Schlaglicht Nr. 15/09 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 30. August – 10. September 2009

1. Gilad Shalit this in advance, even before committing their murders. […] Nachdem der israelische Soldat Gilad Shalit seit All of the above requires Israel to modify the manner mehr als drei Jahren im Gazastreifen festgehalten in which it handles abductions and abductors. It’s wird, berichteten die Medien über Fortschritte in den unthinkable that terrorists in Israel jails enjoy resort- Verhandlungen um den Gefangenenaustausch zwi- like conditions, studies, family visits, phones, and schen der Hamas und Israel. Bekannt wurde, dass other terms that are deprived from our captives; Vertreter der Hamas nach Ägypten gereist waren, there is no conditioning or reciprocity on this front um die Verhandlungen voranzutreiben. Auch ein whatsoever. There is no sense in granting such deutscher Vermittler ist involviert. Nach wenigen imprisonment conditions to convicted terrorists. And Tagen wiesen jedoch sowohl die Hamas als auch so, for example, family and Red Cross visits at Israel Gerüchte um eine baldige Freilassung von Israeli jails must be curbed at once.” Shalit und mehreren hundert palästinensischen Ron Breiman, JED 31.08.09 Gefangen zurück. Verteidigungsminister Barak sagte indes in einem Not at any price Gespräch mit Schülern, deren Einberufung kurz “Shalit should have been released at any price, but bevorsteht, der Staat könne nicht das Leben eines the struggle for his release does not have to be jeden Soldaten garantieren und verbat sich darüber conducted at any price. Last week the leaders of the zu „jammern“, einer Wortwahl die stark kritisiert campaign to free him faltered. The demonstration at wurde. the Megiddo prison that prevented visits by prisoners’ families was in poor taste. […] They Don’t capitulate this time should have called for visits for everyone: to Shalit “As opposed to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s well- and to the thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Under known and logical formula – they’ll get something if no circumstances should it have been the reverse. they give something – it appears that at this time he Israel cannot behave like Hamas. It is not only a leans towards a dangerous formula: They’ll get matter of patently ineffective measures – the siege something if they kidnap someone. and prevention of visits will not bring Shalit’s release Israel always possessed great sensitivity for the fate – but also immoral acts..” of captives and abductees. The result: An Gideon Levy, HAA 30.08.09 unbalanced formula whereby hundreds and thousands of people are freed in exchange for a Time to close the deal few, and at times even in exchange for bodies or “The people who need to make the decision on a signs of life. This sensitivity boosted the price swap with Hamas are, first and foremost, politicians required of Israel. […] The prices Israel is willing to who wish to be re-elected time and again. They are pay include humiliating the Israeli legal system, by intimately familiar with the deceptive Israeli pardoning convicted murderers. In fact, they know electorate – those people who wish to see Gilad 1 Shalit home ‘at any price,’ but a day after the Barak deserves praise release will be bitterly slamming the release of “ Defense Minister Barak did well to avoid a hundreds of arch-terrorists and murderers. […] The populist move and promise the high schools time has come to tell the leaders: You already said students he met that the State of Israel will do all there is to say, gentlemen. Our entire emotional everything it can, at any price, to bring every solider country already knows about the hesitations, your back home safely. suffering, and the terrible price we shall be paying, A soldier is one who is willing to renounce his and everyone – or almost everyone – is ready for freedom, leave his home, dedicate his time, and that wonderful and terrible moment to arrive. […] At even sacrifice his life for the sake of carrying this point we should not worry about the released missions that are worthy and required in order to terrorists going back to acts of terror and murder. defend his (or her) state. […] Findings from the previous swaps show that only a A state whose soldiers are ‘children who must be few go back to terrorism.” returned at any price’ is a state without an army. A Eitan Haber, JED 29.08.09 military is a means that acts for the sake of civilians, and a state is sovereign as long as it can invest Netanyahu, it’s time for a change of track what it has, including its soldiers in battle, so that its “Why have our leaders failed to free Shalit? […] The citizens will not be harmed by enemies.” release of mass murderers in return for Shalit's Udi Label, JED 02.09.09 freedom poses an irrefutable risk. Yet for