APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday September 17, 2017
 

Quote of the day:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

News Summary:
Foreign news - N. Korea’s missile launch over Japan, the attack on the London subway, and two stabbing attacks in France - took the top headlines of today’s Hebrew newspapers along with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s plan to focus on Iran in his meeting tomorrow with US President Donald Trump and in his speech to the UN General Assembly.

Netanyahu plans to tell Trump in their meeting tomorrow at 1PM local on the sidelines of U.N. General Assembly, what he already told the press while he was in Latin America: Scrap or amend the Iran nuclear deal. And if it’s not the former, then he prepared a whole set of demands for the changing the deal, including harsher sanctions and increased supervision. Speaking from New York yesterday, he also warned Iran that Israel "will be forced to take action" to prevent Iran's presence on our borders,” in reference to Syria and Lebanon. Yedioth’s Itamar Eichner wrote that “Netanyahu spent Saturday morning preparing his speech at the UN. He is expected to continue making changes and corrections to the speech until the last minute, including while at the podium, as he has done in previous years.”
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:
IDF Releases Definitive Account of '82 Lebanon War. The Most Interesting Part Is What Was Left Out
After 35 years, with the leading figures of the 1982 Lebanon War gone, the IDF is issuing its official history of the conflict. (Amir Oren, Haaretz+)
Needy families in Israel: 'We have no food for the holidays'
Yuval had to desert his army post so he could work and help his family ahead of the High Holy Days. Dolly from Bat Yam, a 46-year-old cancer patient and a mother of six, and Bezalel Cohen and his wife, both disabled, are all dependant on aid groups for food. Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, NGOs across Israel are working overtime to distribute as many food packages to needy families as possible. (Amir Alon, Yedioth/Ynet)
Gideon Levy Palestinians who praised deadly terror attack in song get the full Israeli army treatment
On two consecutive nights soldiers raided the home of Nazzal Abu Kharma, an amateur musician, arresting him in front of his wife and baby son, beating his brother and confiscating his instruments. (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+)
Israeli envoys in Hollywood hope to change perception through magic of TV
Israeli consul-general in LA Sam Grundwerg and Hollywoof mogul Adam Berkowitz head up efforts to pitch Israeli television to US markets in a Tel Aviv conference sponsored by Israeli government; 'Israeli shows, with their diverse, real-life problems and not-quite beautiful casts provide them with new ideas,' explains Alon Aranya, a writer whose adaptation of Israeli series 'Hostages' was picked up by CBS. 'They like the grit.' (Agencies, Ynet)
From the Amazon to China: A look at the 'Jew-ish' groups Israel is trying to bring into the fold
Members of groups with a Jewish connection from Africa, Asia and South America may get a chance to stay longer in Israel, even if they fall short of citizenship. (Judy Maltz, Haaretz+)

