Summary of Editorials from the Izraeli Hebrew Press
Ma’ariv analyzes the visit’s implications on coalition politics. The author notes that MK Avigdor Liberman’s legal difficulties will prevent any early return to the Foreign Ministry and adds: Liberman does not want to see Lapid sitting next to the Prime Minister at his meeting with Obama and John Kerry.” „Whatever happens,” the paper says, „Obama’s anticipated visit will cast a shadow over local politics and is likely to force a diplomatic agenda on the coalition negotiations. As of today, we will hear many more remarks about peace, expedited negotiations, proposed agreements and invitations to Abu Mazen. Every party will pull diplomatic proposals from its arsenal and will wait until the presidential visit is over, in order for us to return to the stalemate.”Three papers discuss US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Israel:
Yediot Aharonot asserts that „Whoever knows the rules in official Washington knows that in that city there are no free lunches,” and adds: „The president of a superpower does not visit a country overseas without the results of the visit being assured in advance.” The author says that the US administration is working on the premise that „Netanyahu won, but he really lost, and therefore, he will do what is demanded of him,” and suggests: „Obama is coming to press Netanyahu’s weak point after the Israeli people have had their say and partly disproved the American concern over an Israeli lurch to the right.” The paper believes that „Obama is coming to Jerusalem to speak to the Israeli public over Netanyahu’s head: He is coming to charm, to reassure and to soften,” in order to „resume the pact with the Israeli public and make it clear to Netanyahu that the games are over and that from that moment, he will not let up until the wh! ite smoke rises.”
Yisrael Hayom also analyzes the visit’s implication on coalition politics and avers: „The American assumption is that Netanyahu will not want to welcome Obama if he is surrounded by ministers from Shas, the Jewish Home and Kadima only, with United Torah Judaism supporting him from outside.” The author ventures that „Obama’s visit in the near future strengthens Yesh Atid and The Movement in the contacts with Netanyahu.”
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The Jerusalem Post discusses Turkey’s “brazen hypocrisy” in light of its two-faced stance regarding Israeli military intervention in Syria, and argues: “The West must stop deluding itself with regard to the political leadership of Turkey. The time has come to recognize that Turkey has changed radically – and for the worse.”
Haaretz notes that “On Tuesday, the 120 Knesset members who were elected two weeks ago were sworn in in a festive ceremony and the 19th Knesset began its term,” and opines: “The 120 members of Israel’s new Knesset bear a heavy responsibility: They must repair the grave damage left behind by their predecessors in the 18th Knesset, damage that threatens Israel’s continued
operation as a liberal democratic state.”
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