(Israel Government Press Office)
Three papers discuss the Russian-US agreement regarding Syria's chemical weapons:
Ma'ariv analyzes the agreement and asks: "And what of Israel? The assessments in Israel on the eve of Yom Kippur were that disarming Syria of non-conventional weapons is a great achievement, if indeed it occurs. On the optimistic side, it is possible to see that the tangible threat of an attack can lead to results, and that perhaps this will lead to results in the future regarding Iran as well. The less optimistic assess that America's overall conduct broadcasts a weakness that can only encourage Iran to continue with its nuclear program based on the assumption that the US will always find a reason not to attack."
Yediot Aharonot says: "The agreement between Russia and the US that was signed yesterday in Geneva is good news for Israel. The two superpowers have agreed to get rid of one of the main threats that has been hovering over our heads for the past three decades." However, the author asks, "How could anyone be sure that Assad will have shown the inspectors all of the weapons at his disposal?" Moreover, the paper doubts whether the Russians will ever approve the use of force or even sanctions or that the Americans will attack Syria should, say, the inspectors be refused entry to a particular installation. The author also doubts that, given the conditions inside Syria, it will be very difficult to ensure the inspectors' safety and cites expert opinions that actually destroying Syria's stock of chemical weapons could take at least two years. The author declares: "The bottom line is that even if dismantling Syria's arsenal of chemical weapons doesn't take place as planned, from Israel's point-of-view, this is very positive progress," and concludes: "Who loses from the agreement? First and foremost, the citizens of Syria do. Assad and his cohorts are continuing to perpetrate appalling war crimes and are not being held accountable. 120,000 Syrians have already been slaughtered and no one is stopping the horror."
Yisrael Hayom notes that "Today, John Kerry will arrive in Jerusalem to explain to Benjamin Netanyahu the nature of the agreement. He should thank the Prime Minister for coming to President Obama's aid in his difficult time on Capitol Hill. Obama owes him something, but it is not clear if he will be counted among those who make good on their debts." The author says that if the agreement is carried out as planned, "Israel's strategic situation will greatly improve and the axis of evil that leads from Tehran through Damascus to Beirut with backing from Moscow will be weakened." However, the author cautions that "The slaughter in our northern neighbor will not end."
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The Jerusalem Post contrasts the recent stunning archeological finds south of the Temple Mount, Judaism’s most holy site, with the neglect and Arab predations on Jews trying to reach the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, Judaism’s second most holy site, and remarks that “To allow lawlessness at so hallowed a site is unthinkable.” The editor asserts: “Visitors should not fear for their lives at any cemetery anywhere in Israel, but all the more so at the oldest continuously used burial ground on earth.”
Haaretz praises IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, whose service was recently extended for an additional year by Prime Minister Netanyahu, and states: “Gantz is emerging as a dedicated, down-to-earth public servant, who fulfills an important role in the checks and balances system of decision making regarding Israel's security.”
[Amir Rappaport, Ronen Bergman and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]