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Yediot Aharonot discusses the phenomena of journalists going into politics and wonders: "What tools do former journalists have with which to fashion the very same national character that they were just covering? The answer is that, in our present circumstances, any person with basic fairness and logic can lead us to a better place."
Ma\’ariv asks: "Have the tremors from Syria already caused the Western governments and the shapers of public opinion to lose their blind faith in democratic regimes as a force which ensures stability and that can pass reforms?" The author argues that "Governments of the free world must use the carrot and stick method in order to encourage the spread of free institutions, the rule of law and democratic institutions in all realms of public life."
Yisrael Hayom contends that "The cause of the instability of the political system in the last Knessets has been the reform from the 1990s. It took a decade to recognize its failure and another decade to overcome the damage that it caused."
Haaretz states: “This year, one out of every seven Israeli men who are otherwise eligible for the draft will receive an exemption with the excuse that ‘Torah is their calling,’" and adds: “One could say, draft evasion is their calling.” The editor asserts: “The topic of universal military service cries out to become part of the opposition parties\’ agenda,” and implores them to “attack the Netanyahu-Lieberman-Haredim bloc strongly and consistently on this issue.”
The Jerusalem Post praises the Bank of Israel in its fight against escalating housing costs, despite the fact that “detrimental ramifications were expected to arise from the Bank of Israel’s decision Monday to lower interest rates.” Despite the problems that may arise from this decision, the editor opines that “The BOI deserves unstinting support for at least trying to break the vicious cycle of rising real estate prices and low interest rates.”
[Yonatan Yavin, Natan Sharansky and MK Einat Wilf wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma\’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]