HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. SHARON CONCERNED ABOUT LOSS AT LIKUD CONFERENCE; ACTING TO PERSUADE MEMBERS TO SUPPORT UNITY. PM’s confidants: We will not abandon vote like disengagement referendum; Omri Sharon to heads of branches: Oppose rebels’ demands. 2. BARAK: LABOR “CRAWLING” INTO GOVERNMENT INSTEAD OF PROPOSING ALTERNATIVE. 3. SEVERE CONCLUSIONS FOLLOWING DEATH OF SOLDIERS IN NORTH: BATTALION COMMANDER DISMISSED, DIVISIOIN COMMANDER REPRIMANDED. 4. IDF FORMULATES LEGAL PROCESS FOR IMPOUNDING CARS OF PALESTINIANS IN TERRITORIES.


5. EN ROUTE TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: VICTORY IN GREECE FOR MACCABI TEL AVIV. Addo and Mesika score in 2-1 victory over PAOK Salonika; return match in Israel, in two weeks, will determine if Maccabi Tel Aviv join prestigious European competition. 6. TALI FAHIMA: I DIDN’T PLAN TERRORIST ATTACK. Arrest of leftwing activist who is close to Tanzim Jenin commander Zakharia Zabeidi, extended; police claim: She intended to perpetrate attack herself. HATZOFEH 1. Netanyahu’s confidants: Olmert’s attack – obsession to become Prime Minister. “REBELS” INTENSIFY STRUGGLE AGAINST SHARON: “CONFERENCE WILL DECIDE.” Meeting of rebel MKs decides to require Likud conference to decide on coalition issue. On Monday, Sharon declared that Likud conference has no authority to decide coalition issue. Likud and Shinui teams to meet today in shadow of increasing tension on religion-and-state issues. Confrontation between Olmert and Netanyahu intensifies. 2. FOR FIRST TIME: COMBINED BOMB AND SHOOTING ATTACK ON TRANS-SAMARIA HIGHWAY. 3. ISRAELI TAL FAHIMA SUSPECTED OF PLANNING TERRORIST ATTACK. 4. TODAY: HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE TO DISCUSS APPEAL AGAINST EVACUATION OF GIVAT HAROEH. MA’ARIV 1. Tragedy in Rehovot: Shack became deathtrap. CHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH. (…). 2. LIKUD TO SHINUI: MOMENT OF TRUTH HAS ARRIVED. Today: Likud representatives to tell Shinui – “Compromise or quit.” 3. HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR MACCABI TEL AVIV. Surprised PAOK Salonika 2-1 in Greece. 4. Expose: Parents appeal to high school seniors. 30 BEREAVED FAMILIES: “DON’T ENLIST IN COMBAT UNITS.” They lost their dear ones, are disappointed with the IDF’s attitude [towards them] – and are now directing shout to next generation of draftees. 5. ANTENNA SCREW-UP: BATTALION COMMANDER TO BE DISMISSED. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. BURNED ALIVE. (…). 2. THE SCREW-UP AND THE PUNISHMENT. Dismissed: Battalion commander and communications officer, who were responsible for deaths of Sgt. Itai Iluz and Warrant Officer Avishai Kuriski, two soldiers who were sent to repair antenna opposite Hezbollah snipers. 3. FRENCH TOURISTS BEAT ISRAELIS AT AUSHWITZ. Anti-Semitic incident occurred during tour of gas chambers. 4. HUGE VICTORY FOR MACCABI TEL AVIV IN SALONIKA: 2-1. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot cites US National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice’s recent remarks that the US will not allow Iran to build a nuclear bomb and declares, “Absolutely nothing is more important for the State of Israel than Ms. Rice’s remarks, in the hope, prayer and faith that the US – and it doesn ’t matter who is President – will use diplomatic means and military force to prevent the construction of an Iranian bomb.” The editors warn Israelis against not taking the matter of Iran’s nuclear intentions seriously enough and assert that, “While we will have to wait and see what is hiding behind the blank check that Ms. Rice has presented in the bank of promises, from our Israeli point-of-view, there has never been a more appropriate time to repeat the phrase and prayer, ‘God bless America’.” Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, calls on the MKs to put aside partisan political differences and support the disengagement plan. The editors believe that, “The economic – and certainly diplomatic and security – worlds are likely to be turned upside down for our benefit the day after the evacuation of Netzarim,” and add, “It is regrettable and painful, but there is no choice.” Yediot Ahronot, in its third editorial, suggests that as painful as it may be for Shinui to give up on its cherished “civil revolution”, the party must do so so that an expanded government coalition will be able to pass the disengagement plan, which is far more important for the nation as a whole. Yediot Ahronot, in its fourth editorial, comments on the prospect of Labor’s joining the Likud-led coalition and asks: “If the Likud representatives in the coalition talks (who are not nearly as high-ranking as their Labor counterparts) would tell the Labor representatives that they must put on red clown noses and black tails, and crawl to Jerusalem along Highway #1 in order to enter the government, would Dalia Itzik and her friends agree to these conditions? What do you say? Yes, you’re right.” Hatzofeh says that the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) survey on socio-economic conditions in Israel, which was reported in yesterday’s headlines, “paints a chilling picture,” and calls on the government to cut senior civil servants’ salaries, fire deputy ministers, give up on ministers ’ luxury cars and merge several ministries. The editors ask, “How can the Prime Minister countenance such shameful data?”