APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday June 17, 2018
 

Quote of the day:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

News Summary:
More fires in the Gaza Strip environs from burning Palestinian kites and another Israeli attack on the kite launchers as well as the expectation of an indictment against Sara Netanyahu this week were top stories in Hebrew newspapers today.

Also in the news was a meeting on Friday between US President Donald Trump’s representatives Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt and the UN Secretary General ahead of a trip to the Middle East this coming week. But the Palestinian Authority said the visit ‘won't achieve anything' since the Trump administration is trying to circumvent the PA leadership.

Also, Russia appears keen to have quiet on Syria-Israel front. TV Journalist Yoav Limor claimed Thursday that Russia asked Israel to lower the flames in Syria during the World Cup, saying that “The Kremlin wants to have peace in the world because they want us to focus on the world soccer championship and not on wars.” (Maariv) Then on Friday, Israeli and Russia leaders spoke on the phone in an effort ‘to ensure security on Syrian-Israeli border.’ Earlier on Thursday, Hezbollah reportedly refused a Russian demand to leave south Syria, but that no rift ensued between the Lebanese organization and Russia.

Another 17 fires blazed over the weekend in the south of Israel from the burning kites and the Israeli made a drone attack against Gaza kite launchers, injuring two people for the first time, said the Palestinians. The IDF confirmed the strike, but said it only fired warning shots. And while the newspapers said that the Friday protest at the Gaza fence had the lowest turnout ever, which was the first day of the Muslim’s Eid al-Fitr holiday, yet they also reported that tens of thousands of Gazans participated in Eid al-Fitr prayers along Israel-Gaza border. Dozens of families in Gaza grieved for the lost lives that were missing on the very family-oriented Eid al-Fitr holiday. And Israeli forces detained one unarmed Palestinian who attempted to cross the Gaza fence into Israel.

Interestingly, at the instruction of the political echelon, Israel’s Navy prepared a professional opinion to try to help solve Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Among the suggestions were a wharf in Ashdod and fishing cages. Maariv’s military correspondent Tal Lev-Ram wrote that the heads of councils (mayors) of Israeli communities in the Gaza vicinity suggested allowing the entry of Gazans to work in Israel, but that was rejected by the Shin Bet. According to Lev-Ram, “There is agreement among the political and military echelons that a broad-based plan for the economic advancement of the Gaza Strip should be contingent upon resolving the issue of the missing Israeli persons. However, contrary to the political echelon, the army believes that in the meantime, significant economic initiatives should be launched immediately in order to prevent the Gaza Strip from collapsing.”
 

Quick Hits:

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Features:
Night Raids and Attack Dogs: For West Bank Palestinians, Their Homes Are Not Their Castles
Israel's Border Police are increasingly using dogs to attack people in the middle of the night, while soldiers have used creative solutions like welding a door shut and keeping a family prisoners in their own house. (Amira Hass, Haaretz+)
How IDF foils Hamas’s naval designs
As terror groups in Gaza push to build up maritime strength, training hundreds of divers for Hamas's elite Nukhba naval commandos, Israel's 916th Division carries out numerous attacks on plethora of targets, including vessels and naval outposts to weaken terror group’s ‘strength and will.’ (Yoav Zitun, Ynet)
Israel’s Secret War for Syria’s Independence
Archival documents shed new light on Israel’s secret efforts to guarantee Syria’s sovereignty after 1948, and reveal the surprising relations that existed between the two countries as they each fought for their independence. (Meir Zamir, Haaretz+)
"When I heard that Ronen's murderer was caught, it did not change anything, there was no closing of a circle“
The arrest of the terrorist who threw the marble slab that caused the death of Duvdevan Unit fighter, Staff Sergeant Ronen Lubarsky of blessed memory last month, fails to reduce the burden of his father's pain and longing. “He gave his life to allow for the whole nation to live in safety.” Now he calls for the death sentence in order to reduce the phenomenon of throwing heavy objects on IDF soldiers in the Territories. (Ilana Stutland, cover, Maariv Magazine supplement)
The organization pressuring Jewish women not to get an abortion
Hidabroot, which started out 15 years ago as a small organization encouraging a return to religion, has become one of Israel's largest associations, with an annual turnover of nearly NIS 50 million, a TV channel, an online matchmaking service and special departments against assimilation and abortions. Yedioth Ahronoth investigation uncovers the organization’s well-oiled system of intimidation, harassment and financial incentives to stop young women from terminating unwanted pregnancies. (Yedioth/Ynet)
The time Egypt celebrated making it to the World Cup after victory in Tel Aviv
In 1934, Egypt's finest soccer player, El-Tetsh, led the national team to qualify for the World Cup – in a game in the heart of the first Hebrew city. (Omer Eynav, Israel Hayom)
‘If you’ve already chosen to enlist, be prepared for it’
Leading rabbis have been issuing halachic rulings against their decision to join the IDF, their families don’t always understand their choice, but more and more religious girls are donning the uniform. Girls studying in the Lapidot Emunah pre-military academy discuss the difficulties they have been facing and explain why they know they are doing the right thing. (Renana Meir-Cohen, Ynet)
If your team gets knocked out of the World Cup in a penalty shootout – blame Israel
Contrary to popular belief that Germany was behind the penalty shootout idea to settle tied soccer cup games, a letter proves that it was actually an Israeli initiative. (Uzi Dann, Haaretz+)
The writing was on the wall
Historian Moshe Ehrenwald says that the Jewish community in Mandatory Hebron not only ignored announcements that their Arab neighbors intended to slaughter them but spurned the Haganah's repeated offers of protection, leading to the loss of 67 lives. (Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom)

