APN's daily news review from Israel
Wednesday August 21, 2019
Quote of the day:
“During this period of a difficult struggle against the right-wing, a courageous partnership is needed between those who seek civil and national equality, social justice, the end of the occupation and a just peace between the peoples.”
-The statement by the Joint List at the launching of the party’s campaign in Hebrew Tuesday in south Tel-Aviv.*
You Must Be Kidding:
Kahanist party, Otzma Yehudit, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party filed a joint appeal on Tuesday with the High Court against the Central Election Committee's decision to allow the Arab-majority Joint List to run in the September 17 election, claiming that the Joint List supports terror.**
Front Page:
“During this period of a difficult struggle against the right-wing, a courageous partnership is needed between those who seek civil and national equality, social justice, the end of the occupation and a just peace between the peoples.”
-The statement by the Joint List at the launching of the party’s campaign in Hebrew Tuesday in south Tel-Aviv.*
You Must Be Kidding:
Kahanist party, Otzma Yehudit, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party filed a joint appeal on Tuesday with the High Court against the Central Election Committee's decision to allow the Arab-majority Joint List to run in the September 17 election, claiming that the Joint List supports terror.**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Explosion in Iraq at arms arsenal of Iranian-backed militia
- Hamas imprisoned between its desire for calm and the public’s anger // Jacky Khoury
- Riots in eastern Turkey after Erdogan dismissed the mayors of the Kurdish cities
- Chief Rabbi banned burial of woman because her son refused to give gett (Jewish divorce) to his wife - the man acceded and agreed to a divorce
- Chief Rabbi desecrate the honor of the dead woman for the sake of the honor of the living woman // Mordechai Kremnitzer
- Following ‘Haaretz’ report, Shaked claims: There were no negotiations between myself and the Likud
- Kahol-Lavan and Yisrel Beiteinu announced they signed a surplus votes deal
- 8 youths ages 14-16 detained on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old and were then released with limiting conditions
- Italian Prime Minister resigned to prevent strengthening of the radical right-wing
- Why (should an Arab citizen) vote? // Salman Masalha
- Divide and rule // Sami Peretz on Netanyahu
- Priorities // David Chinitz on funding for Birthright program over absorbing foreign workers and asylum seekers
- Free education law? Parents spent 26.5 million billion shekels last year on the education of their children
Yedioth Ahronot
- Gantz-requested report points to MK from Yesh Atid as the one who collected personal information against him (Hebrew)
- Following Yedioth investigation: senior doctor who took envelopes of money (from patients) resigned
- Following Yedioth investigation: police to investigate suspicion of abuse at daycare center in Tel-Aviv
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Horror at the abandoned storeroom - 11-year-old girl from north claims 15 youth, aged 13-16, committed sex crimes on her for weeks
- Because of Russia: Netanyahu cancelled speech in Ukraine
- On the way to the polling station: Surplus votes deal between Gantz and Lieberman
Israel Hayom
- Lieberman’s U-turn // Amnon Lord
- Condemnations from the right-wing against Lieberman: “The mask fell, he is officially in the left-wing”
- The surplus votes deal: The law, the scenarios and the ramifications
- “They raped my daughter and the rapists are free”
- Trump against the Congresswoman, Rashida and Tlaib: “Anti-Semites, I don’t buy their tears”
- Missiles and earthquakes: New in the education system - ultra-Orthodox can learn rescue
Top News Summary:
A group of 14-17 years olds were detained on suspicion of raping an 11-year-old girl in their city in the north, Kahol-Lavan and Yisrael Beteinu parties signed a surplus votes agreement,
angering other parties, a weapons arsenal in Baghdad belonging to a militia backed by Iran or Hezbollah was attacked, to which Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said from Kiev, “There are major security challenges which are explained in the report I received a few minutes ago,” and Western diplomats reportedly said that the US and Russia agreed to allow Israel to make such attacks in Iraq on Iranian arms targets and Palestinians in Gaza threatened that if Israel did not implement the understandings agreed upon by the weekend - i.e. let in Qatari cash and increase the electricity supply - there would be violence on the border and airborne firebombs, making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Elections 2019 Quickees:
