(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv discusses the recent terrorist bombings in the Russian city of Volgograd. The author suggests that "There are demons hiding under the glitter with which the Putin regime has covered Russia," and adds: "It is hard to count the demons - there are the wars in Chechenya, Dagestan and Ingushetia - and their effects on their populations." The author notes that "The Chechens and Dagestanis have promised to disrupt the Sochi Winter Olympics," and says: "The Kremlin's dilemma is clear: Opening a major operation in Dagestan is likely to give a bad smell to the Sochi Olympics and lead to escalation. Refraining from such an operation is likely to lead to the terrorists trying to attack the soft underbelly of Russia and really threaten the Olympics. Putin will have to decide soon."

Yediot Aharonot reminds its readers that "Gas revenues worth hundreds of billions of dollars will enter state coffers in the coming years," and says that Israel should invest these funds in pressing socio-economic concerns, health and education, as well as in building new housing for the residents of "the isolated settlements that will be evacuated quickly in the near future."

Yisrael Hayom discusses the recent upsurge in violence in, and emanating from, Judea and Samaria and asserts: "Only a simpleton would believe that after the establishment of a Palestinian state, its leaders and security forces would be more effective or determined in preventing terrorism and aggression than they are now." The author suggests that "It could be that the violence of recent weeks has come at exactly the right time to dispel delusions, if there are any, and to bolster the Israeli demand, which was approved in the 1978 Camp David outline, for a permanent security presence in the future Palestinian entity." The paper concludes: "There are those among us who tend to belittle the importance of strategic depth and physical barriers in the age of missiles and cyber, but the opposite is true given the cramped territory and long borders of the State of Israel."

The Jerusalem Post relates to the bill proposing to annex the Jordan Valley, which was backed by Likud, Yisrael Beytenu and Bayit Yehudi ministers, and states: “it hardly seems an opportune time for our ministers to advance legislation that gives the impression that Israel, not the Palestinians, is the intransigent party in the negotiations.” The editor adds: “Ultimately, however, the future of the Jordan Valley must be determined by the cabinet and by the prime minister,” and asserts: “Staging what will most likely be nothing more than a symbolic hawkish ministerial vote to annex the Jordan Valley does more harm than good.”

Haaretz is critical of the Israeli artillery response to recent the firing of Katyusha rockets from Lebanon into Israel, and points out that “there often isn’t a clearly identifiable source for the shooting. The men who fired the rockets Sunday surely disappeared long before the IDF retaliated with artillery at targets that were determined in advance and presumably had no real connection to the rocket launchers.” The editor states: “it’s doubtful whether the message from Jerusalem is being absorbed by Beirut the way Netanyahu wants,” and asserts: “The Israeli response this time, as earlier, is akin to firing in the air, lacking both direction and a target.”