APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday August 12, 2014
Quote of the day:
"We will devote the first week of school and the whole school year to address the scourge of
racism, and talk to students about aspects of tolerance, acceptance of others and the eradication of racism
in society."
--Education Minister Shai Piron made plans to battle the "unthinkable expressions of racism and incitement that came up during Operation Protective Edge."**
--Education Minister Shai Piron made plans to battle the "unthinkable expressions of racism and incitement that came up during Operation Protective Edge."**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- Reports from Cairo: Agreement achieved on most of the subjects being negotiated
- IDF to test tunnel detection system
- US: Attacks in Iraq won't stop the rebels
- IDF probes soldiers for crimes of 'fraternizing with minorities'
- Exceptional wave of anti-Semitism in Europe following fighting in Gaza
- Accused in murder of Abu Khdeir: "They took three of ours, we'll take one of theirs"
- Police recommended putting (MK Hanin) Zouebi on trial for incitement
- "What protection? There is no school" - Schools exposed
- Israel agrees to easing siege on Gaza
- Daddy, it's so good to have you home - Special project: officers who came from Gaza home to their families
- She'll investigate us [Photo of George Clooney's fiance]
- Returning to the shopping malls
- Teheran Port // Gen. (res.) Eliezar Merom
- Song for after the war
- "Druze are no longer suckers, many of the young generation don't want to join the army"
- For sale: Cheap apartments in the "Death to Arabs" town in France
- "I gave him blows to the head, took out a cigarette lighter and lit the guy on fire" - The harsh testimonies of the suspects in the kidnapping and murder of the youth, Abu Khdeir from Shuafat, were revealed
- Goldstone 2: Rigged game
- The return of Abu Mazen? Arrangement likely in negotiations in Cairo: Hamas will compromise - and the Palestinian Authority will be responsible for the money, crossings and rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip
- Complex international involvement // Yoav Limor
- "They went out to have fun - and they returned in coffins - Israelis killed in traffic accident in Switzerland
- The mourning, the difficulty - and the hope, the families of the three kidnapped yeshiva teens speak: "(The Jewish people) are an exemplary people"
Progress in the Cairo talks, George Clooney's fiance on the UN war crimes probe and more testimonies from the chief
suspect in the murder of the E. Jerusalem teen, make the top stories in today's Hebrew papers.
The papers noted that Israel is prepared to ease the siege on Gaza [to a great extent only returning to the agreement of 2012 - OH], by expanding the fishing zone and allowing more people and goods to pass. Moreover, Israel will allow the transfer of payment for government salaries of people working in the Strip that was run by Hamas up till the establishment of a unity government in April. In addition, Israel does not expect the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. Ynet and Haaretz+ have numerous details of the agreement in the making. One official told Haaretz there is discussion of an exchange of the bodies of IDF Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul and 2nd Lt. Hadar Goldin for a few dozen prisoners arrested during the Gaza operation. Maariv wrote that this was reported in the Palestinian Al-Quds newspaper. Israel's delegation returned home Monday evening, and is expected to head back to Cairo Tuesday for further talks. Regarding the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt - the Palestinians are moving toward handing control over to Palestinian Authority forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas.
Finance Minister Yair Lapid said Gaza aid should be tied to restored Palestinian Authority rule. [That would be the case as a unity government was already formed. - OH] And Lapid urged the Arab world and the international community to get more involved in replacing Hamas with the Palestinian Authority, claiming that "If Hamas were removed, the blockade would end."
Sunday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel must defeat Hamas in Gaza and then pull out, and Monday Lieberman said that Israel should not give Hamas any of its demands. "Even if there's only a feeling that they got what they wanted among the organization's leaders and among the Palestinian public what the other terror organizations surrounding us understand is that terror pays off and the price we'll pay for it is heavy." Lieberman had more to say here.
Haaretz has stopped calling its daily review of live updates by the day of Operation Protective Edge. Today it was just titled: Quiet remains across Gaza-Israel border as Cairo talks resume
TESTIMONY OF YOSEF BEN-HAIM IN THE ABU KHDEIR MURDER:
The Hebrew newspapers all printed parts from one or more testimonies of Yosef Haim Ben-David, the chief suspect in the murder of the teen from E. Jerusalem, Mohammed Abu Khdeir. But oddly, none of them said from where they got the testimonies. [Meaning likely they were leaked by Ben-David's lawyer - OH] Ben-David expressed regret. Ynet has the most details and is most accurate. Haaretz+ suggested that the murderers thought he was dead after being strangled in the car, before being set afire: "Despite the strangling in the vehicle, the autopsy findings revealed that Abu Khdeir was still alive."
