fbpx

Media Summary

Netanyahu’s secret meeting with Egyptian and Jordanian leaders

[ssba]

The i reports on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s secret meeting with Egyptian and Jordanian leaders as part of an attempt by the US to convene a regional summit on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The i states that the initiative was dropped after Netanyahu withdrew his support.

The Financial Times reports on the Egyptian interior ministry’s announcement of several civilian casualties as a result of a shootout between security forces and ISIS in the Sinai. Families of those who died insist their relatives were executed by the police after being detained for months.

The Times reports on the Iraqi army’s offensive to recapture the western part of Mosul from ISIS, discussing the prospects for victory and the risk of severe humanitarian disaster.

The Telegraph reports that Hamas military courts in Gaza have sentenced three Palestinians to death for allegedly spying for Israel.

The Guardian reports that the Middle East has doubled its imports of major weapons systems in the past five years.

For the second day Haaretz leads on their revelations of a secret regional summit that took place in Aqaba last year. Today’s headline is, ‘Netanyahu Proposed Construction Freeze in Isolated Settlements in Exchange for Recognition of Blocs’.  The report describes additional steps Prime Minister Netanyahu was prepared to make, which also included approval for Palestinian construction in area C and Israeli government recognition of the Arab peace initiative.  In response to the story, Maariv highlights comments made by Leader of the Opposition Yitzhak Herzog in an interview to Channel Ten News last night.  Referring to revelations of a regional peace agreement last year, Herzog claimed: “Netanyahu backed down. We missed an historic opportunity.”

Maariv report on demonstrations outside the cabinet meeting yesterday by evacuees of Amona.  They are concerned the Prime Minister will renege on his promise to build them a new settlement. Minister Ariel from the Jewish Home party threatened to bring down the coalition if a settlement is not built.

Maariv also reports on an alleged attack on an ISIS terror cell in Sinai, apparently thwarted before they could launch rockets on Eilat. Also this morning, Israel Radio reports that two rockets were fired from the Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel earlier today, which landed in an open area, no injuries were reported.

The headlines in Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom reflect on new evidence of abuse at nursing homes for the elderly. Israel Hayom lead with the headline, ‘They are the Parents of Us All and They Need Love’.

Yediot Ahronot and Maariv prominently cover President Donald Trump’s strange comments over an invented terror attack in Sweden. Also in Yediot Ahronot, Nahum Barnea connects President Trump’s attack on the American media to the plight of the Israeli media also under threat.

In financial news, Israel Hayom covers a Finance Ministry Report that tax on third-home apartments recently introduced in the budget has led to an increase of apartments available on the market.

Israel Radio reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu met this morning with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.