APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday November 25, 2014
Quote of the day:
"Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies."
--Signs held by Jews and Arabs at a junction in the western Galilee Friday as they handed out roses to drivers.**
--Signs held by Jews and Arabs at a junction in the western Galilee Friday as they handed out roses to drivers.**
Front Page News:
Haaretz
- US on nation-state bill: Israel must stick to democracy
- Palestinians stabbed yeshiva students in Jerusalem
- Netivot won't accept Arabs for community service
- World powers and Iran agree to extend negotiations over nukes to June
- Under Obama's pressure, Secretary of Defense Hagel suddenly resigned
- Yehuda Glick released from hospital: "We must protect public activists" (Main photo)
- In IDF command, wondering whether Netanyahu is trying to appoint General Golan as Chief of Staff, contrary to Yaalon's stance
- Goal: Building 300 housing units in Beit El (settlement); Problem: There are no available state lands in area; Solution: Military base will be moved to (private land) seized for military purposes; Price: 70 million shekels
- Court rejected building plans - because they did not include (handicapped) accessible homes
- Livnat: Deny funding to Cinemateque because of Nakba movies
- New York is also battling over core studies for ultra-Orthodox
- Lethal legislation // Haaretz Editorial
Yedioth Ahronoth
- US opposes nation-state bill - Reprimand from Washington: We expect Israel to be committed to democracy
- Following Hagel's dismissal: Will the US have a female secretary of defense?
- Doctors go to battle: 1000 already signed against recommendation to reduce private medicine
- 1 shekel coffee - At gas stations at night to keep drivers awake
- Apartment for the housemaid: New residential tower for the rich in Tel-Aviv with next door apartment for house staff
- IVF in Israel: All the truth - Prof. Mashiach: (Israel) has lowest success - less than 20%
- I was an abusive husband
- Day after its launch: Very difficult to buy iPhone 6 in Israel
Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)
- Elections? "Time will tell"
- Yehuda Glick returned home
- Jerusalem: Yeshiva students stabbed in scuffle with Palestinians
- Because of ISIS: Hagel resigned
- Nuclear talks: Extra time
- Teheran gave in // Yossi Melman
- International Women's Day 2014: 200,000 Israeli women were harmed by domestic violence
Israel Hayom
- The crisis over the bill: extension - US: Preserve the democracy; (MK) Elkin: We don't need advice, deal with ISIS
- In Israel, pleased: No bad agreement with Iran
- Drama in Washington: Hagel resigned
- Victory of life: Rabbi Shmulik Sharf, Chabad envoy to Delhi, whose wife was killed by Gaza missile, will re-marry tonight
- History in the Artillery Corps: Captain Efrat Kikov is first woman to be appointed deputy commander of battalion
- 1 shekel coffee for night drivers
- Senior officials: Netanyahu and Yaalon will decide next Chief of Staff in coming days
- Likely: Lieberman advancing establishment of right-wing bloc to run with jointly in elections
- Rain, wind - first snow on Mt. Hermon: November storm is here
News Summary:
Israel's 'Jewish nation-state' bill gets put on hold while Israel gets a scolding from the US, Iran nuclear talks get extended and US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel leaves office making top stories in today's Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news was another stabbing of yeshiva students at Jerusalem's Old City, which may have been a scuffle, which was one incident of many between Arabs and Jews in and around Jerusalem, some of which were not reported in the Hebrew press. Also of interest, the Palestinian pathologist sheds new light on the different claims over the autopsy of the Palestinian Egged bus driver found hung in his bus and a stormy discussion in the Knesset over the IDF becoming more religious.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to pass the Jewish nation-state bill 'with or without' support, but the Knesset vote on the controversial bill was postponed by a week. The hope is that will give ministers time to solve their coalition crisis. At this point, it appears as if it's a showdown between Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni on one side and all the far right ministers and Netanyahu on the other. The US has chimed in with its thoughts about the bill that the cabinet passed on Sunday, saying Israel must stick to its democratic principles. Even the ADL called the legislation 'troubling' and 'unnecessary.' However, coalition chairman Likud MK Zeev Elkin said Israel does not need the US' advice on preserving democracy. Haaretz has a primer about the bill.
