News Nosh 8.17.20

by APN 08/17/20
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APN's daily news review from Israel - Monday August 17, 2020

You Must Be Kidding: 
Israeli army seeks three months community service for soldier who shot dead innocent Palestinian young man who stopped to help the wife and children of another innocent man the soldier also shot in cold blood.*

Quotes of the day:
"Not pleasant, but not terrible, either."
—Haaretz's Gideon Levy writes that's the message the IDF is delivering to soldiers for shooting Palestinians for no reason.*

“After all, how will Israel maintain the occupation, a military regime over an entire people, for generation after generation, without resorting to tremendous and ongoing violence? How can it be imagined that Israeli control over the Palestinians will continue in such a manner, if the soldiers we send to carry it out will have to face a real, not symbolic, accountability for what they were sent to do on our behalf.”
—Amit Gilutz, Spokesman for B’Tselem, writes in Yedioth why the IDF almost never prosecutes soldiers who have harmed Palestinians or just gives them light sentences in the rare case that they do go on trial.***


Front Page:

Haaretz

Yedioth Ahronoth

  • Recession
  • Hi to Dubai - Yedioth correspondent Yaniv Halili reports from Dubai
  • Iron class - (Play on the ‘Iron Dome’ anti-missile battery) Babies born during Operation Protective Edge (3rd Gaza War), between the sirens, enter first grade (Hebrew)

Maariv This Week (Hebrew links only)

  • Economy falling
  • It’ll get worse // Yehuda Sharoni
  • Fire from the skies - Incendiary balloons continued to arrive to the south..
  • Bulgaria first - One flight left yesterday from Ben-Gurion Airport

Israel Hayom

  • “The effort against Teheran brought the Arab states closer to us”
  • Prime Minister to ‘Israel Hayom’: “I believe that after the Emirates more states will come”
  • Palestinians in the Emirates support the agreement: “It will put an end to the eviolence”
  • Furniture instead of life-saving equipment (at hospitals)
  • Special: A request for quiet - Businesses in the south under the shadow of terror and the viurs
  • Don’t fall in the Net: This is how to protect your children from distance learning dangers
  • Worse data in 40 years: Because of corona - steep drop of GDP
  • Biden’s battle: ‘Israel Hayom’ correspondent reports from the Democratic Convention in Milwaukee


Top News Summary:
The biggest story in today’s Hebrew newspapers - except for ‘Israel Hayom’ - was that Israel is officially in a recession. ‘Israel Hayom’ chose to lead with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu speaking about his success in achieving the normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates and how more Arab countries will join. But some papers focused on his insistence that he did not give up on his annexation plan. The other hot topic was the fear and damaged by the shrapnel of a rocket from Gaza and that and the incendiary balloons  continue to be launched across the border, despite all of Israel’s collective punishments on the Palestinians in the Strip.

Netanyahu insisted he did not break his promise in order to normalize relations with the UAE and the Israel will annex parts of the West Bank. “Just as they did not believe I would bring about a peace agreement - I will also bring sovereignty (euphemism for annexation - OH.” (Maariv) Netanyahu insisted he ‘wasn’t given a choice,’ but insisted that annexation was only temporarily suspended. That’s not what US President Donald Trump said last week. Moreover, Trump’s senior adviser, Jared Kushner, said that Netanyahu had agreed to establish a Palestinian state. But senior Likud member, Minister Eli Cohen, denied the allegations in an interview with 103FM. (Maariv) Netanyahu also said that the deal will drive toward peace with Palestinians and he boasted that Israel's strength was what allowed it to achieve peace with an Arab state without giving up lands. French President Emmanuel Macron told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that resuming peace talks remains a priority. The Palestinians oppose the Israel-UAE deal and are struggling to keep other Arab countries opposed to it. Netanyahu said that more Arab countries will normalize relations with Israel soon. Indeed, White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said that "More countries will want diplomatic ties with Israel” and that “Saudi Arabia may possibly be next in line.” (Maariv) A poll couldn’t see the effect of the UAE deal on Netanyahu’s popularity. The number of seats his party would get if elections were held now seemed to be the same as the past few weeks. The Channel 12 poll gave Likud 30 out of 120 Knesset seats, a one-seat drop from its last poll published last week, whereas the Channel 13 poll shows a four-seat rise, putting Likud at 33 seats. It currently has 36 seats.

Besides a direct telephone service between the UAE and Israel in the works and the agreement of Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his Emirati counterpart agreed to meet soon, the papers talked about the opportunities the deal gives Israel in energy, tourism and hi-tech. Calcalist reported on 200 Israeli companies already doing business with the UAE. And in Commentary/Analysis below, Yedioth’s Smadar Perry revealed secret meetings between Israeli and Arab doctors discussing corona and that the Israeli Chamber of Commerce in the UAE is already taking shape. This deal has caused a public tiff between the UAE and Iran. The UAE rejected Iranian ‘interference’ and summoned an Iranian diplomat over Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s statement that the UAE made a ‘huge mistake.’

