HA’ARETZ

1. US PROMISES ISRAEL: WE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE GOVERNMENT IN WHICH HAMAS MEMBERS PARTICIPATE.

2. Today: Poverty report.

UNDER SHARON'S TENURE: APPROXIMATELY 500,000 ISRAELIS FELL BELOW POVERTY LINE.

HATZOFEH

1. Mofaz: Islamic Jihad planning major terrorist attack to influence Israeli elections.

HALUTZ: PREPARE FOR ESCALATION IN CONFLICT; STATE COMPTROLLER: FAULTS IN PROTECTING COMMUNITIES.

State Comptroller's report reveals that six months after withdrawal from Gaza Strip communities around Gaza Strip still lack reasonable response to Kassam rocket and mortar fire from Gaza Strip.  Right-wing: Government abandoned citizens to terrorism.  NRP demanding state commission of inquiry on issue.  National Union: If Kadima wins, best to start protecting Jerusalem kindergartens now.

2. NETANYAHU'S PLAN: WITHDRAWALS AND EVACUATION OF OUTPOSTS IN JUDEA AND SAMARIA – ALONGSIDE MOVING FENCE EASTWARD.

3. SILVAN SHALOM: SEPARATION FROM PALESTINIANS – WITHOUT UPROOTING COMMUNITIES.

MA’ARIV

1. Operation "White Winter": Thus security establishment is preparing for PA elections.

IDF TO REFRAIN FROM OPERATIONS IN TERRITORIES FOR THREE DAYS.

In two days Palestinians will go to polls.  Operation's order to soldiers and police: Don't go into towns and villages in meantime.  Israel approved and Barghouti was interviewed in prison for Fatah election propaganda.

2. LIKUD CLAIMING: WE HAVE MOLE IN KADIMA.

"He is giving us information on Kadima agents in Likud."

YEDIOT AHRONOT

1. Security officials present Olmert with PA elections scenario:

"FATAH WILL WIN AND WILL COOPERATE WITH HAMAS."

Barghouti from prison: "Hamas is legitimate partner in government."  Halutz: "Another round of violence expected."

2. "730,000 CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN POVERTY."

Today: National poverty report to be published – 1.6 million Israelis living in sub-standard conditions.  500,000 fell below poverty line in last five years.

3. "HE IS AN EXCELLENT NATURE RESERVES WARDEN."

This is one of the claims that friends of former MK Omri Sharon will make today in order to lighten his sentence.  Penalty phase of his trial to open this morning.

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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

Yediot Ahronot welcomes Israir's entry into the market as a competitor to El Al on the Israel-North America air route but cautions against undue optimism.  The editors believe that, "The claim that…millions of tourists are not visiting Israel due to high airline prices and the not-sufficiently-open skies is fallacious and misleading."

Hatzofeh criticizes recent comments by Israel Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi that he does not rule out the use of live fire during the evacuation of the wholesale market in Hebron.

[Sever Plocker wrote today’s editorial in Yediot Ahronot.]