three years it has been touted as the single option Diesmal hat er Recht available. […] No other avenue of rescue has ever “ hat Recht. […] Die öffentliche Gehirn- been shown, let alone rumored, to be on the cards. wäsche in Sachen Gilad Shalit hat meiner Meinung Not even the massive Operation Cast Lead nach seit langem alle Grenzen überschritten. produced evidence of any rescue attempt. […] The Natürlich muss Israel alles tun, um in Gefangen- only pressure exerted on [Hamas] has been to schaft geratene Soldaten nach Hause zu bringen. delete several prisoners from its list and to approve Aber die israelische Regierung hat auch die Pflicht, the exile of several others after release. […] Our an weitere Entführungen zu denken, und daran, politicians have been doggedly laying on the hard- dass der Preis für die Freilassung und die Erpress- sell rhetoric to convince us that the only choice is barkeit Israels immer größer werden. […] releasing mass murderers or losing Shalit. […] Ich hoffe und bete, dass Gilad Shalit bald nach It is time Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Hause kommen wird. Abe ein Volk und eine Gesell- abandoned Ehud Olmert's misguided lead. schaft dürfen monumentaler Erpressung nicht Alternative strategies should at long last be nachgeben.“ resolutely pursued. Shalit must be freed now. Cold- Uzi Baram, IHY 02.09.09 blooded mass murderers - never. “ Frimet Roth, JPO 06.09.09 That nuisance, Shalit „Barak is joining a long list of leaders in the region A deal that is a defeat […] in which an abducted soldier is nothing but a “The deal that 's government is nuisance. Gilad Shalit also knew that he could die in now contemplating approving will be one of the battle. But he did not know that were he to remain greatest defeats ever inflicted on this country. […] alive and be captured and tortured, he would The very existence of the deal would be an become a huge problem in the eyes of Barak, the unambiguous victory for Hamas, and for the concept leader of a public chorus of whining, responsible for of violent, open-ended resistance that, even if it crushing the proud backbone of the Jewish nation. takes a long time, will ultimately force the Zionist […]‘Gilad's army of friends’ is not a public relations enemy to bow to its Islamist will. […] gimmick. It is an expression of the outcry of a public The negotiations for Shalit's release would have that knows the government cannot guarantee the been justified only as part of a broader deal that lives of all its soldiers or citizens. Yet the public is would include a halt to terror and to Hamas' not ready to sit idly by as a living soldier waits for rearmament.” three years while the tender issued on his life Amir Oren, HAA 31.08.09 reaches ‘the worthy price’." Zvi Bar’el, HAA 06.09.09

2 taken by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the 2. Baustopp der Siedlungen? settlement issue. […] The policy of pressing ahead with settlement Nachdem die amerikanische Regierung seit Wochen construction while planning to announce a einen Baustopp der jüdischen Siedlungen im West- temporary building freeze may seem disingenuous. jordanland fordert, wird erwartet, dass Premier- On the other hand, the Arab-Israel conflict has not minister Netanyahu einer halbjährigen „Einfrierung“ proven itself conducive to Truman-like plain der Bautätigkeiten zustimmen wird – allerdings unter speaking. Ausnahme von 455 neuen Wohneinheiten und 2500 Europe, and increasingly Washington too, prefer the Wohnungen, die sich bereits im Bau befinden. comfort of self-delusion about why this conflict is so Netanyahus Schritt wird als Versuch gewertet, hard to resolve. In the Orwellian world of peace- sowohl Washington als auch Mitglieder seiner Partei processing, those who adhere to the view that und die Siedlungsbewegung zu befriedigen. settlements are not the main obstacle to peace are Während der Protest aus Washington schwach aus- committing thought crime. […] fiel, ist jedoch zweifelhaft ob Netanyahus Taktik Washington wants Israelis to know that as reward aufgehen wird: Für die israelische Rechte ist jeder for a settlement freeze, President Barack Obama Baustopp zu viel, doch die internationale Gemein- will be less icy toward Netanyahu, and that Arab schaft und insbesondere die palästinensische Füh- states on the margins of the conflict may reopen rung wird jedes weitere Haus als Hindernis für eine interest sections (that they should never have closed Wiederaufnahme von Friedensgesprächen empfin- in the first place). […] Given such inducements, den. Netanyahu has decided to allow building now in progress to proceed on 2,500 units in Judea and Bibi yes / no Samaria; announce approval for the construction of “The announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin hundreds of new units within existing settlements, or Netanyahu