Summary of Editorials from the Izrael Hebrew Press

Yediot Aharonot remarks that „Many now speak about the system and less about the substance; about procedures and not essence; about governability and not about leadership. There has been strong nostalgia of late for large political parties.” The author argues that „Reminiscence invites a reminder: The great disasters in Israeli history are connected, coincidentally – in my humble opinion, not coincidentally – to blocs.”

Ma’ariv notes that „Two days ago Ha’aretz publicized a clarification about a recent main headline that made Israel into an apartheid state. It was not an apology. It was barely a clarification. It was on page five at the bottom. Yesterday it was the turn of the star of the show. ‘I erred, but’, was the title. When one reads the article by Gideon Levy, it becomes clear that the ‘but’ is there in order to expunge the ‘I erred’. After having succeeded in perpetrating a tremendous character assault on the State of Israel, after his apartheid libel had already circled the world to his open delight, Levy explains that, essentially, he didn’t really err.” The author reminds us that „Israel is far from being perfect. It has racist phenomena which must be fought. But there is a difference between racist phenomena and a racist or apartheid state.”

Yisrael Hayom comments that „As in every election, this time as well, ephemeral lists, which do not stand a chance of passing the electoral threshold, will contend. These represent 2% of all the valid votes. Many naive citizens, who give their votes to these lists, are unaware that their votes are wasted and are not entered into the calculation when seats are distributed. Their situation is equal to that of valid voters who did not go to vote.” The author says that „One can only hope that this time the Israeli public will be aware that it is a pity to place a ballot for a transient list into the box.”

The Jerusalem Post remarks on the escalating situation in southern Israel, which began just over a week ago, and states: “Regardless of the strategy or strategies implemented by the government, it is imperative that the residents of the South know that they have not been abandoned.”

Haaretz comments on the future of Ben-Gurion University’s political science department in light of the Council for Higher Education’s threat to close it down because of the “critical spirit that emanates from the university,” and states that the Council’s goal “is not only to bring the errant teachers in Be’er Sheva to heel but also to send a threatening message to Israeli academia as a whole, in an act of political cleansing.” The editor opines that “It is particularly difficult to accept a situation in which the council, which was established in order to protect the independence of Israeli higher education system, is turning against an academic institution,” and declares: “Council members would do well to remember their mission and to remove the threat hanging over the university department.”

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