HEADLINES FROM THE IZRAELI PRESS
HA’ARETZ:1. State Comptroller’s report on Gaza flotilla:
SECURITY OFFICIALS WARNED, NETANYAHU DID NOT DEAL WITH THE WARNINGS
Comptroller reveals „substantial and significant shortcomings” in decision-making process.
2. PERES TO OBAMA: „YOU HAVE ACTED LIKE A GREAT LEADER, A TRUE FRIEND”
3. YAALON TO HA’ARETZ: IF IT’S AN IRANIAN BOMB OR A BOMBING
– THEN IT’S A BOMBING
MA’ARIV
1. State Comptroller issues sharp report on takeover of the Mavi Marmara.
AMATEUR HOUR
There was no orderly discussion. The army was not prepared. The National Security Council was kept out and the information campaign was a failure. Two years after the violent incident, severe shortcomings are revealed, mainly in the performances of Netanyahu and Barak. Source in PM’s Bureau: „Citizens should welcome the intimacy between the two.”
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. State Comptroller’s report: Sharp criticism of Barak and Netanyahu.
THE EMPEROR IS NAKED
State Comptroller’s report on flotilla screw-up reveals frightening reality: Netanyahu and Barak made sensitive security decisions without orderly discussions, without consulting experts and ignored the National Security Council which the law requires be consulted. (…).
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. State Comptroller’s report on the Mavi Marmara: Criticism of political and military echelons.
THE FAULTS, THE LESSONS AND THE „TEST OF REALITY”
Comptroller’s conclusion: Discussions were held without preparation, army preparations were not checked and National Security Council was kept out. PM’s Office: „In test of reality, Israel enjoys security that it has not known in years.”
2. WITH THE MEDAL, WITHOUT POLLARD
President received Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama. „This is a great honor for all of Israel.” Disappointment in Israel: Despite Peres’ entreaties, White House announced that Jonathan Pollard would not be pardoned this time either.
WALLA!
1. REPORT IN KUWAIT: „LIBERMAN TO BE INDICTED, MOFAZ TO REPLACE HIM”
Newspaper Al-Jerida cites „senior” source that PM has been informed that the Attorney General is expected to indict FM. Paper has previously exposed leaks from PM’s Office.
2. PALESTINIAN SNIPER FIRES AT WORKER IN NIR OZ, LATTER IS IN LIGHT CONDITION
NANA10
1. SNIPERS FIRE AT TRACTOR; NO CASUALTIES
2. TWO BASES TO BE EVACUATED IN ORDER TO BUILD HOMES FOR ULPANA EVACUEES
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 12:35.] ______________________________
SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE IZRAELI HEBREW PRESS
All three papers comment on State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss’s report on the government’s performance regarding the 2010 seizure of the Mavi Marmara:
Yediot Ahronot reminds its readers that, „It was clear to all that this flotilla was more dangerous than those which preceded it. This did not bother the Prime Minister. Five different entities demanded a serious debate. The Prime Minister ignored them. The Marmara report is a warning signal: This is how decisions are made in King Netanyahu’s court.”
Ma’ariv contends that, „In the Marmara affair, Israel disregarded approaching the Arab public through the media,” and adds that this is a distorted assessment of the power of the street today. The author notes that, „The serious findings in the State Comptroller’s report on the Gaza flotilla, regarding the national public diplomacy apparatus, points to ‘the continued severe multi-year deterioration in public diplomacy and in television and radio broadcasts in the Arab language, as well as tremendous lethargy in advancing public diplomacy in this language on the internet’. In other words, Israel has not made a real effort to communicate with an extensive Arab community.”
Yisrael Hayom maintains that, „There is no reason to flog ourselves. State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, towards the end of his term, has published an important report that should be studied and implemented. I have no doubt that the Government of Israel, the IDF and the intelligence branches will study the report and will extract from it the greatest benefit. The great advantage of criticism is that it is after the fact, but this wisdom is also important for looking at the future.” The author retells that, „Navy boats attempted to stop the flotilla without the use of military force. The flotilla organizers did not concur. They looked for a conflict with the IDF; the very essence of a provocation. Thanks to determination by the Government of Israel and to a daring maneuver by the naval commandos, the flotilla was halted at the cost of blood that could have been avoided. It is a shame that blood was spilled. That said, a country that does not know how to defend its borders with determination and self-sacrifice, cannot exist in the jungle that is the Middle East.”
BreuerPress info
