HA’ARETZ
1. EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT TO OLMERT: SYRIA AND SAUDI ARABIA TO ATTEND CONFERENCE.
40 countries receive invitation to Annapolis, including Israel and the PA; diplomatic source: Close to signing joint statement.
2. FRANCE IN LOVE WITH ISRAEL WHILE LONDON DISCUSSES ITS DISMANTLING.
Britain: 300 left-wing activists from Israel, PA and London hold conference on single state solution. Israel referred to at conference as "colonialist power" and "Apartheid state." Pro-Israeli groups in London: Initiative cannot be taken seriously, majority supports Israel. France: 40 Israeli authors to attend annual March book fair in Paris. Ahead of Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations, most French newspapers to devote special edition to it.
MA’ARIV
1. First time since Oslo accords: Armored cars on West Bank.
ARMORED VEHICLES AGAIN BEING GIVEN TO THE PALESTINIANS.
IDF and ISA strongly object but PM decided to allow Palestinians to equip themselves with armored vehicles as gesture ahead of Annapolis conference. They will also receive 1,000 rifles and 2 million bullets.
2. INTELLIGENCE HEADS WARN AGAINST ANNAPOLIS.
3. Is it anything goes against the extreme Right?
THUS ISA TURNS YOUNG MEN INTO AGENTS.
Condition for draft – informing.
4. DOLLAR = NIS 3.89.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. PM decides on additional gesture to Palestinians ahead of Annapolis conference.
OLMERT APPROVES ARMORED VEHICLES FOR PALESTINIANS – IDF OPPOSED.
Request to receive 50 Russian armored vehicles approved some time ago. Security establishment has changed its position.
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot asserts that, "We should not care how the Palestinians define the state of Israel but we should care how the Palestinians define their own state – will it be 'the state of the Palestinians' or 'the state of the residents of the West Bank and Gaza' alone?" The editors note that the phrase 'Jewish state' appears in UN General Assembly Resolution #181, which also enshrined the two state solution, and in subsequent UN decisions. The paper suggests that the Palestinians understand, "that if the world will consider Palestine as 'the state of the Palestinians', their demand to 'return' to the state of the Jews, i.e. Israel, would be cancelled. If each people returns to its own country, there is no right of return." The editors call on the Government to uncompromisingly demand of the Palestinians, "Define your future state as the Palestinians' homeland," because, "Only thus can be realized the basic idea of the 29.11.47 UN decision – A Palestinian state for the Palestinians and a Jewish state for the Jews, a national state for each people with both living side by side in peace."
Haaretz criticizes the functioning of Ehud Barak as defense minister, saying that, "For months, Barak has been silent as a monk. His performance as defense minister has hardly been felt. He seems to be finding it hard to leave his mark on the ministry, despite his wealth of experience in the field... The defense minister has the right not to believe the Annapolis summit will succeed, but he is absolutely forbidden from sabotaging it while working for a government that has decided to strive toward its success." The defense minister, the editors claim, could have taken steps with a far-reaching effect on events on the ground before the summit, but did not do so.
The Jerusalem Post criticizes members of the Knesset Law Committee for failing to attend a meeting convened to discuss the formulation of a constitution, following Prime Minister Olmert's recent announcement that for the state's upcoming 60th birthday, "he would give it the gift none of his august predecessors could manage for six decades - a constitution. It's questionable that the feat is feasible at all; it certainly cannot
Ma'ariv dismisses as, "folly," the demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state and asks, "Is it not enough that this is written in the
Declaration of Independence?" The editors assert that any Israeli politician making the demand want, "to torpedo the [Annapolis] conference."
