--Justice Minister Tzipi Livni calls the settlement enterprise "a security, economic and moral burden" aimed to prevent peace.**
Front Page News:
- Shin Bet calls for hardline and forced-feeding of hunger-striking (Palestinians)
- Police received information a year ago about transfer of money to Ben-Eliezer
- Declaration of financial assets by three out of five of presidential candidates
- Prime Minister ordered Likud ministers to support bill that will prevent pardons for terrorists
- Budget of secret services rose by 7 billion shekels
- Lapid to Netanyahu: Show the map of permanent borders; PM: Anyone with experience doesn't give in without getting in return
- Ministers approved euthanasia, but Bennett prepared for battle
- Kiryat Gat affair: Social services knew three years ago about the acts (of disturbed woman having sex with schoolboys)
- New challenge to Iranian regime: Convince middle-class youth to have children
- Declarations of financial assets (of the presidential candidates): My apartment, my car, my savings
- Homeless for the presidency // Ben-Dror Yemini
- My President: The choices of Meir Shalev, Haim Be'er, Eli Elaluf, Moshe Ivgi and Robi Porat Shuval
- Lapid: Get divorced from the Palestinians
- (MK) Ayelet Shaked's Terrorists Law was approved by the government
- Trend of vegan weddings
- Black and white money: Illegal capital becomes kosher with help of diamonds and charity organizations
- Price of the presidency
- Lapid's "Separation Speech": "If you try to annex even one settlement, we will make the government fall"
- It finally hit him // Ben Caspit
- "An end to the you-murdered-you-are-freed deal" - Minister Bennett welcomed the government approval of the "Terrorists Bill," that gives courts authority to prevent future pardons of terrorists
- The decision is good, the (political) motives are bad // Yossi Melman
- Undercover agent incriminated dozens of Africans on drug and property crimes
- The house stage - Two days to the vote: Battle for presidency moves to the real estate department
- Prime Minister's associates: There are no concessions without something in return - Attacked Lapid's demand that Israel show map of borders
- Ministerial committee approved euthanasia law
- (Singer) Ninet (Tayeb) is getting married
- Government rescued and returned from Thailand two little girls who were kidnapped by their father
- Electricity Corp warns: Text messages sent in our name - were a sting attempt
- Summer of performances: Lady Gaga to perform in Israel on 13 September
After the investigation and resignation of Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, four of the five remaining candidates for the
presidency rushed to reveal their assets and Finance Minister Yair Lapid makes headlines with political statements
that rub Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu the wrong way. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Hamas-Fatah unity government
gets UN and European support, while Netanyahu angers the Palestinians saying Hamas will takeover the West Bank.
And, in Rome, President Shimon Peres says the unity government won't last and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
calls for peace. The subject of the hunger-striking Palestinian detainees made headlines only in Haaretz+, but Maan
had more news on the subject.
Finance Minister and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said Israel should draw a map of its future borders with a Palestinian
state, implied Netanyahu was at fault for the crisis in US-Israeli
relations and declared he would make the government coalition collapse if Israel were to annex a
single settlement, slamming Economy Minister and Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett's proposal to annex
large parts of the West Bank. Speaking at the annual Herzliya Conference, Lapid also said the reason the government had not presented any maps was that it did
not want to freeze settlement construction outside the large blocs. Lapid also presented his own peace plan with gradual withdrawal from settlements not
inside settlement blocs.
Opposition leader and Labor party chief MK Isaac Herzog slammed Lapid, reminding him "You are part of
a coalition that just this week approved the construction of 1,500 new housing units as a punitive
measure (against the Palestinians)." Herzog called on Lapid to quit the coalition and join the opposition. Meretz MK
Nitzan Horowitz echoed Herzog's call, urging Yesh Atid to withdraw from the coalition and join the opposition
parties. Netanyahu's associates were quick to respond, belittling Lapid as inexperienced.
