(Israel Government Press Office)

Yediot Aharonot suggests that "It is still possible to reach the two-state solution in the Middle East, but it is doubtful if this possibility will exist as long as there is no leader in Israel who would put the stability of Netanyahu's chair at risk." The author believes: "Obama, so it seems, has completely adopted the Palestinian position," and says that he will try to extract either "a quiet freeze on construction in settlements outside the blocs," or "the release of hundreds of additional Palestinian prisoners," in order "to extend the gasping life of the diplomatic negotiations." The paper concludes: "At the weekend, when Netanyahu returns to Israel, he will be able to present the warm words he heard from President Obama and brandish them as proof of his good links with Washington. But afterwards he will discover that the tango must still be danced and that for this he needs to reach understandings with the Palestinian dancer."

Yisrael Hayom says that despite President Obama's recent interview with Jeffrey Goldberg and the Central Bureau of Statistics' announcement regarding the accelerated pace of housing starts in Judea and Samaria, "Any balanced understanding shows that Abu Mazen is a peace rejectionist, towards both Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert," as well. The author avers that "It is not clear why the right-wing in the coalition does not give Netanyahu more leeway to be more generous – verbally and tactically – so that Israel might win the current round, of 'Who is to blame?', as it did under Barak and Olmert." The paper calls on Prime Minister Netanyahu to reach an understanding with Washington and concludes: "In the choice between Naftali Bennett and Barack Obama, Netanyahu would do well for Israel if he puts cooperation with the American President ahead of dialogue with his Economy Minister. He knows this too."

The Jerusalem Post believes that US President Obama’s recent interview with Bloomberg’s Jeffrey Goldberg, which was published just before Prime Minister Netanyahu’s arrival in Washington, was intended as “a bombshell aimed, apparently, at pressuring Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu into accepting Washington’s proposed framework agreement.” Noting PA President Abbas’ reluctance to accept the American framework agreement, the editor wonders “whether the US framework agreement will provide a basis for a future peace agreement that finally ends the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” and concludes: “We certainly hope it does.”

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Ma'ariv refers to the Crimean crisis and says: "While nobody expects America to send military forces to Ukraine in order to fight Russia, the current steps – vain threats of economic sanctions and ejecting Russia from the G8 – do not contribute to deterring the Russians. They only underscore how ineffectual the US and the European countries are in dealing with the crisis." The author asserts: "Dealing with Russia calls for thinking outside the box, the kind that will cause Putin to pay a price on his most sensitive issue – his personal standing," and adds: "Undermining his standing among the Russian public, especially the bureaucratic and political elites, will make it clear to the Russian President that international adventurism is liable to lead to troubles at home. At the same time, those forces that currently benefit from the Putin dictatorship will begin to feel that Putin does not represent their and Russia's solution, but is the problem. From Moscow's point-of-view, this will be a genuine cause for concern."

Haaretz calls on the government to abolish the proposed amendment to the Prisons Ordinance permitting the forceful feeding of hunger-striking prisoners and detainees, and states that there’s a strong suspicion that the government’s true motivation “is not concern for the life of the prisoner or detainee, but a desire to counter an act of political protest that has proven effective.”  The editor points out that The World Medical Association’s Declaration of Tokyo (1975) and the WMA’s Declaration of Malta (1991) both state that one may not force-feed a prisoner, and adds: “instead of sticking to these guidelines, the government is trying to find roundabout ways to quell a protest.”

[Shimon Shiffer, Dan Margalit and Eli Avidar wrote today's articles in Yediot Aharonot, Yisrael Hayom and Ma'ariv respectively.]