- Gantz, Lieberman slammed for signing vote sharing deal ahead of Israeli election - Both Democratic Union and Likud blast Gantz for deal with ex-defense minister seen as attempt by Kahol Lavan to appeal to the moderate right. (Haaretz, Israel Hayom and Maariv)
- The explosive conclusion of the private eye's report - The intelligence company investigating the row of leaks in Kahol-Lavan completed its work and submitted to the party chairman Benny Gantz its dramatic report, which pointed to activist headquarters and an MK from Yesh Atid. Last night a meeting was attended by Gantz, Lapid and party officials to discuss the findings. Kahol-Lavan: "These are anonymous baseless rumors." (Yedioth Hebrew)
- After Haaretz report, Shaked claims she never bargained with Netanyahu's party 0 Yamina leader says she never tried to bribe the prime minister by offering him immunity in return for spot in Likud's slate. (Haaretz+)
- Sources in Yamina party: "The leak about Shaked is just a trailer for the attack by Likud“ - The party of the united right - Yamina - expressed concern over the existence of a widespread negative campaign on the part of the Prime Minister's Likud party, after the expose about an "immunity deal”that Shaked allegedly proposed, and which she denied. (Maariv)
- YaIr Golan: "I did not consider cutting off from (Ehud) Barak because of (Jeffrey) Epstein, that’s nonsense" - Democratic camp member denied on 103 FM the report that it was easy to move into the Labor Party because of the pedophile billionaire affair. He called for an investigation into Ayelet Shaked's alleged offer to Netanyahu. (Maariv)
- *Joint List launched its campaign (in Hebrew) - The Joint List launched its Hebrew election campaign yesterday under the title “Joint Struggle. Joint Future. The Joint List." The launch took place in south Tel Aviv, attended by candidates from the four parties that make up the list and Arab and Jewish activists from around the country. The party's statement reads that "during this period of a difficult fight against the right-wing, a courageous partnership is needed between those who seek civil and national equality, social justice, the end of the occupation and a just peace between the peoples.” List chairman MK Ayman Odeh added: "Without the democratic Arab and Jewish citizens, there will be no change in the country. In order for the government to be replaced, more than 65 percent of Arab citizens must vote.” (Yedioth Hebrew)
- **Common language - Netanyhau's Likud Joins Kahanists' Campaign Against Arab Party - Hand in hand with the most extreme: The Likud decided to join a petition filed by (far-right) Otzma Yehudit party. The Demand: prevent the (mostly Arab) Joint List from running for election, claiming that the Joint List supports terror. “Netanyahu wants Knesset for Jews only,” they said in the Joint List. (Yedioth Hebrew and Haaretz+)
Quick Hits:
- Israel Won’t Allow Palestine Cup Soccer Game, Cites ‘Security Reasons’ - Palestine Football Association slams reason behind refusing entry for Gaza team members as 'a complete lie' after Shin Bet argues they're associated with terrorism. (Haaretz+)
- Joint List: "Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing, we will consider appealing to international institutions" - Members of the Arab party are considering making claim that the State of Israel is acting against Palestinian residents, after Israeli official said Israel would pay for flight and transportation to Israeli airport of Gazans who agree to emigrate. MK Sulieman: “This is Netanyahu’s version of transfer.” (Maariv)
- Netanyahu's Hebron problem - The members of the Jewish community in Hebron approached Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu with a demand to return to allow Jewish settlement on the land of the outdoor market in the city. The settlers made their demand ahead of the 90th anniversary of the 1929 Arab Riots, which will be held on September 4th - a week and a half before the election. (Yedioth Hebrew)
- Supreme Court: Arabs prevented from buying home were discriminated against - Though the law against discrimination are not clearly applicable to the housing market, the AG and the Supreme Court say the principle of equality must prevail. The court ruled that May-Tal Engineering Ltd. must compensate couple after refusing to sell them apartment in Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood because they are Arabs. (Ynet)
- Israel Supreme Court Rejects Request to Jail Shalit Deal Inmate for Domestic Assault - The former Palestinian security prisoner's lawyer argued that his pardon could be revoked only if he committed a crime against state security. (Haaretz+, Ynet and Maariv)
