APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday, July 23, 2018
Quote of the day:
"I am also available for an 'Israel is shameful' ad campaign if anyone is interested."
--Israeli actress Renana Raz tweeted after Israel passed the nation-state law. In Hebrew, 'Israel is shameful' (Yisrael mitbayeshet,' rhymes with the water conservation ad campaign Raz has been headlining called, "Yisrael mityabeshet" (Israel is drying out).*
You Must Be Kidding:
The State Attorney's Office indicted David Sharaf, a Jewish Israeli, on arson and incitement for setting fire to property of Arabs and saying 'Burn Arabs because they burn us,’ but the indictment did not state that his motive was nationalist, i.e., anti-Arab, which carries a longer sentence.**
"I am also available for an 'Israel is shameful' ad campaign if anyone is interested."
--Israeli actress Renana Raz tweeted after Israel passed the nation-state law. In Hebrew, 'Israel is shameful' (Yisrael mitbayeshet,' rhymes with the water conservation ad campaign Raz has been headlining called, "Yisrael mityabeshet" (Israel is drying out).*
You Must Be Kidding:
The State Attorney's Office indicted David Sharaf, a Jewish Israeli, on arson and incitement for setting fire to property of Arabs and saying 'Burn Arabs because they burn us,’ but the indictment did not state that his motive was nationalist, i.e., anti-Arab, which carries a longer sentence.**
Breaking News:
Palestinian Teen Reportedly Killed by Israeli Forces Near Bethlehem
And another Palestinian died in Gaza of wounds sustained during recent confrontations with the Israeli army. At Deheishe refugee camp last night, Arkan Mezher,15, was said to have been shot in the chest when soldiers opened fire at Palestinians in a refugee camp who hurled stones and Molotov cocktails at them while they carried out a mass detention raid. (Haaretz+, Ynet, Maariv and graphic video from Maan)
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Tens of thousands protested across the country against the discrimination against the LGBT community
- The silent majority made its voice heard // Chemi Shalev
- A possible turning point in the struggle for equality // Mordechai Kremnitzer
- What we are actually complaining about // Lior Soroka
- Between the Nation-State Law and the Surrogacy Law // Shani Littman
- Suspicion of murder of a Palestinian scientist and a Palestinian doctor in Algeria; In Syria, an Iranian military facility was bombed
- In order to preserve the ceasefire, the Palestinians expect more easing of the siege // Amos Harel
- Two Druze MKs from the coalition appealed the High Court against the Nation-State Law claiming discrimination
- “Parents are giving up on food for their children”: The security deposit pushes asylum seekers into hardship
- Israel national youth basketball team won the European championships for the first time ever
- The text message and the message // Raviv Drucker
- Leaving the closet // Zvi Bar’el
- Ezra Barnea documents from close up what is left from the Alonei Hatavor forest: “It’s a national treasure”
Yedioth Ahronoth
- The proud power (Photo of masses holding rainbow-colored signs at Rabin Square)
- Light for the pride // Nahum Barnea at the square
- Brothers in pain - Hundreds escorted to the grave First Sgt. Aviv Levy, Givat combat soldier who was killed on Gaza border
- They are great! - Enormous achievement for Israeli basketball: Israel national youth basketball team won the European championships
- The Israel Daniel Forces: The most common name among July army recruits
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- They conquered Europe - Making history: Israel national youth basketball team won the European championships for the first time ever
- “We won’t be able to continue on without you” - Thousands escorted to the grave First Sgt. Aviv Levy, Givat combat soldier who was killed by sniper fire on Gaza border
- The proud strike - Thousands across the country participated in protest day of LGBT community against Surrogacy Law
- “Israel attacked in Syria again”
Israel Hayom
- The rescue from Syria: Morality without borders // Haim Shine (Photo of Israeli soldier with a Syrian girl in bus that took hundreds of Syrians from Golan Heights border through Israel to Jordanian border)
- Report in Syria: “Israel attacked weapons factory”
- National Youth Basketball team with a future
- Tel-Aviv: Masses demanded equality for LGBTs
- Report in Algeria: “Two Palestinian scientists assassinated in an apartment”
- After them! New project - Recruits to IDF tell about their role models
News Summary:
Tens of thousands of Israeli LGBT advocates and their supporters demonstratedagainst the discriminating Surrogacy Law (but the Israeli army barred soldiers in uniform from participating in the ‘political’ protest), Israel's under-20 national basketball team won its first-ever European championship, and hours after Israel secretly evacuated 422 Syrian aid workers and their families from Syria and transferred them to Jordan in an exceptional rescue operation,at the request of the US and Europeanallies, Israel reportedly bombed a Syrian military site - making top stories in today's Hebrew newspapers. Maariv journalist, Yanir Kuzin, reported that due to the tension between Israel and Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and General Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of the Russian army, will arrive in Israel today and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, in a message to Gazans, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told residents of the Strip to pressure Hamas to stop the launching of burning balloons, the fence protests and the rockets if they want Israel to open the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing into Gaza. Yesterday, there were fewer incendiary balloons and Israeli aircraft shot and injured two Gazans who were launching some.
