HA’ARETZ
1. CRISIS BETWEEN BARAK AND ASHKENAZI ON EXTENDING CHIEF-OF-STAFF'S TERM.
Anger in Defense Ministry at IDF Spokesperson: Announcement last night on extension of Ashkenazi's term for fifth year issued without coordination with us and cheapens the office of Chief-of-Staff.
2. 250 LECTURERS DEMAND THAT COUNCIL FOR HIGHER LEARNING NOT RECOGNIZE ARIEL COLLEGE AS UNIVERSITY.
MA’ARIV
1. Unprecedented opposition from Defense Minister's confidants over IDF Spokesperson and his role at Chief-of-Staff's office reveals conduct of Barak's inner circle – and tense relations between the two bureaus in charge of Israel's security.
WAR AT THE TOP
2. SEX AND BLACKMAIL AT THE MUKATA
Under cover of war on corruption: Senior PA official reveals tape that will embarrass Abu Mazen.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. WORLD CONVINCED: PUNISH IRAN
2. FIGHT AT THE TOP
Tough Defense Minister's Bureau statement against IDF Spokesperson reveals high tension between Barak and Ashkenazi.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. EN ROUTE TO SANCTIONS
Netanyahu: Now is the time for crippling sanctions.
2. BARAK'S BUREAU VS. CHIEF OF STAFF'S BUREAU
Chanel 1 reports on desire to extend Chief-of-Staff Ashkenazi's term to fifth year, due to Iran. Barak confidants: "Announcement came from IDF Spokesperson Avi Benayahu's office and cheapens the status of Chief-of-Staff.
3. LANDAU: "NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARAFAT AND ABU MAZEN: ONE IS LIKE JACK THE RIPPER AND THE OTHER IS LIKE THE BOSTON STRANGLER."
Infrastructures Minister: "One murders while the blood is gushing, the other kills quietly."
WALLA!
1. LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: "CONCERNED ABOUT ISRAELI THREATS"
Saad Hariri said in interview with the BBC that he is concerned over another future war with Israel. "We see Israeli planes entering our air space. The situation is deteriorating and is dangerous."
2. CONFRONTATION AT THE TOP: WILL CHIEF-OF-STAFF'S TERM BE EXTENDED?
Defense Minister's Bureau denies report, according to which Barak will support extension of Chief-of-Staff Ashkenazi's term and claims: "Announcement from the IDF Spokesperson's office cheapens status of Chief-of-Staff.
3. SETTLERS ATTACK CAR OF SAMARIA BRIGADE COMMANDER
Yitzhar youth threw stones and paint at Col. Itzik Bar's vehicle while he toured settlement yesterday. IDF: Uproot settler hooliganism.
NANA10
1. LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: "IN CASE OF CONFRONTATION – WE WILL STAND ALONGSIDE HEZBOLLAH.
Saad Hariri said in BBC interview that IAF planes violate Lebanese air space daily and that he is concerned about war. "I am worried about the deterioration and dangerous threats by Israel to the Middle East."
2. IDF ATTACKS GAZA STRIP, PALESTINIANS: RAFIAH AIRPORT HIT.
IAF planes attack targets in southern Gaza Strip in response to Kassam barrages on western Negev communities in recent days. IDF Spokesperson's office did not verify report, according to which the airfield was one of the attack's targets, but remarked: "We will continue to act firmly and forcefully. We see Hamas as responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip."
[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 comments on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to support Yisrael Beytenu's proposal to extend voting rights to Israelis living abroad and declares that, "Rejecting this idiotic idea must cross party lines because of its immorality: They? They will decide what is good for us? They will decide who will live and who will die here? They will decide if we fight and against whom? In the San Fernando Valley and on Long Island, will they cry when they watch on television (45 inch screens) the funerals of our children? And another thing: This legislative initiative comes from Yisrael Beytenu. I have a question: More than 100,000 Jews who came from Russia and were welcomed here with open arms, received from us, from our pockets, from our money, tens of thousands of shekels, exchanged them for dollars – and returned to Russia. What is this if not theft? And they, they should vote in Moscow, or Toronto, about how we will live and die, here; are you nuts? Excuse me, but didn't Yisrael Beytenu hunt for our votes in the last elections with the slogan 'No loyalty, no citizenship'? Does this only apply to Arabs? What about Jews' loyalty to Jews?"
Ma'ariv suggests that, "One year after the elections, it is still not clear what Netanyahu really thinks about the question of peace and the territories," and adds that, "It is clear that he very much fears his coalition partners." The author suggests that Prime Minister Netanyahu thinks that Kadima will split after its next primaries and that he would be able to bring Shaul Mofaz's faction into the coalition to offset the influence of his more right-wing coalition partners.
Yisrael Hayom says that, "Even the Russians cannot stomach Iran's games anymore," and asserts that, "Iran is thumbing its nose at the world and taking giant steps toward a bomb." The author believes that the sanctions to date have been utterly ineffectual and fears that, "At this pace, we will wake up one morning to bombs: Either Iran's or on Iran."
[Eitan Haber, Avraham Tirosh and Boaz Bismuth wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
