News Nosh 11.26.14

by APN 11/26/14
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APN's daily news review from Israel

Wednesday November 26, 2014
 

Quote of the day:

"The MKs don’t understand what kind of fire they’re setting, and that it’s not right to touch the status quo."
--Israeli Police Commissioner Yochanan Danino says right-wing visits to Temple Mount are violating status quo and sparking problems.**


Front Page News:

Haaretz

(Public Security Minister) Aharonovich advancing bill to dismantle the Palestinian guards on the Temple Mount

Yedioth Ahronoth

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

Israel Hayom

 

News Summary:
Three storms in today's news with another playing out in the background. The stormy weather that has hit the country, the stormy coalition and ideological crisis over the nation-state bill and the storm over the controversial song written by popular religious singer Amir Benayoun (see Quick Hits) made top stories in today's newspapers. Meanwhile, Israel's Police Commissioner Yochanan Danino shed light on the situation at the Temple Mount and slammed the decision to allow right-wing MKs to visit it, while Haaretz reported that Israel intends on making a change to the status quo. Also, the latest on Palestinian statehood.
 
Israeli President Ruvi Rivlin came out against the Jewish nation-state bill as Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yair Lapid sparred over it. However, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni appears to have stopped threatening not to vote for it and has asked for a softened version so that she can stay in government. Rivlin said it shouldn't call Arabs and ultra-Orthodox a “minority” when they were “citizens, flesh of the flesh of this land" and that the bill "encourages us to seek contradiction between the Jewish and democratic characters of the state." Ultra-Orthodox and Reform Jews also don't like the bill, nor does the Editorial board of the New York Times. The US has already said that it is problematic because it puts Judaism over democracy, to which Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said that's none of the US' business.
 
**Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino urged MKs and right-wing activists to refrain from visiting the Temple Mount saying they fail to realize the impact of their actions. Danino essentially said that right-wing elements were trying to change the status quo on the Temple Mount and were violating it. “We’ve seen, especially since the elections, that people from the far right have taken the Temple Mount and made it an agenda. We’re constantly warning about it, and we’ve been saying that the Temple Mount should be left alone. The MKs don’t understand what kind of fire they’re setting, and that it’s not right to touch the status quo. We need to be sensitive – The 2000 intifada is still called the Al-Aqsa intifada because it started there.” Danino slammed the Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein for allowing far right-wing Likud MK Moshe Feiglin to visit. Feiglin blasted Danino and admitted that he has been praying on the Temple Mount, which is prohibited for Jews. Yedioth reported that later in the day, that at the recommendation of the Shin Bet, Weinstein announced that MKs are now prohibited from visiting the Temple Mount.
But despite all the talk of preserving the status quo, Haaretz reported that Israel is moving to outlaw Muslim guards at Al-Aqsa mosque, saying that the ‘Mourabitoun’ were at the center of recent clashes with Jewish worshippers. [Note: Israeli Jews are not prohibited by Israeli rules from worshipping on the Temple Mount. They can only visit. - OH]
  
On the Palestinian statehood front, the European Union has postponed a vote on recognition of the Palestinian state. Left and right-wing parties disagree over whether or not to condition recognition on peace agreement. Netanyahu accused them of actually push peace away. And Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, accused the global community of 'hypocrisy' for "speaking about Israel’s right of self-defense in theory, but denying it in practice. I accuse you of lending legitimacy to those who seek to destroy our state." Meanwhile, Danish left-wing lawmakers pushed to recognize the Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders and a vote will take place in January.
 

Quick Hits:

  • President Rivlin cancels performance by singer who published anti-Arab song - Amir Benayoun published song about fictional Arab student who is "ungrateful scum" and who plans to strike unsuspecting Jews with 'well-honed ax.' (Haaretz, Ynet and Israel Hayom)
  • Israeli cinematheque should lose funding for holding Nakba film fest, says minister - Culture minister Livnat asks treasury to mull stopping support of Tel Aviv's only art-house cinema, which is hosting a Palestinian festival this weekend. (Haaretz and Ynet)
  • Jewish theater company in D.C. cancels Mideast festival under donor pressure - The Jewish Community Center where Theatre J is based insists that no supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement be allowed to perform there. (JTA, Haaretz) 
  • S.African court bans pro-Palestinian protests against Israel goods - High-end supermarket retailer Woolworths secures court order against BDS protesters who stormed into its stores, dumping a pig's head in kosher section of Cape Town branch. (Agencies, Ynet) 
  • Israeli driver 'hits Palestinian teen' in Jerusalem, flees scene - Khamis Ahmad al-Kiswani told Ma'an that his son Khalil was standing in the Romena neighborhood in West Jerusalem when an Israeli vehicle approached him and "deliberately" ran over his foot. (Maan) 
  • Israeli bus hits Palestinians in Jenin, 1 dead - An Israeli bus driver ran over two Palestinians at the al-Jalama checkpoint in Jenin, killing one person and injuring another. The driver was arrested. (Maan)
  • NGOs accuse Israel of shoot-to-kill policy - Human rights groups have accused Israel of encouraging a shoot-to-kill policy after a wave of incidents in which police shot dead Palestinians involved in, or accused of, attacking Israelis. (Maan) 
  • Police: Yeshiva students stabbed in Jerusalem's Old City were ambushed - Four Palestinians, aged 15 to 17, were arrested for possible involvement in the attack. (Haaretz)
  • Mentally disabled Palestinian caught in settlement home, beaten up by residents - Man caught breaking into home was handed over to settlement security. He was then beaten by residents until rescued by soldiers. (Haaretz)
  • Israeli forces detain senior Fatah official in Jerusalem - In Silwan, relatives told Ma'an that Israeli troops detained the secretary-general of Fatah in Jerusalem, Adnan Gheith, and his brother Sadiq after raiding their home. (Maan) 
  • Israeli says he was attacked in Berlin by Muslims - 22-year-old Israeli said he was attacked by four Muslims in German capital after he left synagogue. (Ynet)
  • Former interior ministers Sa’ar and Yishai also wanted to revoke terror convict’s ID - Minister Erdan said his decision to revoke the residency status of an East Jerusalem family was linked to the recent terror attacks in the capital. (Haaretz)
  • Gaza threatens to halt Israeli fruit imports - After Israel refuses to let shipment of 135 tons vegetable bound from the Strip to the West Bank and Jordan through the Kerem Shalom crossing, Hamas says it'll stop importing from Israel. (Agencies, Ynet) 
  • Colorful war of words plays out on Gaza's battered walls - Everywhere you turn, walls in the Gaza Strip are covered with paint -- brightly colored slogans, political portraits, and prose. For youth in the besieged enclave of 1.8 million people, graffiti is an important tool for self-expression and fighting back. (Agencies, Maan) 
  • Abu Snan residents demand arrests over grenade incident - Forty-three were wounded when a grenade was thrown during a clash between Druze and Muslim residents. (Haaretz)
  • Israeli forces detain former Palestinian prisoner in Hebron - Akram al-Fseisi was arrested Monday night after being released from prison two months ago upon an order by the Israeli supreme court after spending almost two years in administrative detention. He had spent 70 days on hunger strike during his time in Israeli jail. (Maan)
  • Arab poses as Israeli police to extort Palestinians - E. Jerusalem suspect posed as Israel Border Police officer and 'arrested' Palestinians, demanding money for their 'release.' (Ynet)
  • Defense Min.: Israel doubled arms sales to Africa in 2013 - Activist seeking restrictions in export of weapons warns they can be used by repressive regimes. (Haaretz)
  • Extended Iran nuclear talks leave bomb investigation in limbo - UN nuclear body says Tehran's cooperation with probe into allegations it conducted atomic bomb research should be a condition for sanctions relief. (Agencies, Ynet)

 

Commentary/Analysis: 

Israeli culture minister's distorted understanding of democracy (Haaretz Editorial) A culture minister who demands the cessation of funding because certain cultural activities contradict the leaders’ worldview fails to understand democracy and cannot serve in this post.
The Nation-state bill determines: Arabs are second-class citizens in Israel (Michal Aharoni, Maariv) The nation-state law is basically a statement that Jews in Israel are worth more, that in Israel a racist government rules. At last, we admit publicly that we are stepping on the minority.
The nation-state law: Useless and harmful (Moshe Arens, Haaretz) A quarter of Israel’s population is not Jewish, and one of the most important items on our agenda should be their integration into the country's society and economy.
A coalition divided (Dan Margalit, Israel Hayom) There is no need for early elections right now, but there has to be a limit to how much we are willing to do to prevent them.
Why the U.S. Constitution is everything the Jewish nation-state bill is not (Yuli Tamir, Haaretz) Unlike the American document of great vision and farsightedness, the Israeli bill is petty and political, and serves the interests of the moment.
Jewish state first (Dr. Gabi Avital, Israel Hayom) Those who oppose a Jewish state bill have no trouble fiercely advocating the inception of a Palestinian nation state, despite the PA's refusal to recognize the Jewish homeland.
Will Israel's new race law really bother the West? (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz) The U.S. and EU ignore violations of civil rights in Saudi Arabia, Iran and China - why should Israel be any different?
Al-Sisi's peace plan (Yaron Friedman, Yedioth/Ynet) The general-turned-president would like to send Egyptian forces into the West Bank and Gaza, as a temporary measure until Israel and the Palestinians strike a peace deal; as tempting as it sounds, Israel would do well to be cautious for now. 
**Bibi's 'nation-state' law: The damage has already been done - to Israel (Bradley Burston, Haaretz) Take a close look at the runaway clown car called the Netanyahu government. Some days, you don't know whether to laugh or to vomit. 
Israel will still have a friend in the Pentagon (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) No matter who replaces Chuck Hagel as secretary of state, the policy dictated by Obama – that the US is committed to Israel's security – will remain unchanged.
The only God Israel's army should invoke (Elie Jesner, Haaretz) The ties between religion and state may not always be obvious, but when it comes to war, they demand careful consideration.  
Surprises, pleasant and otherwise (Boaz Bismuth, Israel Hayom) Iran needs much more than a smiling president to erase years of secrets and lies.
Despite nuclear talks' extension, Iran is still on the verge of a bomb (Ron Ben-Yishai, Ynet) Decision to extend Geneva interim agreement holds several advantages and potential risks. It will be Western intelligence organizations' job to minimize risks and prevent Iran from using next seven months to advance its nuclear ambitions.
As the U.S. retreats, how far will Russia and China threaten Israel? (Seth Lipsky, Haaretz) While China and Russia extend their strategic reach and influence in the Mediterranean, Israel’s backyard, the Obama administration wants to curtail Israel’s reach regarding Iran.
Evil spirit taking over Middle Eastern studies (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) The source of hostility toward Israel can be found in the American academia. If this is the education young students get, what will the lecturers of the next decade teach?
Getting nowhere fast (Eyal Zisser, Israel Hayom) With another extension to the West's nuclear talks with Iran, it seems the U.S. has come to believes a bad deal is better than no deal at all.
 
 

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

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