HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
By:BreuerPress
HA’ARETZ
1. Netanyahu accepts Arnon committee position on detainees.
ISA CALLS FOR TOUGH LINE AND FORCED FEEDING OF HUNGER-STRIKERS
2. INFORMATION ABOUT FLOW OF MONEY TO BEN ELIEZER REACHED POLICE A YEAR AGO
Investigation increased pressure on candidates who released details about their finances. Knesset Speaker decides: Election to be held tomorrow.
3. PM directs Likud ministers to support legislation that would prevent pardons for terrorists.
LAPID TO NETANYAHU: PRESENT PERMANENT BORDERS MAP; PM: THOSE WITH EXPERIENCE DO NOT CONCEDE ANYTHING WITHOUT GETTING SOMETHING IN RETURN
MA’ARIV
1. Knesset Speaker announces: Election to be held as planned.
PRICE OF THE PRESIDENCY
Investigation of Ben-Eliezer and his leaving the race led most candidates to release financial statements. Itzik has three apartments, Nobel laureate Shechtman has $1.8 million in the bank, Rivlin has a luxury apartment and Dorner has an old apartment and a ten-year-old car. Shetrit refuses to issue statement about his capital, estimated to be NIS 55 million.
2. LAPID’S SEPARATION SPEECH: „IF THEY TRY TO ANNEX EVEN ONE COMMUNITY, WE WILL TOPPLE THE GOVERNMENT”
Finance Minister arises from his diplomatic slumber: „In the first stage, Israel will withdraw from areas that do not require evacuation of communities.” Netanyahu: Proposals of one man without negotiating experience. Livni: „Settlements are security and moral burden.” Bennett: „Annexation plan: Gush Etzion first.”
3. „END OF MURDER-RELEASE DEALS”
Minister Bennett commends Cabinet approval of „terrorists law” that would authorize courts to prevent future pardons of terrorists. Minister Peretz: Law misleads the public.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Most embarrassing race ever ends tomorrow.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(…) Following affair about Ben-Eliezer’s apartment, we know: Dalia Itzik and Dan Shechtman have three apartments, Reuven Rivlin and Dalia Dorner have one. Meir Shetrit refuses to participate: „I report to the Knesset regularly.”
2. LAPID: DIVORCE WITH THE PALESTINIANS
Yesh Atid Chairman presents separation plan and lines up with Livni in moderate front opposite Netanyahu and Bennett. Lapid: „State’s money is buried between Itamar and Yitzhar.” Bennett: „Apply Israeli sovereignty to settlements, starting with Gush Etzion.” Lapid and Livni: „In such a case we will immediately topple the government.” Herzog: Leave the government and we will set up a coalition together.
3. CABINET APPROVES AYELET SHAKED’S TERRORIST LAW
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. Day before the vote: Battle for the presidency moves to real estate.
HOUSES STAGE
After investigation of Ben-Eliezer and his quitting the race, four of the five remaining candidates hastened to disclose their assets. Shetrit, whose capital is estimated at approximately NIS 57 million, refuses. Assessment in the Knesset before the vote: Rivlin leads, Dorner is surprising and is likely to make it to the second round.
2. PM’S CONFIDANTS: NO CONCESSIONS WITHOUT GETTING SOMETHING IN RETURN
They attack Finance Minister Lapid’s demand that Israel present map of borders immediately upon resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians. Civil war: Lapid threatens to topple the government in the event of annexation, Naftali Bennett demands: „Annexation – starting with Gush Etzion.”
WALLA!
1. SUCCUMBS TO PRESSURE: MK SHETRIT TO DISCLOSE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS ASSETS
(…)
NANA10
1. MEIR SHETRIT PROMISES TO DISCLOSE HIS CAPITAL AT KNESSET FACTION MEETING
[Headlines from Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 11:05.]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Two papers discuss the Cabinet’s decision to approve draft legislation that would limit the President’s ability to issue pardons in the context of prisoner exchange deals:
Ma’ariv suggests that while the legislation may have intrinsic merit the motives behind it are purely political. The author claims that the recommendations of the Shamgar committee, which was appointed in the wake of the deal to free Gilad Shalit, were not adopted by the government precisely because, „They would limit the government’s power,” i.e. do exactly what the draft legislation approved yesterday would do. The paper says that Minister Naftali Bennett, the main proponent of the law, „is forcing Israeli society to deal with a very sensitive issue: The value of captives versus capitulating to terrorism.”
Yediot Ahronot says, „In the future as well, we will need to leave a large degree of discretion in the hands of the leadership, the hands of which must not be tied in making decisions regarding the lives of Israelis who are taken captive.” The author reminds his readers that, „Netanyahu, who for years preached to world leaders about the disastrous consequences that would befall their countries if they gave in to terrorism, released 1,027 terrorists for Gilad Shalit,” and suggests that if any of his predecessors would have done so, „One could only imagine that Netanyahu would have attacked them wildly for the poor judgment they showed in giving in to terrorism.”
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Yisrael Hayom criticizes yesterday’s ceremony at the Vatican and asserts, „President Peres and Pope Francis joined together to allow Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen to be portrayed as a man of peace exactly when it was necessary to expose the hypocrisy of his joining with Hamas.” The author believes that, „There is no doubt that yesterday’s show will win positive headlines for Peres around the world, but it will also allow Abbas the refuser to continue masquerading as a man of peace even as he unites with the murderous Hamas.”
