New York Governor Signs Executive Order Against BDS

Today’s Top Stories

1. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order instructing state agencies “to divest themselves of companies and organizations aligned with a Palestinian-backed boycott movement against Israel.” More at the New York Times.

I am signing an Executive Order that says very clearly we are against the BDS movement. If you boycott Israel, New York will boycott you.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 5, 2016

2. Ukrainian security officers arrested a French man it said was planning terror attacks in France to be carried out during the upcoming Euro 2016 soccer championship, which France is hosting. Reuters writes:

His intended targets included Jewish and Muslim places of worship and buildings involved with the soccer tournament, Gritsak said. French government administration buildings, including those dealing with tax collection, were also a target . . .

 

“The SBU was able to prevent a series of 15 acts of terror (planned) for the eve and during the Euro soccer championship,” he said.

3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed to Russia for two days of talks with President Vladimir Putin. The Times of Israel previews what’s on their agenda.

4. HonestReporting’s Spring 2014 mission wound up today with a visit to Mt. Herzl, then to HR’s Jerusalem headquarters to meet the team. There they also heard from IDF Col (res.) Bentzi Gruber, who  discussed ethics on the battlefield and Neil Lazarus who talked about effectively advocating for Israel.

Israel and the Palestinians

• Bassam Safadi, the Israeli journalist who was arrested five days ago in the Golan, was released to house arrest by a Nazareth judge. A resident of the Druze village of Majdal Shams and employed by Iran’s al-Aram TV, Safadi was first detained “for what police said was alleged incitement and supporting terror groups.”
• The IDF demolished seven illegally built EU-funded West Bank structures near Maale Adumim. Jerusalem Post coverage.

• If all you do is skim headlines, you’d think Israelis marched through a Muslim neighborhood simply to be provocative. You have to read the otherwise Washington Post report to find out the march was part of the annual Jerusalem Day festivities.

• Tweet of the day, from David Ha’ivri.

Disappointment 4 foreign media. No clashes between Jews and Arabs on Jerusalem Day. h/t to @AriSoffer1 & @sfrantzman pic.twitter.com/PsxHyDSGsr

— David Ha'ivri ?? دافيد هعفري (@haivri) June 6, 2016

• Another Gaza tunnel digger captured.

• Israel busted a Norwegian embassy driver with 10 kilos of antiquities in an official embassy car. More at the Times of Israel.

• Dr. Anwar Eshki, a senior Saudi official who regularly meets with Israelis, shared his thoughts on Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and Saudi Arabia’s role in a YNet interview.

• The Wall St. Journal (click via Google News) takes a closer look at what’s known about the relationship between Hamas and Islamic State’s Sinai affiliate.

• Memo to Reuters bureau chief Luke Baker: After Jordan captured Jerusalem’s Old City in 1948, they kicked out all the Jews and demolished the Jewish Quarter. A celebratory parade is fine, but what would happen if Israel kicked all the Arabs out of the Old City and bulldozed the entire Muslim Quarter?

https://twitter.com/LukeReuters/status/739399758465400832

Around the World

• Haaretz updates how the fight against BDS is shaping up in other state legislatures, while JTA looks at the unfolding battle in Ontario.

• At least five Jordanian security personnel were killed in attack on a Palestinian refugee camp this morning. Especially eyebrow-raising is that the attack took place on the first day of Ramadan. Early media reports didn’t indicate who might be responsible.

• Last, but not least: Muhammad Ali pleaded for Daniel Pearl’s life.

Commentary/Analysis

• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .

– Efraim Inbar: Israel’s dilemmas: Conflict management vs conflict resolution
– Zalman Shoval: A flood of Gallic gall in Paris
– Moshe Arens: Hollande dances badly in footsteps of his countryman Picot
– Haviv Rettig Gur: Jerusalem of iron
– Dror Eydar: The Old City: The crowning glory
– Selin Nasi: The military aspect of normalization with Israel

Featured image: CC BY-SA Sascha Kohlmann with additions by HonestReporting;

For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.

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