“Schlaglicht Israel” offers an insight into internal Israeli debates and reflects selected, political events that affect daily life in Israel. It appears every two weeks and summarizes articles that appeared in the Israeli daily press.
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Main topics covered in this Publication:
- Netanyahu charges Tehran with a secret nuclear weapons cache
- Russian military plane shot down
- Truce with Hamas increasingly unlikely
- Selection of Articles
1. Netanyahu charges Tehran with a secret nuclear weapons cache
Netanyahu’s UN speech was a masterpiece
The speech delivered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly (…) was perhaps the best he has ever given outside of Israel’s borders (…) because of his almost perfect ability to communicate practical and ideological messages to different target audiences in such a way that his messages bring about practical results and have the desired psychological impact that he is seeking. (…) Netanyahu took the intelligence material and used it to challenge the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and portrayed it as a toothless and untrustworthy organization that is unable to fulfill its mandate. (…) He also told the world about the 50 kg of radioactive material that the Iranian regime spread throughout Tehran in a bid to cover up its plans, stressing that any of the capital’s residents could be harmed. In doing so, he added fuel to the fire of resentment towards the regime which is burning in the hearts of many Iranians. (…)
Netanyahu’s clever use of the sensitive intelligence information for diplomatic purposes and in the war for public opinion can be considered groundbreaking in the current era and it will likely prove to be efficient.(…) There is no doubt that this speech was a work of art that few leaders in the world could pull off; experience teaches us that we cannot overstate the importance of speeches delivered at the annual UN General Assembly.
Ron Ben-Yishai, YED, 28.09.18
Netanyahu’s bombshell speech
(…) The atomic bomb Netanyahu dropped during the speech was in the part in which he revealed that some 15 kilograms of radioactive material was dispersed on Tehran’s streets. (…) the big question is what IAEA Director General Yukya Amano is going to do now that he is aware of the secret nuclear warehouse Netanyahu unveiled, which could potentially store some 300 tons of radioactive material. (…) Netanyahu’s most vociferous attack was on Europe. (…) Netanyahu’s speech was different than his other addresses before the U.N. General Assembly. He provided damning evidence against Iran and he built a case like a well-trained prosecutor, establishing an unshakable foundation. But Netanyahu (…) has made a compelling case for nullifying that Iran nuclear deal, and managed to make the case for the policy adopted by Israel and the United States, and to convey his message in a convincing manner. (…)
Amnon Lord, IHY, 28.09.18
A perfect work of evasion
(…) Netanyahu’s speech (…) was a work of art with regard to evading the principal issue that has been threatening Israel’s existence for 51 years now, namely, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (…) Netanyahu attacked the UN for its attitude toward Israel and claimed that accusing Israel of racism is anti-Semitism. In his view, racism is against blacks, and he recruited the airlift of Ethiopian Jewry as proof of Israel’s innocence. As if racism against Arabs wasn’t flourishing under his rule, and as if he himself hadn’t spurred his voters to run to the polls in the last election by means of unbridled incitement against Israeli Arabs exercising their democratic rights. (…) Unlike Europeans and Americans, who are liable to be led astray by Netanyahu’s rhetorical juggling act, a great many Israelis who live here understand that he’s lying about the nation-state law and about the direction in which Israel is heading. (…) U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear (…) that the American peace plan is based on the two-state solution. Trump’s remarks were an invitation to Netanyahu to respond, but Netanyahu, as usual, refused to bite. He thereby reduced his speech to that of a UN ambassador who needs to sell a “cover story” to hide the fact that the person leading the country lacks any desire to promote a just and fair solution for our region.
Editorial, HAA, 28.09.18
Blowout of Iran’s Nukes
(…) Netanyahu once again disclosed to the world the complete sham and disgraceful Nuke Deal with Iran of 2015. (…) Despite the Iran deal, it is incredible that just inside this one Iranian nuke facility are 15 shipping containers of secret Iranian equipment and material–that’s over 300 tons worth! (…) As Iran continues to develop its nuclear weapons program and sponsor terrorism around the globe, as PM Netanyahu promised, Israel and the U.S. are on to them, and they will not let it happen! A little more than 70-years after the Holocaust that murdered 6,000,000 Jews, Iran will not be allowed to pose an existential threat to Israel and a danger to the entire world. Let’s hope that peace can prevail and that the good people of Iran will be able to take back their country soon from the tyrannical and repressive regime. The alternative is that Netanyahu’s blowout of Iran yesterday at the U.N. General Assembly will end up being just a prelude to a genuine blowout of the Iranian nuclear weapons facilities themselves.
