(Israel Government Press Office)
Ma'ariv asserts that, given the Obama administration's evident disinterest in military action against Iran's nuclear installations, "Israel will, apparently, have to accept the depressing fact that the day is not far off when Iran will have a nuclear weapon." The author calls on the government to draft a new policy based on deterrence and believes that "Only a clear and credible Israeli signal regarding the awful price that the Iranians would pay for any attempt at a nuclear attack against Israel, will prevent Iran's rulers from planning to use missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads."
Yediot Aharonot discusses a recent High Court of Justice ruling to the effect that "Israeli" (as opposed to "Jewish", "Arab", etc.) cannot be used under the nationality heading on Israeli identity cards. The author calls for the nationality section to be dropped from ID cards altogether.
Yisrael Hayom discerns a broad contiguity of interests between Israel and the Arab Persian Gulf states vis-à-vis Iran's nuclear and regional pretensions. The author says: "Despite the absence of open diplomatic contacts between Israel and these countries, under the surface there is a secret diplomatic-security network designed to coordinate positions and strengthen cooperation, in addition to the security cooperation with Jordan and Egypt." The paper notes that "The tightening of relations has been carried out without official diplomacy," and concludes: "It is almost certain that given the weakening of American influence in the region and the absence of a sense of security, this trend will only increase."
The Jerusalem Post comments on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) report, which “has identified circumcision as a violation of male children’s ‘physical integrity.’” The editor wonders whether PACE – “in a dubious invocation of ‘children’s rights’ – is attempting to create a European continent with no Jews,” and concludes: “Europe is fast becoming an inhospitable place for Jews – yet again.”
Haaretz warns of the danger posed by the candidacy of Moshe Leon, “a Givatayim accountant and political activist who is a close associate of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman,” in the forthcoming municipal elections in Jerusalem, “because it seeks to undermine the principle of proper local administration and makes a mockery of the institution of the municipality as an entity meant to serve the city’s residents, first and foremost.” The editor adds: “Lieberman is serving as head of Leon’s campaign team and one can’t avoid the impression that Lieberman’s true aim is to strengthen his position in Jerusalem’s Likud branch and gain access to political patronage jobs in the capital,” and declares: “Jerusalem is an important and strategic city, which deserves a mayor committed to its interests and not those of political elements looking to accumulate power and position at the expense of the city’s residents. Moshe Leon is not worthy of being mayor of Jerusalem.”
[Ami Dor-On, Yaron London and Dr. Ronen Yitzhak wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]