Yediot Aharonot claims that the aspirations of last summer's socio-economic protests have gone largely unfulfilled and fears that violence could break out as a result. The author says, "Raising the prices of public transportation, which is nothing but a blow to the weakest sectors and an expression of contempt for social justice could lead to the burning of buses around the country," and adds that increased expenses for fuel, water, property taxes and gas are eating up a high percentage of the meager income of the lower median." The paper reminds its readers that "this government, which has raised the price of poor people's transportation by 4%, refuses to impose a 2% surtax on those earning over NIS 1 million," and concludes, "Dear - literally - ministers, you have been warned."

Haaretz comments on yesterday's disclosure that credit card details belonging to thousands of Israelis were posted online by a hacker who claimed to be part of the Saudi Arabian collective: "The action by the Saudi hackers should serve as a warning sign regarding the continued application of the biometric database law. The law, which was proposed by Knesset member Meir Sheetrit and whose regulations were approved in May 2011 by the ministerial committee for biometric applications, is likely to expose Israeli citizens to severe invasion of their privacy. The government must recognize the fact that, in a technological era when every protective system also constitutes a potential for penetration, a biometric database is an invitation to hackers to break in."

Ma'ariv concurs that "in light of how intolerably easy it is to hack into financial databanks, it would be worthwhile to think twice before building a biometric database that will turn Israelis into potential cyber attack victims."

Yisrael Hayom refers to yesterday's Quartet-sponsored talks between Israeli and Palestinian envoys in Amman and remarks, "It is possible to pat ourselves on the back merely by the decision that attorney Yitzhak Molcho and Saeb Erekat will meet again next week. According to reports, the Palestinians presented their views on security arrangements and Israel promised to study them seriously. Not very exciting, but also better than nothing." However, the author asserts, "A serious resumption of the negotiations requires not just both sides, but the two at the top of the pyramid - Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Mazen, but doubts that the former will do anything in this regard before the Likud leadership contest on January 31. The author predicts that "2012 will be a tough year for negotiations. Barack Obama is distracted by the presidential elections and will not want to intervene in settling the eternal conflict in the Holy Land, especially as the Arab Spring turns into autumn. It could also be that this will be an election year in Israel as well, and the Palestinian administration is involved in reformulating the nature of Fatah's relationship with Hamas."

The Jerusalem Post comments on the stand taken by FM Liberman on religious councils in Israel that "religious councils alienate young couples. They have also become incubators for the transfer of funds to haredi functionaries. Therefore, I am taking steps to do away with them." The paper writes: "By acknowledging the existence of a chronic problem, Liberman has taken an important first step towards doing away with state-funded body that has proven itself obsolete and counterproductive to its stated goal - facilitating the practice of religion by the general public. More problematic is the extreme politicization of religion resulting from the present system. A radical rethinking of the way religious services are provided is essential. While we agree with Liberman that the councils should be dismantled, we also believe that an alternative model should be found to replace the old one so that the state will continue to provide the citizens of the Jewish state with basic religious services."

[Amnon Shamosh, Yehuda Sharoni and Dan Margalit wrote today's articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]