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Media Summary

16/01/2015

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The Guardian online says that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has criticised Liberal Democrat MP David Ward’s comments about Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Sunday’s solidarity march in Paris. Ward, who has a track record of public hostility towards and controversial comments aimed at Israel, said that Netanyahu’s attendance at the rally “sickens me.” Clegg called Ward’s remarks “crass, stupid and insensitive.” Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Daniel Taub earlier this week urged Clegg to take “forceful action” against Ward.

The online editions of the Guardian and Telegraph both cover comments made by Turkey’s Prime Minister Davutoglu, who yesterday appeared to compare Netanyahu to the Paris terrorists. He claimed that Israel’s actions in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge and the storming of the Mavi Marmara ship on route to Gaza in 2010 was evidence of “terror.” Prior to the Mavi Marmara incident, Israel and Turkey enjoyed close relations, but bilateral diplomatic ties have since been cut.

The Independent i reports that the Arab League has given its approval for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to resubmit a resolution to the United Nations (UN) Security Council which would mandate an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank by the end of 2017. The motion failed to gain approval at the UN Security Council last month, but with the body’s composition having changed on 1 January, the PA now looks set to propose the motion again.

The Times says that a prosecutor in Argentina has accused the country’s President Kirchner and Argentina’s Foreign Minister of “erasing” Iran’s role in the deadly bombing of a Jewish Centre in Buenos Aires in 1994. The prosecutor hinted that the cover up was designed to boost Argentina’s trade relations with Tehran.

In the Israeli media, the top story in Yediot Ahronot, also covered prominently in Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom is the finalizing of Knesset candidate lists and a new stage of campaigning in advance of the 17 March general election. Shas, Kulanu and Yisrael Beitenu all held campaign launch events yesterday. Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Leiberman criticised Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett’s plan to annex the West Bank and instead presented a campaign pledge to make heavily Arab populated areas of Israel part of a future Palestine while incorporating large West Bank settlements into Israel.

There are several polls this morning, which are summarised by Yediot Ahronot. They indicate that the joint Labour-Hatnuah list would win 24-26 seats, ahead of Likud in second, with 20-25 seats, followed by Jewish Home, which is predicted to receive 16-17 mandates.  Yesh Atid would secure 8-11 seats, while Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu could receive 8-10 Knesset slots.

Meanwhile, Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom all report that an official in the Israel Lands Authority has been arrested alongside a former Knesset member on suspicion of corruption. The two unnamed officials are alleged to have exploited their positions to advance real estate deals. Both have been placed under house arrest for five days.