Andy Blumenthal, TOI, 29.09.18
Trump’s clear ideological message
(…) Trump presented simple, clear and salient truths, sans overly intellectualized embellishments. (…) people of action from the business world (…) have the ability to reveal truths without the need for supercilious yet empty words. In the modern age, where truth’s many faces make it almost indiscernible, it’s imperative to reiterate the fundamental vision at the basis of human social existence. (…) I detected a clear ideological message in Trump’s speech, whereby the only way to overcome the evil and malignancy bestowed upon the world by the 20th century is for individuals, societies and states to take responsibility for their actions, lives and futures. (…) Trump’s suggestion to all the world’s citizens was to take their fates into their own hands, to cope with life and forge a better one for themselves and their children. He who foregoes responsibility for his life will forever remain a slave. The forces of evil can be defeated, which is the essence of the free will bestowed to mankind. Only in this way can the world become a better, more worthy place. (…)
Haim Shine, IHY, 26.09.18
Trump’s UN speech was the worst thing for Israel
(…) Trump set out a clear political agenda of isolationism and a radical retreat from the much-loved old American ethos of helping the world and promoting values of liberty and democracy. Pro-Israel though he may be, all his words, including those supporting Israel, leave the family of nations cold and bitter. (…) he unambiguously presented the doctrine by which he is guided and which is predicated, first and foremost, on the policy of “America First.” (…) He is against globalism, he is opposed to foreign assistance unless the US can reap a tangible benefit. He is an advocate of protectionism and a staunch defender of America’s sovereignty. (…) The speech was not without its embarrassing moment at the beginning when the world showed Trump what they thought of him. The American president boasted that in less than two years he managed to accomplish more than any other president before him. The laughs were indeed restrained, but Trump heard it. (…) For the first time, Trump laid out a clear political position that will distance the US from the world. (…) America is weak among the family of nations and that someone else will step in to gain control and steer the vehicle of leadership in a new direction, leaving Trump as little more than an angry sheriff in its tracks.
Orly Azoulay, YED, 26.09.18
A two-state solution in an elegant, right-wing package
(…) If there’s one thing Trump and his staff have succeeded in, it’s convincing Israelis that they are right-wing Jewish patriots, on the spectrum between the hawkish wing of Likud and Habayit Hayehudi. There’s a sense that to the Israeli right, Trump and his gang are more loyal to Israel than is the Israeli left. (…) Trump and his staff have succeeded in portraying themselves to Israel’s right as “one of them” (…). The Palestinians can forget about “Jerusalem,” the right of return or symbolic recognition of their “catastrophe.” (…) The two-state solution needed to be cleansed of its left-wing image. (…) What’s the most right-wing solution, one state? Then one state it is, let’s go, we can talk about that. (…) The party at the United Nations Human Rights Council is over. Funding for the organization for preserving Palestinian refugeeism is finished. (…) The two-state solution had to travel all the way across the political spectrum, from the extreme left to the “sane” right. (…) Presenting the two-state solution as a conservative solution is its entry ticket into the heart of the Israeli right. What isn’t good enough for the left can suddenly be thought about quietly, without all the moral hullaballoo. Only thus could Israel Hayom have asserted decisively that “Israel must say yes” to Trump’s deal of the century.
Carolina Landsmann, HAA, 28.09.18
Trump UN speech defines moral clarity
The lack of international moral clarity was never more clearly defined than at the UN meeting in New York City (…). When President Donald Trump spoke of the progress that he has made in his time in office, the assembly laughed derisively. The reason is quite easy to identify. He has clearly aligned himself with America’s trusted ally, Israel. (…) In his speech, President Trump mentioned Saudi Arabia, Poland, and India, in addition to Israel, as dependable partners. (…) President Trump’s worldview, simply put, is one of moral clarity, of good versus evil. He sees terrorists and those who support them as evil. He is joined in that view by Benjamin Netanyahu, and others who support the rule of law rather than mob rule.
