APN's daily news review from Israel

Wednesday May 27, 2020

NOTE: News Nosh will be off tomorrow, Thursday, May 31st, and back Sunday, May 31st.

You Must Be Kidding: 

"Let's see what will happen in a year and a half. We'll see whether he'll learn from the best and come prepared for the role."
— Transportation Minister Miri Regev said that Defense Minister Benny Gantz is not ready to be prime minister and that he should learn from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on suspicions of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.**

Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

Top News Summary:
Economic plans to get the unemployed their jobs back as restaurants reopen today, a ruling to extradite a Jewish Australian female alleged pedophile and friction within the new government were today’s top stories in the Hebrew newspapers.

*New Government:
The friction between the right-wing Likud and the centrist Kahol-Lavan and Labor parties has already become evident in the first week since the new Knesset began to work. Labor Minister Itzik Shmuli (Labor party) has been very vocal in his criticism of the government that he has joined. On the plans to annex Palestinian land on July 1st, Shmuli said “we will thwart sovereignty from within the government." Likud responded saying, "As Prime Minister Netanyahu said yesterday at the Likud faction meeting, applying sovereignty will be carried out exactly as agreed in the coalition agreements, which are very clear." (Maariv) [See Op-Ed by Akiva Eldar in Annenxation Commentary/Analysis section below. Eldar writes that the agreements are not so black and white. - OH] Shmuli also criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s speech Sunday, in which he assailed the justice system that put him on trial. Ironically Netanyahu’s party, Benny Gantz and his Kahol-Lavan party are considering blocking the passage of a bill by opposition party Yamina, which would bar a sitting prime minister from being investigated for crimes.

But hardcore Netanyahu loyalist, Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, called for a probe to discover who were the police who told Channel 12 News that the prime minister would not be cut any slack in any new investigations, including a possible police probe regarding a massive payout Netanyahu received in shares from a steel company controlled by his cousin, Nathan Milikowsky. Netanyahu’s lawyer also called for an 'immediate investigation' into the police officers. And then today, Gantz stormed out of a meeting with Netanyahu after learning that another hardcore Netanyahu loyalist, Transportation Minister Miri Regev said in an interview that Gantz wasn’t fit to be prime minister. "I don't think he is ready to become prime minister. He is simply not ready," said Regev. Netanyahu reportedly told Regev later: "Your statements harm the government.” (Maariv) Today, the coalition had one success: it passed the first reading of the so-called 'Norwegian Law,' which would allow for ministers to resign from Knesset and have their seats taken by new lawmakers.

Annexation:

Quick Hits:

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Features:

What ex-Mossad chiefs really think about targeted killings
In rare interviews to mark the 70th anniversary of the organization’s founding, three former directors shared their views on assassinations as a tool of national security, revealing who really called the shots. (Yossi Melman, Haaretz+)
When Israel Placed Arabs in Ghettos Fenced by Barbed Wire
Censored documents in Israel's State Archives reveal disturbing truths about the military restrictions imposed on Arab city dwellers during the War of Independence. (Adam Raz, Haaretz+)
Netanyahu's corruption trial: The key players who will decide the PM's fate
A glance at some of the main players who could tip the balance in Netanyahu's trial in three cases on charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. (Netael Bandel, Haaretz+)
Terror, Violence and Constant Hiding: Gay Life in Tel Aviv Before It Became an LGBTQ Mecca
Few gay men in Tel Aviv need to live in the closet these days, but things were much different a few decades ago. Just ask this 79-year-old. (Gal Uchovsky and Liran Atzmor, Haaretz+)