- Israel makes red lines clear as Washington prepares peace plan - "If the Trump administration's peace plan contains elements that run counter to Israel's interests, Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu won't hesitate to oppose them," a senior Israeli official tells Israel Hayom. Israel will also demand full security control over Judea and Samaria, insist on a united Jerusalem, and won't accept the "return of even a single Palestinian refugee to its territory," the official says. (Israel Hayom)
- Tlaib: Go to Israel and see the ills of occupation - In a press conference Omar and Tlaib slammed U.S. President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu for 'suppressing the ability of U.S. lawmakers to do their jobs', 'hiding the ills of occupation from the public.’ Tlaib got emotional as she told how her grandma in the Palestinian Territories urged her during a tearful late-night family phone call not to come under what they considered such humiliating circumstances. (Ynet)
- Get down from the helicopter and take over the ship: Watch joint exercise of Israeli Naval commando and US Special Forces - ‘Noble Rose’ drill ended, during which the scenarios of taking over a ship and extracting forces from enemy territory were practiced. Shayetet 13 Navy Commando: "The IDF always wants to get far ahead.” According to the Israeli military spokesperson, the joint exercise that was held last week was long planned as part of to the annual training schedule and has no connection to recent events in the Gulf. (Maariv, Israel Hayom and Ynet)
- What do IDF troops think about women serving in combat? - 66.6% of current or recently-released IDF troops disagree that mixed-gender service is detrimental to combat operations, although 37% say the army prioritizes the needs of religious male soldiers over integrating women equally. (Israel Hayom)
- U.S. Jew refused to divorce wife, so Israel refused to bury his mother - Following Israel's Chief Rabbi decision, man agrees to accede to rabbinical court order to grant his wife a Jewish divorce requested a decade ago. (Haaretz+)
- Immigration to Israel up nearly 30%, largely due to Russian speakers - Increase of 16,005 newcomers from 2018 comes mostly from Russian speakers leaving countries associated with the former Soviet Union. Immigration from the United States remains stable, while French immigration drops 21%. (Israel Hayom)
- Major Israeli City Defends 'Voluntary Gender Separation' at Male-only Public Event - Responding to a complaint by women’s rights group, Haifa says issue is moral, not legal. (Haaretz+)
- Morris Kahn, Yossi Vardi, Urge Netanyahu to Halt Deportation of Israel-Born Children of Migrant Workers - Since July, Israel has arrested dozens of migrant nursing workers whose visas have expired, along with their children who have been born and raised in the country. Last week, a mother and her 13-year-old son were deported to the Philippines despite their pending appeal. (Calcalist)
- The Russian Foreign Ministry tried to prevent a ceremony during the official visit of the Prime Minister of Ukraine - According to the source at the Russian Embassy in Israel, the Russian government learned that the visitation plan featured a wreath-laying ceremony at the Holodomor Monument, an event for which Russia said it was not responsible. (Maariv)
- Leaders dismiss Sara Netanyahu's Ukrainian bread blunder - Netanyahu posts a video to his Facebook page and dismisses incident; Ukrainian President's spokeswoman: 'This was done inadvertently and is in no way a manifestation of disrespect for Ukraine.’ (Agencies, Ynet)
- FACT CHECK: No, Pakistan Is Not Holding an Israeli Pilot and Haaretz Did Not Ask for His Return - Fake story is the latest in a series of doctored Israeli newspaper headlines alleging that an Israeli pilot was arrested in Pakistan following an India-Pakistan confrontation. (Haaretz)
- Saudi Arabia Begins Implementing End to Travel Restrictions for Women - In landmark decision, royal decree stipulated that any person above the age of 21 does not need permission to travel. (Agencies, Haaretz)
Features:
Gaza Stripped: What Normal Life Looks Like in the Least Normal Place on Earth
Visually stunning and deeply harrowing, a documentary by Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell tells the stories of the people of Gaza. (Simon Spungin, Haaretz+)
War pictures: Back to the Lehi fighters and their private struggle for the establishment of the state
Lehi, which will mark its 80th anniversary in the near future, is currently preparing a special album to review the history of the organization and present unseen photos. (Maariv Magazine supplement, cover)
Commentary/Analysis:
West Bank Violence Could Erupt Before Israeli Election, Security Officials Believe (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) As the Palestinian Authority descends into severe economic crisis, signs of unrest piling up, as Hamas escalates rhetoric in hopes of securing Israeli concessions.
