Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 17/20 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 1.-15. Oktober Die Themen dieser Ausgabe 1. Gespräche zwischen Israel und Libanon ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. Demonstrationen gegen Netanyahu trotz Lockdown ................................................................................................... 3 3. Ultraorthodoxe im Abseits .............................................................................................................................................. 4 4. Medienquerschnitt ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 1. Gespräche zwischen Israel und Libanon Peace with Lebanon? Not so fast Seit Jahrzehnten zum ersten Mal treffen sich Vertre- Lebanon has never been a strong nation. (…) Saudi ter_innen aus Israel und dem Libanon zu Gesprä- Arabia (…) is now keeping its distance. Other Arab chen über ihre Meeresgrenze. Schauplatz ist der and Western nations have also turned their back on UN-Stützpunkt in Nakura im Südlibanon. Besonders Lebanon (…) French President Emmanuel Macron, umstritten ist ein Keil von 860 Quadratkilometern vor who felt obligated to come to Lebanon's aid, came der Küste beider Länder. Dort werden Gasfelder ver- back empty-handed when his plan to form a techno- mutet. Von der schweren Finanzkrise getroffen er- cratic government failed due to sectarian bickering. teilte der Libanon mehreren ausländischen Unter- (…) Hezbollah (the true power in Lebanon) insisted nehmen Bohrrechte, was in Israel auf scharfe Kritik on maintaining Shiite control over the Finance Minis- stieß. Auch die Landgrenze ist nicht bis ins Letzte try - to keep the money following into the organiza- geklärt. Diese steht jedoch vorerst nicht auf der tion's and its leaders' coffers. The country is also Tagesordnung der Verhandlungen. Die beiden Staa- suffering from a severe brain drain, with over 1,800 ten befinden sich offiziell noch immer im Krieg. Die young intellectuals moving to the United Arab Emir- letzte große militärische Auseinandersetzung liegt ates over the last two months alone. (…) In the 14 Jahre zurück und endete lediglich mit einem meantime, Beirut is still trying to recover from the Waffenstillstand. Seither kam es wiederholt zu punk- massive port explosion in early August that killed tuellen Schusswechseln. Israel zog seine Truppen 200, more than 6,500 injured and over 300,000 im Jahr 2000 nach 18 Jahren Besatzung und einem homeless. Lebanon has not been in a sorrier state verlustreichen Guerillakrieg gegen die Hisbollah- since its civil war in the 1970s and 80s, but this time Miliz aus dem Südlibanon zurück. Die von den Ver- the world is apathetic. (…) I asked several old einten Nationen gezogene "blaue Linie" wich aller- friends in Beirut if it finally is time for (…) an agree- dings von früheren Grenzverläufen ab. Eine völker- ment. Although we all support peace with Israel, rechtlich verbindliche Regelung fehlt bis heute. Nun they said, it is still far away. Ultimately, while Hezbol- steht aber der Libanon wirtschaftlich am Abgrund lah has received a serious blow to its reputation und die Regierung in Beirut unter heftigem Druck. within Lebanon and the world, until it lays down its Dies hat zu den am 14. Oktober begonnen Verhand- arms, there really is nothing to talk about. lungen mit Israel geführt. Smadar Perry, YED, 03.10.20 1 Don’t be fooled by Erdogan and Hezbollah: The Israel has chosen to mark its border with a line that gas wars aren’t over stands at 90 degrees to the shoreline. Thus, the (…) Israel and Lebanon, two countries that are maritime border line with Lebanon is the one facing technically at war, agreed to talks over their disputed northwest towards the Levantine country. Lebanon maritime boundary. The week before that, Turkey (…) chose a different method, which states that the and Greece, which seemed at the brink of war de- maritime border is a continuation of the land-based spite being NATO allies, agreed to negotiations to border. According to this method, the border is a resolve their territorial disputes. straight line facing just west of Rosh Hanikra, which Could these developments be (…) a small start to is located at the most north-western corner of Israel. something enormous? (…) The East Mediterranean A controversy has thus arisen concerning the Israeli and its natural gas resources are sorely in need of decision on the border and the Lebanese decision. some diplomacy. On the one hand, gas has become In 2000, the UN decided not to rule on the matter, the basis of cooperation between Israel, Egypt and thus creating an ongoing state of disagreement. (…) Cyprus, via the East Mediterranean Gas Forum. On