Opuscula Publication’s True colors finally Exposed to readers

MOST OF ISRAEL’S NATIONAL MEDIA, tv, newspapers, and on-line publications, are politically left of center; some more than others. (Specifically,, limited circulation/limited interest media, such as that controlled by Orthodox rabbis, are excluded from the “most national media” category.)

One publication stood out as a bastion of conservatism.

Operative word: “Stood.”

Past tense.

 

I USED TO THINK ISRAEL HAYOM presented basically fair coverage, less influenced by the politicians than other publications.

It was to the right-of-center, to be certain.

However,

New name needed

The newspaper is owned lock, stock, and ink barrel by “an unidentified relative” of the Adelson family.¹ On the death of Sheldon Adelson, his widow, Dr. Miriam Adelson, assumed the role of publisher.

While Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister, Israel HaYom stayed close to its general conservative roots.

However, when Netanyahu was deposed — primarily by his own doing — the paper’s loyalty to the former prime minister took precedence over journalistic integrity.

No matter what the leaders of the current coalition do (or don’t do) they are pilloried by Israel HaYom columnists and headline writers.

Netanyahu could do no wrong (despite his record).

Netanyahu’s foes can do no right — never mind that they have been in office less than 90 days.

In this scrivener’s opinion, the publication should be renamed to

Bibi’s Personal PR sheet

Caveat: I was not, I am not, a fan to Benjamin Netanyahu.

Just like Hillary

Netanyahu and his followers learned from Hillary Clinton and her Democrat sycophants after she lost the 2016 election to President Donald Trump.

Whine.

Claim he could do better.

Disrupt parliamentary discussions.

Exit in a huff.

Promise to “bring down the government” because the man who would be king was deposed.

Childish.

My grandchildren are no worse, and they are 10 and 6.

Frankly, Netanyahu’s behavior, and that of his hangers on is embarrassing.

Embarrassing to the country he used to lead.

Embarrassing to the people who once gave his party their votes.

(In Israel, Members of Knesset (MKs) are elected by party; the more votes (mandates) a party receives, the more members will make it into the Knesset. The Knesset has 120 seats.)

All about Bibi

This is not the first time people have left the Likud party, the party Netanyahu leads.

In a previous instance, several Likud members left the party because of Netanyahu’s flips and flops. The best known of the defectors was former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir (right).

Shamir was a critic of his Likud successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, as being too indecisive in dealing with the Arabs. Shamir went so far as to resign from the Likud in 1998 and endorse Herut, a right-wing splinter movement led by Benny Begin, which later joined the National Union during the 1999 election. (https://tinyurl.com/snvutxm9)

According to Jonathan S. Tobin, editor in chief of Jewish News Syndicate, “the creation of the so-called unity government was made possible by one man and one man only. And his name is Benjamin Netanyahu. Such a coalition was rendered possible by Netanyahu’s personal untrustworthiness.” (https://tinyurl.com/2awx3d38)

Finance Minister Israel Katz told activists for the ruling Likud that in an attempt to prevent the party’s fall from power, he had suggested that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu step aside temporarily to enable the formation of a right-wing government. (https://tinyurl.com/yxzelhg6)

Netanyahu refused, even though Katz (illegally ?) promised that Netanyahu could continue to reside in the PM’s residence while he “vacationed” for a year.

Bibi and D.C.

Netanyahu had his problems with Washington while the Democrats were lodged in the White House.

During the Trump administration, Bibi and Trump had a warm relationship that led to the Abraham Accords (for which Netanyahu falsely claims credit).

Now that the Obama protege (right) is sitting in the Oval Office and surrounding himself with pro-Muslim/anti-Israel advisors, Netanyahu would hardly be welcome at the White House. (Would Biden snub a prime minister as the chutzpan Obama did?)

The current coalition — it is not expected to last the full four-year term — is more pragmatic, less antagonistic to Washington than Netanyahu following Trump’s defeat.

 

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Sources

1. Wikipedia: https://tinyurl.com/2a9jneac Footnote 9)

 

 

 

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.

 

 

 

 

Comment on True colors

Opuscula UN has got To be kidding

THE HEADLINE READS

UN chief blasts Hezbollah for impeding work of Lebanon-based peacekeeping force

followed by António Guterres (right) calls on Lebanon's government to disarm Hezbollah, saying it posed a threat to the peacekeeping mission stationed on the Israel-Lebanon border.