Mike Evans, JPO, 28.09.18
2. Russian military plane shot down
Make no mistake: Russia is mad
The “tragedy of errors,” as Russian President Vladimir Putin called the downing of a Russian jet in Syria on Tuesday, has real potential to damage Israel’s strategic interests in the region. (…) as usual, Syrian antiaircraft missiles were fired indiscriminately in every direction, long after the strike itself was over. If the operators of Syria’s air defenses weren’t so frightened and apparently untrained, the hit to the Russian Il-20 plane, which killed the 15 crew members on board, could have been avoided. (…) Theoretically, this is a matter between Russia and Syria. (…) Russia was quick to blame Israel for knocking over the first domino, and as usual, sent conflicting messages that make it hard to parse their future strategy. (…) From now on, Russia will demand a higher level of coordination with Israel and limits to the areas in which Israel can attack, and possibly a commitment to refrain from certain actions. Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah will try and drag Russia into “handling” Israel and keeping it from continuing to carry out strikes in the region. Israel (…) will blame Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria for the incident, and say they are responsible for the mess. (…) It is in Israel’s strategic interest to keep up its offensive actions to the north, mainly in Syria. If that action is curtailed, Israel’s national security will be compromised. (…) We must also establish clear rules that will prevent clashes in the future. (…) No one in Israel (…) wants Russia (…) to turn hostile, and Israel needs to do everything to prevent that from happening. Even if that means limiting its actions for the time being. Continued good relations between Putin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu carry a lot of weight for future developments. (…) Still, make no mistake – Russia is angry (…). Israel will need to walk a thin line between protecting its own security interests and avoiding a very unwanted clash with Russia.
Yoav Limor, IHY, 20.09.18
The Russia-Israel Crisis
(…) in an unfortunate incident in the fog of war, Syrian air defense mistakenly downed a Russian military IL-20 spy plane with 15 servicemen aboard. (…) The Israeli air attack was indeed a sensitive, if necessary, operation, near the Russian air base in the area and on the eve of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. It will probably provoke more retaliation from the Russian side, most possibly the imposition of no-fly zones for Israeli aircraft in the Damascus and Latakia areas. In the short term, it will muddle the already sensitive practical understandings between the two states. (…) It is this author’s hope that the Israeli leaders will stand firm to the Russian challenge, as long as Russia does not act more firmly against the Iranian attempts to implant itself and its proxies on Syrian soil and build a platform for future, if not immediate, attacks against the Jewish State.
Ely Karmon, JPO, 21.09.18
Syria is not a firing range
(…) security coordination on a case-by-case basis, even at the highest level, is insufficient when there are conflicting interesting and a massive use of force. In its condemnation, Russia described the Israeli assault as a “deliberate provocation” (…). The rapidity with which Russia adopted the language of vengeance ought to sound alarm bells in Jerusalem. (…) It’s too early to tell whether this incident will undermine relations with Russia or simply go down as a regrettable episode. It’s also too early to tell whether Russia will restrict Israel’s freedom of action against Iranian targets in Syria, and if it does, to what degree these restriction will undermine Israel’s ability to thwart Iran’s consolidation of its position in Syria. With the United States absent from the Syrian front, Russia is an essential partner in the battle against such Iranian consolidation. (…) this incident should serve as a reminder of the fact that Syria isn’t a firing range. (…) Israel must never forget that military strikes in Syria, like any other belligerent action, are not risk-free.
Editorial, HAA, 20.09.18
The Kremlin wants to keep the peace
The downing of a Russian spy plane by Syrian anti-aircraft fire put Israel’s relationship with Russia (…) to the test. (…) The Syrians responsible for the downing of the plane will be made to pay a price for their reckless move. Syrian generals will pay with their military positions for the mistake, and in keeping with tradition, the Russians will make sure this is kept out of the public eye. Israel must clarify to the Russians that fault also lies with Iran and Hezbollah. They are the real provocateurs taking advantage of the presence of Russian forces in the area to hide their weapons smuggling. (…) Israel-Russia ties do not appear to been harmed. The Kremlin understands that when it comes to Israel, changing the rules of the game will cost them a price they do not want to pay. The Russians could also conclude from the incident that there is a need to improve critical systems in the Syrian military in an effort to compensate for its lack of professionalism. Such a move could impact Israel’s freedom of action in Syria.
Ariel Bolstein, IHY, 20.09.18
Can Israel force Iran out of Syria?
