Summary of Editorials from the Izraeli Hebrew Press
Yediot Aharonot discusses the prominence of socio-economic
issues in the upcoming elections for the 19th Knesset. The author suggests that „Image leads to confusion between social justice and social populism,” and adds: „Everyone wants to represent the have-nots and apologizes – to the extent that it is embarrassing –because they are among the haves.” The paper muses: „Most of those who talk about the have-nots belong to the class of the haves be they politicians, journalists or members of Shas.” The author concludes: „Social justice means creating opportunities for weaker groups, encouraging their integration and offering incentives, as opposed to demanding grants and support payments that perpetuate poverty. A socially conscious party will, first and foremost, take care to increase recruitment to the IDF and access to higher education. Thus one helps both the lower and the middle classes. Without this, the haves in the Knesset will spend another four years talking about the have-nots.”
Ma’ariv asserts that while elements in the international community and in Israel go out of their way to smear and defame Israel vis-a-vis the situation in the Gaza Strip regardless of the actual facts, „Israel is also to blame because it binds itself to the Strip.” The author adds: „Instead of declaring an absolute disengagement, Israel provides support to those who claim that it still controls the Strip. The Gaza Strip is tied to Egypt. The border there – official and unofficial – is wide open. If the Hamas regime wants Israeli assistance, they can meet the Quartet conditions. Until then, its self-righteous supporters in Israel have no right to ask for the humus, rice, sugar, fuel and who knows how many other products that Israel, for some reason, insists on supplying the Gaza Strip with.”
Yisrael Hayom comments on the Emir of Qatar’s planned visit to Gaza and suggests that it partly reflects the Qatari „royal family’s aspirations of grandeur.” The author believes that the visit would not only grant legitimacy to Hamas but would hurt – and be entirely at the expense of – the Palestinian Authority. The paper reminds its readers that „Most of Qatar’s residents are foreign workers who keep the Emirate going, but who do not enjoy the fruits of its plenty and its wealth to which they contribute more than the native Qataris,” and concludes: „All that remains is for Qatar’s rulers to continue the show at any price, to act like a great regional power and to hope that nobody wakes up and realizes that the king, or in this case, the Emir, is naked.”
Haaretz states that “It is too early to pin hopes on American-Iranian dialogue,” and adds: “However, it would be a mistake to write off the possibility of its existence, or of it achieving real results.” The editor believes that “Such dialogue should be encouraged,” and asserts: “All countries should aspire to it, especially Israel, which seeks to remove the Iranian nuclear threat not only by curbing Iran’s technological ability, but also, in a more fundamental way, by neutralizing Iran’s motivation to harm other countries.”
The Jerusalem Post comments on the epidemic of hit-and-run offenders in Israel, and calls for legislation that will impose a harsh minimum punishment on the criminals. The editor states: “If a minimum sentence deters even one driver from abandoning a downed pedestrian and that pedestrian’s life is saved as a result, it will have been worth it.”
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