Editorials 22 March 2015

Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press

  • 3/22/2015
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    Today’s issues: Iranian involvement in South America, the threat of an assault on the rule of law, Netanya and the world’s leaders, the real winner of the elections and will Kahlon live up to his election promises?
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    ​The Jerusalem Post reviews Iranian involvement in events in South America, beginning with the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires 23 years ago, and notes: “we should remember that Iran’s nefarious influence in South America and elsewhere is not a lesson of history. It remains a living reality.” The editor asserts that “The P5+1 nations have a moral obligation to take this into account as they negotiate with the Islamic Republic the terms of a nuclear weapons deal. If an Iran devoid of nuclear weapons has succeeded so well in making its evil influence felt throughout the world, we dare not imagine what this influence will be when the mullahs have the benefit of a nuclear umbrella.”

    Haaretz believes the outcome of Tuesday’s elections heralds an “assault on the rule of law and independence of the Supreme Court,” which intensified during the term of the outgoing government, and states: “[PM] Netanyahu must stop attacks on Israel's 
legal system.”  The editor avers that “Until now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also put a halt to most of the initiatives designed at harming the legal system and the Supreme Court,” but adds: “That, however, is not enough . . . If Netanyahu wants to show he is committed to the judiciary, he has to translate his words into action.”

     

    Yediot Aharonot declares: “Netanyahu's moment of truth has arrived,” and affirms: “After winning 30 Knesset seats in the elections, Netanyahu must now deal with the world's leaders, who took the things he said seriously, especially on the last days of the election campaign in which he basically ‘siphoned’ the other right-wing parties' seats.” The author states: “Mr. Prime Minister, the international community is waiting to hear how you plan to promise millions of Palestinians their rights to self-determination,” and adds: “In any event, for our sake, you should decide where Israel is headed to before the world imposes its solution on us.” 


    Yisrael Hayom     notes: “the real winner in this election is the people, and with it the democracy that is supposed to serve them faithfully,” and adds: “The people -- and the people alone -- should be saluted, the people of Israel and the citizens of Israel, who are responsible for this victory, who successfully protected Israeli democracy.” 


    Globes wonders: “Can Kahlon halt the rise in real estate prices?” and points out that “The construction industry is not the mobile telephony industry, and Moshe Kahlon will not find it easy to keep his [election campaign] promises.”     

    [Shimon Shiffer, Omer Dostri and Moshe Lichtman wrote today's articles in Yediot Aharonot, Yisrael Hayom and Globes, respectively.]