FROM THE
HEBREW PRESS
HA’ARETZ
1. SENIOR PALESTINIAN FIGURE: HEZBOLLAH BEHIND TERRORIST ATTACK IN HAIFA.
Prime Minister Olmert said that, „West Bank terrorist network responsible for attempted attack. Palestinian Authority estimates that it was revenge attempt for hit on senior Hezbollah figure Mughniyeh. Police: Force of explosives equaled 10-15 suicide attackers.
2. BARAK INSTRUCTS NEGOTIATING TEAM TO ACHIEVE QUICK AGREEMENT WITH LIKUD BASED ON „ECONOMIC EMERGENCY PLAN.”
3. BARAK APPROVED NEW SETTLEMENT.
MA’ARIV
1. Prime Minister attacks: „History will not forgive whoever enters a government which isolates Israel.
OLMERT ON BARAK: NARROW MINDED, SWINDLER, DELUSIONAL. BARAK ON OLMERT: PATHETIC, HE SHOULD RESIGN QUIETLY.
Ehud Barak is fighting with all his strength to bring Labor into Netanyahu Government. Ehud Olmert not selective regarding means to thwart him: From hallway discussions with undecided MKs to unprecedented tongue-lashing.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Eve of decision in Labor Party conference: Formulating coalition agreement.
NETANYAHU AND BARAK: THE ECONOMIC DEAL.
Assuring income: Salaries of Government workers will not be cut. Rescuing factories: All workers in the economy to donate one day’s salary per annum. Decision-making forum: Workers and employers to take part in crucial decisions.
2. CITATION FOR MERCAZ HARAV HERO.
Capt. David Shapiro, who shot terrorist, to be decorated on Independence Day.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. Olmert tries to torpedo Barak’s entrance to Government.
HISTADRUT CHAIRMAN EINI: CRISIS CALLS FOR UNITY.
„This is the best chance to overcome the economic crisis.” Outgoing PM attacks Barak: Joining a government that will isolate Israel. Barak’s confidants: Olmert is a political hack; he should go quietly. Ahead of Labor conference: Negotiating team appointed by Barak begins talks with Likud.
2. HIS SUFFERING, THEIR CRUELTY.
Family members of Palestinian prisoners erect giant cage in center of Gaza with Gilad Shalit dummy and raised banners in Hebrew: „Shalit will not be returned while our prisoners are in jail.”
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot asserts that, „The immediate and first result of the terrorist attack in Haifa regards mall security. Exercises carried out by the police show that with a little effort, it is possible to deceive the security guard. Moreover, it is clear that during the peak of the second intifada, malls were on alert to identify suicide terrorists. And therefore, the suicide terrorists that came blew up mainly at mall entrances and did not succeed in penetrating. The field of checking inbound vehicles received much less attention. Now that we have been warned, it would be worthwhile to re-examine the issue of securing malls and public facilities.”
Ma’ariv criticizes the public campaign on behalf of Gilad Shalit for focusing on the Government instead of those holding him, i.e. Hamas. The author believes that the campaign should have focused on, „Palestinian prisoners’ families, the Red Cross, the human rights organizations, etc.,” and also scores the media, print and electronic, for its total support of the campaign. The paper notes that, „There was pressure here on the Government and the Prime Minister to capitulate to Hamas’s caprices and blackmail,” and adds that, „There was pressure here on the Prime Minister to carry out the act of capitulation quickly, immediately, now,” regardless of the consequences, in light of the – presumably – supreme value of not abandoning a soldier whom the country dispatched on its behalf. The author believes that, „In reality, there is a competition between opposing values and even values have their limits. If we go according to the logic that returning Gilad Shalit has no price, or in other words, regardless of the consequences of his return, then there will be no limit to the demands of kidnappers (Palestinian, Hezbollah, etc) in exchange for a captive Israeli soldier. Now they are demanding their prisoners in exchange. Tomorrow, they will raise other demands, military or diplomatic. For example, Israel must refrain from flying over Lebanon, or from patrolling along the border or must dismantle this or that roadblock, etc. In other words, the ‘no price’ concept for returning soldier Gilad is extremely dangerous and goes beyond the narrow circle of captives.” The paper criticizes Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s failure to apply serious, sustained pressure on Hamas but nevertheless commends his decision last week vis-א-vis the negotiations over the return of Gilad Shalit.
Yisrael Hayom urges the Labor Party to enter the Government and cites Bill Clinton’s 1992 adage, „It’s the economy, stupid.” The author recalls a line from an old Labor movement anthem, „Come shoulder-to-shoulder for the good of the nation,” and urges the current Labor Party MKs to take heed.
BreuerPress-info
