News Nosh: 11.1.18

APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday November 1, 2018
 
Quote of the Day #1:
“If Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte supports Israel, why should we care he admitted killing citizens with his bare hands? Does it matter Brazil’s president-elect Jair Bolsonaro—who is an avid admirer of military dictatorship—threatens to kill left-wing activists, if he says he plans to move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem?”
—Yedioth commentator Nadav Eyal asks whether israel should have moral or liberal considerations when foreign relations are concerned.

Quote of the Day #2:
“Look me in the eyes and tell me why, in this country, Yigal Amir can become a father and I can’t?”
—With tears in his eyes, homosexual MK Itsik Shmuli (Zionist Camp) asked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at a Knesset debate on changing the Surrogacy Law.

Front Page:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • In their hands - Yedioth held a meeting of the mayor who were elected for the first time (Photo of 17 mayors, 3 of whom are women)
  • In their own right // Nahum Barnea on Netanyahu’s power
  • Local heroes // Sima Kadmon on the political parties’ power
Maariv This Weekend (Hebrew links only)
  • “The heart cannot contain the tragedy” - The eight members of the Attar family, who were killed in the car accident on Hwy 90, were laid to rest
  • Netanyahu: “The rumors about the death of democracy are exaggerated”
  • Institute for Forensi Medicine: “Examine the hairs from the Tair Rada’s murder scene”
  • The soldiers’ votes: Close night battle in the elections in Beit Shemesh between Dr. Aliza Bloch and Moshe Abutbul
Israel Hayom
  • “You can count on our vote - also at the UN” - Newly elected President of Brazil Bolsonar to ‘Israel Hayom’: “I love Israel”
  • The queen of the Carmel - Einat Kalush-Rotem on her crushing victory: “Haifans had their word”
  • The elections effect: New ultra-Orthodox order // Mati Tuchfeld
  • “The heart can’t absorb it” - Hundreds escorted the Attar family, which was killed in a car accident, as all its members were laid to rest
  • The Shin Bet people” of the police - New unit, whose members are experts in fighting terror, will act againt crime and violence in E. Jerusalem
  • Regavim Movement report: Palestinian Authority taking control over lands in Area C (in W. Bank)
  • Murder of Tair Rada: Report - “The hair found can LIHATIM many people - including A.H.”
  • Netanyahu in the Knesset: “I support, but I don’t have a majority in my coalition to pass the Surrogacy Law”

News Summary:
Today’s Hebrew newspapers focused on the winners and the losers and those who don’t yet know following Tuesday’s municipal elections and on the funeral for all eight members of the Attar family who were killed in a car accident when hit by a driver believed to be under
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-drugs-suspected-in-dead-sea-car-crash-that-killed-family-of-eight-1.6612958

 the influence of a drug. Also in the news, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was forced to participate in a Knesset debate over a recently adopted surrogacy law in order to embarrass him, Yedioth wrote. The MK Itsik Shmuli ‘stole the show’ when he told the Prime Minister to ‘look him in the eyes’ and tell him why he wasn’t good enough to become a father in this country. Netanyahu said he supported surrogacy for homosexuals, but not enough of his coalition partners did. Maariv reported that Netanyahu took advantage of the stage to say he plans on staying in politics for a long time and that the “rumors about the death of Israeli democracy” are exaggerated.

Also of importance: the Russian Defense Ministry held a long briefing about the situation in Syria on Wednesday, and a Russian ministry spokesman warned that the delivery of the S300 missile system to Syria “was a warning to all hotheads in the region." Although Israel wasn’t mentioned, the reference to the S-300 clearly is pointed at Jerusalem and the S-300 was meant to defend against Israeli actions in Syria. (Also Maariv) But it was Yedioth’s Alex Fishman who revealed the reason for the worsened relations between Russia and Israel: After the Russian plane was downed in the skies of Syria, Israel returned and attacked Syria again. According to a political source in Jerusalem, the story behind the aerial attack shows the depth of the crisis between Russia and Israel, which began with the downing of the Russian spy plane, for which no solution has been found so far.

