Editoriais de domingo, 30 de abril *

Haaretz comments: "Considering the results of the elections, which divided political power among numerous parties, it may be noted with satisfaction that the coalition negotiations were conducted in a dignified manner. Declarations on the intended path of the next government were clear from the outset, and the results of the negotiations were logical. The immediate linkage between Kadima and Labor, and the announcement that these would be the two senior members of the coalition around which the next government would be formed, prevented unnecessary horse-trading, foot-dragging, the making of empty promises to bring pressure to bear and insufferable compromises on matters of principle. The preference of Labor as a senior partner, rather than a number of parties that would have pulled the coalition in opposite directions, shows responsibility and the serious intention to implement agreed-upon programs.

The Jerusalem Post writes: "Sweden claims that its decision to pull out of a NATO air force exercise has nothing to do with the participation of the Israeli air force in the event. But as a Foreign Ministry spokesman put it, both Sweden's decision and its strange denial of the obvious are "insulting and unacceptable." ...Israel is a peace-seeking democracy that is under attack. We don't appreciate it when countries boycott us and welcome our attackers, as Sweden has done by granting visas - contrary to European policy - to Hamas officials... It is unfortunate that Sweden has shown such a gross inability to understand Israel's position that - in the name of promoting peace, of all things - it has removed itself from any constructive role in such a quest. Far from advancing peace, Sweden's extreme positions, however inadvertently, encourage terrorism against Israel, resulting in the deaths of more Israelis and Palestinians."

Yediot Aharonot urges Labor Party chairman Amir Peretz's internal party critics to fall in line and get to work. The editors urge Peretz to live up to his promises to his voters and to recast the Labor Party as "a renewed party of ideas that is genuinely dedicated to advancing socio-economic values in Israel."

Yediot Aharonot, in its second editorial, discusses the status of 99-year-old Labor Party patriarch Yitzhak Ben-Aharon.

Hatzofeh says that the new government's policy guidelines are anti-Zionist and wonders how Shas can contemplate joining such a government.