Today’s Top Stories
1. A group of Palestinians living in Chile filed a war crimes suit against three Israeli Supreme Court justices who in 2015 authorized construction of the security barrier in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem. Chilean law buys into the concept of universal jurisdiction. (What’s universal jurisdiction?). According to Haaretz:
The claimants are six landowners from the Beit Jala in the West Bank, whose lands will be separated from the village as a result of the barrier’s construction. Five of the plaintiffs are Chilean nationals residing in the country and the sixth is a Palestinian that lives in Beit Jala . . .
The decision to prosecute judges was based on the precedent set by the Nuremberg trials, which permitted judges to be convicted for their role in cooperating with crimes against humanity and war crimes, a member of the legal team that prepared the suit told Haaretz.
2. The Palestinian commander of the pro-Assad Jerusalem Brigade was killed in fighting in Aleppo. NOW Lebanaon reports that Mohammad Mahmoud Rafeh received a Russian medal three months ago “for strengthening military cooperation.”
Strengthening military cooperation with who exactly? Russians and Palestinians?
#Russia previously gave Mohammad Mahmoud Rafeh the medal of "Military Cooperation," one of many Russian military awards passed out in Syria pic.twitter.com/NlGMYRz69l
— Albin Szakola (@AlbinSzakola) November 28, 2016
3. Times of Israel: A soldier was lightly wounded after mistakenly entering Palestinian town on Monday afternoon. The IDF’s investigating how the mishap happened. No indication yet if Waze was the culprit, like another incident earlier this year.
The four soldiers, some of them reservists, were escorted out of the city by Palestinian police and in collaboration with the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration.
Join the fight for Israel’s fair coverage in the news
4. Giving Tuesday, today, is a global day dedicated to supporting worthy causes. Please support our fight for Israel’s fair media coverage.
Israel and the Palestinians
• The PA says it will present another settlement-bashing resolution to the UN Security Council in the coming days. According to the Jerusalem Post, Palestinian leaders are betting that President Barack Obama will allow the vote to pass with a US abstention.
• The Fatah party congress kicks off in Ramallah today. The Los Angeles Times previews what’s in store, what’s at stake, and the who’s who.
• A gunman fired shots at an IDF base in the West Bank last night. No casualties were reported and the army is searching for the suspects near Silwad, a Palestinian village near Beit El.
• Tweet of the day goes to Amb. Paul Hirschson:
They're ISIS Militants when #Israel kills them but terrorists when they decapitate American journalists. Seriously @CNN? pic.twitter.com/v4Vht9WPLD
— Paul Hirschson (@paulhirschson) November 28, 2016
• The Israeli government recognized several recent fires as acts of terror.
• Guatemala‘s president is visiting Israel.
• How is Jewish-Arab coexistence faring after the wildfires? The Times of Israel and New York Times take closer looks.
Around the World
• Inside Higher Ed takes a closer look at recent anti-Semitic incidents against Jewish professors.
• London cafe apologizes for swastika-branded smoothie drink (!?)
A London cafe horrified customers by selling a nut-based smoothie in a swastika-emblazoned bottle https://t.co/IjuitTwCAg
— New York Post (@nypost) November 28, 2016
• Chelsea fans filmed chanting anti-Semitic songs on Underground following win over Tottenham.
• A landmark rock outside a Boston-area school was defaced with swastikas and racist messages during the Thanksgiving break. Bromfield School students have already painted over the graffiti.
Commentary/Analysis
• Worth reading: Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld’s book on anti-Semitism and the delegitimization of Israel is available for free at the JCPA. The War of a Million Cuts lays out why anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism have the same core motifs, who the main inciters are, how hate messages are transmitted to the public, and how you can fight back.
This is the best — now, perhaps, the only — means of countering the one-state reality that Israel is imposing on itself and the Palestinian people. Recognition of Palestine and a new Security Council resolution are not radical new measures, but a natural outgrowth of America’s support for a two-state solution.
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
– Ilan Evyatar: Is the Obama administration at a boiling point with Israel?
– Prof. Eyal Zisser: It’s not a cliche: Islamic State is at the gate
– Khaled Abu Toameh: A Palestinian refugee camp’s ‘wall of shame’
– Jonathan Marks: Is anti-Semitism a firing offense?
– The Australian (staff-ed): Time to scrutinise aid to the Palestinians
Featured image: CC BY cannik; Carter CC BY-NC-ND European Parliament;
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.
Before you comment on this article, please remind yourself of our Comments Policy. Any comments deemed to be in breach of the policy will be removed at the editor’s discretion.
