HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. PORT REFORM APPROVED; WORKERS BEGIN “UNLIMITED” STRIKE. (…). 2. ISRAELI OFFICERS REVEAL: THUS WE ESTABLISHED SINGAPOREAN ARMY, STRONGEST IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. 3. SHARON TO HOLD NEGOTIATIONS WITH SHAS; UNITED TORAH JUDAISM MKS SURPRISE: WHY SHOULDN’T WE BE MINISTERS? 4. SUICIDE ATTACKS FOILED IN JERUSALEM AND SHARON REGION. Roadblocks in the Sharon area to foil terrorist infiltration caused heavy traffic jams. 5. PERES TO RECEIVE NIS 1.8 MILLION CAR. 6. PA: [UN ENVOY] LAARSEN – PERSONA NON GRATA. 7. COURT: GILAD’S ANSWERS “SUSPECTED OF BEING INSINCERE.” However, Magistrates Court judge determined that Gilad [Sharon] fulfilled order to hand over documents in Cyril Kern affair and is not guilty of contempt of court. HATZOFEH 1. Manhunt after terrorist paralyzes traffic in center of country. BOMB ATTACK FOILED. Police estimate that major attack in Sharon region was prevented. High alert also declared in Jerusalem yesterday due to fear of terrorist infiltration. Security establishment estimates that terrorist organizations will step up efforts to perpetrate attacks in near future. 2. [Attorney General] Mazuz: Calls to refuse [orders] – not crime, but right-wing declarations – will be investigated. RIGHT WINGERS TO BE TRIED FOR INCITEMENT AND REBELLION. Remarks made at end of discussion between Mazuz, ISA Director and senior officials from State Prosecutor’s Office. Extreme left IDF refuseniks received early release from prison yesterday. 3. LAPID: PERES IS AGAIN TRYING TO PULL OFF STINKING MANUVER. 4. IDF TO SETTLERS: DON’T HITCHHIKE. 5. EVEN PALESTINIANS DON’T WANT [UN ENVOY] LAARSEN ANYMORE. After Norwegian mediator accused Arafat of terrorism. 6. 400 NEW IMMIGRANTS ARRIVED YESTERDAY FROM NORTH AMERICA. 7. TWO WOUNDED IN SHOOTING ATTACK NEAR PEDUEL. MA’ARIV 1. OMRI SHARON: “SILVAN WASN’T BORN FOREIGN MINISTER.” SHALOM’S CONFIDANTS: “NEITHER WAS SHARON BORN PRIME MINISTER.” At gathering of FM’s supporters, activists attacked Sharon: He is destroying the Likud. Shalom silenced attackers. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. POLICE RAID ELECTRIC CORPORATION OFFICES. Paritzky affair expanding: Police to also investigate natural gas deal with Egypt. 2. ATTACK WAS FOILED, ALERT WAS LOWERED. Awful traffic jams were not in vain: Security forces succeeded in foiling major attack in center of country. Manhunt after explosive belt in Jerusalem. 3. “SHARON WILL GIVE UP ON SHINUI.” “Government lacks traditional Jewish character,” PM tells United Torah Judaism. Lapid: If haredim are in, we are out. Apparent: Yaakov Ne’eman will conduct coalition negotiations. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot reprimands the Labor Party for attempting to crawl back into the government and says that, “Sharon is making them a laughing stock, just as he likes to do, and the only big advantage is that everyone knows that in the present climate – political, diplomatic, security, economic, social – this government’s days are numbered.” Hatzofeh reminds its readers that opinion surveys are unreliable and often serve a specific political purpose, such as yesterday’s Ma’ariv survey, which claimed that 54% of Israeli citizens wanted a secular coalition. Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, welcomes the 400 immigrants who arrived from North America yesterday but regrets that the pace of immigration to Israel seems to be slowing down. Yediot Ahronot, in its third editorial, discusses the privatization of the ports.