Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Tuesday, Feb. 02 '16, Shevat 23, 5776
HEADLINES:
1. THE EMOTIONAL POST THAT CONQUERED ISRAELIS' HEARTS OVERNIGHT
2. ARIEL SHARON ADVISOR: GUSH KATIF WAS DESTROYED ON PA REQUEST
3. ISRAELI HIKER FINDS ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SEAL
4. JUDEA AND SAMARIA EXPORTERS TO FIND NEW MARKETS IN ASIA
5. HAREDI SOLDIER TO BE COURT MARTIALED FOR NOT SALUTING A WOMAN
6. IM TIRTZU SAGA: THE ISRAELI RIGHT NEEDS TO LEARN FROM THE LEFT
7. REFORM PRAYER SECTION TO ERASE LAST SIGNS OF TEMPLE DESTRUCTION
8. CLINTON EDGES SANDERS IN IOWA
1. THE EMOTIONAL POST THAT CONQUERED ISRAELIS' HEARTS OVERNIGHT
by Reut Hadar
Natan Meir, the husband of terror victim Dafna, published an emotional Facebook post last night, which has already received numerous shares and reached Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Dafna Meir was recently murdered in her Otniel home.
"My sweet daughters, Noa (11.5) and Ahava (10.5) competed in an internal gymnastics competition in Otniel today. They both won medals for second and third place. Two mothers, loving neighbors, escorted them and greatly cheered them up," he wrote.
"When evening came, so did the tears - their mother wasn't able to see this achievement. Where is her hug? Why isn't she here to see? I suggested that I would post a picture of them with their medals so they could receive a warm embrace and love from the entire Jewish People."
Tens of thousands of responders sent their warm wishes to the two girls, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Culture Minister Miri Regev (Likud).
"Dear Meir family, I offer you my embrace - and so does the entire Jewish People," wrote Netanyahu. Regev added: "Sweet Noa and Ahava - your mother sees it all! The entire Jewish People are with you, champions."
2. ARIEL SHARON ADVISOR: GUSH KATIF WAS DESTROYED ON PA REQUEST
by Shimon Cohen
Dov Weisslgass, Ariel Sharon's personal consultant and confidant, has revealed that the destruction of the communities in Gush Katif was requested by the Palestinian Authority and its head, Mahmoud Abbas.
During an interview with Army Radio, Weissglass explained that, contrary to the public feeling in Israel and around the world that the disengagement was carried out unilaterally, Israel spend dozens of hours in talks with the PA in order to determine how to carry out the action.
According to him, the initial plan called for leaving the houses in Gush Katif intact, but later Abbas asked Sharon to destroy the homes so that officials not under PA control could not make use of them.
Weissglass revealed this information as a response to reserve General Yom Tov Samia, who yesterday (Monday) told Army Radio that abandoning the Philadelphia Route in Gaza was completely unjustified. Samia claimed that he himself suggested to political officials that the route should be left in the hands of the IDF, and that thousands of buildings in Rafah should be evacuated in order to expand Israel's ability to control the route. He further thought that the residents of these buildings could move into the abandoned Jewish homes.
Samia said that such a move would have prevented Hamas's terror tunnels into Israel. He further claimed that his idea was shot down by Weissglass, among others.
In response, Weissglass claimed today that it was Abbas who demanded the Gush Katif buildings be destroyed, and that the idea of destroying buildings in Rafah would be absolutely unacceptable to the international community.
3. ISRAELI HIKER FINDS ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SEAL
by Ido Ben Porat
During a hike with his children on the hills of the Horns of Hattin located in the lower Galilee, Amit Haklai, a resident of Kfar Hittin, found a small white stone nestled among the dark basalt rocks of the area.
Amit picked up the stone and saw that it was engraved with the image of a beetle and understood that it was an ancient seal. He quickly called the Israel Antiquities Authority and gave them the artifact. He asked only that they tell him what was written on the seal, and what it could teach them about the location.
The seal was identified by Dr. Dafan Ben Tor, the curator of the Ancient Egypt department of the Israel Museum, as a scarab, a charm from the new kingdom era of Egypt. According to Ben Tor "the scarab shows king Thutmose III sitting on his throne and in front of him a cartouche that says his name. A cartouche is an oval with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name in Hieroglyphics.
