HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. THREE LANES TO ENABLE PASSAGE BETWEEN GAZA AND WEST BANK. Israel and PA accept main points in World Bank document. 2. Today: Labor primaries. IN POSITION TO WIN AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME PERES IS CAUTIOUS ABOUT POLLS. 3. SHARON’S CONFIDANTS: HE STILL HAS NOT DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT TO LEAVE LIKUD AND ESTABLISH NEW PARTY. 4. ISA WANTS VILLAGE OUTSIDE FENCE BUT DM OPPOSES. Disagreement between IDF and ISA over village of Beit Iksa delaying construction if fence in Jerusalem area. HATZOFEH 1. After defeat on vote on ministerial appointments, next move will apparently be elections. “SHARON TO QUIT LIKUD AND ESTABLISH NEW PARTY.” Channel 1 reports that name of new party will be “I Have No Other Country.” According to assessments, ministers Olmert, Hanegbi, Livni and Ezra will join him. Sharon will apparently bring forward elections to spring. PM’s Bureau denies report. 2. Peres or Peretz? LABOR PARTY CHOOSING NEW LEADER. Peres leads polls – Peretz not losing hope. 3. APPROZIMATELY 1,000 PEOPLE HOLD NIGHT DEMONSTRATION AGAINST SHARON. MA’ARIV 1. PM’s confidants admit: Netanyahu closing the gap. LIKUD POLLS: NETANYAHU STRENGTHENING. PM’s Bureau denies Mabat report that Sharon has already decided to establish new party if elections are brought forward. 2. TODAY: LABOR DECIDES. Peres leads in polls. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. 100,474 Labor Party members go to the polls. CHOOSING A LEADER. Peres leads in polls, Peretz in organization and Ben-Eliezer in optimism. Minister Shalom: “If Peretz wins, Likud has a problem.” (…). ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Hatzofeh says that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has capitulated on his oft-repeated promise that Israel would not allow Hamas to participate in the upcoming Palestinian elections. Yediot Ahronot refers to the riots in France and discusses the possibility of economically-motivated social unrest here. Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, criticizes the plight of many of those who were evacuated from the Gaza Strip and wonders why more Israelis have not come to their aid.
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