Quick Hits:
-
Gaza Reports: Two Palestinian Scientists Found Dead in Algeria - It
wasn't immediately clear whether their deaths were a result of an accident or an assassination.
(Haaretz and Ynet)
Palestinian scientists and experts around the world have been killed in recent years in assassinations alleged to be carried out by Israel's Mossad espionage agency. - **Israeli accused of igniting Arabs' property - David Sharaf, 41, is accused of setting fire to Arab-Israelis' property, including a souvenir shop and an olive grove in Jerusalem; 'Burn Arabs because they burn us,' Sharaf said; No mention of a nationalist motive in the indictment. (Ynet)
- Druze lawmakers file first court challenge to Israel's nation-state law - The lawmakers argue that the Nation-State Law violates basic rights such as the right to equality, and deems that non-Jewish minorities have no status in the state. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- *Renana Raz tweeted against the Nation-State law - and the Israel Water Authority is considering ending the ad campaign she stars in - The actress criticized the Nation-State law and aroused resentment because she received money from the state. Sources close to the energy minister oppose ending the ad campaign. (Maariv)
- (Druze Minister) Ayoub Kara received threats to his life after he voted in support of the Nation-State law - The Minister of Communications was asked by the Unit for Protection of Government Persons to keep an eye on the possibility of giving him another security to guard him. (Maariv)
- White nationalist Richard Spencer backs Israel's contentious nation-state law - In a series of tweets, Spencer writes of his admiration for the law, which confers the right to national self-determination in Israel to the Jewish people alone, and says Jews are 'showing a path forward for Europeans.’ (Haaretz)
- In video - Over thousand of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque (Sunday) - Over a thousand of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem under armed security by the Israeli police on Sunday morning in memory of the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av. Tisha B’Av notably commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temple, which Jews believe were located where the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the third holiest site in Islam, now stands. (Maan and VIDEO+PHOTOS)
- Jordan releases memorandum about violations against Al-Aqsa - Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs, Jumana Ghneimat, condemned in the strongest terms the ongoing Israeli violations and provocations against Al-Aqsa Mosque/ Al Haram al-Sharif, especially the provocative incursions of extremists and settlers that took place today into the courtyards of the holy site. (Maan)
- At funeral of Israeli sergeant killed at Gaza border, friends and family remember a young leader - As one friend described Aviv Levi, ‘The last time we spoke he said: ‘I’m not afraid. I’m only afraid for my soldiers when they’re asleep.’ (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- Arabs on social media celebrate killing of Israeli soldier - Shortly after Staff Sgt. Aviv Levi's girlfriend posts heart-wrenching eulogy on social media, Arab users flood her with invectives and expressions of joy over his death • Israelis confront the harassers, tag Israel Police and report the abuse to Facebook. (Israel Hayom)
- (Renowned Israeli author) Meir Shalev: "God gives a tailwind to the terrorism of kites, Samson was the first suicide bomber" - The writer claimed in an interview last week on KAN Israel Public Broadcasting Corp that "the Palestinians would prefer to use combat helicopters, but because they don’t have any, they use firebombs.” He called it part of the ‘Palestinian low-cost war campaign” and added: "Even King Saul dismembered oxen.” (Maariv)
