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Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com ------------------------------------------------ Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday Thursday, Apr. 20 '17, כ"ד בניסן תשע"ז HEADLINES: 1. CAMERA: BARGHOUTI OP-ED JUST THE TIP OF THE TIMES' ICEBERG 2. 'WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO BRING THE BOYS HOME' 3. SUPREME COURT OKAYS SABBATH DESECRATION IN TEL AVIV 4. BRITISH JEWS PROTEST 'BREAKING THE SILENCE' AWARD NOMINATION 5. ISRAELI MAN JAILED, WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN LEFT ALONE 6. ELI YISHAI BLASTS DERI FOR FOOT-DRAGGING ON TA SUPERMARKET CASE 7. FOUND HIKER: I THANK THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD 8. HIKER MISSING IN JUDEAN DESERT FOUND 1. CAMERA: BARGHOUTI OP-ED JUST THE TIP OF THE TIMES' ICEBERG by Hillel Fendel While The New York Times has been widely criticized for publishing five-time murderer Marwan Barghouti's op-ed without explaining his background, the op-ed in question is only the tip of the iceberg. Research by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting (CAMERA) shows that since the start of 2017, readers of the Times' op-ed pages have been fed a steady diet of one-sided, anti-Israel rhetoric. It began on January 6, when the Times published an article entitled "The Frightening Truth About Israeli Society." The article provided a long list of allegations that Israel is allowing itself to be diverted from its democratic values. Three weeks later, an op-ed by Ayelet Waldman and her husband Michael Chabon suggested the country should be viewed as responsible for future Palestinian terror attacks. This was echoed more strongly last month when Larry Derfner's opinion piece stated that Israel should be blamed in any future war with Hezbollah or Hamas. In the meanwhile, on February 11, Arab Knesset Member Ayman Odeh was granted a platform on which to write "How Israel Bulldozes Democracy." The piece accuses Israel of mistreating its Arab citizens; CAMERA critiqued it as "so egregiously misleading, so full of errors and distortions, that it feels like a theatrical attack against a cartoonish villain." Finally, on March 1, an op-ed insisted that PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas actually "accepts Israel's Jewishness" and that Israel is manipulatively concealing Abbas’s "true position" by claiming otherwise. In fact, however, Abbas has repeatedly, explicitly, and emphatically rejected Israel's Jewishness in recent years. The newspaper, CAMERA states, has never corrected the false claim that Abbas accepts a Jewish state. Strangely, CAMERA also mentions an op-ed by Hevron Jewish Community spokesman Yishai Fleisher as an example of The New York Times' one-sidedness against Israel. The organization found two faults with the article: "By publishing an Israeli who approvingly supports annexation of much of the West Bank… [the paper] "underscore[s] all those accusations that Israel is a land-hungry entity." In addition, the article included two criticisms of the Israeli Government. Surprisingly, CAMERA lumps together criticism of the Government of Israel with criticism of and hostility to Israel in general. In fact, however, while the latter borders on anti-Semitism, the former is more than legitimate in any democratic society. Let us also note the context of the "criticism:" Fleisher was indicating that the government's PR policy ought to concentrate more on the actual issues of Jewish rights to Judea and Samaria than on its technological prowess and the like. Can this "criticism" of Israel be compared in any way to accusations of Israeli apartheid and the like? Would CAMERA truly prefer that the Times not publish op-eds by members of Israel's nationalist camp? After all, an increasingly growing number of its members support Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Does CAMERA mean to imply that any op-ed that does not push a soft right-wing view is in some way harmful to Israel? Unfortunately, CAMERA does not reassure us that this is not the case, lamenting the fact that "there is no shortage of reputable, moderate voices who would point out that Palestinians have flaws and, most importantly, a great share of responsibility for the ongoing conflict." In conclusion, CAMERA chides the Times for the fact that "these voices are largely missing from the newspaper of record. As a result, while the anti-Israel invective flows, little pressure is placed on Palestinians to crack down on rampant hate speech, to accept the Jewish state’s right to exist, and to end the system in which anti-Israel violence is in effect rewarded by payments to the family of attackers." 2. 'WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO BRING THE BOYS HOME' by Uzi Baruch A day after the heated discussion in the Knesset State Control Committee on Wednesday, a senior government official spoke with Arutz Sheva about the harsh words of Leah Goldin, mother of soldier Hadar Goldin, whose body is being held by Hamas. "The Goldin family is a wonderful family that strongly opposes freeing terrorists in order to get the body of their son back for burial in Israel. The family is not ready for Israel to release terrorists in order to apply pressure on Hamas," the official said. The official admitted that the government is not taking enough action to return the bodies of Goldin and soldier Oron Shaul. "The government continues to free the bodies of terrorists, does not adequately limit the conditions of the prisoners and does not act in an aggressive-enough manner." "I tell you responsibly: instead of doing everything for Hadar and Oron (within the framework of pressure on Hamas) we are not doing enough, and thus we are encouraging the next family, G-d forbid, to act along the lines of the Shalit family." Yesterday at the State Control Committee hearing on Operation Protective Edge, Dr. Leah Goldin criticized State Comptroller Yosef Shapira and hurled words of pain at him: "The