And, while it made big news that Hamas demanded Israel transfer $15 million to the Gaza Strip monthly, the story has become clearer now. According to a report from Gaza, Israel has agreed to allow Qatar to transfer the funds to pay for the salaries of Hamas ministry officials. Palestinian sources said there has been significant progress in ceasefire deal with Israel, Ynet’s Elior Levy reported, noting that “as part of trust-building measures, Israel continues to supply Gaza with Qatari fuel, which enables the activation of a third turbine in Gaza's power station, vastly improving the electricity supply in the coastal enclave, while violence demonstrated by Palestinians along border fence has decreased.” Nevertheless, an Israeli drone airstrike targeted a group of Palestinians in Gaza yesterday afternoon, Maan reported. Moreover, 51% oppose holding negotiations with Hamas towards a long-term ceasefire arrangement and 50% want to negotiate a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority. Only 43% of Israelis support improving living conditions for Gazans.
Quick Hits:
  • PM mulling attending inauguration of Brazil's new president - Diplomatic sources say they expect the South American state to take a pro-Israeli stance in international arena following Jair Bolsonaro's promise to not only move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but to also remove PLO offices from the country because 'Palestine is not a state.' (Haaretz and Ynet
  • Policeman sentenced to 380 hours after assaulting Ara - YASAM cop Moshe Cohen who was documented beating truck driver Mazen Shweiki in east Jerusalem in 2017 is ordered to pay him NIS 8,000 in compensation; Shweiki: 'I waited for Cohen to call me and apologize, but he didn't.' (Ynet+VIDEO)
  • Ex-elite soldiers to be stationed in east Jerusalem to combat violent crime - Members of police's newest volunteer unit specialize in anti-terrorism and are also graduates of the Shin Bet's Personal Security Unit • Their work in violence-ridden east Jerusalem will focus on the city's seam zone neighborhoods between east and west. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israeli settlers attack Palestinian olive-pickers in Hebron - A group of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian olive-pickers in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron City in the southern occupied West Bank, on Tuesday, and attempted to prevent them from picking olives in their lands adjacent to the illegal Israeli settlement of Ramat Yishai. (Maan)
  • [Settler organization] Report exposes Palestinian ploy to use agriculture to usurp land in Judea and Samaria - Regavim advocacy group claims Palestinians are using extensive EU-funded agricultural activity to take over strategic areas with the aim of creating facts on the ground ahead of any peace deal • Government must wake up, do something now, the report warns. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israel renews efforts to end international observer mission in Hebron - Reports suggest that members of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron, formed after the 1994 Cave of the Patriarchs massacre, are targeting the city's Jewish community • "Mission has become a hostile presence on the ground," deputy foreign minister says. (Israel Hayom)
  • Civil Administration to add staff for first time in 25 years - While Jewish and Arab populations in Judea and Samaria have grown, Civil Administration staff has shrunk • Personnel shortage is causing planning and construction bottlenecks, infrastructure crises • MK Moti Yogev: Palestinians and Jews alike suffering. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israel demolishes two Palestinian-owned structures in Yatta - Israeli forces demolished two rooms for allegedly being built with the nearly-impossible-to-obtain Israeli permit. Jahed and Fadel Barqan, the owners, were not notified in advance of the demolition. (Maan)
  • Israeli forces deliver stop-construction notices in Salfit - Israeli forces delivered a notice to local Abdullah Abed al-Hali to stop construction on his house in al-Zawiya, and notices to Iyad Shqair, Bashir Nour al-Din and Izzallah Hussain ordering the three to halt the construction on three steel structures they own. (Maan)
  • Israeli forces detain former Palestinian prisoner in Jenin - Israeli forces raided Faqqua village, detained former prisoner after raiding and searching his family home. Israeli forces also carried out a raid in Silat al-Harithiya village, northwest of Jenin, raiding and searching several houses and interrogating residents. (Maan)
  • Israeli forces raid 3 sections of Ofer detention center - Israeli suppression forces raided sections 15, 17 and 18, where some 360 Palestinian prisoners are held in the Ofer detention center in the Ramallah district of central occupied West Bank, on Wednesday. (Maan)
  • Israeli military court acquits Palestinian of murder in attempted attack that resulted in death of IDF soldier (from friendly fire) - Mamdouh Amro ran toward reserve officer Eliav Gelman with a knife, prompting Israeli soldiers to open fire, mistakenly killing Gelman. Amro said he was seeking to die himself, and had no intention of murder. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
  • AG rules out house demolition for mentally ill terrorists - Mandelblit determines a terrorist who suffers from mental impairment 'would not have the ability to rationally consider the real possibility the home he lives in would be demolished, and consequently decide against carrying out the terror act we wish to deter him from committing.' (Ynet)
  • Israel bans four Jerusalemites from Jabal al-Mukabbir, Sur Baher villages - Tuesday evening Israeli police released the Fatah movement's secretary in Jabal al-Mukabbir, Iyad Bashir, Head of the Fatah youth movement in the village, Fares Uweisat, and head of a local committee Nabil Bashir, in addition to Hassan Abdo, on the condition of them being banned from entering their villages. (Maan)
  • European countries criticize Israel's UN envoy - Britain, France, the Netherlands and Sweden send letter of complaint to UN Security Council president against Ambassador Danon, after he called B'Tselem head Hagai El-Ad a 'collaborator'; Danon: 'They should condemn B'Tselem instead of fund it.' (Yedioth/Ynet)
