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Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press
Today’s issues: A rotten apple, reality or false threats, updating Israel’s Syrian policy, unchecked media exaggeration, and Gulf States are weighing Israel options.
The Jerusalem Post discusses the shocking revelation that the principal suspect in the wave of false bomb alerts that caused the evacuation of more than 150 Jewish community centers in Western countries is an American-Israeli dual national, whose father may also have been involved, and states: “The suspect’s Jewish identity challenges the common narrative on antisemitism in America.” The author adds: “The unexpected fact that an Israeli born to American parents doesn’t fit the expected white supremacist profile shows the danger of incautiously analyzing hateful acts, especially ones that violate the Jewish tradition of looking out for the welfare of fellow Jews,” and declares: “Whether the suspect’s motivation was some twisted manifestation of self-hatred or the result of a medical condition, his hoax was hi s own deviation and cannot be used by antisemites to characterize all Jews.”
Haaretz comments on the arrest of the 19-year-old Israeli citizen on suspicion of being behind a series of fake bombs threats and other threats against Jewish institutions around the world, and is concerned that “other seemingly anti-Semitic incidents will be greeted with disbelief and even scorn.” The editor warns that the fake threats by an Israeli from Ashkelon are liable to undermine the battle against anti-Semitism, and asserts: “Though it’s vital to ground accusations in evidence and avoid relying on unreliable sources, the Jewish people and the State of Israel must continue waging this important battle.”
Yediot Aharonot comments on the evolving situation in Syria, and notes: “The situation in the northern arena requires Israel to clarify its strategic targets, while continuously and thoroughly reviewing the benefit of its moves versus the risk of unwanted escalation. The most important diplomatic and military objective is to prevent Iran from putting down roots in Syria.”
Israel Hayom comments on the fact an Israeli was arrested in connection the fake bomb alerts in Western countries, and states: “the amazing thing about the story of the new anti-Semitism in the United States is that it was exaggerated by the Israeli media and used as an indictment against U.S. President Donald Trump even before the facts were checked.”
Globes comments that fear of Iran and mistrust of President Trump have been pushing the Gulf States, organized in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), closer to Israel, but warns that now that the Administration seems intent on going back to business as usual, “The resulting return to reality on the part of the Israeli political class must now include the likelihood that the GCC countries, feeling loved once again by the US will correspondingly feel less urgency in courting other countries, emphatically including Israel, which was always embraced in private and not allowed to affect voting behavior in the UN and other international fora.”
[Amos Yadlin, Boaz Bismuth and Norman Bailey wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Israel Hayom and Globes, respectively. |
