SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

 

1. FINANCE MINISTRY REPORT: CARTELIZATION INCREASING AND IS ENDANGERING THE ECONOMY

Comprehensive study revealed for first time accuses tycoons of not creating employment and of increasing salary gaps between managers and wage-earners.

 

2. STATE COMPTROLLER CHECKING FINANCING OF NETANYAHU’S ELECTION CAMPAIGN

 

3. Turkey forming strategic alliance with Egypt.

ERDOGAN: WE WILL COMPLETELY FREEZE SECURITY-COMMERCIAL TIES WITH ISRAEL

 

4. GATES: NETANYAHU IS AN INGRATE AND IS PUTTING HIS COUNTRY IN DANGER

 

5. SEVERELY MENTALLY IMPAIRED PALESTINIAN YOUTH DETAINED BY SOLDIERS, RELEASED IN OPEN AREA AND FOUND HOURS LATER

 

1. ERDOGAN INTENSIFYING THE CRISIS

Turkish PM orders severing of military and commercial ties with Israel. Stock exchange reacts with sharp declines.

 

2. MINISTER MISEZHNIKOV ATTACKS: „BARAK DOES NOT STOP PRATTLING ABOUT TERRORISM IN SINAI. HE IS HURTING EILAT AND DESTROYING TOURISM”

Tourism Minister opens front: „Barak is destroying what we’ve built.”

 

1. GOC Home Front: I should not have revealed some of my remarks.

GENERAL STORM

Yesterday: Criticism leveled at Maj.-Gen. Eisenberg, who warned of growing danger of „regional war.” Barak hastened to express reservations. Last night: Eisenberg told his friends – Some of my remarks should not have been made in an open forum.

 

2. Yediot Ahronot and Ynet correspondent in Istanbul:

„THERE IS NOTHING FOR ISRAELIS HERE”

(…).

 

1. Turkey increasing its naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean.

„ERDOGAN NEEDS TO CALM DOWN”

In framework of „Operation Barbarossa„, Turks will sail opposite Israel, Cyprus and Greece. Erdogan: Severing military – but not commercial – relations with Israel. Jerusalem: The Turks should apologize.

 

2. Tel Aviv Stock Exchange:

NIS 15 BILLION WIPED OUT IN ONE DAY

Concern that crisis with Turkey will lead to major losses.

 

1. US EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER CRISIS WITH TURKEY AND CALLS FOR CALM.

American State Dept. responds for first time to crisis in Israel-Turkey relations and expresses its concern over escalation. „We hope that we can deescalate, we can defuse, and we can get them back to talking about improving their relationship.”

 

1. KUWAITI REPORT: NETANYAHU AND ABU MAZEN TO MEET SOON

 

2. COMBINED TERRORIST ATTACK IN KISUFIM AREA FOILED

Soldiers locate bombs on Gaza border; exchanges of fire with terrorists break out at site. Resistance Committees commander killed.

 

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Yediot Ahronot believes that, „A clear message is hidden behind the remarks made by Maj.-Gen. Eisenberg: That if there is a war, it will be terrible and with numerous casualties, therefore everything possible must be done to prevent, including persistent striving toward compromise solutions and simultaneously – establishing an effective defensive network.”

 

Ma’ariv maintains that, „The State of Israel is not the only responsible party in the development of the crisis with Turkey. Turkey is equally responsible, if not more so.” The author says that, „The Turkish Prime Minister has Turkish national interests, and as to the question of what motivates him he must answer to his own people, not to us.” Regarding a resolution of the crisis, the paper advises that, „The way is not through apologizing, nor by kneeling, and also not by tense public statements, but rather by professional and quiet diplomatic efforts, which will search out and find the right formula of diplomatic language that will allow both sides to climb down from their tall trees.”

 

Yisrael Hayom asks, „How did Turkey and Israel go from first rate strategic partners to bitter rivals? One of the answers in concealed in Turkey’s recently adopted foreign policy, under the regime of the Justice and Development Party. The architect of this foreign policy, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has chartered a policy characterized by aggressively demanding that the US, Europe and the Middle East states, including Israel, recognize Turkey’s ability to play a central role in international diplomacy and the world economy. This policy also embodies an ideological element of strengthening Islamic civilization, including Turkey within it.”