Iran nuclear talks were extended by seven months after failing to meet the deadline. Experts from both sides will meet again in December with the goal of reaching a framework agreement in four months. Meanwhile, Tehran will be able to continue to access around $700 million per month in sanctions relief, but AIPAC urged Congress to pass new Iran sanctions in light of the extension. US Secretary of State John Kerry said the sides were closer to a deal that will make Israel safer. Netanyahu welcomed the extension saying, like Kerry, that "No deal is better than a bad deal."
The papers were very interested in whether US President Barack Obama dismissed U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel over ISIS or whether it was Hagel's decision. Haaretz pointed out that both the ADL and Israeli Defense Minster Moshe Ya'alon lavished praise on him upon his departure - what came in in sharp contrast to the intense scrutiny Hagel received from pro-Israel groups when he was nominated for the post two years ago.
For the second time in three days two ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students were wounded in a scuffle with Arab youth, this time inside the Old City. The two men said they were attacked Monday night, but the police suspect a scuffle broke out at which point one of the Palestinian youth stabbed two of the ultra-Orthodox. Most of the papers were more careful this time to explain that this was likely a scuffle and not a pre-meditated nationalist attack. Ynet used the word 'claim' for the ultra-Orthodox accusation. Only Israel Hayom wrote contradictory information: the title said 'suspicion of a terror attack' while the subtitle said the 'background to the incident was a brawl between a group of Arabs and a group of yeshiva students.'
Meanwhile, there was an attack on Arabs Friday night: Ahmad Yaqub al-Ghoul, 22, was with two friends when three 'Jewish settlers' in their 20's hit him with an iron bar and belts until he lost consciousness in the al-Musrara area just north of Damascus Gate Friday night. Al-Ghoul said that two of the settlers were also detained, but that the settlers claimed that the Palestinian youths had launched the attack. Maan has photos. Haaretz and Ynet reported that three young Israelis attacked an 18-year-old Palestinian youth in the Pisgat Zeev Jewish neighborhood in E. Jerusalem Sunday night. The youth was hospitalized. Maan also reported that five Israelis assaulted a young Palestinian man near French Hill Monday night. Mahmoud Ubeid, 19, said he was walking home from work when a car pulled over and one of the five Israelis in the car asked him for a lighter. One got out and pushed him down before the other four attacked him. He escaped and was later hospitalized. An "extremist" Jewish Israeli woman sprayed Nima Abu Hadwan, 57, with tear gas while she was sleeping after breaking into her house in Silwan. Family said Israeli police prevented the son from chasing after the attacker and did not make attempts to find her. Also on Friday, a Palestinian woman was run over by an Israeli near in front of the Shufat Mosque in E. Jerusalem, her mother said. The vehicle reportedly accelerated suddenly as al-Kurd crossed the street and hit her directly before speeding off, leaving her lying on the street. And in Megiddo, a religious Jewish bus driver was punched in the face by a young Arab, who escaped with his friend.
The Palestinian pathologist who was present at the autopsy of the Palestinian bus driver said he refused to abide by the Israeli police summons to be questioned. Dr Sabir al-Aloul told Ma'an that pathologists can be summoned by a court or by district attorney but not by police for interrogation. The Israeli Police had said that Aloul had agreed with the Israeli coroner that the driver committed suicide. However, Aloul gave an interview later saying he believed the driver was murdered. When asked about Israeli claims that he signed the report by the Israeli Institute of Forensic medicine in Abu Kabir which confirmed that Yousuf al-Ramouni committed suicide, the Palestinian pathologist said: "I haven't signed any reports in Israel."