GAZA-HAMAS-ISRAEL
The Hebrew papers (with the exception of Haaretz) focused on the damage to two Israeli homes from the shrapnel that fell on them when the Iron Dome anti-missile battery intercepted and blew up a rocket in midair. The papers reported at length about the feelings of the residents, one man was lightly injured from the shrapnel and two others had “shock attacks.” The rocket, one of two launched from Gaza yesterday, both intercepted was a sign of escalation. The other sign was the renewal of protests on the Gaza border. Specifically the night-time protests. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the army will respond ‘forcefully’ to Gaza rockets. But, the incendiary balloons keep coming and burning dry Israeli fields. The IDF hit Gaza twice after midnight between Saturday and Sunday. The first time IDF tanks and the Israeli Air Force hit Hamas observation posts in retaliation for the balloons. And the second time was three hours later, after the rocket was launched. Moreover, Israel completely closed the Gaza fishing zone to Palestinian fishermen. Also late Saturday night, after months without demonstrations on the Gaza fence, about 300 people came out to protest against Israel. The Gazan ‘night-noise crews’ began operating again, making noise near the border in order to bother the sleeping Israelis in the nearby communities. (This information came from a Haaretz+ article that reported on a court hearing for an indicted Palestinian man who was caught in the act and explained his goal.”) This time, according to Palestinian sources and the Israeli army, protesters approached the fence and also threw explosives at soldiers, who fired on them and used other riot-dispersal means. Only Haaretz+ reported that at least five Palestinians were injured.

What was blatantly missing, at least to some people (specifically to News Nosh editor Orly Halpern), was that the papers, with the exception of Haaretz, did not give the Palestinian side of the story or report on the effects of the violence on the Palestinians. Israel Hayom, Maariv and Yedioth gave no information about the other side of the border: why Hamas is doing this and whether there were injuries on the other side of the fence from Israeli actions. The sense from their articles was that the actions by the Gazans are senseless. Yedioth did note that the launched rockets “followed” the IAF attack on a Hamas rocket warehouse. It also noted that Israel closed the fishing zone for Gazans and that last week, Israel closed the commercial crossing and the blocked the diesel fuel supply. (It didn’t report that this cuts electricity to a few hours a day.)

Only Haaretz talked about the other side. It explained that “Hamas is also trying to send messages to all the parties concerned that it wants Qatar’s cash payments to continue, that it wants Egypt to ease the passage of people and goods through its Rafah border crossing with Gaza, and that Israeli communities near Gaza won’t enjoy quiet if the understandings aren’t implemented. But by Tuesday, Gaza’s only power plant will shut down because Israel won’t let the fuel in and on Sunday Gazan fishermen were shot at by Israeli naval ships. Haaretz also reported that even Israeli defense officials believe that the incidents on the Gaza Strip fence over the past few weeks are part of an attempt by Hamas to pressure Israel to honor its commitments toward Hamas made as part of understandings reached last year. Unusually, even for Haaretz, it noted that the IAF strikes late Saturday night did not cause injuries “but caused great panic among children specifically,” and damage to several properties. An Egyptian mediation team arrives today in the Gaza Strip for talks with Hamas leadership  to deescalate the situation.
 

Quick Hits:

  • **Israeli Army Seeks Three Months Community Service for Soldier Who Killed Innocent Palestinian - The 23-year-old victim, Ahmad Manasra, was helping a man who had earlier been shot by the same soldier and severely wounded. Sentence is expected to be handed as part of a plea deal, subject to court's approval. [NOTE: Recently, there were two similar sentences. On June 15th, an IDF paratrooper was sentenced by an IDF court to a mere 45 days of community service for killing a Palestinian in Gaza in violation of the rules of engagement. On October 28th, 2019, a soldier was sentenced to community service for shooting dead a 15-year-old Palestinian boy at the border fence in violation of the rules of engagement. - OH] (Haaretz+)
  • Prime Minister demanded "exit points" from the coalition agreement - Representatives of Kahol-Lavan and Likud met: Prime Minister Netanyahu demands that negotiating teams find solutions, due to the fear that he will be required to take leave if the High Court rules that the Deri-Pinhasi rule applies to him as the alternative prime minister. (Maariv)
  • Corona chief apologizes for saying Arabs spreading COVID-19 like 'mass attack' - Prof. Ronni Gamzu uses word typically used to describe terror attack in accusing Israeli Arabs of 'nearly' causing large spike in infection. Prof. Gamzu, said that the behavior of the Arab sector during the coronavirus crisis has been so irresponsible that it is akin to carrying out "a terror attack" that would have resulted in hundreds of new patients in the country. Apologizing, Gamzu stresses he never intended to imply that Arab Israelis were purposefully trying to harm anyone. yman Odeh, the chairman of the Joint List of predominantly Arab parties, said that "it is a shame that at a time when Arab doctors are on the front lines of the battle against the pandemic, the coronavirus czar is coming out with statements that hurt an entire community. Instead of offensive statements like those, I invite him to work together to defeat the disease." (Haaretz+, Israel Hayom and Ynet)
  • Coronavirus Live: Israel Waives Quarantine for Arrivals From 20 Countries - Passengers returning from 20 'green' countries no longer have to self-isolate ■ Israeli Arab panel reports 1,600 new cases in a week. Death toll rises to 685. There are 382 patients in serious condition, with 112 of those on ventilators, (Haaretz+ and Ynet)
  • Ministers Relax Some Restrictions Limiting Crowds - Passengers returning from 'green' countries no longer have to self-isolate ■ Israeli Arab panel reports 1,600 new cases in a week. (Haaretz)
  • Hassidic rabbi who flouted health directives hospitalized with coronavirus - Prominent religious scholar, who openly dismissed Health Ministry regulations, admitted to hospital after thousands attend grandson's wedding not wearing masks, disregarding social distancing. (Ynet)
  • Justices Berate Jerusalem Police for Not Enforcing Noise Rules at anti-Netanyahu Protests - As a legal challenge to weekly anti-government awaits decision, protesters from Saturday's demonstration released, pledging to stay away from the city. (Haaretz+and VIDEO)
  • 28 Months in prison: Sheikh Raed Salah begins serving his sentence today - The head of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement has once again entered prison, after the Haifa District Court rejected last month the appeal he filed against the ruling. He was found guilty of incitement and supporting terror acts that contravene the law. The judges said that it was “not a case of restriction of freedom of speech, but rather prevention of and banning of incitement and support of a terror organization [referring to the Islamic Movement in Israel, which was outlawed by the Israeli government in 2015.]” [NOTE: Article doesn’t say what he said, so reader can’t decide for herself. Salah has been very vocal about accusations that Israel has plans to take over the Al-Aqsa, known to Israel as the Temple mount. He spoke about it in an online seminar a week ago. Meanwhile, religious Jewish nationalist have increased their visits over recent years and have called to limit Muslim worshipers visits.  OH] (Maariv)
  • Son's Murder Spurs 'Mothers' March' to Jerusalem Protesting Violence in Israeli Arab Community - Demonstration didn't draw masses, but organizer Mona Khalil isn't deterred. (Haaretz+)
  • The canine unit in Israel marks 20 years - and is in danger of closing - 20 years after its establishment, the unit, which deals with locating and rescuing missing persons - exists only from donations and its future is in danger, precisely during the busiest period of its activity due to the corona crisis. A few months since the outbreak of corona, demand for their service has skyrocketed, and financial resources have dwindled. As a result, in recent days, members of the unit have launched a mass recruitment campaign, "Lifeguards on All Fours," which appears on their website. Through it, they hope to reach a goal of 520,000 shekels to cover their debts and continue their current activities. (Maariv)
  • Former Israeli Legislator and Prominent Settlement Leader Gershon Shafat Dies - One of the founders of the far-right Tehiya paty, he was dubbed ‘foreign minister’ of settler group Gush Emunim. (Haaretz+ and Yedioth Hebrew)
  • Following the (US) failure to extend the embargo at the UN: Iran has announced that it will export weapons to Lebanon - Following the Security Council's decision not to extend the arms embargo on Iran, the Islamic Republic intends to begin exporting weapons to countries that endanger Israel's security. (Maariv)
  • Top Russian and U.S. Diplomats Discuss UN Meeting on Iran - The UN Security Council voted on Friday on the U.S. effort to extend the world body’s arms embargo on Iran, with Russia and China voting against, while 11 members abstaining. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Saudi-led Coalition Says Downs Ballistic Missile Aimed at Kingdom - Cross-border attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi forces have escalated since late May. (Agencies, Haaretz)
  • Report: Turkey grants citizenship to senior Hamas terrorists - The move, as reported by The Telegraph, would allow them to travel freely and enable them to plot terrorist attacks on Israelis across the globe. (Israel Hayom)
  • Israel’s Oldest-known Soap Factory Found in Negev - Workshop found in 1,200-year-old Islamic-period home in Bedouin city of Rahat was one of the earliest known to make solid soap, but using olive oil instead of lard of the swine. (Haaretz+ and Maariv)
  • Mysterious Giant Mounds in Jerusalem Baffle Archaeologists - Why did the ancient Judahites pile up huge heaps of stones and soil near their capital? The recent dig at one of these mounds has only deepened the enigma surrounding these structures. (Haaretz+)
  • Israeli ice hockey captain defends joining Auschwitz home town team - Eliezer Sherbatov, who grew up in Montreal, draws criticism after signing on with a Polish team in Oswiecim, where the Nazi occupiers built the infamous death camp; 'It's like playing for the Holocaust victims, a Jew has come back and is going to win for you,' he says. (Agencies, Ynet)
  • Beirut’s youth abandon the city to go to Dubai: "We have nothing to look for here anymore" - The disaster in the Lebanese capital's port led hundreds of young people to seek their future in the Persian Gulf Emirates, which welcomed them and pledged to find them employment. (Yedioth Hebrew)


