Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press

Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press


Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press

Four papers discuss the arrest of alleged Jewish terrorist Yaakov Teitel:
 
Yediot Aharonot avers that „One cannot blame his actions on the religious settler community, either as a whole or in part, and not on the residents of the settlement in which he lived,” which „is not considered particularly extremist.”  However, the author says that given the size and character of Teitel’s home community of Shvut Rachel, „It is difficult to keep secrets in such a place, especially over a period of years,” and wonders if his neighbors are now having second thoughts about something they might have seen and decided to ignore.  The paper reminds the ISA’s Jewish department that „The intelligence vacuum has yet to be filled,” vis-ŕ-vis Jewish terrorism.  The author urges rabbis in the religious settler community to pay greater attention to how their words might affect „isolated individuals, who see Messianic tension as authorization for terrorism and murder.”
 
Ma’ariv commends the ISA’s Jewish department on Teitel’s arrest and asserts that „Foiling a lone attacker is the toughest challenge of all.”  However, the author calls on the ISA to „check the intelligence void that enabled Teitel to operate for 12 years until he was caught.”
 
Yisrael Hayom writes: „When the shame of Avraham Hirchson’s thefts was revealed – his politician friends were not obliged to defend themselves.  When Dudu Topaz’s criminal acts and murderous motives were revealed, no television personality was asked to take responsibility.  When Asaf Goldring was arrested on suspicion of murdering his daughter – computer experts, divorced men or left-wing activists did not quake in their seats.  Today, 300,000 people live in Judea and Samaria.  Perhaps 40 of them knew Teitel.  None of them knew about his actions.  They do not have to excoriate and condemn him any more than any law-abiding citizen.  They do not have to search their souls over acts which they were not party to.”
Haaretz reports that „Teitel is the Jewish counterpart of Hamas’ expert bomb maker – with one fundamental difference: Teitel operated against everyone.”

The Jerusalem Post notes that with the completion of the US State Department’s clandestine airlift of Yemen’s remaining Jews to the United States, 2,500 years of  Jewish life in Yemen is now over. The editor adds that „The rescue illuminates an often overlooked aspect of the 60-year-plus Arab-Israel conflict. Whereas the Arab world has purposefully maintained the 700,000 or so Palestinian Arabs made homeless in the course of the 1948 war and their descendants as permanent refugees and political pawns, the State of Israel and world Jewry have worked hard to resettle a roughly equal number of Jewish refugees forced to flee Arab lands.”
Walla! accuses Interior Minister Eli Yishai of favoring the deportation of the children of foreign workers because the latter are not a constituency that supports his party, Shas.
 
Nana10 believes that „There will be neither a genuine peace nor an acceptable settlement between us and the Palestinians without strong and effective leadership on their part,” and adds that „Today, we are farther than ever from this situation.”  The author avers that „The Palestinians have been incapable of making painful and tough decisions as the Zionist leadership have done more than once,” and declares that „The Palestinian people and their leaders must decide – first of all – in favor of reconciliation, unity and dialogue.”  The paper says that one cannot blame Israel for Palestinian disunity: „Those who have not proven strong leadership ability and have thus brought tragedy after tragedy upon their own people must bear the responsibility.  Unfortunately, we will all pay the price.”

 

Yediot Aharonot asserts that „The time has come to understand that times have changed.  And it is worthwhile to start thinking about a horrific scenario.  If the world is really heading towards an actual reduction in military nuclear activities and towards stringent supervision, such as has never yet been seen, the day is approaching in which Obama and friends will knock on the gates of Dimona.”
 
Ma’ariv argues „If you waste, pay!”  The author remarks that „There is nothing social about a citizens’ mutiny, which MKs are encouraging, against the drought tax.”
 
Yisrael Hayom maintains that „Perhaps the US has perhaps understood the main point regarding negotiations: That it was a mistake to reveal to the Palestinians its more aggressive demands on Israel.  It demanded more from Netanyahu than he was able to give, and, nevertheless, met with a generous response, and was surprised to discover only very late that there was no reciprocal answer from the Mukata in Ramallah.  Yesterday, Abu Mazen understood from Clinton’s remarks that his contribution must be seen.”
The Jerusalem Post discusses Israel’s porous border with Egypt, which allows the illegal entry into Israel of economic migrants from Africa, drug runners, terrorists and people traffickers, and calls for the immediate construction of a border fence which, despite the high cost involved, will deter illegal entry into the country. The editor concludes: „As so often happens, Israel could have saved itself colossal headaches – notably including a burgeoning population of illegal migrants – had it not been agora-wise and shekel-foolish in the past.”
Haaretz calls on the government to stand alongside the United States and its allies on the Iranian issue, and praises PM Netanyahu for his support of these efforts thus far.  The editor states that „Netanyahu must now stand firm in his position that the Iranian threat is an international problem, and that it is the international community that must address it, not Israel alone.”

 

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