Commentary/Analysis:
What Hamas’ Leader in Gaza Really Said About War With Israel (Ronit Marzan, Haaretz+) Media sensationalism reinforces the populist 'there's no partner for peace' attitude. Have a closer look at what Yahya Sinwar actually said. 1. “Hamas is not at all interested in war with Israel. The longer the war is postponed, by an hour, a year or years, it serves the Palestinian interest, and it’s better to put it off as long as possible.
**On two fronts: the challenges of the next year can be seen today (Alon Ben David, Maariv) Will Russia agree to accept the new red line drawn by Israel, according to which there will be no production of precise missiles on Syrian soil? And is it like 20 years ago that we will not listen to the voices coming from Gaza? And will the High Holidays (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur period) be the bearer of news again of a rise in tension around the Temple Mount and with it an increase in violence? In recent months Mahmoud Abbas has lost the last inhibitions he still had. He does not believe that the current US administration can serve as a fair mediator between him and Israel, and he is very concerned about the Taylor Force law, which is named after the American student who was killed in the attack in Jaffa. Since the events of the Temple Mount in July [when three Muslim Israeli Arabs killed two Israeli police on the Temple Mount after which Israel put metal detectors on the site and Muslim worshipers refused to come pray - OH], the effective security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority has not returned to what it was. There are no more direct meetings of brigade commanders from both sides and with Shin Bet sources, but only limited coordination through the liaison offices, which further increases the fear of confrontation. Abbas himself is not interested in a violent confrontation in the territories and therefore he is increasing the pressure on Gaza, in the hope that a confrontation will start there, which will cause his two rivals - Hamas and Israel - to bleed. Abbas has already cut about a third of the $1.4 billion he sends to the Gaza Strip annually and he hopes to cut back more by the end of this year. In Israel, they are aware of the significance of this, but for some reason these moves are being watched with inaction. Anyone who listens to Hamas can hear that the organization is at a crossroads today. It looks around and sees that it has no father and mother. Qatar is in crisis with Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Turkish aid has narrowed and it is not pleasant for it to be in the embrace of Iran when Iranian people kill its Sunni brothers in Syria. Hamas leader in the West Bank, Hassan Yusuf, who has just been released from 22 months of administrative detention, was quick to share in the Jerusalem Post a proposal for a long-term ceasefire. In Israel, as usual, we do not listen. Even 20 years ago, in early September 1997, we did not listen. At that time, King Hussein of Jordan transferred a Hamas proposal for a 30-year hudna with Israel, but we were busy planning to assassinate Khaled Mashaal. More than three years have passed since Hamas fired a bullet or rocket into Israel. Three years in which the person who calls itself the leading the resistance organization of the Palestinians has locked his weapon. If we go in the coming year into another unnecessary confrontation in Gaza, it will be more because of us than because of them.
Israel and Hezbollah will both fight battle to win hearts and minds in next war (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) In the event of war, Hezbollah will try to achieve what appears like a quick victory, Israeli general says.
Demand to cancel Iran deal is an Israeli spin (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet)  Knowing that US President Trump has no lawful cause to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Tehran, the Israeli political echelon is using his election promise to pressure him to compensate Israel by acting against Iranian presence in Syria.
Subjecting Israel’s nuclear program to the rule of law (Avner Cohen, Haaretz+) The time has come for Israel to handle its most open secret differently
Hysteria over Iran created convenient avenue for corruption (Sever Plocker, Yedioth/Ynet) It’s impossible to understand the unbearable lightness of making submarine purchase decisions, as well as decision-makers’ blindness to suspicious background noises, without seeing the external cause: ‘Iran’—the magic word silencing criticism, discouraging those who raise doubts and justifying moves that violate rules and regulations.
Time bomb: The status of the Arabs of East Jerusalem will lead to an explosion (Carmit Sapir Weitz, Maariv) A new book takes on a task that we have been putting off for 50 years: finding a solution to the dilemma of East Jerusalem residents who live between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. Dr. Amnon Ramon's new book, "Residents, Not Citizens" (published by the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Studies), is here to change the  reality of [lack of] research [on the subject]. Ramon is a Senior Research Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Studies, Deputy Director of the Institute for the Study of the Land of Israel at Yad Ben Zvi, and a senior lecturer at Ashkelon Academic College. His book is the result of a detailed preliminary study focusing on the social and legal status of East Jerusalem Arabs and their incarnations in the last 50 years, and in the wider context - Israeli policy towards them. "Once they thought that politics was orderly, based on goals set by politicians and executioners," says Ramon. "Today this attitude is to all Israeli activity in East Jerusalem, which in large part is built on constant improvisation. The question arises: who is taking care of the residents there? In contrast to Arab Nazareth or Umm al-Fahm located within sovereign Israel, the international community has no recognition of Israeli control and sovereignty in East Jerusalem.”
Israelis Are Living in Paradise – and Denial (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) No other society is living in such a deep state of denial as Israel. That's why there is no chance of change here in 5778.
To the members of the Israeli Film Academy: You may denigrate Israel as much as you wish, but not at our expense (Dr. Chaim Misgav, Maariv) The Academy was registered at the time as a private non-profit organization, making it a hybrid that owes nothing to anyone. On the one hand, public funds flow into its pockets, and on the other hand, there is no real supervision over the way it operates.
Under Trump, Orthodox Jews' profile has never been so high, and their moral standing so low (Samuel Heilman, Haaretz+) The Goldins want Orthodox U.S. Jews to lobby leaders to do more to return their son's body, held by Hamas since 2014. But a community wedded to Trump and Netanyahu won't rock the boat.
Abbas at the UN again (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) Who cares whether Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will give a "moderate" speech at the U.N. next week? His obstructionism with respect to the Middle East peace process is constant.