Meanwhile, there was a 'stormy debate' in the Knesset over whether the military is becoming religious. MK Moti Yogev (Habayit Hayehudi) opposed the very fact that the discussion was being held in the Sub-Committee for Human resources in the army, saying, "The enemies are not the religious people serving in the IDF, but Hamas," Maariv reported. The Chairman of the sub-committee, MK Omer Bar Lev (Labor), initiated the discussion over the order that (Givati Brigade commander) Col. Ofer Winter gave during Operation Protective Edge ('to wipe out the enemy that defames G-d'). Bar-Lev said: "I know from my sons and daughters who served in the IDF about the lectures they receive on Saturday from rabbis. This is a phenomenon that has accompanied the army for years, but during Operation Protective Edge we heard about more far-reaching things that are unacceptable. If there is such a trend (of making the IDF a religious army) I want to stop it and put the IDF back on track." Brig. Gen. Gadi Agmon, head of the army’s personnel directorate, told the sub-committee of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that “Except for kiddush on Friday night, there are no [religious] activities that we require soldiers, in a coercive manner, to participate in.” Haaretz quoted MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid), who said that budget cuts have meant that the army is no longer responsible for all the religious content to which soldiers are exposed. “It’s a problem that the army has reduced the Education Corps, due to budgetary hardship... Organizations from outside the army, with agendas, have gotten involved, and my problem is that no boundaries are being set. All the educational training sessions my son had in the Paratroopers Brigade were provided by private religious groups.”
Israel's 'Jewish nation-state' bill gets put on hold while Israel gets a scolding from the US, Iran nuclear talks get extended and US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel leaves office making top stories in today's Hebrew newspapers. Also in the news was another stabbing of yeshiva students at Jerusalem's Old City, which may have been a scuffle, which was one incident of many between Arabs and Jews in and around Jerusalem, some of which were not reported in the Hebrew press. Also of interest, the Palestinian pathologist sheds new light on the different claims over the autopsy of the Palestinian Egged bus driver found hung in his bus and a stormy discussion in the Knesset over the IDF becoming more religious.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to pass the Jewish nation-state bill 'with or without' support, but the Knesset vote on the controversial bill was postponed by a week. The hope is that will give ministers time to solve their coalition crisis. At this point, it appears as if it's a showdown between Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni on one side and all the far right ministers and Netanyahu on the other. The US has chimed in with its thoughts about the bill that the cabinet passed on Sunday, saying Israel must stick to its democratic principles. Even the ADL called the legislation 'troubling' and 'unnecessary.' However, coalition chairman Likud MK Zeev Elkin said Israel does not need the US' advice on preserving democracy. Haaretz has a primer about the bill.
Iran nuclear talks were extended by seven months after failing to meet the deadline. Experts from both sides will meet again in December with the goal of reaching a framework agreement in four months. Meanwhile, Tehran will be able to continue to access around $700 million per month in sanctions relief, but AIPAC urged Congress to pass new Iran sanctions in light of the extension. US Secretary of State John Kerry said the sides were closer to a deal that will make Israel safer. Netanyahu welcomed the extension saying, like Kerry, that "No deal is better than a bad deal."
The papers were very interested in whether US President Barack Obama dismissed U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel over ISIS or whether it was Hagel's decision. Haaretz pointed out that both the ADL and Israeli Defense Minster Moshe Ya'alon lavished praise on him upon his departure - what came in in sharp contrast to the intense scrutiny Hagel received from pro-Israel groups when he was nominated for the post two years ago.
For the second time in three days two ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students were wounded in a scuffle with Arab youth, this time inside the Old City. The two men said they were attacked Monday night, but the police suspect a scuffle broke out at which point one of the Palestinian youth stabbed two of the ultra-Orthodox. Most of the papers were more careful this time to explain that this was likely a scuffle and not a pre-meditated nationalist attack. Ynet used the word 'claim' for the ultra-Orthodox accusation. Only Israel Hayom wrote contradictory information: the title said 'suspicion of a terror attack' while the subtitle said the 'background to the incident was a brawl between a group of Arabs and a group of yeshiva students.'