[However, the indictment, which all the reporters including this reporter received states that after the strangling in the back seat of the car, the youngest suspect got out of the back seat when they reached the forest, and Abu Khdeir's body fell out and he made gurgling noises. Yet, none of the newspapers suggested that Ben-David might be trying to change the story. OH] Maariv's reporter, Moshe Cohen, went further, erroneously writing, "At this point, the kidnappers did not know that Abu Khdeir was already dead." Moreover, Maariv suggested that the attack on the Palestinian mother and her son they day before the murder was only to beat them, despite the fact that the indictment and the family said the kidnappers tried to kidnap the boy. Only Ynet noted that Ben-David gave a number of testimonies and that "in reply to the question of whether they were planning to commit murder before they set out, Ben-David contradicted himself."
The papers noted that Israel is prepared to ease the siege on Gaza [to a great extent only returning to the agreement of 2012 - OH], by expanding the fishing zone and allowing more people and goods to pass. Moreover, Israel will allow the transfer of payment for government salaries of people working in the Strip that was run by Hamas up till the establishment of a unity government in April. In addition, Israel does not expect the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. Ynet and Haaretz+ have numerous details of the agreement in the making. One official told Haaretz there is discussion of an exchange of the bodies of IDF Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul and 2nd Lt. Hadar Goldin for a few dozen prisoners arrested during the Gaza operation. Maariv wrote that this was reported in the Palestinian Al-Quds newspaper. Israel's delegation returned home Monday evening, and is expected to head back to Cairo Tuesday for further talks. Regarding the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt - the Palestinians are moving toward handing control over to Palestinian Authority forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas.
Finance Minister Yair Lapid said Gaza aid should be tied to restored Palestinian Authority rule. [That would be the case as a unity government was already formed. - OH] And Lapid urged the Arab world and the international community to get more involved in replacing Hamas with the Palestinian Authority, claiming that "If Hamas were removed, the blockade would end."
Sunday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel must defeat Hamas in Gaza and then pull out, and Monday Lieberman said that Israel should not give Hamas any of its demands. "Even if there's only a feeling that they got what they wanted among the organization's leaders and among the Palestinian public what the other terror organizations surrounding us understand is that terror pays off and the price we'll pay for it is heavy." Lieberman had more to say here.
Haaretz has stopped calling its daily review of live updates by the day of Operation Protective Edge. Today it was just titled: Quiet remains across Gaza-Israel border as Cairo talks resume
TESTIMONY OF YOSEF BEN-HAIM IN THE ABU KHDEIR MURDER:
The Hebrew newspapers all printed parts from one or more testimonies of Yosef Haim Ben-David, the chief suspect in the murder of the teen from E. Jerusalem, Mohammed Abu Khdeir. But oddly, none of them said from where they got the testimonies. [Meaning likely they were leaked by Ben-David's lawyer - OH] Ben-David expressed regret. Ynet has the most details and is most accurate. Haaretz+ suggested that the murderers thought he was dead after being strangled in the car, before being set afire: "Despite the strangling in the vehicle, the autopsy findings revealed that Abu Khdeir was still alive."
[However, the indictment, which all the reporters including this reporter received states that after the strangling in the back seat of the car, the youngest suspect got out of the back seat when they reached the forest, and Abu Khdeir's body fell out and he made gurgling noises. Yet, none of the newspapers suggested that Ben-David might be trying to change the story. OH] Maariv's reporter, Moshe Cohen, went further, erroneously writing, "At this point, the kidnappers did not know that Abu Khdeir was already dead." Moreover, Maariv suggested that the attack on the Palestinian mother and her son they day before the murder was only to beat them, despite the fact that the indictment and the family said the kidnappers tried to kidnap the boy. Only Ynet noted that Ben-David gave a number of testimonies and that "in reply to the question of whether they were planning to commit murder before they set out, Ben-David contradicted himself."