The UN’s Blue Bonnets repeatedly have proven to be ineffective. When told to clear the area by a war-monger (as Egypt was when it prepared to attack Israel), it runs and hides.

This behavior is typical of UN operations, ergo Hamas using UN facilities as rocket launching sites and munitions storage areas.

The Blue Bonnets are boys playing soldiers; they are not capable of pushing out Hezbollah, and Lebanon has no effective army of its own to chase out the defacto army of Lebanon: Hezbollah.

Since the Blue Bonnets are ill-equipped to do what Lebanon’s citizens cannot accomplish, what Guterres is in truth suggesting is that foreign forces remove Hezbollah from the Levant — Lebanon and Syria.

The question is: WHAT “foreign forces”?

Would Saudia dare send in troops? It already is battling Iran’s Yemen proxy. Would the kingdom be willing to open a second front with Lebanon and Syria and face a direct attack from Iran?

Iraq is in Iran’s grasp and would align with, not against Hezbollah.

Egypt? Jordan? Both countries currently have internal issues; Egypt with Iran-backed Islamic Jihad and Hamas, Jordan with PLO agitation that threatens the monarchy.

A coalition of Gulf states might be cobbled together, but are these states’ militaries capable of ousting Iran-backed Hezbollah?

Morocco, Libya, Algiers might, as part of Arab League, be able to push out Hezbollah, but what price would be paid at home?

Muslim-dominated African states could send troops, but (a) would they be effective, (b) would the states suffer at home by Iran sympathizers, and (c) who would fund and equip the troops.

That leaves Europe and the Far East — China. Israel is NOT a candidate to attack Hezbollah except in retaliation.

North Americans are tired of foreign wars; the U.S. still is engaged in Afghanistan.

Would either U.S. political party dare promote participation in a UN-sponsored exercise. (The last one was Korea, and that still is unresolved, despite President Trump’s best efforts.)

The Israel HaYom site declares that United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday called on Lebanon's government to disarm Hezbollah, saying it posed a threat to the peacekeeping mission stationed on the Israel-Lebanon border.

Established in 1978 to man a buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has long suffered at the hands of the Iran-backed terrorist group.

Hezbollah has clashed with UNIFIL troops several times over the years and has restricted their movements across southern Lebanon, a move that grossly undermines UNIFIL's mandate the on-line publication contends.

Why, then, is Guterres asking the Lebanese to accomplish something the UN is unable to accomplish.

The Lebanese Army is a shambles; it lacks the wherewithal to depose Hezbollah. It has been ineffective for years, which is how Hezbollah came to, and remains in, power in the Levant.

Guterres apparently lives in a dream world in New York. According to several on-line sites, Guterres, an engineer, has zero military experience and perhaps cannot recognize the imbalance of power between Iran’s Hezbollah and Lebanon’s puny army.

If the UN cannot defend itself from Iran’s Hezbollah, perhaps the UN should hire some mercenaries who can, and will, remove Hezbollah from Lebanon. Perhaps the Chinese would like to enhance their influence in the area at the expense of Russia and Iran.

But depending on the Lebanese Army to oust Iran’s Hezbollah is foolishness, an impossibility.

Sources

1. Israel HaYom: https://tinyurl.com/s3ramhb

עינים להם ולא יראו * אזנים להם ולא יאזנו

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.

 

Comment on UN pipe dream

Opuscula Uninvited guests And “fake news”

THIS IS BEING KEYED FROM SOUTH FLORIDA as Hurricane (Tropical Cyclone) Irma is buffeting the area with strong winds and rain.

The wind, trying to sneak past accordion shutters and the rain, beating against those shutters, is making a racket, albeit not so loud as to prevent an afternoon nap from the boredom of being sequestered in a 10 year old house.

This scrivener has lived in Florida for many years and has “survived” a fair number of severe storms, (I was not in town when Andrew devastated south Florida in 1992, but I have been in storms in south, central, and Gulf areas of the state.)

Image created by Joel Nihlean; Andrew on left, Irma on right

According to an Israel HaYom headline reading Israelis in Florida report 'hysterical panic' as Irma approaches (see URLs below),

Israeli expats in Sunshine State report sky-high prices for airline tickets out of Florida, gas and water shortages • Irma to hit Sunday as Category 4 storm • Model shows Irma moving west • National Hurricane Center: This is a life-threatening situation.