Bennett declared the 'end of Oslo era' and repeated his 'peace plan': Israeli sovereignty
over Area C, the 61% of the West Bank Israel, has complete control, as per the Oslo Accords. And, "autonomy-plus
with complete freedom of movement" for the remaining 39%.
**Justice Minister and former chief Israeli peace negotiator Tzipi Livni called for continuing talks with the PLO, “the official body of the Palestinians, in
which Hamas has no part.” She said the Palestinian government must be judged by its
actions and policies and not by party platforms [in reference to Hamas' charter which calls for
the destruction of Israel - OH]. She noted "some of (the platform's of the parties of Israel's coalition
government) refuse to even say ‘two states for two peoples.’” And, she said she planned to continue talking to
Abbas about advancing an agreement [although that almost got her fired by Netanyahu a few weeks ago. -
OH].
Also speaking at the conference, the European commissioner called on Israel to support the Palestinian unity deal, saying
"Leadership is about making possible what is necessary, and peace is necessary in the region." UN envoy
Robert Serry visited Palestinian ministers in Gaza, making him the first senior Western official to visit the new unity government and
showing international recognition of the Hamas-Fatah government, despite repeated Israeli appeals to the
international community to shun it.
Netanyahu warned Sunday that rather than Hamas becoming more moderate as a result of
the agreement, it was instead increasing its power in the West Bank, long ruled by Fatah. That angered the
Palestinian Authority security forces, whose spokesman accused Netanyahu of supporting terrorism by encouraging Jewish settler attacks on Palestinian civilians and
property. That very day, Palestinian Authority forces detained 16 Hamas supporters in the West Bank and issued
summons to seven others, Maan reported. Netanayhu also expressed gratitude to the Australian government for its 'courageous'
decision to drop the 'occupied' label from reference to East Jerusalem.
Although Pope Francis made headlines when he invited Peres and Abbas for a joint prayer for
peace, the event itself yesterday did not make a big splash in the news.
Both Abbas and Peres made calls for peace. And the Pope urged Israelis and Palestinians to continue dialogue [ostensibly ignoring
Netanyahu's calls to boycott the new Palestinian government. -OH] The most interesting headline was in Times of Israel: Peres told ToI that the new
Palestinian unity government was a 'contradiction' that wouldn't last.
Hunger-Striking Palestinian Detainees Quick Hits:
- Shin Bet behind refusal to negotiate with Palestinian hunger strikers - Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen encouraging Netanyahu to take a tough stance over force-feeding at least 100 Palestinian administrative detainees on hunger strike. There are currently 189 Palestinians in administrative detention, meaning detention without trial. Between 100 and 125 have joined the hunger strike that began on April 24. (Haaretz+)
- Lawyer: Palestinian prisoners in danger after 46 days of hunger strike, refused surgery - Thirteen of the hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners have suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding throughout the past few days. Two of them have undergone surgery, while the other eleven were told they could not be treated surgically unless they ended their hunger strike, Bolous said. (Maan)
- Partial strike in support of hunger strikers across West Bank - A one-day strike by shops across the West Bank in support of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike was widely observed in Tulkarem and Ramallah Sunday. (Maan and Ynet)
- Ministers okay contentious bill on freeing murderers - Cabinet votes for controversial bill allowing judge to sentence criminal murderers to life without possibility of parole. "It is beyond me why the government would want to pass such a law," said the Attorney General. "This law will tie the hands of the government." (Haaretz, Ynet and Israel Hayom)
- Gaza fisherman shot by Israel 2 weeks ago succumbs to his wounds - Israeli navy shot Imad Shukri Salim, 52, in the chest by two weeks ago while he was fishing off the Gaza coast, killing him. Israeli naval forces frequently harass Palestinian fishermen who near the three-mile limit, as well as those inside the zone. (Maan)
