9.9.03 HAARETZ 1. NETANYAHU: NIS 3 BILLION DEFENSE CUTBACK NECESSARY. Chief-of-Staff holding emergency talks today; IDF: Treasury breaching Sharon s instructions, someone has decided to go after us. 2. India: Indian Prime Minister in Haaretz interview on eve of talks on joint fight against terror. VAJPAYEE ON ATTACK AGAINST YASSIN: VIOLENCE DOESNT HELP. 3. US OPPOSES SEPARATION FENCE NEAR RAMALLAH. 4. ISRAEL IN EUROPEAN BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS; DEFEATS SLOVENIA 78-76.
HATZOFEH 1. Netanyahu presents economic plan: Aim improve quality of life, we will encourage capital investments. NETANYAHU: NIS 6 BILLION CUT IN DEFENSE BUDGET. Draft budget submitted to Sharon determines that reforms will be carried out in public sector, tax reduction policy to continue but tax will be levied on those who take early retirement. Cabinet to discuss plan next week. 2. DOUBTS IN SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT: CHANCES THAT ABU ALA WILL FIGHT TERROR ORGANIZATIONS ARE CLOSE TO ZERO. Abu Ala officially says: I accept the job of Prime Minister. 3. TERRORIST DISGUISED AS IDF SOLDIER ELIMINATED ON WAY TO ATTACK NEAR NISANIT. 4. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE APPROVES CONTIUATION OF CONSTRUCTION AT TEL RUMEIDA IN HEBRON. 5. ADDITIONAL JEWISH UNDERGROUND DETAINEE RELEASED. MAARIV 1. Finance Minister presents list of dramatic measures for next years budget. 2004 DECREES. Security Painful NIS 6 billion budget cut. Grant to discharged conscripts to be cut by 10%. (
). Our pockets Despite assurances, VAT to remain at 18%. (
). 2. RIGHT NOW: FOREIGN MINISTRY WARNS AGAINST VACATIONING IN SINAI. Moment before holidays: Concern over terrorism. 3. BASKETBALL: ISRAEL IN EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Chief-of-Staff holding emergency talks today: Treasury has declared war on us. NEW DECREES. (
). Tax on employing foreign workers to rise to 20%. (
). 2. ABU ALA TO ISRAEL: HELP ME. Abu Mazens successor-elect proposed in message to Sharons Bureau: Ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian Authority. 3. THREE ISRAELIS DROWN IN HURRICANE OFF CANADA. Canadian Coast Guard: They set out from Boston to Israel in yacht. 15-meter waves wrecked their boat. 4. Major achievement for Israel: BASKETBALL: NATIONAL TEAM REACHES EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Hatzofeh says that, Arafats decision to charge his confidant Abu Ala with the responsibility for forming a new government effectively means that the PLO Chairman has decided to reassume his position at the top of the Palestinian leadership, and asserts that Arafat will no longer tolerate even the quasi-independence shown by Abu Mazen. The editors believe that, Sooner or later Washington will have to reconsider its policy and reach the conclusion that as long as Yasser Arafat holds the steering wheel, it will be impossible to advance the policy anchored in the roadmap, and add that, It is not only the hudna which has come apart but the roadmap ceased to exist at the moment that Hamas and Islamic Jihad toppled Abu Mazen and restored control to Arafat and his cohorts. Yediot Ahronot suggests that Israels economic troubles have distracted us from the following diplomatic achievements: Our ties with Morocco have been enhanced to the point where the resumption of diplomatic relations seems near; the European Union has defined Hamass political wing as a terrorist organization; India is hosting an Israeli delegation; the IAEA has announced its lack of confidence in Irans statements and is demanding full exposure. The editors remind their readers that, Each of these achievements is of great strategic importance, and their all occurring in one week will likely lift our spirits. Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, surveys Indias economic and political development since the end of World War II and lauds Prime Minister Ariel Sharons historic visit to India. BPI.
