HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. IRA BOMB EXPERT – WHO CAME TO HELP TERRORISTS –APPREHENDED IN TERRITORIES.


2. ASSESSMENT: FATAH FACTION HOLDING GUREL IN RAMALLAH AREA. 3. TODAY: SHARON TO MEET BLAIR. HATZOFEH 1. Mofaz to Abu Mazen and Dahlan: You must act to release kidnapped taxi driver. ISRAEL: PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLE FOR FATE OF KIDNAPPED TAXI DRIVER. Publication ban issued on details of taxi driver kidnapping. Cellular phone signals showed that he had reached Ramallah area. Family: Man with Arab accent phoned and said: You have nothing to worry about. (…). Palestinian prisoners call for him not to be harmed. 2. IRISH BOMB “ENGINEER” ARRESTED NORTH OF JERUSALEM. 3. SENIOR OFFICER: HAMAS EXPERIMENTED WITH LONG RANGE KASSAM, FIRED IT TOWARDS SEA. 4. SHARON STARTS UK VISIT; EXPECTATIONS IN JERUSALEM THAT VISIT WILL IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH EUROPE. 5. PALESTINIANS CALL ON ISRAELI ARABS TO ARRIVE EN MASSE AT BARGHOUTI TRIAL IN TEL AVIV. MA’ARIV 1. “PA responsible for life of kidnapped Israeli.” MOFAZ: DON’T FORCE US TO ACT. Defense Minister warned Abu Mazen last night: “Don’t compel us to take aggressive action.” Abu Mazen replied: “I will personally make every effort to restore Eli to his home.” (…). 2. Netanyahu promises: “IT’LL BE BETTER WITHIN A YEAR.” Mothers’ march gaining momentum. Health services closing. But Finance Minister is optimistic. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Effort to release kidnapped driver. “SAVE MY FATHER.” (…). Palestinian prisoners call on kidnappers: Release taxi driver. 2. IRISH TERRORIST ENGINEER APPREHENDED IN ISRAEL. 3. “AIR DISASTER IN ISRAEL – ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME,” warns retiring Director of Civil Aviation Authority. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Hatzofeh asserts that, “After the shelling of Sderot and Gush Katif during the hudna, after murders here and there and the attempt to console ourselves – come the kidnapping of the taxi driver and the open declarations by Hamas leaders that their goals have not changed and that the ceasefire is a tactical measure only.” The editors claim that, “Palestinian terrorist organizations are openly making it known that if the Palestinian Authority tries to disarm them – the hudna will be over,” and add that, “Sharon, like Sharon, is incapable of withstanding pressure, he capitulates and crumbles, time and again.” Yediot Ahronot analyzes the current financial crisis in the nation’s health system and remarks that, “If this concerned what is known as a security problem, the money would already be forthcoming.”