- Teen from West Bank settlement charged in Abu Ghosh hate crime - 18-year-old from Yitzhar (according to Maariv he is a 20-year-old from Kedumim settlement) indicted for June 2013 anti-Arab graffiti, tire-slashing incident. (Haaretz and Maariv)
- Shin Bet and Mossad budget approaches $2 billion - The secret services budget for 2014 increased by 4 percent over last year, with another $55 million conditional on income. (Haaretz+)
- Israel denies visa to Palestinian soccer official - Official was due at FIFA talks about Israeli restrictions on team; Civil Administration spokesman says team's No. 3 didn't submit request in time, as agreed, but can resubmit it. (Haaretz)
- Palestinian foreign ministry summons Australia representative - The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday summoned the Australian Representative to Palestine Tom Wilson over recent remarks by Australian Attorney-General George Brandis saying that the country would stop referring to East Jerusalem as "occupied." (Maan)
- Cabinet to vote on $29 million plan to attract European Jews to Israel - Government hopes to persuade Jews planning to emigrate from Europe to choose the Jewish state over other options. (Haaretz)
- IDF keeps reservists dangling - Despite public statements by military officials on cancellation of reserve duty, army has yet to renounce summer call-ups for some soldiers. (Ynet)
- State aid for Israeli officer in lawsuit brought by man he hit - Convicted of beating five (Palestinian and foreign) demonstrators in the West Bank, Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner is being sued by one of them; state representation in such cases is unusual. (Haaretz+ and video)
- Petition against appointment of Hanegbi as Deputy Foreign Minister: "Absurd spectacle" - The Movement for Quality Government turned to the High Court demanding it prevent the Likud MK from serving as deputy minister because of his conviction for perjury. (Maariv)
- Israel, EU sign Horizon 2020 scientific cooperation agreement - Agreement gives Israel equal access with EU member states to the largest-ever EU research and innovation program. (Haaretz)
- Young (Arabs) were evicted from the Iqrit, the village uprooted in '48: "Inspectors attacked us and filed a complaint" - Israel Land Authority inspectors destroyed tents and temporary structures built by young people who have been living at site since deciding to return to their village [which that was uprooted in 1948, but which Israel's High Court ruled in favor of allowing villagers to return -OH]. An Adalah lawyer said that two have marks of violence on their bodies. The three youth were arrested on suspicion of trespassing and preventing a public servant from doing his job. (Maariv)
- Gaza banks still closed as unity gov't financial dispute deepens - Employees of the formerly Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip have insisted that they should receive their salaries from the new governmen. Local police deployed around banks and ATMs again Sunday to prevent PA employees related to the new unity government from receiving their salaries until a solution is reached. (Maan)
- Judge slams Israeli police for detaining African asylum seekers - Court freezes detention orders for 13 Eritreans and Sudanese until their cases are completed. (Haaretz+)
- Egypt's al-Sissi vows tough line against Islamists - In first speech after he was sworn-in, newly-elected president says there will be no reconciliation with those who 'adopted violence' against Egyptians. (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Syria turning into a warlord-run failed state, says former peace envoy - Lakhdar Brahimi warns that the conflict will not stay in Syria: 'there is a serious risk that the entire region will blow up.' (Agencies, Haaretz)
- Leading Lebanese politician: Hezbollah should fight Israel, not Syria rebels - Influential Druze politician calls Hezbollah's decision to fight alongside Assad 'a historical and moral mistake toward the Syrian people.' (Agencies, Haaretz)
It finally hit Yair Lapid (Ben Caspit, Maariv) The Finance Minister poured a bucket of ice water on (Habayit Hayehudi leader, Minister Naftali) Bennett's ideas of annexation (of the West Bank) and clarified to Netanyahu what are his red lines and turned the pleas to Netanyahu to present a map (of the borders of Israel) into a public statement. When the government falls apart, we will recall that evening.
The Nazis were vegans, too (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) There is a grating disparity between the Israeli trend for veganism and the public's indifference to the suffering of the weak elements in society.