Features:
Twilight Zone: Views on How will the peace agreement affect the Middle East?
From the struggle between the radical and the pragmatic camp, through the next countries to join, to the changing nature of the conflict and its goals - will the agreement with the United Arab Emirates change the balance of power in the region? "The current agreement is very important in terms of the impact on the region on the two main levels in which the conflict is taking place in the Middle East: the struggle between the radical camp and the pragmatic camp in the Arab world," said Brigadier General Yossi Kuperwasser, formerly head of the Armed Forces Research Division and currently a senior researcher at the [right-wing - OH] Jerusalem Center for Public and State Affairs. "Israel is, of course, close to the pragmatic side. This move puts it clearly and distinctly there. There is no need to be careful in making statements towards Israel because it is already on the springboard. That is why the Iranians are scared. The idea that Israel will be present in the Persian Gulf alongside the pragmatists, and the restriction of Iran's freedom of action as the representative of the radical camp, are of great concern to them. Turkey, which leads a radical Muslim Brotherhood camp, is also concerned about the strengthening of pragmatism. This weakens Qatar, its ally. "The Turks see this as a multiplier of power against Qatar, and this will lead to greater daring of the UAE against Qatar because Israel is a very significant force." According to Kupperwasser, “This move is very serious for the Palestinians because their goal is to eliminate Zionism, and the Arab world is basically declaring that it is giving up on the idea of eliminating Zionism.” An important variable in the equation is the elections to be held this coming November in the United States, which will also affect the balance of power in the Middle East. "All the changes depend on the November elections in the United States," explains Dr. Ido Zalkovich, head of the Middle East Studies Program at Emek Yizrael Academic College and a researcher at the Ezri Center for the Study of Iran and the Persian Gulf at the University of Haifa. Trump is trying to establish his status of a statesman who has successes and creates a significant move in the Middle East, and he succeeds in the case of the UAE in producing a first success…” Such agreements are not born out of thin air, and are often an expression of broader processes that the Arab world has been going through for a long time, mainly due to young leadership and the influences of the social media network. "Priorities have changed," explains Nazir Magali, a writer and the political commentator on Israeli affairs at the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, as well as a commentator on television channels in the Arab world. "There is a feeling of threat in the region, not only on the part of Israel. Most Arab countries see their regimes in jeopardy because there are forces that are thinking of restoring the Persian or Ottoman hegemony at the expense of the Arab nation and they are looking for an alternative in the form of economic, political, military alliances and more. The current agreement is an expression of the change that is already taking place in the Middle East. In the Arab world there is an increasing current that believes that change is needed in life and relations in the Middle East. The same people believe that the Arab nation is in the Third World today, but should not be and it must move upward. They argue that there is money, there are material and human treasures, and nothing is missing to be a part of civilization in the full sense of the word, including science, progress, technology, human rights and more. "The thing that is dragging the Arab nation backward is the conflict, the nationalist Islamist forces,” he said. "This does not mean that they have given up on the Palestinian issue, but rather think differently about the issue," adds Majali. "And although the Palestinians don’t like it, they believe that relations with Israel will help the peace process. These currents are not willing to wait until the Palestinians get along with the Israelis, because they barely get along with themselves inside. They feel in real danger and want to navigate the interests of the Arab nation in a different way. I think Bahrain, Oman, Sudan and maybe Morocco will be in the game and will try to form an alliance to repair relations with Israel…"There is a historic move here that the calculations are long-term and will change the face of the region,” adds Majali. "Of course, a lot depends on Israel. If Israel embarks on a provocation campaign like new settlements to please the right-wing, it could spit at the UAE, and this mistake must not be made. Everything internal in Israel affects the Arab world. Today the Arab world recognizes Israel’s existence, and it must respond in a way that reflects the peace moves of a true ally, and not on the backs of the Palestinians. The anti-Israel forces in the Arab world will do everything so that the process does not expand. On the other hand, if Israel conducts itself properly, more and more countries will join because they want a new Middle East and a prosperous Arab world." (Sigal Ben-David, Maariv daily Magazine supplement, cover)
Thanks for Dubai, Now Bye Bye: An Evening With Israel's Happiest anti-Netanyahu Protesters
'Bibi and Trump just helping each other save their you-know-whats,' says one of thousands of protesters – from grandparents to grandkids – who are rallying at junctions and bridges across the country. (Haaretz+)

