Yediot Aharonot notes that the EU post of High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), currently held by Javier Solana, will soon be considerably upgraded to that of Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press
Yediot Aharonot notes that the EU post of High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), currently held by Javier Solana, will soon be considerably upgraded to that of Minister of Foreign Affairs. The author reports that the two top candidates for the position are British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, and former Italian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Massimo De’alma, and adds: „Jerusalem is saying that these two candidates from the ranks of the European Left, can be labeled as ‘problematic,’ as far as Israel is concerned. Miliband’s Jewish is liable, it is feared here, to push him, incongruously, to stringent and critical stances, and the Italian candidate, identified as being pro-Arab, has never attempted to hide his positions. As far as he is concerned, there is no difference between Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah; we will have to learn to live with them.”
Ma’ariv contends that, in Kadima MK Shaul Mofaz, „The left has a new leader.” The author says that, „Mofaz the ‘Likudnik’, many of whose supporters are still there, the one who until this day never spoke of a Palestinian state – this man, not only recognizes such a state, but is ready to put Jerusalem’s outlaying neighborhoods in their hands…And more than this, he is ready to speak with Hamas, and is even checking the legal aspects of such a meeting now.”
Yisrael Hayom says that „Journalists and Israeli politicians repeat over and over that ‘It cannot be that there is no diplomatic program. Reality is changing before our very eyes and we stick our heads in the sand,’ and they point to Netanyahu’s Government as being guilty in what they call ‘diplomatic silence.'” The author presents, „Here is Shaul Mofaz’s logical plan, …mainly: We must speak with Hamas. Amazing, no? This is the same Hamas that daily declares its dedication to the charter it formulated in 1988. The one that was called ‘Nazi’ by Yaron London this week. Would Mofaz agree to speak with the Nazi regime? I again suggest to everyone to read the translated charter which is readily available to all on the internet, and to understand the embarrassment that Mofaz’s statements have posed to Tzipi Livni and other senior Kadima figures.”
The Jerusalem Post discusses the recent rampage at Fort Hood by Nidal Hasan, a Muslim-American physician of Palestinian descent, and declares it „proof that the war of civilizations is radicalizing American-born Muslims.” Noting that even mainstream Moslem groups in America, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, are intimately linked to Hamas’ „humanitarian” work, the editor states that „Muslim-American leaders need to do some soul-searching about the charities they support, the foreign causes they embrace and the clerics they tolerate.”
Haaretz contends that „Israel’s diplomatic situation has hit bottom,” and that, with no peace blueprint, „Instead of leading, the prime minister makes do with public support as reflected in the polls.” In light of this, the editor praises the plan proposed by former Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff, MK Shaul Mofaz, which calls for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel on most of the territory captured in 1967, and hopes that the Mofaz plan, along with the pressure from the United States, will „prod the prime minister to go beyond the peace process’ paralysis and submit an initiative of his own as a solution to the Palestinian conflict.”
BreuerPress-info
