Today’s Top Stories
1. Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral Sunday in Petah Tikva of IDF Staff Sgt. Aviv Levi, who was killed by Palestinian sniper fire on the Gaza border on Friday. Israel responded with air strikes that killed four people in Gaza, three of whom were confirmed Hamas fighters. Israel’s Channel 10 had an unconfirmed report: Egypt warned Hamas that Israel would launch a war “in two hours” if Hamas were to respond. Since that time a form of ceasefire has been holding, more or less.
Staff Sergeant Aviv Levi, a platoon sergeant in the Givati Brigade, was shot and killed yesterday during operational activity in the southern Gaza Strip. He was 21 years old. pic.twitter.com/9jiDF3lIyF
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 21, 2018
2. The Washington Post published an important opinion piece by US heavyweights Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and David Friedman who say “Help is at hand for Palestinians. It’s all up to Hamas.” Meanwhile, the same authors plus US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley wrote in a CNN op-ed, that they see the beginning of a “paradigm shift” at the UN regarding Israel. Is it possible that the tide is changing?
When the amendment came to a vote, a miracle by UN standards happened. Although the measure ultimately failed for technical reasons, more nations voted for holding Hamas accountable with the US amendment than against it.
3. Thousands of LGBT rights activists are protesting Israel’s Surrogacy Law , which excludes single men and homosexual couples. Dozens of companies announced support for the protest, including local divisions of Facebook, IBM, and Microsoft. The protests are occurring in cities across Israel, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Be’er Sheva.
Thousands of protestors block Ayalon Hwy in support of LGBTQ rights @Jerusalem_Post pic.twitter.com/8nf52zReFC
— Rocky Baier ? (@RockyBaier) July 22, 2018
4. There is legitimate debate over Israel’s new “Nation State Law,” but some news sources are going a step further and getting the facts wrong. HonestReporting critiqued Sky News and even got them to remove a problematic Tweet.
It is perfectly legitimate to take issue with the nation state law but this @SkyNews piece isn’t analysis, it’s agitprop. Even critics of the law don’t need to descend to the apartheid libel @alexrossiSKY. How can we trust someone with these views to report impartially on Israel? https://t.co/EWOI7ea9AV
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) July 20, 2018
To get a fuller picture of the law itself and both sides of the debate, you can refer to our previous IDNS.
5. WATCH: A new law keeps organizations like Breaking the Silence out of Israeli schools. Is this anti-free speech or not? Is BtS a legitimate watchdog group or anti-Israel extremists? HR’s Senior Editor Daniel Pomerantz explains on i24News. Watch, and tell us, what’s your opinion?
Israel and the Palestinians
• In light of several “ceasefires” and ongoing exchanges of fire over the weekend between Israel and Gaza, the UN’s Antonio Guterres weighed in:
I call on Hamas and other Palestinian militants to cease the launching of rockets and incendiary kites and provocations…[and Israel] must exercise restraint to avoid further inflaming the situation.
• After this weekend’s exchange of fire between Israel and Hamas, a shaky ceasefire has been restored.
Join the fight for Israel’s fair coverage in the news
Mideast Matters
• Israel helps evacuate 800 of Syria’s “white helmet” aid workers to Jordan, amidst increasing danger in the region.
• Sisters who spent 6 years in Syria’s Palestinian camp, Yarmouk, recount years of horror.
•A Saudi Journalist calls on Arab countries to advance peace with Israel.
Around the World
• A San Francisco State University professor posted a photo on Facebook that rejects welcoming Zionist students to the university, SFSU is not planning to take action on this matter.
• This isn’t the first time Teen Vogue has taken an unfair and misleading position on Israel. Is this a pattern?
Commentary/Analysis
•Netanyahu is optimistic about Iran’s exit from Syria. This comes after Israel was the only country explicitly mentioned in the Trump-Putin summit.
• Israelis disagree on whether or not restaurants should be required to close for Tisha Be’av.
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
–David Harris: The “If Only Israel” Syndrome
–Shlomo Nakdimon: The winner of the Trump-Putin summit is Israel
–Gil Hoffman: Much Ado About a Jewish Nation-State
–Charles Moore: Anti-Semitism is an issue that could blow the Labour Party to smithereens
–Bel Trew: Meet the girl who dreams of being Gaza’s first Olympic swimmer
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.
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