Thutmose III reigned during the 15th century B.C.E., and during his reign Egypt set up governance over the land of Cana'an and waged numerous wars in the land, the most famous of which was the battle of Megiddo in the Jezreel valley. The famous battle is depicted on giant tablets on the walls of the temple in Karnak.
"The scarab was a cosmological symbol that was important in Egyptian culture," said Ben Tor. "Many scarab symbols have been found throughout Israel pointing to the strong cultural and political influence that Egypt had over Israel at that time."
The Horns of Hattin is an important historical location as it was the site of the Battle of Hattin that was waged in 1187 between between the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the forces of the Kurdish Ayyubid sultan Salah ad-Din, known by the name of Saladin.
Almost two millennia before the battle took place, a fortress stood on the hills and was destroyed in the 13th century B.C.E.
Archaeologist Yardena Alexander, who works at the Antiquities Authority, said that "even though the seal was found on the surface and not as part of an archaeology dig, it should be attributed to the time period of the fortress."
Amit received an award for his help and for his being a good citizen. "It is important that my children grow up with a strong connection to their land and to the antiquities of our country," he told reporters afterwards.
Dr. Miki Saban, Director of National Treasures at the Antiquities Authority hailed the rare discovery.
"There is great importance for all citizens of Israel, who tour and hike through our national parks and attractions, and who from time to time come across antiquities or relics to pass them on to the Antiquities Authority.
"These items find a place of honor among our national treasures, enrich our archaeological knowledge about Israel, and many times even go on display at various museums. Thus the entire country can enjoy them."
4. JUDEA AND SAMARIA EXPORTERS TO FIND NEW MARKETS IN ASIA
by Raphael Poch
The Foreign Ministry, in conjunction with the Israel Export Institute (IEI), has put together a system to protect businesses in Judea and Samaria that may be hurt by the EU's product labeling program.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzippi Hotovely met with Foreign Ministry Economic Department Director Yaffa Ben Ari as well as IEI Director Ramsey Gabbai and IEI CEO Ofer Zacks and put together the program.
The conversation found that most of the exporters have not yet felt any economic impact due to the labeling, but those who have report significant losses and the closure of several markets as a result.
During the meeting it was decided that the Foreign Ministry will issue a call to all of the exporters to declare any losses as a result of labeling. Yediot news site reported that the Ministry hopes to create a "round table" which will include exporters from Judea, Samaria and the Golan who have been impacted by the new policy as well as members of the IEI to generate new ideas and plans to help the businesses affected by looking into new markets and providing help with the exports to those new markets.
Both the Ministry and the IEI will help the businesses find new markets for their products. The IEI came out against having special sales events throughout Europe showcasing products from Judea, Samaria and the Golan.
"The Foreign Ministry will do everything in its power to minimize the impact that the EU policy has on exporters,' Hotovely said.
"If for example an exporter tells us that his products such as peppers or dates from the Jordan valley, or vegetables and wine from Samaria are no longer being purchased, then the Ministry as well as the IEI will step in to help them find new markets in Japan, India or China, countries that do not label products. We will help the exporter open doors to these countries.
"We will help exporters directly so that the campaign of product labeling will fail. Every exporter that comes to us, we will help them find a tailor made solution fit for them and help them with their export to a new market and marketing their products there."
5. HAREDI SOLDIER TO BE COURT MARTIALED FOR NOT SALUTING A WOMAN
by Benny Tocker
The non commissioned officer (NCO) of religion on the Ramat David Base is set for a court martial this Thursday following his refusal to participate in the ceremony commemorating the end of his term. The soldier was to receive an honor for exemplary service during the recent term. He is a haredi man and is part of the project that is bringing haredim into the IDF.
The soldier had informed his officers that he spoke to his rabbis who informed him that he cannot accept the authority of a female commander and salute her, which he would have needed to do at the ceremony.
During an interview with Arutz Sheva, the father of the soldier said that one of the criteria for enlistment into the haredi unit was a conscientious approach that would be taken by the IDF towards the haredi lifestyle. He said that if the IDF wants haredim to continue to enlist then they have to live up to their commitment and respect the relationship between the soldiers and their rabbis, especially when it comes to interacting with women in the IDF.