Gaza emigration ploy suggests Netanyahu hell-bent on torching Israel’s image abroad (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) As if the Tlaib-Omar debacle wasn’t enough, the prime minister pours 'ethnic cleansing' fuel on the dumpster fire of Israel’s PR.
Netanyahu's Gaza illusion (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) There are solutions for the situation on the Gaza border and the IDF has presented them to the government, but they will have to wait for after the elections since the prime minister is avoiding escalation at all costs.
With Gaza-Israel Border Incidents, Hamas Trapped Between Push for Calm and Public Thirst for Resistance (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) Gaza group struggling to balance civil rule of the Strip, which includes agreements with Israel, and its commitment to military actions against the occupation.
Netanyahu’s carrot-and-stick policy on Gaza (Ruthie Blum, Israel Hayom) Both Left and Right are uneasy about growing violence from the border, but anyone accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of “having no policy” is either in denial or just dead wrong.
Why You Must Watch HBO’s Brilliant New Israeli Drama ‘Our Boys’ (Adrian Hennigan, Haaretz+) HBO’s grueling but gripping Israeli show ‘Our Boys’ reprises the violent summer of 2014.
The tale of a terrible summer, 'Our Boys' is punch to Israel's gut (Amir Bogen, Yedioth/Ynet) HBO's new series doesn't look to clear the Israeli collective conscience, but to air all the dirty laundry and offer a glimpse at a racist and violent country, which it does with honesty, complexity and great audacity; the result is not flattering or easy to digest, but it is television at its best.
Ignoring or downplaying price of West Bank annexation is playing with fire (Susie Gelman, Haaretz+) As Israelis head to election in less than a month, it's critical to debate annexation – only if its proponents are willing to admit the truth about the repercussions.
Tlaib, Omar trip would have been disastrous (Dr. Joseph Frager, Israel Hayom) If Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar had been allowed to go ahead with their trip to Israel, they would have wreaked havoc on every single day of their visit.
To Please Trump, Netanyahu Turned Omar, Tlaib and BDS Into Prime Time News (Amir Tibon, Haaretz+) Israel's interest was to minimize the attention given to Omar and Tlaib, and highlight broader support among Democrats in Congress. Trump's interest was the opposite - and Netanyahu fulfilled his wishes.
To Tlaib trip organizer, murderers are 'heroes'(Moshe Phillips, Israel Hayom) The congresswoman's choice of the pro-terrorist group Miftah to run her trip should be investigated by the House Ethics Committee. The New York Times, for example, reported only that Miftah is a group “that promotes ‘global awareness and knowledge of Palestinian realities.’” Ironically, one the “Palestinian realities” of which Miftah reminds us is that the Palestinian Authority and its American supporters regard Palestinian Arab murderers of American citizens as heroes.
