HAARETZ 1. Ahead of Aqaba summit, PM says: Palestinian ceasefire insufficient. SHARON TO PROPOSE: EVACUATION OF OUTPOSTS IN RETURN FOR WAR ON TERROR.
2. CANDIDATE TO SUPERVISE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROADMAP: ROBERT BLACKWELL. 3. Tomorrows local elections Dialogue poll, exclusive for Haaretz. JERUSALEM: TIGHT RACE WITH ADVANTAGE TO LUPOLIANSKI. HAIFA: SHMUEL ARAD ENJOYS SLIM LEAD. 4. GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS DIASPORA JEWS HUNGER CONTRIBUTION FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN. HATZOFEH 1. Sharon preparing opening speech in face of growing opposition from ministers. SHARON TO DECLARE EVACUATION OF ILLEGAL OUTPOSTS IN AQABA. Calls on ministers to moderate their criticism of his policies. Said that he asked US President to declare that State of Israel is a Jewish state. Growing outrage on right over Sharons remarks and concessions to Palestinians. Defense Minister: In any case, we can withdraw measures to ease sanctions. Divisions in NRP over Sharons policies Not expected to quit government. 2. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS ENTER ISRAEL HAMAS STILL HASNT JOINED HUDNA. 3. ABU MAZEN LEAVES FOR SHARM E-SHEIKH PREPARATIONS FOR ARAB LEADERS SUMMIT. MAARIV 1. 3,500 housing units in territories frozen. Outrage on right. GOVERNMENT PREVENTING NEW CONSTRUCTION IN SETTLEMENTS. Freeze does not apply to neighborhoods already under construction, but only regarding new building permits. Settlers: Drying us up. Two days before Aqaba summit, security officials are cautiously optimistic: Possible that intifada will soon be over. However, several senior IDF officers are concerned: Palestinians have no genuine willingness. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Ahead of the summit: ISA fear that extremists will attack Sharon. APPROXIMATELY 20 OUTPOSTS TO BE EVACUATED SOON. In wake of American pressure: Sharon in effort to coordinate with settler leaders on list of illegal outposts that are to be evacuated voluntarily. 2. JERUSALEM AND HAIFA: CLOSE ELECTORAL RACE. On eve of elections: Satisfat Lupolianskis HQ in Jerusalem Likud candidate Amedi continuing to run. 3. GOVERNMENT APPROVES LAW TO RESTRICT STRIKES. Knesset asked to approve this week: Strikes to be declared in public sector only if majority of workers approve in secret ballot. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot comments on the historical agreements made by Israel and the Palestinian leadership to live in peace, create a Palestinian state, see Israel return to the 1967 borders, and for the Palestinians to give up on the right of return. The editors state that Those who refuse to compromise with Israel are the intellectual elite in the Arab world, who believe that, The Jews are not a nation, rather they are a religion
who have no need for their own sovereign state, and the large majority of Arab writers, who believe that Zionism is nothing other than cruel colonialism. The paper argues that Arab leaders use the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to ignore their own internal problems, and to hold onto their totalitarian power. The editors point out that while in Israel there are many movements, such as Women in Black who encourage and support peace with the Palestinians, there is no parallel movement in the Arab world. A Jerusalem summit, a Sharm summit, an Aqaba summit new measures bring about hope. But, since reconciliation with Israel does not enter the deep Arab consciousness as a natural and desirable choice
but as a forced process forced by the US, forced by the Jewish lobby, forced by globalization the chances for peace are very small. Hatzofeh calls on Ariel Sharon to resign since, There is no doubt that Ariel Sharon is now leading the State of Israel down a very dangerous path.