Meanwhile, there was an attack on Arabs Friday night: Ahmad Yaqub al-Ghoul, 22, was with two friends when three 'Jewish settlers' in their 20's hit him with an iron bar and belts until he lost consciousness in the al-Musrara area just north of Damascus Gate Friday night. Al-Ghoul said that two of the settlers were also detained, but that the settlers claimed that the Palestinian youths had launched the attack. Maan has photos. Haaretz and Ynet reported that three young Israelis attacked an 18-year-old Palestinian youth in the Pisgat Zeev Jewish neighborhood in E. Jerusalem Sunday night. The youth was hospitalized. Maan also reported that five Israelis assaulted a young Palestinian man near French Hill Monday night. Mahmoud Ubeid, 19, said he was walking home from work when a car pulled over and one of the five Israelis in the car asked him for a lighter. One got out and pushed him down before the other four attacked him. He escaped and was later hospitalized. An "extremist" Jewish Israeli woman sprayed Nima Abu Hadwan, 57, with tear gas while she was sleeping after breaking into her house in Silwan. Family said Israeli police prevented the son from chasing after the attacker and did not make attempts to find her. Also on Friday, a Palestinian woman was run over by an Israeli near in front of the Shufat Mosque in E. Jerusalem, her mother said. The vehicle reportedly accelerated suddenly as al-Kurd crossed the street and hit her directly before speeding off, leaving her lying on the street. And in Megiddo, a religious Jewish bus driver was punched in the face by a young Arab, who escaped with his friend.
The Palestinian pathologist who was present at the autopsy of the Palestinian bus driver said he refused to abide by the Israeli police summons to be questioned. Dr Sabir al-Aloul told Ma'an that pathologists can be summoned by a court or by district attorney but not by police for interrogation. The Israeli Police had said that Aloul had agreed with the Israeli coroner that the driver committed suicide. However, Aloul gave an interview later saying he believed the driver was murdered. When asked about Israeli claims that he signed the report by the Israeli Institute of Forensic medicine in Abu Kabir which confirmed that Yousuf al-Ramouni committed suicide, the Palestinian pathologist said: "I haven't signed any reports in Israel."
Meanwhile, there was a 'stormy debate' in the Knesset over whether the military is becoming religious. MK Moti Yogev (Habayit Hayehudi) opposed the very fact that the discussion was being held in the Sub-Committee for Human resources in the army, saying, "The enemies are not the religious people serving in the IDF, but Hamas," Maariv reported. The Chairman of the sub-committee, MK Omer Bar Lev (Labor), initiated the discussion over the order that (Givati Brigade commander) Col. Ofer Winter gave during Operation Protective Edge ('to wipe out the enemy that defames G-d'). Bar-Lev said: "I know from my sons and daughters who served in the IDF about the lectures they receive on Saturday from rabbis. This is a phenomenon that has accompanied the army for years, but during Operation Protective Edge we heard about more far-reaching things that are unacceptable. If there is such a trend (of making the IDF a religious army) I want to stop it and put the IDF back on track." Brig. Gen. Gadi Agmon, head of the army’s personnel directorate, told the sub-committee of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that “Except for kiddush on Friday night, there are no [religious] activities that we require soldiers, in a coercive manner, to participate in.” Haaretz quoted MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid), who said that budget cuts have meant that the army is no longer responsible for all the religious content to which soldiers are exposed. “It’s a problem that the army has reduced the Education Corps, due to budgetary hardship... Organizations from outside the army, with agendas, have gotten involved, and my problem is that no boundaries are being set. All the educational training sessions my son had in the Paratroopers Brigade were provided by private religious groups.”
