Yediot Aharonot asks: "When Jordan’s King Abdullah II, under pressure of the democratic revolution, will need to dismantle the monarchy and hold free elections, who will hold a parliamentary majority in Amman?" and suggests "According to all of the experts – the Palestinians."
Ma’ariv notes that "The elections in Turkey are over, the Marmara will remain in dock, and Erdogan is expressing a bold and active stance against Assad." The author declares that "This is the moment for Israel to demonstrate its humanity by offering its assistance in the absorption of Syrian refugees in Turkey, with logistical and medical assistance and whatever Erdogan needs to get through the crisis."
Yisrael Hayom says that "Countries do not go bankrupt. That, at least, was the accepted theory. Is it possible to even imagine that the US, the world’s largest economy (twice as large as China’s) will follow in the footsteps of Greece and Portugal? Both the US’ internal and the deficits have reached unprecedented proportions and are continuing to expand. And what would happen to the dollar if the US President reached the conclusion that it can no longer meet its [fiscal] obligations?" The author cites Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen: "’It’s highly unlikely that Obama’s Middle East policy, perceived or actual, will cost him re-election. The economy, though, is a different matter.’"
The Jerusalem Post talks of the mounting threats against Israel, and states that “Too few key players in the international community fully appreciate the kind of alarming dangers facing Israel.” The editor declares: “too often, a blind eye is turned to the lethal stockpiles amassed against Israel, even as unconscionable efforts are intensified to tarnish Israel, ostracize it and turn it into a global pariah,” and notes that while daily developments in this region suggest that the momentum is shifting away from normalization with our neighbors, “Primarily blaming Israel for this reversal, though it might be convenient, simply does not square with an objective assessment of what is unfolding in today’s Middle East.”
Haaretz notes the public protest against the hike in the price of cottage cheese, and bemoans the fact that while they Israelis are willing to protest increases in the price of basic commodities, “Few have protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failed policies, the diplomatic stalemate, Israel’s international isolation or settlement expansion.” The editor states that “consumer protests, for all their importance, just exemplify public apathy on crucial issues that will influence the future much more than the price of cottage cheese,” and calls on the opposition to “lead the fight to save the country from the disaster it is destined to face due to the prime minister’s recalcitrance. Because when we hit the wall, no one will care anymore about the price of cottage cheese.”
[Sever Plocker, Linda Menuchin and Zalman Shoval wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]