- From Iraq to Jamaica: July-August IDF recruitment is underway - Hundreds of new soldiers will join the ranks of the IDF over the next two weeks. The age of the eldest enlistee is 27.3 and the youngest is 17.7. Daniel is the most common name. 288 of the recruits are new immigrants. Ethiopia is the most common country of origin among new immigrants enlisting now, with 492 conscripts. The list includes Ukraine (312), Russia (285), the United States (248) and France (167). In addition, there are recruits who immigrated alone from Ecuador, Iraq, Kenya, Bosnia, Salvador, Panama, Morocco, Tunisia and Jamaica. (Maariv)
- In video - Israeli settlers storm Hebron-area village - Dozens of Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli forces, storm the Palestinian village of Susiya, for the third day in a row. The settlers performed Jewish religious rituals in the area and several of them were reported to have verbally assaulted the Palestinian residents of the village. (Maan and VIDEO)
- In Blow to Minister, Attorney General Backs Listing Both Parents in Same-sex Adoptions - The response represents a significant development for the rights of the LGBT community in the battle for equality. (Haaretz+)
- To Deny Lesbian Couples Equal Rights, Israel Toughens Regulations for Fathers - The state is now asking all fathers to state that they are the 'biological father' of the child they are registering, not just the 'father,' as in the past. (Haaretz+)
- LGBT protester claims man rammed vehicle into him - Activist marching in protest in Be’er Sheva against recently-passed Surrogacy Law, which critics slam for its exclusion of LGBT members from access to services of a surrogate mother to become parents, says 'I could see the hatred in the driver's eyes. This is why our campaign is so important'; police say they know nothing of the incident. (Ynet)
- American academic turns down Netanyahu's offer to head Bank of Israel - Prof. Martin Eichenbaum, an expert on monetary and macroeconomic policy, who also teaches at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, apparently declined the offer by Prime Minister Netanyahu for personal reasons. (Haaretz)
- Russian Firm to Train Israelis in Hot Tech Fields - Yandex to begin first classes in October with 50 students. (Haaretz+)
- Minor 3.4 magnitude earthquake strikes near Kinneret - As another tremor occurs in northern Israel, continuing the string of earthquakes that have rocked the country since the beginning of the month; ‘people are afraid to even go out.’ (Ynet)
- Moody's affirms Israel's A1 rating, gives economy positive outlook - Global ratings agency lauds improved economic and diplomatic ties with moderate Arab states, Israel's solid fiscal performance and economic resilience • Finance minister: Economy currently presents the best macro data since the country's inception. (Israel Hayom)
- Hezbollah official says terrorist group's forces won't leave Syria - Hashim Safi Al Din, the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, also confirms that the group's fighters are significantly involved in the battles in south Syria, contradicting denials from the Damascus regime about the presence of foreign combatants. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
- US launches campaign to erode support for Iran's leaders - Trump administration launches an online offensive of speeches seeking to foment domestic unrest in Iran, pressure it to end its nuclear program and support of terrorist groups. Senior Iranian official dismisses the campaign, says it is "doomed to fail." (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
- Iran-US negotiations 'obvious mistake,' supreme leader says - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: The word and even signature of the Americans cannot be relied upon. Khamenei backs President Rouhani's threat to disrupt oil shipments from neighboring states in reaction to U.S. efforts to stop countries from buying Iran's oil. (Israel Hayom)
- Russia mulls selling Qatar S-400 missile defense systems - Russia has agreed to supply Qatar with small arms, such as Kalashnikov assault rifles, and anti-tank weapons, Russian ambassador to Doha says. Talks on the sale of advanced air defense system ongoing "but there is no concrete conclusion," he says. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
Features:
"The Shadow of the President": Who is General Abbas Kamel who caused Hamas to ask for a
cease-fire?