Annexation Commentary/Analysis:
Israeli Annexation Explained: What Is Netanyahu Planning for the West Bank and What Does It Mean (Noa Landau, Haaretz+) Based on his agreement with Gantz, Netanyahu will be able to commence West Bank annexation plans on July 1. Will the U.S. require Israel to implement the less favorable parts of Trump’s Mideast plan as well, and what are the consequences for the Palestinians?
The benefits of keeping mum (Oded Granot, Israel Hayom) Israel's budding relations with the Persian Gulf states will continue regardless of the plan to apply sovereignty to large parts of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley – just below the surface.
Netanyahu's Allies Know Annexation Will Not Happen (Akiva Eldar, Haaretz+) It’s hard to believe that two generals (Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi) with such extensive experience in controlling the Palestinian people would think for a second that any of their leaders would accept "Bantustans" that don’t even control the air above them and agree to call this a state. They therefore composed, along with Netanyahu, the section of the coalition agreement saying that applying Israeli sovereignty to areas in the West Bank is contingent on maintaining regional stability and extant peace agreements, and on seeking future peace agreements. Any reasonable person would realize that unilateral annexation of the Jordan Valley will contribute to regional stability and to current and future peace agreements like regional war contributes to stability and peace.
The settlers' misleading campaign (Ariel Kahana, Israel Hayom) In recent days, the settler leaders have tried to convince politicians that they have a finalized version of the map under the Trump peace plan. But the joint mapping committee is still working on one.
Trump's Mideast peace plan is a trap (Yossi Shain, Yedioth/Ynet) The Trump administration starts questioning whether its support of Netanyahu's annexation ambitions do more harm than good; Israeli right slowly realizes that annexation also means a Palestinian state.
Annexing the Future (Haaretz Editorial) Israel stands on the verge of altering the definition of its boundaries as recognized by the international community in 1948. But the sprint toward annexation would not just be a gross violation of international law. Unilateral annexation would embroil Israel in a diplomatic confrontation with most of the world, and the EU in particular; it could undermine Israel’s relations with the U.S. administration should Donald Trump fail to be reelected; it would perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; it would endanger the peace treaty with Jordan; and above all it would shut the door to any chances of good relations with neighboring Arab states.
Sovereignty may prove a costly revolution (Dan Schueftan, Israel Hayom) Everyone is talking about the pros and cons of annexation as a move that is both relatively modest yet revolutionary in its implications.


Other Top Commentary/Analysis:
Inside Netanyahu's Smear Campaign Against the Justice System (Chaim Levinson, Haaretz+) Using Likud ministers and his son Yair to test the waters, Netanyahu is no less concerned about public opinion than about the court proceedings. The goal: Make the public believe he won't get a fair trial.
Israel is not prepared for the next war (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) As tensions with Iran and Hezbollah rise and a massive rocket assault becomes a question of when and not if, we must look with an open mind at the country's level of readiness for conflict; listening to experts' warnings could save many billions of dollars and many lives.
Our Nightmare: Why Applying Sovereignty Should Be Welcomed (Gideon Reicher, Maariv) If we, G-d forbid, were and in the place of (the Palestinians), we would say: You want to annex us? Go for it. We are annexed, as you wish, with joy. We will find no objection. On the contrary, we want to unite with our Arab brothers, residents of Israel and its citizens. We seek not only Israeli citizenship but even to serve in the army, if we will be asked to. Of course, no enemy will be able to stand before us.
Demonstrating against the forces of condescension (Ruthie Blum, Israel Hayom) Protestations to the contrary, the chattering classes in the press, academia and the courts have been on an endless campaign to delegitimize the right.
US Jews feel that Israel needs guidance to preserve democracy (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) From conversations with senior Jews, rabbis, businessmen and community activists it is implied that there is real concern for what is defined in talks as the "Future of democracy in Israel" and the reputation of its judicial system.
Netanyahu's campaign to control the message during his trial (Moran Azulay, Yedioth/Ynet) PM's media guru Ofer Golan was dispatched to prepare the scene at Jerusalem District Court on Sunday, bringing with him a podium adorned with the state insignia and directing the photo of Netanyahu flanked by his supporters in Likud.
In Washington, they did not hesitate to say to Israel: Choose - it’s us or China (Gili Cohen, Maariv) When talking about annexation in Jerusalem, Americans have other concerns, and they are threatening: Cooperation with China could cost the end of cooperation with the US.
Netanyahu Had Little Choice but to Have China Lose Big Israel Bid (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Israel thought it could navigate between the powers, but the coronavirus crisis has sharpened tensions, and Trump's reelection campaign is centered on blaming China.
Going about it the wrong way (Jalal Banna, Israel Hayom) The National Committee of Heads of Arab Localities' demand for more funds and better municipal services is justified, but their campaign was riddled with mistakes.

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