News Nosh 2.28.19

by APN 02/28/19
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APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday February 28, 2019

 
Quote of the day:
"As a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, it shocks me that a party that follows the path of Rabbi Kahane, who supports terror and harms innocents only because they are Arabs, receives widespread legitimacy and coverage. It is precisely from the Jewish values of the love of the non-Jew - anyone for whom the Jewish and democratic character of the state is important to him, must denounce a party that champions the harming minorities as a way of life."
--MK Michal Biran (Kulanu) told Maariv after equating the Otzma Yehudit party with the Nazi government.*

You Must Be Kidding: 

 

Breaking News:
Netanyahu to Be Charged With Bribery, Fraud and Breach of Trust Pending Hearing - Attorney General Mendelblit's decision comes a month and a half before Israel's election. (Haaretz and Ynet - More in News Summary)

Israel Releases Palestinian Lawmaker Held for Nearly Two Years Without Trial
Khalida Jarrar was held for her activity with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and jailed without charges or trial. (Haaretz and Israel Hayom)

UN Council: Israel Committed war crimes - intentionally Shot Children and Journalists in Gaza
The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 Gaza protests presented its conclusions, according to which 183 Palestinians were killed by Israel, including 35 children. Human Rights Council: Soldiers targeted Palestinian civilians who did not pose an "imminent threat." Investigators also fault Hamas for cross-border arson campaign. Israel rejects "theater of the absurd." (Haaretz, Maariv and Israel Hayom)

Front Page:
Haaretz
Yedioth Ahronoth
  • Indicted, pending a hearing (Photo of Netanyahu)
  • Sad day // Ben-Dror Yemini
  • “Let the students enjoy the flood, nothing can happen” - State Prosecutor: This is how the director of the Bnei Tzion pre-military academy, Yuval Kahn, allegedly ignored the warnings before the tragedy (that killed 10 students)
  • Explosive balloon hit a house
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
Israel Hayom
  • “Crisis of the downed Russian plane - behind us” - Political source: “Netanyahu and Putin agreed that Israel continue to work together”
  • High tension ahead of (Attorney General) Mendelblitt’s announcement
  • Netanyahu still has the presumption of innocence // Haim Shine
  • The message from Hanoi: “Prosperity in exchange for dismantling nukes”
  • Kahol-Lavan party candidate: I was raped to serve in the Territories - Alon Shuster said he acted against his principles
  • Again, it’s not quiet in the south: damage to house in Eshkol region from hit of explosive balloon
  • Parents of youth who died in tragedy at Tzfit River said about a punishment for the directors of the (pre-military) academy: “Nothing will console us”
  • Violence on the highway: In front of his daughters, he was attacked at the traffic light because he didn’t allow someone to pass him

Elections 2019 News:
The biggest story in today’s Hebrew newspapers, with the glaring exception of the pro-Netanyahu newspaper, ‘Israel Hayom,’ was the expected announcement today that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would be indicted for bribery, breach of trust and fraud. After a last-minute attempt by the Likud party today to prevent that from happening by petitioning the High Court, a move that was nixed, it happened. Attorney General Avichai Mendelblitt made the announcement many thought he didn’t have the guts for and declared today that Netanyahu would be indicted in three different criminal investigations against him, pending a hearing. Before the announcement, Netanyahu said the cases were “a house of cards about to collapse.” Afterward, Netanyahu's Likud party called the decision “political persecution” and blasted Mendelblitt for publishing his decision before elections. Maariv reported today that Netanyahu’s attorneys are considering making an exceptional appeal to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee to demand that the investigation materials not be published before elections, because, they argue, it is essential to prevent the leaking of materials by interested parties who have the aim of influencing the election campaign in progress. Haaretz reported that a poll found that a huge majority of right-wing and religious Israelis believe Netanyahu is being framed. Before the announcement, the Likud was already making its counter attack, fearing that it could lose five Knesset seats following the decision. Haaretz+ reported that Likud was saving every shekel to fight the charges through ads, text messages and social media campaigns. Hours before the announcement today, U.S. President Donald Trump gave Netanyahu his verbal support saying Netanyahu "has done a great job as prime minister."

