1. TODAY: FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE MARCH: TZVI SHALIT, GILAD'S 85-YEAR-OLD GRANDFATHER, WILL MEET WITH NETANYAHU AND TRY TO CONVINCE HIM TO SUPPORT THE DEAL.
2. PERES' DINNER FOR THE NETANYAHUS.
Last night: President hosted PM and his wife. On the table: Israel's international situation and contacts on unity.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Noam Shalit: Netanyahu has given in to international pressure.
AND WHAT ABOUT GILAD?
After PM removed the closure on Gaza, Gilad Shalit's parents remove the gloves. Hagai Hadas against the family: Your struggle is playing into Hamas's hands.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. Lebanese authorities permit women's boat "Julia" to sail.
CONCERN: SUICIDE TERRORIST ON LEBANESE BOAT.
Horrific scenario in discussions on stopping the ship: Well-covered attack. Israel in diplomatic effort to foil flotilla. US condemns decision to demolish 22 homes in eastern Jerusalem Silwan neighborhood. In wake of easing of blockade on Gaza: Lively movement of trucks at crossings. Noam Shalit: Not freeing Gilad attests to Israel's sorry state.
2. EMANUEL DISCRIMINATION CASE BACK TO HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE TODAY.
This morning: After contacts on compromise are broken off – High Court of Justice to again discuss imprisonment of mothers from Emanuel. Plaintiff Yoav Lalom and his family leave their house due to threats on his life.
HA'ARETZ
1. SENIOR RED CROSS OFFICIAL: ON SHALIT ISSUE – WE ARE AT AN IMPASSE.
Thus Vice-Chairman of Red Cross delegation told Ha'aretz. He said that organization is disappointed with Hamas for not responding to any of its requests and for not allowing link, "between mother and son."
2. "JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY IS NOT SHOWING COMMON SENSE."
Following Silwan decision, Barak said that he intends to appeal to PM in order to find way to restore common sense to committee decisions and their timing.
WALLA!
1. Hezbollah sources:
"FLOTILLA PREVENTED ELIMINATION OF SENIOR ISRAELI."
Senior sources close to Hezbollah leadership told Kuwaiti newspaper that in wake of development of flotilla events, organization has retreated from intention to abduct and eliminate a senior Israeli. Regarding reports that Israel is planning to eliminate Nasrallah, sources said that thousands of missiles would be launched at Israel in response.
2. TODAY: HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE TO RULE ON IMPRISONMENT OF EMANUEL MOTHERS.
Today: After several delays, High Court of Justice is expected to rule on 23 mothers of girls from Emanuel, who did not report to prison last week. Each one will need to explain why she cannot be incarcerated.
3. PM: SOLUTION TO BE FOUND REGARDING SILWAN HOME DEMOLITIONS.
Netanyahu referred to plan to demolish 22 homes in Silwan and said that, "Solution that will be acceptable to all, and that will ensure respect for the law, will be found." Barak, on decision: "Construction can wait. I will appeal to PM on the issue."
4. BARAK TO BAN: NO NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY COMMITTEE.
DM Barak told UN Secy.-Gen. Ban that Israel will not allow establishment of international commission of inquiry into Gaza flotilla events and would suffice with, "its independent and credible investigation." Barak referred to demand to lift Gaza blockade and said that, 'Today, Gaza is an Iranian military base."
NANA10
1. "CONSTRUCTION IN JERUSALEM NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH COMMON SENSE AND PROPER TIMING."
DM refers to plan to demolish homes in Silwan and says that, "Jerusalem Municipality and district committee are not showing common sense, and not for the first time." Barak, in US, also called on UN Secy.-Gen. to give up on international investigation into flotilla issue.
2. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE TO RULE: WILL EMANUEL MOTHERS GO TO JAIL.
This morning: Judges to decide if they will join their husbands.
3. BARAK PRESSURES BAN: GIVE UP ON INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION ON FLOTILLA ISSUE.
In his words, "It would be better to allow Israeli investigation to move forward."
4. NETANYAHU TO MEET WITH SHALIT'S GRANDFATHER: "I EMBRACE YOU."
"Efforts to bring Gilad back are continuing, far from the media."
[Headlines for Ha'aretz, Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 10:10.]
______________________________
SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot says that, "While yesterday in Gaza they started eating coriander, halva, pasta and jam, we are the only ones who continue eating dirt. That is how it is when there is a right-wing government with two left feet, a Mickey-Mouse leadership which directs us from the depths to tears, whose every action is to fix the last crisis, which only brings our image and deterrence down to new lows."
Ma'ariv opines that, "In any normal place, Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak would have come before you the other day to hand over the keys. Indeed, the Cabinet decision to, in effect, cancel the economic blockade on Gaza is an admission that their handiwork, the decision and implementation in forcefully seizing the Turkish flotilla, caused Israel serious strategic damage."
Yisrael Hayom believes that, "Public confidence in the Government is now wavering and uncertain and, paradoxically because of this, the next flotilla, already en route from Lebanon to Gaza via Cyprus, must be stopped. The Government must determine that there will be no infiltration into Gaza, unless an international agreement for new screening procedures for the transport of non-military equipment into the Gaza Strip is made."
The Jerusalem Post criticizes the slanted reports issued by both the Methodist Church of Britain and the US Presbyterian Church on the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, and notes that "liberal Protestants are particularly susceptible to a leftwing agenda that is anti-globalization, anti-capitalist (though liberal Protestants are among America’s most affluent) and rabidly anti-Zionist." The editor points out that "the more demanding and unambiguous a religion’s principles, the more respect and commitment it is likely to enjoy," and states: "For their own good, Presbyterians, Methodists and other mainline denominations would do well to reexamine their policy on Israel. Perhaps they will find their own distinctive voice resonating with a more balanced view of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians."
Haaretz denounces Interior Ministry regulations that provide for the abrogation of the rights of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem who leave the city for a period of over seven years, and notes that "Citizens of Israel can leave the country for any length of time, and their citizenship and all their rights are theirs in perpetuity. But when it comes to Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, Israel applies draconian regulations whose covert intent is to bring about the expulsion of as many Palestinians as possible from their home city." In conclusion, the editor declares that "The rights of the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem must be equal to those of Jews. All Jerusalemites have the right to live in their city, to go abroad and return as they will, without any danger posed by the authorities lying in wait for them."
[Sima Kadmon, Ofer Shelah and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
