Editorials 1 July 2013

Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press

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    Three papers analyze the situation in Egypt:
    Ma'ariv points out: "We have not heard about presidential support from the White House for the demonstrators in Egypt," and asks: "Why don't they merit support? Why doesn't Morsi deserve the same treatment that his predecessor Mubarak received?" The author believes that "The US has a problem," and suggests that the common denominator for supporters of the current Islamist regime in Cairo and its opponents is hatred of the US and Israel. The paper calls on the West to tell the Islamic world: "You are to blame for your plight. Stop blaming the whole world – the West, the capitalists, the Jews. As long as you continue this self-deception, as long as you do not understand that equality, basic rights, tolerance, patience and women's rights are not 'Western values' but universal values, nothing will change."
    Yediot Aharonot suggests that "Morsi has no magic solutions," but adds: "Lucky for him, he has no replacement in the rival camp." The author believes that the military and security services are, for now, standing aside while "The two camps wait to see who will blink first."
    The Jerusalem Post comments that “Morsi’s position one year after inauguration appears as precarious as was Mubarak’s shortly before his ouster,” and declares: “Morsi’s future now depends on a wildcard: The reaction of the military. The president, like Mubarak before him, is completely dependent on the military. Unlike, Mubarak, Morsi does not enjoy a close relationship with the army.”
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    Yisrael Hayom discusses the peace process and avers: "If, in the round of talks, conditions will permit the resumption of the negotiations, Netanyahu will be obliged to defend his flexibility to the Likud Beytenu faction, but for now this is an unnecessary polemic that depends on the hard line or flexibility of Abu Mazen." The author suggests that Minister Tzipi Livni's remaining in the government or not may be a bellwether for which side is to blame for any stalemate in the process.
    Haaretz censures the government’s intent to expel “some 1,300 Palestinians from their homes,” in the south Hebron Hills. The editor asserts: “The rationale behind the expulsions and prohibitions on development is clear: to leave as much Palestinian-free land as possible to facilitate its annexation to Israel,” and adds that this “should cause grave concern in any citizen who still hopes for peaceful relations with the Palestinians.”  
     [Ben-Dror Yemini, Semadar Peri and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]