Elections Quickees:
  • Israel's Election Committee Bans Anonymous Online Ads Despite Likud Objections - Such advertising ‘would make it difficult for security officials to dispel concern over foreign interference in the election,’ committee chairman says. (Haaretz+ and Times of Israel)
  • Bennett Implores Trump: 'Let My People Know' Details of Mideast Peace Plan (Before Elections) - Israeli education minister calls on U.S. president to reveal plan before April 9 election: 'Deal of the century is progressing and everyone knows what's in it other than Israelis.' (Haaretz)
  • Report: 'Deal of century' won't include Palestinian state - US President Donald Trump's peace plan will propose establishing Palestinian autonomy in the Gaza Strip with political and economic links to the West Bank, according to the the Al-Quds newspaper; Jewish settlements will remain under Israel's jurisdiction, but will not be expanded. (Ynet and Maariv)
  • Kushner meets Erdogan on Israel-Palestinian peace plan - After saying the US had forfeited its role as mediator in the Middle East by moving its embassy to Jerusalem, Turkish President Erdogan meets with US President Trump's advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss the American peace plan. (Ynet and Israel Hayom)
  • Kushner, MbS Discuss 'Increasing Cooperation' and Israeli-Palestinian Peace Efforts - Riyadh meeting was their first face-to-face talks since the crown prince became embroiled in the scandal of the killing of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Brazil's President Bolsonaro to Visit Israel Days Before Election - Netanyahu and Bolsonaro have previously discussed the possibility of moving the Brazilian embassy during a December meeting in Brazil. (Haaretz+)
  • Political deal could put Otzma Yehudit member on Judicial Selection Committee - Publication by Central Elections Committee of agreements between parties running together in the April elections shows that Jewish Home-National Union will seek to place either Itamar Ben-Gvir or Michael Ben-Ari as opposition member of panel to pick judges, should they secure a Knesset seat. (Ynet)
  • *"They harm minorities": MK Michal Biran compared Otzma Yehudit party to Nazi Germany - The Kulanu party Knesset member compared the far-right party to Hitler's government as part of a party panel held at the Ben-Gurion School in Petah Tikva. She told Ma'ariv: "As a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, it shocks me that a party that follows the path of Rabbi Kahane, who supports terror and harms innocents only because they are Arabs, receives widespread legitimacy and coverage. It is precisely from the Jewish values of the love of the non-Jew - anyone for whom the Jewish and democratic character of the state is important to him, must denounce a party that champions the harming minorities as a way of life." (Maariv)
  • Following Controversial Deal With Kahanists, Religious Israelis Are Seeking a New Political Home  - Habayit Hayehudi has long been the home of religious Zionists, but its electoral alliance with Otzma Yehudit, at the urging of Benjamin Netanyahu, has proved the final straw for some party members. (Haaretz+)
  • Former IDF chief Gantz sues woman who claims he sexually harassed her as a teenager - The woman, Nava Jacobs, wrote on Facebook Wednesday that Gantz exposed himself in front of her while the two were students at a boarding school in north of Tel Aviv in the late 1970s. Gantz said that was a “complete lie” and is suing her for $140,000 in libel damages. Report: Culture Minister Miri Regev's staff helped complainant bring her story to the media. (Maariv, Israel Hayom and i24News)
  • From a ‘Love Hormone’ Expert to a Martial Arts Champ: Meet the 17 New Faces in the 2019 Election Race - Some are already household names while others have taken a very scenic route into politics. (Haaretz+)

Other News Summary:
Russia and Gaza made the other top news along with Trump’s meeting with North Korea’s leader. Netanyahu vows to bar Iran from securing presence in Syria after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday, Netanyahu said that he told Putin that Israel is determined to keep striking Iran in Syria and that Putin said he wants to get Iran out of Syria, and a senior Israeli official told Israeli reporters that the crisis in Russian-Israeli relations over the downing of the Russian plane was “behind us.”Also, Putin accepted an invitation to Israel. After an explosive device tied to a balloon caused slight damage to the wall of a house in southern Israel, the Israel Air Force retaliated by attacking two Hamas targets in Gaza.
 
