Yediot Aharonot says that "It is too late to storm into Gaza. The horses have already bolted from the stables, thanks to the tahdiye. Hamas has completed the establishment of a long-range strategic arm, built a defensive alignment in Gaza and established the network of tunnels as a way to bypass the crossings. All of the 'red lines' that the Palestinians should have been prohibited from crossing – have already been crossed. Aside from this, we're on the eve of elections, we're in a delicate political situation, there's a new administration in America and a muddy and cloudy winter is approaching. We've missed the train. Now there's nowhere to run. We must wait for a new Government in the hope that it will know how to make decisions. Until then, Israeli policy towards Gaza will continue in the putting out fires format". The author remarks that "Hamas has set new rules of the game with Israel ahead of the post-tahdiye era, and Israel finds itself being dragged along after them – instead of breaking them", and concludes that "What the IDF could have done six months ago is, today, many times more complicated".
The Jerusalem Post congratulates Communications Minister Ariel Attias for his valiant fight to push through the amendment banning spam, and states that "it's up to all of us who suffer from spam abuse and grumble about the hassle, annoyance and invasion of our space, to make use of the rights that this long-awaited legislation has conferred upon us".
Yisrael Hayom reminds its readers that Kadima "was born out of the opinion of its founder, Ariel Sharon, after he refused to accept the Likud decision to refrain from the unilateral disengagement from Gush Katif". The author cites "defeat in war, failed negotiations to release abductees and captives, negligent indifference to the economic crisis, surging corruption, the suspicion of severe criminal offenses, [and] a Prime Minister and Finance Minister as prima facie criminals", and avers that, "In order to win anew the public's confidence, Tzipi Livni must convince the voters that Kadima is not Kadima; that its current composition denies responsibility for its actions up to now".
Ma'ariv defends journalists who go into politics, and asserts that "They are not crossing any separation line but are continuing to fulfill their public mission".
Haaretz commends the switch some journalists have made from media to politics, and states that "The public must be convinced that journalists enter politics because of unimpeachable motives. Otherwise, its faith in the media will be further eroded".
[Dan Margalit, Yael Paz-Melamed and Alex Fishman wrote today’s articles in Yisrael Hayom, Ma'ariv and Yediot Aharonot, respectively.]