HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. (…). FEAR OF REVENGE AFTER DEATH OF THOUSAND IN BAGHDAD. 2. SHARON ENLISTING LIKUD MINISTERS AND MKS TO PREVENT HIS OUSTER. 3. Comptroller’s report. HOW DID ARMY WHICH SUCCEEDED AT DISENGAGEMENT FAIL IN SO MANY OTHER AREAS? Comptroller’s report: Sharon transferred billions to security behind Government’s back. IDF transferred erroneous reports on state of flak jackets. Reservists guarded settlements without appropriate training. Five policemen were promoted while they were being investigated. HATZOFEH 1. COMPTROLLER’S REPORT: IDF MISLED KNESSET. State Comptroller’s report on security establishment delivered to Knesset Speaker yesterday: Faults in protection continue – but IDF gave Knesset inaccurate data. Failures in satellite marketing. 2. KNESSET APPROVES AGREEMENT FOR WITHDRAWING FROM PHILADELPHI CORRIDOR. In context of agreement, 750 Egyptian border guards will deploy between Gaza Strip and Egypt. Agreement approved by 53-28-0. Netanyahu: This departure sanctifies total withdrawal to ’67 lines. Knesset rejects request to establish commission of inquiry into evacuation faults. 3. EGYPT AND PALESTINIANS: WE REJECTED ISRAELI REQUEST TO CONTINUE CONTROL OF RAFIAH CROSSING FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. 4. “HISTORIC” MEETING BETWEEN BARAK AND PERES LAST NIGHT IN JERUSALEM. MA’ARIV 1. Secret contacts on summit between Sharon and Jordanian monarch. ABDALLAH COMING TO JERUSALEM. Jordanian king due to come to Jerusalem and meet PM next week. But leak about visit could lead to its being postponed. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Next stage of disengagement underway: Knesset approves Egyptian agreement. FROM SUNDAY: EGYPTIANS TO DEPLOY ALONG PHILADELPHI CORRIDOR. IDF forces to remain on Israeli side of Philadelphi corridor until September 15. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Hatzofeh accuses Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz of forcing Defense Ministry Director-General Amos Yaron into resigning in order to both placate the US administration and cover up their own involvement in the deal with China that aroused the Americans’ ire. Yediot Ahronot predicts anti-regime unrest in Syria especially if the US moves for the imposition of sanctions on Damascus given Syria’s involvement in terrorism and Iraq and President Bashar Assad’s possible personal involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The editors ask, “What will Syria do under pressure? It is likely to either go crazy or capitulate,” and urge the Government to prepare for a worst-case scenario. Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, criticizes the narrow interpretation of the law on compensating terrorist victims and their families which has prevented the families of the four Israeli Arabs who were murdered by a Jewish terrorist in Shfaram from being compensated under the law. The editors believe that this is part of the general discrimination against Israeli Arabs. BPI-info