Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press
Today’s issues: Today’s issues: Marriage rights of same-sex couples, The U.S. administration’s message that protection of Israel from boycott doesn’t apply to the settlements, the US is no longer the leader of the West, and will the chaos in Sinai overflow into Israel?
The Jerusalem Post commends last week’s US Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex couples’ right to marry and states that it “was a watershed moment in the struggle of the gay rights movement, in America and worldwide.” The editor remains skeptical about any significant change to Israel’s policy regarding same-sex marriages in the near future, and states: “Unlike the monumental upheaval that occurred in the US, any change to Israel’s policy is going to have to come from the country’s lawmakers, not its judiciary.”
Haaretz is not surprised by the US administration’s refusal to protect Israeli products manufactured in the territories, despite the wording in the Trade Promotion Authority Bill that was signed last week by President Obama, and states: “when Israel insists on annexing the settlements, it can only expect the international community to step up its policy of distinguishing between Israel and the territories.” The editor adds: “The message makes it clear to the settlers and to Israeli producers in the territories that the world markets are closing off to their goods, and that these business people had better give profound consideration to their continued investments in the settlements,” and expresses his hope that “economic reason will prevail where strategic and political reason died, and economic common sense will lay down the politi cal milestones along the Green Line.”
Yediot Aharonot believes that with regard to the horrors perpetrated by ISIS, the time has come to call a spade a spade, and declares: “The fact that multiple acts of horror have been piling up and receiving an extremely minor response, in addition to the fact that Obama’s America is marching with its eyes wide open towards a bad agreement with Iran, cannot be incidental. It’s an intentional policy seeking to avoid a conflict at all costs.” The author contends that this attitude will change only when the West realizes that it is also threatened by the Islamic caliphate, whose dreams of grandeur will make them act against the West, at which point “America will wake up again to a new Pearl Harbor.”
Yisrael Hayom is concerned that additional deterioration in the security situation in Sinai may impact Israel and the Gaza Strip, “especially given the close ties between the Salafi groups in Sinai and Gaza, and the fact that the Salafi groups in Gaza are actively trying to undermine Hamas rule,” but reassures readers: “Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has already proved he is committed to fighting terrorism, and it is highly likely that Israel would afford Egypt any aid necessary in this fight, knowing that should Cairo fail, Israel may find itself in the cross-hairs of Islamic State terrorists.”
[Bambi Sheleg and Yoav Limor wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
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