that hundreds of new housing units will in areas immediately adjacent to settlement blocs. be built in the settlements, a moment before the […] ‘temporary hiatus’ in issuing new building permits, Supposedly, the White House has come to realize appears to be a crude attempt to satisfy both the […] that a total freeze is impractical; that the Obama administration, which is demanding Neta- previous administration really did tell Israel that nyahu freeze construction, and the settlers' lobby certain construction would be tolerated; that the US and supporters, who are threatening to insistence on a freeze has frozen only the undermine the prime minister's hold on power. […] negotiations; and, finally, that Saudi Arabia will The result is troubling. […] Netanyahu is once more make no gestures to Israel that might contribute to suffering from the same weak leadership that he creating a better environment for peacemaking. exhibited during his previous tenure as prime Time will tell if the Israelis are right about having minister. Once more he is proving to be ‘Bibi changed American minds.” yes/no,’ who supports one thing but also the JPO 06.09.09 opposite. […] Hundreds of new housing units, which will be added Put an end to confusion to 2,500 such units already in construction, will “When one expresses willingness to freeze undermine the credibility of his government in the construction, it is clear to the whole world that one eyes of the international community, but will not admits that construction in Judea and Samaria is satisfy the settlers' appetite. illegal […]; it’s perceived as though the ongoing Further construction will […] only disrupt efforts to construction of the security fence and homes in the achieve the key goal he has set - establishing a settlements robs Palestinian land and violates demilitarized Palestinian state next to Israel - and international law. may make the prime minister appear to be a weak Hence, if the PM is interested in sticking to his views leader, susceptible to pressure and duplicitous.” and minimizing the damage caused by Peace Now’s HAA 09.09.09 representatives in the American Administration, he cannot make do with what he said in the Bar-Ilan Plain speaking speech. He also needs to add the following “Harry S Truman said: ‘If you can't convince them, statement: Settlement activity in regions of our confuse them.’ This seems to be the political line homeland constitutes the realization of the Jewish 3 people’s historic right in its land. He must make it The real threat to the settlements clear that construction permits are granted by law, “If the news to the effect that the prime minister is not as a favor. about to agree to a temporary freeze of the Netanyahu’s job is to make clear that Israel is not settlements is true, that is because he has become the occupier in Judea and Samaria and does not convinced that at present there is nothing more violate international law, which ever since the damaging to Israel, its international standing and its Balfour declaration and the League of Nations’ diplomatic goals than the settlements. […] decision in 1922 to establish a Jewish home in the The opposition to the settlements is a direct result of land of Israel recognizes the Jewish people’s right the anarchy, the culture of winking and deception for sovereignty in its country; a right that was never and the atmosphere of lawlessness that have all repudiated and never will be.” prevailed for decades in the West Bank. […] The Adi Mintz, JED 07.09.09 State of Israel is seen as being unable or unwilling to impose its authority on these extremists. […] Die wahre Kontroverse The real danger to this important enterprise and the “Netanjahu muss schon jetzt klar stellen, noch bevor main threat to its future is […] the far right in the er sich zu einem Einfrieren des Baus verpflichtet, guise of Women in Green or the hilltop youth and dass Israel nicht plant, aus den Gebieten abzu- their ilk. […] ziehen. Er muss erklären, dass die USA nicht The Israeli government must announce a one-year berechtigt sind, eine Liquidation der Ortschaften zu freeze on the settlements outside , and verlangen. […] Wir stehen vor einer sehr wesen- during this period must impose order in the West tlichen Diskussion, die die zukünftigen Grenzen Bank once and for all. This is vital for the settlement Israels betrifft und bei der es mit einem halbjährigen movement.” Baustopp nicht getan ist.