Yediot Aharonot believes that evidence that the regional tension between peoples and rulers has impacted Jordan may be seen in the fact Jordanian Justice Minister Hussein Majali, though in office only 10 days, has already "embroiled the King in a diplomatic incident with Israel." The author notes that "In his previous position, as head of the Bar Association, Majali did not hide his hostility towards the peace agreement and cooperation of any kind" with Israel. The paper says that a second sign of possible disquiet in Jordan was the letter that 36 Bedouin tribal leaders sent to King Abdallah II in which they called on him to, "deal with" Queen Rania, who is of Palestinian background. Regarding Justice Minister Majali, the author asserts that "He can spout slogans from now until tomorrow but he does not have the authority to secure a pardon for the murderous soldier," and adds that the newly-appointed Jordan Prime Minister, a former general and ambassador to Israel, is well-acquainted with the 1997 Naharayim massacre. The paper notes the state of the Jordanian economy and calls on the Obama administration to underscore its support for the Hashemite monarchy and for Jordan as a long-standing ally.
Ma’ariv reminds its readers that "Against the background of the impressive warming up of relations between Greece and Israel, the Mayor of Thessaloniki wants to recall its splendid Jewish history," and notes that "He intends to invest in a Jewish museum in Thessaloniki that will be dedicated to the glorious Jewish community, which numbers only around 1,300 today." The author points out that the rapprochement between Athens and Jerusalem is in stark contrast to "the chill in relations between Ankara and Jerusalem."
Yisrael Hayom refers to yesterday’s demonstrations in Iran and notes that, unlike 2009, US President Barack Obama expressed strong and unequivocal support for the demonstrators. The author avers that "In Iran, there exist all five reasons that brought about the popular uprising in Egypt: Increasing poverty, an unrestrained rise in the cost-of-living, growing unemployment (especially among the young and academics), institutionalized corruption and continuous rule by failing clerics for 32 years." The paper cautions that "The Iranian regime will not fall tomorrow but one may assume that it is also on the road to collapse."
The Jerusalem Post calls on the international community to support the new wave of protests in Iran, and states: “Led by the US, the international community must lend its support to the mass of Iranians straining to be freed from the regime’s benighted and ruthless clutches.”
Haaretz suggests that in contrast to its usual policy, Israel should “view the changes in the Middle East as an opportunity and to preemptively propose a diplomatic initiative – one that will make it clear to the Arab states, and to the entire world, that it is ready to be part of the new reality” that rumbling across the Middle East.
[Semadar Peri, Nadav Eyal and Menashe Amir wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]