Quick Hits:
- UN names Gaza probe panel, headed by harsh Israel critic - Committee chaired by Prof. William Schabas, who called for Netanyahu on 'dock of ICC' after Operation Cast Lead. Amal Alamuddin, George Clooney’s fiance, also on panel. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- IDF to test tunnel detection system on Gaza border - If the system proves it can identify the digging of infiltration tunnels, the military could deploy it within a year. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- Hillary Clinton says anti-Semitism could be behind criticism of Gaza op - In interview with Jeffrey Goldberg, Clinton blasts 'enormous international reaction' as 'uncalled and unfair.' (Haaretz+)
- A gang of men beat a Bedouin lifeguard at a pool in Eilat, calling him, "Terrorist, Hamasnik" - Four men in their thirties, residents of Beit Shemesh, were drinking alcohol and smoking a hookah at a hotel pool. When the pool lifeguard asked them to stop, the youth chose to violate the peace by spilling the alcohol into the pool and beating the (Arab) lifeguard with a plastic garbage can they found nearby and cursing him with racist epithets. (Maariv)
- **Education Minister Piron: We were exposed to unthinkable expressions of racism and incitement - Minister of Education the ministry's strategic plan for the years 2014-2016. He referred to the racist statements uttered during Operation Protective Edge. "We will devote the first week of school and the whole school year to address the scourge of racism, and talk to students about the aspects of tolerance, acceptance of others and the eradication of racism in society." (Maariv)
- Zoabi: Police probe is part of witch-hunt against me - Arab MK blames biased system, calls for comparison between her statements and 'wild incitement of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman against me.' (Ynet and Haaretz+)
- Court clears way to demolish homes of Israeli teen trio’s killers - Court rejects petitions by families who argued that suspects’ guilt hasn’t yet been proven, and that demolishing their homes constituted collective punishment, which is illegal under international law. Court delaying destruction until Thursday to enable study of how neighboring houses may be affected. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli army admits error in letting civilians return to south - GOC Southern Command: We made a mistake, but security is better now than before Gaza op. Kfar Aza residents: Hamas is calling the shots, not Israel. (Haaretz and Ynet)
- Why wasn't Israeli singer Sarit Hadad invited to entertain the IDF troops? - News reports accuse Orthodox brigade commander of not wanting a woman to sing in front of his troops; army says soldiers preferred another singer. (Haaretz+)
- Ya'alon tells family: Oron Shaul's body is in Hamas' hands - Defense minister visits family of fallen soldier, saying Israel making efforts to retrieve Shaul's body, along with that of Sec.-Lt- Hadar Goldin, on the diplomatic level. (Ynet)
- IDF: No known tunnels under northern border from Lebanon - Regional council heads urge defense minister to reinstate budget for border communities’ security needs. (Haaretz+ and Israel Hayom)
- Government approves 'economic Iron Dome' for southern Israel - Ministers vote in favor of $120.5 million, multi-year aid package for rocket-riddled south. Inter-ministerial committee to present government with full outline within 21 days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: This is a national challenge. (Israel Hayom)
- Foreign reporters condemn Hamas' censorship policy in Gaza - Monday's statement is the first time the group has criticized Hamas' treatment of the foreign media, though the FPA has condemned Israel for several incidents including during Operation Protective Edge when they released a statement accusing the IDF of firing at Al Jazeera's headquarters in the Gaza Strip. (Ynet)
- Turkish aid group head: Lieberman and Israeli cabinet are Hitler - IHH to sail for Gaza with new flotilla under the slogan ‘Let us be the medicine for Gaza.’ (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- Survey: 74% of French don't take sides in Israeli-Palestinian conflict - Poll conducted by Ifop Institute shows only 17% of French population sympathizes with Palestinians more than Israel; 14% of political right supports Israel. (Ynet)
- 84% of Israelis are boycotting Turkey - Survey conducted on backdrop of Gaza conflict reveals 66% of Israelis cancelled or postponed their summer vacations, only 4% believe Israelis can still visit Turkey despite security situation. (Ynet)
- Wanted Fatah member killed in gun battle near Nablus - Israel Border Police kill Zakaria al-Akra after firefight in Kablan amid rising tensions in West Bank; military launches investigation into death of 12-year-old Palestinian. (Ynet)
- 338 North American immigrants arrive in Israel - President Reuven Rivlin welcomes newcomers alongside Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar; 108 of English-speaking immigrants plan to join IDF. (Ynet and Israel Hayom)
- U.S. lifts some travel restrictions for officials at Tel Aviv embassy - As latest truce holds for now, traveling south of greater Tel Aviv area is no longer out-of-bounds for embassy employees and their families. (Haaretz+)
