News Nosh 11.16.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday November 16, 2017
 
Quote of the day:
“Let’s face it: In exile, for hundreds of years, the Jewish nation produced the wisest people in the world, and in 70 years of sovereignty it succeeded in becoming extremely stupid.”
—Haaretz investigative reporter Uri Misgav writes that there is no place in the world today where Jews are harassed about their Jewishness like they are in Israel.*

You Must Be Kidding: 
Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit issued a legal opinion that privately-owned Palestinian land may be expropriated for settlement public purposes in order to assist with the legalization of the illegal outpost of Harsha, near Ramallah, which Israel did not authorize mainly because of an access road to the outpost that goes through privately-owned Palestinian land.**

Front Page:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • Era of the female fighters - New record in number of young females who choose combat
  • Here to stay // Inbal Rechtman-Shalev
  • This is how the ’67 cabinet planned the new state - Protocols revealed
  • This is how the ‘destroyed house’ of the terrorist looks [Photo of two-story apartment building with one apartment destroyed]
  • New study: It is possible to diagnose autism at 9 months
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
Israel Hayom
  • Chief of Staff to (Brig. Gen.) Winter: You won’t be appointed the military secretary of the Prime Minister
  • Barak: I am the most suitable person out of a the candidates to lead the country
  • State Comptroller: Israel is not prepared for the drone threat
  • Following Israel Hayom report: HMO Clalit was forced to stop its fine-prize method
  • Investigation: Why do we wait so long in line at HMOs?
News Summary:
You know it’s not a big news day in Israel when the three big stories in the daily Hebrew newspapers are the state comptroller report that Israel isn’t prepared to deal with the dangers of civilian use of drones, that Ehud Barak said he was the most capable person to run the country and that  Israel declassified protocol of inner government cabinet meetings held in the months following the 1967 Six-Day War, revealing some embarrassing tidbits.

After many days of front page coverage of Israeli #MeToo sexual harassment accusations, Yedioth ran a big story on the record number of young women who choose to join IDF combat units. Also in the news, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a message to Russia that Israel “will not allow Syria to become a frontline against the State of Israel,” - meaning that Israel won’t let Iran get close to the Golan border. Also, Israel Hayom reported that IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot told Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter he would not be a candidate to become the prime minister’s military secretary. The right-wing religious Winter, who sparked controversy for using religious elements to encourage soldiers before battle in Gaza, was far-right-wing Minister Naftali Bennet’s choice and Netanyahu backed it, possibly to get religious right-wing support. (Oddly, Israel Hayom did not translate this front-page story.)

Barely making news were two bills in the US Congress that are related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Haaretz+ reported that US Democrats are pushing a bill that would block US aid to Israel from being used to detain Palestinian minors, while the US House foreign affairs committee approved a somewhat similar bill on the Palestinian side, but much more severe: if passed, it would cut all US funding to the Palestinian Authority unless the PA stopped paying salaries to convicted militants and terrorists and their family members. The bill had three major exemptions: child vaccinations, water projects (an issue that the Trump administration is trying to promote) and hospitals in E. Jerusalem. [NOTE: The exemption is only for E. Jerusalem hospitals and not all the other West Bank Palestinian hospitals, which is probably because the purpose is to serve Israeli interests. If Palestinians living in E. Jerusalem can’t go to the Palestinian hospitals in E. Jerusalem because they collapsed without a budget, then they’ll go to the Israeli hospitals, which will cause overcrowding and negatively affecting the Jewish residents of the city. - OH] The House panel also rebuked Qatar on funding Hamas. The bill is named the Taylor Force Act, named after a US veteran killed by a Palestinian while visiting Israel last year.

In one of today’s news ironies, the declassified minutes from Israeli government meetings 50 years ago, after conquering the West Bank and Gaza in the ’67 war, revealed that then-prime minister Levi Eshkol suggested to his inner cabinet that “We’ll deprive Gaza of water, and the Arabs will leave” and today's Haaretz+ also reported that Israel is planning on cutting off the Palestinian village of al-Walaja from its water source in order to take control of its farming land. The minutes also revealed that the cabinet couldn’t agree also on what to do about the Temple Mount. (Maariv) Things haven't changed in 50 years.
 
