1. IRAN VS. THE WEST: WE WILL INCREASE URANIUM ENRICHMENT.
2. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN AGREES TO US PROPOSAL TO RESUME INDIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL.
3. EHUD BARAK'S TRICK: NOT ONLY HIS CONFIDANT WILL RECEIVE RAISE BUT SO WILL CONFIDANTS OF ELEVEN ADDITIONAL MINISTERS.
MA’ARIV
1. War of nerves.
IRAN: WE ARE STARTING URANIUM ENRICHMENT.
2. Storm at world's leading newspaper.
THE LEAD WRITTER AND THE SON WHO ENLISTED IN IDF.
Hundreds of New York Times readers demanded dismissal of Jerusalem correspondent Ethan Bronner. The reason: His son is an IDF soldier. Some of the paper's senior staff joined the call, but the chief editor is standing firm: Bronner will remain at his post.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. MKs upgrade: Will fly only Business Class.
CHOSEN FOR BUSINESS.
2. IRAN: TOMORROW WE'LL START ENRICHMENT.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. No stopping at red: Teheran will start from tomorrow to enrich high-grade uranium.
IRAN: THUMBING ITS NOSE.
West finally understands: No choice but to intensify sanctions. The problem: China and Russia. Netanyahu departs for Moscow to persuade Russians to join steps against Iran.
WALLA!
1. JORDANIAN KING DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE PEACE HERE
Jordanian King Abdullah II threatens that the continued political gridlock will lead region to precipice: "If the US does not jump-start the peace process in the coming month, it will not be advanced at all and our generation will not live to see it."
2. IDF ARRESTS TWO FOREIGN NATIONALS
The two, activists for the International Solidarity Movement, were arrested upon being classified as being present in Israel illegally. Palestinian government spokesman: Arrest constitutes a violation of interim agreements.
NANA10
1. ABU MAZEN AGREES TO INDIRECT NEGOTIATIONS
PA Chairman accepts US proposal to resume negotiations with Israel.
2. JORDANIAN KING: IF THERE WILL BE AN ACCORD WITH PALESTINIANS – IRAN WILL NOT STRIVE FOR MILITARY ARMS
"All roads lead to Jerusalem," King Abdullah II explained why he is convinced that a solution to the Palestinian issue is advised. In interview with CNN, he emphasized that Iran sees itself today as the protector of the Palestinian people. He also warned, "If the two-state line is crossed in negotiations – Heaven help us."
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 09:35.]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot notes that Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin has decided that MKs will henceforth fly in business class when on official trips abroad. The author asserts that, 'MKs should think twice about accepting the Speaker's perk," because, "Appearances are important here and the public demands that they make do with less. Less, in this case, is to fly in tourist class and win the admiration and esteem of the traveling public even when they sit their backsides on narrow seats. Is this not fair? Is this not just? This is also the price MKs pay to be MKs."
Ma'ariv suggests that Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, "is, in the end, correct: Should war break out between Israel and Syria, the Assad family will lose their regime within minutes." However, the author believes that Syria's dictator stands to lose as much in peace as it would in war, because, "he understands today that the minority Alawite regime rests only on a warlike stance against Israel." Thus, the author concludes that Assad, "wants neither a genuine peace nor war; he is interested only in a peace process, which helps legitimize him in the eyes of the world, and in the threat of war, which only aids him in bolstering his regime.
Yisrael Hayom ventures that official Washington is finally waking up to the gravity of the Iranian nuclear threat and says, "Better late than never." The author cites recent statements by Sen. Joe Lieberman, Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, and Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, all to the effect that, "There is nobody to talk to and nobody to rely on, sanctions must be tightened and military force must be threatened afterwards." The paper suggests that Europe will follow the Americans and hopes that Russia and China will too.
The Jerusalem Post comments on what it terms "[Arab League Secretary-General] Amr Moussa's missed opportunity," and feels it is regretful that Moussa's abhorrence of Israel prevents him from navigating his organization in the direction of genuine reconciliation with Israel."
Haaretz criticizes the ban by Ministry of Education officials on teaching a sexually explicit poem in 12th grade Hebrew literature classes, and states that "Seventeen-year-old students at a secular high school can handle terms and concepts that are part of their lives when the concepts are taught through literature."
[Eitan Haber, Shalom Yerushalmi and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
