fbpx

Media Summary

Erdogan to move Turkish Embassy to East Jerusalem

[ssba]

The Times reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will open an embassy in East Jerusalem after recognising it as the capital of Palestine in defiance of US President Trump’s recognition of the city as the capital of Israel.

The Guardian features a collection of letters from readers in response to a series of opinion articles published in the paper last week relating to US President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem announcement. Respondents include Labour peer Jeremy Beecham, Spokesperson for the Jerusalem Municipality Rachel Greenspan, and Professor Ian Leck of Oxford University.

The Telegraph features an opinion piece by Mark Regev, the Israeli ambassador to the UK, who argues that the move is “good for peace” and that the UK should follow.

The Independent reports that the family of “Miss Iraq” have been forced to flee the country after the beauty queen posted selfies alongside Miss Israel. The Miss Universe Pageant contestant Sarah Idan was criticised in Iraq after she posted photos on social media with Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman.

The Evening Standard reports that two journalists were stabbed in connection with “Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem” according to their assailant. The attacks took place in Gabon’s capital Libereville and targeted two Danish journalists.

The Guardian, Telegraph, BBC News Online all report on the death of British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes in Beirut where police believe she was murdered. A suspect was arrested this morning and has been referred to by their initials, TH, in the Lebanese media.

The Guardian covers the story of International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt telling Saudi Arabia to stop blocking aid to Yemen.

BBC News Online reports that Iranian state TV has broadcast what it says is the confession of a Sweden-based Iranian national in jail in Iran. The 17-minute programme purports to show 46-year-old Ahmadreza Djalali admitting he spied on Iran’s nuclear programme for Israel.

The FT reports that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis has announced a project to build a new “administrative capital” by mid-2019 to the east of Cairo.

Yediot Ahronot reports the missile that landed at the entrance of a home in southern Israel. They include the account from the family that describe it as a “chanukah miracle” that nobody was hurt. The family had just returned home. “We began to take the bags out of the car and to bring them inside when the siren suddenly rang out. We were in the hallway and we ran immediately to the bomb shelter. The second we got inside there was a tremendous explosion. The house shook. The rocket hit the wall and the door was also hit. My car was completely destroyed by the shrapnel, and shrapnel also hit my neighbours’ homes. But we’re all okay, and that’s what’s important,” said a family member.

Israel Hayom looks ahead to Vice President Mike Pence’s visit later this week.  The paper suggests he will be the first senior American leader to visit the Western Wall on an official visit. Rather, Pence will be accompanied by an official representative of the State of Israel, apparently a cabinet minister, following the President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem announcement.

All the papers continue to follow the plight of workers facing the sack at Teva pharmaceuticals.  Today the strike will continue in the plant in Jerusalem as well as the headquarters in Petah Tikva, Ashdod and Netanya.  This morning, Histadrut Chairman Avi Nissenkorn, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Economy Minister Eli Cohen are scheduled to hold a meeting with Teva employees and representatives of the Teva workers’ association.

Maariv and Haaretz report that the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai will end his term in six months.  He will be replaced by Brig. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, who will be promoted to the rank of major-general.  Brig. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon is 58, a resident of the Druze village of Ussfiya in the Carmel and has served in the security establishment for 40 years.  He held many different positions in the Civil Administration, among them the governor of Tulkarm, commander of the Gaza DCO, deputy coordinator of government activities in the territories and the director of the Civil Administration. Abu Rokon is currently the director of the land crossings administration in the Defence Ministry.

Yediot Ahronot reveals new plans by the Antiquities Authority to carry out large-scale excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem.  The plan is to “expose, preserve and develop the Old City from Mount Zion to the City of David”. As ever there will be no excavations on the  Temple Mount as it considered too holy and sensitive.  This is seen as a historic initiative, the first time the government under the auspice of the Culture and Sport Ministry, has initiated such a project.  The cost of the plan is approximately NIS 250 million.

Maariv includes an update on various bills the government has agreed to push forward following yesterday’s meeting of coalition heads. The Nationality Bill aims “to protect the status of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and to enshrine, in a basic law, the values of the State of Israel as Jewish and democratic state in the spirit of the principles stated in the declaration of the State of Israel’s establishment.” Jewish Home are again looking to advance a bill calling for a death sentence for terrorists.

Kan Radio News reports on the worsening condition of security guard Asher Elmaliah, who sustained serious injuries in a stabbing attack last week at Jerusalem’s central bus station.  He physically blocked the terrorist from attacking other people and was stabbed in the heart.