(Israel Government Press Office)
Ma'ariv discusses the upcoming 40th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The author says that Israel has had enough of "the Yom Kippur War festivals that take place every year as the holy day approaches," and believes that "Forty years since that trauma/fiasco, the time has come to mature, return to normal and restore to Yom Kippur its original function." The paper suggests that "The forty year-long introspection is – how to put it – a little too long, especially when it deepens the trauma instead of healing it."
The Jerusalem Post marks the 12th anniversary of 9/11, and notes that the hope that “like Communism, Islamist extremism would fade away” is slowly slipping away. The editor points out that “Totalitarian Islamist regimes and organizations – including al-Qaida – have proven to be remarkably resilient,” and adds: “Hopes that the Arab spring would lead to a more democratic Middle East have yet to materialize.” The editor concludes: “And this geopolitical reality – as we mark the 12th anniversary of 9/11 – presents serious challenges, not only for Israel, but for the rest of the freedom-loving world.”
Haaretz remarks: “In recent years some 20 libel suits have been filed over political criticisms of groups or individuals – with all the plaintiffs being on the right and all the defendants on the left,” and worries that there may be a certain common denominator between these organizations’ positions and certain principles at the foundation of fascism. The editor asserts: “The essence of such suits is to muzzle public criticism on the part of commercial or political entities,” and states: “To protect freedom of speech, the courts must make it more difficult to file unwarranted libel suits whose purpose is to prevent criticism, and to take steps such as saddling the plaintiff with significant court costs to stop them from filing such suits in the future. Only by such means will the courts be able to protect freedom of expression and democracy.”
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Two papers discuss various issues regarding a projected US-led punitive strike on Syria for the latter's use of chemical weapons against its own civilians:
Yediot Aharonot reminds its readers that: "Today, 9/11, as America marks the 12th anniversary of worst terrorist attack in history, Bashar Assad – Tony Soprano with an arsenal of chemical weapons, but without the original Soprano charm – will celebrate his 48th birthday," and says: "Assad has gained time, but the time is not his own. In effect, Putin told him, 'A Russian stopwatch or the American price?' And now Assad is being leveraged; he owes Iran, Hezbollah and Russia and is still in America's sights." The author avers that "Israel has acted with great prudence," throughout the crisis and concludes that the current diplomacy, "will not, over time, change Assad's fate."
Yisrael Hayom says that US public support for a strike against Syria has declined from about 50% a week-and-a-half ago, before President Barack Obama began his campaign to raise public support and secure Congressional approval for a strike, to about 35% today. The author asserts that the campaign "attests to great weakness and a loss of direction," and cannot change the fact that "American public opinion does not see what is happening in Syria as justifying American involvement of any kind." The paper ventures that, on the anniversary of 9/11, many Americans "see the Syrian rebels as the heirs of arch-terrorist Osama Bin Laden and are unwilling for any action that could boost their status." The author believes that the White House is now "wasting precious political ammunition in order to persuade its friends and its rivals to support an almost hopeless strategy," while allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to take center stage. He warns that for Israel, the implications, "especially in regard to Iran, are severe," and cautions that AIPAC's involvement, which contravened Jerusalem's policy of keeping a low profile, will open US-Israeli relations to attack by Israel's opponents in Washington.
[Michael Tuchfeld, Alon Pinkas and Prof. Avraham Be-Tzvi wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]