1. FOREIGN MINISTRY: INCREASE EGYPTIAN BORDER FORCES.

2. ATTACK IN DIMONA.

Two terrorists arrive in Dimona; one explodes in shopping center, murdering woman, companion wounded.  Medical crew treating injured terrorist discovers bomb belt; Policeman shoots him dead.  Hamas announces its people, originating from Hebron, perpetrated attack.  Murder victim is Liobov Razdolskaya (74) from Dimona.  Police believe that seriously wounded victim is her husband.

3. PM: I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR WAR FAILURES.

MAKOR RISHON-HATZOFEH

1. Diplomatic source: Egypt will not help – Israel must alter its security concept.

INTELLIGENCE CHECK: ATTACK PERPETRATORS DID NOT COME FROM GAZA.

IDF and ISA initial investigation indicates that terrorist infrastructure from Judea and Samaria likely responsible for attack and that location and ensuing announcement purporting that terrorists came from Rafiah were meant to sow confusion in Israel.

MA’ARIV

1. Borders breached.  Hamas returns to attacking Israel.

CONCERN; MORE TERRORIST CELLS EN ROUTE TO ISRAEL.

Reuters: Terrorists that arrived to Dimona center, killing one resident, came from Hebron.  Terrorist cells, it would seem, have succeeded in infiltrating into Israel from Egyptian border as well.

YEDIOT AHRONOT

1. AND NOW: BARAK VS. OLMERT.

Day after he decides to remain in Government, Barak to Olmert: I'm not in your pocket.  In defiant move, he didn't bother to come to listen to PM's speech and afterwards said: Cynical speech.

2. After year without suicide [bombers]: Dimona resident killed, husband in critical condition.

"THEY HAD COFFEE AT MY PLACE AND THEN WENT TO EXPLODE."

3. HAMAS: ATTACK ORIGINATED FROM HEBRON.

Everyone worried about Sinai, but secret Hamas cell did not come from there.  No separation fence on route to Negev.

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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

Three newspapers discuss the security situation in the south, which resulted yesterday in the suicide bombing attack in Dimona:

Haaretz places the blame for yesterday's suicide attack in Dimona on the neglect of both Israel and Egypt, and states that both countries must now decide together on building a fence along their border. In the meantime, they must coordinate the necessary operational actions at the highest level and share intelligence information.

The Jerusalem Post declares that the Egyptian government feels little pressure to take serious steps to cut off Hamas's weapons lifeline, and calls on the Israeli government to increase pressure that will cause a change in the Egyptian behavior.

Makor Rishon-Hatzofeh states that the Government "must end the fiasco in the south.  It must fashion a clear strategy, establish a clear policy of response to provocations and complete what began with the breach of the fence at Rafiah – view Egypt as the address for what is occurring in Gaza."

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The two remaining newspapers discuss various issues regarding Labor Chairman/Defense Minister Ehud Barak's decision to remain in the Government following the publication of the Winograd Committee's final report, despite having originally promised not to do so:

Yediot Aharonot declares that "While one cannot exaggerate the importance of moral norms in politics, norms based on two-faced morality – such as those now being presented by politicians both within and outside the Labor Party, as they complain about Ehud Barak not honoring his promise – should not be included in them."  The editors remind their readers that the Labor Party, as a member of the Government, must bear its share of the responsibility for the failures of the Second Lebanon War and dismiss Barak's promise outright for two reasons: "First, this promise was part of a political campaign that did not exactly uphold moral norms…Second, the promise was devoid of content as soon as it was given, i.e. almost a year after the war, even after the Winograd Committee's interim report, at a time when a man like Barak – with all of his knowledge and experience – should already have formed his own clear opinion about Olmert's performance before and during the war and about his fitness to continue serving as Prime Minister."

Ma'ariv asserts that, "Only a prior commitment by Olmert on the peace issue could have justified Barak's staying," and adds, "Without such a commitment, Barak should have quit."  The editors remark "As far as is known, Barak did not do this.  He decided without any commitment on Olmert's part.  Without a commitment on peace, this was a mistaken decision."

[Amos Carmel and Shlomo Gazit wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Ma'ariv, respectively.]

(Courtesy of MFA Newsletter & Press Office)