Quick Hits:
  • **Private Palestinian land can be taken for public use in settlements, Israeli attorney general says - Ten months after slamming bill seeking to legalize illegal outposts built on privately-owned Palestinian land, Mandelblit revises position over paving of access road to Harsha outpost, signalling land can be confiscated in certain circumstances for settlements; decision based on ruling by Arab Israeli Justice saying 'Israelis there have rights too.' Mendelblit stated that expropriation is acceptable since Israeli settlers are also part of West Bank's ‘local population.’ (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
  • Illegal, demolished mosque's founders ordered to pay damages - Court orders founders of illegal mosque to pay NIS 130,000 to the state as compensation for riots, which it says were triggered by incitement after the mosque was marked for demolition. (Ynet)
  • Palestinian Lawyer Attempted to Report Being Attacked by Settlers. Then He Was Detained Over Back Taxes - Tariq Bargut tells Haaretz that the policewoman who took his report at the Ma'aleh Adumim police station quickly shifted to questioning him about municipal taxes he allegedly owed and issued him a court summons. (Haaretz+)
  • Israel arrests 20 Palestinians in sweeping overnight raid in East Jerusalem - Municipal officials and workers came along to clean up the A-Tur neighborhood under police protection. Police: “The campaign is designed to firmly handle anybody involved in criminal offenses, [violation of] public order and terrorism, while at the same time improving the lives of the regular, law-abiding residents of the neighborhood by arresting people who violate public order and break the law. (Haaretz)
  • Israel demolishes home of Palestinian attacker who killed three in West Bank - Nimr Jamal killed three Israelis and critically wounded a fourth outside the settlement of Har Adar before he was shot dead. (Haaretz)
  • Road taken by terrorist who killed Halamish family to reopen - Halamish residents upset that Palestinian traffic to be reinstated on section of Highway 450 used by terrorist who stabbed Salomon family to death as well as perpetrator of terrorist arson • IDF: Additional security measures are being installed. (Israel Hayom)
  • 'Convoy of 35' monument vandalized for 2nd time this year - For a second time this year, the monument for the fallen soldiers who became known as the 'Convoy of 35'—ambushed and killed in Israel's War of Independence—is found vandalized. [NOTE: The article doesn't mention that the monument is in the occupied Palestinian territories. - OH] (Ynet)
  • Erdan: I won't allow legislation that could harm police work - Public security minister, in charge of the Israel Police, calls to calm down tensions, maintain checks and balances and protect state institutions as members of his own party, Likud, propose bills that could weaken the police. (Yedioth/Ynet)
  • James Packer Reportedly Gave Yair Netanyahu's Unqualified Friend a Cushy Job - A police investigation is currently looking into whether the Australian billionaire gave the Netanyahus numerous expensive gifts. (Haaretz)
  • Chilean presidential candidate declares Israel 'a threat to world peace' - on Iranian owned TV - Eduardo Artes's leftist Patriotic Union party has accused Israel of 'genocide' and 'ethnic cleansing' in the past. (JTA, Haaretz)
  • Israel denies entry to Ghanaian with student visa, fearing he'll immigrate - The population authority says one-year MA student Isaac Gyekye will want to join his parents and siblings, longtime residents of the country. Gyekye’s family and lawyer firmly deny this. (Haaretz+)
  • Slated for Saudi Arabia, Big Chess Tournament to Lock Out Israeli Stars - Israelis are generally barred from Saudi Arabia, while 150 other players are expected to boycott the speed-chess championship in Riyadh to protest the country's social mores and rights record. (Haaretz+)
  • Israeli space lab docks at International Space Station - First experiments on living cells in microgravity to be conducted aboard lab developed by Israel's SpacePharm • Lab simulates body temperature, can be controlled remotely from Earth by computer or smartphone. Lab weighs only 5.1 pounds on Earth. (Israel Hayom)