“ Yehuda Ben-Meir, HAA 07.07.09 Moshe Ishon, HZO 07.09.09 3. Anklage gegen Olmert In Olmert’s footsteps „Unlimited construction in Jerusalem, controlled Nach lang andauernden Untersuchungen, die Ehud construction in the settlement blocs, and a few Olmert zum Rücktritt zwangen, hat die Staatsan- months' halt in construction starts outside of them, waltschaft nun Anklage gegen den ehemaligen except for public buildings; and a vague promise to Premierminister erhoben. Olmert werden drei Fälle evacuate the outposts. The talk about evacuating von Korruption sowie Betrug, Veruntreuung und die the outposts will go on, mostly in order to give Verbergung von Einkommensquellen vorgeworfen. political cover to Labor for staying in the coalition. Olmert, der jegliche Schuld abstreitet, ist damit der But like Sharon and Olmert before them, Netanyahu erste israelische Premierminister, der sich wegen and Ehud Barak will explain that what is important is krimineller Delikte vor Gericht verantworten muss. focusing on the peace talks and not taking a chance on a domestic confrontation for something trivial. Yes to outrage Like Netanyahu, the Obama administration is „You know what's really distressing about Sunday's behaving like its predecessor. The Israeli announ- indictment of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on cements on new construction in East Jerusalem and graft charges? It's that the news was anti-climatic. in the settlement blocs were met with weak That Israeli society has reached the point where one American condemnation. […] mass-circulation tabloid devoted more front page Obama wants to renew the peace process, as he coverage to Madonna's visit to the Western Wall had promised, and is willing to pay with what than to the historic indictment of an ex-premier. appears to be limited Israeli construction beyond the Israelis were not shaken. We did not feel betrayed. Green Line. Netanyahu needs U.S. support in And therein lies the heartbreak. […] No prime general and especially against Iran, and is willing to minister or ex-premier has ever before been indicted pay for it by freezing construction of housing in on criminal charges in Israel's history. […] settlements beyond the security barrier, and in We are left feeling that hubris more than ethical places where there is no real demand.” standards guide the behavior of too many of our Aluf Benn, HAA 09.09.09 politicians. Sixty years after the establishment of the state, the sense that certain things are just not done remains undeveloped. […] The charges, 4 circumstances, and personalities may vary but the weiteren Themen, die in den letzten Wochen die lingering impression is that those who ought to be israelische Gesellschaft bewegten. paragons of probity too often treat the law with contempt. Their greatest offense is making the rest Über den Beginn des Zweiten Weltkrieges am of us cynical about our country.” 01.September 1939 und das Gedenken 70 Jahre JPO 31.08.09 danach:

A prime minister stands accused 70 years later “A grave indictment against a prime minister […], the “70 years is a long time ago. Today, a quarter of ultimate decision-maker on matters that determine Germans, according to Stern magazine, believe the country's fate. there were positive aspects to Nazi rule. And as The Even a public that has already become inured to Associated Press recently reported from Gaza, a ministers as suspects, as defendants and even as Hamas spiritual leader considers it a war crime to prisoners […] is not immune from a feeling of teach Palestinian pupils that the Nazis murdered 6 revulsion at Olmert's indictment. Emerging from it is million Jews. […] As the world marks the the sorry picture of someone who appears to have anniversary of the outbreak of WWII this week, and had his hand in the public till via various strange with the Iranian leader set to address the United arrangements, and who maintained improper ties Nations next month, those who make fateful with friends and supporters, which culminated in decisions for the international community need to charges of aggravated fraud, breach of trust and draw the appropriate lessons from history. […] many other offenses. When a tyrant prophesies a world without Jews (or Public apathy is partially responsible for a political Israel), he is revealing his intentions. […] History system that lacks meticulous oversight.” does not repeat itself. But people have been known HAA 02.09.09 to make the same mistake twice. “ JPO 01.09.09 Innocent until proven guilty “The atmosphere is the problematic issue here in “Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel bekannte sich zwar respect to the indictment against former Prime zu der deutschen Schuld am Zweiten Weltkrieg und Minister Ehud Olmert. The atmosphere of hunting. gab Bedauern und Reue zum Ausdruck, sagte […] We are seeing a sort of joy, coupled with jedoch auch, die Vertreibung von 12 Millionen ostentatious declarations: Here is the former prime Deutschen […] sei böse und ungerecht gewesen. Es minister, and here, right next to his photo, is the long wird angenommen, dass Merkel dies sagte, da ihre list of affairs he is being indicted over. […] Partei bei den Kommunalwahlen Anfang der Woche Superlatives are being hurled in all directions, […] einige Verluste hinnehmen musste. […] Diese but […] so far we know only one thing with certainty: ‘revisionstische’ Linie ist in den letzten Jahren in […] He was the prime minister of Israel, he reached Deutschland recht beliebt. the zenith, and next he was dismissed and went Inmitten all der historischen Abrechnungen ging der back home; he left everything behind because he is Holocaust am jüdischen Volk fast völlig unter. Putin facing suspicious. He paid the heavy price in full, erinnerte erst gar nicht daran, die Kanzlerin while in fact, by law, he is completely innocent, as begnügte sich mit einer kurzen Erwähnung.