HEADLINES FROM THE IZRAELI PRESS

Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press

Yediot Aharonot says that yesterday’s crash of an advanced Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on an experimental flight „is a childhood illness. This is a unique aerial vehicle that has no parallel anywhere in the world. UAV’s powered by jet engines and protected with stealth technology are operated today only by the US. The Heron, on the other hand, is a multi-purpose workhorse. It is no wonder that more than a few countries – including great powers are taking an interest in it.” The author notes that this particular UAV „can reach distant targets on missions in which the level of risk for a manned aerial vehicle is especially high.”

 

Ma’ariv remarks that, „Thirty years ago, when we were doing compulsory service, ultra-Orthodox evasion – which was marginal then – didn’t bother us. What bothered us much more were the rear echelon types and even certain administrative personnel, who struck us as rear echelon types with diplomas. In the current reality, you have to take your hat off to even the last cook who serves at a base very close to home because, in the end, he is devoting three years of his life to society while many others in his age group study Talmud, go to work and go [home] to their families.”
The author adds, „One’s blood boils when you see how the public leaders of those who do not serve make use of their positions of power to further the discrimination in endless ways. Thus, for example, Minister Atias’s criteria for affordable housing.” The paper says, „Both sides of the political map that serve and work must internalize the fact that the rules of the game have changed,” and calls for „a national emergency government of the right, center and Zionist left, in which the ultra-Orthodox will not hold the balance,” and which „will set equally sharing the burden as its supreme goal.”
The author concludes, „The ultra-Orthodox camp is not homogeneous. It has within it wisdom and great resourcefulness. In this camp as well, all those who look around and see forward must understand that there is no future to the situation in which part of the public carries on its back thousands who do not contribute, do not earn livings and are funded by the taxpayers. There as well, they must join in the emergency program that will fundamentally change ultra-Orthodox society and cause it to become integrated into the country, for the benefit of us all.”

 

Yisrael Hayom commends State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss and says that, „Inter alia, he has encountered a characteristic Israeli phenomenon in which those at the top cast responsibility for failures on their subordinates.” The author believes that in his upcoming report on the Carmel wildfire disaster, Lindenstrauss is attempted to set a new norm, „what may be called the ‘Japanese norm’, without hara-kiri, of course.” The paper asserts, „This is a worthy trend that will place Israel among the enlightened and advanced countries. It should have become a code of behavior even without the intervention of the State Comptroller. But the fact that it has been ignored has compelled Lindenstrauss to strive to end his term in a great crescendo – with the  same Japanese norm.” The author calls for „a pointed, detailed and continuing public discussion” of the issue.

 

The Jerusalem Post comments on the US primary elections: „Ahead of Tuesday’s primary election in Florida, GOP presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney seemed to be trying to outdo each other over their unequivocal support for Israel. The Republican candidates’ outspoken support for Israel is at least in part due to a perception that Americans – particularly American Jews – are dissatisfied with the Obama administration’s policies toward the Jewish state. The pro-Israel rhetoric we are witnessing in the run-up to the Florida primary seems to be directed principally at the Evangelical vote. And even when serious courting of the Jewish vote in Florida commences as the general election approaches, it is not at all clear that talking strong on Israel will be the best way to win hearts.”

 

Haaretz criticizes the cancellation of the permit for a school tour in Hebron: „The eighth-graders of the Hebrew University Secondary School were supposed to tour Hebron yesterday, to meet with local settlers and also with members of Breaking the Silence, a group that collects testimony about the abuse of Palestinians from soldiers who serve in the West Bank.” The police cancelled the permit „on grounds that it would not be able to protect the pupils from settler violence. It is extremely important that, as part of their study of citizenship and democracy, local pupils be exposed to the Israeli occupation. If the educational system was doing its job properly, it would be arranging these types of field trips, without the involvement of any political groups. But the so-called heritage curriculum introduced by Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar hides the occupation and its injustices from pupils.”

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