He is considered the closest person to Egyptian President Al-Sisi and Sisi’s “protector of secrets.” Egypt's new chief of general intelligence is the most powerful man in Egypt after the president and Hamas's only communications channel to the outside world. (Yasser Okbi, Maariv)
A story of finance and Zionism with a sports twist
Josh Offit left a promising Wall Street career and came to Israel, where he "immediately felt at home" • Unexpectedly, his affinity for Israel emerged through his love for lacrosse • "There’s nothing better than Israeli chutzpah," he tells Israel Hayom. (Israel Hayom)
First publication: What is in the document held by the police regarding the Knesset members
The Yitzhaki document contains intelligence information that attributes to elected officials acts of severe violence, connections with criminals, and deals, some of which are shady - but most of the suspicions have never been investigated. (Kalman Libeskind, Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Today, I Am Ashamed to Be an Israeli (Daniel Barenboim, Haaretz+) The founding fathers of the State of Israel considered the principle of equality and the pursuit of peace as the bedrock of the society they were building. What happened?
The Druze street is raging: Despite the nation-state law, this is also my country (Amal Ass'ad, Maariv) I know that this country is the national home of the Jews. But from that point to coming and saying that it is the national home only for Jews - that bothers me, because there are also other ethnicities here.
A Model for the Next Battle (Haaretz Editorial) The struggle must not be left only to them and to American Jews. It must involve all democratic Israelis and also include companies such as Microsoft, Supersol, McCann, IBM and Cellcom.
Unlike Netanyahu, Herzl understood the limitations of power, and his role as a leader was of historical importance (Dr. Revital Amiran, Maariv) …The nation-state law is primarily hubris. In other words, a pure act of vanity, which, according to the Aristotelian view, is entirely intended to humiliate in order to attain a sense of superiority. If we examine its various contents, we can not help but notice that apart from trampling upon the dignity of the Arabs, there is nothing in it. Thus, for example, the law determines the obvious regarding the flag, the anthem and the name of our state, repeats the Law of Return and selectively translates certain well-known sentences from the Declaration of Independence. In addition, the lowering of the status of the Arabic language is not supposed, according to the language of the law, to harm the (already low) status accorded to it prior to the law. Thus, more than intending to change reality, this action is intended to poke a finger at the eye of about 20% of the population and harm one of the fundamental foundations of their identity, heritage and culture. Limiting the realization of the right to self-determination for the Jewish people is the most ironic thing. History shows that the law has not yet been enacted to prevent individuals or groups of people from defining themselves, just as no law can prevent people from feeling or thinking. Finally, there is the settlement clause, whose moderate version states that the state will act to encourage Jewish settlement. The meaning of this clause is that the state will be able to establish settlements that will lead a Jewish way of life but can not prevent Arabs from living there. The assumption is that these settlements in advance will not be attractive to the Arabs and will allow the Jewish majority to take control of as many areas as possible in the Land of Israel. But the legislator did not take into account that the blanket is short. Just as these settlements will distance Arabs, they will also distance secular Jews. In addition, the hard core of religious Zionism focuses on the occupation of the territories. It is unclear how effective it will be to spread the (hard core religious Zionists) over the Negev and the Galilee. Unlike Netanyahu, Herzl understood the limitations of power, and his role as a leader was of historical importance. In his legacy there is no Jew who is ashamed. The nation-state law that Netanyahu sees as a victory, however, is a law that many Jews will be ashamed of for many years to come.
Jewish Nation-state Law: Why Israel Was Never a Democracy (Ramzy Baroud, Maan) The head of the Arab Joint List Alliance at the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), Aymen Odeh, described the passing of the racist Jewish Nation-state Law as "the death of our democracy." Did Odeh truly believe that, prior to this law, he had lived in a true democracy? 70 years of Israeli Jewish supremacy, genocide, ethnic cleansing, wars, sieges, mass incarceration, numerous discriminatory laws, all aimed at the very destruction of the Palestinian people should have given enough clues that Israel was never a democracy, to begin with.
To Maintain Gaza Cease-fire, Hamas Expects More From Israel Than Just Incentives (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) If the quiet is maintained, Israel and Hamas will have to overcome the next, higher hurdle: fixing Gaza.
Tisha B'Av is the core of our independence (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Throughout nearly 2,000 years of exile, we upheld our oath to always remember Jerusalem and the terrible internal discord that led to the destruction of the Second Temple
White Helmets Rescue Shows That Israel Is Involved in Syria Way Beyond Humanitarian Aid (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Israel’s coordination with Russia and Jordan in solving the Syria crisis makes it an indirect partner of the Assad regime, one that it won’t try to topple.
