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Media Summary

Netanayhu begins historic tour of Africa

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The Guardian covers an historic visit yesterday by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. It marked the 40th anniversary of a famous raid at the airport in which Israeli commandos carried out a daring and highly successful rescue operation, to free Israeli and Jewish hostages who were being held by Palestinian terrorists following the hijacking of an Air France flight. Netanyahu, whose brother Yonatan was the only Israeli military casualty in the operation, described yesterday’s visit as a “deeply moving day”. Netanyahu will also visit Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia in a visit which he hopes will boost Israel’s economic and diplomatic relations in Africa.

The Independent online says that the two Palestinian terrorists who opened fire and killed four Israelis in a popular entertainment district of Tel Aviv last month, were indicted yesterday. The Shin Bet security agency said that although not officially linked, they were inspired by ISIS to carry out the attack.

Meanwhile, the Times reports that Israeli forces yesterday destroyed the West Bank homes of two Palestinian terrorists, who stabbed and killed an Israeli man in December. Such house demolitions are intended to be a deterrent against would-be attackers.

The Telegraph says that Israel’s government has approved the construction of 800 homes for Israelis in the West Bank city of Ma’aleh Adumim and in East Jerusalem. At the same time, it has also approved the construction of 600 housing units to boost the Arab neighbourhood of Beit Safafa in East Jerusalem.

The Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Metro, Daily Mirror, i and Daily Star all cover Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s appearance yesterday at the House of Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into anti-Semitism. Corbyn described comments made by former-London Mayor Ken Livingstone, which appeared to claim that Hitler supported Zionism, as “totally wrong.” Corbyn also expressed some regret for having previously described members of terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah as “friends.”

In the Israeli media, the top story in Maariv, which is also covered prominently in Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom is Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Africa, which began yesterday in Uganda. Israel Radio says that Netanyahu will this morning meet with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, while Israeli and Kenyan businesspeople will also meet. Last night, Netanyahu attended a summit on security attended by the leaders of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia, who declared the need for closer cooperation.

The top story in Yediot Ahronot is a new bill apparently being constructed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, to better combat online incitement. Such a law would make it possible to remove terror and other content that are a tangible danger to state security, public security or an individual’‎s security. However, the Justice Ministry emphasised that owing to the potential harm to freedom of speech, court orders to remove content would be handed down rarely and in extreme cases and will only remove the offensive content.

Meanwhile, the top item in Israel Hayom, which is also a major story in Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz and Maariv, is the conviction yesterday of one of Israel’s top business figures Nochi Dankner, for market manipulation. The prosecution will apparently ask for a minimum prison sentence of four years. Dankner headed the IDB holding company, which included a major mobile phone operator and supermarket chain.

Israel Radio news says that Israeli forces struck two Syrian army targets, in response to stray mortar fire which landed in Israeli territory. Israeli officials assessed that the fire was an unintentional spill over from Syria’s Civil War.