(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv notes that the Palestinians who murdered Seraya Ofer last month referred to their deed as "'a gift' to the Palestinian people," and asks: "How long will the Palestinians prefer to receive gifts in the form of murdered Jews, while deceiving Israel and the US, instead of finally realizing that they will never be able to receive everything that they are asking for in the negotiations?" The author also asks, "How long will we and our allies hide our heads in the sand and ignore Palestinian hatred and violence?" and concludes: "What a pity that Israel did not announce, immediately after the murder of a sleeping soldier on a bus in Afula, that ending the release of prisoners was a condition for continuing the talks. The time has come for Israel to set clear and unequivocal conditions – and stick to them – in the face of the Palestinians' hypocrisy, just as it is doing in the struggle against Iran's nuclear ambition."

Yediot Aharonot urges the Government to do something about high housing costs. The author asks: "Why are we silent when young people just out of the IDF try their luck overseas?" and asserts: "These young people are the younger siblings of those who have gone back to live with their parents because they have been unable to buy apartments." The paper comments that "Zionism and the values that we pump into their veins will not help. They are not masochists: They want a reasonable standard of living for themselves and it is their right to ask for it – and receive it."

Yisrael Hayom says that the applause received by French President Francois Hollande in the Knesset yesterday "was in response to France's position from about ten days ago [in the P5+1 talks with Iran]," but adds: "Jerusalem is well aware that the chance that the French will thwart a new agreement are slim." The author suggests that "France would like to exploit its position in the Arab world in order to boost its influence," especially in light of the fact that "Washington is leaving behind it an enormous vacuum in the Sunni world."

The Jerusalem Post comments on Israeli humanitarian aid efforts in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, provided in the most part by the IDF, and states: “For a while, at least, the world has glimpsed a completely different facet of the IDF, not one of war and strife but of compassion and caring, efficiency and humanitarian help.”

Haaretz discusses the contempt shown by the State in its non-compliance to rulings by the High Court of Justice, and states: “Most cases in which the state ignored court decisions or delayed implementing them concerned the rights of weak populations, such as Palestinians in the territories, Arab citizens, migrant workers and now also asylum seekers. This demonstrates not only contempt and damage to the rule of law, but also discrimination against people for whom the rule of law is their only protection.” The editor believes that “The fact that the state itself is emptying court decisions of their content constitutes a real danger to democracy; it threatens to undermine civil and social order,” and asks: “How can the state demand that its citizens obey the law and respect court rulings when the state itself does not?”