1. ARAB COUNTRIES APPROVE ABU MAZEN OPENING PROXIMITY TALKS, WHICH WILL BEGIN THIS WEEK
According to various sources, step was made possible after Obama announced to Palestinians that the first round of talks will focus on issue of east Jerusalem construction. European Jewish intellectuals call upon Israel Government in new petition: Freeze construction in capital.
MA’ARIV
1. NETANYAHU, MUBARAK AND NUCLUEAR AMBIGUITY
Tomorrow: Prime Minister to meet in Sharm with Egyptian President and will ask him to 'down shift' regarding Egyptian Middle East nuclear disarmament initiative. All in the shadow of New York nuclear prevention conference.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. GREECE IN FLAMES
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. Green light for proximity talks. Palestinians: "If one home is built in West Bank, talks will be halted." Netanyahu: No pre-conditions.
"OBAMA WORKING TO RID MIDDLE EAST OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS"
Wall Street Journal: Substantial change in US policy – wants to tie preventing Iranian nuclear armament to Israel agreement to forfeit its own nuclear weapons. President negotiating with Egypt on issue. Israel: "We will not alter policy." Tomorrow: UN nuclear conference.
WALLA!
1. HEZBOLLAH: ISRAEL WILL BE SURPRISED BY QUALITY OF OUR WEAPONS
Sources in Lebanon close to Hezbollah warn that if Israel attacks Lebanon, Nasrallah's forces will use weapons of surprising quality. "Reaction to Israeli attack will not be customary."
NANA10
1. "ISRAEL READY TO RENEW TALKS, BUT WITHOUT PRE-CONDITIONS"
On background of warnings from Palestinian Authority, Prime Minister welcomed Arab League support for negotiations. With that, Netanyahu is awaiting official decision by Palestinians.
[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 believes that Hamas has reasserted its authority over other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, "in order to be sure that they will not launch SCUD missiles," because it does not wish to provoke Israel into another Operation Cast Lead-style assault. The author dismisses Arab talk that Israel could provoke hostilities soon because of Israel's deterrence and, "because the status quo on all fronts is comfortable for Israel." The paper says that, "The IDF is trained, equipped with the next generation of advanced weaponry and prepared as it has not been in years. All of these are a good guarantee for a quiet summer in the Middle Eat."
Ma'ariv calls for an end to extensive media coverage of public figures in the act of being detained for questioning by the police.
Yisrael Hayom reminds its readers that Israel is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that, "Israel has made it clear in the past that a nuclear weapons-free Middle East can be established only after full peace treaties are signed between the sides to the conflict." The author claims that, "The question is what Washington intends to do on the issue," at the upcoming UN conference and asserts that Israel must make it clear that it will not deviate from its longstanding policy.
Nana10 suggests that, "Neither Israel, nor Syria nor Hezbollah is interested in a comprehensive flare-up at present," but warns that, "This is merely a time-out," given, "Hezbollah's growing arsenal of missiles."
The Jerusalem Post comments on the current economic crisis in Greece, and recalls that back in 1985, Israel was on the precipice of an even worse catastrophe, but managed to pull back and has since achieved unprecedented economic security and prosperity. Noting that other European dominoes may also fall, the editor remarks that "Nothing we took for granted thus far can be relied upon as an ongoing premise. There are no fundamentals to count upon – and that goes for Israel as well," and adds: "This is the time for Israel to gear up for potential new economic trouble. We cannot afford to be complacent spectators. For in the shattering new global economic reality, there may be no sidelines and no safe vantage points."
Haaretz mourns the death of internationally renowned Israeli artist Avigdor Arikha, who has died at 81 after leading a life of creativity and recognition. The editor notes that "Arikha proposed an [artistic] alternative in which observation and doubt cohabit, and the past becomes part of the continuum," and adds: "Quite a few Israelis think that Israel needs to embrace his approach, in life as in art."
[Guy Bechor, Yael Paz-Melamed, Dan Margalit and Prof. Eyal Zisser wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv, Yisrael Hayom and Nana10, respectively.]