Israel has fully joined the battle in Syria – a war against Iran in Syria (…). It will be very hard to force the complete withdrawal of Iranian forces and their proxies from Syria. (…) The Iranian investment in Syria is deep, formally based and long-standing. (…) The ayatollahs aren’t going to simply reverse course, write off that investment and decamp back to Iran just because the Israel Air Force occasionally strikes a missile shipment to Hezbollah or a few anti-aircraft batteries. Iran is in this fight for the long term. If Israel seeks to prevent the consolidation of an independent infrastructure of military and political power by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Syrian soil (…), it is going to have to gear-up for more sustained conflict. (…) On the diplomatic front, Israel must secure the freedom of action it needs to operate in Syria despite the presence of Russian forces, be they independent or part of the Syrian Army’s advisory network. This may have become more difficult following the incident last week in which a Russian transport aircraft was downed, killing 15 Russian military personnel. Simultaneously, and without undermining the first element, Israel must enlist a reluctant America to take an active part in operations alongside it, and not only as a supportive observer from the sidelines. (…) Iran poses one of the most (…) dangerous challenges Israel has faced over the 70 years of its existence. (…)
David M. Weinberg, JPO, 21.09.18
Israel must investigate Russian plane’s downing
Israel has become embroiled in a serious crisis in its ties with Russia. (…) The investigations by the Israel Air Force and the Russian Defense Ministry have turned up conflicting findings. (…) Behind the tactical dispute over the bombing and the warning is a strategic power struggle. Israel insists it is its right to attack targets in Syria to thwart the deployment of Iranian forces there, and to prevent Hezbollah from gaining strength militarily, particularly with regard to the improved accuracy of its missiles. Russia, which managed to restore the Assad regime to power through most of Syria, conveyed messages to Israel even before the bombing in Latakia that attacks on Syrian targets contravene its interests. (…) Israel has broken its characteristic ambiguity, making clear that it will continue bombing Iranian targets in Syria. Now this policy is being severely put to the test. Israel must not become enmeshed in a clash with Russia, a superpower whose forces (…) can restrict Israel’s freedom of aerial maneuver. (…) The unfolding of events and the danger they reflect require a thorough investigation by Israel (…) done by an external panel (…). It would also assist Israel in handling demands Russia is expected to make, and to compensate families of the crew members killed.
Editorial, HAA, 25.09.18
No need to panic
(…) While we cannot make light of the new reality vis-à-vis Syria, the danger the S-300s pose to Israeli aircraft and the rise in Iran’s regional power, we would be wise to keep the matter in proportion (…). The S-300 system has never been tested on the battlefield. While it can engage dozens of targets simultaneously and has a range of 200 kilometers (120 miles), its most recent models were produced in 1992. The IAF has been studying this system for a long time, as have other Western air forces. No air force would allow such a threat to exist without devising several contingencies, which is something even the Russians understand. The IAF is more than ready to deal with this threat and the pundits are panicking for nothing. (…) The only question that one must ask the Russians is why they believe giving Syria an improved anti-aircraft system would make Russian planes flying in Syrian skies safer. If anything, Syria may one day use this system against Russia itself.
Gabi Avital, IHY, 27.09.18
Can Israel stop Russia’s delivery of the S-300 to Syria?
(…) The S-300 was the Israel Air Force’s nightmare. One of the most advanced multi-target anti-aircraft-missile systems in the world, the S-300 has the reported ability to track up to 100 targets simultaneously while engaging up to 12 at the same time from hundreds of kilometers away. (…) the IAF has trained over countries which are in possession of the S-300 and has developed ways to overcome the system. (…) there is no such thing as 100% hermetic protection. Israel is in the process of operationalizing its growing fleet of F-35 stealth fighter jets (…) so they could operate freely in skies threatened by advanced systems like the S-300. (…) With a range of up to 250 kilometers, an S-300 battery stationed in Syria could potentially threaten any plane approaching Israel for landing at Ben-Gurion Airport. (…) More immediate will be the impact the deployment of the S-300 will have on continued IAF operations over Syria. Israel has insisted that it has a right to attack Iranian positions in Syria and weapons en route to Hezbollah in Lebanon. (…) The next test over Syria will undoubtedly come soon.
