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Leza L Olson 10/30/2006 01:08:44 PM From DB/Inbox: Leza L Olson
Cable
Text:
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 04306
SIPDIS
CXTelA:
ACTION: PD
INFO: POL DAO DCM AMB
DISSEMINATION: PD
CHARGE: PROG
APPROVED: A/PAO:STUTTLE
DRAFTED: PD:RPAZ
CLEARED: AIO:GANISMAN
VZCZCTVI738
PP RUEHC RHEHAAA RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RUEKJCS RUEAHQA
RUEADWD RUENAAA RHEFDIA RUEKJCS RUEHAD RUEHAS RUEHAM RUEHAK
RUEHLB RUEHEG RUEHDM RUEHLO RUEHFR RUEHRB RUEHRO RUEHRH
RUEHTU RUCNDT RUEHJM RHMFISS RHMFIUU RHMFIUU
DE RUEHTV #4306/01 3031030
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301030Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7284
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEADWD/DA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 1116
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 7891
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0957
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1883
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 1095
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 8757
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 1819
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8746
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 9191
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 5873
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3245
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 8113
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 2365
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4264
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 4887
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 004306
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STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC FOR NEA STAFF
SECDEF WASHDC FOR USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA
HQ USAF FOR XOXX
DA WASHDC FOR SASA
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019
JERUSALEM ALSO ICD
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL
PARIS ALSO FOR POL
ROME FOR MFO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IS KMDR
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION
--------------------------------
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
--------------------------------
1. Mideast
2. US Israeli Relations
-------------------------
Key stories in the media:
-------------------------
Leading media reported that the police will begin an initial
examination to determine whether to open a criminal investigation
against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on his role in the sale of the
controlling interest in Bank Leumi.
All media reported that Labor Party central committee has voted in
favor of remaining in the coalition despite the joining of Avigdor
Lieberman's Israel Beitenu party.
All media reported that the cabinet and the Knesset will vote today
on the appointment of MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) as
minister dealing with strategic threats and a deputy prime minister.
All media quoted that President Moshe Katzav's attorney Zion Amir as
saying that the president does not intend to resign before a final
decision is reached by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on whether to
indict him.
All media reported that the 2007 budget proposal and Economic
Arrangements Law will be submitted to the Knesset by Finance
Minister Avraham Hirshzon on Monday. The budget proposals sum to
300 billion shekels.
Ha'aretz cited a senior spokesman for Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak as announcing that Meshal would arrive in Egypt for talks
with senior officials, but did not specify when that would take
place. The paper noted that the announcement is considered to be
unusual.
The Jerusalem Post reported that following media reports on Saturday
that the Egyptians are reinforcing their troops on Gaza border
(following a report that Israel intends to use cluster bombs to bomb
smuggling tunnels), Defense Minister Amir Peretz said on Sunday that
Egypt has only 750 border policemen and that it is reinforcing its
forces.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the Foreign Ministry is unhappy
about steps taken by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to open a
new Vienna-based office to register claims by Palestinians who have
been harmed by the Israeli construction of its security fence.
Maariv cited a report conducted by the Boeing Company that
investigated the crash of the Apache Longbow on July 24, 2006 in the
northern Israel that determined that the Apache crashed due to
overuse and bad weather conditions.
Leading media reported that a major terror attack was thwarted after
the police arrested four Palestinians and one Israeli-Arab suspects
and discovered a car carrying explosives.
Maariv reported that in a year all IDF tanks will be equipped with
the modern protection system known as TROPHY, supposed to be able to
withstand advanced anti-tank missiles of the types used by
Hizbullah.
-----------
1. Mideast:
-----------
Summary:
--------
Palestinian affairs correspondent Danny Rubinstein wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The government of Israel can
and must help the Palestinian economy.... this will not only make
things better for Gaza, but also for Israel, because this is the
only way to destroy the terror infrastructure."
Liberal columnist Akiva Eldar wrote in independent, left-leaning
Ha'aretz: "The silence of the leadership of mainstream Jewry in the
world, in view of the legitimization of a person such as Lieberman,
undermines the moral high ground they hold in the struggle against
Israel-haters throughout the world. If a Jewish politician who
aspires to transfer an Arab minority across the border can sit in an
Israeli cabinet, why should an anti-Semite not sit in an Austrian
government? Let's hear it for the Haiders."
Op-ed writer Yael Paz Melamed wrote in the lead editorial of
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Even if Israel's
leaders will continue to dodge their responsibility, and even if
minister Peretz continues to allow the use of shock grenades and
rubber bullets against demonstrators, the truth cannot stay
unrevealed -- the route of the political-arbitrary fence is
consecutive with land robbery and expropriate human rights violation
of Palestinian residents."
