The following is a selection of quotes from editorials published in 3 Sep editions of Hebrew-language Israeli newspapers available to BBCM.

Regional conference

"Abu Mazin [Mahmud Abbas] also knows well the dynamics of expectations a conference of the planned kind stirs and therefore he warns every week against convening such a conference before reaching clear understandings on all issues. However, even if he finds the courage and signs an agreement along the parametres of 'improved Oslo', 'Camp David' or 'Clinton' it should be remembered that Abu Mazin has no ability to impose the agreement at least on half of his territory: The Gaza Strip is not in his hands... In such a situation and in order to prevent another round of violence the two leaders should do preparation work. First, define for the conference limited, realizable objectives IDF withdrawal from most of the [West] Bank territories, building joint economic infrastructures and giving Palestinians additional symbols of sovereignty like a currency... Second, work immediately to lower expectations... Explain the difficulties facing both sides and make clear that there is no chance for a comprehensive settlement at this stage. And finally, give the Palestinian public hope for the future by easing living conditions now..." [From commentary by Ze'ev Dror in centrist, largest circulation Yediot Aharonot]

"In addition to the direct threat that nuclear Iran poses for Israel the Iranian intentions of strategic penetration of its neighbours have special other implications. The Gaza Strip under Hamas rule has already become a forward opposition for the ayatollahs and the [West] Bank could follow suit... The theory guiding both Jerusalem and Washington is that the 'moderate' Arab world, headed by Saudi Arabia, will force the Palestinians to settle the conflict with Israel by peaceful means for fear of the Iranian intentions. But to judge by Arab spokesmen declarations or by the 'Arab peace plan' which it seems will be the focus of the planned international conference its real objective is to line Arab unity with unilateral Israeli concessions. Tehran will of course publish announcements condemning the conference but deep in its heart will rejoice at the steps liable to pave the way to consolidation of its hegemony in the whole Middle East." [From commentary by former ambassador to US Zalman Shoval in centrist, largest circulation Yediot Aharonot]

"See with what calm, what public and political apathy, the contacts between [Ehud] Olmert and Abu Mazin [Mahmud Abbas] on shaping the agreement of principles or on a framework agreement for a permanent settlement in the run-up to the international conference expected in November are received. Is it because of the summer heat or because the public feels that it is before something that is detached from reality, a little hallucinatory? No matter what is the cause both do not have many other gladdening alternatives. Both have been ordered into the water by Condoleezza Rice and have to swim in order not to drawn... There is nothing bad in Olmert's swimming on two conditions: first, that he does not commit himself to anything he cannot implement in the future; and that he does not delude himself and us that at the end of the swimming we will reach a safe shore. At the most, this swimming can help us in the international and Arab arenas when the crisis on the northern front develops... There is no midnight summer dream here...! There is a cruel reality." [From commentary by Amos Gilboa in centre-right Ma'ariv]

"Inviting the 'nice Palestinians' to a party in Washington, where they will be showered with plenty while trying to isolate, boycott and humiliate the 'bad Palestinians', will lead - in the best of circumstances - to the creation of two Palestinian states: a pro-American one in the West Bank and a pro-Iranian regime in Gaza. In the worst of cases (if these talks fail), the conference will further entrench the diplomatic stalemate and diminish the chances for the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It is in Israel's interest to revive the dialogue between Fatah and Hamas, just as Russia and Egypt suggest, and not to contribute to a wider rift between the Palestinian organizations, as Washington proposes..." [From commentary by former Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Li'el in English-language Jerusalem Post]

Population exchanges

"Following the reports on renewed negotiations on a permanent settlement with the Palestinians Prof. Gideon Biger again proposed passing territories populated by Israeli-Arabs to the future Palestinian state... Biger claims the move would shrink the Arab minority to 14 per cent of Israel's population and that 200,000 Arabs would pass to the Palestinian state. But in fact this is impossible. The thing obligates passing Arab communities west of 'Israel Cross Road' Qalanswah, Tirah and Jaljulyah; conceding the Shaked block of settlements in order to the pass the Wadi Arah communities and conceding the Western Shomron settlements block (Elkana, Oranit, Sha'ari Tikvah, Etz Efraim and others) if we want to pass Kafr Qasim and its surroundings. If these settlements are dismantled, which is impossible, the outcome will be that 12 per cent of Israel's Arab minority 2.3 percent of the country's population would pass to the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, this small population sits on a little more than 120 square kilometres, much less than what Israel wants to annex in the West Bank... The right way to shrink Israel's Arab minority is a permanent agreement in which 250,000 East Jerusalem Arabs pass to the Palestinian Authority and lose their resident status..." [From commentary by Shaul Arieli in left-of-centre, independent broadsheet Ha'aretz]

Iran

"Iran claims it has reached the magic number of 3,000 centrifuges, the level often cited in the West as the one at which Tehran's mullahs could enrich enough uranium to produce one or two nuclear weapons a year... The mullahs evidently think that the moment such a conclusion is reached [that it is already too late to stop an Iranian bomb], complacency toward the inevitable will set in and the West will focus on how to accommodate, rather than prevent, the reality of a nuclear Iran... Israel's message should be that the choice is not between preventing a nuclear Iran or living with that scenario, but between better and worse ways of confronting the Iranian threat." [From editorial of English-language Jerusalem Post]

Sources: As listed

BBC Monitoring