HA’ARETZ

1. PM: PROBLEM OF BORDERS EASIEST TO RESOLVE.

According to Olmert, it is the simplest issue in negotiations with Palestinians, but he raises doubts on chances of achieving permanent settlement this year.

2. US primaries.

US JEWISH ROOF ORGANIZATION HEAD: SPIRIT OF "CHANGE" LIABLE TO HURT ISRAEL.

3. FATAH INTERNALIZING GAZA LESSONS: PRIMARIES AND DEMOCRATIZATION.

Veteran organization attempting to cope with public support for Hamas and popularity of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

4. SENIOR SHAS OFFICIALS: RABBI YOSEF DOES NOT WANT PARTY TO LEAVE.

They criticize threats by movement chairman Yishai to quit Government because of negotiations on Jerusalem.

MAKOR RISHON/HATZOFEH

1. Defense Minister in Turkey: Attacks Mofaz.

BARAK AND OLMERT: GAZA GROUND OPERATION ESSNTIAL.

Prime Minister and Defense Minister consult with German and Turkish leaders and clarify that Israel can no longer show restraint against continued Kassam fire.  Satisfaction expressed in Jerusalem: "They understand in Germany that a reasonable response is needed in Gaza." 

2. LOOKING FOR PARTNERS IN TURKEY.

Defense Minister tries to reinforce ties in Ankara.

3. NEW ARAB CITY WILL BE FOUNDED IN GALILEE.

MA’ARIV

1. FLU EPIDEMIC.

2. PROTEST ON ALL FRONTS: FROM SDEROT TO NORTHERN BORDER.

Today: Confrontation line communities' strike.  Sderot pupils leave classrooms and head to Jerusalem.

3. ISRAEL GOES ON PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFENSIVE.

Objective: Prepare world for operation in Gaza.

YEDIOT AHRONOT

1. PERIPHERY'S PROTEST.

North – Today: General strike of confrontation line communities against intention to hit tax benefits.  South – Tomorrow: Sderot pupils to demonstrate daily in Jerusalem protest tent.

2. PERETZ ASKS FOR NIS 650,000.

For advice he received from three lawyers for Winograd report.  Senior Finance Ministry officials shocked: "He testified only once and received no warning letter.  Insensitive to submit bill like that."  Peretz confidants: Finance [Ministry] will decide sum.

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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

Two of five papers comment on various issues regarding the media:

Yediot Ahronot reminds its readers that the Winograd Committee's final report called for – inter alia – military censorship to be heightened, including stiffer punishments for censorship violations, and, "for a halt to the IDF Spokesperson's open policy."  The editors note that whereas then Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin's 1989 agreement with Israeli editors stipulates that, "The Censor will operate according to the principle that it will not ban a publication unless there is near certainty that publication will harm state security," the Winograd report would replace "near certainty" with "reasonable concern."  The paper asks, "What do the members of the Winograd Committee know that Rabin did not?" and defends the media's responsibility, "to provide the public with all the necessary information, even in time of war, unless there is 'near certainty' that it would harm state security.  The Second Lebanon War proved that the wisdom of the leaders is not higher than the collective wisdom of the public and is, perhaps, less."

Ma'ariv declares that, "The public's right to know does not include close-ups of Iris Twito's anguish as she hopes for the recovery of her sons."  The editors refer to the Palestinians' penchant for showing graphic, gory photographs and add, "We have not yet reached that point and we should hope that we will never yet reach such exhibitions of our expired victims even though such photographs win us some propaganda points."

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