SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. POLICE CAPITULATE – ALLOW THOUSANDS OF MARCHERS TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN KFAR MAIMON; YESHA COUNCIL: WE WILL CONTINUE TOWARD GUSH KATIF TODAY. Blocking buses: Yesterday, police blocked buses in city centers that were to arrive at rally – and sparked sharp criticism. Rally: Settlers – At least 50,000 people came to “engagement rally” in Netivot; police – only 15,000 came. Police: Commissioner Karadi heard that all buses were heading in one direction and decided to block passage. Decline in motivation: Decline in number of religious soldiers volunteering for command courses; assessment – concern that they will be required to take part in disengagement. HATZOFEH 1. Israeli dictatorship in effort to stop protest against racist transfer. THE CORRUPT FAMILY’S PRIVATE POLICE. Silencing people: Buses of demonstrators against racist transfer blocked, drivers warned. Fear tactics against those renting buses. Cellular networks blocked in order to make it difficult for dictatorship’s opponents to speak freely. Despite effort to instill fear, more than 40,000 people succeeded in reaching south last night. In the dictator’s service: Police offer excuse that “family” Attorney-General approved steps to silence opponents of racist transfer. Also in service to dictator: Police and IDF deploy to block anti-transfer demonstrators. Supreme Court didn’t miss chance to participate in dictatorship festivities and remanded 14-year-old girl until end of proceedings on suspicion of insulting a policewoman. 2. PUNISHMENT FOR WEARING ORANGE BRACELET IN IDF: 12 DAYS’ IMPRISONMENT. 3. MAZUZ TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO PRESENT SEVERE INDICTMENT AGAINST OMRI SHARON. MA’ARIV 1. March of the 20,000. Demonstrators broke through roadblock and reached Kfar Maimon. TEMPORARY VICTORY. Police’s bus trick failed to prevent thousands of demonstrators from beginning great “Engagement March”. Police: We will not allow them to continue. 2. THIS WEEK: MAJOR CALL-UP OF RESERVISTS AHEAD OF EVACUATION. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Despite bus blocking: Approximately 20,000 right-wing activists reached Kfar Maimon. CONCERN: THOUSANDS WILL TRY TO BREAK INTO GAZA STRIP TODAY. Bus blocking failed to foil protest march by disengagement opponents. Last night: Police gave in to demonstrators’ demands and allowed them to enter Kfar Maimon – 10 kilometers from Gush Katif. Today: Thousands of soldiers and police will try to prevent breakthrough at Kisufim roadblock. ______________________________ Yediot Ahronot criticizes the march by those who oppose the Disengagement Plan but nevertheless declares that, “The police decision to stop the organized transportation of right-wing demonstrators at their points of origin is an anti-democratic act and a severe public mistake.” Hatzofeh complains that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s policy of restraint vis-ŕ-vis, “the unceasing attacks of the Palestinian terrorist organizations against communities in Gush Katif and against Sderot, which is inside the Green Line, is not leading to the restraint of terrorist activity.” The editors believe that, “Abu Mazen does not control the Palestinian Authority,” and add that, “His promises to stop the terrorist activity are valueless.” BPI-info