HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HEADLINES & EDITORIALS 28 Jun 2004 HA’ARETZ 1. GAZA OUTPOST COLLAPSES IN EXPLOSION OF TUNNEL DUG BY TERRORISTS; SOLDIER KILLED. One soldier seriously wounded and four moderately-to-lightly wounded; bomb weighing several hundred kilograms blew up under Orchan outpost. 2. NATO OFFERS ISRAEL “PARTNERSHIP;” UPGRADING RELATIONS WITH SEVEN MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES. (…). 3. “YEAR OF DECISIONS” ENDED – AND YESHIVA STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT DRAFTED INTO ARMY ARE WAITING AROUND WITH NOTHING TO DO. Urgent recommendation to establish “National Civilian Service Authority” to receive them. 4. ANTI-RADIATION PILLS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO 100,000 NEGEV AND YAVNEH RESIDENTS. Thus Cabinet decided yesterday; southern residents: Decision causing panic. HATZOFEH 1. OC Gaza: “They used tens of kilos of explosive material, this is a miracle.” EXPLOSION IN MIDDLE OF PLAZA SAVED IDF SOLDIERS. Explosion occurred in bomb tunnel under IDF outpost in Gush Katif in Gaza. One IDF soldier killed as a result of the explosion, five soldiers wounded, one seriously, two lightly and two moderately. MDA and rescue workers from Negev and Lachish evacuated the wounded, nobody trapped at site. Palestinians fired mortar shells at IDF soldiers and rescue workers during incident. Heavy firing in area. Hamas and Fatah took responsibility, and announced: This is a response to the IDF operation in Nablus. MA’ARIV 1. Givati fighter killed in Gaza. BOMB TUNNEL. Strong blast ripped through Orchan outpost, on outskirts of Gaza, last night. Roof collapsed, deep hole made in middle, and several soldiers trapped under concrete. Under mortar fire, rescue forced attempted to free those trapped, but after a few hours it became clear: One fighter killed, seven wounded – one seriously. 2. DISTRIBUTION OF ANTI-RADIATION PILLS APPROVED. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Tunnel bomb under outpost: One killed and five wounded. OUTPOST BLEW UP, SOLDIER BURIED UNDER IT. Strike from underground, after several relatively quiet weeks: Terrorists dug huge tunnel under IDF outpost in Gaza, blew it up – and completely destroyed post. (…).


______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot and Hatzofeh eulogize the late Naomi Shemer, who was laid to rest yesterday. Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, believes that, “Since the days of Rabin-Oslo, Israel’s international image has undergone an upheaval that has directly influenced for the worse the personal security of Jewish communities around world,” and notes that there are those who claim that, “The State of Israel’s domestic-security interests are causing an existential problem for Jews around the world.” The editors fear that, “The Israeli government, which is currently dealing mostly with its survival, doesn’t understand the significance of the Gordian knot between its policies and the growing strategic risk to Israeli and Jewish interests around the world.” Yediot Ahronot, in its third editorial, notes that both the High Court of Justice and the International Court of Justice in The Hague are set to rule soon on the security fence and suggests that its construction has been characterized by a lack of foresight. Yediot Ahronot, in its fourth editorial, believes that the government is aloof and inattentive to the socio-economic problems facing various local authorities and their employees. BIP-info