Top Commentary/Analysis:
***Did you kill a Palestinian? You will have to do menial work (Amit Gilutz, Yedioth Hebrew and VIDEO) It happened on a wintry night about a year and a half ago. A young couple drove with their two daughters, aged five and eight. They were on their way from a family visit to their home in the Bethlehem area. Following an argument with another driver, the father stopped his car, not far from a checkpoint next to which an army guard tower stood, just like many checkpoints and guard towers that dot the entire West Bank. A soldier standing in the tower shot the father and wounded him in the abdomen. The father, stunned, leaned against his car and shouted, "My daughters, my daughters." His wife got out of the car and called for help. Four young men returning from a wedding saw her screaming and crying and came to her aid. Three of them evacuated the injured father to the hospital, and the fourth, Ahmad Manasra, remained with the mother and her daughters. While trying to help them start the vehicle, the soldier fired again, this time at Manasra. He was hit by three bullets, one in each hand, one in the chest, and killed. Ahmad Manasra helped a woman whose husband was shot by an IDF soldier. So the soldier also shot him too and killed him. The sentence: 3 months of service work. Three months of community service work for a criminal killing, lacking any meaning, of a 22-year-old whose entire future was ahead of him. The military prosecution did not even bother to blame him for the other man's serious injury. Otherwise, how will we preserve the occupation?...I wish it could be said that such an outrageous punishment is extraordinary. But last fall, another soldier, who shot dead 14-year-old Othman Hils while he was climbing the perimeter fence in the Gaza Strip, was convicted as part of a plea deal, when the boy was unarmed and posed no threat to anyone. The punishment of the killing soldier? 30 days of military work, probation and demotion to the rank of private. In 2018, another soldier, who shot and killed 23-year-old Nawaf al-Attar, who was approaching the perimeter fence in the northern Gaza Strip - he was also unarmed and posed no threat - also signed a plea deal: 45 days of community service and demotion. Moreover, these three plea bargains were rare cases in which the military prosecutor's office decided to file indictments against the soldiers involved. In the vast majority of cases, it closes the investigation files (if they have been opened at all), even without filing indictments. In the few cases in which indictments are filed, one rushes to sign plea bargains in which ridiculous penalties are imposed - just as in this case. Either way - closing the investigation file or imposing a ridiculous sentence - the message is conveyed and it is clear: Palestinians are allowed to be killed. For many years, B'Tselem has tried to work with the military law enforcement system with the aim of taking action against soldiers who have harmed Palestinians, in an attempt to bring justice to the victims and create some deterrence. We have been involved in hundreds of investigation files and have accumulated extensive and detailed knowledge of the system's methods of operation. A few years ago we stopped, having come to the conclusion that not only is this of no use, but just the opposite: it is harmful because it allows the military to cleanse itself in this cooperation and wash with legitimacy that this gives the system not to do justice to the victims; A system, the root of whose significance is to cover up crimes. This is not a conspiracy theory. It's even should be said. After all, how will Israel maintain the occupation, a military regime over an entire people, for generation after generation, without resorting to tremendous and ongoing violence? How can it be imagined that Israeli control over the Palestinians will continue in such a s" target="blank" target="blank"> manner, if the soldiers we send to carry it out will have to face a real, not symbolic, accountability for what they were sent to do on our behalf. Military rule involves the use of violence, including lethal. Charging a personal price for its operation will inevitably lead to its end. The price, personal and collective, will continue to be paid by the Palestinians, and in vain. Ahmad Manasra, an innocent passerby who wanted to help at night a frightened woman on the road, paid for it with his life. May his memory b blessed.
**The Israeli Army, Seeking Mild Sentence for Unlawful Shooting, Encourages Soldiers to Kill Innocent Palestinians (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Ahmad Manasra was shot and killed from a reinforced guard post and for no reason. A plea agreement for the soldier who fired at him shows once again the absurdity of a grotesque military courts system.
Tell the accused policemen about the "peace" (Einav Schiff, Yedioth Hebrew) It is pleasant and important to hear about the agreement with the United Arab Emirates, only that in the meantime control over another people and the lack of permanent borders continue to give rise to distortions and horrors. On the day the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates broke into our lives, the Ministry of Justice announced the filing of a serious indictment against five Border Police officers for a series of incidents that occurred just a month ago, while the security force was guarding a breach in the separation fence. Over the years, there has been concern that the attachment of the title "serious" to the words "indictment" has lost its value, certainly when it comes to the Palestinians. If so, it may be better to allow very few parts of the document - in its entirety it is a chilling and horrifying text - to speak for themselves. The first indictment describes an alleged encounter between three of the defendants with two Palestinian workers who went through a breach. One of them, named 'M.A.,' began to flee. In response, according to the indictment, "one of the defendants chased him, while holding a gun in his hand, grabbed him by the backpack