  • An envoy of the President of France met with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials - In the shadow of reports of a new peace initiative of the French president, Channel 10 News reported that Macron had even sent a senior official to meet for peace talks with both sides ahead of the November leaders' conference. (Maariv)
  • Egyptian Intel Is Big Gainer From Israeli Gas Deal, Report Says - The Egyptian intelligence service is slated to receive 80 percent of the income from East Gas, the main beneficiary of a massive natural gas deal with Israel. (Haaretz)
  • Toward a renewal of relations? A senior Israeli delegation visited Chad - According to a report in “Channel 10 News,” a meeting was held with senior officials of the African country, headed by a senior member of Israel’s National Security Council. The delegation traveled with a very clear goal, ahead of a possible announcement about the renewal of relations between Israel and Chad, a Muslim country in Africa that suspended relations with Israel in the 1970s. In recent years, there have been several reports of relations between Israel and Chad, but the parties have not publicly acknowledged this. (Maariv)
  • Water institutes in Louisiana, Israel ink joint research deal - The Baton Rouge-based Water Institute of the Gulf and the Israel-based Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research will work collaboratively on groundwater research, applications to improve farming, improvements to drinking water aquifer use and other areas. (Israel Hayom)
  • Instagram page showing life on Gaza border goes viral - Eight teenage girls from communities adjacent to the strip launch a social media account documenting life in the area, which reached over 50,000 followers within a few days, hoping to show fellow Israelis and the rest of the world the difficulties of living amid Hamas terrorism. (Ynet)
  • IAI wins $550 million Asia contract for air defense system - Israel Aerospace Industries to supply Sky Capture command and control system to an undisclosed country over the next four years • Official: Sky Capture combines several aerial interception methodologies, reflects IAI's extensive capabilities. (Israel Hayom)
  • New Immigrant From Russia Came to Israel Leaving a $500 Million Debt Behind - Russian-government owned Sberbank stated Mabelianov took advantage of his religion in order to flee his financial obligations, but he claims he moved to Israel for Zionist reasons, and due to mounting anti-Semitism in Russia. (Haaretz+)
  • The man who developed Israel Military Industries dies at 105 - Eliyahu Sacharov, from the third generation of his family in the country, joined the Haganah in high school and devoted his life to the defense and security of the pre-state Jewish community and then of the State of Israel. (Haaretz+)
  • Israeli Ministry to Set European Standards for Scaffolding - In the past decade the safety condition of scaffoldings in Israel has declined significantly. (Haaretz+)
  • FBI looking into bid to smear Special Counsel Mueller (by Jewish pro-Trump troll) - Jack Burkman, a lawyer and Republican operative who has in the past promoted right-wing conspiracies on social media has apparently joined forces with alt-right troll Jacob Wohl to try and smear Special counsel Robert Mueller. Mueller says women were offered money to accuse him of sexual harassment. (Times of Israel, Ynet Hebrew and Haaretz)
  • Israeli minister defends Trump after Pittsburgh shooting: 'Great friend of the Jews' - Naftali Bennett says U.S. president has strongly condemned anti-Semitism. (JTA, Haaretz)
  • Fighting fire with fire: Jews train to prevent another shooting rampage - "We want every Jew in America armed," says Yonatan Stern, a veteran IDF officer and director of the Cherev Gidon Israeli Tactical Defense Academy, in the wake of a deadly shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue • "The fact is, we're at war," Stern declares. (Israel Hayom)
  • "Trump is the main instigator in the country, promoting violence and hatred at every opportunity" - Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party in Israel spoke with Ayala Hasson about the president's conduct following the Pittsburgh massacre: "This is something we have not seen so far, and this requires a special response." The Republican chairman in Israel: "Even before he took office he was called a Nazi.” (Maariv)
  • Mossad-provided intel helped Denmark foil Iranian plot - Israeli diplomat confirms Mossad helped stop attempted assassination of the leader of the Danish branch of Iranian opposition group blamed by Tehran for attack on military parade in Khuzestan in which 25 Iranians were killed. (Yedioth/Ynet and Maariv)
  • Iran Summons Danish Envoy Over Alleged Tehran Assassination Plot - Iran's Foreign Ministry strongly denied Danish intelligence allegations of an Iranian plot to kill an opposition activist in Copenhagen, calling it part of enemy plans aimed at damaging Iran-EU relations. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Iran: US sanctions to have 'severe consequences' for global order - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi accuses Washington of launching "psychological war" against Tehran by imposing "inhumane and confrontational sanctions" to hurt the Iranian economy. EU signatories to nuclear deal remain committed to it. (Israel Hayom)
  • South Korean construction giant cancels $521 million deal with Iran - Hyundai Engineering scraps deal to build petrochemicals complex in Iran, saying Iran's ability to fund project likely to be hit by the prospect of U.S. economic sanctions • Expert: Iran likely to turn to China or Russia to help finance the project. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
  • Saudi Journalist Was Strangled as Soon as He Entered Consulate, Turkish Prosecutor Says - Last week CIA Director Gina Haspel reportedly heard an audio recording of the Saudi journalist's death. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Republican Senators Urge Trump to Suspend U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Talks After Khashoggi Killing -  Lawmakers led by Marco Rubio wrote a letter to Trump expressing reservations of the lucrative atomic energy agreement with Saudi Arabia. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • UN Chief Names Next Syria Envoy: Norwegian Diplomat Geir Pedersen - Pedersen will succeed Staffan de Mistura, who announced earlier this month he was stepping down at the end of November after more than four years for family reasons. (Agencies, Haaretz)


