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Media Summary

Israeli media focus on Barcelona attack

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The Financial Times reports on the rapid devaluation of shares in Israeli pharmaceutical giant TEVA, billions of dollars have been wiped off its market value.

The Times reports that a suicide bomber was killed in Gaza in what it describes as “a rare attack” on Hamas, the militant terror group who control the Gaza Strip.

The Guardian includes an opinion piece by Giles Fraser titled “Why America’s antisemites can hate Jews but still claim to admire Israel,” drawing comparisons between the rise in support for the right wing in Israeli politics and the rise of the white supremacist movement in the US.

The Daily Express includes a feature on the rise in vehicular terror attacks, citing the attack in January that killed four Israeli soldiers.

All the Israeli media focus on the last night’s vehicle ramming attack in Barcelona, which killed at least 13 civilians, with the Israeli press reporting that Jewish institutions in the city have been closed, and Jewish communities across Europe are fearful of similar attacks.

Yediot Ahronoth’s headline is “Barcelona is bleeding,” Maariv writes “Blood in the middle of Barcelona,” Haaretz details “13 dead and dozens wounded in terror attack in Barcelona” and Israel Hayom headlines “Israelis in the middle of the inferno: ‘we hid the children under the tables’”. The Jerusalem Post also reports that Tel Aviv City Hall donned the colours of the Spanish flag after the attack. The online editions report that Spanish police killed five suspects in a second attack south of Barcelona.

The Times of Israel reports that the Palestinian Authority is demanding a two-state commitment from the US, and that the Palestinian envoy to the US is urging the administration to set out a peace endgame or the PA may take unilateral steps. Haaretz states that Palestinians see the upcoming Jared Kushner visit as crucial.

Yediot Ahronoth reports on a political storm within the national religious party after Jewish Home after Education Minister Naftali Bennett mobilised in defence of his gay communications adviser Brit Perets. This followed comments by a leading Rabbi, Yisrael Rosen, that he had decided to leave the party, among other reasons, due to the liberalism shown by Bennett towards the gay community. Bennett responded by saying that “Anyone who thinks that I should discriminate against a person due to their orientation, gender or skin color will meet with a complete refusal. All people are made in God’s image.” Bennett’s response was praised by former Education Minister Limor Livnat of Likud and Michael Ben-Ari of Kulanu, among others. Minister Uri Ariel of the Tekuma faction within the Jewish Home criticised Bennett saying “Bennett will not find votes among the hipsters in Tel Aviv or among same-sex couples”.

Maariv  and Kan Radio report that the High Court of Justice approved the police decision to find an alternative location for increasing numbers of demonstrators near the Petah Tikvah home of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. The Movement for Quality Government and organisers of the protest have threatened to petition the High Court of Justice today. The demonstrators are demanding Mandelblit speed up investigations into Prime Minister Netanyahu.