According to the father, his son was supposed to receive his award from a female commander who was part of the company's administration team. Upon asking his rabbi if this was allowed the rabbi refused and told the soldier that he cannot accept the authority of a woman, nor can he look at her in order to salute. The father claimed that the son has a right to listen to his own personal rabbi instead of the IDF rabbi for his unit who instructed the soldier to attend and salute, as the IDF rabbi is of the national religious sector and not of the haredi sector.
The soldier has approached the oversight committee who looks after haredi enlistment. However they have not yet dealt with the issue. The IDF spokesperson's unit has likewise not yet commented on the situation.
6. IM TIRTZU SAGA: THE ISRAELI RIGHT NEEDS TO LEARN FROM THE LEFT
by Gil Ronen
Following the apology and self-suspension by Matan Peleg, the head of grassroots Zionist group Im Tirtzu over criticism of a Facebook post, some nationalists think the entire affair shows that the Israeli Right needs to learn from the Left: never apologize, always stay on the offensive.
Key political figures including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, ministers Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked, Miri Regev and Benny Begin, as well as influential journalists associated with right-of-center views, sharply criticized Peleg and dissociated themselves from Im Tirtzu in the days after Peleg posted a status criticizing artists and men of letters who are official members of extremist political groups. The criticism led Peleg to apologize and suspend himself as Im Tirtzu's chairman.
But some nationalists think the right wing's self-flagellation was out of place.
The framing battle
Leading the critics of the critics is Akiva Bigman, editor-in-chief at conservative-nationalist intellectual website Mida.
Bigman wrote an article analyzing the entire Im Tirtzu debacle. To begin with, he explained, the entire fuss was much ado about nothing. Peleg wrote a post – accompanied by a graphic file and a small pdf file – that sought to focus attention on Israeli left wing artists who are either officially part of the leadership of extremist groups, or who have taken part in activity on their behalf.
Presumably, Bigman noted, this was done as part of the debate between Culture Minister Miri Regev and artists who object to a bill she has proposed, which would make state funding to institutions conditional on their not displaying blatantly disloyal behavior, like defacing the flag, inciting racism, or calling for violence or terror.
Bigman described the media assault on Im Tirtzu following the post. The leftist press and the artists whom it interviewed, he said, succeeded in framing the post as something completely different from what it really was.
The leftists described the post as one that called people with different opinions "traitors" – but the post had not been about opinions and did not use the word "traitors."
Meanwhile, bodies like Peace Now exerted heavy pressure on politicians to dissociate themselves from Im Tirtzu.
The right falls for it
The right-wing, lamented Bigman, fell right into the trap. From Netanyahu on down, the speakers denounced Im Tirtzu for calling people it disagreed with "traitors" – except it had never done that. The right bought into the left's framing of the event, hook, line and sinker.
Bigman noted that this is a time-honored tactic of the left. "The left deploys all its systems in a never ending campaign, which frames any action or statement from the right – legitimate as it may be – in the most negative way. In this way, the leftist oligarchy attempts to portray the right as reckless, boundary-less, fascistic, fanatic, threatening, speech-stifling and dangerous, in the public consciousness."
The old elites know that they will have a hard time gaining power democratically, he argued, but they are able to use the systems still under their control – media, academia, courts and cultural institutions – in an orchestrated way. The media creates the storm, intellectuals make harsh statements, the courts are asked to intervene and some "cultural icons" often add their writing and acting talents to the mix.
The right has not learned how to play this game, according to Bigman. It needs to identify the leftist strategy of the endless attack, and refuse to surrender to the way leftists frame the issues. And it needs to adopt a similar tack, and go on the offensive, instead of always waiting for the left's next onslaught.
"When we see that all of the TV channels, radio stations, newspaper headlines (other than Israel Hayom), all the 'men of letters,' all the leftist NGOs and politicians, all the jurists and academicians, all agree on something, that is a sign that it is probably false," he summed up.