No 'religionization' but a national memory (Rabbi Benjamin Lau, Yedioth/Ynet) There is no religious coercion in Israel, the Tisha B'Av mourning is part our identity as Israeli Jews.
Hamas got the message (Daniel Siryoti, Israel Hayom) Hamas, which has grown accustomed to being warned of IDF strikes in advance, was surprised by the speed and intensity with which the IDF responded to the killing of an Israeli soldier on Friday.
Israel's only policy on Gaza is to beat the drums of war (Nathan Hersh, Haaretz+) Israelis deserve a government that protects them. Instead it offers endless conflict, conscripts them, silences fallen soldiers’ families, and deflects responsibility for thousands of Palestinian deaths.
In Gaza, all options are on the table (Amnon Lord, Israel Hayom) Deterrence may be restored for now, but at some point, we'll have to decide whether Israel can live with a terrorist entity that is capable of rattling the country through the use of new and unexpected methods.
Spraying Terror (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Fortunately, the new war was halted at the edge of the abyss. At least for now. Hamas does listen to the voice of the people, and the people are saying clearly that they don’t want war.
The price of avoidance (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The flare-up on the Israel-Gaza border over the weekend undermines the argument saying Israel should not launch another military campaign in Gaza over arson terrorism. The truce with Hamas is more fragile than eve.
Why Hasn't Seymour Hersh's Syria War Crimes Denial Ended His Career?(Daniella Peled, Haaretz+) The fact that mainstream media outlets dismiss Hersh’s disgraceful apologetics as daft idiosyncrasy rather than what it is – fake news at its worst – is a sign, quite simply, of our utter moral failure on Syria.
How Did Israel’s Business Sector Suddenly Discover Social Justice? (Sami Peretz, Haaretz+) Cynics, think again: The widespread corporate support for the LGBT strike may be about more than just climbing onto the PR bandwagon.
He is considered the closest person to Egyptian President Al-Sisi and Sisi’s “protector of secrets.” Egypt's new chief of general intelligence is the most powerful man in Egypt after the president and Hamas's only communications channel to the outside world. (Yasser Okbi, Maariv)
A story of finance and Zionism with a sports twist
Josh Offit left a promising Wall Street career and came to Israel, where he "immediately felt at home" • Unexpectedly, his affinity for Israel emerged through his love for lacrosse • "There’s nothing better than Israeli chutzpah," he tells Israel Hayom. (Israel Hayom)
First publication: What is in the document held by the police regarding the Knesset members
The Yitzhaki document contains intelligence information that attributes to elected officials acts of severe violence, connections with criminals, and deals, some of which are shady - but most of the suspicions have never been investigated. (Kalman Libeskind, Maariv)
Commentary/Analysis:
Today, I Am Ashamed to Be an Israeli (Daniel Barenboim, Haaretz+) The founding fathers of the State of Israel considered the principle of equality and the pursuit of peace as the bedrock of the society they were building. What happened?
The Druze street is raging: Despite the nation-state law, this is also my country (Amal Ass'ad, Maariv) I know that this country is the national home of the Jews. But from that point to coming and saying that it is the national home only for Jews - that bothers me, because there are also other ethnicities here.
A Model for the Next Battle (Haaretz Editorial) The struggle must not be left only to them and to American Jews. It must involve all democratic Israelis and also include companies such as Microsoft, Supersol, McCann, IBM and Cellcom.
