Yediot Aharonot rejects the theory being proffered by Moamar Gadhafi and Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, among others, that some kind of Western-Israeli conspiracy is behind the current wave of unrest in the Arab world. The author cites Daoud Al-Sharian, a correspondent for the London-based Al-Hayat, who says that, "It could be that some strata in the Arab world would be happy to buy this theory, but it would be more correct to talk about the rot of the Arab regimes that brought with them poverty, inaction and corruption." The paper declares that "Conspiracy theories always constitute a barrier against any development because they deliver responsibility and involvement over to unknown elements. Thus the freeze in Arab thought prevents any serious dealing with the ills of Arab societies. Thus the Arab leaders tell themselves that Israel is responsible for their lag. But the unrest breaking out tells the true story of oppression, unemployment, ignorance and corruption. True, the change will not come in the short term but there is certainly hope."
Haaretz writes: "A number of recent incidents involving well-known figures prove once again that prejudicial views continue to fester underneath the surface. The latest incident involved John Galliano, a Paris-based designer who was at the helm of Christian Dior. Considering his standing in the industry, Dior’s response to the incident was determined and courageous: The company fired the British designer. In 2011, the need to stand on guard against hatred of Jews is no less urgent now than it has ever been, particularly if the person expressing such hatred is a celebrity."
Ma’ariv reminds its readers that Israel’s enemies are currently marking "Israel Apartheid Week" on college campuses around the world and believes that "Regrettably, we provide them with more than a little ammunition in the form of anti-Arab draft laws, rabbis’ racist letters and undiplomatic statements by the Foreign Minister." The author charges that the campaign to delegitimize Israel "is a threat no less tangible than the Iranian nuclear project," but points out that not only is responsibility for dealing with divided among several ministries but that "the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry budget is NIS 40 million, a little over 1% of the state budget." The paper suggests that "ignoring the delegitimization campaign and choosing not to deal with the questions it raises regarding unhealthy processes within our society on the excuse that ‘They’re all anti-Semites’ would be one of the worst mistakes we could possibly make. First of all, the State of Israel must remember what it is and on the basis of which principles it was founded. Then, it must deal with the campaign of delegitimization. It’s time to wake up."
Yisrael Hayom contends that the facts that many Latin American countries have recognized a Palestinian state and that Brazil has sought a more active role in the Middle East, partly stem from Israel’s neglect of Latin America in its approach to foreign affairs. The author calls on the Government and the Foreign Ministry to pay far more attention to the region.
The Jerusalem Post comments on the successful premiere of the Trophy, the new Israeli tank defense system: "Trophy intercepted the RPG with a neutralizer and blew up the incoming projectile in mid-air. This was the first time that antitank fire had been successfully intercepted under real combat zone conditions, as distinct from controlled trials. The proven effectiveness of the Israeli breakthrough is a game-changer and as such is extremely good news – not only for us. The Trophy is perceived as the harbinger of the future in ground warfare, being the first operational active defense system, and capable of granting Israel a new strategic advantage."
[Linda Menuchin, Liad Modrik and Yaakov Ahimeir wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]