1. SENIOR US OFFICIAL: SYRIA IS „CRUEL AND ANTI-SEMITIC.
Olmert, in attempt to calm tensions with Syria: „I have a lot of respect for Assad. No reason to dismiss dialogue.”
2. RICE COMING FOR UPDATE ON TALKS SITUATION.
3. WORLD BANK: REHABILITATE GAZA STRIP’S ECONOMY.
According to Bank report, territories’ economy cannot be revived without dealing with Gaza Strip.
MA’ARIV
1. HERO FROM FLIGHT 269.
(…).
2. OLMERT: I HAVE ALOT OF RESPECT FOR ASSAD.
Following two weeks of silence since incident in Syrian skies, PM clarifies: Wants peace without preconditions.
3. HAMAS’S MORALITY POLICE.
Special: This is how religious laws are enforced in Gaza.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Yediot Ahronot and Mina Tzemach/Dahaf survey – Last night:
FOLLOWING „ATTACK IN SYRIA”: RISE IN SUPPORT FOR OLMERT.
35% satisfied with PM’S job performance as opposed to 25% ten days ago.
2. Today: Eight Israeli dead in Thailand to be identified.
SAD TREK.
[MAKOR RISHON-HATZOFEH was unavailable today.]
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot questions GOC Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yedlin’s recent declaration that, „Israel’s deterrent capability since the Second Lebanon War has been restored.” The editors note that Islamic Jihad in Gaza rocketed the IDF’s Zikim base only six days previously and has fired many more Kassam rockets at Israel since the end of the Second Lebanon War. Neither, the paper points out, has Hezbollah been deterred from rebuilding its capability to rocket Israel nor has Iran stopped its efforts to equip itself with nuclear weapons. „Moreover,” the editors aver, „Yedlin’s rehabilitation statement is an outstanding expression of Israeli arrogance, which always contains the potential for damage.”
Ma’ariv suggests that Syrian President Bashar, „Assad knows that war with Israel, regardless of the damage he will be able to inflict on the Israeli home front and on ground movements, is liable to deal Syria such a blow so as to undermine his unloved minority regime,” and adds that, „This permanent fact is more deterring than any proof of Israeli power and is certainly at the top of his current considerations as he wavers on how to respond to the air force action.”
BreuerPress