Quick Hits:
  • Israel retracts entry ban on Gaza-born American whose mother is dying - Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said the visit has been approved, as an exceptional case, despite the request not meeting the necessary criteria. (Haaretz+)
  • Palestinians refuse Israeli tax funds after government cuts sum paid to convicted terrorists - Israel implements law it passed last year to withhold amount PA would transfer to convicted terrorists and their families, Palestinians say, a law in contravention of Oslo Accords. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
  • Israel Arrests East Jerusalem Palestinians as Temple Mount Tensions Surge - Palestinians report that 25 were arrested by Israel in overnight raids, including the Palestinian Authority's Jerusalem governor. (Haaretz+)
  • Palestinian prisoners expected to nix leadership councils in protest over Israeli actions - Hamas, Islamic Jihad and PFLP prisoners - but not Fatah - expected to announce dismantling their leadership, a move that will likely ratchet up tensions in security wings. (Haaretz+)
  • Israeli security forces arrest Palestinian ex-militant Zakariya Zubeidi on suspicion of 'grave and current terrorist activity’ -  The West Bank arrest surprised the residents of Jenin, who noted that in recent years Zubeidi had been focusing on political activity as a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council and held a position in the Palestinian Prisoners' Society. In addition, Shin Bet detains attorney Tarek Barghout, who also works in the Palestinian Prisoners' Association, and who has represented numerous Palestinian political prisoners.  (Maariv, Times of Israel and Haaretz)
  • Smuggled in Suitcases: How Iran Is Upgrading Hezbollah's Rocket Arsenal - Two reports based on Israeli intelligence reveal the GPS-guidance upgrades meant to improve the rockets’ accuracy. (Haaretz+)
  • WATCH Jerusalem separation barrier falls after storm, residents celebrate - Residents of Shoafat refugee camp celebrated the incident, which happened in the same area last year and in 2013. (Haaretz)
  • Congress to view bill recognizing Israeli sovereignty on Golan - Bill emphasizes the strategic importance of Israeli control to protect civilians against threats from Iran in Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon • It also states it is "unrealistic to expect" Israeli-Syrian peace deal to end in Israeli withdrawal from Golan. (Israel Hayom)
  • Gay American Rabbinical Student Wins Case After Jerusalem Pizzeria Denies Him Service - The court orders the pizza shop to pay the Hebrew Union College student $5,000 in damages. (Haaretz+)
  • Kiryat Gat mayor forced to pay 430,000 shekels to a social activist - Mayor Aviram Dahari lost a lawsuit in court after it became clear that there was a connection between letters he sent on official municipality paper to Pittsburgh University with false defamatory statements against Dr. Dror Lederman and the ending of Dr. Lederman’s post-doctoral funding. Dahari aimed to harm Lederman and his livelihood due to Lederman’s civic activity to expose faults and irregularities in the activities of the municipality and Dahari at its head. Dr. Lederman was doing post-doctoral research at the US university in the field of analysis of mammographies to discover breast cancer. The court further ruled that Dr. Lederman should be compensated by an additional 100,000 shekels for libel in the framework of five additional letters sent by the mayor to other persons. (Maariv)
  • Principal, guide in Israeli pre-army program to face homicide charges for 10 drowning deaths - Prosecution goes a step beyond police recommendation to charge the principal with ‘negligent homicide.’ (Haaretz+)
  • [Despite hospitals collapsing under burden - OH] Israel Ranked 10th Healthiest Country in the World - The Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index, published Sunday, ranked 169 nations based on factors such as life expectancy and access to sanitation and medical care. (JTA, Haaretz)
  • French contestant denies threats to boycott Eurovision in Israel: ‘We are definitely participating’ - Singer Bilal Hassani is in Israel to film a video clip for the competition. (Haaretz+)
  • Archaeologists Find Samaritan Lord’s Winepress in Central Israel - As the nearby mosaic says, in Greek: ‘Only God help the beautiful property of Master Adios, amen.’ (Haaretz and VIDEO)
  • EU4Youth brings higher education opportunities to Palestinian universities - The lively #EU4YOUth Campus Tour traveled through three universities and unpacked informational booths on their grounds to provide young people with guidance on scholarship, fellowship, and exchange programs opportunities at EU Member States. (Maan)
  • Canadian Attorney Claims to Be Targeted by Recently Unmasked Israeli Black Cube Operative - Recent attention has been drawn to spy Aharon Almog-Assouline for targeting journalists and lawyers in an attempt to discredit their inquiries into Israeli hacking technology. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Russia, Syria call on 'illegal' U.S. forces to leave Syria - Joint statement also calls to allow evacuation of refugee camp in southeast; Netanyahu in Moscow for talks with Putin. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • This Jewish comedian offered to marry MBS – and sparked an instant controversy - The joke, which was featured on Noam Shuster’s weekly satirical spot in i24 News Arabic, alluded to Israel’s once-secret relations with Saudi Arabia inching toward the public arena. (Haaretz)
  • UK Labour Party suspends MP for anti-Semitic remarks - As controversy over growing anti-Semitism in the party rages, MP Chris Williamson says Labour has been "too apologetic, given too much ground" • Head of the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism Gideon Falter says Williamson has "baited Jews" for years. (Israel Hayom)
  • Argentine chief rabbi: It's not clear attack was anti-Semitic - After brutal beating during home invasion, Chief Rabbi of Argentina Gabriel Davidovich tells local paper, "I'm not angry and don't want revenge" • Davidovich hesitant to call attack anti-Semitic • PM Netanyahu calls him to ask about his condition. (Israel Hayom)
  • WATCH: Rashida Tlaib Accuses Republican Congressman of 'Racist Act' During Cohen Hearing - After the exchange between Tlaib and Congressman Mark Meadows, a 2012 video of Meadows saying send Obama back to 'Kenya or wherever' resurfaces. (Haaretz)
  • Israeli-made bombs used in Pakistan attack, Indian media outlets say - Security sources say Israeli Rafael's 'Spice 2000' missiles were used against what New Delhi says was a terrorist training camp. (Haaretz)
  • At least 20 killed, dozens more injured in fire at Cairo train station - The blaze started when a train crashed into a barrier in the Egyptian capital's central station. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Egypt’s president says he will provide synagogues if Jewish community reemerges there - In meeting with U.S. delegation, Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi spoke fondly of Egypt's Jewish past, called for resurgence of community. (JTA, Haaretz)

