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Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

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News Summary:
In today’s Hebrew top stories: Not a single Israeli government minister attended the memorial ceremony for the fallen of the Yom Kippur War, prompting an apology from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, [and this comes less than a week after coalition minister’s chastised the opposition for not attending a jubilee ceremony for the settlement enterprise! - OH], but all the ministers attended the cabinet meeting to discuss a controversial proposed law that would enable ministers to appoint ministry deputy directors-generals without tenders, (the opposition criticized the bill saying it encouraged a 'quid pro quo' culture, but Netanyahu tried to justify the political appointments by saying that career bureaucrats were responsible for European woes), and Spanish police used physical force to try to suppress Catalans from voting in their national referendum for independence, which prompted some Israeli commentators to write, See, we’re not the only ones who use excessive force (see Ksenia Svetlova in Commentary/Analysis below). And then there were others, such as right-wing Ben-Dror Yemini of Yedioth, who noted that the move towards separatism is usually supported by right-wingers, such as the case of Britain, but in the case of Catalonia and Kurds it’s a left-wing movement. But what both of them failed to note was the comparison to the Palestinians desire for independence.

Also worth of note: Israel has announced an exceptionally long 11-day closure of the West Bank and Gaza for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot - which is actually shorter. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave a speech in which he warned Netanyahu that he was leading his people to 'death and destruction,’ accused Israel and the US of conspiring to derail the Iranian nuclear deal and start a regional war, and urged Jews to leave ‘occupied Palestine and warned Israel not to embark on a 'stupid war’ with Syria or Lebanon because it won’t know how to get out. Nasrallah also accused Israel of plantingand detonating  'booby-trapped cameras'  inside Lebanon.
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:
It was lost in the sand: In the footsteps of the enemy soldier's diary from Sinai
Said, an Egyptian soldier, wrote and illustrated a personal diary in the months preceding the war inside of which he recounted the stories and portraits of his comrades. The diary arrived into the hands of Oded Yaron, who for 44 years has been looking for any way to return it to its owner. (Jackie Hugi, Maariv+PHOTOS)
When Jews Wore Burkas: Exhibition Showcases 19th Century Jewish Fashion
The Israel Museum's collection of Jewish clothing, representing styles worn by Jewish women in North Africa, Yemen and Asia, will be showcased in NYC starting next month. (JTA, Haaretz)
Gender revolution in Mossad ranks
The Israeli foreign intelligence service sets precedent with two women appointed to head divisions simultaneously, marking a first in organization's—and country's—history; further appointments to junior managerial positions forthcoming. (Ronen Bergman, Yedioth/Ynet)
Before the war: Golda (Meir) tried to reach a political settlement with Sadat
The former prime minister was fixed in historical memory as a peace refusenik who could have prevented the Yom Kippur War. But another glance at her activity revealed that she was wronged: She had agreed to meet, wanted to speak, conveyed messages and even considered a partial withdrawal. (Shimon Mendes, Maariv)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
The Threat of Palestinian Laborers' Frustration (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) The terror attack in Har Hadar stems from a resentment that is likely shared by the tens of thousands of Palestinian who make their way to Israel day by day for work.
When Israel’s government celebrates controversy (Ami Ayalon, Gilead Sher and Orni Petruschka, Yedioth/Ynet) It is in our hands to decide whether to create a reality in which a state ceremony in Gush Etzion is a unifying event marching Israel towards a future that realizes the Zionist vision, or a divisive event marching Israel towards its end as the Jewish people’s democratic state.
Continued Palestinian Authority-Hamas Rift Is Good News for Netanyahu (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) As far as Israel is concerned, Palestinian reconciliation could lead to calm on the Gaza border for a relatively long period, although there are still many question marks.
Before the Spaniards preach morality to us, they better look at their own deeds (MK Ksenia Svetlova, Maariv) A country that frequently criticizes us uses oppressive methods against its citizens. Many in Catalonia oppose separation. However, from the moment they saw Madrid's attempt to deny them the right to decide, they took to the streets.
Israel, Partner in Genocides (Yair Auron, Haaretz+) Sending weapons to a government that’s guilty of genocide is very similar to sending weapons to Germany during the Holocaust.
In the end, we will win: The vote in the (Catalonia) referendum was for me more than a vote to support independence (Jordi Kahlo, Maariv) I am sober and know that independence doesn’t come from today to tomorrow. But it is important to show Madrid, precisely because it did not hesitate to send us riot dispersal units to beat and injure, that we will defend our human rights and our human dignity to the end.
Who Are the True Heirs to the Land of Israel? (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) The way the current Israeli government talks about ‘the land of the forefathers’ in the real estate sense of the term is appalling. Yet there’s always an Achilles’ heel.
Hamas masquerade (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) Israel cannot allow Hamas to mimic the Lebanese model, whereby Hezbollah is the driving military force without bearing governmental responsibility for the country's fate.
Netanyahu Wants to Destory Even More (Haaretz Editorial) Inserting political considerations into the professional bureaucracy out of a desire to distribute jobs to cronies would deal a critical blow to the functioning of the government.
In the future, Israeli society will thank (Chief Justice) Naor and (IDF Chief of Staff) Eisenkot for preserving the stateliness of the country (Dr. Revital Amiran, Maariv) It is to be hoped that the next High Court Chief Justice, Esther Hayut, will be equipped with the courage of Chief Justice Naor, and that the shortening of Elor Azaria's sentence was a one-time mistake by the Chief of Staff.
Netanyahu gets an extra year in office on a silver platter (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) Don’t look for an economic reason for the weird budget-in-advance idea; there isn’t any. The answer lies in the political arena.
'Reconciliation Is Just a Lie': Skepticism in Gaza at Yet Another Attempt at Palestinian Unity (Mohammed M., Haaretz) Ordinary Gazans have paid the price for the brinkmanship between Hamas and Fatah. They don't see that changing.
The Rift Between the Israeli Army and Mossad Started Long Before the Yom Kippur War (Amir Oren, Haaretz) Recently declassified IDF documents show that during the 1956 Sinai Campaign, Military Intelligence and the spy agency clashed as well.
I Opposed Building Israeli Fighter Jet Based on the Truth (Kobi Richter, Haaretz+) My modest contribution to making the decision to scrap the Lavi wasn’t based on any lies, Mr. Arens, and I’m proud of it.