Ma’ariv, reminding us that only one month remains on the construction freeze in the territories and notes that "A moment before the opening of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians: Netanyahu, Abu Mazen and President Obama find themselves in the center of a diplomatic complexity." The author professes that a U-turn like the dramatic opening of negotiations and its implosion within less than a month could terminally bury the US Administration’s reputation as the responsible adult who knows what he is doing."
Yisrael Hayom first notes an article by Mishari al-Zaidi in al-Sharq al-Awsat in which "he writes, with amazing honesty, on the Arab world’s desire to sustain the Israel-Palestinian conflict." The paper then, in order to strengthen that point, takes note of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s interview this past Saturday in which he said, "Israel would always remain his country’s enemy. Always." Despite this, the author demonstrates his belief that both Israel and the Palestinians can overcome the circumstances to end the conflict. "We know how to solve it. When the leaders of the sides will present solution to their people, they will win a majority that will surprise them."
The Jerusalem Post comments on the Defense Minister’s selection of Yoav Galant – the OC Southern Command who directly oversaw the operation in Gaza last year – as the IDF next chief of staff: "Barak’s decision to name Galant on Sunday, almost immediately after the attorney-general ruled that the selection process could resume, underlined the defense minister’s strong preference for the 51-year-old general. There have been suggestions that this preference stems from what Barak sees as a stark contrast between the performances and attitudes of Ashkenazi and Galant as exemplified in Operation Cast Lead. Galant is said to be regarded by Barak as more outspoken and more confident – a military leader more in the defense minister’s own image."
Haaretz comments that "Catering to religious demands for gender segregation (allocating sex-segregated cars for ultra-Orthodox passengers) on the new Jerusalem light rail is a move in the wrong direction. Precisely because the light rail is a public service for the whole population, its passengers must not be forced to adapt themselves to the practices of one particular community.