fbpx

Media Summary

Greenblatt to meet Quartet representatives

[ssba]

The Times reports that David Shimron, PM Netanyahu’s personal lawyer and cousin, has been placed under house arrest as part of the ongoing investigation into the submarine deal with German conglomerate Thyssen-Krupp.  The Guardian reports that other individuals who have been questioned as part of the investigation include Netanyahu’s former choice of national security adviser and a senior Israeli naval commander. Netanyahu has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

The i reports that IDF soldiers have killed two Palestinians in a raid on a refugee camp in Jenin. The IDF said its troops opened fire after coming under attack.

The i, Metro, and the BBC all report on the story that Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has defended the bands Tel Aviv gig next Wednesday after criticism from figures including Ken Loach, Roger Waters, Thurston Moore and Maxine Peake. Yorke justified the bands decision by stating “playing in a country isn’t the same as endorsing its government”.

The Israeli media this morning is dominated by a report from State Comptroller Yosef Shapira which directly criticises Prime Minister Netanyahu for failing to disclose possible conflicts of interest – especially his personal friendship with Shaul Elovich, owner of communications firm Bezeq and other media companies – during the period when he held the Communications Ministry portfolio (in addition to other government roles) in 2015-2016.

The story dominates the front pages of all three major Hebrew language dailies. Yediot Ahronot’s front page features a column by Nahum Barnea under the headline ‘On Power and Greed’, and the images of Netanyahu, his appointee as Communications Ministry Director General Shlomo Filber, and his personal attorney David Shimron, who has also been questioned this week in the “Case 3000 – submarine affair”.

Maariv’s front page features images of the same three individuals in addition to Elovich, with the headline “Associates under investigation”. The paper’s lead columnist Ben Caspit is highly critical of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, an appointee of Netanyahu’s, for “shutting his eyes” to what was going on.

The pro-Netanyahu Israel Hayom also focuses on the story, headlining the finding that Netanyahu failed to disclose his friendship with Elovich, and the charge that Filber acted in Bezeq’s interests

The broadcast media this morning also leads with the story, and Filber being questioned by the Israel Securities Authority.  Kan Radio News reports that the house arrest of David Shomron, linked to the investigation into the “Case 3000 submarines affair”, has been extended another day. The broadcaster also reports the Security Cabinet decision to temporarily review a previous decision to expand the Palestinian West Bank town of Kalkilya, supported by the Defence Ministry but opposed by settler groups.

The Jerusalem Post reports on the efforts of US peace envoy Jason Greenblatt, and his planned meeting with Quartet representatives, as well as the UN report into the crisis in Gaza.

Haaretz features an editorial which attacks PM Netanyahu for withdrawing complaints by the Israeli Foreign Ministry of a Hungarian government poster campaign targeting entrepreneur George Soros, which has been interpreted as antisemitic. Netanyahu himself has attacked Soros for funding left-wing NGOs in Israel.