1. SHULA ZAKEN ARRESTED UPON LANDING IN ISRAEL; SUSPICIONS: TRANSFERRED BRIBE TO OLMERT.
2. DEFENSE MINISTRY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: COST OF BUILDING FENCE ON EGYPTIAN BORDER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PURCHASE "IRON DOME" SYSTEMS.
In talk with Gaza area local council heads, he explained that with sum state intends to spend on fence, it would be possible to purchase intercept systems.
MA’ARIV
1. Suspicion against Zaken:
TRANSFERRED BRIBE TO OLMERT.
2. Dramatic breakthrough in 1998:
"NETANYAHU AGREED TO COME DOWN FROM THE GOLAN HEIGHTS."
Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Uri Saguy, who led negotiations with Hafez Assad: Five prime ministers agreed to withdraw from Heights to 1967 lines, peace was attainable, but Barak failed at the last minute.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. State witness: I transferred hundreds of thousands [of shekels] to Shas as well. Olmert's confidants: He will be interrogated soon.
SUSPICION: ZAKEN TRANSFERRED BRIBE TO OLMERT.
2. KFIR BRIGADE SOLDIERS ARRESTED WITH DRUGS.
Eight arrested during training. Suspicion: Used drugs during activity in the territories as well.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. Shula Zaken taken from BGI Airport to seven-day remand; suspicion:
"ZAKEN – BRIBERY FUNDS PIPELINE TO OLMERT."
2. HEROES' HOMES WILL NOT BE DEMOLISHED.
Netanyahu and Barak working to legalize Harasha and Yovel neighborhood – near Eli –in which the Klein and Peretz families live.
WALLA!
1. Attempted terrorist attack in Afula.
PALESTINIAN YOUTH: I CAME TO STAB JEWS.
Youth came to police station and aroused suspicion of officers, who investigated him and found large butcher's knife in his tools. Youth arrested and admitted that he went around city and wanted to attack Jews.
2. ARAB LEAGUE TO REJECT MITCHELL PROPOSAL?
Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reports that Arab League foreign ministers are expected to reject agreement that PA Chairman Abu Mazen formulated with envoy Mitchell on resumption of indirect negotiations with Israel.
NANA10
1. "WE HAVEN'T KILLED, AND WE WILL NOT KILL, CAPTIVE ISRAELI SOLDIERS."
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud A-Zahar criticizes animated film made by organization's military wing, in which abducted soldier Gilad Shalit and his father Noam are depicted. In his words, film does not reflect organization's position, which is against killing of captive soldiers.
2. PALESTINIAN YOUTH ARRESTED IN AFULA: "I CAME TO SLAUGHTER JEWS."
Suspect arrested at entrance to police station with butcher's knife.
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 10:40]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot opines that, "Transparency is the secret weapon of democracy. Israel knowingly decided to forego on it in its fight to release Gilad Shalit. No wonder that it is losing."
Ma'ariv notes that, "The ultra-orthodox came to Ramat Aviv in order to proselytize. Muslims came to a small village in Provence, France, built a mosque, enlarged the community, and the original residents are searching for a way to leave." The author observes that, "In Belgium and France legislation is being formulated to ban full head coverings (burka, niqab). In parliaments, the majority supports the new legislation, and public opinion polls show that the majority of the public supports it. Additional European countries are considering similar moves. Also in Israel there is a legislative initiative of this type. But what is acceptable in Europe, as we know, will be viewed as racism in Israel. Welcome to the new world." The author argues that, "The claim that all selection is racist is demagoguery. Every country, society, community has the right to safeguard its national and/or cultural character."
Yisrael Hayom notes that the idea of a temporary Palestinian state is being suggested again. In recent days, the media has been reporting on an Israeli proposal to offer the Palestinians a temporary state on 60% of the West Bank." The author believes that, "If that is what will happen, it would be preferable to arrive at a permanent solution now, instead of wearing out Mahmoud Abbas with a regurgitated proposal which has no chance without...the preconditioned promise of a permanent settlement."
The Jerusalem Post supports the intention to initiate a bill in Israel that would prohibit the wearing of a full-body and face covering for women, on the grounds that the custom is both misogynistic, undermines social cohesion, and can be a security or crime risk, as it hides the identity of a potential terrorist or criminal. Regarding the anti-burka campaign now underway in some European countries, the editor notes that "Those who support such legislation realize that an easygoing multiculturalism works only when there are basic shared values and a willingness to integrate. But European multiculturalism has deteriorated into rudderless moral relativism and a pusillanimous reluctance to criticize radical Islamic customs for fear of being branded an Islamophobe."
Haaretz endorses the package recycling bill drafted by the Environmental Protection Ministry, which, it claims, could generate a substantial improvement in Israel's quality of life.
[Sever Plocker, Ben-Dror Yemini and Yossi Beilin wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv, Yisrael Hayom and Nana10, respectively.]
