Itongadol.- Ma\’ariv believes that "In his great distress over the alliance between [Yesh Atid leader Yair] Lapid and [Jewish Home leader Naftali] Bennett, and in his desire to establish a government with the ultra-orthodox, the Prime Minister was ready to give Livni whatever she wanted," and speculates that in such a government, without Yesh Atid and Jewish Home, nothing would change vis-à-vis a more equitable sharing of the burden, easing the plight of the middle class, the number of ministers, etc. The author doubts that the Prime Minister will honor his agreement with Livni, dismisses the possibility of substantial progress toward a peace agreement with the Palestinians and wonders "How could an intelligent woman like Tzipi Livni buy Netanyahu\’s promises and be prepared to toss him the lifeline he so desperately needs?" The paper suggests that while Likud-Beytenu would lose seats in any new election, the Movement Party would disappea r altogether.
Yediot Aharonot suggests that any legislation on a more equitable sharing of the burden, in order to be genuinely effective, will have to include "economic penalties for non-service which are so severe that many ultra-orthodox will decide to leave the ghetto walls, mix with others, study [and] work."
Yisrael Hayom speculates that Prime Minister Netanyahu – as he goes about forming a coalition with the Movement, Kadima and the ultra-orthodox parties – is hoping that pressure from religious Zionist rabbis and from within Naftali Bennett\’s own Jewish Home party will compel the latter to abandon his pact with Yair Lapid and join the coalition.
The Jerusalem Post discusses the warning issued this week by Knesset Legal Adviser Eyal Yinon regarding abuse by Knesset members of the immunity granted them, and asserts: “The spectacle of MKs thumbing their noses at the law when it suits their agenda is not only bad for the country. It is doubly disastrous for the Knesset, because when the Knesset loses the trust of other government branches, it will undermine its own ability to oversee and to influence.”
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Haaretz comments on the appointment of Tzipi Livni as justice minister, and states: “Awaiting the new justice minister are several important decisions relating to the robustness of the rule of law.” The editor opines: “An important test for her will be whether she can restore the stature of the state prosecution, which has been under constant attack,” and, with regard to appointments to the Supreme Cour,t states: “Preserving the custom of seniority in choosing the next court president and coming to understandings with the court president on appointments of additional justices will be another important test of Livni\’s term.”