30,03,04 HAARETZ 1. SHARON REJECTS CRITICISM FROM LEFT AND RIGHT: IM FUNCTIONING WELL, THERE WONT BE ELECTIONS. PM: If right wing quits, I will set up alternative government. Will arrive tonight at Likud convention – expected to be supportive. Not planning to relate to State Prosecutor or disengagement. In 6th proceeding, Supreme Court decides: Gilad will hand over documents. Documents not in his possession but that he can obtain will be demanded as well.
2. WHAT IS STATUS OF DISENGAGEMENT? IDF CONFUSED, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY ALREADY PREPARING. 3. CHURCHES AGAINST ISRAEL: VISAS DELAYED FOR PRIESTS. 4. DECISION ON FINAL FOUR – TONIGHT Maccabis weapon: Rebels stars and tourists; if games are moved, it will be able to decide where. 5. 28TH LAND DAY: ANNUAL SUMMARY OF ARAB DISCRIMINATION. At end of week of protest, central rally to be held in Arrabe; general strike in sector. HATZOFEH 1. Likud convention opening today in shadow of scandal surrounding PM Sharon and his sons. SUPREME COURT: GILAD SHARON MUST HAND OVER DOCUMENTS. Five Supreme Court judges unanimously ruled that Sharon must hand over documents in his possession regarding Greek island affair. Judges berate Sharon on his management of the affair. Sharons attorney said that all documents had already been handed over. At same time, in stormy discussion in Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, PM announced that he would form new government if right wing parties quit. In addition, he made clear that his position on disengagement plan had not changed. Strong criticism of Sharon from right and left. 2. TENNENBAUM RELEASED TO HIS HOUSE. MAARIV 1. Expos?: Likud and Labor representatives have already agreed on portfolios. ARBELS RECOMMENDATIONS WRECKED ADVANCED NEGOTIATIONS FOR UNITY GOVERNMENT. According to secret understandings, Labor was due to join government on Sharons return from US. In return: Six ministries including Foreign. Due to State Prosecutors recommendation to indict Sharon, contacts frozen until Mazuzs decision. 2. Jonathan Pollard to Maariv: GET ME OUT OF HERE. Added: I want to celebrate Independence Day at home. Sharon: I will not visit him in prison. 4. CONCERN IN ECONOMY: RECESSION RETURNING. Reason: Yassin effect and Sharons case. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. TENNENBAUMS GOING HOME. 70 days after he came back from Hezbollah captivity, Tennenbaum is leaving investigation today – to house arrest at his sisters. 2. JUDGMENT DAY FOR MACCABI TEL AVIV. Today in Barcelona: Decision over whether to move Final Four from Israel. 3. IN SHADOW OF INVESTIGATION: SHARON AT LIKUD CONVENTION TODAY. Minister Eitam: Prime Minister under warning cannot commit to withdrawal. Sharon: Im coping well. ____________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot discusses the proposed changes to IDF policy vis-?-vis reserve duty and suggests that, The practical meaning of the Defense Ministers and his committees recommendations is the beginning of the unavoidable transition of the IDF from a peoples army to a professional army. The editors predict that, A decade from now, the IDF will make do with a core of highly-paid and highly-motivated professional fighters who will be recruited into its ranks willingly and who will see a military career as the lifes work. The paper believes that regional armies are getting both smaller and more professional and says that in any future Middle East war, The victor will be the side whose few soldiers are more professional, more satisfied, better equipped, more computerized, better trained, have better incentives and are motivated by a more rational worldview. Hatzofeh says that the report on Israels intelligence establishment prior to last years war in Iraq that was recently issued by a special Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee subcommittee led by Committee Chairman Likud MK Yuval Steinitz, isnt all that different from the report that was issued by the Agranat Commission following the Yom Kippur War. The editors assert that, From the unclassified sections of the report issued by the Steinitz committee, we learn that intelligence activity continued to be managed in a negligent manner even after the Yom Kippur War, and that, The necessary lessons in the wake of the Agranat report were not learned. The paper criticizes the Steinitz committee for not making any operative recommendations and fears that, The Steinitz report will be relegated to the archives, alongside the Agranat report, and the failures will continue. BPI.
