Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Today’s issues: The Sunni-Shi’ite divide, the Wild West comes to Tel Aviv, a wakeup call for the public, and the real danger to Europe.

The Jerusalem Post comments on the conflagration between Sunni and Shi’ite Moslems in the Middle East, and argues that the strongly held belief that it is advantageous when one’s enemies are at war with one another is not a valid contention in this case. The author contends that it is “absurd it is to talk of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the catalyst of all that goes wrong in the Middle East,” and asserts: “It is the Sunni-Shi’ite divide, more than any other factor, that is driving unrest in the region, and clashes between Shi’ites and Sunnis are not an Israeli interest.”

Haaretz slams ‘the rifle brigade chorus,’ irresponsible politicians who call for an increase in the number of weapons held by the public, a demand that is aired whenever a problematic security situation arises, and asserts that the current call is intended to “divert attention from the Netanyahu government’s responsibility for the fear shrouding Israel’s citizens and its haplessness in dealing with the deteriorating security situation.” The editor contends that the politicians are willing to import the 19th-century Wild West into 21st-century Tel Aviv, and states: “The knowledge that Israel is led by reckless hotheads exacerbates the feelings of depression among a frustrated public, already contending with murderous attacks and the lack of any hope for change. Populist proposals like this merely intensify such feelings.”

Yediot Aharonot believes that the decision to exclude Dorit Rabinyan’s book ‘Borderlife,’ which deals with a love story between an Israeli woman and a Palestinian man, is reminiscent of growing problem of bigotry in Israeli society, and is symptomatic  “of the slow-but-steady takeover of extremist, racist worldviews.”  The author is outraged that we are being told that we must teach our children that Jewish and Arab blood must not be mixed, and declares: “Of all the books in the world, which deal with complex subjects like murder, adultery, corruption, immorality – some of which our children read when studying for their matriculation exams – this book, which deals with love, in particular, was disqualified by the Education Ministry.”

Israel Hayom warns of the Muslim Brotherhood dream of forming a total Islamic state in Europe, and points out that the hidden danger for Europe is not the terrorist attacks, which do not significantly alter the foundations of a society, but rather the plan for the occupation of Europe, which, for now, does not include violence or explicit threats. The author states: “In both Israel and Europe, the only way to stop the vision of Islamic political takeover of the world from coming to be is to address the root of the problem and to outlaw Muslim education that preaches Islamic conquest — not just that which preaches Islamic violence.”

[Sima Kadmon and Ephraim Herrera wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot and Israel Hayom, respectively.]