APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday November 9, 2014

Quote of the day:

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News Summary: 
A young Arab Israeli citizen was shot dead in the back by a police officer sparking fears that the rioting that spread from E. Jerusalem to the north of Israel will explode, making the top story in the Hebrew papers today. Meanwhile, an alleged letter from US President Barack Obama to Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Khamenei sparked fears in Israel that the nuclear talks that opened today will end in a agreement that is 'bad' for Israel.

CCTV footage of the fatal shooting of an Israeli Arab young man Kheir Al-Din Hamdan, 22, indicates that he posed no life-threatening danger to the policeman who shot him dead in his back after he ran at the police van window with a knife then ran away as the police opened the door. The police have opened an investigation, but Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave the police his backing saying no one should riot and calling for the revoking of the citizenship of those who call for the destruction of Israel. 

Haaretz, Yedioth and Maariv made clear both on the front page and in their articles that the circumstances of Hamdan's death were questionable. They also gave space for interviews with Hamdan's father, Rauf, who said his son was killed in cold-blood, 'because he is an Arab,' and had he been Jewish he would have been shot in the legs, at most.

Rioting is increasing in E. Jerusalem and has spread to some Arab villages in the north of Israel, over the right-wing moves to allow praying of Jews on the Temple Mount. Following the killing of the Hamdan Arab cities in Israel went on strike. 

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon called visits to the Temple Mount by government representatives "incitement" in an interview with Channel 10 over the weekend. Police continue to be on high alert for rioting, now in Israel, as well.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif began talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and European Union envoy Catherine Ashton in Oman today and Israel fears that a link has been made between talks on Iran's nuclear program and the battle against ISIS. According to the Wall Street Journal, US President Barack Obama sent a secret letter to Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei saying cooperation in the fight against ISIS depends on reaching a nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers by the November 24th deadline. Israel discovered the letter independently. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel would oppose any deal that made such linkage. However, Kerry insisted Saturday that there was no such letter. Nevertheless, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and chief negotiator Abbas Araghchi said Iran sees no alternative to a diplomatic settlement with six world powers on its nuclear program in regards to the letter, he said it had a "positive impact."

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Quick Hits:

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Commentary/Analysis:

The policeman who shot Hamdan killed him in cold blood (Amir Zohar, Maariv) It needs to be said loud and clear: the policeman who opened fire killed Kheir Al-Din Hamdan in cold-blood. But not only he is guilty. The accusing finger should be pointed towards those who approved the shooting, such as Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich, and the whitewashers around him. You don't need to be Arab to write these words furiously about the Northern District Police and the SWAT policemen there. Nor do you need to be a lawyer or a leftist journalist, God forbid, to determine: A policeman killed the Arab citizen of Israel Kheir al-Din Hamdan in cold blood, and with the backing of his masked and hyper-motivated colleagues, who  ruined the evidence at the scene and on the body, which they dragged on the ground like a sack of potatoes to their luxurious armored van, as if he were a wounded soldier in enemy territory. This was a deluxe operation by policemen lacking public awareness and basic knowledge of the evidence law and and procedures of Magen David Adom and the police. And all this was backed by whitewashing in retrospect of their commanders and their spokespersons, who for a whole night fabricated false statements about a young Arab man who ran with a knife straight at the police officers, and before he stabbed them, they fired into the air as required, prior to the fatal shooting that caused the injury and death of Hamdan.
How a minister called for on-the-spot death sentence for murderers (Friday Haaretz Editorial) Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch seems to have forgotten the rules of engagement, which apply even in the case of terrorists.
The battle for Jerusalem (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) With far-right MKs stampeding up to the Temple Mount, and the Muslim world certain Israel is trying to change the status quo there, Netanyahu would do well to heed some wise words from a veteran lawmaker.
What the Midterms mean for America’s Israel-Palestine policy (Lara Friedman, Haaretz+) Despite the Republican win, U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the next two years depends first and foremost on President Obama, not Congress. But will he finally stand up to Netanyahu?
Cooler heads must prevail (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) Nothing can be gained from agitating the already volatile situation on the Temple Mount, as both sides can only lose.
The holy war being waged within the Israeli army (Coby Ben-Simhon, Haaretz+) Last summer’s war in Gaza was the clearest indication yet of how the IDF has been moving from the secular to the religious, with former chief of staff and current Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon at the heart of the change. What are the long-term implications?
The new normal (Emily Amrousi, Israel Hayom) The Left doesn't want the settlers to enjoy a normal life. If the Palestinians cannot have a state, no one will.
Jewish majority alone doesn’t make a Jewish state (Miron Izakson, Haaretz+) To what extent will a Jewish majority speaking Hebrew be able to preserve the great historical Jewish tradition simply by living here?
The battle over Jerusalem's sovereignty (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) All the Palestinian factions, without exception, have created a combined front aimed at shaking off the Israeli control of Jerusalem. In order to stop PA's encouragement of violence, Israel can either resume peace talks or use more force.
Has Israel become the black sheep of the North American Jewish family? (Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz+) As Israel grew from being an adorable child into a problematic adult, U.S. Jews chose to disengage. But just because it's a point of contention doesn't mean Israel should be disavowed.
Yes apartheid, no apartheid (Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Haaretz+) However justified, the world is not going to accept a situation in which a Jewish state enforces permanent segregation along ethnic lines.
Despite PM's request, right-wing politicians adding fuel to Jerusalem fire (Yossi Verter, Haaretz+)Why did several MKs ascend to the Temple Mount? Because it's there. And because the primaries are around the bend.
Netanyahu may go down in history as prime minister who lost Jerusalem (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) An internationally-sponsored dialogue is the only way to prevent a religious war whose outcome will be more difficult than any other type of conflict between states.
Abbas is busted as a 'partner' (David M. Weinberg, Israel Hayom) The Palestinian Authority president's extremism is ignored and his obstructionism overlooked, and his critics are dangerously disregarded.
'Netanyahu was repeatedly warned of dangers on Temple Mount' (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Source who took part in sensitive forums says intelligence branches have voiced caution time and again. And yet Netanyahu's government showed total complacency in this regard.
Lest we forget our Jewish brothers in arms (British Amb. Matthew Gould, Yedioth/Ynet) Armed Forces' Jewish Brigade during World War II.
What does Egypt want? (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) A friendly, cooperative relationship with the U.S., or hostile charges, suspicions and conspiracy theories?
The Knesset shouldn’t be allowed to play the role of judge, too (Haaretz Editorial) Some MKs want to make it easier to expel their colleagues, particularly Israeli Arab legislators making controversial statements.
The truth we should remember about Yitzhak Rabin (Eitan Haber, Yedioth/Ynet) The settlers' oiled and efficient propaganda machine sold to the public that the Oslo Agreement was approved in the Knesset with a majority of only two votes. That's complete and utter nonsense.
The capital of terrorism (Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom) After weeks of growing unrest, some defense officials are finally willing to admit a new intifada is brewing in Jerusalem. They say the atmosphere is constantly agitated by Hamas and Fatah, and there is no magic cure for the situation.
The Temple Mount: Israel's tale of loons and darkness (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) It's crazy to link events that might have happened thousands of years ago to the political reality of 2014.
The futility of violence (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) Abbas once abhorred violence as self-defeating, but now backs the attacks in Jerusalem, Israel cannot be defined by a group of soccer hooligans, and Yigal Amir definitely did not achieve anything with his despicable murder of Rabin.
Jews have rights, too (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Jews are responsible for the violence sweeping through Jerusalem. The way they see it, no Jews equals no tension.
All this intifada business, and Britney Spears too (Rogel Alpher, Haaretz+) Don't be fooled by the media. What's happening now in Jerusalem isn't an intifada. It's a civil war in a binational state.
Israel should not rely on Republicans' sympathy (Yossi Shain, Ynet) Those hoping that midterm election results will ease tensions with US must not forget that there are many senior officials in Washington who believe Israel's policy harms US.
Cypriot unity: What's in it for Israel? (Asaf Ronel, Haaretz+) A windfall in the form of a Mediterranean gas pipeline that would benefit all sides.

'I didn't raise my children to hate Arabs'
After 27 years, two intifadas and even a life-threatening gunshot wound, security officer Avigdor Shatz, aka the sheriff, is leaving his job as security officer in the West Bank, and he has plenty to say about Palestinian folly, price tag attacks and young Israelis' fondness for hitchhiking. (Interviewed by Akiva Novick in Yedioth/Ynet)

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