Quick Hits:
- PM orders $18m allocated to create more space for homes at settlement - Finance minister balks at Netanyahu's high demand for funds for the 2012 plan, which would relocate Border Police base to make room for housing at Beit El, wants issue to be brought before cabinet for vote. (Haaretz+)
- (Settler) Lawmaker vows to authorize settlements on state-owned land - MK Moti Yogev, who has used his subcommittee to promote the settlement enterprise, says negotiations are unlikely to culminate with dismantling of homes, Arab or Jewish. Yogev says Rawabi, a new "Qatari-bankrolled" city, will become "Hamas Central." (Israel Hayom)
- Gaza residents face bleak winter in bombed-out homes - Heavy rain in recent days have seen damaged homes flooded with water as Gazans struggle to cope with aftermath of summer conflict in bad weather. (Ynet+PHOTOS)
- Palestinian pharmacist injured after being hit by Israeli stun grenade - A Palestinian pharmacist sustained a leg injury after Israeli forces fired a stun grenade at him in the Shufat neighborhood of East Jerusalem late Saturday, witnesses said. (Maan)
- Woman detained in Jerusalem for 'attempting to stab soldier' - Shuroq Ayman Ratib Abu Tier, 21, a mother of one, allegedly attempted to stab an Israeli soldier at Shufat refugee camp checkpoint north of Jerusalem. (Maan)
- Israeli settlers smash Palestinian vehicles in Nablus district - Dozens of settlers threw rocks and empty bottles at Palestinian vehicles Monday, smashing windshields and causing damages but no injuries. (Maan)
- Netanyahu backs bill ousting MKs who support armed struggle against Israel - Balad MK Haneen Zoabi seen as bill’s main target; PM says Knesset expulsion vote must require more than simple majority. (Haaretz+)
- Hamas says PA responsible for Gaza security services - A Hamas spokesman on Saturday said that Gaza's security services are not under the control of Hamas, but the Palestinian national consensus government. Hamdallah had said Friday that Hamas was "the actual security authority in Gaza" and that the unity government could not work in Gaza. (Maan)
- Saeb Erekat to Haaretz: Palestinians have not yet delayed UN bid - Chief negotiator's remark follows announcement by PA foreign minister that Palestinians have decided to postpone the UN motion. (Haaretz)
- UN chief: Palestinian recognition gains momentum - Ban says international community's failure to advance diplomatic solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict is spurring governments to recognize Palestinian state. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Israeli city ordered to reverse decision barring Arabs from community service - State says mayor of Netivot must back down on illegal decision, but municipality denies the allegations. (Haaretz+)
- Arab MK evicted from Knesset for calling Feiglin 'fascist' - Both Jamal Zahalka (Balad) and Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash) ordered out of the chamber by acting speaker Moshe Feiglin during no-confidence debate. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli forces raid Palestinian football association HQ - Soldiers raided the headquarters Monday and apprehended IDs and interrogated employees, prevented them from entering, and searched the building, said the Palestinian Football Association. (Maan)
- **Jews, Muslims and Druze handed out flowers to drivers in Galilee - Dozens of Jews, Muslim Arabs and Druze handed out roses to drivers and passers-by at Yasif Jct. in the Western Galilee as a moving gesture of rapprochement and called for reconciliation, friendship and peace between the peoples and religions in Israel and the M.E. Behind the initiative: Kibbutz Movement, 'Tag Meir', the 'Neighbors for Peace' guard, and local Arab and Druze municipalities. "Some drivers even stopped their cars on the side and stood with us and waved signs (saying 'Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies,'" said Elias Shukri. (Sunday Yedioth, p. 5)
- Parents deny sons planned to assassinate Israeli FM - Salim el-Zir, 65, the father of two Palestinian men accused of plotting to kill Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, said the claims by Israel were "inconceivable." El-Zir said Israel is trying to improve the public image of Lieberman and claimed that even the lawyer was unaware of the accusations against them as published in Israeli media. (Maan)
- Temple Mount activist released from hospital, lauds Arab medical workers - ‘The Muslim doctors and nurses who work in the hospital are the people who honor their religion, not the man who shot me,’ Yehuda Glick says. (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