  • Gal Gadot Confirms: Brett Ratner Won't Be Involved in 'Wonder Woman' Sequel - 'Everyone knows the way that I feel because I’m not hiding anything,' Gal Gadot tells 'The Today Show' about Ratner, who was dropped by Warner Bros. amid sexual harassment allegations. (Haaretz)
  • Adelson snubs Bannon after loud praise and call for U.S. Jews to join his 'insurgency' - 'The Adelsons will not be supporting Steve Bannon’s efforts,' a spokesman for the billionaire mega-donor said after he reportedly skipped ZOA dinner to distance himself from Bannon. (Haaretz)
  • Shanghai landmark lit up in Israel's colors - Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai lit up in colors of Israeli flag as part of Israel Week organized by consulate; week-long Israeli events include performances by singer Ester Rada, violinist Itzhak Perlman, culinary events, art exhibitions; Israel Week events, extensively covered by local media, visited by 50,000 people. (Ynet)
  • PHOTOS: US astronaut uploads news snaps of Jerusalem from space - Impressive photos taken from the International Space Station show scenic views of Israel from space both during day and night, together with Jerusalem and a number of other cities across the globe. (Ynet)
  • Much anticipated opening of Gaza-Egypt crossing delayed, Palestinians say - Hamas ceded control of Gaza's border crossings to PA as part of reconciliation deal with Fatah. Egypt cites "special circumstances" as reason for delay in opening Gaza-Egypt crossing. EU considers redeploying diplomats to monitor border. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
  • US says it would welcome new EU sanctions on Iran - European Union sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile program and alleged involvement in Middle East conflicts would be "very interesting, probably helpful," U.S. says • EU foreign policy chief: I don't foresee future EU sanctions on Iran. (Israel Hayom)
  • Despite EU caution, France pursues tough line on Iran missile program - Paris pushing partners to lean on Iran over missiles. EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini says no plans to discuss issue in future. Iran insists missiles nothing to do with nuclear activity. French foreign minister puts off visit to Tehran. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
  • France's Macron invites Lebanon's Hariri to France, but doesn't offer political exile - Saad Hariri announced his abrupt resignation 11 days ago from the Saudi capital Riyadh, propelling Lebanon to the front of a regional contest for power between Saudi Arabia and Iran. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Iran's president: Saudi Arabia begged Israel to bomb Lebanon - After Hezbollah leader Nasrallah claimed Saudi Arabia 'is inciting Israel to launch a war against Lebanon,' Iranian President Rouhani says it's 'reprehensible and shameful for a Muslim country in the region to beg the Zionist regime to bomb the people of Lebanon.' (Ynet)
  • Selfies for peace: Miss Israel and Miss Iraq share the love on Instagram - At the Miss International Beauty Pageant in Tokyo, the two beauty queens post photos of each other on Instagram with messages of peace and love. (JTA, Haaretz)
  • WATCH U.S. Senator slams U.S. involvement in Yemen as the House declares military support unauthorized - The House resolution acknowledges the Pentagon has been sharing targeting information and refueling warplanes that Saudi Arabia and other allies are using to attack in Yemen. (Haaretz)
  • Leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood loses appeal against life sentence - Mohammed Badie was convicted in 2016 for participation in violet riots following President Morsi's ousting in 2013. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Explained Iran-Iraq earthquake: Why are earthquakes in Iran so deadly - A magnitude 6.6 quake on Dec. 26, 2003, devastated the historic city of Bam, 1,000 km southeast of Tehran, killing about 31,000 people. (Haaretz)