Block Quotes:
-------------
I. "The way to eliminate terror"
Palestinian affairs correspondent Danny Rubinstein wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (10/30): "The power struggle
between Fatah and Hamas will not be quietened by this or that
agreement, but rather only if they go along with a radical change in
the economic and social reality in Gaza -- a matter in which Israel
plays a key function. First of all, Israel's government has to
return the money to the PA that Israel owes it.... The government of
Israel can and must help the Palestinian economy by renewal of
subcontracting work to Israeli factories in Gaza ... That should be
in addition to the export of agricultural products from Gaza, which
has provided hundreds of thousands of jobs. Now everything is
paralyzed because of the blockage of the border crossings, a problem
to which a solution can also be found -- for example, passage by way
of Egypt to the Nitzana terminal. After all, there are no weapons
tunnels there. In addition, infrastructure projects should be
started up again in Gaza involving the port and the utilization of
natural gas on the coast. More Palestinian laborers should be
allowed into Israel and industrial zones should be established. All
this will not only make things better for Gaza, but also for Israel,
because this is the only way to destroy the terror infrastructure."
II. "Let's Hear it for Haider"
Liberal columnist Akiva Eldar wrote in independent, left-leaning
Ha'aretz (10/30): "The prevalent comparison between Avigdor
Lieberman and Joerg Haider does an injustice to the Austrian
nationalist whose party joined the government in the winter of 2000.
Haider is far from being a righteous man, but even in his most
fascist days, he never called on Austria to rid itself of citizens
who'd been living in the country for generations. Also, Haider never
suggested standing up legislators representing these citizens in
front of a firing squad.... With the entry of his party into the
coalition, Haider signed a declaration promising to abide by the
European principles of democracy and human rights, and to protect
the rights of minorities. Prior to that, he apologized to the
Jewish people for his statements that downplayed the Nazi horrors.
What about Lieberman, then? Has he accepted the article in the
government's basic guidelines that includes the commitment to
'respect the civil rights of minorities and not accept any
expression of racism in the country'? .... The growth of extremist
parties on the right in Europe is worrying to Israel, and
justifiably so.... The silence of the leadership of mainstream Jewry
in the world, in view of the legitimization of a person such as
Lieberman, undermines the moral high ground they hold in the
struggle against Israel-haters throughout the world. If a Jewish
politician who aspires to transfer an Arab minority across the
border can sit in an Israeli cabinet, why should an anti-Semite not
sit in an Austrian government? Let's hear it for the Haiders."
III. "No Inner Responsibility"
Op-ed writer Yael Paz Melamed wrote in the lead editorial of
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (10/30): "Even if
Israel's leaders will continue to dodge their responsibility, and
even if minister Peretz continues to allow the use of shock grenades
and rubber bullets against demonstrators, the truth cannot stay
unrevealed -- the route of the political-arbitrary fence is
consecutive with land robbery and expropriate human rights violation
of Palestinian residents. Even it avoids money compensation; Israel
shall pay dearly for these acts.... With the lack of inner
responsibility, the UN has no choice but to establish a 'situation
room' that gathers all the harsh facts and urges us to confront our
accountability."
------------------------
2. US Israeli Relations:
------------------------
Summary:
--------
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "Bush, a constant
friend, could see Israeli response to Syrian courtship as
undermining his battle in Iran, which threatens Israeli existence.
Tactically, it is better for the Israeli administration to be
attentive to U.S. desires. Strategically, it is critical to
continue striving for peace. However, a government with political
wisdom -- and yes, with an agenda of peace -- would strive to
resolve this conflict, through constant and intensive dialogue with
the U.S."
Block Quotes:
-------------
"Strive for Peace
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (10/29): "In Bush's
eyes, there are two key priorities in the Middle East: transferring
security in Iraq to a local government, so the American military can
leave; and preparing for a conflict with an Iran on the verge of
nuclear arms, if political means fail. All other issues, such as
the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Lebanese arena and the
possible resumption of Jerusalem-Damascus talks, are seen only from
the angle of whether they serve the key goals in Iraq and Iran. In
this context, the U.S. labels Syria among the bad guys and seeks to
preclude its propaganda achievements, such as Assad looking like a
proponent of peace. Israel, which needs American support in every
arena and particularly against Iran, is subjected to a role
reversal: The pressure to become more moderate has become pressure
to become tougher. Bush, a constant friend, could see Israeli
response to Syrian courtship as undermining his battle in Iran,
which threatens Israeli existence. Tactically, it is better for the
Israeli administration to be attentive to U.S. desires.
Strategically, it is critical to continue striving for peace.
However, a government with political wisdom -- and yes, with an
agenda of peace -- would strive to resolve this conflict, through
constant and intensive dialogue with the U.S.... Israel must not be
seen as refusing peace. It makes sense to respond in a positive
tone to Assad's peace signals while putting out quiet feelers
through indirect channels from Turkey to Saudi Arabia, to determine
his intent. Israel must take U.S. military and political
considerations and Washington's requirements of Syria, into
consideration in any fruitful process that develops between
Jerusalem and Damascus."
JONES