- Terrorist behind Tel Aviv stabbing attack indicted - Indictment reveals Nur a-Din Abu Hashiya entered Israeli illegally, sought jobs in Israel the morning of attack. When he failed to find work, he bought a knife at Jaffa flea market for attack. (Ynet)
- Clashes as Israeli soldiers raid attack suspects' homes - The family of Ghassan and Uday said that Israeli forces raided two homes of the family after smashing their doors; they took measurements of the houses from inside and outside. The homes won't be demolished until a decision by Israeli prosecution is made. (Maan)
- Transportation Protection Unit will return to work in Jerusalem - Transportation Minister instructed his office to prepare for the possibility of an escalation in the capital. Katz: "I decided to take preventive measures and to prepare in advance. Shuttle stops and bus stations are places that should be protected." (Maariv)
- Israel slams Jordanian support of synagogue terrorists' families - Israeli Embassy in Amman on Monday issues harsh letter of protest and condemnation to Jordanian Foreign Ministry following letter of support sent by Jordanian PM Abdullah Ensour to families of terrorists behind last week's synagogue massacre in Jerusalem. (Israel Hayom)
- Jordan summons Israel envoy over questionable comments about parliament - Ambassador Daniel Nevo called in for diplomatic dressing-down over statements he allegedly made about Jordanian parliamentarians' lack of influence, pettiness. (Haaretz)
- Israeli court fails to end administrative detention of Palestinian man - The Israeli High Court decided Israeli authorities can renew the administrative detention of Raed Ikhlayyil two more times of four months each, after which, they can not keep him in custody without trial. He has been jailed for almost two years without trial. (Maan)
- Israeli guards raid cells in Rimon jail - Tensions in the jail began on Sunday after relatives of Palestinian detainees were prevented from sending food via the prison canteen. Then detainees later clashed with guards on Monday following a raid on prison cells. (Maan)
- Tel-O-Fun sees revenues go flat as summer war deters tourists - Revenues amounted to just 10.7 million shekels in the first nine months of 2014, a 15% drop from the same time last year. (Haaretz+)
- Gaza ministry warns Israel over fruit exports -
- Ministry of Agriculture said Israeli authorities prevented 12 trucks of vegetables from being sent to West Bank Sunday, causing Palestinian farmers huge losses of $150,000 and warned Israeli authorities Monday that continuous obstruction of export of fruit and vegetables would result in sanctions. (Maan)
- State: Soldiers have right to object to phone searches - Military Police can search phones without a warrant if the suspect agrees to the search, state prosecutor says. (Haaretz+)
- Israeli forces 'detain 10-year-old Palestinian boy' in Silwan - The forces entered the neighborhood in E. Jerusalem, detained 10-year-old Rashid Abu Sarah, took off his shirt, blindfolded him, and took him away in a military jeep. (Maan)
- FM mulls right-wing bloc ahead of possible elections - Avigdor Lieberman said to be considering having Yisrael Beiteinu join forces with Likud, Habayit Hayehudi parties ahead of next Knesset race. "It's a way for us to win the elections," he tells associates. Move may drive leftist parties to do the same. (Israel Hayom)
- Herzog calls out to Lapid and Livni: "Come let's establish an alternative government" - Head of Opposition, Labor chief Isaac Herzog, called on Yesh Atid and Hatnuah parties to establish a new government with Labor. "Netanyahu endangers the basic existential interests of Israel - in his actions and his decisions...," he said. (Maariv, p. 3)
- Right-wing MK warns ‘post-Zionist’ groups infiltrating Hillel around the U.S. - Ayelet Shaked of Habayit Hayehudi says Jewish organization serving 550 American campuses providing a platform for BDS movement. (Haaretz)
- N.J. rabbi embraced by modern Orthodox community in spite of extreme views on Arabs - Rabbi Steven Pruzansky's commentary is a sign of where political discourse is in some corners of the American Jewish community - particularly in Orthodox synagogues, where right-wing views on Israel tend to dominate. (Haaretz)
- Muslim clerics meet in Iran to counter extremists - Shiites and Sunnis meet in Qom to preach against Islamic extremists, including Islamic State group. "The roots of their violent ideology must be dried up. This is the job of Muslim scholars, to preach the true, moderate face of Islam," says one cleric. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
