Ma’ariv discusses the controversy over MK Hanin Zouabi, who was onboard the Mavi Marmara. The author believes that "Most Israeli Arabs are law-abiding and loyal," and adds that "Not all of them are Zouabi’s or [former MK Azmi] Bishara’s twins. According to polls, most Israeli Arabs would be willing to do national service." The paper believes that "Those who give an imprimatur to Bishara, Zouabi or [MK Jamal] Zahalka (who declared that Arabs who do national service are lepers) turn Israeli Arabs into lepers," and calls on the High Court of Justice to stop overturning Knesset House Committee decisions to disallow this or that list or candidate from running for the Knesset, based on Basic Law: The Knesset and the Parties Law, which permit lists and candidates that deny the Jewish and democratic character of the state of Israel, are racist or which support violence against the State. The author asserts that "Not everything is permissible in a democracy. One may express ideas that support the dismantling or elimination of the State of Israel, even in the guise of calling for a ‘unitary state’ or a ‘state of all its citizens’. One may oppose, conceptually, Israel’s existence as a Jewish and democratic state. One may protest and cause anger. But this is not to say that the State of Israel needs to permit those who hold these ideas to run for the Knesset, be appointed to chair university departments or receive public budgets to promote their insane agendas. The Knesset must again clarify the rules of the game: Yes to freedom of expression; no to affording approval and state assistance to those who advocate the elimination of the state. Zouabi has the right to continue preaching her venom, but not from the Knesset podium and not at state expense."
Yisrael Hayom notes the cooperation between the Turkish, Iranian and Syrian leaders at the recent Asian security conference in Istanbul and hopes that "Washington is beginning to understand that there is nobody to talk to in Ankara, Tehran and Damascus." The author says that "It may be that an international diplomatic situation has been created that obligates Israel to establish a commission of inquiry," but warns that "It would be a delusional mistake to think that a commission that discusses the issue fairly will placate Erdogan, Ahmadinejad and Ismail Haniyeh. There is nothing that worries them more than the victory of justice and supremacy of logic."
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The Jerusalem Post mourns the passing of Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu, one of the two most dominant Sephardi rabbinical leaders in contemporary times, and notes that the Rabbi "exemplified a strongly integrationist position" with regard to integration of Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. The editor concludes: "If this is Eliahu’s legacy, it is a worthy and important one."
Haaretz reflects on the fact that the world has changed, and countries that until now were considered great powers may no longer be so in the relatively near future. The editor feels that Israel "must give greater consideration to the wishes of the middling powers," and states that "Israel must sober up from the illusion that it can keep up a long-term policy that ignores most of the world."
[Mordechai Naor, Ben-Dror Yemini and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
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