he was carrying on his back, grabbed him by his shirt in the chest area, slapped his right cheek and told him, "You run away, you son of a bitch, you don't know we are crazy. " Afterwards, according to the suspicion, "the defendant ordered M.A. to get down on his knees, open his bag and empty it on the floor. M.A. transferred 2,600 shekelsi from the wallet to his pants pocket. Then, according to the indictment, the defendant ordered M.A. to empty the contents of his pockets and told him to strip off his pants if anything remained in them. M.A. took his money and cell phone out of his pants pocket and placed them in a hat on the ground. At this point, one of the defendants approached M.A., kicked him in the chest and slapped him in the face. After the above, one of the defendants took M.A. to the side, stood next to him and talked to him, while another defendant stood behind M.A.'s back and fiddled with MA's belongings, under the pretext of inspection and search, and stole 1,400 shekels of the money."  Indictment #4 tells how the next day two Palestinians went through a breach again. At one point, one of the defendants ordered them to lie on the ground. "While the complainants were lying on the ground," the indictment reads, "in the presence of Defendant 1, who served as commander of the team, Defendant 2 stepped on the back of one of the complainants kicked him in the waist, stepped on his head near his ear and ordered the complainants to remain silent. Defendant 2 then approached the other complainant, kicked him twice twice on the cheek, stepped on the back of his neck, pressed his head to the ground and kicked him in the waist. Defendant 2 recorded the incident on video using his mobile phone." The other 12 counts include another series of alleged abuses (one of which includes beating with a stick while singing "Eeny meeny miney moe"). The context of the normalization agreement is the celebrations among right-wing circles and also the radical center, about the "breaking of the paradigm" regarding the abscess of occupation. Here, the concept of "political tsunami" and "international isolation" were refuted. The media's preoccupation is with the breaking of the Prime Minister's annexation promise, and the gaps between the versions regarding the ratification of the two-state vision. Indeed, it is pleasant and important to hear the word "peace" again, even if it is with an entity with which we have never been in a state of war. Only in the meantime, the control of another people and the lack of permanent borders continue to give rise to distortions and horrors such as the above. And even if this time the (Israeli) system proves guilt and then punishes and condemns, they will return. Even business with Dubai and the influx of tourists to Burj Khalifa will not change that.
For the Israeli Army, Palestinian Life Is Cheap and the Excuse Is Always the Same (Haaretz Editorial) Three months’ community service: That’s the punishment in Israel for a soldier who shot to death a Palestinian whose only crime was that he’d come to the aid of another Palestinian, who had himself been mistakenly shot by the same soldier. That’s the plea agreement that will come before the Jaffa Military Court on Monday for approval. Three months’ community service and a demotion for the killing of an innocent person. The Israel Defense Forces couldn’t be clearer in the message it’s delivering to its soldiers in the territories. Did you shoot a Palestinian for no reason? Not pleasant, but not terrible, either.
Another way is possible: police restraint in recent demonstrations shows that the use of force is not a must (Adv. Sharon Avraham Weiss, Maariv) Police violence is a sick evil that hurts us all regardless of religion, race, nationality or gender. It is good that the riots in Balfour (across from Prime Minister’s Residence) have been curbed, but it must also be curbed towards all the other protesters wherever they are…In the early weeks we saw videos of violent arrests, pushing protesters by force and pushing them to the floor. We have seen the use of a jet sprays that fire a powerful jet of water that can cause severe injuries; and we have heard testimonies from protesters about severe violence against them. Police violence does not occur in a vacuum, but stems from policy. Only recently did the Minister of Public Security, Amir Ohana, who is in charge of the police, call for restricting the right to demonstrate, among other things by filing a petition with the High Court against the demonstrations. The policy of the minister, who in every way sought to restrict the right to demonstrate, was also clearly heard in the words of Jerusalem District Commander Doron Yadid, who admitted that the police are selective in enforcing and imposing even more fines for not wearing masks during demonstrations. The attempt to intimidate the demonstrators and deter them from participating in the demonstration through increased enforcement of a particular offense - of course seriously infringes on the right to freedom of expression and freedom of demonstration. It is to be hoped that in this matter, too, the police will address the criticism and cancel the fines imposed at the demonstrations…Police restraint in recent demonstrations shows that the use of force to disperse demonstrations is not necessary, and therefore also illegal. The use of force, certainly one that can also injure and cause serious damage such as the water jet sprayer, is permitted only as a last resort and only to deal with a real threat from the protesters. The question is what is the chance that the change we have seen in the attitude of the police towards the protesters at Balfour will also be maintained regarding the attitude of the police towards other, less powerful populations. Unfortunately, the chances are slim. To this day, many Arabs, Ethiopians and especially ultra-Orthodox - women, children and adults - were caught in the bolt of the jet sprayers, causing them to fly in the air like dolls. According to data from a petition filed in the High Court for two years against the use of stink bombs and sprayers (water, paint or in ultra-Orthodox demonstrations, the police used sprays (using water, paint or stink chemicals) almost 40 times during 2019 and also in 2018. So many people were injured in these incidents, but very little has been written on this matter. Police violence is a sick evil that affects us all regardless of religion, race, origin, nationality or gender. It was good that it was restrained in Balfour, and now it remains to be seen that it will also be restrained towards all the other protesters wherever they are. In a democratic state, it is obligatory to allow the constitutional right to freedom of protest to be exercised.
