(Government Press Office)
Haaretz criticizes tacit governmental approval of what it terms creeping annexation by rightwing religious groups of parts of the Arab neighborhoods surrounding East Jerusalem, and comments that President Bush, as a close friend of the Israelis, is not permitted to stand on the sidelines while their government is playing with matches next to a barrel of explosives.
The Jerusalem Post states that in the Arab's view, the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is not about borders. In a detailed review of the history of the Middle East in the last 90 years and of the Israeli-Arab conflict, the editor states that once the Palestinians declare their dispute with us is about borders, everything else will fall into place.
Ma'ariv asserts that, after yesterday's GRAD rocket hit on the busy Hutzot mall in Ashkelon, an extensive military operation in Gaza is inevitable: "As things looked last night, another step has been taken which will shortly lead to significant IDF forces deep inside the Gaza Strip".
Yediot Aharonot claims that "The Government has forgotten that it has a central mission: To safeguard the State's citizens and not try to satisfy the Americans, Egyptians and Europeans."
[Amir Rapoport and Alex Fishman wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Ma'ariv, respectively. Makor Rishon-Hatzofeh was unavailable today.]