Commentary/Analysis:
We brought a man suspected of crimes against humanity to Israel (Adriana Katz, Haaretz+) Teodoro Anibal Gauto is wanted for crimes against humanity, including abduction, torture and murder, during Argentina’s military dictatorship.
Kushner and Greenblatt's meeting with the UN secretary-general is bad news for Israel (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) Trump is known for his scorn and contempt for the world organization. If his son-in-law and his emissary to the Middle East discussed the peace plan, it means that they actually consider him important.
Punishing the Witnesses (Haaretz Editorial) A bill that would make it a crime to document clashes between soldiers and Palestinians violates the right to freedom of expression, encourages censorship and presents Israel as having something to hide.
*Right to oppose - Boycott prohibited, boycott allowed (Yaron London, Yedioth, 6 June) Knesset Legislative Committee passed in a first reading a change to the bill to punish anyone who calls for a boycott of the country, including just of Israeli settlements. The first version of the bill was disqualified by the High Court. The main reason was because it didn't say that it was necessary to prove damage as a result of the boycott call. The new version isn't different and someone calling for a boycott could be fined 100,000 shekels, and if damage is proven, he could pay up to 500,000 shekels. It's worthy to note that even the members of the opposition that are on the committee, or at least most of them, do not oppose the bill in its whole. They also want to punish those who call for boycott on Israel and are angry at the citizens of the state who believe in punishing the state for its policies. My opinion is different: In my view, the bill is a political folly and a harm against the rule of the honest battle over public opinion. It's whole purpose is to shut the mouths of those who oppose the occupation. The utility of the bill is in doubt because punishing BDS activists living outside of Israe is almost impossible and even if the rare person is punished, it won't have an effect on the strength of the movement. Some of the activists are motivated by hatred of Israel, some by unflinching support for the Palestinians, but some are lovers of Israel who honestly believe that only pressure will push Israelis to save themselves from disaster. In any case, the law won't deter any of them and even could encourage them, since the Knesset's efforts against them proves their success. On the other hand, the law could scare Israeli citizens who oppose the occupation and think that a public call to boycott consumers and to avoid commercial contact with settlements is a legitimate method of influence in a democratic country. And why not? How is the use of money to advance an ideology different from avoiding the use of money to oppose an ideology? Why is the funding of advocacy in order to advance an annexation initiative in area of Judea and Samaria legal, but making things economically difficult for settlements is not legal? In the committee debate, MK Yoav Kisch (Likud), who submitted the bill, claimed that he supports freedom of expression, but that the use of boycotts violates the rules whose purpose is to guarantee it. In order to examine the validity of his claim some instances of boycott need to be examined. Does the claim apply to the boycott of certain foods for Kashrut reasons, to the boycott of female singers for reasons of modesty, the boycott of men whose measure of morality is not found fitting by female bocotters, and of course the boycott of Arab businesses (in Israel)? In all of those cases, the boycotters use economic means to inscribe their views in the public consciousness and to influence political decisions and social moves. Then why not punish them as well? And how is the organization of boycott against the cottage cheese producer [by Israelis everywhere because of its high prices - OH] different from the act intended to boycott products manufactured in the occupied territories? Both battles are being waged with the same weapon: money. In the first case the boycott is meant to pressure the manufacturer to lower the price of cheese and in the second case it is meant to reduce the profitability of the occupation. The battles are both on values and therefore are accompanied by moral denunciation. The price of cheese, excessive in their view, is a representative case, a stark example of piggish capitalism, while the price of the occupation is the oppression of Palestinians and the corruption of Israeli society. Why then is it justified to call the boycott of cheese whose price is excessive and to prohibit the calling of a boycott on mushrooms or wine that are produced in the settlements?
The Jordanian King’s Roller-coaster Ride Into Syria to Stop Iran (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) The demonstrations in Amman have calmed down, but now King Abdullah must prevent ill-meaning Iranian forces from approaching Jordan via Syria.
The time has come to make it clear to Britain that it no longer controls the Land of Israel (Prof. Arieh Eldad, Maariv) Prince William is indeed the second in line to inherit the crown, but for my part he does not have to come (to visit Israel). For 70 years we have survived without an official royal visit, and we will continue to wait until the royal family understands that we are independent.
Prince William in 'occupied' Jerusalem (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) The upcoming royal visit is marred by the U.K. Foreign Office's insistence on calling east Jerusalem "occupied Palestinian territory" but it is a step forward after 70 years with no official visit at all.
Iran's Fighting Force in Gaza, Calling and Firing the Shots: This Is Islamic Jihad in Palestine (Yaniv Kubovich, Haaretz+) Hamas may rule the Strip, but it’s Islamic Jihad that will determine whether rockets are directed at Israel.