comptroller's report forgot or made sure to forget, two outstanding soldiers: my son Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were kidnapped into the tunnels. It was important for the comptroller to emphasize that a foreign worker was killed. But the two prisoners in Gaza were not mentioned. You can not call Hadar and Oron corpses, they are not corpses, they are missing." "Have you already decided that their fate was sealed? How could you finish the operation when they were still there? Are we, the bereaved parents, a mere pathological report to you? Today, almost three years after the war, none of the cabinet's decisions have been implemented ... The committee on the prisoners does not meet ... I know how the report on the next war will look". Hadar's mother called out to the Prime Minister: "For three years we have been hearing 'I am a bereaved brother' - your brother has been returned. Please do not intimidate us. You have turned us into the enemies of the people." "Hamas wanted to kidnap and today they have two soldiers, and the question of whether you will succeed in bringing them back without taking the country down into miserable grief will determine the outcome of Operation Protective Edge," she said. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said during the discussion, "We are doing everything we can to bring Oron and Hadar back, but there are risks that I am not prepared to take." 3. SUPREME COURT OKAYS SABBATH DESECRATION IN TEL AVIV by Reut Hadar Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor and Justices Esther Hayut and Dafna Barak-Erez ruled unanimously that the Tel Aviv municipal by-laws are reasonable and that a permit can be given to Tel Aviv supermarkets to open on Shabbat. The judges rejected petitions submitted by businessmen against the proposed by-law. "The special and different status of Shabbat represents the national Jewish culture as well as important social values. Despite this, the status quo includes an important democratic element -namely local democracy which allows the more precise expression of the different characteristics of each town and community." The judges stated in their ruling that the municipality did not need to wait for Interior Minister Deri to approve the by-law and it could be published immediately. Judge Hayut criticized the government for not deciding on the matter and stated that "after the long and drawn-out period of two-and-a-half years in which the various interior ministers and the government have not taken a decision on the matter, it must inevitably be concluded that the government intends to invalidate the by-law without reason. This unexplained position cannot be maintained and is null and void," wrote Chayut. The judges also stated that the ruling does not contradict the Hours of Work and Rest Law, since this pertains to the labor relations within businesses regarding work on Shabbat whereas the present by-law refers to the activity of businesses without reference to the identity of the workers. Those businesses which are now permitted to work on Shabbat are still required to maintain the directives of the Hours of Work and Rest Law. 4. BRITISH JEWS PROTEST 'BREAKING THE SILENCE' AWARD NOMINATION by Arutz Sheva Staff Last night (Wednesday) over a dozen of British Jews protested outside of London’s Unicorn Theatre against the nomination of the far-Left Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence for the prestigious Freedom of Expression Awards. Activists from the pro-Israel grassroots organization Campaign4Truth gathered outside the theater and waved Israeli flags, handed out leaflets and gave speeches about Breaking the Silence’s destructive activities in Israel. The awards are hosted annually by Index on Censorship, a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to campaign for and defend free expression worldwide. According to the group’s website, the awards "exist to celebrate individuals or groups who have had a significant impact fighting censorship anywhere in the world." Breaking the Silence was one of four nominees for the "Campaigning" category. According to the awards’ website, "In 2016 the pressure on [Breaking the Silence] became particularly pointed and personal, with state-sponsored legal challenges, denunciations from the Israeli cabinet, physical attacks on staff members and damages to property." Campaign4Truth co-founder Sharon Klaff explained that Campaign4Truth was established as an answer to the growing involvement of UK Jewish groups in the delegitimization and BDS movement against Israel. "We came out tonight to protest in order to tell the citizens of London the truth about Breaking the Silence," said Klaff. Campaign4Truth co-founder Ambrosine Shitrit added that the decision to nominate Breaking the Silence for an award was purely political. "Breaking the Silence does not act in the name of free speech," said Shitrit. "The information that they put out is a distortion of the truth." As the evening progressed, it was announced that Breaking the Silence did not win the award, which Campaign4Truth hailed as a great victory. Matan Peleg, CEO of the Im Tirtzu movement that has been one of the leading voices in Israel in opposition to Breaking the Silence, said: "Breaking the Silence is an anti-Zionist political organization that uses its extensive foreign government bank account to defame the State of Israel and IDF soldiers." "It is great to see how Jews abroad are standing up to defend Israel against the lies of Breaking the Silence," Peleg added. 