Jaakov Katz, JPO, 28.09.18
3. Truce with Hamas increasingly unlikely
A roaring Gazan economy could silence the booms of conflict
(…) The danger of a new conflict erupting continues to threaten the region (…) the humanitarian and economic situation (…) is very bad and getting worse for the civilian population (…) Rather than trying to create fragile truces, which hinge on daily variables that change frequently, Israel should initiate a strategic maneuver for change, by first turning to Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, with an offer to turn northern Sinai into a part of an enlarged Gazan state. (…) Our first priority must be to stabilize Gaza. (…) A regional coalition of pragmatic Sunni states and Israel could come together to create a new Gaza solution, and then work closer together against shared threats. (…) An enlarged Gaza-Sinai state, marked by new power stations in Gaza, opportunities to mine natural gas off the Gazan coastline, and the creation of a secure, supervised port for the Gazan economy, would create an outlet to the rest of the world and a genuine reason for a more promising future for the next generation of Gazans. A roaring Gazan economy could finally silence the booms of conflict.
Yaakov Peri, YED, 30.09.18
Right before the blowup
(…) The escalation in the Gaza Strip was expected and senior Israeli defense officials (…) point to two reasons: stagnation in the reconciliation process between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas and the absence of an alternative to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which will soon stop providing humanitarian aid in the wake of the withdrawal of U.S. funding. (…) Has the Israeli government considered what will happen to the hundreds of thousands of Gazans who need the food provided by UNRWA, and the 300,000 children whose schools will close due to lack of funds? (…) After a blockade of 11 years, without regular supplies of water and electricity, without fuel, without revenue sources, in the world’s largest prison and, soon, without humanitarian aid, Gazans have nothing to lose. If Netanyahu wants to talk about substance, there is no more appropriate place to start the discussion than the Gaza Strip. Gaza needs an immediate political solution.
Editorial, HAA, 29.09.18
Fatah-Hamas feud could deteriorate into military conflict
After suspension of truce talks between Israel and Hamas regarding the Gaza Strip due to PA President Abbas’s veto, Hamas detained Fatah operatives and embarked on incitement campaign against Abbas (…). Abbas threatened that any arrangement that would take place without the Palestinian Authority would result in the PA halting its monthly aid to the Gaza Strip, estimated at $100 million a month. (…) The renewed rift between Fatah and Hamas increases the likelihood that Egypt will soon give up and announce the failure of its efforts, which will lead Hamas to escalate the violence against Israel in order to divert the pressure from the street against Israel — a development which can deteriorate into a major military engagement. (…)
Elior Levy, YED, 29.09.18
The ground is burning
(…) Israel is avoiding the inevitable, which is forcing Hamas to collapse. (…) Hamas has (…) dragged Israel along according to its whims. One time it was a “tahdiya” (a short-term truce in Arabic); another time, it was a massive ground operation. (…) Israel developed a partial solution to the rocket problem and, with the help of the Iron Dome system, it has been able to mitigate the threats. (…) In a practical sense, the situation hasn’t fundamentally changed over the past decade. The Gaza-area communities continue to suffer from Hamas belligerence and the south remains exceedingly unstable. On the diplomatic level, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi certainly helps narrow the scope of Hamas’ initiatives, particularly by controlling the Philadelphi Route along their shared border and the Rafah crossing area, where Hamas’ smuggling capabilities have dwindled. (…) We can (…) expect another escalation in the near future and we will again have to ask: What’s going to change? (…) Nothing will change unless this time Israel undertakes a massive operation to finally alter the situation on a fundamental level. Hamas needs to understand that the next confrontation will be its last. (…) And Israel, for its part, needs to be ready to finish the job it left undone 10 years ago. (…) if the decision is made to undertake such an endeavor, we should control how it starts and it should catch the enemy off guard. It should not be the result of a gradual escalation of hostilities. (…)
Col. (res.) Ronen Itsik. IHY, 30.09.18
4. Selection of Articles
The Khan al-Ahmar demolition will be ugly
