HEADLINES FROM THE IZRAELI HEBREW PRESS
HA’ARETZ
1. NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG-IL IS DEAD
(…).
2. NETANYAHU’S BUREAU SPRUCED UP PRAISE AT MEMORIAL CEREMONY
MA’ARIV
1. FOLLOWING TYRANT’S DEATH: CONCERN IN WEST OVER NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR POLICY
(…).
2. CARMEL DISASTER VICTIMS’ FAMILIES OUTRAGED: NETANYAHU WAS INTRODUCED AT CEREMONY IN TOO COMPLIMENTARY A FASHION
Ceremony MC Dan Kaner praised Prime Minister, as dictated by his Bureau. One [bereaved] family member: „That’s rubbing salt in the wounds, it was exaggerated.” Netanyahu’s Bureau: „The facts speak for themselves.”
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. EMBARRASSMENT AND REMEMBRANCE
Carmel fire victims’ families outraged: PM’s Bureau exploited the memorial ceremony and dictated to the MC an introduction full of praise and flattery for Netanyahu’s actions.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. (…).
DEATH OF A TYRANT
(…).
2. TECHNION, NY BRANCH
Pride: Academic institution to establish research institute in the Big Apple.
3. ONE YEAR SINCE THE DISASTER
Memorial to Carmel fire victims inaugurated. Controversy over praise of PM at ceremony.
WALLA!
1. AYALON TO SOUTH SUDAN PRESIDENT: BILATERAL RELATIONS WILL BE STRENGTHENED
2. NEW SUBSTANCE IN WAR ON PESTS: COOKING OIL
Good news for farmers: New research conducted at the Agriculture Ministry’s Agricultural Research Organization has discovered the numerous advantages of an emulsion extracted from the oil over other pesticides. Amount of oil needed per dunam: Only two liters.
NANA10
1. SOUTH SUDAN PRESIDENT IN ISRAEL: WILL BE ASKED TO ASSIST WITH INFILTRATORS
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 10:30.]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE IZRAELI HEBREW PRESS
All three papers discuss the controversy over Israel Radio presenter Dan Kaner’s introductory remarks for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at yesterday’s memorial ceremony for the victims of last year’s Carmel wildfire disaster:
Yediot Ahronot says that, „For a moment it seemed as if we were watching a report about the ‘dear leader’ Kim Jong Il, the deceased dictator of North Korea,” and reminds its readers that, „Up until a few days ago, Netanyahu did not even intend to go to the event, on the claim of a crowded schedule.” The author believes that, „One must read the words again and again to believe them. ‘He who was first to recognize the magnitude of the event’? Imagine if Olmert, at a ceremony for those who fell in the Second Lebanon War, would hail himself as the first to have understood the magnitude of the event. What a bad taste that would have left. Or if Sharon had said similar things on the anniversary of the First Lebanon War.” The paper adds that, „Even if there were matters in which Netanyahu acted correctly, how tactless, how insensitive, how immodest, to say nothing of megalomaniacal, it was to use such superlatives. What is especially disturbing is the inability of Netanyahu’s people to see that such words were inappropriate for the occasion, for those who were present and for the country.”
Ma’ariv asserts that, „It is difficult to know what is worse: The fact that the Prime Minister’s people allowed themselves to dictate to the master of ceremonies the nauseating flattery of the hero of the day…or the fact that any of them really thought that such a farce would actually serve Benjamin Netanyahu.” The author contends that Prime Minister Netanyahu, „was not elected to telephone all over the world and shout ‘Help!’ but to see to it that we would be prepared if a fire broke out.”
Yisrael Hayom believes that, „One second after the Carmel ceremony ended, the media forgot the facts and began – even though it was an event that united the nation in remembering a tragedy – to come down on Prime Minister Netanyahu.” The author says that, „Even if someone in the Prime Minister’s Bureau exaggerated a little in the words of praise that he apparently added, it was Netanyahu – for those who forgot – who understood the magnitude of the disaster, initiated reinforcements, organized heads of state to assist and showed leadership.” The paper suggests that, „A norm has been created here in recent years, according to which the media directly and crudely slams the Prime Minister, when he deserves it – and when he does not. From their point-of-view, not only do the facts not really matter, but the Prime Minister of Israel is the only one in the world who is also responsible for the weather, natural catastrophes and disasters.”
BreuerPress-info