Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press
Yediot Aharonot says that „It is difficult to understand why Abu Mazen chose Caracas as a place to attack the US, without the support of which his administration would have passed from the world a long time ago.” The author suggests that the US and Israel should reconsider their support for him, especially in light of his hints that he will not run for another term: „Let the man go. No man or leader is irreplaceable. And if the Palestinian movement does the exceptional and does not find another leader for itself, why forge an agreement with a man who has no successor?”
Ma’ariv believes that „Dubai wanted to be like Singapore and Hong Kong.” But the author adds that „Copying economic models that were created in other places is destined for failure,” and hopes that this lesson is not lost on Israeli policy-makers.
Yisrael Hayom asserts that „Whoever talks directly with residents of eastern Jerusalem, not via the media or their religious and political leadership, will not find it hard to gain the impression that partition and a transition to the Palestinian Authority is the last thing they want,” and adds that „The leadership says one thing; the street says something completely different.” The author admits that „The Arabs of the eastern part of the city have not become lovers of Zion, but despite the many mistakes in the way they have been dealt with, they appreciate the freedoms of movement and speech that they enjoy here, the access to their workplaces, the sense of security, the freedom of religion and the many material benefits, such as national insurance and the eligibility for various support payments.” The paper claims that „The only thing preventing them from saying so openly is their fear of the long arm of the Palestinian Authority. The author declares that, „Peace is made between populations, and the Palestinian population in eastern Jerusalem does not really want to separate from us. Whoever listens to them, and not to those who claim to speak in their name, will easily understand this.”
The Jerusalem Post discusses the dismal record of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) director-general, Mohamed ElBaradei, during his 12 years of tenure, and notes that „The IAEA is charged with preventing the proliferation of nuclear technology, to ensure that the most devastating, last-resort weaponry remain out of reach to those who cannot be trusted with it. Given the accelerating ease of technology-transfer, the task is complex enough. Under ElBaradei, a man incapable of recognizing where the most potent dangers were sited, it became a lost cause.”
Haaretz opines that „The post of attorney general must be filled by someone with a spotless reputation who has expertise first and foremost in public law,” and declares that in this light, the attorney preferred by Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman is unsuitable. The editor calls on the Cabinet to choose another of the candidates, Daphne Barak-Erez, „whose integrity and expertise in public law is unassailable.”
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