The very fact that negotiations are being held be- the other hand, it’s become a source of friction, tween Israel and Lebanon has positive implications mainly because Turkey has opted for an aggressive that go beyond the need to resolve the conflict. (…) policy of not only claiming vast swathes of the East resolving this dispute will allow the two countries to Mediterranean waters as its exclusive economic search for additional pockets of gas in the area. (…) zone but dispatching drilling ships, accompanied by the negotiations are a clear loss for the Lebanon- warships to back them up. (…) Erdogan’s aggres- based Hezbollah terror group, which has so far sive policy in the East Mediterranean is unfortunate- prevented negotiations. (…) As long as the dispute ly less about natural gas than about aggressive over the maritime border stands, the organization nationalism and power politics. (…) No one has can continue to claim that Israel is stealing Leba- actually found any gas in the areas disputed with non’s natural resources and that this is a justifiable Greece and natural gas prices are so low that com- reason to go to war. If the negotiations between mercial development is a distant prospect. Coming Lebanon and Israel do indeed bear fruit, it will pull to terms with Greece would undermine Turkey’s the rug from under Nasrallah’s feet. (…) A peace claims to Cyprus’ EEZ, which Erdogan would never agreement between Israel and Lebanon is a long agree to. The same logic almost certainly applies to way off. But any normalization agreement between Lebanon’s agreement to talk to Israel. With no per- the two states is a good sign. (…) manent government, its economy is in shambles Giora Eiland, YED, 10.10.20 and few friends besides Syria and Iran, both of whom are in similarly dire straits, Lebanon’s back is Lebanon's future runs through talks with Israel also against the wall. In theory, an agreement with Ironically, it was the devastating Aug. 4 explosion Israel settling a disputed 860 square kilometers (…) that decimated the Port of Beirut, pushing Lebanon of Mediterranean waters would give a boost to Leb- into an unprecedented economic crisis, which anon’s economy and help it pay off its immense prompted the country's government to understand debt. (…) For Lebanon, gas isn’t such a distant that the only way they could save Lebanon from prospect as it is for Turkey, and if it were up to the complete economic ruin was to tap into the country's technocrats who are supposed to be running Leba- offshore natural gas reserves. (…) Lebanon's liberal non, the two sides might reach an agreement. But circles have long demanded that Hezbollah disarm as the collapse of the last technocratic government and allow the Lebanese army do its job, and the fact in Lebanon shows, it’s Hezbollah that really runs the that the US and many EU members no longer differ- country. (…) entiate between its political and military wings, ra- David Rosenberg, HAA, 05.10.20 ther have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group, adds to the pressure Nasrallah in under. This is why Direct border talks with Lebanon hold wider he has remained silent when the Lebanese govern- significance ment declared it would pursue the resolution of the (…) Approximately 20 years ago, Israel decided to disputed maritime borders via indirect talks with withdraw from Lebanon to an internationally recog- Israel. (…) given the normalization between Israel, nized border. (…) Israel and the UN agreed on the the UAE, and Bahrain, with new Arab countries “Blue Line,” a temporary land-based border to be reportedly seeking rapprochement with the Jewish recognized by the international community. (…) state, and with the Saudis now allowing Israeli flights 2 to travel through its airspace, even Hezbollah cannot deceived by their promises to replace the criminal deny the fact that the Middle East is changing. (…) suspect at the country’s helm. (…) Despite Netan- Daniel Siryoti, IHY, 11.10.20 yahu’s false claims, the demonstrations – which take place outdoors with participants wearing masks – make only a marginal contribution to the spread of 2. Demonstrationen gegen Netanyahu trotz the coronavirus. The battle against the virus is being Lockdown utilized by Netanyahu to suppress dissent against Ungeachtet der strengen Corona-Regeln kam es him and to silence his critics. This is criminal exploi- auch in den vergangenen Wochen vielerorts weiter- tation of a true emergency situation to take politically hin zu heftigen Protesten gegen Israels Regierungs- repressive steps against those who oppose the chef Benjamin Netanyahu. Tausende Menschen im government, and against those who are protesting, ganzen Land versammelten