Two papers discuss the initiative by various celebrities calling for Gilad Shalit’s release
Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press
Two papers discuss the initiative by various celebrities calling for Gilad Shalit’s release in which they spent one hour alone, on camera, in a small, bare room:
Ma’ariv remarks that „It is not really a solitary cell; it is not really a discussion. It’s just another exercise in whining and longing for the soldier who needs a whole lot more than that to return home.”
Yisrael Hayom asks: „What was the meaning of this bizarre gimmick of celebrities in simulated solitary confinement? From whom were they trying to extract feelings? Indeed we all live Gilad every day. Sad, but this gimmick weakened Israel and presented it as a pathetic crumbing society in the face of brutal captors that are proud of their ability run us all around in circles. Hamas is not really interested in returning Gilad Shalit, because it is holding a rare card worth as much as any rocket. As long as we play into their hand with pathetic shows, there is no reason for them not to harden their positions.”
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Yediot Aharonot opines that „Frightened, Netanyahu is now ready for conditions which are almost no different from the October 1995 Beilin-Abu Mazen understandings. But, when we had something good in our grasp, we refused to use it. And by the time we understood that the merchandise would go bad, there were no longer any buyers.”
The Jerusalem Post states that “Some NGOs’ detrimental effect on Israel’s image in the world has recently sparked a flurry of legislative action, not all of which is in line with democratic values,” and calls on the government to expose these NGOs using the democratic means at its power. The editor declares: “Israel’s vibrant democracy does not merely survive criticism, it thrives and is improved by it, especially when much of this ‘criticism’ can be exposed for what it really is: disingenuous and ideologically motivated propaganda.”
Haaretz urges the government to permit the flotilla to dock in Gaza, and states: “A less fearful country would certainly have offered even to go as far as escorting the flotilla to the Gaza coast.”
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