- Rouhani calls Iranian critics of his nuclear policy "cowards" - Iranian president made the comment in response to Iranian hardliners who oppose a nuclear deal with the West. He added that 'It is wrong to fear from interaction, negotiation and mutual understanding' referring to on-going talks with world powers aimed at sealing a long-term nuclear deal. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Turkish Airlines reducing activity in Israel - Company decides to cancel two daily flights on Tel Aviv-Istanbul route for 'operational reasons.' (Ynet)
Features:
Haram on us (translates to boycotting us and also shame on us)
The restaurateurs are waiting for the hungry, the mechanics miss the cars and the salespeople in the stores are waiting for the return of the weekend traffic jams. The Arab store owners in Wadi Ara (Arab area in Israel) are experiencing on their flesh and in their pockets the calls for collective boycott (against Arab Israelis), but they still believe in co-existence. "In the end, you need to remember that we are Israelis. We will never be Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon. We were born here. We will live here and we will die here," said Ahmed Agbarieh. (By Eyal Levi, Maariv Magazine cover story)
Combating the rockets with art
South's children draw what makes them feel good to deal with the trauma of a summer under rocket threat. (Ynet)
They dug themselves a grave
The world makes harsh criticism over the children that were killed in IDF bombings of Gaza. But no one cares about the 200 children who died after they were used by Hamas, recruited to dig under the ground and they lost their lives in work accidents. A horrifying look at the inside of the terror tunnel industry. (By Smadar Perry, Yedioth, '24 Hours' supplement cover)
Commentary/Analysis:
The restaurateurs are waiting for the hungry, the mechanics miss the cars and the salespeople in the stores are waiting for the return of the weekend traffic jams. The Arab store owners in Wadi Ara (Arab area in Israel) are experiencing on their flesh and in their pockets the calls for collective boycott (against Arab Israelis), but they still believe in co-existence. "In the end, you need to remember that we are Israelis. We will never be Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon. We were born here. We will live here and we will die here," said Ahmed Agbarieh. (By Eyal Levi, Maariv Magazine cover story)
Combating the rockets with art
South's children draw what makes them feel good to deal with the trauma of a summer under rocket threat. (Ynet)
They dug themselves a grave
The world makes harsh criticism over the children that were killed in IDF bombings of Gaza. But no one cares about the 200 children who died after they were used by Hamas, recruited to dig under the ground and they lost their lives in work accidents. A horrifying look at the inside of the terror tunnel industry. (By Smadar Perry, Yedioth, '24 Hours' supplement cover)
Commentary/Analysis:
Israel’s new lawyer: Hillary Clinton (Peter Beinart, Haaretz+) She sees the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through Bibi’s eyes, which could be
the reason she gets so much wrong.
What if John Kerry was right? (Sever Plocker, Yedioth/Ynet) US secretary of state's ceasefire outline was not driven by hostility towards Israel, but rather by concern. He realized that Hamas would drag Israel into an entanglement with unimaginable results.
Israel trapped itself into negotiating with Hamas (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Israel's insistence on seeing the Palestinian unity government as a 'terrorist entity' has yet again forced it into negotiating with Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
What is to be done about Gaza? (Prof. Efraim Inbar, Israel Hayom) Israel has no choice but to continue to attack Hamas targets to exact a higher cost from the terrorist group.
The price of the left’s silence is nationalism and racism (Merav Alush Levron, Haaretz+) The left's uncompromising grip on the 'liberal secular truth' denies other outlooks that have the right to exist in a common democratic arena.
Establishment of a seaport in Gaza - a severe blow to Israel's national security (Eliezar Merom, Maariv) The first reason why not to allow it is related to a security perception, according to which Israel needs to control the envelope area around the Palestinian Authority areas. In this way, Israel can make certain that there is no smuggling of weapons and terrorists. A decision to establish a seaport will be used for the Iranians.
A void where there should be a governor at the Bank of Israel (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) A central bank governor who doesn’t make her presence felt poses a concrete danger to Israel’s economic stability.
Arab myths (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) Another victory like this, and we've won.
The stage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that comes after force (Yigal Elam, Haaretz+) The conflict has gone through three stages. Now it’s entering the toughest one for Israel: the diplomatic.
Gazans must get rid of Hamas (Bassem Eid, Yedioth/Ynet) We Palestinians can no longer deny our responsibility for the death of our own people.
