HEADLINES FROM THE IZRAELI HEBREW PRESS
HA’ARETZ:1. COUNTRY’S LEADERS SHUT THEIR EYES
State Comptroller defines report he issued yesterday on Carmel disaster as the most severe in his seven year term. He assigned special responsibility to ministers Yishai and Steinitz and overall responsibility to Netanyahu and Minister Aharonovich. Attorney General received the conclusions and will decide how to proceed. Bereaved families to appeal to High Court of Justice to dismiss those responsible.
2. OVER 60 ROCKETS FIRED AT ISRAEL YESTERDAY
One of the rockets was a direct hit on a home in area adjacent to Gaza. IDF killed one of the terrorists responsible for this week’s [Egyptian border] attack.
3. COMPLAINT FILED WITH POLICE AGAINST MK MICHAELI REGARDING STATEMENTS AGAINST THE GAY COMMUNITY
MA’ARIV
1. BRIGHT FAILURE
Severe report issued by Lindenstrauss on the [Carmel] disaster assigns „special responsibility” to Interior and Finance ministers. Yishai knew about Fire and Rescue Service catastrophe. Steinitz delayed budgets. Bereaved families to appeal to High Court of Justice with demand for dismissal of the two ministers. Yishai: „Comptroller determined that I acted to rehabilitate the Fire and Rescue Service.” Steinitz: „Delusional report.”
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. FLAMING SCREW-UP
„Yishai passed the buck. Steinitz delayed budgets. Aharonovich was responsible for Police and Prison Service failures. State Comptroller also under fire from Yishai and Steinitz confidants: „Populistic and baseless report.”
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. THE TRAGEDY, THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE CONTROVERSY
Comptroller: Carmel report
– the most severe I ever wrote. „Yishai and Steinitz are not guilty for the deaths of the 44 victims,” but are charged with „special responsibility.” Steinitz: „Delusional.” 21 professors support him: Finance Minister responsible for the budget, not firefighting. Yishai: „I will learn lessons.” PM and Aharonovich charged with „overall responsibility.” Families: We will appeal to High Court of Justice.
WALLA!
1. ABOUT 140 ROCKETS FIRED SO FAR; NO CLASSES IN ASHKELON TODAY
2. PALESTINIANS THROW ROCKS AT WORSHIPPERS AT JOSEPH’S TOMB
NANA10
1. BARAK IN WASHINGTON POST INTERVIEW<www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lally-weymouths-interview-with-ehud-barak-on-iran-peace-talks-and-syria/2012/06/20/gJQA2aJ7qV_story.html>: „WE EXPECT THAT EGYPT WILL LIVE UP TO ITS INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS”
2. UNCEASING ROCKETFIRE, CLASSES CANCELLED IN ASHKELON
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 11:20.] ____________________
SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
All three papers discuss various issues regarding State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss’s report on the December 2010 Carmel wildfire:
Yediot Ahronot says, „Whoever really wants to learn the lessons and take steps to change the situation, as opposed to going headhunting, can see from the report that the firefighting situation today is also catastrophic and that the same deficiency that has gone on for years is still continuing.” The author suggests that, „Within a few days, the report will be tossed into the great trash bin of State Comptroller’s reports. The only place in which the report will be mentioned will be in the report on the next disaster, when the next State Comptroller asks why the conclusions of this report were not implemented. Will Netanyahu, Stenitz and Yishai be hurt by the report? Oh come on, really. When was the last time a minister here was hurt by a major screw-up?”
Ma’ariv believes that, „Yesterday, the last nail was hammered into the coffin of the value of ministerial responsibility.” The author avers that, „Lindenstrauss rolled the responsibility for determining the futures of Eli Yishai and Yuval Steinitz onto the Knesset and the public, and thereby sought to spark public protest and a political struggle,” but adds, „None of these things will happen,” given, „the lack of a significant opposition,” in the Knesset and, „the indifference…of the many social protest movements that have sprung up in the past year.” The paper asserts that, „The State Comptroller bears responsibility for the fact that this important and severe report is destined to disappear from the public agenda within days. Instead of restraining himself and refraining from a steady stream of leaks about the report’s findings and conclusions throughout recent months, he should have held his cards close to his chest and thereby strengthened the impact of the findings. The Comptroller’s conclusions have been known to all for some time and their publication yesterday contained little that was new.” The author concludes: „There will be no taking of responsibility here, even indirectly, no dismissals and no resignations, and we will be left with the all too familiar odor of the flight from responsibility.”
Yisrael Hayom notes that the vast majority of the prisoners at Damon Prison, in the rescue of whom 44 Prison Service cadets and officers and Israel Police personnel died, were Palestinians. The author, a former Prison Service officer, notes, „While their identity was not a factor vis-à-vis the need to rescue them, it is easy to imagine what the world’s reaction would have been if Palestinian prisoners had died while under the care and responsibility of the State of Israel. The best of our people
– Jews, Druze and Muslims – were involved in the rescue. To our horror, 44 paid with their lives.”
BreuerPress info