Unlike Netanyahu, Herzl understood the limitations of power, and his role as a leader was of historical importance (Dr. Revital Amiran, Maariv) …The nation-state law is primarily hubris. In other words, a pure act of vanity, which, according to the Aristotelian view, is entirely intended to humiliate in order to attain a sense of superiority. If we examine its various contents, we can not help but notice that apart from trampling upon the dignity of the Arabs, there is nothing in it. Thus, for example, the law determines the obvious regarding the flag, the anthem and the name of our state, repeats the Law of Return and selectively translates certain well-known sentences from the Declaration of Independence. In addition, the lowering of the status of the Arabic language is not supposed, according to the language of the law, to harm the (already low) status accorded to it prior to the law. Thus, more than intending to change reality, this action is intended to poke a finger at the eye of about 20% of the population and harm one of the fundamental foundations of their identity, heritage and culture. Limiting the realization of the right to self-determination for the Jewish people is the most ironic thing. History shows that the law has not yet been enacted to prevent individuals or groups of people from defining themselves, just as no law can prevent people from feeling or thinking. Finally, there is the settlement clause, whose moderate version states that the state will act to encourage Jewish settlement. The meaning of this clause is that the state will be able to establish settlements that will lead a Jewish way of life but can not prevent Arabs from living there. The assumption is that these settlements in advance will not be attractive to the Arabs and will allow the Jewish majority to take control of as many areas as possible in the Land of Israel. But the legislator did not take into account that the blanket is short. Just as these settlements will distance Arabs, they will also distance secular Jews. In addition, the hard core of religious Zionism focuses on the occupation of the territories. It is unclear how effective it will be to spread the (hard core religious Zionists) over the Negev and the Galilee. Unlike Netanyahu, Herzl understood the limitations of power, and his role as a leader was of historical importance. In his legacy there is no Jew who is ashamed. The nation-state law that Netanyahu sees as a victory, however, is a law that many Jews will be ashamed of for many years to come.
Jewish Nation-state Law: Why Israel Was Never a Democracy (Ramzy Baroud, Maan) The head of the Arab Joint List Alliance at the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), Aymen Odeh, described the passing of the racist Jewish Nation-state Law as "the death of our democracy." Did Odeh truly believe that, prior to this law, he had lived in a true democracy? 70 years of Israeli Jewish supremacy, genocide, ethnic cleansing, wars, sieges, mass incarceration, numerous discriminatory laws, all aimed at the very destruction of the Palestinian people should have given enough clues that Israel was never a democracy, to begin with.
To Maintain Gaza Cease-fire, Hamas Expects More From Israel Than Just Incentives (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) If the quiet is maintained, Israel and Hamas will have to overcome the next, higher hurdle: fixing Gaza.
Tisha B'Av is the core of our independence (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Throughout nearly 2,000 years of exile, we upheld our oath to always remember Jerusalem and the terrible internal discord that led to the destruction of the Second Temple
White Helmets Rescue Shows That Israel Is Involved in Syria Way Beyond Humanitarian Aid (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Israel’s coordination with Russia and Jordan in solving the Syria crisis makes it an indirect partner of the Assad regime, one that it won’t try to topple.
No 'religionization' but a national memory (Rabbi Benjamin Lau, Yedioth/Ynet) There is no religious coercion in Israel, the Tisha B'Av mourning is part our identity as Israeli Jews.
Hamas got the message (Daniel Siryoti, Israel Hayom) Hamas, which has grown accustomed to being warned of IDF strikes in advance, was surprised by the speed and intensity with which the IDF responded to the killing of an Israeli soldier on Friday.
Israel's only policy on Gaza is to beat the drums of war (Nathan Hersh, Haaretz+) Israelis deserve a government that protects them. Instead it offers endless conflict, conscripts them, silences fallen soldiers’ families, and deflects responsibility for thousands of Palestinian deaths.
In Gaza, all options are on the table (Amnon Lord, Israel Hayom) Deterrence may be restored for now, but at some point, we'll have to decide whether Israel can live with a terrorist entity that is capable of rattling the country through the use of new and unexpected methods.
Spraying Terror (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Fortunately, the new war was halted at the edge of the abyss. At least for now. Hamas does listen to the voice of the people, and the people are saying clearly that they don’t want war.
The price of avoidance (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The flare-up on the Israel-Gaza border over the weekend undermines the argument saying Israel should not launch another military campaign in Gaza over arson terrorism. The truce with Hamas is more fragile than eve.
Why Hasn't Seymour Hersh's Syria War Crimes Denial Ended His Career?(Daniella Peled, Haaretz+) The fact that mainstream media outlets dismiss Hersh’s disgraceful apologetics as daft idiosyncrasy rather than what it is – fake news at its worst – is a sign, quite simply, of our utter moral failure on Syria.
How Did Israel’s Business Sector Suddenly Discover Social Justice? (Sami Peretz, Haaretz+) Cynics, think again: The widespread corporate support for the LGBT strike may be about more than just climbing onto the PR bandwagon.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.