(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv says: "In this story, there are no saints," and adds: "Among all the groups, the Assad regime is terrible. It has perpetrated war crimes. It is supported by Iran and Hezbollah. But it is not clear if it is worse, because in the Middle East, the alternative is usually worse. In Egypt, they are already missing Mubarak. In another few months, so it seems, it is likely, very likely, it won't be just the Syrians who are missing Assad." The author concludes: "Obama promised. He is liable to be seen as a barking dog if he does not intervene. And in Israel there are those who are hastening to claim that if he does not intervene in Syria immediately, he will not keep his word regarding Iran. This is not a serious claim. It is neither the same story nor the same circumstances. Therefore, unless there is classified information that justifies intervention, it would be preferable for Obama to explain that circumstances have changed and that there is no reason in the world to support bringing the jihadists to power [in Syria]. Sometimes, only sometimes, leaders need not carry out what they have promised. Apparently, the Syrian story is one of those times."

Yediot Aharonot suggests that "The US administration really does not want to intervene in Syria, like it did not want to intervene in Egypt or Libya. From Obama's point-of-view, the dangers of becoming entangled are too harsh." However, the author states that the US and Western strategy of enunciating a red line in the hope that the mere fact of doing so would deter Assad from ever crossing it, has failed. The paper derides the US appeal for a UN investigation as a blatant delaying tactic and, recalling the UN refusal to intervene in Rwanda despite abundant proof of the genocide being perpetrated there, suggests that the US administration "begin wording the apology that will be issued in another decade or two, in which forgiveness is requested from the tens of thousands of Syrians who died because nobody came to their aid."

Yisrael Hayom believes that the Obama administration is reluctant to intervene in Syria for three reasons: "First, because in Syria it is not at all clear that aiding the rebels would really help the good guys and not, let's say, Al Qaida jihadists who want to establish Sunni emirates in Syria and Iraq. Second, because Iraq is deeply etched in the American memory and if one is going to war because of weapons of mass destruction, as then, then there should be clear proof this time. And third, because Obama is the president who ends wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) and not one who opens new fronts."

Haaretz notes that “the U.S. administration has accepted the public assertion of Israeli intelligence sources that chemical weapons have been used by elements in President Bashar Assad's regime against civilians in Syria.” The editor believes that “Obama does not want to be sucked into a Syrian war whose outcome and impacts cannot be predicted,” and adds: “Israel has a supreme security interest in preventing chemical weapons and advanced missiles from spilling over to Hezbollah or global jihadists. It is right for Israel to act to preserve the taboo on the use of gases, but Israel must not be seen as intervening in the question of American involvement.”

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The Jerusalem Post discusses the legislative initiative that will prohibit illegal migrants from transferring funds abroad, and states that “These restrictions might appear harsh but are essentially unavoidable.” The editor declares: “Whether or not we feel sympathy for the untold thousands of illegal migrants who infiltrate Israel, it cannot be denied that this influx has created festering problems that are liable to swell further,” and asserts: “Contrary to assertions by human rights advocates, the overwhelming majority of the infiltrators are not refugees but economic migrants hankering for the good life of the First World, creating an exponentially magnifying demographic dangers to the Jewish state.”

[Ben-Dror Yemini, Ronen Bergman and Boaz Bismout wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]