The burning matter

The United States has joined Israel, Britain, and France in believing that some form of chemical weapons have been used in Syria, but the question in the Hebrew media is: What now?

Haaretz’s front page reports on US President Barack Obama’s Friday statement in which he warned that use of chemical weapons would be considered a game-changer. The article points out that Obama was quick to add that the investigation was still in its preliminary stages.

The growing acceptance that chemical weapons have been used spurs Haaretz’s editors to urge America to take its time before deciding to intervene. “Obama does not want to be sucked into a Syrian war whose outcome and impacts cannot be predicted,” the paper writes, saying that. The paper concludes that while Israel has an ultimate security interest in preventing Hezbollah and global jihadists from taking control, it “must not be seen as meddling in the question of American intervention.”

Where Haaretz is urging for time for America to decide, Israel Hayom wants action soon. Its piece, “There’s evidence but no response,” highlights the pressure from inside the US to react. The paper reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry has provided a range of options for American reaction, not just a military option. Israel Hayom points to internal opposition to the lack of involvement, as seen for example in a barb from Representative John Mica (R-FL) who wondered if Obama’s red line “was turning more pink.”

Israel Hayom columnist Boaz Bismuth points out that this is the exact opposite of 2003 when the US was preparing to invade Iraq. “Back then the Bush administration was looking for any excuse to go to war in Iraq, even without a smoking gun,” he writes. He goes on to say that now there is a smoking gun but no will to go to war. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, the US must be prepared for some intervention. Bismuth concludes that reports out of Washington indicate that Obama raised the military option while meeting with the king of Jordan, “even though he didn’t want to.”

Left off the front page of Maariv, the Syrian situation is featured on Page 2, where the fear is that a lack of intervention will send a bad message to Iran. The paper quotes Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin in an interview he gave to Army Radio, who warned that the Iranians will “conclude that the international community’s red line is flexible.”

Yedioth Ahronoth provides a handy definition of sarin gas and explains what makes it so deadly. “The gas enters the body through the lungs or skin and suffocates a person to death by causing them to lose control of the muscles that control breathing.”

The paper also includes testimony from Yasir Yunis, a 27-year-old mechanic from Homs who described to the Times the loss of family in a chemical attack. Yunis, smelling a strange odor, was able to save himself and his infant son. His other two sons and his wife were killed in the attack on April 13.

Peace by piece

Yedioth reports that coalition BFFs Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett are considering passing a law that would require a public referendum on any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. The paper wonders about the intentions of the possible law, “Is it to prevent a rift in the country or give the right wing the power to prevent a future agreement?” The paper quotes Bennett as saying, “True negotiations must begin with the nation supporting it.” Lapid for his part hasn’t committed either way, but has said that he will raise it in Yesh Atid and see if it has support.

However, Bennett may be getting ahead of himself as Israel Hayom reports that “Obama understands well today — Abu Mazen does not want an agreement.” The article is based on Israeli government sources who tell the paper that Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) doesn’t want to make an agreement because he is afraid of being thrown out by his own people. “In light of the events in Arab countries in the Middle East, he does not want the same to happen in Judea and Samaria,” the source told the paper.

As Abbas tries to keep his job in the West Bank, there may be trouble in Jerusalem as Maariv reports on the first coalition crisis of the new government. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon is against the idea of exemption quotas in the new draft equality law, which aims to induct the ultra-Orthodox community into the army. Ya’alon’s opposition to quotas is what makes up the “crisis” as this was one of the issues decided upon during coalition negotiations. The sides are planning to meet on Monday.

Don’t light that fire

Saturday night saw the beginning of the Lag B’Omer holiday, which is traditionally celebrated by lighting giant bonfires across the country. However, as Haaretz reports, due to the current heat wave that Israel is experiencing, authorities requested extra caution when celebrating the holiday. During the day on Saturday, two wildfires were burning in Israel’s north, but were contained before endangering any residences. The heatwave that Israel experienced on Saturday is expected to continue into the start of the week, with Sunday’s temperatures expected to reach 32 degrees (90 F) in Jerusalem and 35 degrees (95 F) in Tel Aviv.