Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press
Three papers discuss the British Government’s decision to ask a senior Israeli official stationed in London to leave Great Britain in the wake of charges that Israel was responsible for forging British passports:
The Jerusalem Post wonders if the United Kingdom has perhaps lost its moral bearings in light of its handling of this affair, and states that „It has taken punitive more commonly imposed on the likes of Libya and Syria – that has been properly imposed on those such countries but cannot be justified in this case. In so doing, the British government is showing all too dismally where its priorities lie.”
Yediot Aharonot says that „Our – mainly right-wing – politicians should relax and stop attacking Britain. The affair that so embarrassed the British and did not really jibe with British manners, has ended at a reasonable price: The Mossad station chief in London was asked to leave. Nobody expelled him and nobody declared him persona non grata in the kingdom. Moreover, in London, it is estimated that the new Mossad representative will be able to return to Britain in another one and a half months, after the general elections. Whoever used a forged British passport knew that he might have to pay a price, and the price that the British set yesterday is bargain basement.” The author believes that other countries, whose passports were similarly used, might follow Britain’s lead and adds that „I would urge the relevant diplomats in those countries to start packing.”
Yisrael Hayom believes that while London had to respond to the ostensible forgery, „The British could have done so differently,” and accuses the Labour government of politicking ahead of the widely expected upcoming elections.
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Ma’ariv comments on the continuing controversy over the projected relocation of a planned bombproof emergency room at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon and hopes that the United Torah Judaism party of Deputy Health Minister Yaacov Litzman will yet leave the Government: „Thus we would be free from a conservative, non-Zionist, ultra-orthodox sect that has taken control of our lives.”
Haaretz claims that current coalition members are stripping PM Netanyahu bare because of his perceived weakness and states: „After a year in power it seems Netanyahu has lost his Bibi.” The editor concludes that Netanyahu can still make gains, „but for this he must stop being passive, emerge from the embarrassing surrender to Lieberman, Yishai and Litzman, and get back to being Bibi.”
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