The unfortunate truth: Israel has given up instead of investing more resources in PR in the US(Lilach Sigan, Maariv) The real problem is not the Muslim Congresswomen, Omar and Tlaib, but the burning need to restore relations with the Jews of the United States.
Omar, Tlaib ban: The optics don't matter(Jerome A. Marcus, Israel Hayom) Israel was right to refuse to let them visit "Palestine." Every reasonable country denies entry to enemies.
On Trump and Iran, the UAE Shifts Strategy — and Israel Should Take Heed(Alexander Griffing, Haaretz+) The Gulf state is recalibrating its alliances with powerhouses like the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and these moves are shaking up the region. Israel should take note.
Every attempt to define Judaism as a religion only or as a nation only - we find ourselves at a dead end (Prof. Arieh Eldad, Maariv) All those who fight so that secular children of Israel can’t recognize the "Jewish texts" reveal an irrational fear of the power of these words to change a secular person into a religious one.
A new Saudi perspective for peace (Abdul Hameed Al-Ghabin, Israel Hayom) Saudi Arabia seeks good relations with Israel and the Jewish people and a fair, just, lasting, and prosperous peace for the region. Some call it "normalization"; I call it common sense.
Israel Should Keep Its Filipinos and Drop Birthright (David Chinitz, Haaretz+) Last week, Israel, sadly and disgustingly, deported Rose Perez, no doubt a devoted caregiver, and her 13-year-old Israeli-born son, Rohan, to the Philippines. Occurring during the summer, when buses of the Birthright program are often seen, this expulsion begs for comparison between these two types of “visitors” to Israel. First, let’s compare people who want to live in Israel to those who view the country as a theme park to stoke their Jewish “identity” (a rather ambiguous concept used to justify tens, if not hundreds, of well-endowed educational programs). Rose and her son were clearly dying to live in Israel. Birthright participants are happy to get a free touristic joy ride in Israel.
Elections 2019 Commentary/Analysis:
Netanyahu vs. Israel's Gatekeepers and Watchdogs (Sami Peretz, Haaretz+) There’s a tendency to play down the messages flying off the keyboards of Yair Netanyahu, the son of Benjamin Netanyahu, and right-wing journalist Shimon Riklin, one of the prime minister’s biggest fans. After all, they’re the most biased, deceptive and devoted in the campaign to keep Netanyahu in the prime minister’s residence forever. It’s their life’s mission. But brainwashing, certainly in this era of social media, sometimes works, and there’s a risk that false and distorted messages will penetrate the public debate – like the message (by Yair Netanyahu) that denigrates the gatekeepers.
Condemning the refusal to allow the Congresswomen to enter won’t give Gantz and Lapid extra points with Trump (Menachem Ben, Maariv) Those who criticized the justified refusal to allow Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib to enter here indicate that they don’t really understand Israel's righteousness in the conflict.
Sometimes, campaign promises are made to be broken(Mati Tuchfeld, Israel Hayom) Both Netanyahu, who has promised to form a right-wing government, and Ayelet Shaked, who has committed to joining a government led by Netanyahu, are accusing each other of seeking to form a coalition with the Left. While Blue and White has rejected the possibility of joining a Likud-led government, Gantz's best hope may be to clinch a rotation deal with the current premier.
Lieberman’s turnaround? (Yuval Karni, Yedioth, p. 2) Despite attempts to stop Netanyahu, it appears that Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, is succeeding in blurring the line between right and left.