Israeli Intel knows how to get into a war, but not how to get out of it (Ran Adelist, Maariv) Netanyahu uses the Iranian demon to blur the failures of the right-wing government, and on the way prepares the ground for a campaign without justification or chance, instead of considering cease-fire arrangements.
What Israelis can learn from Turkish LGBT activists, and vice versa (Meital Shapiro, Haaretz+) LGBT activists from Turkey arrive in Tel Aviv to share ideas and soak up the energy.
Occupying the same space (Prof. Tova Hartman, Israel Hayom) Two solid objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. But we Jewish and Arab Israelis are people, not objects. We can decide to build a shared future together.
What Trump Understands That Obama Didn’t (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) The world is aggressive and cruel, and if you want to achieve something, you have to employ force and threats. A policy of appeasement doesn’t work with evil terrorist regimes like North Korea and Iran.
Overcoming Israel-Diaspora distancing (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) Only a deep commitment to traditional Jewish ritual practice is likely to lead to a revitalization of Jewish life in America and create a solid basis for recovery in Diaspora-Israel relations.
Why They Rejected the Victorious General Winter (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter doesn’t settle for the strategy of containment. He takes the battle to the end.
The submarine affair: If Netanyahu knew - he is corrupt, if he did not know - he is not fit to lead (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The man who is supposed to run the country has no idea what goes on in his living room? And also: What was the real reason Brigadier General Ofer Winter was not promoted and another chapter of Miri Regev's ambitious campaign to get to the top. The submarines corruption affair is one of the most serious cases of corruption in the history of the state. Not only those around Netanyahu as a whole, but also the two closest people to him, his most intimate partners in secret, all were involved, yet only he knows nothing. Nada. The man who is supposed to run the country and navigate it in the most dangerous waters in the world has no idea of such dramatic matters happening in his living room. It seems to me that none of those who are involved in the affair or are investigating it think that Bibi did not know. Bibi is a man obsessed with knowledge and control, and he knows every whistle of every candidate for a position in his office…Regarding Maj. Gen. Winter: The truth is, the Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot does not hold Ofer Winter in high esteem. Yes, Winter is an exceptionally courageous and creative officer, but on the other hand, he has made a few fouls of the kind that Eisenkot is not prepared to accept…Regarding Miri Regev: Last week it was reported here that Culture Minister Miri Regev did not meet the army's demands for the rank of colonel. Now I can say definitively that Regev has never passed the "assessment center" tests required to receive the rank. So who gave her the rank? The first guess by everyone, of course, would be Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. Wrong. The one who gave her the rank without the exams was then-chief of staff Shaul Mofaz. By the way, these are very serious tests.
The slaughter of Israeli Arab women must end (Samah Salaime, Haaretz+) In the names of Arab women and our Jewish sisters who have been murdered in this cursed land, it is time to fight the violence.
The problematic nature of the Trump-Kim document vis-à-vis Obama's vilified nuclear deal with Iran (Yossi Melman, Maariv) Israeli defense exports are once again causing a storm - this time in the growing market of Vietnam. And the person in charge of internal security in the European Union has some impressions and insights from Israel.
Missionaries in Uniform (Friday Haaretz Editorial) It's a good sign that the army has pledged to stop 'recommending' that non-Jewish soldiers take conversion courses. In this way the army will help preserve freedom of conscience.
One commentator too many (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) We must stop letting commentators and celebrities dictate for us what we think. This week, news commentators tried to convince us to ignore what we were seeing in Singapore and Robert De Niro unleashed profanities against Trump, but what about the truth?
Enough with the provocations, our school didn't censor Leonardo da Vinci (Sigal Sirek, Haaretz+) The Haaretz article stressed the covering up of genitals, when we did this only for the corner where children – however young, however religious – could have their photo taken with their face as the Vitruvian Man’s face. For this we get an uproar
13 million declared anti-Semites in Germany (Noah Klieger, Yedioth/Ynet) Sixteen percent of German population declared in a recent survey that they don’t like Jews, but president of Central Council of Jews in Germany—who advised Jews to avoid wearing a skullcap in big cities—wants us to take comfort in the fact that ’80 percent are not prejudiced against Jews.’
The cult of personality that glorifies Trump’s North Korea feats should worry Israeli right-wingers (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Trump’s admirers and apologists ignore proven facts, bend logic till it breaks and invent gains where there are none.
How far will Netanyahu go to torpedo his biggest political rival? (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+) While Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman kept the cabinet guessing about his position on Gaza, the army draft legislation once again pushed the government to the brink of an abyss.
Charles Krauthammer: The intellectual conservative who loves Bibi, but loathes Trump (Alexander Griffing, Haaretz) Krauthammer, who announced he is dying of cancer, wrote often about how he sees Israel as a beacon of freedom and U.S. President Donald Trump as a threat to democracy.

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