(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv discusses the recent "David HaNahlawi" phenomenon. The author asserts that "The incredible response to the 'David HaNahlawi' Facebook campaign must be taken seriously by the decision-makers," and adds: "In a world in which the ability to bury ideas has been made almost impossible, the attempt to conceal, hide and ban the use of the web borders on the impossible." The paper notes that among those joining in the campaign were "high school students (the next generation of soldiers), and police and defense establishment personnel," and advises: "It will be good if the military and political leaderships understand that this is a phenomenon that touches broad strata of Israeli society," and respond accordingly.

Yediot Aharonot questions why Israel has been reluctant to criticize Russia over its arms sales to, and support for, the Assad regime in Syria and why Israel abstained in a late March US-backed UN General Assembly vote in support of Ukraine. The author says that Israel's ties with Russia and the Putin administration must not be at the expense of its ties with the US and the Obama administration.

Yisrael Hayom strongly criticizes recent actions by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, especially in wake of the recent mine disaster in the town of Soma. The author says: "The man has ceased to surprise [us]. He already proved the strength of his indifference vis-à-vis the major demonstrations against him last June, when he simply got up and went abroad like someone brushing off crumbs, which only increased the criticism and outrage against him, until he put down the demonstrations with an iron fist." The paper remarks that "The considerable number of journalists behind bars may infuriate the world, but it really doesn't bother Erdogan, and when the general prosecution uncovers severe corruption in government, which reaches into his house, he has no problem in replacing the prosecutors and changing the laws." The author believes that his party's success in the recent local elections shows that "he has, in effect, no rival that threatens him despite the growing public criticism of him," but speculates: "
Perhaps the 300 dead are liable to confront him with a political threat of a kind that has yet to be placed before the man who promised a few days ago that he is likely to win his country's presidency in a walk."

The Jerusalem Post notes: “Following the breakdown in talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has embarked on a ‘brainstorming’ effort to explore alternative policy options,” one of which is the annexation Area C. The editor believes that annexation is a bad idea for Israel, and calls instead to improve the living conditions of the Palestinians, a move that “enjoys the backing of both the Left and the Right, precisely because it improves the chances that any arrangement – one-state or two-state – will succeed.”

Haaretz criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of harnessing anti-Semitism “to justify his stubborn refusal to come to an agreement with the Palestinians and avoid the emergence of a binational state here,” and adds: “Rather than recognize the suffering of another people and thus pave the way to genuine reconciliation, he prefers to ride the fragments of hatred and present the other side as rejecting peace.”