Features:
ARCHIVE 'Land of the Three Faiths:' The Little-known History of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence
It is shocking that the 1988 declaration, one of the most fundamental documents of Palestinian nationalism, is largely unknown. (Jerome Segal, Haaretz)
In the Footsteps of the Mossad Chief Who Went Undercover as a French Artist in Egypt
Shlomo Cohen-Abarbanel won artistic success while serving as a secret agent in Egypt the early 1950; Israeli artist Tamir Zadok traveled to Cairo in pursuit of his story. (Shaul Setter, Haaretz+)
Haaretz Photo Blog The Year Is 1936. A Man Picks Up a Camera, Captures an Israel That's No More
A deeper look at the works of legendary photographer Rudi Weissenstein from 1936 to 1973 shows what was and no longer exists, and hints of the future. (Daniel Tchetchik and Rudi Weissenstein, Haaretz)
Fact-checking Netanyahu’s False Claims to U.S. Jews About the Western Wall
Netanyahu claims that the agreement promised was aimed to make the existing space a lot prettier. Correct or not? (Judy Maltz, Haaretz+)
 
Commentary/Analysis:
The World Zionist Organization’s Land Theft Division (Haaretz Editorial) It’s time to investigate, and then shut down, this quasi-governmental agency, which steals both state and private Palestinian lands to realize its sacred goal of settlement construction.
Should we give another hearing to early Zionism’s fascism-friendly ideologue? (Peter Bergamin, Haaretz+) It's time to reconsider the legacy of Abba Ahimeir, the early Zionist ideologue (and Haaretz columnist) who admired Italian fascism and Sinn Fein, called Britain 'the enemy' and insisted on the Jewish right to a maximalist version of Greater Israel.
(Labor party chief) Avi Gabbay merely tried to say that there is no contradiction between liberalism and Judaism (Lilach Sigan, Maariv) Socialism is based on Jewish values, and liberals and socialists can be proud of their Jewishness. Gabbay sought to distinguish between a legacy that leads to liberal thinking and primitive fear of heritage and an examination of everything connected to Judaism as a fanatical religion.
*For God's Sake, Enough With This Obsession Over Judaism (Uri Misgav, Haaretz+) There is no place in the world today where Jews are harassed about their Jewishness like they are in Israel.
Gabbay is wrong, it is not right to say that the Leftists have forgotten what it is to be Jews (Meir Uziel, Maariv) Mapai was a Jewish and Zionist party, and the Zionist Camp and its voters were a direct continuation of Mapai. What Gabbay is doing now with his fast trip to the right is a dangerous game for the Labor party.
Political Discourse as We Know It Is Imploding (Ofri Ilany, Haaretz+) The Israel-Saudi relationship signals a paradigm shift regarding world power dynamics, requiring us to relax our values.
Judaism and leftism's common values (Yoram Dori, Israel Hayom) The Left cannot "forget what it means to be Jewish," because Judaism and left-wing ideology have more values in common than it is possible to count.
The Israeli Left’s Ironic New Hero (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) A moment before we coddle the police, only because Netanyahu declared war on them, we should remember what organization we’re dealing with.
Netanyahu didn’t sell Israel’s security (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Even if the prime minister did know about his advisers’ involvement in the submarine affair, and he likely did, not for a moment did he think he was doing anything wrong. Even if his associates were making a profit from the deal, he still believed it would benefit the state.
American Jews, Lay Off Linda Sarsour (David Schraub, Haaretz) Sarsour is a flawed figure. She shouldn’t be leading a discussion on anti-Semitism. But the political pile-on she's enduring - branding her as Jewish Public Enemy #1 - is hysterical and vicious, and we Jews shouldn’t be participating in it.
Tzipi Hotovely fell victim to lack of judgment and rash decision (Shmuel Rosner, Maariv) The deputy foreign minister now has an opportunity to stop with the politics and to straighten out a mess with a worried community that urgently needs an open conversation with the real Israel.
Syria Deal Puts Iran Too Close to Israel’s Borders (Amos Harel, Haaretz) Israeli defense figures are troubled by the fact that Russia and the U.S. seem unwilling to take genuine measures to kick Iran out of southern Syria.
Where Iranian and Russian interests meet (Prof. Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) Tehran and Moscow have together emerged as the greatest victors in the Syrian civil war. Hopefully, Russia will eventually consider Jerusalem's legitimate concerns about the future of Syria.
For Many Sunni Muslim Countries, Iran Is Not Necessarily a Threat (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Anyone fond of dividing the Middle East into good Sunnis and evil Shi'ites will have to explain how Pakistan is able to carry on a romance with both powers.
Russia is not an ally, and Israel can not rely on the United States (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The announcement by the Russian foreign minister that there is no agreement that the Iranian forces will leave Syria is like a one-ton bomb that fell on Israel's political and military leadership.
Israel and Mexico: A success story (Ariel Bolstein, Israel Hayom) Mexico has changed its anti-Israel stance, partly because of the aid we sent after the massive earthquake there, but more importantly because Israel is becoming a superpower in many fields.
Why Islamic Jihad won't attack Israel right now (Muhammad Shehada, Haaretz) Hamas leaders in Gaza are convinced that now isn’t the time for a direct conflict with Israel - and they have several routes to pressure Islamic Jihad to follow suit, from risking popular antagonism to threatening the loss of privileges they currently enjoy.
No, Gender Segregation Doesn’t Prevent Sexual Abuse (Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar, Haaretz+) The numbers show that there’s no link between how women and men dress and any harm done to them. Such abuse occurs at every level of society, among Jews, Muslims and Christians.
 
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.