7. REFORM PRAYER SECTION TO ERASE LAST SIGNS OF TEMPLE DESTRUCTION
by Shimon Cohen
Dr. Eilat Mazar of Hebrew University's archaeology institute spoke to Arutz Sheva about the government's new decision to expand the non-Orthodox mixed prayer section of the Western Wall (Kotel), in the southern part of the Kotel.
Mazar warned that the decision to construct yet another prayer section for Reform Jews, in an expansion of a similar space built in 2013, could prove disastrous for the last remaining area where signs of the destruction of the Second Temple just under 2,000 years ago can be witnessed.
"In the archaeological park at the feet of the Western Wall there is only one section that is exposed and can be viewed. All the rest is underground. This is the southernmost section where the Herodian Quarter from the days of the Second Temple are preserved the way they were," she said.
Mazar added that "in the excavations of my grandfather Professor (Binyamin) Mazar a giant rockslide of the walls that the Romans destroyed on the Temple Mount was discovered."
She noted that the rockslide from the Temple's walls was excavated over the years, and "when they expanded the archaeological park - they moved the southern portion of Herodian road. What remains from all this impressive massive rockslide of these great stones is just a pile of a few dozen meters in a very narrow portion in this section."
The site of the remaining ruins of the Temple walls is exactly the point where the new Reform and Conservative prayer section is planned.
The archaeologist explained that the plan is to take the existing ramp established for the prayer section in 2013 and extend it up to the Kotel, in doing so hiding the rockslide "and not leaving anything from it; maybe it will appear like a sample that will look like a joke but not like historical evidence."
"The person who planned it did so unilaterally without looking at the essential aspect which is the history and the heritage of Jerusalem, which needs to be felt and not just known about. The Kotel is archaeological and historical proof for what was, and what remains here is the very last thing. It isn't possible anywhere in the world to touch the rocks of the destruction (of the Temple) and to see the intensity of this destruction."
"Find another plan"
Mazar called to rethink the plan, noting, "we are talking about a world heritage site, and the fact that it (the plan) wasn't officially announced stems only from political considerations, and the site must under no circumstances be covered and used to find solutions for problems of the day. They must not touch the (archaeological) park."
When asked why there is no international protection for the site which might have prevented the plan, she said that Jerusalem "doesn't receive the protection it deserves in this aspect. ...Who will defend the archaeological heritage of the stones that tell the history of Jerusalem in the most significant way?"
She noted that no other point around the Temple Mount provides such a clear illustration of the destruction of the Temple walls, making the site all the more important, in a point that adds to her argument that the ramp should not be built covering it. Instead she demanded that an alternate plan be drawn up.
"This isn't a place that you can cover and say 'imagine to yourselves what was here.' There are huge stones there, there is the artwork that decorated the Temple Mount and it's all inside the rockslide. ...If there will be a ramp on top of it that will be a total destruction of the appearance. It just can't be done."
Mazar also noted her surprise at the silence over the decision, noting, "I can understand that there are those who want to expand the prayer space, but the length of the Western Wall is 492 meters; why take these 22 meters where the destruction at its height can be seen, a place that is defined as an archaeological site, and implement there (a solution to) this or that prayer problem? Let the experts go and investigate and try to find other solutions."
8. CLINTON EDGES SANDERS IN IOWA
by Nitzan Keidar
If Iowa is going to be an example of what is to come in the Democratic primary election, than Hilary Clinton has a lot to worry about.
In a very small margin, the former Secretary of State pulled out a victory in the first primary election by a almost unidentifiable 0.4 percent over Senator Bernie Sanders. Clinton received 49.9 percent of the votes whereas Sanders received 49.5 percent of the vote, with another five percent going to Maryland Senator Martin O'Malley who has since pulled out of the race for the Democratic nomination.
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Clinton announced her victory by a small margin before the final and official numbers have been released.
"I am running to change the status quo and improve the lives of American citizens," Clinton said in her speech to her supporters. "I will do that by strengthening my candidacy for the White House."
Clinton lost eight years ago in the primary against current President Barack Obama.
Supporters of Bernie Sanders are very happy with results of the vote and believe that it sends a clear message to Clinton that the gap between the two candidates is not nearly as wide as she had thought.
"We are making the voice of the people heard," said one enthusiastic supporter. "Tonight we began a political revolution that will only increase as time goes on," he added.
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