APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday May 27, 2014
Word of the day:
Arabic.
--One of three official languages of Israel and the one that MK Zeev Elkin (Likud) proposes to drop as part of a bill that would would define Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.**
--One of three official languages of Israel and the one that MK Zeev Elkin (Likud) proposes to drop as part of a bill that would would define Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- State to make it harder for Palestinians to expel settlers from their land
- Lesson in love of Israel // Nir Hasson and Yair Ettinger
- [Main photo: Pope Francis kisses hand of Holocaust survivor]
- Murder of Israelis in Brussels: Hate crime or assassination?
- Turkey issues arrest warrants to (former chief of staff Gabi) Ashkenazi
- Last day to register for presidency: Six candidates achieved required number of signatures
- The extremists in the center - Strengthening of foreigner-haters in the (European) parliament
- (Chief Justice) Grunis: Retired judges should not criticize their colleagues (rulings)
- Acceptance to special schools in Tel-Aviv to be by lottery
Yedioth Ahronoth
- Pinto deal - Rabbi Pinto on way to Israel: Will be state witness. State Prosecutor will demand only one year in prison for Rabbi Pinto, suspected of bribing Police officer Bracha. In exchange, he will testify about his contacts with Police Superintendent Arbiv
- This is how the Housing Minister tried to take control of billions of JNF
- Radical Europe - They don't want foreigners, they don't want European union, they want neo-Nazis: Results of European parliament elections reveals Europe's dramatic transformation
- Tax investigators checked out strip bar
- Imports from China even surpassed imports from US
Maariv (Hebrew links)
- Israel to Interpol: The (Turkish) arrest warrants against senior officials - political
- Papa returned home - 'Operation White Cloak 2' ended
- The baby, Zohar Argaz, who drowned in a bath, died yesterday. His parents decided to donate his organs
- Rabbi Pinto signed agreement with prosecution and is expected to testify against Police Superintendent Arbiv
Israel Hayom
- On the starting line - Today is last day to submit candidacy for presidency
- The rabbi and the superintendent affair: Rabbi Pinto arrives to testify against Superintendent Arbiv
- Daughters of the couple murdered in Brussels: "We couldn't ask for better parents"
- At 'Israel Hayom' they reveal corrupt people - at Yedioth they collaborate with them
- Europe lost its shame // Boaz Bismuth
- Little Zohar died: His organs will be donated
- Tnuva dairy company employees on partial strike: Threatening not to supply cheeses for Shavuot holiday
- Wailing Wall, Yad Vashem, and Herzl's grave: The pope's visit has ended
News Summary:
The pope leaves town, the Turks put out arrest warrant for top Israeli generals, the race for the presidency heats up and Israel worried about by rise of the far-right in Europe's parliament making top stories in today's Hebrew papers. Meanwhile, Yedioth reports on an allegedly illegal agreement between the pro-settler Housing Minister Uri Ariel and the Jewish National Fund. And Ariel tells Yedioth that the Americans knew about in advance about Israel's settlement construction plans during the peace talks.
Aside from a visit with the Mufti of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount (Harram al-Sharif) early Monday morning, the second day of the pope's visit was mostly dedicated to Israel and the Jews. He put a note asking for peace in the Wailing Wall, laid a wreath on Theodore Herzl's grave in a nod towards Zionism, kissed the hands of Holocaust survivors at Yad Vashem, and met with Israel's two chief rabbis, it's President and its Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, the latter who at the airport told the pope, "We will pray for you, you will pray for us."
Netanyahu was also involved in PR damage control after the iconic image of the pope when he made an unplanned stop at Israel's separation wall inside the West Bank and laid his head on the cement that was covered with graffiti that called to 'Free Palestine' and compared Bethlehem to the Warsaw Ghetto. At Netanyahu's insistence, the pope made a detour visit to the terror victims' memorial, where Netanyahu said the separation wall was necessary to prevent terror. The pope said terror was 'criminal' and he prayed for its victims here and everywhere in the world. Maariv reported that when he met the chief rabbis, Pope Francis said that "What will happen in the coming years in relations between Jews and Catholics will be a real miracle."
