Israel not booted out of soccer — so now what?

The Palestinian Authority withdrew a motion to have Israel suspended from international soccer on Friday, leaving the Hebrew press ecstatic on Sunday over the Jewish state’s 90th-minute victory, yet cautiously fearful of future initiatives to sanction the country in other arenas.

“The concern: A wave of boycott threats against Israel,” Yedioth Ahronoth‘s main headline warns, noting that officials at the Foreign Ministry fear the Palestinians may attempt to prevent Israeli athletes from competing in the Olympics and may promote sanctions against the Jewish state in order to keep its representatives from participating in international cultural events or science conferences.

In Israel Hayom, an overline boasts that “this is the way to build a wall,” a play on a well-known statement by Israeli sports broadcaster Yoram Arbel, who during a 1989 soccer match between Israel and Australia famously commented on the national team’s poorly situated defense only moments before the Aussies sent the ball flying into the net. “Satisfaction in Jerusalem,” the daily continues, adding that Jibril Rajoub, the head of the Palestinian Football Association, bowed to pressure from dozens of national delegates who urged him to pull the motion against Israel.

Haaretz dedicates only a small portion of its front page to the Israeli FIFA story, leading instead with the resignation of Rafael Advanced Defense System’s executive director Yedidya Yaari following a series of controversial incidents which included the company’s engagement in arms deals without notifying the Defense Ministry of its actions, as well as severe breaches of security protocols. Yaari, according to Haaretz writer Amos Harel, arrived at his decision to quit Rafael after being heavily pressured by Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.

Haaretz West Bank reporter Chaim Levinson presents a ruling by the State Attorney’s Office which prevents the Civil Administration from concealing any declaration of territory beyond the Green Line as state land. According to Levinson, since 1999 a team of lawyers, cartographers and inspectors appointed by the administration has been examining claims that areas in the West Bank are in fact state-owned. The team’s conclusions were often hidden from Palestinians in the areas in question until the lands were officially designated as state-owned, leaving local residents with only 45 days to submit an appeal over the decision to Israeli courts.

Back in Yedioth and ahead of National Book Week, reporters Tamar Trabelsi Hadad and Elad Zaret deliberate the merit of a year-and-a-half-old legislation disallowing book stores from selling publications at a discounted price so as to assure that authors receive fair compensation for their work. While the law may protect authors, the reporters write, consumers are left paying a hefty amount of cash for books. A new bill proposed by Likud MK Yoav Kisch seeks to reverse the ruling. Aside from concern for cash-strapped bookworms, Kisch explains that the new law would actually benefit up-and-coming authors who, according to the Likud rep, are currently often denied publication deals due to fears that their book won’t sell at its full price.

Israel Hayom reminds us that today is apparently the international no-smoking day, presenting readers with a series of disheartening facts on the risks of taking a drag. According to health reporter Meital Yasur Beit-Or, nearly 8,000 Israelis die each year due to smoking-related illnesses, and one out of five citizens in the country regularly take a puff. Over NIS 8.2 billion ($2.05 billion) were spent last year on cigarettes and tobacco products, the report continues, with many individuals dedicating up to a quarter of their income to the deadly nicotine sticks. A bleak statistic indeed.

Yedioth’s back page informs us of an exciting visit set to take place in October, as Israeli coach David Blatt and his NBA superstar team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, are set to play a friendly game against local basketball champions Maccabi Tel Aviv. While the date for the match has not been finalized, negotiations between the two teams are underway. Whereas the last time the teams played each other in the US, Maccabi lost 107-80, the Israeli team is hopeful that the home advantage might help them overcome LeBron James and his squad this time. Good luck with that.