UAE’s Dangerous, Occupation-blind Deal With Israel Is More PR Than Peace (Muhammad Shehada, Haaretz+) Aside from signaling despair and isolation to Palestinians – and consequently endangering Israel’s security – the UAE-Israel agreement is far worse than previous Arab-Israeli peace treaties.
The Real Deal for Israel and the UAE Is Weapons (Hagai Amit, Haaretz+) The Emirates spend billions of dollars a year on arms procurement. Now Israel stands to get in on the action.
Normalization is already here. And this is just the beginning (Smadar Perry, Yedioth Hebrew) Now it is already possible to reveal: alongside the new political connection between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which emerged into the world as a complete surprise, an Israeli Chamber of Commerce is also beginning to take shape. Cooperation regarding corona has been happening for 3 months. The first meeting, which took place three months ago by Zoom, was attended by 34 doctors from the Emirates, from Israel and also from countries in the Arab world. They mainly discussed diabetes, high blood pressure and other dangerous side effects from corona.  and this is before the agricultural ties and businessmen who can no longer wait. All participants were required to keep secret the very existence of the event, in which two Israeli doctors, Dr. Itamar Raz and Dr. Naim Shehadeh, presented ways of fighting the disease. A doctor from Baghdad asked for permission to speak to describe the difficult struggle in his country. Doctors from the Emirates and Saudi Arabia have also contributed to the discourse as they focus on the second round of corona that brings with it more severe cases. Who runs the bureau on the Israeli side? The president is the most prolific journalist in the Arab world, Henrika Zimmerman, the chairman is businessman David Simcha and the CEO is Baruch Mazor, a former Mossad official. For the time being, the Emirates are careful not to reveal names. According to a very senior Gulf official: "It is not enough to focus only on security and intelligence matters. Commercial, scientific and cultural cooperation must be reached to strengthen the official political agreement. And I recommend starting now." The Israeli side and the side of the Gulf Emirates are already working on regulating economic relations and even binding memoranda have been signed. It is astonishing to find the absence of any opposition on the part of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Israelis with foreign passports who are already roaming Abu Dhabi have joined the locals and are starting to set up joint offices. It is interesting to find that even Jordan, which has expressed full support for Abu Mazen's positions, wants to join the new Chamber of Commerce "cautiously". On the agenda are plans - for the time being - for collaborations in agriculture, water desalination, medical lessons and medicines and teaching the utilization of advanced technologies. At the same time, Israelis exchange position papers with colleagues in the UAE and decide to "meet after corona.”…Soon a ship from the United Arab Emirates, loaded with products from Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, will soon out on a tour of the Mediterranean ports. More than anything else, this here is the first salute demonstrating the forging relationship. It is important to note that the economic competition of the Gulf Emirates is enormous. Israel will have a safe place, especially in matters of technology and professional training. It is already clear, they are looking for a place for offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Tel Aviv and Haifa, because of the port. Business people from the Gulf are expected to arrive very soon.
Only Trump Could Get Netanyahu to Pose as Shimon Peres (Chemi Shalev, Haaretz+) Opposition leader Netanyahu would have torn the prime minister to shreds for abandoning annexation in exchange for breakthrough deal with UAE. Now he is afraid of facing that same kind of criticism from his own base.
UAE agreement could usher in a new golden age for Israel (Alex Fishman, Yedioth/Ynet) The new accord with the United Arab Emirates will not only allow Israel to keep an eye on the Iranian threat in its own land, but it will also serve to open the door to treaties with other Gulf states and even the Palestinians.
A Deal With UAE? If Israeli Settlers Are Mad, It Must Be Good (Gideon Levy, Haaretz+) Give credit where credit is due for this diplomatic step. In Israel today, not one statesman has the slightest intention of bringing about the end of the occupation. The Palestinians are at their lowest point since their disaster in 1948, and the cure for their situation is more distant than ever before. This is a given that can’t be changed in the current domestic and international reality. But that being said, we may still see a faint, weak glimmer of light in the suspension of the annexation and the establishment of ties with the Emirates. Any attempt by Israel to be accepted by non-violent means in the neighborhood that it stomped into about a century ago is a positive development. If the neighborhood bully shows signs of different, non-violent behavior, this is a good thing. Large parts of the neighborhood have long been ready to accept Israel, but Israel turned its back on its neighbors, whether through violence or arrogance or by ignoring their needs.