There were two unpleasant incidents that occurred during the pope's visit that were not reported on in the Israeli and Western media, but were reported on in Maan and one was even on the Pope's Holyland Visit website. A Ma'an reporter said that Israeli forces shot rubber-coated steel bullets and detained four youths who were standing outside their doors to welcome the pope in an E. Jerusalem neighborhood on the pope's route. In a separate incident, Israeli police prevented a march of Palestinian Christians welcoming the pope from reaching Jaffa Gate. Police detained four young men and assaulted Christian families. A Palestinian Christian website published these photos from the unfortunate incident.
A Turkish High Court dealing with the lawsuit of the families of the Turks Israel killed in the Marmara affair tried four senior Israelis in absentia and issued arrest warrants for them. The Israelis, former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, former military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin, former chief of navy Eliezer Marom, former head of air force intelligence Avishai Levy, can be arrested if they enter Turkey or any country with an extradition treaty. Maariv reported that Israel turned to Interpol requesting it ignore the warrants, saying they were issued on the basis of political, not criminal, motives. The court decision is likely to adversely affect the relations between the two countries to rehabilitate their relations, Maariv wrote.
Yedioth's Nahum Barnea reveals that (Habayit Hayehudi) pro-settler Housing Minister Uri Ariel "is trying to take control of the billions of the Jewish National Fund. Ariel made an agreement with the JNF that the JNF would transfer 2.5 billion shekels to government ministries via Uriel in order to budget national projects that Ariel chooses. The Treasury claims that Ariel exceeded his authority and violated numerous laws. The Attorney General ordered agreement to be suspended. Barnea writes that now that the agreement was blown, the monies will likely be transferred to the Treasury, which will distribute them. Moreover, the Treasury says that JNF is filling its coiffers with money that belongs to the State. The state increases the value of the lands under JNF's control by paving roads, establishing infrastructure and JNF receives exorbitant amounts of money without paying capital gain taxes or any other taxes. The Treasury and the Justice Ministry demand to change the status of the JNF to put it under the authority of the state.
In an interview in Yedioth's Friday 'Bonus' supplement, Uriel slammed the US administration for its message that Israel was responsible for the collapse of the peace talks. "The Americans were surprised by the (settlement) construction? That borders on hypocrisy." Uriel argues that the US knew about each apartment being built in (East) Jerusalem, and he thinks Israel should build in parts of these (Palestinian) Territories that appeared in the Safdie plan. He is certain the Americans are just looking for a scapegoat to explain the failure of talks with the Palestinians - and they use the excuse of (East) Jerusalem construction, writes Yedioth.
The pope leaves town, the Turks put out arrest warrant for top Israeli generals, the race for the presidency heats up and Israel worried about by rise of the far-right in Europe's parliament making top stories in today's Hebrew papers. Meanwhile, Yedioth reports on an allegedly illegal agreement between the pro-settler Housing Minister Uri Ariel and the Jewish National Fund. And Ariel tells Yedioth that the Americans knew about in advance about Israel's settlement construction plans during the peace talks.
Aside from a visit with the Mufti of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount (Harram al-Sharif) early Monday morning, the second day of the pope's visit was mostly dedicated to Israel and the Jews. He put a note asking for peace in the Wailing Wall, laid a wreath on Theodore Herzl's grave in a nod towards Zionism, kissed the hands of Holocaust survivors at Yad Vashem, and met with Israel's two chief rabbis, it's President and its Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, the latter who at the airport told the pope, "We will pray for you, you will pray for us."
Netanyahu was also involved in PR damage control after the iconic image of the pope when he made an unplanned stop at Israel's separation wall inside the West Bank and laid his head on the cement that was covered with graffiti that called to 'Free Palestine' and compared Bethlehem to the Warsaw Ghetto. At Netanyahu's insistence, the pope made a detour visit to the terror victims' memorial, where Netanyahu said the separation wall was necessary to prevent terror. The pope said terror was 'criminal' and he prayed for its victims here and everywhere in the world. Maariv reported that when he met the chief rabbis, Pope Francis said that "What will happen in the coming years in relations between Jews and Catholics will be a real miracle."
There were two unpleasant incidents that occurred during the pope's visit that were not reported on in the Israeli and Western media, but were reported on in Maan and one was even on the Pope's Holyland Visit website. A Ma'an reporter said that Israeli forces shot rubber-coated steel bullets and detained four youths who were standing outside their doors to welcome the pope in an E. Jerusalem neighborhood on the pope's route. In a separate incident, Israeli police prevented a march of Palestinian Christians welcoming the pope from reaching Jaffa Gate. Police detained four young men and assaulted Christian families. A Palestinian Christian website published these photos from the unfortunate incident.