The terrorists law is good, but its motives are political (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The fact that the Shin Bet, as a professional institution, was not required at all to express its opinion to the bill, and perhaps that's a good thing, proves this was a political decision - and not a professional-operational one. The decision means that the government locks itself and basically says: "We, and future governments, are weak, always surrendering to terrorism and therefore we need to be locked into this and can't be trusted." In any case, there will be more changes to the text of the decision in parliamentary committees so that if one day it will be necessary to rely on the law, the future government there will be those who will know how to rationalize and explain why we should ignore it.
Was Netanyahu right all along? (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) The Palestinian unity government is much more detrimental to peace than Israeli settlement construction.
Otherwise occupied / A song for the World Cup (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) Mohammed Assaf, the Palestinian from Gaza who won the “Arab Idol” song competition, will sing at the opening of the soccer tournament in Brazil. But that’s not the story.
Can the presidential race get any uglier? (Sima Kadmon, Yedioth/Ynet) Israeli public, which wakes up to a new scandal every morning, feels frustrated, ridiculed and even insulted by its elected representatives.
A war against the Jews (Moshe Arens, Haaretz+) Western citizens who go to Syria to join jihadist militias and return after being indoctrinated in fanatical Islam constitute a danger to Jews wherever they go.
Laying low on relations with Egypt's Sisi (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) In a world where our enemy's friend is our bitter enemy, Israel must not hurt Egypt's credibility by forming ties that are too strong with the new regime in Cairo. Simultaneously, Israel must take advantage of the opportunities created by the 'Arab Spring' and foster good relations with its neighbors.
A release that should worry Israel (Meir Indor, Israel Hayom) The U.S. about-face in its policy of not negotiating with terrorists should concern Israel, which must stand on its own to safeguard its security needs.
Do Israelis really want a Jewish state? (S. Daniel Abraham, Haaretz+) The economy's thriving, there's no war - all the ingredients for Israel's false sense of security. But if Israelis don't push for recognized borders between a Palestinian state and Israel now, the Jewish state will be lost.
Peres' Vatican peace summit is another blow to Netanyahu (Attila Somfalvi, Ynet) President will join pontiff and Abbas to 'pray for peace', despite government decision to disengage from Palestinians over Fatah-Hamas reconciliation.
An empty prayer for peace at the Vatican (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz+) Peres and Abbas may have welcomed a day of rest with Pope Francis, but neither likely gained much from the prayers.
The presidency's lost integrity (Mordechai Gilat, Israel Hayom) The presidential race has become the best show in town, but none of the candidates have realized that while the public enjoys the show -- they despise the cast.
A hangman’s noose for public broadcasting (Oudeh Basharat, Haaretz+) The Arabs and IBA are victims of the same master. After all, the method is similar: To destroy the reputation of the weak and then, gently, to kill and cry.
Meet Marc Schneier, who is behind the surprising statement of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority condemning the Holocaust. Now, after working to create a coexistence between Jews and blacks in the U.S., he is connecting with a senior imam in New York in order to succeed together in his next goal: a global reconciliation between Jews and Muslims. Rabbi Schneier plans to take advantage of the expected visit of Abbas in New York in September, on the occasion of the annual UN General Assembly. He wants to integrate Abbas in a ceremony that will demonstrate the sincerity of the senior Palestinian's words in denouncing the Holocaust. Schneier is unwilling to volunteer information, but asks with a smile, "What do you think about Abbas visiting the Holocaust Museum in New York?" (Interviewed by Shlomo Shamir in Maariv)
Former settler leader proposes radical plan to improve Palestinians’ lives
Dani Dayan advocates gradually opening all checkpoints, boosting Palestinian economy and infrastructure and removing Civil Administration from military rule. Dayan also presented the plan to senior advisers of both U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. (Interviewed by Barak Ravid in Haaretz+)