Features:
Meet the Chilestinians, the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East
They maintain good relations with the Jews, are reluctant to visit Israel and Palestine, but identify with their brethren in the territories. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in Chile - we spoke to some of them. (Roy Arad, Haaretz+)
Israelites in Biblical Dan Worshipped Idols – and Yahweh Too, Archaeologists Discover
Finds in the northern biblical city of Dan suggest that even if King Jeroboam pushed worship of golden calves and goat demons to spite Jerusalem, there was a big YHWH temple. (Philippe Bohstrom, Haaretz+)

Commentary/Analysis:
Why I Call the Pittsburgh Massacre a Pogrom, and Trump a Czar (Bradley Burston, Haaretz+) There is a czar in Washington, who has nothing against the Jews as a whole. But one who lets his people know about Jews who, he signals, seek to ruin the lives of Real Americans, that is, his loyal followers.
Unlike Culture Minister Regev, TV host Asayag doesn't ingratiate herself with the white master Netanyahu (Gal Stav Alfasi, Ynet) The culture minister has to pay a price for acceptance into the prime minister's elite. But there are Mizrahi women from the periphery who do not bow down to him.
The Israeli Far Right’s Ambassador to the United States (Wednesday Haaretz Editorial) Netanyahu’s man in Washington, Ron Dermer, and the rest of the Israeli government consider the extreme right in the United States and elsewhere a partner in the battle against radical Islam and asylum seekers.
Anti-Semitism on the Left (Itamar Fleishman, Israel Hayom) The Israeli Left issues dire warnings about the darkness that has fallen on the U.S. while ignoring the blatant anti-Semitism in its own ranks, some of which approaches white supremacist propaganda.
What’s a Little anti-Semitism Among Friends? (Noa Osterreicher, Haaretz+) One who sleeps with orange dogs will wake up among brown shirts infested with fleas. Israel’s bond with the Trump administration is in itself an anti-Semitic conspiracy.
The Left lectures us about hate speech? (Dr. Eitan Orkibi, Israel Hayom) The Right constantly warns about incitement in the Palestinian Authority. Unfortunately, that never elicits anything other than a shrug of the shoulders from the Left.
Pittsburgh Was Never anti-Semitic. Trump and the Internet Changed That (Cliff Savren, Haaretz+) I spent nearly a decade monitoring anti-Semitism in Western Pennsylvania, and if I were in Pittsburgh Tuesday I would only attend the president’s visit with a protest sign in my hand.
*It will cost us (Nadav Eyal, Yedioth/Ynet) There is a difference between amicable ties—which Israel should maintain with every country except those tainted by war crimes and crimes against humanity—and a tight relationship with countries that might jeopardize Israel's future once their authoritarian leaders disappear.
While Trump is president, violence against Jews will keep rising. We must be prepared (Eric H. Yoffie, Haaretz+) For two years, Trump has incited, race-baited, and immigrant-bashed, to the delight of America’s far right fanatics. To the surprise of absolutely no one, they are now killing Jews. Countering them, with our allies, is a battle we must fight, and win.
The root of American discord (Dr. Hanan Shai, Israel Hayom) As midterm elections approach, Americans must choose between traditional liberalism, which has safeguarded long-term stability, and Europe's brand of Utopian liberalism, which always ends in disaster.
As Pittsburgh Jews, We Will Mourn Our Dead by Mobilizing for Refugees (Jacob Bacharach, Haaretz+) Our big, florid president shouted about a 'caravan.' The shooter joined the mob declaring: The Jews are behind it all. To which our answer is: We, as Jews, will welcome every single person seeking safety and opportunity.
Why, in spite of anti-Semitic incidents, do American Jews not go in droves to Israel? (Avraham Tirosh, Maariv) The two bombs that landed on me at the end of the week and arrived from Pittsburgh and the Gaza vicinity reminded me of the article on the two ‘Cities of Refuge.’ A somewhat strange theory of equal reciprocity between Israel and the United States on the Jewish issue.
