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Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press
Today’s issues: Foreign minister needed, time to investigate Netanyahu’s involvement in the Bezeq affair, the Likud’s dangerous intimidation campaign, and Hariri the pawn.
The Jerusalem Post laments Israel’s lack of a full time foreign minister, and declares: “the professional manager of Israel’s foreign relations, the Foreign Ministry, continues to be undermined to the county’s detriment by the prime minister’s reluctance to yield some of his powers.” The editor points out that in most Western countries the position of chief diplomat is considered one of the most important political appointments, and asserts: “Israel must rise to meet major challenges both in the region and in its relations with the US and Russia. This is not a part-time job. Israel needs a full-time chief diplomat to serve alongside a full-time prime minister.”
Haaretz&nbs p;discusses the recommended prosecution of key figures in Israel’s communications giant Bezeq for alleged fraud, and wonders at “the absence from the list of suspects the communications minister during part of the relevant period: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.” The editor find it difficult to comprehend why Netanyahu has not yet been questioned in regard to this affair, and states: “He is not lacking for other investigations but in this case both the Israel Securities Authority and the State Comptroller’s reports leave no room for doubt: Netanyahu’s involvement in the Bezeq affair must be investigated.”
Yediot Aharonot notes: “We are in the midst of a dangerous campaign against the heads of the law enforcement system,” and adds: “There is neither a relevant nor a serious discussion taking place here. There is a police investigation against the prime minister, and any attack on his investigators turns into part of the campaign.” The author singles out two disruptive Knesset members and their initiatives and bills against the law enforcement system, and asserts that they “aren’t interested in fostering change. All they want is to intimidate, to silence. This isn’t a dispute between Right and Left. It’s a dispute between King Bibi’s submissive slaves and all those who want a civilized country.”
Israel Hayom comments on the fog surrounding the fate of recently resigned Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and states that “[Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] has decided to shuffle all of his cards and engage in a full-blown confrontation with Iran, including in Leban on. Hariri was summoned to Saudi Arabia to submit his resignation in a sign that Lebanon’s Sunnis will no longer serve as a ‘fig leaf’ for Nasrallah.”
[Ben-Dror Yemini and Oded Granot wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Israel Hayom, respectively. |