Failure to extend the embargo on Iran is not a victory for Tehran, but a loss for Trump (Shlomo Shamir, Maariv) The U.S. loss in the Security Council was expected. President Trump mocks the UN, and doesn’t miss an opportunity to demonstrate his contempt and disregard for the global organization. President Trump has a favorite hobby to ridicule and derided the EU. He is outwardly annoyed with Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose successful fight against the Corona plague has anchored her status as the leader of Western Europe. Trump exchanges flattering statements with the Turkish president, a very unpopular figure in the international community, but keeps his distance from the president of France, the leader of a central Western power. Against the background of all this, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came to the UN Security Council and asked, "Guys, please, please, do America a favor and extend the arms embargo on Iran." What answer did Pompeo hope for?
Trump Won on Israel-UAE Deal, but Defeat Over Iran Embargo Could Trigger Extreme Steps (Amos Harel, Haaretz+) Alongside a week of mixed results for the U.S.'s Mideast policy, Gaza simmers as Israel blocks Hamas from infrastructure projects and new funding from Qatar.
Financial distress will be Hamas' undoing (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) The defense establishment believes Hamas is not interested in escalation. The recent events are due to financial distress in Gaza and are part of Hamas' efforts to overcome it.
Wary of regional changes, Iran spurs Hamas to violence (Col. (res.) Ronen Itsik, Israel Hayom) Iran watches with horror as its enemies unite in a historic alliance and its only solution is to fuel tensions with Gaza.  With the Palestinians feeling abandoned and refusing to accept the new situation in the Middle East, it's an easy task.
'It Must Be Complicated to Speak Hebrew Here in Ramallah’ (Umm Forat, Haaretz+) While adapting to a new routine where my partner is in self-quarantine and day care is still closed, a realization of just how far I’ve come ■ Post 19.
Us and them: Netanyahu is conducting himself as if the election is already tomorrow, and the people are divided into good and bad (Ran Edelist, Maariv) Unlike the election campaigns to date, including the false coalition unity shows, in the next elections it is clear that these are two peoples called right and left.
Where does the 'divided Israel' myth come from? (Dr. Eithan Orkibi, Israel Hayom) An embittered and defeated rank of society is waging a battle against the new Israeli solidarity that is blossoming before its very eyes.
When the polls are gloomy, Netanyahu is a Peace Now (activist) (Dr. Baruch Leshem, Yedioth Hebrew) Whether he intends to keep his promises or not, the history of the prime minister indicates that whenever his situation is bleak, he turns to the path of peace.
The Deal With UAE Admits Israel to Center of Mideast Conflicts (Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz+) Yet it won't help its conflict with the Palestinians, and won't absolve it of responsibility for the occupation.
A Decent Person Would Oppose the Israel-UAE Deal (Odeh Bisharat, Haaretz+) A decent person has to ask himself with everything he does, even while preparing dinner, whether his activity serves the struggle to end the occupation. If the dinner menu serves the purpose, well and good; if not, he has to find a different menu. Without this obsession he is not to be considered an ethical person who pursues justice, while his country is abusing another nation in his name.
A Speech of Vision, Faith and Exhortation (Israel Harel, Haaretz+) The zeitgeist in Israel, especially as reflected in the media and in the words of some elected officials, is the spirit of dispute and contention. Instead of words of encouragement and vision, they are showering us with incitement. They don’t stop even in days of the pandemic, the economic crisis and the security challenges. The language and acts of those who have the authority and duty to unite the people, to take it from darkness to light and to heal the wounds caused by the pandemic, the economic crisis and society, is the language of dissent, of deepening the rifts, a rhetoric that kindles a fire of hatred. On Tuesday MK Tehila Friedman-Nachalon (Kahol Lavan) made her debut speech (YouTube - translated) in the Knesset. It was a different speech, in content, language and message. It was a speech the intellectuals should have given and whose content they should have promoted. It was a speech that ought to have been made (and followed) by the government and opposition leaders. They should have remembered that “where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).
Israel's High Court Seeks 'Balance' in Turning Palestinian Villages Into Army Training Zone (Amira Hass, Haaretz+) 'We have an ear for music,' justices tells Palestinian residents of Musafer Yatta, urging them to accept a compromise in ongoing legal battle.
Rein in the Deep State of Jerusalem's Influential Settler Organization (Ziva Sternhell, Haaretz+) Asaf Zamir’s appointment as tourism minister is raising messianic hopes in everyone who fears the megalomaniac plans imposed on Jerusalem in recent years. These plans completely ignore the city’s uniqueness. Aside from the fact that Jerusalem is Israel’s principal city for tourism, which is supposed to be the minister’s main concern, there’s another powerful factor at work – political considerations. If Zamir’s tenure isn’t cut short due to an election, he will presumably become very familiar with the modus operandi of Elad, a settler organization known in English as the Ir David Foundation, and the enormous influence it wields over Jerusalem’s planning decisions.
Israel’s Liaison to Diaspora Jewry Is Starting to Divulge Her True Colors (Judy Maltz, Haaretz+) Three months after taking the post, it’s hard to know where Omer Yankelevich stands. But her social media posts can shed some light on the mystery.

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

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