Feb. 14 Headlines
Thursday
HA’ARETZ
1. Alert in Israel and around the world following hit on Middle East's senior terrorist.
IMAD MUGHNIYEH ELIMINATED IN DAMASCUS.
The objective: Imad Mughniyeh was considered senior terrorist and topped Israel's and US's list of fugitives. Was responsible for murders of hundreds of people. The hit: At 23:30, Mughniyeh climbed into his jeep, explosion followed. Only the next morning, did Hezbollah declare his death. Arab world accuses Israeli Mossad. The alert: Israel "rejects attempt to ascribe to it involvement in the incident" but alert has been raised at Israeli missions around the world, with El Al and along northern border.
2. ISRAEL: PA WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CROSSINGS.
Minister Livni told ambassadors, who toured with her, that, "From Hamas's perspective, this is not on the table at all."
MA’ARIV
1. Major intelligence achievement. Smooth implementation. Assad humiliated. Barak woken up during night in Turkey. Considerable damage to Hezbollah. Thus was terrorist Imad Mughniyeh eliminated.
ON ALERT.
Israel knows: Revenge for Imad Mughniyeh's elimination will come – and it will be painful. Only timing and location remain in doubt. In the sights: Israeli embassies and Jewish institutions around the world. Anxiety along northern border as well. Today: Dramatic speech by Nasrallah.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. His day came: Terrorist who murdered hundreds of Israelis eliminated. Assessment:
MUGHNIYEH WAS ABOUT TO PERPETRATE ANOTHER LARGE-SCALE ATTACK.
He was Iran's operational arm. He always won mind battles waged against him by espionage agencies. He was called the Bomber and the Escaper. Yesterday, after 25 years' pursuit, account was settled with Imad Mughniyeh, world's most veteran fugitive.
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot debates the complicated question of what should be done about the "insufferable situation" of the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. The editors state that experience has taught that the use of massive pressure on the enemy's civilian population, not only extracts a heavy price on innocent civilians, but simply does not work. The paper – while not conceding the use of force when logically necessary – calls on Israel to use serious positive incentives instead of brawn in trying to solve the problem.
Haaretz criticizes the approval of two alternatives the Shai Dromi bill. The law being promoted by the Knesset is aimed at correcting a problem that barely exists, of citizens standing trial for harming burglars. This will encourage citizens to confront and harm burglars, and perhaps be harmed by them. The editor states that the problem of farm thefts should be solved by reinforcing security, and the problem of attacks on the elderly will certainly not be solved by permission to use self-defense. We must not let Wild West lawlessness become the law practiced in Israel.
The Jerusalem Post reflects on the death of master terrorist Imad Mugniyeh, stating that his life and death speaks volumes about the jihadi front that has declared war on the West, and how and why it must be defeated. The editor tracks Mugniyeh's relations with his Iranian masters, and the impact of a nuclear Iran on Islamic terrorism, and calls on Germany, Iran's largest European trading party, to become a leader in the Western campaign to force Iran to back down. "The alternative is for the Imad Mugniyehs of the world to gain a nuclear sponsor, with devastating implications not just for Israel, but for free nations everywhere".
Ma'ariv labels the Winograd Committee's, "political determination" regarding the need for concessions to obtain peace an illusion that leads Israel from one failure to the next.
[Aviad Kleinberg and Aharon Levran wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronotand Ma'ariv, respectively.]
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