1. MASKED PERSON INFILTRATES HOMOSEXUAL-LESBIAN COMMUNITY EVENT IN TEL-AVIV AND FATALLY SHOOTS THREE YOUTHS.
2. HAPOEL TEL-AVIV SOCCER PLAYERS RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER BEING QUESTIONED IN SWEDEN ON SUSPICION OF RAPE.
3. FOREIGN WORKERS PROTEST IN TEL-AVIV: WE WILL FIGHT UNTIL OUR CHILDREN RECEIVE LEGAL STATUS.
Thousands, including migrants, citizens, youth and Knesset members, protested in Levitzky Park. Following the protest, Oz unit renewed its arrests.
MA’ARIV
1. Last night in Tel-Aviv: 3 dead and 13 wounded in shooting attack on homosexual-lesbian youth.
MASSACRE OF GAY YOUTH
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. 3 dead in shooting attack in heart of Tel-Aviv
TERROR AGAINST THE GAY COMMUNITY
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. 2 dead, 11 wounded. Manhunt for killer.
HATE CRIME: BLOODBATH AT TEL-AVIV HOMOSEXUAL-LESBIAN CENTER
2. RETURN FROM SWEDEN
Two Hapoel Tel-Aviv players, Eitai Shechter and Douglas DeSilva, who were detained on suspicion of rape – were released and returned yesterday to Israel.
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Haaretz writes: "The visit to Israel by senior U.S. officials last week enabled both governments to increase their coordination and understandings regarding Iran. The U.S. administration has been forced to reassess its policy in the wake of Iran's rejection of President Barack Obama's offer of dialogue and after Iran's presidential elections, where allegations of voter fraud and the repression of the opposition have damaged the regime's legitimacy. In their talks in Jerusalem, the U.S. officials proposed a middle way aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and at averting a regional war. The public statements by Benjamin Netanyahu indicate that the American message has been received in Jerusalem. The prime minister has softened his rhetoric on Iran. This is a welcome development, and it is incumbent upon him to continue to coordinate with Washington on the issue."
Yisrael Hayom says that "Riyadh is not prepared to make even the smallest symbolic gesture towards Israel," and claims that it favors both an Israeli-Palestinian peace and stopping Iran only if "the desert kingdom does not have to pay any kind of price." The author also notes that a draft decision for the upcoming Fatah Council meeting "opposes recognizing Israel as a Jewish state," comments that, "Palestine will be for the Palestinians only but the Jewish People have no right to self-determination," and points out that, "These are the moderate Palestinians." Lastly, the paper recalls that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has declared that, "There will no negotiations unless Israel agrees in advance to a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights," and adds, "If this is the case, what will negotiations be about?"
The author reminds his readers that, "This is a summary of the statements coming from the moderate Arab world, that declares its desire for peace," and asserts that, "This attests that the basic American idea of unconditional cooperation with the Palestinians and Saudis was mistaken." The paper believes that the Obama administration is beginning to understand the foregoing. The author recalls that shortly after the Six Day War, Israel expressed willingness for far-reaching territorial compromise only to be met by an Arab League meeting in Khartoum that proclaimed, "No peace, no recognition and no negotiations." The paper concludes, "One needs a large degree of optimism to hope that 2009 is not 1967."
Yediot Aharonot expresses astonishment that the Mahmoud Abbas-led Palestinian Authority has been at the forefront of the international campaign to charge IDF officers with war crimes and/or crimes against humanity over their conduct in Operation Cast Lead, given Israel's policy to bolster both Fatah and the PA itself. The author suggests that, "When the goldstone report is issued, every IDF officer will know that the chief blame lies with none other than Mahmoud Abbas," and asks, "Is there anyone who can explain our policy in light of this reality?"
Ma'ariv says that last night's deadly "hate crime" at the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association building "constitutes an increase in the wave of violence that has recently engulfed Israeli society." The author believes that "Israel society rests on a delicate fabric of various populations, each with its own culture," and avers that "Only the maintenance of this delicate fabric enables the existence of democracy in Israel." The paper calls on Israelis to join together against the "inciters, hate-mongers and fanatics who want to crumble Israel democracy and leave behind only scorched ground."
The Jerusalem Post writes: "The Knesset's brazen penchant for fixing political problems by legislating quick remedies intended only for a given case is endemic. The list of such shameless misuse of legislative prerogatives is long. These bills are patently undemocratic because only public figures of considerable influence can benefit from them. The blatant focus on select, vested interests only further erodes the public's confidence in its lawmakers. It's not too late for Netanyahu to shelve his cynical Mofaz Bill, whose undisguised objective is to damage a rival faction."
[Efraim Halevy, Michal Eden and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
(Courtesy of Israel GPO)
