HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. MK Dalia Itzik also joins Kadima; assessment: Preliminary move to Peres’s quitting. PERETZ TRYING TO PREVENT OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM LEAVING. Kadima: Platform presented at second fmeeting – Palestinian state and return of territory. Labor: Peres’s brother Gigi equates Peretz’s people with Falangists from North Africa. Meretz: Platform – Shorter military service and studies for discharged soldiers. 2. Arab sector. AHEAD OF ELECTIONS – ARAB WOMEN ALSO DEMANDING ROLE ON MONITORUING COMMITTEE. HATZOFEH 1. Sharon makes it clear: We aren’t ruling out anybody as potential future coalition partner. SHARON’S PLATFORM: PALESTINIAN STATE IN 90% OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA. According to Kadima party platform, Israel will only control settlement blocs, which are less than 10% of Judea and Samaria – like Barak’s proposal to Arafat at Camp David. Significance: Separation fence will be political border. 2. PERES’S BROTHER REVIVES „ETHNIC DEMON”. Storm in political establishment over Gigi Peres’s remarks regarding „takeover by Falangists from north Africa.” 3. DALIA ITZIK JOINING KADIMA. 4. SEVERE AIR POLLUTION IN JERUSALEM AND GREATER TEL AVIV. 5. COMMANDER AND THREE SOLDIERS WHO REFUSED TO TAKE PART IN OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY DISMISSED. 6. RESUMPTION OF KASSAM FIRE AT NEGEV COMMUNITIES. MA’ARIV 1. Peres demanded – and Dalia Itzik was assured place on Sharon’s list. „PERES EN ROUTE TO KADIMA,” According to senior officials in Sharon’s party. Apparent deal: Peres won’t run for Knesset – but will be appointed minister for Negev, Galilee and Jerusalem. 2. FURTHER DROP IN UNEMPLOYMENT: LESS THAN 9%. For first time since 2001, unemployment in Israel reaches 8.9%. Record 2.5 million workers. 3. PALESTINIANS PREFER TO STUDY AT ARIEL COLLEGE. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. Blow to Peretz: After Ramon, Peres and Itzik abandon Labor. BIG BANG EXPANDING. PM’s procurement journey continues: Last night – Dalia Itzik bolted Labor and joined Kadima. Peres’s deal: Will support Sharon from outside Knesset and will receive Government position. His confidants: Peres is not going back to Labor. Education Minister Livnat gives ultimatum to Director-General Tirosh: If you join Sharon – I’ll fire you. 2. FOUR MAJORS-GENERAL, ONE YESHIVA. Brig.-Gen. Gershon Cohen promoted yesterday to major-general. He is fourth major-general after Naveh, Stern and Bar graduate from Netiv Meir yeshiva. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Hatzofeh discusses recent events on the northern border. The editors call on the IDF to show maximum readiness and urges Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to devote more attention to security matters and less to organizing his new political party. Yediot Ahronot believes that the various and recurrent calls to change the country’s system of government stem from the individual Israeli’s, „sense of political helplessness.” The editors suggest that the Government actually needs, „a public that will genuinely criticize its moves and really settle political accounts with it.”
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