Ma’ariv notes that "Ahmadinejad’s visit was not a turning point in Lebanese history, but it did serve as a reminder of the West’s failure in its attempts to sculpt trends in the Middle East." The author concludes: "Two American administrations wanted a democratic Lebanon. Bush tried to stop the Syrians with sanctions and by ignoring them, Obama tried dialogue. They both failed."
Yisrael Hayom argues that "The principle problem with Iran is not Ahmadinejad’s pathetic appearances in Lebanon but rather their nuclear laboratories and their enrichment factories."
The Jerusalem Post reflects on the Nobel Prize in medicine awarded earlier this month to Robert Edwards of Britain for the development of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and discusses the positive attitude shown by Judaism towards IVF and stem cell research as opposed to that of other religions, especially Catholicism. The editor states that "Out of a pragmatic reverence for both life and healing, Judaism allows stem cell research as well as IVFs. Perhaps Catholicism should reconsider its position in light of Judaism’s teachings."
Haaretz examines the logic behind the recent government decision to build 240 housing units in Jerusalem neighborhoods east of the Green Line, and declares: "The only explanation is an attempt to sabotage the efforts to renew direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians." The editor maintains that "Expanding construction beyond the Green Line puts Jerusalem at the center of international discussion," and also "contradicts the government’s goal of postponing any talks on the future of the city to as great an extent as possible," and calls on the government to "cease taking such unilateral steps, which not only lessen our chances of reaching a deal with the Palestinians, but also cause considerable diplomatic damage."
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