A Turkish High Court dealing with the lawsuit of the families of the Turks Israel killed in the Marmara affair tried four senior Israelis in absentia and issued arrest warrants for them. The Israelis, former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, former military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin, former chief of navy Eliezer Marom, former head of air force intelligence Avishai Levy, can be arrested if they enter Turkey or any country with an extradition treaty. Maariv reported that Israel turned to Interpol requesting it ignore the warrants, saying they were issued on the basis of political, not criminal, motives. The court decision is likely to adversely affect the relations between the two countries to rehabilitate their relations, Maariv wrote.
Yedioth's Nahum Barnea reveals that (Habayit Hayehudi) pro-settler Housing Minister Uri Ariel "is trying to take control of the billions of the Jewish National Fund. Ariel made an agreement with the JNF that the JNF would transfer 2.5 billion shekels to government ministries via Uriel in order to budget national projects that Ariel chooses. The Treasury claims that Ariel exceeded his authority and violated numerous laws. The Attorney General ordered agreement to be suspended. Barnea writes that now that the agreement was blown, the monies will likely be transferred to the Treasury, which will distribute them. Moreover, the Treasury says that JNF is filling its coiffers with money that belongs to the State. The state increases the value of the lands under JNF's control by paving roads, establishing infrastructure and JNF receives exorbitant amounts of money without paying capital gain taxes or any other taxes. The Treasury and the Justice Ministry demand to change the status of the JNF to put it under the authority of the state.
In an interview in Yedioth's Friday 'Bonus' supplement, Uriel slammed the US administration for its message that Israel was responsible for the collapse of the peace talks. "The Americans were surprised by the (settlement) construction? That borders on hypocrisy." Uriel argues that the US knew about each apartment being built in (East) Jerusalem, and he thinks Israel should build in parts of these (Palestinian) Territories that appeared in the Safdie plan. He is certain the Americans are just looking for a scapegoat to explain the failure of talks with the Palestinians - and they use the excuse of (East) Jerusalem construction, writes Yedioth.
Quick Hits:
- Official: Settlers uproot 30 olive trees near Nablus - Israelis from the settlement of Eli destroyed 30 olive trees in the village of Qaryut. (Maan)
- Three settlers charged with hate crimes in Arab Galilee town - Yitzhar youths indicted for puncturing tires on 44 Arab-owned cars and writing anti-Arab graffiti. (Haaretz+)
- Book burned at Jerusalem church after pope's Mass - Man burns visitors' book at Dormition Abbey minutes after pontiff leaves. (Haaretz and Israel Hayom)
- State to hinder removal of settlers from private land - Despite denials, government covertly carrying out 2012 pro-settlement Levy report's recommendations, including special court for West Bank land cases and a reduction in use of special order that allows Civil Administration to remove settlers squatting on private land. (Haaretz+ and Times of Israel)
- Road accident mars lives of Palestinians and Israeli settlers - Five village boys were arrested and accused of throwing stones at cars and causing the crash. The extreme length of the boys' trial process and severity of the charges has led Palestinians to accuse Israel of making an example of them and it highlights for them the unfairness of detaining hundreds of minors a year to ensure settlers' safety. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- FIFA chief: I'm an ambassador of the Palestinians - Sepp Blatter vows to help Palestinians in meeting with Palestinian President Abbas, promises solution for Israeli travel restrictions on soccer players. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Group: 55 more Palestinian prisoners join hunger strike - Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are currently on hunger strike in Israeli jails in solidarity with dozens of administrative detainees who have been refusing meals since April 24, demanding Israel stop imprisoning Palestinians without charge or trial in a policy known as "administrative detention." (Maan)
- Israel okays 50 new settler homes in East Jerusalem - "The municipality has given the green light to build 50 new housing units in five buildings in Har Homa," city Councillor Yosef Pepe Alalu told AFP. (Maan)
- Clashes in unrecognized village in Negev - Clashes began in Sawa village, which Israel won't recognize, after Israeli authorities placed posters of demolition orders on buildings. (Maan)
- Government office in largest Bedouin city has just one Arabic speaker - Most of Rahat's 60,000 residents struggle, at best, with Hebrew, but the National Insurance Institute office there doesn't reflect the demographic. (Haaretz+)
