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Media Summary

17/02/2015

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The Independent reports that Israel’s State Comptroller will today publish a long-awaited report into the expenses of the Netanyahu family at the Prime Minister’s residence. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long faced accusations of wasteful and excessive expenditure of public funds on his family’s home. The article says that depending on its findings, today’s report could have an impact on the current election campaign.

The Telegraph online says that the Central Election Committee which is overseeing next month’s poll ruled yesterday that Netanyahu’s controversial speech to Congress on 3 March cannot be broadcast live in Israel, but instead will be subject to a 5 minute delay. A petition by opposition parties claimed that the speech constitutes electioneering and so its live broadcast would contravene campaign rules.

Reaction continues to Netanyahu’s response over last weekend’s attacks in Denmark, which saw a man shot dead at Copenhagen’s main synagogue. Netanyahu called for European Jews to emigrate to Israel in the wake of the Denmark shootings, plus recent deadly attacks in France and Belgium too. The Times reports that Israel’s cabinet approved setting aside a £30million budget to smooth such an influx. However, both the Guardian and Independent i cover comments made by European leaders, including French Prime Minister Valls and German Chancellor Merkel, rejecting Netanyahu’s invitation and insisting that Jewish life is integral to Europe. The Daily Express and Daily Star both highlight comments by Jewish communal leaders in the UK urging Jews not to leave out of fear. An editorial in the Independent emphasises that Britain must remain a happy home for Jews, while a Financial Times editorial explains that although Israel continues to provide shelter to Jews who need it, Netanyahu’s comments ignore all that Europe has achieved since the Second World War.

The Times, Independent and the online editions of the Guardian and Financial Times all cover Egypt’s decision to bomb ISIS targets in Libya, after ISIS fighters in the North African country executed 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians. An editorial in the Guardian says that a political settlement in Libya is crucial to containing the spread of ISIS-led instability.

In the Israeli media, Maariv and Haaretz lead by previewing the publication today of the State Comptroller’s report into the expenses of the Prime Minister’s residence. Maariv says that it will include some “severe findings,” while Haaretz speculates that Netanyahu’s Likud Party is already preparing its response. Yediot Ahronot says that two opposition MKs have complained that a video published yesterday, in which a well-known interior designer was given a tour around the official residence by Netanyahu’s wife, is electioneering. They alleged that the clip was an attempt to highlight the property’s modesty prior to today’s report. Writing in Maariv, Ben Caspit calls the clip “gutter level.”

Another major story, which is the top item in Yediot Ahronot and also a major story elsewhere, is the death yesterday of Minster for Senior Citizens Uri Orbach, aged 54. Orbach was a well-respected journalist and media figure before joining Jewish Home in 2008. He was influential in the party’s growth and was regarded as a hard-working, affable MK Orbach was warmly eulogised across the political spectrum yesterday.

The official appointment yesterday of Gadi Eizenkot as new IDF Chief of Staff is also a significant item in Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz, Maariv, which describes him as “Soldier number one” and Israel Hayom which devotes its front page to story with the simple headline “Good luck.”