HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. Assessment: Sharon and most ministers to vote this morning in favor of leaving Gaza synagogues intact. IDF EXPECTED TO WITHDRAW FROM GAZA STRIP TONIGHT. Yesterday: Advance force of 200 Egyptian police personnel arrived on Egyptian side of Philadelphi corridor. Today: Israeli-Palestinian ceremony at Erez checkpoint on transfer of control over Gaza Strip. Tomorrow: OC Gaza to be last Israeli to leave Gaza Strip. The Palestinians: Disorder in PA – armed men take over Gaza governor’s building, journalist kidnapped and released. HATZOFEH 1. With determination and sensitivity: Basketball game in IDF uniforms in Gush Katif synagogue. CABINET MAJORITY TO VOTE AGAINST DEMOLITION OF SYNAGOGUES. This morning: Cabinet to decide whether or not to demolish Gush Katif synagogues. 11 ministers against, only three in favor, the rest – including Sharon himself – are undecided. Silvan Shalom: “A Jew doesn’t demolish synagogues. Pres. Katsav calls on government to act in accordance with Chief Rabbinate recommendations. 2. WOMAN TERRORIST WHO INTENDED TO MURDER SOLDIER ARRESTED. 3. IDF READY TO LEAVE GAZA STRIP TONIGHT. MA’ARIV 1. After 38 years: Israeli presence in Gaza Strip ends this week. MOST MINISTERS AGAINST DEMOLISHING SYNAGOGUES. Today: Sharon intends to vote against demolition. Ma’ariv check last night: 11 ministers against, three in favor, six undecided. IDF waiting for departure order. Egyptians deploy along Philadelphi corridor. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Tonight: IDF leaving Gaza. Israel will not demolish synagogues. GAZA, THE END. Thirty-eight years after occupying Gaza, the Israeli flag will come down this evening and IDF soldiers will make their way out of the Gaza Strip. Tomorrow afternoon, last soldiers will close Kisufim gate and State of Israel will open new chapter. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Hatzofeh reminds its readers that today is the fourth anniversary of the Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks in the US and asserts that since then, “The Israeli prime minister has become the biggest supporter of terrorism in the world.” The editors believe that, “No terrorist organization in the world has won such a sweet, moving and emotional victory as Palestinian terrorism which received the hasty Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as a gift…without having to give anything in exchange, either diplomatically or militarily.” Yediot Ahronot notes that this is not the first time that the IDF has withdrawn from the Gaza Strip and wonders if it will have to go back in the future. The editors believe that the underlying view behind Prime Minister Sharon’s unilateral move – which they trace to the late Moshe Dayan – is pessimistic and all but rules out the chance of a genuine reconciliation and rapprochement. The paper hopes that the chance created by the present withdrawal from Gaza can be used to, “begin to think differently about our situation here and to formulate a worldview that does not stem from the belligerent pessimism of Sharon and Dayan.” Hatzofeh, in its second editorial, says that the sole difference between the Likud and Labor is that, “The Labor Party has never dismantled communities in the Land of Israel.” Hatzofeh, in its third editorial, questions the sincerity of Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz’s opposition to the demolition of the synagogues in the Gaza Strip. bpi-INFO