PM’s ‘compromise document’ brings out the wolves

An internal document composed by Israeli officials which details the framework for peace negotiations with the Palestinians and was exposed Friday by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has right-wing political figures sharpening their knives behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s back, as the draft appears to indicate a willingness for significant compromises by the Israeli leader. Yedioth on Sunday continues to play up the story, highlighting the growing rift between Netanyahu and his more hardline critics.

“Liberman and Bennett: Netanyahu has agreed to a large pullout [from the West Bank],” the papers main headline screams. Yedioth writer and analyst Nahum Barnea, who first revealed the document, blasts the prime minister for not taking responsibility for the views expressed in the letter. “Netanyahu could have said… what Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak had said before him,” Barnea writes. “Each one in turn, we offered the Palestinians generous offers, far-reaching, but they did not respond, they proved they were no partner. But instead [Netanyahu says] it wasn’t me, I’m not responsible.”

According to the internal document, Netanyahu agreed to negotiate a peace deal on the basis of the 1967 borders, with land swaps; to acknowledge Palestinian aspirations in East Jerusalem; to evacuate settlers from the West Bank; and to allow those who so choose to remain under Palestinian rule.

Yedioth goes on to dedicate a full double page spread to some more, cookie-cutter criticisms of the prime minister, both on the right and on the left.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Netanyahu-friendly Israel Hayom daily pushes to the other extreme in an attempt to absolve the Israeli leader of any responsibility for the document. The paper notes that Dennis Ross, a former Middle East aide to President Barack Obama who had reportedly worked on the document with Netanyahu’s confidant Yitzhak Molcho, states the prime minister had not agreed to a full evacuation from the West Bank, as the letter was in no way binding.

“The point was to brainstorm, to create an American document to which [the Israelis and Palestinians] may raise objections,” Ross tells the Israeli daily. “Unfortunately, the move failed,” Ross concludes.

Meanwhile, in Haaretz, the document is all but ignored on the paper’s front page, with the focus lying instead on Saturday night’s demonstration in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu. Another story by Haaretz reporter Chaim Levinson reveals that the chief of the IDF’s Central Command, Nitzan Alon, agreed to give up land designated for army training in order to allow for the West Bank city of Ma’ale Adumim to expand into the territory.

Haaretz also features an in-depth analysis from The Economist on atomic weapons, explaining that while there are far fewer nuclear warheads in the world today than there were during the Cold War, the threat posed by the remaining unconventional arms is as great as it ever was. The article warns that as global trust between world powers continues to weaken, a new nuclear arms race might be unfolding right before our eyes.

Both Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel Hayom cover former Mossad chief and Netanyahu critic Meir Dagan’s speech at the Tel Aviv rally on Saturday, though the two papers unsurprisingly have different takes on the matter. While Yedioth chooses to bring forth Dagan’s wishes for an Israel in which his children and grandchildren can live in prosperity, Israel Hayom reports the uncomplimentary responses by Likud officials to Dagan’s words.

“Irresponsibility,” the daily simply quotes the unnamed Likud officials regarding Dagan.

Back in Yedioth, several leading female politicians are featured in a two-page glossy article, with each asking the other a question on their ideological views. “You called an Arab ‘dirty,’ and your party has suggested stripping the Arab-Israelis of their citizenship, is that democracy?” Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg grills Yisrael Beytenu candidate Shira Mistriel. “Only in Meretz do you call those who throw stones and Molotov cocktails and those who want to kill Jews ‘innocent kids,'” Mistriel replies, only slightly deviating from the question at hand.

The deaf dialogue continues with Jewish Home MK Ayelet Shaked and Zionist Union candidate Stav Shaffir. “Your party gave land to kibbutzim instead of to struggling cities. What are you doing in order to fix this injustice?” Shaked asks Shaffir. “You only worry for the settlers, and have ignored the country’s periphery,” Shaffir answers swiftly. Sadly, despite the paper’s best intentions and the creative article idea, which presumably comes in honor of International Women’s Day, the spread does not feature any other real gems.

Keeping in fashion with the feminist atmosphere in Yedioth, Israel Hayom features two stories on female soldiers beating the odds in the typically male-dominated spots of Israel’s security forces. “Women can do anything men can, and even better,” IDF Captain Bar, Israel’s first female deputy commander of an unmanned aircraft squadron, tells the paper.

“I tried on the uniform and showed off,” Einav Shibli, the first Bedouin female to join Israel’s prison services, tells Israel Hayom reporter Itzik Saban.

Trying on a new uniform might be a small step for this woman, but it’s a giant leap for womankind, no doubt.