Will Trump's two years of incomplete Middle East progress turn into an explosive failure? It all depends on the midterms (Daniel B. Shapiro, Haaretz+) Trump’s two year Mideast policy scorecard is a mixed picture: Partial success stories that each face deep challenges. Will the election results constrain the administration's wilder policy instincts that could inflame the Mideast?
Israel vs. Gaza: The pendulum swings back toward renewed conflict (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Another round of violence with Islamic Jihad may lead to a more serious military response by Israel that could complicate efforts to achieve calm.
One can draw encouragement from what happened in the local elections regarding the ultra-Orthodox sector (Shmuel Rosner, Maariv) Tel Aviv was not moved by the cries of religionization. In Jerusalem, interesting coalitions coalesced and others disintegrated. Will this affect national politics? There absolutely will be. With time, the ultra-Orthodox block will be less of a block. Over time, the uniformity of ultra-Orthodox voting will be less uniform. And yes, they will continue to flock to the polls. You have to praise them for this habit, to learn from them. A matter of good citizenship, of high involvement. They will continue to flock because it is good for them. This is also good for Israeli society.
Women on Every List (Haaretz Editorial) Ultra-Orthodox support for Haifa’s new mayor demonstrates that the exclusion of women is not a decree from heaven or holy concept in Jewish law, but is primarily derived from power struggles.
In Israeli Arab local elections, new faces fail to overtake clan loyalties (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) Women and young people played a greater role this time around, but tribe, family and money still rule.
No Matter Who Is Elected Mayor, Secular Jerusalem Has Already Lost (Nir Hasson, Haaretz+) Five takeaways from Jerusalem's local elections, where two exhausted candidates, Moshe Leon and Ofer Berkovitch, must now pull themselves to the starting line for the next round.
Did Israel's PM Netanyahu secretly visit Islamabad? How one tweet sparked hysteria and a political crisis in Pakistan (Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, Haaretz+) A report that an Israeli plane landed in Pakistan led to whirlwind rumors, fierce accusations and blunt denials – and a near-crisis for Imran Khan's new government. Was this another 'Zionist-Hindu conspiracy'? Is there, in fact, any chance Pakistan will recognize Israel?
Saudi Arabia is a model country. So is Israel, naturally (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Why is Saudi Arabia singled out for harassment, a country that is itself fighting terror, is a partner to the battle against Iran and creates thousands of jobs in the West?
With or Without Israel's Help, Foiled Iran Terror Plot Puts Europe in a Nuclear Bind (Zvi Bar’el, Haaretz+) Allegedly exposing the planned attack in Denmark plays into Israel's hands. Now Europe must decide whether it’s worth separating the war on terror from the importance of the nuclear agreement.
Did Israel's PM Netanyahu Secretly Visit Islamabad? How One Tweet Sparked Hysteria and a Political Crisis in Pakistan (Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, Haaretz+) A report that an Israeli plane landed in Pakistan led to whirlwind rumors, fierce accusations and blunt denials – and a near-crisis for Imran Khan's new government. Was this another 'Zionist-Hindu conspiracy'? Is there, in fact, any chance Pakistan will recognize Israel?
 
Interviews:
President-elect of Brazil promises: Israel can count on our vote
Jair Bolsonaro gives his first foreign media interview to Israel Hayom, says he will promote cooperation with Israel • As a sovereign state, Israel is the only one that can decide its capital, he says • I love the Israeli people and Israel, he declares. (Interviewed by Boaz Bismuth in Israel Hayom)

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