HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

22.9.o3 HA’ARETZ 1. PALESTINIAN TRIUMPH AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: DEMANDS THAT ISRAEL “STOP THREATENING ARAFAT.” 133 countries supported resolution; only 3 supported Israel. Resolution has declarative meaning; no chance of revoking it. US intensifying position against Palestinian Authority and Arafat. Abu Ala: US position damaging chances for peace. Israeli source: Palestinians have lost America. “Gap-in-fence” plan near Ariel to be presented to US administration. Likud ministers received it as a compromise. 2. GOVERNOR OF BANK OF ISRAEL KLIEN: TREASURY IS RIGHT – NEED TO CUT 3 BILLION FROM DEFENSE. 3. ISLAMIC JIHAD CRISIS: GAZA SPIRITUAL LEADER RESIGNS. 4. MINISTERS: HIZBALLAH DEAL WILL ENCOURAGE KIDNAPPINGS. 5. Internet: 18 companies suing iMesh. ISRAELI COMPANY BEING SUED OVER INTERNET FILE SHARING. 6. STUDENTS: WE WILL STRIKE CLASSES IN WAKE OF DECISION TO RAISE TUITION. HATZOFEH 1. UN General Assembly: to Israel – stop threatening Arafat; To Palestinians – condemnation of terror attacks. ISRAEL: UN RESOLUTION – LEGITIMIZES TERROR. Arafat satisfied: “UN decision is very important.” Foreign Minister leaving today for UN General Assembly – will meet with over 30 foreign ministers. 2. THREE SOLDIERS INJURED – ONE MODERATELY AND TWO LIGHTLY – IN IDF JENIN OPERATION. Two explosive charges – one weighing 40kg – were found in Netzarim corridor. Shots fired at Maaleh Ephraim resident’s car on Alon road – not far from place where Shalom Har-Melekh was murdered approximately one month ago.


3. DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN YA’ALON AND KAPLINSKY OVER ROUTE OF SEPARATION FENCE. Chief-of-Staff: Fence should be on Green Line only and local solutions should be found to defend settlements. OC Central Command proposal: Fence should include Ariel, Karnei Shomron and Kedumim. New Sharon-Mofaz plan for separation fence: “Broken fence” – gaps to be left in separation fence and Ariel will be included in uncompleted fence. Fences will be joined in future – after US agreement. Weisglass and Yaron on way to Washington to present plan to Americans. 4. STUDENTS THREATEN: WE WILL NOT OPEN ACADEMIC YEAR. MA’ARIV 1. Defeat in UN: World votes against expulsion of Arafat. BROKEN FENCE PLAN. Following American opposition to Ariel being included in separation fence, Israel proposing compromise: Instead of fence – sensors and soldiers. The price: Request for compensation from US. Egyptian claim: “Sharon eliminated prisoners.” 2. AIRLIFT FOR PERES’S BIRTHDAY. 80th birthday celebrations to begin today. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Decisive UN majority: “Don’t expel Arafat.” 133-4. Israeli response to sweeping international opinion: “UN is irrelevant and lacks guts.” Despite pressure from right: Sharon leaning towards leaving Ariel out of fence. Sending his Bureau director and Defense Ministry Director-General to Washington in attempt to reach agreement. 2. ARAFAT TRANSFERRED $900 MILLION TO SECRET ACCOUNT. IMF representative in West Bank: Money was from Israeli payments to PA. 3. “IT WAS CONVENIENT FOR SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT TO BURY RON ARAD.” His brother, Chen Arad: We hope that people will get up and protest against deal with Hizballah that excludes Ron. 4. US MUSIC GIANTS VS OR YEHUDA COMPANY. Giant claim against Israeli Internet company iMesh over copyright violations. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot suggests that, “Last week was humiliating even for the Sharon government,” and adds that, “The decision-making process vis-?-vis the budget, the contemptible fiasco regarding Arafat’s expulsion and the tightening ring of investigations around the Prime Minister, all these have proven – to whoever still required proof – that there is no government in Israel.” The editors suggest that in such a situation, the government is welcoming the confrontation with the US over the security fence and the lopsided vote against Israel in the UN General Assembly for recreating an attention-diverting, “the-whole-world-is-against-us,” atmosphere. Hatzofeh says that, “Shimon Peres’s 80th birthday festivities are a wasteful revel completely detached from Israeli reality,” and adds that, “At a time of recession, unemployment, eroding wages and economic decrees, one would have to be completely aloof to attend these celebrations, the cost of which to the taxpayers is millions of shekels.” Hatzofeh, in its second editorial, blames the media for hounding billionaire Shari Arison into leaving for Miami and for attacking a religious Jewish investor who was considering buying a controlling stake in a local media outlet. The editors suggest that the country as a whole will pay for the media’s irresponsibility.