- **Lawmaker revives bill to make Israel a Jewish nation-state - Likud MK wants to drop Arabic as official language, further Jewish settlement within Israel’s jurisdiction. (Haaretz+)
- Fatah official expects Palestinian unity government this week - An official with President Mahmoud Abbas' movement says new cabinet will be declared Thursday. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Saudi prince declines invite to Jerusalem by Israeli ex-intel chief - In historic meeting, former MI head Amos Yadlin says Israel rejects the Saudi peace initiative because Arab League turned it into a take-it-or-leave-it deal. Faisal al-Saud said, "“There is nothing under the table, no hidden agreement or underhanded move or secret clauses to it." (JTA, Haaretz)
- Daughters of Brussels shooting victims: 'They'll always be with us' - Shira and Ayelet Riva, daughters of the Israeli couple killed in the Brussels Jewish Museum shooting, write final letter to parents as their bodies land in Israel: 'We know that they'll always be in our hearts and souls.' (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Pope, Netanyahu spar over Jesus' native language - Hebrew or Aramaic? Pope corrects Israeli prime minister, but Israeli linguistic says both had a point. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Israel seen through the Instagram filter - StandWithUs brings photographers from all over the world to Israel, hoping that the special images they capture will help share the country's beautiful landscape and culture. (Israel Hayom)
- MIT, Ben-Gurion University create joint seed fund - Agreement signed to promote and support early-stage collaborations between researchers at two institutions. (Haaretz)
- Study: Jerusalem residents poor, religious and happy - Survey conducted ahead of Jerusalem Day finds that Jerusalem is the poorest and most crowded of Israel's large cities, but also that 88 percent of Jerusalemites are satisfied with their lives. (Israel Hayom)
- Bruni, Sarkozy swarmed by Israeli fans - Former French president accompanies his wife as she arrives for first concert in Israel. After meeting with President Peres in Jerusalem, couple poses for selfies with fans outside Tel Aviv hotel. (Ynet)
- Knesset hopes to become world's 'greenest parliament' - Green Knesset project to turn legislative body into environmentally conscious institution with solar panels, dual-flush toilets, and energy-efficient air conditioning. "Out of Zion shall go forth the law of renewable energy," says administrator. (Israel Hayom)
- Hezbollah leader denounces Israel in anniversary speech - Nasrallah decries supposed Israeli incursions into southern Lebanon 14 years after IDF leaves area; 'There's no limit to progress on deterrence capabilities'. (Ynet)
- Former Israeli prisoner killed in fighting with Syrian rebels - A decade after his release in exchage for Israeli captive, Hezbollah commander Ayub meets demise while in battle against rebels. (Ynet)
- Jordan expels Syrian ambassador, declares him 'persona non-grata' - Ambassador Bahjat Suleiman had violated diplomatic protocol by repeatedly criticizing Amman on social media, Jordanian foreign ministry says. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Sisi on brink of presidency as Egyptians vote - Homemade bomb exploded outside a polling station in El-Mahalla El-Kubra; Muslim Brotherhood calls to boycott the vote. (Agencies, Ynet)
Features:
Exiled Shin Bet collaborator want to go return to his soldier son
The identity of G., a Bedouin who was a collaborator of the Israeli Security Services, was revealed a few years ago and he was exiled from the country for fear of vendetta. Recently his son joined the army - and he decided to return to Israel. Now, G., who has been roaming from apartment to apartment, demands protection and assistance from the state. "The system abandoned me," he says. Prime Minister's Office: "It was made clear to him explicitly that there is a fear for his life in Israel." (MyNet Yedioth)
Commentary/Analysis:
The identity of G., a Bedouin who was a collaborator of the Israeli Security Services, was revealed a few years ago and he was exiled from the country for fear of vendetta. Recently his son joined the army - and he decided to return to Israel. Now, G., who has been roaming from apartment to apartment, demands protection and assistance from the state. "The system abandoned me," he says. Prime Minister's Office: "It was made clear to him explicitly that there is a fear for his life in Israel." (MyNet Yedioth)
Commentary/Analysis:
Don't ban the Islamic Movement (Haaretz Editorial) Anti-incitement is rarely invoked against Jewish racists, but the long
arm of the law seems to reach Arabs more easily.
Give to the pope what is the pope's (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Despite some discordant political tones, Israel has great interest in remaining in Pope Francis' good graces.
