Media Summary
Netanyahu to begin his two-day visit to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
The Financial Times and the online edition of the Guardian report on comments made by Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump. In a radio interview, Conway said that moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be a “very big priority” for the Trump administration. Trump pledged to make the move during the election campaign, which if implemented would likely anger Palestinians and the wider Arab community.
The Independent includes a feature on the charity Amaliah, which is headed by Israeli-American businessman Moti Kahana, and is dedicated to providing medical aid to Syrian civilians suffering in the civil war. Amaliah partners with the IDF and the Western-backed Free Syrian Army to bus sick Syrians across the Israeli border, where they receive treatment in Israeli hospitals, before returning to Syria by bus. The articles describes Amaliah as a “remarkable initiative”.
The Independent also includes a report on a draft bill submitted by 16 coalition Knesset members, which proposes an effective ban on non-Orthodox religious ceremonies at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The bill is spearheaded by ultra-Orthodox coalition MKs and if passed, would be considered a serious blow to non-Orthodox Jewish bodies, who have long pushed the Israeli government for increased prayer rights at the site.
The Telegraph, Times, Daily Mail and Daily Express all cover Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech yesterday at the Conservative Friends of Israel lunch. The reports focus on her condemnation of “disgusting” anti-Semitic attitudes within British politics, especially the Labour Party, which she accused of being blind to the issue.
The Telegraph, Guardian, Metro, Daily Mirror, i, Sun and Daily Star all cover Home Secretary Amber Rudd’s announcement yesterday that youth movement National Action is to be banned as a terror organisation. Rudd described it as a “racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic” organisation with a “vile ideology”.
On Syria, the Telegraph online reports that the battle for Aleppo is “all but over” with rebels discussing terms of surrender to President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. The online editions of the Guardian and the Times say that al-Assad is close to victory in Aleppo and report concerns that atrocities are taking place there against a large number of civilians.
The Guardian online says that the International Crisis Group claims Iran and Turkey held talks over a settlement in Syria as early as 2013, but those discussions “broke down amid mutual suspicions”.
In the Israeli media, the top story in Maariv and Israel Hayom, which is also covered prominently in Yediot Ahronot, is the arrival yesterday of the first two F-35 stealth fighter jets from the US. Israel organised a welcome ceremony to mark their arrival, which was attended by dignitaries including Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter. Israel is the first country to receive the American-made cutting edge aircraft. At the ceremony, Netanyahu said: “Our long arm has now become longer and mightier”.
Yediot Ahronot reports that a compromise has been reached between Netanyahu and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett over housing the residents of the West Bank outpost of Amona, which faces a court-ordered evacuation. The government agreed last week not to oppose the eviction, but to support legislation which would see other homes constructed on private Palestinian land retroactively legalised. It is reported that Netanyahu and Bennett have agreed to re-house Amona residents on nearby plots classified as “absentee property”. However, it is unclear whether Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has approved the proposal.
Israel Radio news reports that Netanyahu will begin his two-day visit to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan today. Both are Muslim-majority countries and no Israeli Prime Minister has previously visited Kazakhstan. The report notes that the visit to Kazakhstan in particular has significant diplomatic importance, as the country will take a seat on the UN Security Council in January.