Features:
Borrowed Identity: Children of (Palestinian) collaborators living in Israel do not find anyone to belong to
They were born in the West Bank or Gaza and had to move to Israel because their fathers were collaborated with Israel. For the Palestinians they are considered traitors, the Arabs of Israel are reluctant to accept them and the Jews distance themselves. Ali was born in Nablus and moved to Israel at the age of 11 with his family, after his father worked as a collaborator for Israel. After the transition, his parents divorced. As the eldest son of a family of five children, he took upon himself the responsibility to help his mother. He is a leader at school and in the local community center, an outstanding youth counselor who aspired to learn physical education, but he didn’t get an opportunity because of financial difficulties. "In terms of belonging, I am between two rivers. It's true that I live here, but my life is in Nablus, my soul is there. Here I eat and drink and live and the state feeds me. But my soul is connected to the people who live there. There, there are people whom I love, who are close to my heart, I do not feel alone. Not like the people here who look at me differently." Ali is one of 11 participants in a study conducted by Dr. Laura Sigad, senior lecturer and educational anthropologist, head of the program for education and teaching for students at risk and exclusion at Oranim College, and Mayada Nur, who is the director of a kindergarten for special education and has a master's degree in education from the Gordon College in Haifa and was formerly an educator in the community center established for children of collaborators in order to facilitate their integration into Israel. (Carmit Sapir-Weitz, Maariv)
Iraqi-Israeli musician finds fans from Tel Aviv to Baghdad
Dudu Tassa's new album, El-Hajar, which in Arabic means "exile," is a mashup of modern takes on melodies made popular by his grandfather and great uncle, an Iraqi Jewish duo who were once two of the Arab world's most famous performers. (Israel Hayom)
 
