Summary of Editorials from the Izraeli Hebrew Press
Yediot Aharonot discusses Time magazine’s report to the effect that a joint Israeli-US military exercise has been greatly scaled down, and writes: „A tempest in a teacup. Last night, an official Israeli military source used those exact words to define the Time report.” The author contends that most of the personnel who have been cut from the exercise were administrative and claims: „There has been no reduction in the scope of the combat force and there has been no change in the nature of the exercise.” The paper suggests that „The defense establishment estimates that there are elements in the US that are interested in sharpening the disagreements between the Obama administration and the Israeli government on the Iranian issue and in increasing the pressure on Israel via reports on ‘security sanctions’ – such as the report in Time.”
Ma’ariv analyzes the implications of the latest economic news: „The 2003 model Netanyahu would give up on free education for ages 3-4, at a budgetary cost of NIS 2.5 billion, but he is afraid. Free education is a good decision at a time when state coffers are full. Netanyahu knows the gasoline prices went up last night and that this is mainly due to increased global fuel prices. The excise on gasoline that amounts to NIS 16 billion was also the main source of taxation revenue in the previous government. He is acting correctly by not intervening this time. In order for the Prime Minister to be able to implement his original economic theory, he should call an early election. This would allow the true influence of the protest movements and parties and their political agendas to be tested at the ballot box. If he wins, Netanyahu will be able to implement his economic policy without fear and without bias.”
Yisrael Hayom refers to Israel-US relations in light of the Iranian threat and says: „Greater Israeli caution is called for, especially as Netanyahu prepares to address the UN before the US elections and to call on the public – Republicans and Democrats alike – to wake up in light of the Iranian danger. Obama will not like this. One should be more circumspect about the current [US] administration as there is a chance that it will also be the next administration.” However, the author adds: „Netanyahu will present the crux of the issue in the form of a pointed question: True, the Americans are entitled to say ‘Not now, but later’, but they must make it clear when it will be ‘later’, where is the red line, and when the Iranian initiative becomes a nuclear weapon in their view. Netanyahu is asking and the Americans are not answering. If the US is uninterested in living up to its commitment – Israel will be compelled, regrettabl! y, to look for its path separately.”
The Jerusalem Post Praises the work of the Jewish National Fund, and asserts that “The organization’s contribution to making Israel bloom before and after the establishment of the state has been enormous.”
Haaretz accuses the Ministry of Education of shirking its responsibilities to students in east Jerusalem, and asserts that the plight of the 80,000 pupils there is “the result of perennial and intentional funding starvation.” Terming Jerusalem the “capital of discrimination,” the editor notes that “Politicians, from both the right and left, love to swear allegiance to Jerusalem and declare Israel’s sovereignty at every opportunity,” and expresses his hope that “at least part of this sovereignty talk will be translated to concrete actions to improve the impossible conditions of tens of thousands of students in the city.”
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