HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. COALITION NEGOTIATIONS ON BRINGING LABOR INTO GOVERNMENT BEGIN; PERES: AGREEMENT WITHIN DAYS. HATZOFEH 1. Labor approves beginning of coalition negotiations. FORMING A GOVERNMENT. Sharon called Peres, Litzman and Yishai and invited them to enter coalition. Yishai: We will give up portfolios if our social demands are met. Peres likely to receive “disengagement portfolio.” Ehud Barak and Ami Ayalon likely to compete for ministerial portfolios. 2. SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY SEVERELY WOUNDED BY MORTAR ROUND IN NEVE DEKALIM. Another three wounded – one moderately and two lightly. Shelling continued for 20 minutes without IDF response. IDF forces active from Friday night in Khan Yunis outskirts in order to stop mortar fire. 3. PALESTINIANS: ISRAEL TO SOON RELEASE THREE SENIOR TERRORISTS AND DOZENS OF PALESTINIANS. MA’ARIV 1. Contacts on forming new government began last night. “UNITY WITHIN A WEEK.” Sharon wants to present government to Knesset next week. Senior Likud official: Possible that we will have to give up Interior portfolio. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Carrot: Wage increments, no taxation of advanced training funds. Stick: NIS 1 billion in taxation on diesel fuel, gasoline and cigarettes. THE BENEFITS AND THE TAXES. Taxes to finance series of eased restrictions that Histadrut and Finance Ministry signed last night. 2. “GOVERNMENT WITHIN TWO-THREE DAYS.” Thus Sharon’s people hope. Official negotiations began last night: Labor to receive eight portfolios, Peres to be responsible for development of Gaza, Galilee and Negev. Attempt to bring in Shas. 3. AZZAM EN ROUTE TO LIKUD. Due to sign membership forms.


______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot says that, “In the last year the discussion of the advantages of targeted eliminations has almost totally disappeared,” especially in the aftermath of the eliminations of Sheik Yassin and Rantisi. The editors note that the IDF is in a difficult position as it must both defend those residing in the Gaza Strip while, at the same time, engage in the planning to evacuate them. The paper comments that the deaths in Gaza over the weekend were a direct result of the attempted elimination of Jamal Abu Samhadna, and argues that the eliminations, “do not help anything.” Hatzofeh suggests that Prime Minister Sharon will yet again be able to evade the criminal charges against him as long as he continues to promote, “transfer for Jews.” Hatzofeh, in its second editorial, asks why it is that a religious major-general has been appointed OC Central Command. BPI-info