Catch-14, or Yossarian in Gaza (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) Chapter 1, in which our airman antihero from World War II finds himself donning a reservist's uniform in Operation Protective Edge. By Joseph Heller (as told to Amir Oren).
Time to draw the line (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom)
Hamas specializes in setting traps, and Netanyahu and Ya'alon must understand that this is what Hamas is trying to do to Israel in Cairo.
MKs seek to circumvent the attorney general (Haaretz Editorial) Bill would transfer legal consultation on matters related to international law to the National Security Council, which is subordinate to politicians.
Forgiveness and solidarity (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Our ancestors knew the secret powers of love, not just as an idea, but as a practice.
The hypocrisy of Hamas supporters (Lilach Sigan, Maariv) People who are shocked by Jewish bullying or by ISIS, but ignore the killing by the Gazan organization, are effectively legitimizing the atrocities.
Liberal Jews who love Israel, get on a plane (Rabbi Jonah Geffen, Haaretz+) Sick of feeling helpless while Israel is at war and your Facebook feed is too? There’s one thing you can do, if you have the means: visit Israel – davka – now.
What if John Kerry was right? (Sever Plocker, Yedioth/Ynet) US secretary of state's ceasefire outline was not driven by hostility towards Israel, but rather by concern. He realized that Hamas would drag Israel into an entanglement with unimaginable results.
Israel trapped itself into negotiating with Hamas (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Israel's insistence on seeing the Palestinian unity government as a 'terrorist entity' has yet again forced it into negotiating with Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
What is to be done about Gaza? (Prof. Efraim Inbar, Israel Hayom) Israel has no choice but to continue to attack Hamas targets to exact a higher cost from the terrorist group.
The price of the left’s silence is nationalism and racism (Merav Alush Levron, Haaretz+) The left's uncompromising grip on the 'liberal secular truth' denies other outlooks that have the right to exist in a common democratic arena.
Establishment of a seaport in Gaza - a severe blow to Israel's national security (Eliezar Merom, Maariv) The first reason why not to allow it is related to a security perception, according to which Israel needs to control the envelope area around the Palestinian Authority areas. In this way, Israel can make certain that there is no smuggling of weapons and terrorists. A decision to establish a seaport will be used for the Iranians.
A void where there should be a governor at the Bank of Israel (Nehemia Shtrasler, Haaretz+) A central bank governor who doesn’t make her presence felt poses a concrete danger to Israel’s economic stability.
Arab myths (Dr. Reuven Berko, Israel Hayom) Another victory like this, and we've won.
The stage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that comes after force (Yigal Elam, Haaretz+) The conflict has gone through three stages. Now it’s entering the toughest one for Israel: the diplomatic.
Gazans must get rid of Hamas (Bassem Eid, Yedioth/Ynet) We Palestinians can no longer deny our responsibility for the death of our own people.
Catch-14, or Yossarian in Gaza (Amir Oren, Haaretz+) Chapter 1, in which our airman antihero from World War II finds himself donning a reservist's uniform in Operation Protective Edge. By Joseph Heller (as told to Amir Oren).
Time to draw the line (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom)
Hamas specializes in setting traps, and Netanyahu and Ya'alon must understand that this is what Hamas is trying to do to Israel in Cairo.
MKs seek to circumvent the attorney general (Haaretz Editorial) Bill would transfer legal consultation on matters related to international law to the National Security Council, which is subordinate to politicians.
Forgiveness and solidarity (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) Our ancestors knew the secret powers of love, not just as an idea, but as a practice.
The hypocrisy of Hamas supporters (Lilach Sigan, Maariv) People who are shocked by Jewish bullying or by ISIS, but ignore the killing by the Gazan organization, are effectively legitimizing the atrocities.
Liberal Jews who love Israel, get on a plane (Rabbi Jonah Geffen, Haaretz+) Sick of feeling helpless while Israel is at war and your Facebook feed is too? There’s one thing you can do, if you have the means: visit Israel – davka – now.
Interviews:
Aharonovich: Israel needs 'a magician' to stop rockets through talks
Internal Security Minister Aharonovich says in Ynet exclusive that 'There is little chance of reach an agreement'; 'we could see severe events' in West Bank. (Ynet)
Internal Security Minister Aharonovich says in Ynet exclusive that 'There is little chance of reach an agreement'; 'we could see severe events' in West Bank. (Ynet)
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.