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Media Summary

Tamimi charged for assaulting Israeli soldier

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The Guardian, Independent, Daily Mail and the BBC News Online report on the arrest of Ahed Tamimi, a 17-year-old Palestinian girl who was filmed slapping an Israeli soldier in the West Bank. She has been charged with assaulting security forces, incitement and throwing stones. On Sunday, her cousin, Nour Tamimi, was charged with assault and disturbing soldiers from carrying out their duties. Her mother, who filmed the video and posted it on Facebook, has also been charged.

The Guardian, Independent, Telegraph, Evening Standard, NME Online and ITV News Online report on the one page advertisement in the Washington Post placed by American Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s organisation ‘This World: The Values Network’ criticising the singer Lorde for cancelling her concert in Israel. The advertisement accuses the singer of participating in “a global antisemitic boycott” of Israel and labels her as a “bigot” following the cancellation of her concert. The advertisement shows an image of the New Zealand born musician set against a photo of men holding babies amid damaged buildings alongside the caption “Lorde and New Zealand ignore Syria to attack Israel”.

The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC News Online, Daily Mail, The Times, the Telegraph, ITV News and Metro report on the continuing protests in Iran. More than 20 people are now reported to have died amid the escalating protests after nine were killed during clashes last night. Protests continued despite a warning from President Rouhani yesterday that security forces would take action against “rioters and lawbreakers”. The protests in cities across Iran are the largest since the disputed 2009 presidential election. They began last Thursday in the city of Mashhad, initially against price rises and corruption, but have since spread amid wider anti-government sentiment.

The Daily Mail reports that US Vice President Mike Pence is going to Israel as planned and is set to travel during the week of January 14. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a planned trip to India during the rescheduled period for Pence’s visit.

The Daily Mail reports that Israel’s Intelligence Minister Israel Katz on Monday voiced encouragement for Iranian anti-government protesters but added that Israeli policy was not to get involved in Tehran’s internal affairs. He was quoted on Monday saying: “I can only wish success to the Iranian people in the struggle for freedom and democracy. If the people succeed in achieving freedom and democracy, many of the threats on Israel and the entire region today will disappear.”

Yahoo News UK Online, Daily Mail and The Independent report on the Likud Central Committee’s unanimous endorsement of a resolution calling for the annexation of West Bank settlements. The Central Committee is only an advisory body, and Sunday’s vote did not reflect an official policy change. Several leading politicians, including Intelligence Minister Katz, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat joined the vote to “impose Israeli law on all liberated areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria”.

The Daily Mail reports that on Tuesday morning Israel’s parliament set a higher threshold for any future vote on ceding parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians. The amendment to Israel’s Basic Law on Jerusalem raises the number of votes from 61 to 80 that would be required in the Knesset to approve any proposal to hand over part of the city to “a foreign party”.

The Israeli media concentrates heavily on the protests in Iran. Yediot Ahronot and Maariv both report that the riots are spreading across the country with protestors saying they have nothing to lose. Haaretz notes that 19 demonstrators have so far been killed by the regime. Israel Hayom focuses on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s message wishing the Iranian people good luck in their “noble battle for freedom.” Among the commentary, Maariv speculates that “the fall of the ayatollah regime would bring salvation not only to millions of Iranians who are living under a cruel, dictatorial and corrupt regime. It will also fundamentally alter the Middle East and create a new order”.

Kan Radio News report that the Israeli Air Force last night bombed a military compound belonging to Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip in response to a missile fired last night at Israel. It fell near a community in the Eshkol Regional Council. No one was injured and no damage was caused.

All the papers report on domestic politics as the coalition, unable to guarantee a majority, decided to postpone until next week the second and third readings of the minimarket bill which would give the Interior Minister greater authority to authorise convenience stores to open on the Sabbath. Yediot Ahronot notes a law on funding party primaries did pass its second and third readings. From now on, candidates running in primaries will be barred from accepting contributions from private sources. They will be able to receive loans from the state, and if they are elected to the Knesset, the loan will become a grant. Incumbent MKs will receive a grant even if they are not elected to the next Knesset. Israel Hayom reports the Knesset last night approved an amendment to the Basic Law on Jerusalem. The bill was sponsored by the Jewish Home party with 64 MKs supporting the amendment, with 51 against.  Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett said that Jerusalem’s unity had been ensured in perpetuity and that there would no more political manoeuvres that would enable the capital to be divided.

Haaretz and Maariv report Ahed Tamimi, the Palestinian girl arrested for slapping an Israeli soldier two weeks ago, was indicted on five counts of assaulting security forces and for throwing stones. Ahed’s mother, Nariman Tamimi, is being charged for incitement on social media and for assault. Maariv also note that she has become a symbol in the UK, with her image appearing on bus stop advertising space.

Yediot Ahronot continues to report on the police investigation dubbed “Case 3000,” regarding Israel’s purchase of naval vessels. The paper reports that state witness Ganor has provided details as to how he and David Shimron, a close associate of the Prime Minister, sabotaged the deal to buy vessels from South Korea and arranged a deal to buy them from German company Thyssen-Krupp instead.