VZCZCXRO6027
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1103/01 1820444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 300444Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1925
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAS-ZD/DACS-ZK//
RUEAHQA/CSAF WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
RHMFIUU/CMC WASHINGTON DC
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7180
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4167
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4020
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5518
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3936
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2500
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001103
SIPDIS
STATE PASS BBG
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC FOR ABRAMS
CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD
JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD
LONDON FOR HKANONA AND POL - TSOU
PARIS ALSO FOR POL
ROME FOR MFO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (6/27): "ARE WE ON OUR WAY TO
GIVING UP JERUSALEM?"
-------------
Main Stories:
-------------
All dailies lead with news that Gaza crossing points will remain
closed for a third day because of Palestinian truce violations. The
Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for the shooting of
two rockets on July 26 into southern Israel, papers report, further
noting that the group justified the attacks as a response to
unspecified Israeli violations of the Hamas/Israeli truce. Papers
highlight the angry reaction of Hamas to the rocket attacks on front
pages. According to coverage, Hamas has threatened to punish any
Palestinian group that violates the truce, including the Al- Aqsa
Brigades.
Palestinian Authority officials weigh in on the issue of the
Hamas/Israeli truce. In a June 26 statement issued to the press,
Palestinian Authority President Abbas emphasizes his support for the
truce agreement, explaining its benefits: creating conditions
conducive to the end of the Israeli blockade on Gaza, ending Israeli
"aggression", and facilitating the reopening of the Gaza crossings,
"so that the Palestinian people can go back to living a normal
life." In related coverage, Palestinian Authority Premier Fayyad
underscored a similar message about the importance of the truce and
the reopening of Gaza crossing points during a June 26 meeting with
his Czech counterpart in Prague.
Al-Quds quotes "reliable" Palestinian sources in reporting about the
agenda of Palestinian Authority President Abbas' upcoming visit to
Syria. Sources confirm that Abbas will ask Syrian President Al
Assad to use his authority to push Hamas leaders to participate in a
Palestinian national dialogue aimed at ending internal Palestinian
division. Abbas and Al Assad will also discuss Palestinian-Israeli
negotiations, the paper reports. The quoted sources expect the
Syrian President to respond to Abbas' call and urge Hamas to agree
with Fatah on a start date for talks. Abbas wants Arab League
sponsorship for the talks and the participation of other Arab
countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen, the article
notes. The talks would focus on all, "complicated matters between
Fatah and Hamas" and include the participation of representatives
from all factions, Al Quds continues. In related coverage in all
papers, Dr. Ahmad Yousef, political advisor to former Hamas Premier
Haniyyah, states that those who are, "betting on the failure of
talks between Fatah and Hamas are wrong" and that, "everybody is
waiting for the Cairo invitation to officially launch dialogue and
achieve the necessary understanding," among parties.
The three dailies report on revelations and anger over the discovery
of additional structural damage to houses in the Old City in
Jerusalem due to Israeli excavations near the Mograbi or Dung Gate,
near the Al-Aqsa mosque complex.
Prisoner exchange deals continue to capture headlines: The three
dailies report that an official Egyptian source has confirmed the
dispute between Hamas and Israel over the list of 450 Palestinian
prisoners to be released. Israel has agreed to release 71 prisoners
from the list, but continues to refuse the release of those, "whose
hands are stained with blood." In regards to the Israel/Hizbollah
prisoner exchange deal, the three dailies report that the deal is
expected to be signed by the Israelis on June 30.
Front pages highlight declining standards of living: The head of
the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics Dr. Luay Shabanah announced
that one out of three families in the Palestinian Territories lives
JERUSALEM 00001103 002 OF 002
below the poverty line.
------------
BLOCK QUOTES:
------------
1. Independent Ayyam prints its daily editorial entitled,
"Palestinian Visit to Damscus" (6/27): "It is clear that President
Mahmud Abbas will visit the Syrian capital [in July] upon the
official invitation [by] President Bashar Al-Assad... the invitation
to Damascus is not only a show of appreciation for Abu Mazen's views
and his participation at [Syria's] Arab summit, but also a new
beginning for more balanced relations between the two parties...
[However,] Abu Mazen's visit to Damascus is not purely about
Palestinian- Syrian relations, it has significance for Amman, Cairo
and Riyadh as well. [They] are waiting for ... Palestinians to
regain national unity, [and thereby] strengthen the Arab position
vis-a-vis the Israeli enemy and the international community so that
Arab views will be heard and respected by everybody."
2. Independent Al-Quds runs its daily editorial entitled, "Are we
on our way to giving up Jerusalem?" (6/27): "Jerusalemites who are
threatened with the loss of their [Palestinian identity] are now
faced with two options..., either immigrate without keeping the keys
of return, or give up an identity for which they have [already
greatly sacrificed] in order to ... remain in their city with an
identity... that is different from [the Israelis]... the
international community... is incapable of making progress on a
number of matters, mainly Jerusalem... is it realistic to talk about
a Palestinian Jerusalem and an Islamic Kiblah and rosy dreams?...
Walles