Now, as the late Paul Harvey was wont to say, The rest of the story,

About a week before Irma made landfall on Sunday, 10 September 2017, local officials had been telling residents to prepare to relocate or to prepare to ride out what was expected to be a Category 5 storm. A Category 5 storm’s MINIMIM wind speed is 156 mph. More than a week out, Irma seemed poised to hit Miami and Dade County head on.

All the media had the information. All the media repeated what emergency managers said about hurricane preparation: get ouFHer familyt or get prepared to survive the storm in situ. Board up windows, stock up on non-perishables, have at least a gallon of water per individual per day, get plenty of batteries for flashlights, check first aid kits and make sure prescription medicines were available for 10 days or so. Fill up the flivver with fuel.

Over and over and over again the media mantra played on tv, radio, and in the press.

Moreover, the state government made it very clear it would punish price gougers severely.

A week before the storm, there was plenty of fuel across the state to get the worst gas guzzler across the Florida-Georgia or Florida-Alabama line.

HOWEVER, Israel HaYom managed to find “ex-pat Israelis” who, despite all the media hype, refused to listen. Israeli chutzpah or Israeli stupidity?

A 71 year old Israeli told Israel HaYom, "There's hysterical panic here. We don't have any gas, and the supermarkets are empty. We're really in a state of siege."

There was, as far as this scrivener could tell, no panic anywhere in Dade (Miami) or Broward (Fort Lauderdale) counties. There were some MINOR altercations at some gas stations on the day before the storm hit, and there were delays getting to the pump at the lowest price-per-gallon stations. (I waited about 10 minutes to fill up; everyone was calm and polite.) Police were stationed at some gas stations in Dade County, mostly to keep the lines moving.

Several days before “D-Day” we hit the markets — super, kosher, and dollar. The only thing not found on my list was more fuel for my two hurricane lanterns. (They both are filled to the brim and Florida Power and Light (FPL) has an excellent reputation for keeping the power on in my neighborhood. Well into the second day of wind and rain and the lights flickered once with no impact on things electronic and once for a few seconds requiring me to set a clock.)

Under the same headline, a woman opted to shell out for pricey plane tickets and fly out of Florida with her husband, their three children and the family dog. Her family was headed for San Francisco. "The airlines are taking everyone for a ride and the prices are insane. But it's better to be safe than sorry. There's crazy stress here. The schools are closed. The whole family is glued to the news and most places have run out of water and gas. Not to mention the traffic jams [caused by the mass evacuation]," she said.

Anytime anyone flies from Miami to San Francisco they can expect “pricy plane tickets.”

If her “entire family” was “glued to the news” she — and they — have no excuse for waiting to relocate for the duration. Schools were closed for (a) student safety and (b) to be used for FREE shelters-as-a-last-resort. There even are shelters that welcome pets. The family had options they preferred not to exercise.

Israel HaYom reported that Irma has also rubbed some of the sweetness off one couple's honeymoon; the newly weds were in Orlando. "Shortly after midnight we got emergency messages on our mobile phones that would put the apocalypse to shame -- 'Leave now!'"

As of Thursday, 9/17, Orange County (Orlando) had issued NEITHER evacuations orders or curfews.

ARUTZ 7 picked up an NPR story, including the NPR headline Who stayed in Miami despite fear of Irma?.

NPR's Kirk Siegler lead off his blurb with Many have evacuated south Florida, but many others either can't get out or are choosing to stay behind and hunker down, prompting concerns about whether there is enough shelter space.

The NPR story starts off that “More than 5 million people have been warned to evacuate South Florida, including in Miami-Dade County.” He could be correct; people living along the coast, on the islands — including Miami Beach, in low-lying areas, and in mobile homes were told to evacuate, albeit police did not go door-to-door enforcing the order. Miami and many other parts of Dade County have a history of flooding. Some people living near construction cranes also were advised to ride out the storm elsewhere. (Irma did damage one crane and that crane damaged a nearby building.) To Siegler’s credit, or perhaps an editor’s, the copy correctly read “More than” rather than incorrectly “Over…”

Siegler noted that there are many homeless in Dade County. What he failed to mention — or perhaps he couldn’t be bothered to find out — that there was transportation for these people who were WILLING to go to a shelter — they cannot be forced into a shelter — and others who were taken to a hospital for mental evaluation (Baker Act) where they can be accommodated for 72 hours.

