Yediot Aharonot says that the recent Egyptian elections, as well those in Sudan and Tunisia last year, underscore the lack of genuine democracy in the Arab world, and criticizes the Obama administration for doing little to encourage or promote democratic reforms in the Middle East. The author believes that "While the Arab regimes’ return to brutality is a negative and regrettable process, from Israel’s point-of-view, there is much that is positive since the opponents of these regimes are much more hostile to Israel and identify with extremist Islam and the Radical Left…" The paper reminds its readers that "Everybody is afraid of the Shi’ites and of political Islam, and almost everyone has good relations with Israel, even if under the table," and concludes "In the distant West, they can bewail the fact that democracy is disappearing from the Arab world, but whoever seeks stability, responsibility and quiet understandings in the Middle East can draw encouragement from the return to the past."
Ma’ariv wonders how Israel might deal with a massive Hezbollah and Hamas rocket attack given that both the Second Lebanon War and the Carmel wildfire have shown Israel’s civil defense to be woefully inadequate. The author calls on the Government to "prepare realistic, budgeted plans to protect the home front ahead of the next war, while taking into account the reality of recent events."
Yisrael Hayom says that "Naturally, the discovery of ‘espionage installations’, which the Lebanese claim belong to Israel, made large headlines in Lebanon, but it is impossible to separate the incident from the wider context: Hezbollah is under pressure by the commission that is investigating the murder of Rafik al-Hariri and is looking for any way to divert attention away from itself." However, the author speculates that "If Israel’s hand was really in the matter, the Lebanese have again learned how easily penetrated they are, how sophisticated Israel is in seeing them, how much we are there, despite all the defensive actions and the verbiage." In any case, the paper urges its readers, "not to be mistaken: The battle in the north has not let up, it is only being waged via espionage and intelligence, which are a crucial part in both sides’ ongoing preparations for the Third Lebanon War."
The Jerusalem Post discusses State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss’ report on the disastrous Carmel Mountain wild-fire, which "highlighted technical shortfalls in the Fire and Rescue Services as well as their inability to communicate effectively with other emergency responders – a failing that may have been a key factor in the early, deadly hours of the Carmel fire." The editor points out that what’s lacking here are "’teeth’ for the comptroller to ensure his recommendations are implemented," and concludes that were the State Comptroller’s Office afforded the tools necessary to make sure its recommendations are followed, "The devastating fire, with 43 lost lives, might well have been prevented altogether."
Haaretz comments on the warning issued by Technion President Peretz Lavie that science education in Israel is on the brink of collapse, and states that it "should shock every Israeli concerned about the future of the state." The editor declares that "The collapse has many reasons, first and foremost skewed political priorities, which have swollen the ultra-Orthodox education system in which the sciences are not studied at all," and adds: "Scientific and research institutions are an irreplaceable national asset. If that asset shrinks and is lost, Israel will deteriorate to third-world status."
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