(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv notes the lack of information about the ongoing peace talks with the Palestinians and suggests: "The problem with us is that nobody is betting that anything will come out of these talks and, what is worse, nobody cares." The author believes that the current government "will do everything so that there will not be a diplomatic agreement," and ventures that Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who, ostensibly, is responsible for the peace talks is not politically strong enough to fight the right-wing elements in the coalition.

Yediot Aharonot comments on the release of an additional 26 Palestinian terrorists and believes that "The Prime Minister reached a situation in which he had to pay in order to sit with the Palestinians. But he chose a form of payment that he should not have." The author adds: "Even if he decided to pay in order to talk, and it is clear that he should have chosen something reversible; he has already frozen construction without getting anything in return. If the talks fail, the way is open before him to go back and build. It is very likely that nothing will come from the talks, and what then? The murderers will continue to party."

Yisrael Hayom discusses Turkey and says that many officials in both the US and Europe are wondering if, given the policies and actions of Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (including the rift with Israel, the decision to 'out' Mossad agents in Iran and purchase air defense systems from China, among many others), there is any practical meaning left to Turkey's membership in NATO. The author believes that whereas Washington now views Turkey as a suspect ally, the Europeans will not allow Turkey to join the EU, the revival of talks on the issue notwithstanding.

The Jerusalem Post believes that “Israel had compelling reasons to avoid any dealings with the misnamed UN Human Rights Council,” and feels there was no particular reason for Israel’s about face last Tuesday, despite the “excruciating pressure on Israel to cooperate with the UNHRC, lest it be seen as setting a precedent for rogue regimes” exerted by fellow democracies.

Haaretz is enraged by the recent disclosure of the excessive pensions funded by the state budget for senior officials, and asserts: “High inequality in the Israeli economy a result not just of excessive salaries at the top of publicly traded companies, but also from the gaps in pensions between the 300 happy retirees and the tens of thousands who receive small monthly pensions.”