The prime minister must stop with the double game when it comes to (his son) Yair (Udi Segal, Maariv) Netanyahu has the right to protect his son, but the very fact of dealing with this issue is a testament to the situation that prevails in a place that is meant to run the state. It would be best if he told Yair that it was time he found himself ab apartment and a serious job.
Who needs compulsory military service? (Rotem Knaani, Yedioth/Ynet) It’s time for us to grow up and realize that a smart, rewarding and uncomplex defense establishment will be able to function even without soldiers who have been forced to serve against their will, regardless of whether they are Haredi or secular.
Ben-Gurion Invented the Israeli Right (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) It’s becoming ever clearer that the founder of the state laid down a very dangerous foundation through his desire to return Israeli Jews to former glories.
Perfect political timing (Mati Tuchfeld, Israel Hayom) The High Court of Justice has moved from a judicial institution to one of eccentric activism. It's not certain the Knesset will pass a new law limiting the court's authority, but it's a start.
In the shadow of the (corruption) affairs, Netanyahu has no intention of giving up the Iranian nuclear program easily (Ben Caspit, Maariv) And also, why was it preferable to close all the investigations and files against the prime minister in return for his retirement from public life - and why this will never happen…The Reuters news agency reported that senior American sources were quoted as saying that Israel was not interested in canceling or suspending the nuclear agreement with Iran, on the contrary. Saudi Arabia, too, the Americans added, believes that the agreement must be preserved. The day before, Netanyahu said in his meeting with the Argentinian President that Trump must cancel the Iran agreement. Who is right, Netanyahu or Reuters? The answer: Both. This progression reveals differences of opinion in the Israeli leadership. The political echelon is almost united in its view that the nuclear agreement with Iran is bad and must be annulled. The security/military/professional echelon thinks otherwise. American officials who spoke to Reuters were accurate. They know that the IDF leadership and the intelligence services in Israel are united in their view that the nuclear agreement with Iran is not ideal and has many shortcomings and faults, but it is a fait accompli that gives Israel, the region and the world a 10 to 15-year window. Removing the nuclear threat for a decade and a half in order to plan, implement and carry out a multi-year plan that emphasizes other issues, no less essential to national security. The IDF knows that canceling the nuclear agreement could do more harm than good: the Iranians can break the rules and carry out a “charge” towards a [military] nuclear program, without the world being able to stop them.
MK Isaac Herzog proposed offering Netanyahu to close all the cases against him if he agrees to forever abandon public life. This proposal got great criticism. Legal experts said it wouldn’t stand up in court. Why should Ehud Olmert go to jail and Netanyahu go home? Despite all this, I think that Herzog's proposal is correct and appropriate. I would have signed this arrangement without thinking twice. Close the files and the investigations not only against Netanyahu, but also the criminal indictment against his wife - on condition that they leave us together, never to return. Why? Because in life, not everything is conducted according to exact scales of justice.
Ben Shapiro at Berkeley: No Riots, but Another Step Toward Legitimizing America’s Alt-right (David Schraub, Haaretz+) Shapiro's views and tone are the closest a Jew can get to membership of the vicious alt-right whose media platform he helped build. He's not worthy of being a free speech warrior-martyr - for liberals or conservatives.
Southern exposure (Gideon Allon, Israel Hayom) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's historic visit to Latin America this week gave him reason to smile, at least for a few days • At every meeting, he was greeted warmly • Even Israeli journalists' questions about domestic matters couldn't spoil his mood.
Right-wing Israeli Lawmaker’s Plan to Coerce Palestinian Departure Is Nothing but a Fantasy (Iris Leal, Haaretz+) Despicable and impossible to describe without using the word 'apartheid,' Bezalel Smotrich's plan is really just a distraction.
Fixing the UN (Clifford D. May, Israel Hayom) The goals and purposes established by the founders of the United Nations are beyond reach. But a less bad U.N. is, in fact, conceivable.
In Argentina, Netanyahu Jabs Trump Hard on Iran Deal - but at a Safe Distance (Noga Tarnopolsky, Haaretz+) The Iran nuclear deal deadline looming, Buenos Aires was a perfect platform for Israel's PM to blast Iranian terror and send Trump a forceful message too politically awkward to deliver face-to-face.
Is Israel turning its Bedouin citizens into a stateless people? (Orly Noy, +972mag) Israel has been systematically revoking citizenship from its Bedouin citizens without as much as telling them. Is this a harbinger of things to come?
London Attack: Jihadist Terror Is Now a Franchise, Not a Network (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Wannabe terrorists don't need to attend a training camp in Syria or Iraq – they just need access to the internet.
IDF can achieve 'clear, substantial, significant victory' against Hezbollah (Yossi Yehoshua, Yedioth/Ynet) After end of large-scale 10-day training exercise in northern Israel, top military command says IDF has opened an immeasurable gap in its capabilities compared to the Lebanese terror group and could defeat it in short order if war breaks out. The IDF recognizes Hezbollah has improved its fighting capabilities since the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Over the last three years of its operations in the Syria civil war, Hezbollah has changed from a guerilla organization to a fighting army that uses artillery, relatively high-precision missiles, drones and more.
'Foxtrot' Defies Norms in Highlighting Occupation's Impact on Israeli Society (Raya Mora, Haaretz+) Shmulik Maoz's 'Foxtrot' shouts the tragic cry of contemporary Israeli life: the howl of parents whose soldier son has died, the bellow of a soldier at a checkpoint, the site of the ruination of Israeli identity.
Why young Jews don't trust what their institutions say about Israel (Eliana Fishman, +972mag) Growing up, I found that the Conservative movement embraced nuanced approaches to Torah, yet that critical approach never extended to discussions of Israel. Questioning Zionism was verboten.
Meretz Must Lead by Example When It Comes to Open Primaries (Haaretz Editorial) Despite the limitations of the primary system, it is still the most democratic one for political parties, which is why Meretz must adopt this electoral system when choosing its leaders
When the walls of your home come crumbling down (Sahar Vardi, +972mag) In East Jerusalem, entire families have their homes demolished and are thrown into the street. Just a few miles away, Israelis live without having to worry about losing everything they have.

 

 

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