MEANWHILE, according to Arutz 7, there is delegation of the Israelife Foundation headed for Miami to help the Jewish and Israeli communities following Hurricane Irma.

A delegation of the Israelife Foundation left for Miami on Saturday night to help the local Jewish community and Israeli community in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

"We will lead groups of residents on missions that will arise following Hurricane Irma, which is said to be the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean" one volunteer said.

Having been involved in emergency management for a number of years, and having worked with other emergency managers around the world, having volunteers — no matter how skilled and how willing — drop in sans coordination with the overall emergency management operation causes more trouble for both professional and volunteer personnel and for the people they are present to assist.

There was no indication in the Arutz 7 article that the Israelis were invited or with whom they are to report.

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LINKS

Israelis in Florida
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=45243

Orlando “Leave now!”
https://newsroom.ocfl.net/2017/09/orange-county-activates-level-2-status-ahead-hurricane-irma/

NPR
http://www.npr.org/2017/09/09/549690133/those-who-remain-in-miami-brace-for-irma

Volunteers
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/235278?utm_source=activetrail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Comments on Uninvited guests

Opuscula Kuwaiti journalist Has different view

 

IN AN ISRAEL HAYOM article headed Only Palestinians are 'martyrs', Kuwaiti journalist Abdullah al-Hadlaq writes that I am baffled by the international community's silence in the face of the crimes committed by Palestinian terrorists against the Israeli people. I am equally baffled by the international community's outcry against Israel's legal right to defend itself and its soldiers and against Israel's legitimate right to live and stand strong.

Al-Hadlaq adds Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are killed worldwide every day in wars and internal conflicts -- in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, the Philippines, China, and Nepal -- but the defective Arab media does not refer to any one of the casualties by name or the title "shahid." Only when a Palestinian is killed, be it in battle or in a car accident or in a fight or when celebratory gunshots are fired at a wedding, does the Arab media applaud him and give him, falsely and deceptively, the name "shahid."

Al-Hadlaq chastises Arab media by asking Why, when Palestinian terrorists and murderers holding knives and rocks are killed by Israeli soldiers, who are forced to open fire in cases of legitimate self-defense, do these debased Arab media outlets twist the truth and call the Palestinian terrorists "shahids"?

The Kuwaiti writer's points are well made, but his focus is far too narrow.

It is not just the Arab or Muslim-controlled media - newspapers, tv, Web-based - that ignore the plight of Arabs and Muslims in, as Al-Hadid writes, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, the Philippines, China, and Nepal. Syria the world knows about because it has the attention of the Big Powers (U.S. and Russia) and some lesser lights (U.K.) and because Iran is a major player with money, weapons, and personnel. Whenever Israel makes an incursion into Syrian airspace, that too makes news, brings additional condemnation on Israel - how dare it destroy munitions intended to be used against it!

Most Americans would be hard-pressed to know what is going on today in Yemen or Burma or even the Philippines. Admittedly, Americans, living in a huge country with its own problems, most of which emanate from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, tend to be less knowledgeable of "foreign affairs" than citizens of smaller states and minor islands. Provincial without a doubt.

But when it comes to "Palestine," the artificial state, U.S. media bows to its PR releases and writes headlines starting Israel blamed … in attack on, for killing Palestinian, for; frankly, for failing to die at the hands of a "Palestinian" terrorist with a gun, a knife, or a vehicle.

Admittedly, murders are all too common in the U.S. Black-on-black murders get only fleeting attention - and none of the black superstars (Jackson, Sharpton, et al) make an appearance; likewise latino-on-latino killings fail to make news for more than a day or two. The superstars only come out when a white kills a black or latino. A white cop kills a white person - there are far too many cop killings of all races - where are, who are, the superstars?.

No, Mr. Al-Hadlaq, its not just the Arab media that sees only "Palestinians" worthy of headlines and more than a column inch or two, hardly a filler.

On the other hand, it may be that, like black-on-black and latino-on-latino murders in the U.S., perhaps Muslim-on-Muslim killings in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, the Philippines, China, and Nepal are too distant and too common the make headlines or to be worth 10 seconds of tv air time…In other world news….

'Course, the "Arab media" Al-Hadlaq criticizes could be picking up their information from the Israeli leftist media who, like their Arab cousins, delight in bashing the only country that gives them any freedom to challenge the government.

 

A Internet search for "journalist Abdullah al-Hadlaq" turns up other Israel-friendly and Arab media-critical articles.

