HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
HA’ARETZ
1. AHEAD OF BUDGET CUTS: GOVERNMENT DEFICIT DEEPENS.
In wake of disappointing taxation revenues, first quarter of 2013 saw giant
and unexpected NIS 4.6 billion deficit. Finance Ministry expected to demand
deeper budget cuts.
MA’ARIV
1. Kerry finding it difficult to formulate package of gestures for
resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
PESSIMISM IN ISRAEL: TURKEY DOES NOT INTEND TO CARRY OUT RECONCILIATION
AGREEMENT.
Last night: Two weeks after Netanyahu’s apology, Ankara announced that it
has postponed the arrival of an Israeli delegation to discuss the
restoration of normal ties.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. (.).
MATRICULATION REVOLUTION.
(.).
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. BATTLE OVER TRAINING FUNDS.
Finance Minister and labor federation chairman expected to meet in attempt
to formulate „package deal” and prevent strike. (.).
WALLA!
1. LIBERMAN SUPPORTS LAPID’S PROPOSAL: „CUT MKS’ SALARIES.”
2. US DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL TO VISIT ISRAEL ON 21 APRIL.
NANA10
1. ADDITIONAL IRON DOME BATTERY PLACED IN ASHKELON.
2. PM NETANYAHU AND KERRY MEET AND DISCUSS WAYS TO RESUME TALKS WITH THE
PALESTINIANS.
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 11:50.]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Ma’ariv discusses Jonathan Pollard. The author reminds his readers that,
„The US demands that Israel make ‘goodwill gestures’, including the release
of Palestinian prisoners, in order to mollify his Highness Abu Mazen,” even
as it, „allows itself to act with astonishing cruelty.” The paper claims
that if Pollard had worked for a country hostile to the US he would have
been exchanged long ago and says that while Pollard may not have been
subjected to a show trial, „This is a show punishment,” the claims of his
detractors notwithstanding. The author calls on the government to ratchet up
open activity on Pollard’s behalf.
Yediot Ahronot calls on the Jewish Home to make good on its promise to
change the public face of Judaism in Israel. The author notes that a Jewish
Home MK, Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Dahan, will run the Religious Services Ministry
as Deputy Minister, and calls on him to appoint a religious Zionist as his
director general. The paper hopes that the party will influence the choice
of new chief rabbis and oversee legislation regarding changes in kashrut,
the rabbinical courts and the selection of community rabbis so as to „build
bridges in Israeli society.” The author points out that the government is
without the ultra-orthodox parties and hopes that there will be fewer,
„little wheeler-dealers who look out only for their own sectors.”
Yisrael Hayom strongly criticizes the recent letter in which 100 American
Jewish leaders called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, „to work closely
with Secretary of State John Kerry to devise pragmatic initiatives,
consistent with Israel’s security needs, which would represent Israel’s
readiness to make painful territorial sacrifices for the sake of peace.” The
author describes the letter as „chutzpah”, questions whether, „The
territorial concessions we have made up to now have moved us closer to
peace,” and asks why the letter’s authors, „are placing the onus on Israel
regarding the making of concessions prior to negotiations when the
Palestinian Authority has repeatedly rejected Israel’s offers for
negotiations without preconditions.” The paper says that the letter’s
authors should have written to Mahmoud Abbas and demanded that the
Palestinian Authority, „end its state-financed anti-Semitic incitement,
which is no less venomous than that of Hamas, and recognize the Jewish
state.”