5. ISRAELI MAN JAILED, WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN LEFT ALONE This week an urgent fundraising campaign was launched by a young mother of four in Israel. Her husband reportedly started a yeshiva, which accrued a massive amount of debt over time. He was given a choice: Pay the debt, or go to jail. Shortly before Pesach, the rosh yeshiva was sent to jail. The family has now attracted international attention, as the mother's desperate plea and photos of the now fatherless children circulate. Rav Azriel Auerbach has released a statement [below] in public support of the man's character, as well as the urgency of the family's need. The mother's moving statement was as follows: "HELLO, MY NAME IS LIBA, AND I AM LIVING A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE. My husband is currently sitting in jail because of debts that are simply not his fault. It breaks my heart to see a kind, innocent Jewish man sitting behind bars when he has done nothing wrong. [youtube:2027024] I am home alone with four small children. We spent Pesach without their father. They cry and ask me, 'when is daddy coming home?' My answer is simply, 'whenever Hashem helps us to pay the debt, kinderlach.' I have no option in this world other than to beg for the help of strangers. I need my husband, and my children need their father. Can you find it in your heart to help us? If you can we would be so, so grateful. This is a very painful experience, and we are desperate. Thank you Liba" Having just finished the holiday, it is difficult for most to imagine spending Pesach in the cramped conditions of an Israeli jail cell. Those close to Liba and her children hope they will receive the help they need to live a normal life once again. CLICK HERE TO DONATE CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL CAMPAIGN HASCAMA FROM RAV AZRIEL AUERBACH: 6. ELI YISHAI BLASTS DERI FOR FOOT-DRAGGING ON TA SUPERMARKET CASE by Ben Shaul Former Chairman of the Shas party Eli Yishai slammed this morning current Chairman of the party Aryeh Deri following the Supreme Court ruling allowing the opening of Tel Aviv businesses on the Sabbath, asserting that Deri’s foot-dragging is what led to the Supreme Court decision. "Whoever has the Council of Torah Sages [the authoritative rabbinical body of the Shas party] behind him - the decision is easy and not complicated. If I were in the government I would create a crisis. I am well aware of how these things work. As a result of the decision, supermarkets across Israel will now open on Shabbat. Today it’s Tel Aviv, tomorrow it’s all over Israel," Yishai said in an interview with "Kol Baramah." He asserted that, if things were up to him, he would have convened the Council of Torah Sages and gotten a quick decision. "If [Rabbi Ovadia Yosef] were alive, he would not have allowed me to delay for even 24 hours. I don’t understand why Deri said that it’s such a hard decision - for this reason there is the Council of Torah Sages. Deri’s conduct is like that of a boy who kills his father and then cries that he’s an orphan." Yishai called for members of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party to act - as Shas members are blocked from acting independently, according to Yishai. "I call on my friends in UTJ to stand up and shout and do what is expected of them...the members of Shas are prevented from doing this...they say harsh things...it’s forbidden for them to speak and express themselves, and whoever talks gets rebuked. The current MKs of Shas won’t even be MKs next time. Shas is ruled by fear." Regarding his political aspirations, Yishai said he "intends to return the crown as of old, without fear, to the Nation of Israel. According to polls, the 'Yahad' movement stands to receive 5 or 6 seats. The movement will strengthen the world of Torah, and the Sephardi world in particular. Together with Shas and UTJ we will strengthen the power of the Torah." 7. FOUND HIKER: I THANK THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD by Yoni Kempinski [youtube:2027059] After searches continued through the night, rescue teams located this morning a yeshiva student missing since yesterday in the area of Nahal Og (Og stream) in the Judean desert. He was found safe and sound. From initial investigations of the incident, it appears that the youth was hiking in the area of the stream with 4 of his friends, who were rescued yesterday already; after he got lost, he ascended to the top of a tall hill. The student saw the helicopter searching for him and waved his hands, but the helicopter didn’t see him. Later that night, he fell asleep. When he awoke in the morning, he walked towards the Neve Musa army base and called out for help. After he didn’t receive an answer, he sat on the side and waited.. A police vehicle passing by the area found him, safe and sound. After he was found, the yeshiva student thanked those who searched for him. "First of all, I want to thank the Creator of the Universe. He sent me, and somehow I got to the base." "Thank you so much, you were with me all night and I felt it, the searchlights, helicopters, I saw everything and I said, ‘they’re looking for me, so I still have a reason to walk.’ Guys, you were amazing," he added. 8. HIKER MISSING IN JUDEAN DESERT FOUND by Arutz Sheva Staff [youtube:2027059] After searches continued through the night, rescue teams located this morning a yeshiva student missing since yesterday in the area of Nahal Og (Og stream) in the Judean Desert. He was found healthy and well. The incident started yesterday after 5 yeshiva students from Jerusalem who set out for a hike in Nahal Og began to suffer from dehydration. The hikers called rescue forces, who located all the hikers except for one youth. "As it got dark, police forces and rescue teams began scouring the stream both by foot and with vehicles, with searches concentrated on the area where his friends said they lost contact with him." Assessing the situation towards midnight, it was decided to continue searches into the night. Dozens of police volunteers, firefighters, and IDF forces worked in the field, scouring the area of the stream. Within the framework of the searches, teams also employed the use of special vehicles, searchlights, and a helicopter. This morning, the hiker was located, and was found to be healthy and well. ------------------------------------------------ Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe/ | |
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