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Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press
Today’s issues: NGO woes, the Labor party leady is the new Likudnik, Israel is done threatening Syria, and archaeology confirms historical writings.
The Jerusalem Post discusses the new round of activity launched by the government designed to block the influence of foreign, primarily European, state funding of left-wing NGOs, some of which are connected to Palestinian terrorist groups or seek to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state, and queries whether “legislation is the right way to combat NGOs that question the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state.” The editor contends that “A better way of stopping the foreign state funding of these NGOs is through dialogue with the heads of European states,” and adds: “Passing laws that prevent NGOs from criticizing Israeli policies only gives the impression that Israel has something to hide, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
Haaretz believes that Avi Gabbay, the new Labor party chairman, is proving that he is no different than his predecessors, who fell into the trap of sucking up to the right, but argues that this is futile: “Right-wing voters aren’t tempted by a poor imitation of a right-wing party and remain in their political home, while Labor party heads are replaced one after another.” The editor states: “Labor party members, like their colleagues in the left-wing camp, deserve a leader who will show loyalty to their basic values,” and declares: “Not just the left but the entire country needs a true opposition. Labor took a risk and bet on a relatively anonymous candidate in hopes of renewing its ranks. But woe be it if they discover that they unintentionally replaced their worldview instead.”
Yed iot Aharonot discusses Israel’s attack recent on a Syrian anti-aircraft battery that fired at Israel Air Force planes after warning Syria for at least six months six that if the fire doesn’t stop, the batteries will be targeted, and states: “After realizing that both the Syrians and the Iranians were not taking its warnings seriously, Israel could no longer afford to keep threatening Syria over its anti-aircraft fire without responding. On Monday, the IDF had an opportunity to fulfill the ‘open skies’ policy, while making it clear to the Iranians as well that the Israelis are dead serious.”
Israel Hayom discusses the recent exciting archeological discovery in the Western Wall Tunnels, mfa.gov.il/mfa/israelexperience/history/pages/new-stone-courses-and-ancient-theater-discovered-in-the-western-wall-tunnels-16-october-2017.aspx which included eight stone courses of the Western Wall that had been buried under an 8-meter (26-foot) layer of earth, and states: “The newly discovered layers of the Western Wall and the theater-like structure once again prove the centrality of the Temple Mount to the Jews, despite the Muslims’ efforts to negate that.”
[Alex Fishman and Nadav Shragai wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Israel Hayom, respectively. |
