(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv refers to a recent Knesset study which indicated a high rate of negative migration from the periphery over the past decade. The author, who is Mayor of Maalot-Tarshiha and the Chairman of the Union of Local Authorities, calls for increased investment in transportation, education and social welfare, employment and housing in order to reverse this trend.

Yediot Aharonot reminds its readers that ahead of the recent Cabinet decision to approve – in principle – the release of Palestinian terrorists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted, "'From time to time, prime ministers are called on to make decisions that go against public opinion – when the matter is important for the country'," and adds, "Almost at the same time, he declared that on the issue of an agreement with the Palestinians a referendum is necessary, thus allowing public opinion to override the position of the Prime Minister and even the Knesset." The author, a former Justice Minister, remarks, "Even though consistency and politics have never really gone together, the Prime Minister's simultaneous presentation of contradictory views is still a milestone."

Yisrael Hayom notes that Israel has been very tight-lipped about yesterday's incident on the Lebanese border in which four IDF soldiers were injured and says that, "As long as there is no official statement, it is possible to go on like it never happened or, at least, did not happen in a way that necessitates a response." The author suggests that, "The action was carried out in a place where Israel did not want to be caught," in order to forestall some hostile activity, most likely by Hezbollah.

The Jerusalem Post comments on the political situation in Turkey: "Over the decades since modern Turkey’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, rescued his country from Ottoman decay, it was Turkey’s military that defended his progressive constitution and prevented the reemergence of Muslim clerical domination. Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan was one of the most vociferous critics of the overthrow of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi. He and Morsi were cut from the same Islamist cloth and both steadily began a phased anti-military purge. Erdogan now aims to run for president, since he cannot continue for another term as prime minister. Accordingly, he aims to change the rules of the game and make the presidency more potent. Erdogan’s party, which rose on a strident anti-corruption campaign, is perceived as more corrupt than its predecessors. In this region liberal secularists put their trust in the military, whereas the forces of Islam are its hardly democratic adversaries. The West – Israel included – needs to decide with whom it would rather do business, or with whom it can do business in Turkey."

Haaretz criticizes government policy on migrant workers: "The so-called voluntary repatriation procedure seems to be a function of Israel's desire to deport African migrants, rather than the migrants' desire to return home. It’s not clear why the state, after stopping the stream of migrants into Israel by building a fence, is insisting – with the attorney general's support – on denying refugees and migrants already here a dignified way of life. Instead of letting them work and make a living, which would keep them away from crime and let them rent apartments in less-congested places, the state imposes harsh employment restrictions on them, which perpetuate the distress of both migrants and local people."

[Shlomo Bohbot, Daniel Friedmann and Yoav Limor wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]