- Netanyahu delaying appointment of new Israeli atomic energy chief - Expect densely packed round of changes in Israel's top security ranks, including army, police, prison service, Mossad. (Haaretz)
- Britain says it is reviewing arms exports to Israel again - London seeking to ensure arms are not used in Gaza in a way that would not breach international law. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Leading Mideast studies group allows members to support BDS - Israeli academics present at Middle East Studies Association’s AGM in Washington call the move unprecedented and a game changer. (Haaretz+)
- Obama awards Israeli an innovation medal - SanDisk co-founder Eli Harari, whose company pioneered the use of flash computer storage technology, won highest U.S. honor for technological achievement. (Haaretz)
- Chinese airline to operate Tel Aviv-Beijing line - Move by Hainan Airlines will likely see fall in prices on line that was until now El Al's domain; flight times, however, are expected to remain the same. (Ynet)
- Gaza war long over, but tourists still avoiding Israel - Jerusalem synagogue attack reawakens fears of travel; hotel occupancy rates down by a third in October. (Haaretz+)
- UK archbishop leads plea for peace during Gaza visit - "I have been shocked by the extent of the damage caused by this war and ... I have also been shocked by the level of poverty that is clearly in this city and in Gaza as a whole," says Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. (Agencies, Israel Hayom)
Features:
Why is a black-and-white kaffiyeh like a red flag?
When worn by an Arab MK, the traditional Arab headdress – both a symbol of the Palestinian struggle and a popular fashion element – enraged MK Miri Regev. She forgot that even David Ben-Gurion once wore one. (Eyal Sagui Bizawe, Haaretz+)
The history of the kaffiyeh: From proto-hat to symbol of pride
It's really just a way to keep the sun off one's face and neck, yet became, for some, a symbol of Palestinian nationalism. (Elon Gilad, Haaretz+)
How Pakistani law inspired Israel to seize Arabs' land
A South African journalist investigates accusations of apartheid in Israel. (Benjamin Pogrund, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
When worn by an Arab MK, the traditional Arab headdress – both a symbol of the Palestinian struggle and a popular fashion element – enraged MK Miri Regev. She forgot that even David Ben-Gurion once wore one. (Eyal Sagui Bizawe, Haaretz+)
The history of the kaffiyeh: From proto-hat to symbol of pride
It's really just a way to keep the sun off one's face and neck, yet became, for some, a symbol of Palestinian nationalism. (Elon Gilad, Haaretz+)
How Pakistani law inspired Israel to seize Arabs' land
A South African journalist investigates accusations of apartheid in Israel. (Benjamin Pogrund, Haaretz+)
Commentary/Analysis:
The sickness in both Israeli and Palestinian societies (Americans for Peace Now Spokesman,
Ori Nir, Haaretz+) Violence, incitement and racist hatred don’t just increasingly plague Israel.
Palestinian society is just as sick – and unlike Israel, lacks a leader voicing genuine self-criticism.
Lies, paranoia and superstitions (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Before complaining about the incitement and falsehood culture on the Palestinian side, we should take a look at what's happening on our own side.
L'Etat, c'est moi (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) The claim that the Jewish state bill seeks to put Israel's Jewish character above its democratic character is a flat-out lie.
The Jewish nation-state bill only weakens Israel's democratic foundations (Haaretz Editorial) The State of Israel’s identity is liable to be held hostage to the desire of ministers and their parties to favor their political ambitions over democratic principles.
Netanyahu was fiddling while Iran became a nuclear state (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) Amid talks on Iranian atomic program, the prime minister has been busying himself with a law to define Israel as the Jewish nation-state - after failing to convince the world to strip Iran of its centrifuges and nuclear fuel.
In nuclear talks, Iran isn't the only one being tested (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Many will wonder how extending the talks between the world powers and Iran can bridge ‘significant gaps’ on the latter’s nuclear program. The answer lies in the dynamics that will develop over coming months.