(…) Razing the village won’t just hurt the Bedouins. It will signify another step in the deterioration of Israeli democracy, and deal another blow to Israel’s image in the world. (…) The change that Israel will force upon the Bedouin will be radical and destructive. (…) The Khan al-Ahmar community cannot live adjacent to the urban locale of Al-Eizariya. These are two different cultures that have no great mutual affection, to put it mildly (…). The Bedouin community lives for the most part off of its flocks. Sheep and goats are the main source of income and food for each family. The move to an urban setting will substantially impact their ability to tend to their herds, because of the geographic conditions as well as conflicts with the farmers in the area. (…) If the school is torn down, children from the entire area, not just from Khan al-Ahmar, will have their schooling interrupted. The school serves 170 children from four communities; without it, they will have no access to basic education. (…) The residents of Khan al-Ahmar are Palestinians who used to hardly identify with the Palestinian nationalist movement. But as the conflict and legal fight has persisted, that feeling of identification has increased. (…) This community is not a religious one either. (…) A tin shack at the site is meant to serve as a mosque but hardly anyone goes there. Over the past year, as the struggle has intensified, more and more Islamic clergy have been coming, meeting with children and adults and holding mass prayer services. Thus, before our eyes, a small Bedouin community is being transformed into a Palestinian-Muslim community that is learning to hate those who wish to expel it. Whoever seeks to raze the school and the homes there will also be creating the next generation of haters. (…)
Yaron Ovadia, HAA, 18.09.18
Raise the threshold
Of all the issues used in the Knesset as a political punching bag, raising and lowering the percentage threshold of each of the 120 seats is the most cynical. No other issue has been so used and abused for political gain as this one. (…) It won’t be long before a new election is announced, and that means carefully planning for it – previous statements be damned. (…) lowering the threshold a half-percentage point lower to 2.75% (…) would ensure parties gaining seats into the parliament with fewer votes, around 15,000. This is not good for Israeli governance. Having a large number of smaller parties is bad for the country, inevitably resulting in a coalition held hostage to the narrow demands of specific interests instead of focusing on the needs of the wider public. Smaller parties with narrow interests means an unstable government led by a prime minister held prisoner to their whims and dictates. Having fewer and larger parties, on the other hand, would create a government that can make decisions (…) Not only must the threshold not be lowered – it should be raised. (…) For Israel to be able to tackle big issues, it needs a government that is not dependent on small parties which extort for their special interests. The better solution is larger parties. (…) Stop using the threshold as a political football tossed from party to party for the benefit of the few. (…) Keep the threshold as it is and if anything, make it higher.
Editorial, HAA, 20.09.18
Ari Fuld is why Trump matters
As Yom Kippur fasts go, yesterday’s wasn’t unique. (…) I cried (…) for Ari Fuld, a man I never met. (…) donate money to the family, as Ari was the family’s sole bread winner. (…) After all, is it fair on any level that Ari’s family should worry about money while the cowardly and gutless animal that murdered him isn’t? (…) If Ari had been murdered during the Obama administration, it’s likely that his murder would have gone largely ignored. (…) Fortunately, Obama is no longer president, and Donald Trump is. (…) while Obama played the Haman with Iran’s Achashveirosh, God was watching. Unlike his predecessor, Trump’s administration immediately condemned Fuld’s murder. (…) This is why I voted for Donald Trump – because cowards and antisemites like Barack Obama suborn the murder of innocent Jews by funding the Palestinian Authority. Donald Trump has cut funding to the PA. (…) We need to stop treating Palestinians like partners in peace while they act like enemies. (…) And there should be no peace, and we need to stop deluding ourselves with notions of good faith on both sides. The UN has always been an anti-Israel, anti-Semitic institution. (…) I took comfort yesterday in knowing that while Ari Fuld is gone, his murder will not be ignored and marginalized by the country of his birth.
Perry Dubinsky, TOI, 20.09.18
Daylight saving time all year long
Even if we ignore energy savings and road safety, there is no argument over the fact that another hour of light toward evening would contribute a great deal to the quality of life of Israel’s citizens. In five weeks from now Israel will go over to standard time, or “winter time,” and an entire country will be forced to get used to the darkness that will fall shortly after 5 P.M. (…) The reasons for the transition to a long period of DST are clear: It contributes to the saving of energy, increases work productivity, reduces the number of road accidents and improves the quality of life of working people, who can spend more time with their families during another hour of daylight. (…) the time has come (…) to decide to observe DST all year long. (…) there is no argument over the fact that another hour of light toward evening would contribute a great deal to the quality of life of Israel’s citizens. (…)
Editorial, HAA, 20.09.18
HAA = Haaretz
YED = Yedioth Ahronoth / Ynetnews
JPO = Jerusalem Post
IHY = Israel HaYom
TOI = Times of Israel
GLO = Globes
Published: October 2018
Responsible:
Dr Paul Pasch,
Head of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Israel
Editors:
Susanne Knaul
Judith Stelmach
Homepage: www.fes.org.il
Email: fes@fes.org.il