Examine the Claims Against Shaked (Haaretz Editorial) Following the Haaretz expose, that emissaries acting on behalf of Yamina chairwoman Ayelet Shaked made a proposal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that raises suspicions of a political bribery deal: In return for restoring her membership to the Likud party, Shaked would use her influence with Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit to get him to support moves to give the premier immunity from the corruption charges pending against him, subject to a hearing. Democratic Union candidates Yair Golan and Yair Fink demanded that the attorney general launch an investigation into Shaked. The demand is justified: Shaked portrays herself as a clean politician, a young alternative free of corruption. The possibility that her associates sought to help the prime minister evade justice cannot be ignored. A public servant with great power cannot exploit her authority and the confidence of her voters…
Visually stunning and deeply harrowing, a documentary by Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell tells the stories of the people of Gaza. (Simon Spungin, Haaretz+)
War pictures: Back to the Lehi fighters and their private struggle for the establishment of the state
Lehi, which will mark its 80th anniversary in the near future, is currently preparing a special album to review the history of the organization and present unseen photos. (Maariv Magazine supplement, cover)
Commentary/Analysis:
West Bank Violence Could Erupt Before Israeli Election, Security Officials Believe (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) As the Palestinian Authority descends into severe economic crisis, signs of unrest piling up, as Hamas escalates rhetoric in hopes of securing Israeli concessions.
Gaza emigration ploy suggests Netanyahu hell-bent on torching Israel’s image abroad (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) As if the Tlaib-Omar debacle wasn’t enough, the prime minister pours 'ethnic cleansing' fuel on the dumpster fire of Israel’s PR.
Netanyahu's Gaza illusion (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) There are solutions for the situation on the Gaza border and the IDF has presented them to the government, but they will have to wait for after the elections since the prime minister is avoiding escalation at all costs.
With Gaza-Israel Border Incidents, Hamas Trapped Between Push for Calm and Public Thirst for Resistance (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) Gaza group struggling to balance civil rule of the Strip, which includes agreements with Israel, and its commitment to military actions against the occupation.
Netanyahu’s carrot-and-stick policy on Gaza (Ruthie Blum, Israel Hayom) Both Left and Right are uneasy about growing violence from the border, but anyone accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of “having no policy” is either in denial or just dead wrong.
Why You Must Watch HBO’s Brilliant New Israeli Drama ‘Our Boys’ (Adrian Hennigan, Haaretz+) HBO’s grueling but gripping Israeli show ‘Our Boys’ reprises the violent summer of 2014.
The tale of a terrible summer, 'Our Boys' is punch to Israel's gut (Amir Bogen, Yedioth/Ynet) HBO's new series doesn't look to clear the Israeli collective conscience, but to air all the dirty laundry and offer a glimpse at a racist and violent country, which it does with honesty, complexity and great audacity; the result is not flattering or easy to digest, but it is television at its best.
Ignoring or downplaying price of West Bank annexation is playing with fire (Susie Gelman, Haaretz+) As Israelis head to election in less than a month, it's critical to debate annexation – only if its proponents are willing to admit the truth about the repercussions.
Tlaib, Omar trip would have been disastrous (Dr. Joseph Frager, Israel Hayom) If Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar had been allowed to go ahead with their trip to Israel, they would have wreaked havoc on every single day of their visit.
To Please Trump, Netanyahu Turned Omar, Tlaib and BDS Into Prime Time News (Amir Tibon, Haaretz+) Israel's interest was to minimize the attention given to Omar and Tlaib, and highlight broader support among Democrats in Congress. Trump's interest was the opposite - and Netanyahu fulfilled his wishes.
To Tlaib trip organizer, murderers are 'heroes'(Moshe Phillips, Israel Hayom) The congresswoman's choice of the pro-terrorist group Miftah to run her trip should be investigated by the House Ethics Committee. The New York Times, for example, reported only that Miftah is a group “that promotes ‘global awareness and knowledge of Palestinian realities.’” Ironically, one the “Palestinian realities” of which Miftah reminds us is that the Palestinian Authority and its American supporters regard Palestinian Arab murderers of American citizens as heroes.
The unfortunate truth: Israel has given up instead of investing more resources in PR in the US(Lilach Sigan, Maariv) The real problem is not the Muslim Congresswomen, Omar and Tlaib, but the burning need to restore relations with the Jews of the United States.