Israel's hidden monster (and one very visible one) (Yitzhak Laor, Haaretz+) These days our leaders don’t need any legitimacy from the West. That’s why the thugs permit themselves everything.
Closing Rafah: A tale of two narratives (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) A Palestinian would be justified in concluding that the world hasn't the slightest interest in the fate of Palestinians, other than as a battering ram to use against Israel.
Sharp dressers, tons of food and heaps of right-wing hyperbole at ZOA gala in N.Y. (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Ted Cruz starred and Barack Obama was tarred in an evening of what used to called crazy talk but is increasingly mainstream in both Israel and the U.S.
A compelling response to post-Zionism (Uri Heitner, Israel Hayom) The damaging influence of the post-Zionist discourse indicates the vital need to legislate the Jewish state as a Basic Law of Israel.
Coverage of Israel should be accurate and impartial, but it's not (Eytan Gilboa, Yedioth/Ynet) The reporting on the attack at a Jerusalem synagogue last week was only the latest example of ongoing and shameful phenomenon of misleading and slanted coverage on Israel.
Decide: Unity or elections (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) If the coalition parties cannot reconcile and compromise in the long term, then we may as well start heading to the polls.
What was behind Qatar's eight-month rift with other Gulf states and why is it over now? (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) A look at what the discord and its aftermath are all about. Hint: It involves ISIS and Al Jazeera.
Lies, paranoia and superstitions (Nahum Barnea, Yedioth/Ynet) Before complaining about the incitement and falsehood culture on the Palestinian side, we should take a look at what's happening on our own side.
L'Etat, c'est moi (Dror Eydar, Israel Hayom) The claim that the Jewish state bill seeks to put Israel's Jewish character above its democratic character is a flat-out lie.
The Jewish nation-state bill only weakens Israel's democratic foundations (Haaretz Editorial) The State of Israel’s identity is liable to be held hostage to the desire of ministers and their parties to favor their political ambitions over democratic principles.
Netanyahu was fiddling while Iran became a nuclear state (Shimon Shiffer, Yedioth/Ynet) Amid talks on Iranian atomic program, the prime minister has been busying himself with a law to define Israel as the Jewish nation-state - after failing to convince the world to strip Iran of its centrifuges and nuclear fuel.
In nuclear talks, Iran isn't the only one being tested (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Many will wonder how extending the talks between the world powers and Iran can bridge ‘significant gaps’ on the latter’s nuclear program. The answer lies in the dynamics that will develop over coming months.
Israel's hidden monster (and one very visible one) (Yitzhak Laor, Haaretz+) These days our leaders don’t need any legitimacy from the West. That’s why the thugs permit themselves everything.
Closing Rafah: A tale of two narratives (Elliott Abrams, Israel Hayom) A Palestinian would be justified in concluding that the world hasn't the slightest interest in the fate of Palestinians, other than as a battering ram to use against Israel.
Sharp dressers, tons of food and heaps of right-wing hyperbole at ZOA gala in N.Y. (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Ted Cruz starred and Barack Obama was tarred in an evening of what used to called crazy talk but is increasingly mainstream in both Israel and the U.S.
A compelling response to post-Zionism (Uri Heitner, Israel Hayom) The damaging influence of the post-Zionist discourse indicates the vital need to legislate the Jewish state as a Basic Law of Israel.
Coverage of Israel should be accurate and impartial, but it's not (Eytan Gilboa, Yedioth/Ynet) The reporting on the attack at a Jerusalem synagogue last week was only the latest example of ongoing and shameful phenomenon of misleading and slanted coverage on Israel.
Decide: Unity or elections (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) If the coalition parties cannot reconcile and compromise in the long term, then we may as well start heading to the polls.
What was behind Qatar's eight-month rift with other Gulf states and why is it over now? (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) A look at what the discord and its aftermath are all about. Hint: It involves ISIS and Al Jazeera.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.