Pope joins Palestinian chutzpah club (Dan Calic, Ynet) Head of Catholic Church has become complicit to Palestinians' incessant reversal of reality.
Failing Arab schools will cost our economy big (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) The education minister did something brave (or stupid): he's taking from the haves for the have-nots, who are about to become very numerous have-nots.
Israel better off with Arab tyrants (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) In the name of our egoistic interest, we only want dictators in our neighborhood. Let Washington deal with democracy and freedom of expression.
No packed suitcases, but definitely fear in Belgium (Ilana Bet-El, Haaretz+) Though Jews in Europe are used to the need to be careful, and perhaps also for the need to leave. Brussels shooting may just push them over the edge.
Palestinians put on show for pope (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) The Palestinians are going out of their way to highlight to Pope Francis Israel's alleged violations of freedom of religion, but they are the ones trampling on the Christian narrative.
When discussing Jew hatred, Haaretz gets F in logic (Aryeh Eldad, Haaretz+) By claiming Palestinian anti-Semitism revealed in recent survey is due to Israeli maltreatment, Haaretz is ignoring a history of Jew hatred spanning 3,500 years before 'occupation.'
Closing a circle (Uri Heitner, Israel Hayom) More than a century after Pope Pius X said Jerusalem "must not fall into the hands of the Jews," Pope Francis arrives on Mount Herzl and pays tribute to the state's visionary.
Congress doesn’t trust Obama - and Israel is paying the price (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz) The bill confirming Israel as a 'major strategic partner’ of America has been yanked from the Senate agenda, scuppered by the poor faith between Obama and Congress.
Give to the pope what is the pope's (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Despite some discordant political tones, Israel has great interest in remaining in Pope Francis' good graces.
Pope joins Palestinian chutzpah club (Dan Calic, Ynet) Head of Catholic Church has become complicit to Palestinians' incessant reversal of reality.
Failing Arab schools will cost our economy big (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) The education minister did something brave (or stupid): he's taking from the haves for the have-nots, who are about to become very numerous have-nots.
Israel better off with Arab tyrants (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) In the name of our egoistic interest, we only want dictators in our neighborhood. Let Washington deal with democracy and freedom of expression.
No packed suitcases, but definitely fear in Belgium (Ilana Bet-El, Haaretz+) Though Jews in Europe are used to the need to be careful, and perhaps also for the need to leave. Brussels shooting may just push them over the edge.
Palestinians put on show for pope (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) The Palestinians are going out of their way to highlight to Pope Francis Israel's alleged violations of freedom of religion, but they are the ones trampling on the Christian narrative.
When discussing Jew hatred, Haaretz gets F in logic (Aryeh Eldad, Haaretz+) By claiming Palestinian anti-Semitism revealed in recent survey is due to Israeli maltreatment, Haaretz is ignoring a history of Jew hatred spanning 3,500 years before 'occupation.'
Closing a circle (Uri Heitner, Israel Hayom) More than a century after Pope Pius X said Jerusalem "must not fall into the hands of the Jews," Pope Francis arrives on Mount Herzl and pays tribute to the state's visionary.
Congress doesn’t trust Obama - and Israel is paying the price (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz) The bill confirming Israel as a 'major strategic partner’ of America has been yanked from the Senate agenda, scuppered by the poor faith between Obama and Congress.
Interviews:
Israel’s presidential frontrunner doesn’t back Palestinian state, but says it’s not his call
Likud’s Reuven Rivlin promises he wouldn’t intervene in Knesset decisions, but hopes that ‘all the Jewish people will come to live here… and we wouldn’t have to give up on anything.’ (Interviewed by David Horovitz in Times of Israel)
Economic reform gets short shrift, says top economist
Israel’s presidential frontrunner doesn’t back Palestinian state, but says it’s not his call
Likud’s Reuven Rivlin promises he wouldn’t intervene in Knesset decisions, but hopes that ‘all the Jewish people will come to live here… and we wouldn’t have to give up on anything.’ (Interviewed by David Horovitz in Times of Israel)
Economic reform gets short shrift, says top economist
Manuel Trajtenberg, the architect of plan to tackle the high cost of living, says much has yet to be done because
the Palestinian conflict preoccupies Israelis. (Interviewed by Meirav Arlosoroff and Lior
Dattel in Haaretz+)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.