The Jerusalem Post states: “now that Kadima’s internecine
conflict is out of the way, the party may be ready for a more constructive opposition role, or joining a national unity coalition. This is what the country needs – certainly more than catcalls from the sidelines.”
Haaretz avers that “In the end, it seems, [Tzipi] Livni disappointed her voters, which is why Shaul Mofaz scored an easy and overwhelming victory,” and warns that “Now he will face the same test.” The editor asserts that “The opposition is the key,” and adds: “Only if Mofaz succeeds in dissipating the current political fog by expressing clear positions and leading his party to stand firmly against the government will there be a chance for a better future in Israel.”
Ma’ariv contends that "The primary results have left a large portion of Kadima voters without representation. [Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly] Yacimovich and [media personality Yair] Lapid [who is forming a new party] are far from providing them with an answer."
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Two newspapers comment on the Bank of Israel annual report for 2011,
which was issued yesterday:
Yediot Aharonot argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "ignored the criticism." The author says that "The Bank of Israel’s annual report contained sharp criticism of his Government but Benjamin Netanyahu reacted with satisfaction and did not relate to the problematic paragraphs."
Yisrael Hayom notes that "Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer enjoys very strong public support as someone who watches over the Israeli economy with balanced and sober eyes, from which derives the faith and admiration toward him." The author believes that he is giving Israel "a not unrealistic choice, but rather, paradoxically, a real and painful choice: More security and more taxes, or less security and avoiding raising taxes. This is a tough choice in an election year, but it is the one which confronts the thinking public."
[Yael Paz-Melemed, Itamar Eichner, and Dan Margalit wrote today’s
articles in Ma’ariv, Yediot Aharonot and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
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