel, Yedioth/Ynet) Between the risk involved in going to elections and his desire to avoid dealing with the promises he made and to postpone the police investigations by several months, Netanyahu has chosen the second option.
Netanyahu may want to call elections, but he can’t really do it (Moran Azulay, Yedioth/Ynet) The prime minister knows very well that an attempt to drag Israel to early elections could cost him the premiership, and so—at the end of the day—he won’t act on his threat.
An alliance between Israel and the moderate Muslim countries is impossible (Amos Gilboa, Maariv) Do not be deluded. The gaps between the reality of Saudi Arabia and others and that of the State of Israel will not allow for comprehensive, and especially open, security cooperation between us and them.
Leftist Parties Have Abandoned the State (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) A long list of ideological battles that were once the life’s blood of this political camp but have now been 'outsourced.'
*Why is Trump so obsessed with Israeli-Palestinian peace? (Orly Azoulay, Yedioth/Ynet) The US president doesn’t really care about the Mideast conflict, he just needs a foreign policy achievement. He wants a grandiose deal and is approaching the issue with no sentiments whatsoever. Failure means a bleeding wound to his ego, and he won’t let that happen.
A matter of outlook: the anti-Semitic nationalist right-wing that loves Israel (Ran Adelist, Maariv) The fascinating phenomenon of the relations between the nationalist movements in the West with the Jewish people. On the one hand, there is a wave of attacks on the basis of religion, and on the other hand, they admire us over there.
Israelis Who Care About the Fate of Their Country Must Appeal to the International Community (Ilana Hammerman, Haaretz+) We want to live here in peace alongside our Palestinian neighbors, to live and let them live, while our government has chosen the path of war.
An economic stick against dark forces (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The march of foolish resolutions, produced by unenlightened Arab states and radical anti-Semitic professors, must be stopped. And if common sense can’t do it—halting funding to the UN will.
A Light Unto The Nations (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) How right-wingers in West wish they could shut their states to citizens of Muslim countries and suspect anyone who has an Arabic last name – like Israel is doing.
Beware doomsday prophecies (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Many defense officials speak of the urgent need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but none of them seem willing to think outside the box.
At Oxford, Education Proves No Barrier to Bigotry and anti-Semitism (Ilan Manor, Haaretz+) I’d assumed that Oxford's dreaming spires would provide some kind of immunity from – or at least skepticism towards – the bigotries animated by Brexit and the rise of populism.
On religious extremism (Isi Leibler, Israel Hayom) Habayit Hayehudi has become so deeply entrenched in politics and focused on the settlement issue that it has neglected Israel's soul.
In London, Terror Changes Form, but Challenge to Democracy Remains (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Attack on mother of all parliaments shows that even Europe's best security services can't stop every lone wolf.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.