Immature system Israel HaYom debate Illustrates the problem

 

There is a debate in the Knesset - Israel's parliament - about allowing a free-distribution newspaper to continue as a free distribution newspaper.

Israel HaYom's email/web edition for Sunday, November 16, 2014, included a head that read: Israel Hayom, tomorrow and forever!. One paragraph in the article caught my attention:

We regret the behavior of the MKs who supported this bill in its preliminary reading. The bill represents a serious blow to democracy, and the Israeli Knesset became the only parliament in the democratic world to have backed, even in just a preliminary reading, a bill that, if enacted, would interfere with the free market, reach into the public's pockets and impose a single ideological line on society. MKs who support this bill have turned their backs on their constituents.

The editorial writer blames the bill on a competitor paid-circulation newspaper; the truth of that accusation is subject to debate.

There are a number of problems with the Israeli form of government, at least from the perspective of a U.S. voter.

If a Republican and a jackass run for office, vote for the jackass

FIRST, in Israel voters vote for a party list, not individuals.

The party places its chosen few on a list, with the most marketable candidates at the top of the list.

For a brief period Israel tried electing the prime minister separately from the rest of the Knesset, but while popular with the people it was quickly discontinued by the professional politicians.

The higher on the list, the greater chance the candidate has of gaining a seat in the Knesset - IF the party doesn't rearrange the list after the votes are countered.

In the not-so-long-ago in many U.S. states, voters could vote by ticket; pull one lever and the vote was cast for all candidates of the particular party. Back in the day, the U.S. really had only two parties represented on the ballot by their cartoon identities. The statement above, "If a Republican runs against a jackass…" was often heard in rural (and sometimes not so rural) America. Unfortunately, some people still vote a "straight" ticket, never mind the quality of the candidates.

Bottom line: The Israeli voter is voting an ideology. While Israel has no lack of political parties, it's possible a voter cares about more than a single issue and there are candidates that would better represent the voter in specific issues.

Knesset members live where?

Voters in the Several States elect two senators from every state, and a number of representatives based on the state's population. The senators may live any place in the state they represent. The representatives must live within the district from which they were elected.

Because they are relatively local to the voter base, the representatives, more than the senators, are supposed to be responsive to all voters' appeals. (That isn't always the case; in my district the representative ignores appeals from Israeli-Americans while rubber stamping everything her boss puts forth.)

Usually the "representative in the neighborhood" works out well for all - both the politician (who gets re-elected) and to the voter who has a voice.

In Israel, most - not all, but most - Knesset members live in or near Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. There was a deputy prime minister - David Levy - who lived in Bet Shean, and there was another Knesset member who lived in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, but they were the exceptions to the rule.

Transparency in blogging

For many years I worked in U.S. newspapers; first as a printer, then as a reporter, and finally as an editor. Israel HaYom, despite being free, is a newspaper - as versus a "shopper" that is more than 70% advertising. (By the way, ALL commercial media is supported by advertising, not the number of issues sold or listeners listening/ viewers viewing.)

I also lived and worked in Israel, both in the hinterlands (Zefat) and in the Tel Aviv metro area (Ramat Aviv, Holon). I have relatives in Yavne, Haifa, and Bet Shean so I have first hand experience with Israeli politics.

Two of the hardest things for a person who grew up in the U.S. to accommodate are the Israeli political system - based on, but hardly identical to, England's system - and the number and frequency of strikes.

Israel may not have more strikes than in the U.S., but most U.S. strikes are localized and there are many alternative products from competitors. The U.S. government, when it has strong leadership, also is more likely to take action in a strike that has a nationwide impact (e.g., most recently the air traffic controller's strike).

I won't suggest the U.S. political system is perfect, but for this scrivener, it certainly is superior to England's and Israel's.

Knesset's heavy handedness Democracies don't Shutter newspapers

 

The Israeli government is moving to shut down the county's major advertising-supported newspaper, Israel HaYom (Israel Today).

Despite its name, it has no connection to Gannett's Today newspapers in the U.S.

All newspapers are, of course, paid for by advertising. Israel HaYom is distributed free, gratis, six days-a-week. There are other free-circulation papers in Israel, but only Israel HaYom is published 6 days a week, and the law being pushed in the Knesset - Israel's parliament - is aimed at only the newspaper with BOTH (a) free distribution and (b) published 6 days-a-week.