Omar, Tlaib ban: The optics don't matter(Jerome A. Marcus, Israel Hayom) Israel was right to refuse to let them visit "Palestine." Every reasonable country denies entry to enemies.
On Trump and Iran, the UAE Shifts Strategy — and Israel Should Take Heed(Alexander Griffing, Haaretz+) The Gulf state is recalibrating its alliances with powerhouses like the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and these moves are shaking up the region. Israel should take note.
Every attempt to define Judaism as a religion only or as a nation only - we find ourselves at a dead end (Prof. Arieh Eldad, Maariv) All those who fight so that secular children of Israel can’t recognize the "Jewish texts" reveal an irrational fear of the power of these words to change a secular person into a religious one.
A new Saudi perspective for peace (Abdul Hameed Al-Ghabin, Israel Hayom) Saudi Arabia seeks good relations with Israel and the Jewish people and a fair, just, lasting, and prosperous peace for the region. Some call it "normalization"; I call it common sense.
Israel Should Keep Its Filipinos and Drop Birthright (David Chinitz, Haaretz+) Last week, Israel, sadly and disgustingly, deported Rose Perez, no doubt a devoted caregiver, and her 13-year-old Israeli-born son, Rohan, to the Philippines. Occurring during the summer, when buses of the Birthright program are often seen, this expulsion begs for comparison between these two types of “visitors” to Israel. First, let’s compare people who want to live in Israel to those who view the country as a theme park to stoke their Jewish “identity” (a rather ambiguous concept used to justify tens, if not hundreds, of well-endowed educational programs). Rose and her son were clearly dying to live in Israel. Birthright participants are happy to get a free touristic joy ride in Israel.
Elections 2019 Commentary/Analysis:
Netanyahu vs. Israel's Gatekeepers and Watchdogs (Sami Peretz, Haaretz+) There’s a tendency to play down the messages flying off the keyboards of Yair Netanyahu, the son of Benjamin Netanyahu, and right-wing journalist Shimon Riklin, one of the prime minister’s biggest fans. After all, they’re the most biased, deceptive and devoted in the campaign to keep Netanyahu in the prime minister’s residence forever. It’s their life’s mission. But brainwashing, certainly in this era of social media, sometimes works, and there’s a risk that false and distorted messages will penetrate the public debate – like the message (by Yair Netanyahu) that denigrates the gatekeepers.
Condemning the refusal to allow the Congresswomen to enter won’t give Gantz and Lapid extra points with Trump (Menachem Ben, Maariv) Those who criticized the justified refusal to allow Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib to enter here indicate that they don’t really understand Israel's righteousness in the conflict.
Sometimes, campaign promises are made to be broken(Mati Tuchfeld, Israel Hayom) Both Netanyahu, who has promised to form a right-wing government, and Ayelet Shaked, who has committed to joining a government led by Netanyahu, are accusing each other of seeking to form a coalition with the Left. While Blue and White has rejected the possibility of joining a Likud-led government, Gantz's best hope may be to clinch a rotation deal with the current premier.
Lieberman’s turnaround? (Yuval Karni, Yedioth, p. 2) Despite attempts to stop Netanyahu, it appears that Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, is succeeding in blurring the line between right and left.
Examine the Claims Against Shaked (Haaretz Editorial) Following the Haaretz expose, that emissaries acting on behalf of Yamina chairwoman Ayelet Shaked made a proposal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that raises suspicions of a political bribery deal: In return for restoring her membership to the Likud party, Shaked would use her influence with Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit to get him to support moves to give the premier immunity from the corruption charges pending against him, subject to a hearing. Democratic Union candidates Yair Golan and Yair Fink demanded that the attorney general launch an investigation into Shaked. The demand is justified: Shaked portrays herself as a clean politician, a young alternative free of corruption. The possibility that her associates sought to help the prime minister evade justice cannot be ignored. A public servant with great power cannot exploit her authority and the confidence of her voters…
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.