1. Blow to Israel: UN demands oversight of reactor.
WORLD OPPOSES AMBIGUITY.
US and 188 countries sign decision on demilitarizing the Middle East that does not include Iran. Israel: "Hypocrisy."
2. EN ROUTE TO COLLISION.
Last night it became clear: Departure of Gaza protest flotilla postponed again. Naval commandos and ships on highest alert.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Dimona reactor – In unprecedented step: UN calls for supervision of Israeli nuclear reactor. Flotilla to Gaza – Ships delayed due to mishaps, expected to arrive tomorrow. German boycott – Largest bank sells its Elbit shares due to Palestinian pressure.
THREE FRONTS.
Israel's troubles: UN defeat, boycott in Berlin and headache in the Mediterranean.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. FLOTILLA ALERT.
"They sabotaged the ships," claim organizers of Gaza flotilla after several were discovered to have technical faults. Cypriot authorities bar MEPs from boarding ships. Navy prepared to move out to sea at any minute in order to block flotilla.
2. PM: HEZBOLLAH HAS SCUD BASE IN SYRIA.
Netanyahu confirms Sunday Times report. Assad denies. NPT Conference determines: Israel must be subject to inspection of its nuclear facilities; conference on "nuclear-free Middle East" to convene.
WALLA!
1. British newspaper reports:
ISRAEL TO STATION NUCLEAR SUBMARINES OFF IRAN.
According to report in the Sunday Times, three Israeli submarines armed with nuclear-capable cruise missiles have left for Persian Gulf in order to deter Iran. One, it is claimed, will be on permanent station in the area.
2. SHIPS HAVE BEGUN TO MOVE TOWARD GAZA STRIP COAST.
After departure was postponed by two days, eight flotilla vessels gathered this morning near coast of Cyprus and began to move toward Gaza Strip coast. Flotilla expected to arrive in area tomorrow morning.
3. TODAY: OLMERT TO BE INTERROGATED AGAIN IN HOLYLAND AFFAIR.
4. AFTER KASSAMS: IDF ATTACKS GAZA STRIP TUNNEL.
Air Force bombs smuggling tunnel in southern Gaza Strip that was designed – according to the IDF – "to infiltrate terrorists into Israel to perpetrate terrorist acts." Attack against background of Kassam rocket fire at southern communities.
5. PM'S BUREAU: WE WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH THE NPT.
Statement from PM's Bureau states that NPT conference decision indicating Israel as country that must put its nuclear facilities under supervision is, "deeply flawed, distorted and hypocritical."
NANA10
1. FLOTILLA DELAYED AGAIN: EXPECTED TO REACH GAZA SHORES MONDAY MORNING.
According to latest reports from the ships, the flotilla is expected get underway this afternoon. Navy monitoring ships' location and frigates are at sea in order to stop the flotilla before it reaches Israel's territorial waters.
2. THIS MORNING: OLMERT TO BE INTERROGATED A SECOND TIME IN HOLYLAND AFFAIR.
3. AIR FORCE JETS ATTACK SMUGGLING TUNNELS IN SOUTHERN GAZA.
Attack follows Kassam rocket fire at Ashkelon last night.
4. "HEZBOLLAH HAS SCUD BASE IN SYRIA."
PM Netanyahu tells Berlusconi that Hezbollah has special missile base on Syrian soil.
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 11:00. The print edition of Ha'aretz was unavailable today.]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot argues that, "The bitter truth is that we and Bib have lost the US. Who but Netanyahu knows that with the present administration, and certainly in the White House, there is (almost) nothing random. Everything is planned in advance..." The author asks, "What has happened that Bib has suddenly become a welcomed son in Washington? Simple, the Obama administration has also learned that a straight line is not always the shortest route between two points, certainly not in the Middle East. The author opines that, "In his first year he [Obama] has done more, for better or for worse, than many other Presidents – and from his viewpoint this is only the start. He has seven more years to change the world."
Ma'ariv believes that, "The opposition of western counties to Israeli policy is much more serious than we think. It is a shame that the person who is supposed to deal with it is Lieberman." The author contends that, "Lieberman constitutes accumulative damage. He is exactly the man whom the world identifies as the aggressive, undemocratic Israel that is insensitive to the sufferings of others."
Yisrael Hayom discusses the public diplomacy challenge facing Israel in the wake of the Gaza flotilla. "The flotilla is being led by international organizations and various human rights warriors. In a war between them and a country, the country will always lose." The author advocates that, "We must invest efforts in [the use of] soft force, paradoxically. We must be positive and creative." He contends that, "The proper combination in order to succeed in the new war is that between soft and hard power in order to arrive at the desired level of wise power."
The Jerusalem Post discusses Israel's existential predicament, which was emphasized during last week's civil defense drills. The editor finds it remarkable that the world so readily overlooks the stranglehold Syria and Hizbullah have over Lebanon, "just as it systematically disregards the frightening and explosive arsenal it has allowed Hizbullah to amass despite UN blandishments and big-power guarantees," and states that "In the event of renewed conflict, Israel would doubtless once more find itself cynically censured. Whether anyone overseas wants to give Israel a hearing on not, our government must do its utmost to at least alert the international community –diplomatic, media and legal – about what is shaping up here."
Haaretz decries the governmental inclination to ignore inconvenient rulings of the High Court of Justice, and terms these violations "the latest manifestation of contempt for the rule of law." The editor states that "Ultimately, the executive branch is responsible for enforcing court rulings. Failure to do so endangers a polarized society, one where applying the law equally to all is a precondition for existence."
[Eitan Haber, Yael Paz-Melamed and MK Nachman Shai wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
