Wednesday

HA’ARETZ

1. OLMERT: WE WON'T INVEST IN SETTLEMENTS.

Added that funds will be invested in periphery and Jerusalem; confidants: He didn't mean settlement blocs.

2. STATE COMPTROLLER: SEVERE FAILURES IN GOVERNMENT'S AND DISENGAGEMENT AUTHORITY'S DEALING WITH GUSH KATIF EVACUEES.

HATZOFEH

1. State Comptroller: Government and SELA Disengagement Authority failed in dealing with those uprooted from Gush Katif.

UPROOTING FAILURE.

Greatest failure: Prime Minister's Office and SELA Disengagement Authority did not understand major shortage in temporary housing solutions at all.  Evacuees left in buses for long hours without facilities or food and water.  Faults began in assessment stage.  Six months later: Government approves NIS 10 million for uprootees in hotels.

2. "KADIMA CYNICALLY USING SHARON'S IMAGE."

Election broadcasts begin. 

3. PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER-DESIGNATE: WE WON'T HESITATE TO KIDNAP SOLDIERS.

4. TESTIMONY AT AMONA COMMITTEE: SPECIAL UNIT POLICE THREW STONES AT YOUTHS.

MA’ARIV

1. Acting PM: We won't invest in settlements infrastructure.

"WE WILL CUT BILLIONS FROM SETTLEMENTS BUDGETS."

"Less for settlements – more for Negev and Galilee."  Amir Peretz: This is only electioneering.

2. EVERYBODY AGAINST EVERYBODY.

First day of election broadcasts characterized mainly by attacks on rivals.

YEDIOT AHRONOT

1. Harsh criticism of Government in State Comptroller's report to be issued this morning:

DEALING WITH EVACUEES WAS A FAILURE.

Government offices dragged their feet and treated Gush Katif evacuees insensitively and indifferently.

2. ARAB WOMAN IN FOREIGN MINISTRY FOREIGN SERVICE COURSE.

Rania Joubran is daughter of first Arab Supreme Court judge.

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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

Yediot Ahronot calls for corruption allegations regarding former Likud and Kadima MK Omri Sharon's influence in the Likud to be thoroughly investigated.

Yediot Ahronot, in its second editorial, refers to last Friday's events at the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth and fears that the next such incident could ignite the entire region.

Yediot Ahronot, in its third editorial, believes that election broadcasts – which began last night – do have an effect on voters.

Hatzofeh commends Religious Kibbutz Movement Secretary Yair Reineman's endorsement of the joint NRP-National Union Knesset list.

[Eitan Haber wrote today’s editorials in Yediot Ahronot.]