3.9.2003 HAARETZ 1. POLICE PUSHING FOR BUS #300-TYPE IMMUNITY FOR OR COMMISSION OFFICERS. Assessment at national headquarters that proposal has good chances of being supported by State Prosecutors Office. 2. DEPT. FOR INVESTIGATING POLICE OFFICERS: DIFFICULT TO GATHER FINDINGS AFTER THREE YEARS. 3. REPORT SUBMITTED TO IDF: WE MUST ASSUME THAT RON ARAD IS ALIVE. 4. SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT GAIN IMPRESSION THAT HAMAS IS INTERESTED IN RENEWING HUDNA. 5. SILVAN SHALOM MEETS WITH MOROCCAN KING MUHAMMAD.
HATZOFEH 1. Vinograd committee, which investigated all information accumulated by security establishment on Arad, reports: ISRAELI ASSESSMENT: RON ARAD IS ALIVE. Information revealed on Channel 1. Committee says: There is no data that can contradict the assumption that Ron Arad is alive. Committees findings will be used as a basis for determining policy and security establishments attitude regarding Israeli navigator. Committee submitted its conclusions to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon three weeks ago. Progress in negotiations between Israel and Hizbullah on prisoner swap. German delegate met with Dirani and Obeid yesterday, as part of means to reach deal on prisoner swap. 2. ASSESSMENT: DEPARTMENT FOR INVESTIGATING POLICE OFFICERS WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN INVESTIGATING OR COMMISSION FINDINGS. 3. TERRORIST RESPONSIBLE FOR KFAR YAVETZ TERROR ATTACK ELIMINATED. 4. NETANYAHU: BUDGET CUTBACKS TO START IN TREASURY. 5. MISSING DANA BENNETS FAMILY OFFERING $50,000. 6. STATE DEBT ALREADY EXCEEDS ANNUAL TARGET. MAARIV 1. RESUMING RELATIONS Foreign Minister enjoyed royal welcome in Morocco and heard from King: Soon we will be able to reopen missions. 2. THEY DEMANDED THAT WE LIE TO THE COMMISSION. claims Superintendent Guy Reif. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Yediot Ahronot survey by Dr. Minah Tzemach: 56%: Barak cannot be Prime Minister in aftermath of Or report. THEY TOLD ME TO LIE TO THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. Storm following Superintendent Guy Reifs claims that senior policemen lied to Or Commission. Reif: I will not be a scapegoat. Police initiative: Immunity for policemen, similar to those involved in Bus #300 affair, in order to prevent conflicts during criminal investigation. 2. MOROCCAN KING: I WOULD POP INTO EILAT DISCO. In friendly meeting at palace yesterday, Mohammad VI promised Foreign Minister Shalom: We will renew relations with Israel soon. 3. NOT CERTAIN THAT RON ARAD IS DEAD Alleges committee headed by Judge Vinograd 4. GILAD ON HIS WAY TO INVESTIGATION. Sharons son to be questioned regarding Greek islands. 5. DESPITE EVERYTHING: 83% OF ISRAELIS SATISFIED WITH LIFE. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Both papers deal with various aspects of the Or Commission report: Hatzofeh believes that the Or Commission chose not to draw any operative conclusions against former Prime Minister Ehud Barak in order to balance its decision not to draw any similar conclusions against Israeli Arab MKs Azmi Bishara and Abdulmalik Dehamshe, even though the Commission members saw fit to strongly criticize all three. The editors declare that, Whoever blames warned individuals for making statements in support of violence as a way of achieving the Arab sectors goals and then takes no punitive measures against them, their conclusions should be sent to the shredder, and laud Israel Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishky, characteristically not abandoning those under his command and standing up behind them despite what was said in the report. Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, suggests that former Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami feels nothing but, utter contempt, for Shas Chairman MK Eli Yishais claim that the Or Commission singled him out due to his Moroccan ethnic origin. The editors speculate that, Apparently, the upcoming municipal elections and the critical state of his party loosened Eli Yishais lips, and venture that, The Shas leader could not resist his urge to incite Sephardim against Ashkenazim. Yediot Ahronot, in its third editorial, comments on an opinion poll in today s paper and suggests that the results indicate that, The Commission did not realize one of the hopes that were pinned on it, namely the hope of easing tensions between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. Yediot Ahronot says that, soul-searching is the term that we love to use whenever a state commission of inquiry publishes its findings. The editors suggests that, Weeks go by, the content of the damning report is blurred, its conclusions are forgotten and we already feel comforted and right, and add, We postpone the soul-searching until after the next commission publishes its conclusions. BPI.