(Government Press Office)
Haaretz discusses the visit to Israel of U.S. Senator Barack Obama, and concludes that to survive as a Jewish and democratic state, Israel needs an American leader who does not fear the reaction of American Jews and non-Jews who do not believe in dividing the land to reconcile its two peoples.
The Jerusalem Post strongly criticizes the bias of international organizations, especially the UN Human Rights Council and its new president Richard Falk, and states that Israel cannot afford to underrate the significance of international law in creating a climate of opinion. It must instead insist that if the UN and its members are serious about preventing a further degradation of the rule of international law, the blatant anti-Israel bias must be dropped.
Yediot Aharonot opines that "Israel declared war on the wrong enemy. The reality is that Hezbollah and 'those who oppose it' are well coordinated in a fraudulent act, in which Hezbollah is presented as 'the bad guys' and the Lebanese Government as 'the good guys.'" The editors believe that "The only way to prevent another war is to declare that if it should breakout, Lebanon is liable to be razed to its foundations."
Ma'ariv laments that Israeli Arabs who oppose terrorist attacks are none-the-less looked upon in suspicion that they are capable of perpetrating an attack. It seems to the editors that "If Israelis are honest with themselves they would understand that perhaps part of this affliction of misunderstanding is seeped in prejudices, patronization and disregard, and in a lack of trust toward Arab-Israelis." The paper believes that "If each side would take upon itself fix what needs to be fixed, we may be able to attain peace and co-existence much quicker than any of us would believe."
[Giora Eiland and Jawdat Ibrahim wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Ma'ariv, respectively.]