HEADLINES FROM THE IZRAELI HEBREW PRESS

BreuerPress

HA’ARETZ
1. NETANYAHU LOOKING FOR BOI GOVERNOR FOR THE THIRD TIME DUE TO LEIDERMAN’S SUDDEN WITHDRAWAL
PM pressuring his adviser Eugene Kandel to be appointed to the post. Other candidates: Avi Ben-Bassat, Manuel Trajtenberg and Karnit Flug.

MA’ARIV
1. FRENKEL-LEIDERMAN EFFECT: TWO ADDITIONAL SENIOR FIGURES REFUSED TO BE APPOINTED
48 hours after his selection and four days after Prof. Jacob Frenkel gave up on the appointment – Prof. Leo Leiderman announced that he would not agree to serve as Governor of the Bank of Israel. Background: Complaints that reached Turkel Committee. Netanyahu offered the post to senior economic adviser Eugene Kandel and another senior figure – and was rebuffed. Assessment: PM will now turn to Prof. Yaakov Neeman. Demand in political establishment to appoint Karnit Flug. World interest in affair: „Israeli soap opera.”

YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Governor circus: Netanyahu and Lapid fail again in appointing Bank of Israel Governor. Third time lucky?
THE PHONE CALL THAT TORPEDOED THE APPOINTMENT.
Shortly after Prof. Leiderman’s appointment was announced, Judge Turkel received a call from the US from a woman who suggested that they check why Governor-designate left Deutsche Bank so abruptly. This wasn’t the only call. Leiderman: „I will be happy to return to private life.”

YISRAEL HAYOM
1. Steinitz in surprising attack: „Lapid is arrogant, Netanyahu showed weakness.”
THE RESIGNATION AND THE EMBARRASSMENT
Another drama in the race: For the third time, PM and Finance Minister will be obliged to look for a new Governor. 48 hours before his appearance before the Turkel Committee, Governor-designate Prof. Leiderman dropped a bomb and announced: I withdraw my candidacy. Behind the cards: Letters that reached the Committee in which suspicion was cast on past problematic conduct.

WALLA!
1. MINISTERS WILL APPROVE: FIRST RELEASE OF PRISONERS NEXT WEEK
Reduced ministerial forum to meet this week for the first time and will formulate list of prisoners to be released first „in accordance with security establishment recommendations.” Erekat claimed yesterday that list will include 26.

NANA10

1. LAPID ON APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR: „WE CAN’T OPEN A DETECTIVE AGENCY”

Finance Minister rejects criticism surrounding selection of candidates for the Bank of Israel, and expressed hope that sage would be over soon. Despite shortage of candidates, Netanyahu adamant in his opposition to appointing Karnit Flug to the post.

[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 10:50.]

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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

All three papers discuss the controversy over the effort to appoint a new Governor of the Bank of Israel:

Ma’ariv lauds the qualifications of Bank of Israel Acting Governor Dr. Karnit Flug for the post of Governor and asserts, „Nobody questions Flug’s professional ability. Or her integrity.” The author reminds her readers that former Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Stanley Fischer, who was well acquainted with her, „thought that she was the most qualified person to run the system,” but adds, „Netanyahu did not even seriously consider the possibility,” because, „He wanted a star.” The paper hopes that Dr. Flug will yet be considered for the post, and that she will yet accept it, and muses, „What a source of pride it would be for Israel to have a woman head the banking system.” The author concludes, „The farce over appointing a Governor must end, and there is someone to end it.”

Yediot Ahronot suggests, „The problem does not start with the skeletons in the closets of the candidates for running the Bank of Israel, but with the people who are supposed to warn the Prime Minister over the complications of an unfit appointee; there aren’t any. Netanyahu prefers sycophants, not advisers; personal servants, not partners.” The author asserts, „As amusing as this story may be, it is embarrassing. In the end, the joke is on our Bank, our economy and our Government. A miserable combination has been created here between a Prime Minister who is certain he knows everything and a Finance Minister who has no clue.”

Yisrael Hayom notes that Stanley Fischer announced his intention to step down well in advance and criticizes the Government for, „postponing everything until the last minute,” vis-à-vis appointing a successor. The author ventures that, „Frankel’s quitting the race for the post of Governor will be studied in academia. Not in the economics department, but in the political science, public administration and law departments, as will be Leiderman’s mysterious disappearance.” The paper notes that Fischer recommended his long-time deputy, Dr. Karnit Flug, and says, „Netanyahu and Lapid would do well to quickly offer her the job. She need not feel insulted. Even though Benny Gantz was not [former] Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s preferred choice, he took the job as Chief-of-Staff by default and developed a good working relationship with his superior and with Barak’s successor, Moshe Yaalon; Dr. Flug is similarly likely to succeed.”