“ he was not found guilty yet. Rami Tal, JED 04.09.09 Hanoch Daum, JED 04.09.09 Über das Geschenk der Bild Zeitung, Baupläne 4. Medienquerschnitt von Auschwitz , die Netanyahu bei seinem Deutschlandbesuch übergeben wurden: Die Vielfalt der in Israel relevanten Themen kann in einem Medienspiegel natürlich nicht umfassend Bibi, blueprints and Berlin wiedergegeben werden. Um den deutschen Le- “What is the symbolism here? Why would an Israeli ser/innen dennoch einen Einblick in das große prime minister link himself and thus his country so Themenspektrum, das in den Medien behandelt demonstratively to Auschwitz? […] It would have wird, zu gewähren, veröffentlichen wir in dieser been wiser to let Yad Vashem's chairman take Schlaglichtausgabe wieder eine kleine Auswahl an possession of the documents […].

5 Netanyahu has played into the hands of Mahmoud is faced with the dilemma of indicting a cabinet Ahmadinejad and his comrades-in-hate. Their line minister. […] is: No Holocaust, no Israel. Hence it is perfectly According to [former Justice Minister] Friedmann's logical for them to deny the cause (the Shoah) to bill, the government would decide itself how to delegitimize the effect (Israel). But by accepting the choose the legal adviser […]. The second serious Auschwitz blueprints as an almost sacred gift, and problem with the proposal was that it would have doing so as the head of government, Netanyahu has given the government the authority to ignore the actually scored one for Israel's sworn enemies. He legal adviser's opinion, so that even if the legal has walked into the Holocaust-equals-Israel trap, as adviser asserted that a government bill or action if the state were indeed a posthumous gift of Adolf was illegal, the government could discount it. […] Hitler.“ Those who believe that there is a need to separate Josef Joffe, HAA 30.08.09 the functions of chief prosecutor and adviser to the government must make sure that the proposal does Über den Vorschlag des Justizministers, das Amt not weaken either one of them, particularly that of des Generalstaatsanwalts nach Ende der Amtszeit the legal adviser to the government, as Friedmann von Menachem Mazuz aufzusplitten: would have had it.” JPO 07.09.09 Hands off the attorney general “The two main hats worn by the attorney general, that of the head of the prosecution and that of the legal advisor to the government, do not preclude each other but rather complement each other and ensure comprehensive defense of the rule of law in Israel. Behind Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman's assertion that combining the two functions leads to conflict of interests is the assumption that the government is corrupt and cabinet ministers are criminals. Otherwise, why would ministers have to face the attorney general as head of the prosecution? […] Instead of dealing with governmental corruption, the supporters of the split are proposing weakening the HAA = Haaretz official who is supposed to deal with it. […] HZO= Ha Tzofe Splitting the functions is the first step on the way to IHY = Israeli HaYom achieving two improper goals: JED = Jedioth Ahronoth weakening the attorney general so that his JPO = Jerusalem Post interpretation of the law will not be binding on MAA = Maariv government ministers, and a political takeover of the Die Artikel aus HZO wurden dem Medienspiegel der prosecution by appointing a prosecutor general who Deutschen Botschaft Israel entnommen. is ‘one of us’ and will refrain from bringing criminal cabinet ministers to justice.” Veröffentlicht am: September 2009 HAA 09.09.09 Verantwortlich: After Mazuz Dr. Ralf Hexel, “There is a great deal of support today for splitting Leiter der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Israel the attorney-general's job. These supporters raise two main arguments. One is that for a democratic Redaktion: system of government, too much power is Maike Harel concentrated in the hands of a single, nonelected official. Anita Haviv Secondly, the roles of chief prosecutor and adviser Homepage: www.fes.org.il to the government clash when the attorney-general Email: [email protected]

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