(Israel Government Press Office)

Ma'ariv suggests that "The attack, which is being attributed to the air force, fits in with what the Chief-of-Staff said during a visit to the Golan Heights Sunday morning that Israel would continue its policy of preventing Hezbollah from arming itself with strategically significant weapons," and reminds its readers that "Israel's policy is not to allow the transfer of strategically significant weapons from Syria to Lebanon."

Yediot Aharonot believes that "If, this time, the Americans restrain themselves and do not leak – as per their sacred custom – who was behind it, there is a chance that this attack as well will end without even a protest from Syria or Lebanon." The author speculates that "Whoever attacked the Hezbollah weapons convoy apparently estimated that there would be no reaction from the other side," given that "The civil war in Syria has eroded the strength of the radical triangle, which constituted the main threat against Israel. As long as the Iranians, Syrians and Hezbollah live with the sense that President Assad's regime still has a chance of remaining in power, they have no interest in dragging Israel into the fire via a response that could get out of control and spark a regional war." The paper asks: "When will the other side reach its breaking point and feel either desperate enough or strong enough to return fire?" and answers: "Nobody can say, but each additional attack raises the price of the gamble."

Yisrael Hayom notes that "Yesterday, for the sixth time in the past year, an attack on war materiel in Syria, which was destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon, has been attributed to Israel," and says that the attack "comes after a long period of tension in the north regarding Hezbollah's repeated attempts to arm itself with advanced weaponry, with emphasis on longer-range, more accurate, missiles and rockets, as well as anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons." The author says the fact that neither Syria nor Hezbollah has said anything thus far indicates that neither one wishes to open an additional front against Israel, given that both are bogged down domestically. However, the paper asserts that not only is the effort to neutralize such weapons becoming more difficult, but that "The chance that the other side will, at some moment, decide to use them is constantly growing."

The Jerusalem Post observes that “Jerusalem cannot afford to ignore the situation due to the severe threat presented by the smuggling of advanced weapons from Syria to Hezbollah,” and asserts: “Israel must remain vigilant in the face of the challenges coming from the North.”

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Haaretz criticizes a new bill proposed by Likud MK Yariv Levin, according to which “Christian Arabs will have their own representatives on the advisory council mandated by the Equal Employment Opportunities Law,” and contends that the new bill “threatens to erode even further the concept of citizenship in Israel.” The editor quotes MK Levin, who differentiates between Christians and Muslim Arabs, because “Arabs are ‘Muslims who want to destroy the state from within,’” and notes that the true goal of the bill is “To grant separate representation and separate treatment to the Christian community, which will be distinguished from the Muslim Arabs.” The editor believes that “The unfortunate distinction between ‘good Arabs’ – Christians – and ‘bad Arabs’ – Muslims – not only reflects ignorance and racism, it does a great injustice to members of both religions who as minorities are not treated properly by the state,” and calls on the Knesset to “immediately halt legislation that crushes the country’s democratic foundations.”