I don't know if another paper is behind the push to put Israel HaYom out of business - that's one of the stories I read in the email media. It really doesn't matter.

It is sufficient that Israel's politicians are even considering the proposal that causes me to question "democracy" in Israel.

This is not the first time the Israeli government has shut down free expression.

Although I am a solid Beginite, Menachem Begin while Prime Minister, did one unpardonable act: he forced Nekui Rosh (Brain Wash) off the television. He was too thin skinned to accept the caustic humor Nekui Rosh applied to all politicians. America's Laugh-in and later Saturday Night Live were/are akin to Nekui Rosh.

Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin
Warriors turned peacemakers

But he never shut down a tv station or a newspaper, despite the fact that at the time, almost all Hebrew
language newspapers were party tools.

Israel HaYom is a right-of-center publication. It's online edition at /www.israelhayom.com/ provides a sampling of its political position.

Israel HaYom, unlike most free distribution papers in the U.S. is a true newspaper. Free papers in the U.S. generally are "shoppers" containing more than 70% advertising; most "news" is nothing more than puff pieces for the advertisers. (My qualifications of writing this opinion: I was a newspaper printer, reporter, and editor for many years. I see Israel HaYom's printed edition when I visit kin in Israel.)

If shutting down Israel HaYom is Israeli democracy in action, "democracy" - such as it is in Israel - is about to disappear.

Opuscula War of words PRESS ON

 

Americans find it hard to comprehend: a government (Israel) threatening to shut down a free distribution newspaper to protect paid circulation newspapers - one in particular.

As a former newspaper printer, reporter, & editor, and as an Israeli who knows Israeli newspapers, I come down solidly on the side of the free distribution publication.

Newspaper Economics: Newspaper - ALL newspapers - make their money by selling advertisements.

In the U.S., the difference between a "shopper" - normally freely distributed - and a newspaper - normally paid distribution - is the ratio of advertising to news content; a shopper has no limits, a newspaper must have 30% or more news content, or so it was when I wielded a pica pole and blue pencil.

Full page advertisements to tiny 5 point classifieds; legals, those announcements required by governments and the legal system often make the difference between a publication's survival or its demise.

Been there, done that.

Advertising rates are determined by the publication's circulation; the greater the circulation, the more the publication can - and usually does - charge for advertising.

It costs a tad more to advertise in the New York Times than in does in Cocoa TODAY, never mind that the Cocoa FL newspaper is the progenitor of the national Today publication. (I'm partial to Cocoa TODAY since I was involved in creating its first edition. Great fun.)

Apparently, the publisher of Yedioth Aharonoth correctly feels his paper is threatened by the free-distribution Israel HaYom (Israel This day).

Yedioth Aharonoth's main competition, Ma'arive already ceased publication, leaving Israel with three dominant paid circulation dailies: Yedioth Aharonoth, now left-leaning HaAretz, and the English language Jerusalem (nee' Palestine) Post. The country no longer has - to the best of my knowledge - any "simple Hebrew" newspapers for new olim and students of the Hebrew language.

Yedioth Aharonoth is not without resources: it owns, among other properties, Ynet, a news and general content website as well as a popular cable tv channel.

With the demise of Ma'arive and before the arrival of Israel HaYom, Yedioth Aharonoth was the circulation leader of Hebrew language newspapers in Israel.

Israel HaYom now surpasses Yedioth Aharonoth's circulation.

Perhaps two undeclared reasons behind the owner of Yedioth Aharonoth's effort to stop Israel HaYom are

 *  Difference of political opinion; Yedioth Aharonoth is liberal to Israel HaYom's conservative and

 *  Ownership: Yedioth Aharonoth always has been owned by Israelis while Israel HaYom is owned by American Sheldon Adelson. Adelson is reportedly the world's 8th or 9th richest person with an estimated wealth of some US$40.8 billion.

Regardless of political perspective or owner's nationality (assuming it is in the host country's interests), it seems that Israel's politicians - if not Yedioth Aharonoth - should welcome Israel HaYom rather than attempt to create laws to restrict it.

But then Israel's politicians are no better than those in the U.S. who put self-interest ahead of the people they are supposed to represent.

As for me, I'd like to see a free liberal competitor to Israel HaYom's conservative perspective (actually I REALLY like to see an unbiased publication, but I think that's a thing of the past even in the U.S.). Both political positions are alive and well on-line, in English and Hebrew and, perhaps, other languages.