(Israel Government Press Office)
Ma'ariv claims that, as the Government discusses the cuts in the as-yet-unapproved 2013 state budget, Israel can ill-afford universal support payments, such as subsidies for children and the elderly, for those Israelis with sufficient income from other sources.
Yisrael Hayom discusses a reported upcoming major cyber attack on leading Israeli websites. The author calls on the authorities to take the threat seriously and be prepared; however, he contends, "Regrettably, we are not hearing from the National Cyber Bureau and it does not appear that it is playing a major role in instructing webmasters and the surfing public on what to do and what not to do."
Haaretz comments on the “Lessons of Israel’s natural gas,” and notes that “The flow of natural gas from the Tamar offshore field exemplifies the potential fruits of a partnership between the state and private entrepreneurship, but also its risks.” The editor believes that “There is nothing wrong with private-public partnerships for economic development,” but adds: “the transfer in exchange of rights to natural resources and national assets require the utmost caution and attention in order to guarantee the public interest also on the day after the partnership has been crowned a success.”
The Jerusalem Post discusses the reopening of the Tair Rada case, more than two years after the conviction of handyman Roman Zadorov for the 2006 murder of the 13-year-old girl in Katzrin, and states that “The court’s intervention must be welcomed by all Israelis who care to see justice served.” The editor believes that “In the Zadorov instance, too many doubts have lingered, including the problematic confession and reenactment by a suspect who barely spoke Hebrew. The handling of forensic evidence was sloppy in the extreme and some potentially critical clues were altogether neglected because of fixation on Zadorov,” and asserts: “regardless of what the ultimate judicial review produces, it is good that it will take place because not only must justice be done, it must be seen to be done.”
[Guy Maroz, Emanuel Rosen and Ilan Gatniv wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]