HEADLINES FROM THE IZRAELI PRESS
HA’ARETZ
1. ASSESSMENT IN US: BARAK PUSHING TO ATTACK IRAN, PM HESITATING
2. END OF ESHEL AFFAIR: WILL ADMIT TO UNBECOMING CONDUCT AND RESIGN
3. Civil Administration advancing law „to maintain state lands.”
INITIATIVE: SETTLEMENTS TO BUILD DIRT ROADS WITHOUT APPROVAL
MA’ARIV
1. HISTADRUT: TRANSPORTATION MINISTER HAS DECLARED WAR ON THE ECONOMY
In surprising step, Israel Railways board decides to outsource railway car maintenance and reignites conflagration with the Histadrut and the workers committee. This morning: Labor Court to decide whether or not to allow resumption of the strike.
2. PLEA BARGAIN: ESHEL ADMITS TO UNACCEPTABLE PHOTOGRAPHS AND WILL RESIGN
Netanyahu thanked Eshel, appointed Gil Sheffer as head of his Bureau and refrains from backing senior officials who complained.
3. FUEL TO BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE IN WAKE OF TENSION WITH IRAN
Price of liter of gasoline to rise by NIS 0.20 at the end of the month. Yesterday: Tehran announced that it will not supply petroleum to Great Britain and France; Netanyahu met with Obama’s National Security Adviser.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Harassment case: (…). Natan Eshel confesses and quits PM’s Bureau.
NETANYAHU DOES NOT BACK SENIOR OFFICIALS THAT COMPLAINED PM warmly praised his Bureau head Natan Eshel, who admitted to invasion of privacy and taking unacceptable photographs of R, and was obliged to quit. Senior officials whose complaint against Eshel proved correct were treated coolly: Netanyahu sufficed with citing Attorney General who believed that they acted according to the law.
2. COLLISION COURSE
Transportation Minister signs agreement giving railway car maintenance to outside company. Histadrut outraged: Declaration of war, we will strike. Workers committee chairwoman summoned to pre-suspension hearing.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. RAILROAD WAR
Israel Railways board not waiting for the workers committee
– signs agreement to outsource railway car maintenance. Minister Katz: „Public is fed up.” Workers committee and Histadrut: „Declaration of war.” Last night: Workers appealed to regional labor court with request for permission to strike immediately.
2. ESHEL ADMITS UNBECOMING CONDUCT
–
AND RESIGNS Head of PM’s Bureau signs plea bargain. (…). Netanyahu thanks him for „dedicated work.”
3. IRAN CITING PETROLEUM [EXPORTS TO EUROPE]; PRICES TO JUMP
–
HERE AS WELL Tehran’s revenge: Announces halt to petroleum exports to France and UK. On March 1: Price of gasoline in Israel to hit all-time high.
4. FOR FIRST TIME: IRON DOME BATTERY TO BE DEPLOYED IN GREATER Tel Aviv area
WALLA!
1. AFTER THE STORM: LEVEL OF SNOW ON MT. HERMON HITS TEN-YEAR-HIGH
Mt. Hermon received another meter of snow over the stormy weekend; level reaches two meters. Sea of Galilee also benefits: Level rises to 38 centimeters above the lower red line.
2. ANTI-CHRISTIAN GRAFITTI SPRAYED ON JERUSALEM CHURCH
Graffiti sprayed on city’s Baptist Church, which was set on fire five years ago. Tires punctured on cars parked at site. Similar graffiti sprayed on Monastery of the Cross two weeks ago.
3. FOREIGN MINISTRY: „ISRAEL IS STRENGTHENING APARTHEID TALK”
Foreign Ministry opinion ahead of „Israel Apartheid Week” events at universities around the world determines that Israeli and Jewish public dealing with such events is exaggerated and plays into organizers’ hands.
NANA10
1. TWO ROCKETS EXPLODE OVERNIGHT IN SDOT HANEGEV REGIONAL COUNCIL AREA; NO CASUALTIES
2. FOR FIRST TIME: IDF TO DEPLOY IRON DOME SYSTEM IN GREATER TEL AVIV AREA
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 11:50.] ______________________________
SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot suggests that we „take a ‘Time Out<www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000725864&fid=1725>’ and focus on what is really important.” The author says that, „The spotlight that has been turned onto the high prices that Strauss charges the Israeli consumer misses the significant price rises that have occurred since the end of the social protests. Electricity, fuel and apartments continue to cost the public, which may take to the streets once again in 2012, dearly.”
Ma’ariv notes that, „Egypt is in chaos, the Saudi regime is in survival mode and the leadership of the Arab world, all of a sudden, is being filled by Qatar.” The author argues that, „When the Palestinian issue has been wiped off the Arab world’s agenda and when the map of genuine interests is spread on the table; Israel can open a direct dialogue with the Gulf States. Intelligent, but assertive management, and the creation of correct ties with the moderate leaderships, could fundamentally change the balance of alliances and threats against Israel for decades to come. We should all hope that this is understood in Jerusalem.”
Yisrael Hayom recalls, „It happens in every class. A bad child takes something from another child, and hides it somewhere. The children ask his to give it back. He refuses. They hit him. ‘It doesn’t hurt me,’ says the child. And then the dilemma arises: Let him be on the assumption that the blows are ineffective, or hit him some more, is that he returns the stolen goods. All that precedes the ultimate punishment
– ‘Telling the teacher.’ The Guardian from this weekend tells us that voices are strengthening in the American administration to the effect that the sanctions on Iran are ineffective. The fact is that Ahmadinejad says that they have no effect on Iran, and he even shows the world the first homemade Iranian nuclear fuel. The conclusion – so writes the paper – is to strike Iran or to let Israel do so. It is hard for me to believe that this is the feeling in the administration. First – implementation of the sanctions only started in recent weeks and it is too early to assess their effectiveness. Second – the real sanctions, halting petroleum imports from Iran by Europe is planned only for this summer. Third –
there are more than a few signs that the sanctions are taking effect, and the fact the Iranian President says that it doesn’t hurt him is exactly like the child in the story. Paradoxically, because it hurts him he claims the opposite so that they will let him be.” The author opines that, „I have no doubt that these sanctions should have been imposed years ago, and it is the West’s mistake to have waited so long. In any case, they are significant and they have a good chance of succeeding. And, at this stage, it is too early to draw conclusions from Ahmadinejad’s ‘It doesn’t hurt me.'”
BreuerPress-info
