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The Jerusalem Post comments on the death of North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il: "It is abundantly apparent that the sole reason North Korea commands so much influence, and arouses such fear, is because it has the bomb. Because North Korea managed to obtain nuclear capability, it has become one of the world’s biggest worries. Without the bomb it would be a non-entity. On the occasion of Kim’s death, with all the uncertainties and fears it has aroused – including in neighboring countries such as China, which has been so reluctant to impose sanctions on Iran – the international community should meditate on the potential dangers of a world in which Iran has nuclear capability – and do everything possible to prevent it from happening."
Haaretz writes: "The recommendations of the Trajtenberg Committee approved by the cabinet are truly historic, but we must not ignore other measures that were not approved – limiting the powers of the Standards Institute, which currently blocks such imports, and restricting the authority of the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry to levy tariffs. The important structural steps the cabinet approved will extensively change the economy only in the distant future. In contrast, opening the economy to imports would increase competition and bring down prices immediately. It’s disappointing that the measure that could have responded quickly to the cost-of-living protesters did not come to pass. The Trajtenberg report’s main section on early childhood education, which has yet to come up for discussion in the cabinet, is a response to the social protesters’ demand to ease the burden on the middle class and improve the state’s services to its citizens. This issue is in doubt unless the prime minister decides to cut the defense budget."
Three papers discuss the controversy over Israel Radio presenter Dan Kaner’s introductory remarks for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at yesterday’s memorial ceremony for the victims of last year’s Carmel wildfire disaster:
Yediot Aharonot says that, "For a moment it seemed as if we were watching a report about the ‘dear leader’ Kim Jong Il, the deceased dictator of North Korea," and reminds its readers that "up until a few days ago, Netanyahu did not even intend to go to the event, on the claim of a crowded schedule." The author believes that "One must read the words again and again to believe them. ‘He who was first to recognize the magnitude of the event’? Imagine if Olmert, at a ceremony for those who fell in the Second Lebanon War, would hail himself as the first to have understood the magnitude of the event. What a bad taste that would have left. Or if Sharon had said similar things on the anniversary of the First Lebanon War." The paper adds, "Even if there were matters in which Netanyahu acted correctly, how tactless, how insensitive, how immodest, to say nothing of megalomaniacal, it was to use such superlatives. What is especially disturbing is the inability of Netanyahu’s people to see that such words were inappropriate for the occasion, for those who were present and for the country."
Ma’ariv asserts, "It is difficult to know what is worse: The fact that the Prime Minister’s people allowed themselves to dictate to the master of ceremonies the nauseating flattery of the hero of the day… or the fact that any of them really thought that such a farce would actually serve Benjamin Netanyahu." The author contends that Prime Minister Netanyahu "was not elected to telephone all over the world and shout ‘Help!’ but to see to it that we would be prepared if a fire broke out."
Yisrael Hayom believes that "One second after the Carmel ceremony ended, the media forgot the facts and began – even though it was an event that united the nation in remembering a tragedy – to come down on Prime Minister Netanyahu." The author says that "Even if someone in the Prime Minister’s Bureau exaggerated a little in the words of praise that he apparently added, it was Netanyahu – for those who forgot – who understood the magnitude of the disaster, initiated reinforcements, organized heads of state to assist and showed leadership." The paper suggests that "A norm has been created here in recent years, according to which the media directly and crudely slams the Prime Minister, when he deserves it – and when he does not. From their point-of-view, not only do the facts not really matter, but the Prime Minister of Israel is the only one in the world who is also responsible for the weather, natural catastrophes and disasters."
[Sima Kadmon, Ben Caspit and Itzik Saban wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]