Elections 2019 Commentary/Analysis:
Kahanists Make It Easy to Ignore Everyone Else's Racism (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Because of them, one can live comfortably in the settlement of Shilo and dare to talk about principles; to be Bennett and Smotrich and still be portrayed as moderates.
To claim that Otzma Yehudit is the heir to Kahane is to say that Meretz is a reincarnation of Stalin (Prof. Arieh Eldad, Maariv) One can understand the anger of the left-wing because its chances of replacing the government have diminished. But the frothing of the liberal wing of religious Zionism, over what? They see themselves as the ones with clean thoughts in Jerusalem who were strict about with whom they were entering the feast. They were so careful with whom they joined the meal that they whitened the faces of Jews by calling them "Nazis.” In the ancient days, there were sages who sat there and did not protest the insult which would cause destruction. I am not wise and I do not remain silent.
Forget Kahane, Israeli racism is going to be something different (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Rising Israeli Arab aspirations and a slowing economy are going to combine and create frictions of a kind Israel has never experienced.
False hopes, unwarranted hysteria (Ruthie Blum, Israel Hayom) The "anybody but Bibi" camp responded with uncontainable glee to the outcry over the prime minister's nod toward the Otzma Yehudit party. Then the news turned toward peace.
Tip for parties opposed to Netanyahu: Remind the prime minister of everything that does not exist (Yitzhak Ben-Ner, Maariv) Alongside the things that you promise to change, fix, strengthen and innovate, please dare and condemn Netanyahu. Publish the endless lies that were intended to brainwash the minds of hundreds of thousands. You will find them easily.
When Netanyahu Is Afraid to Lose (Haaretz Editorial) On the eve of the attorney general's expected indictment of the Israeli prime minister on corruption charges, the PM, as usual, is accusing the prosecution of trying to frame him.

Commentary/Analysis:
History will judge Israel's attorney general for his decision on Netanyahu (Nati Tucker, Haaretz+) Avichai Mendelblit is facing fateful indictment decisions in the criminal investigations against Netanyahu and others.
Striking a deal with Netanyahu will save Israel's rule of law (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Whatever Mandelblit says Thursday, the prime minister has already been judged in the court of public opinion,and many believe the system is corrupt and will do anything to have the PM's head; the right thing to do is send him home without a criminal process that would tear Israel apart.
Seven Myths Netanyahu Is Peddling to the Public in the Bezeq Corruption Case (Nati Tucker, Haaretz+) The main claims being raised by Netanyahu and his cronies, and the truth as it appears in the investigative material.
Will AIPAC Boo Netanyahu? (Jonathan S. Tobin, Haaretz+) Netanyahu still thinks he'll get a rousing reception at AIPAC, even after his deal with the Kahanist devils. He's probably right. But the applause hides deep concern that he’s boosted the Democratic drift away from Israel.
Zarif defeated at home (Yossi Mansharof, Israel Hayom) The resignation of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif didn't come as a complete surprise and reflects the utter supremacy of the Revolutionary Guard in the Iranian political sphere.
For Arab regimes, Palestine is old news. Now, it's all about Iran (Muhammad Shehada, Haaretz+) The Arab regimes' exploitation and betrayal of Palestine has a long history. Now, they're framing the Palestinian cause as a burden, and a dangerous distraction from Iran
The Palestinians' automatic 'no' to peace (Shimrit Meir, Yedioth/Ynet) While the Palestinians are at one of the lowest points in their history, it's hard to understand why they are so quick to reject Trump's 'deal of the century' out of hand, even before hearing its details.
Is Trump's 'Deal of the Century' Just the Biggest Bribe in History? (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Whatever it is, the Kushner plan to invest billions in the West Bank and Gaza is doomed to failure.

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

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