O 051105Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1711
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
WHITE HOUSE NSC
SECDEF WASHDC
DIA WASHDC
CIA WASHDC
DA WASHINGTON DC//DAS-ZD/DACS-ZK//
CSAF WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
CMC WASHINGTON DC
CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY TUNIS
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
AMEMBASSY ROME
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000945
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 (6/05): 41ST ANNIVERSARY OF 1967
WAR: NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT
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Main Stories:
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Palestinian President Abbas's call for "comprehensive and national"
dialogue between Fatah and Hamas leads coverage in all dailies.
Both Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run red banner headlines
quoting Abbas stating that the dialogue should be based on the
Yemeni initiative and include Arab involvement. The Yemen-sponsored
reconciliation plan pushed for talks between the two groups earlier
this year. Abbas, who did not stress a previous condition that
Hamas return the Gaza Strip to Palestinian Authority rule, was
speaking at a commemoration of the 41st anniversary of the 1967 war.
Other front-page reports cite Hamas welcoming Abbas' call.
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyya will
respond to Abbas in an, "official address."
Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad's remarks that continuing Israeli
settlement activities, "will never bring security to Israel," are
highlighted in all dailies. The same reports quote Fayyad praising
the peaceful resistance against the Israeli separation barrier of
the Palestinian village Bl'in, stating that his Government's policy
is based on the "Bl'in lesson." The residents of Bl'in won an
Israeli court case in September 2007 to change the route of the
separation barrier and are continuing weekly protests with their
international supporters to press for other changes related to the
barrier which they say is built on village land.
Front pages report that Israel has decided to delay the transfer of
tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority in protest of a letter
from Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad to the EU, urging European
countries to "punish" Israel for continued settlement activities.
The European Union is considering, "upgrading their relations" with
Israel.
Angry reaction to Barak Obama's June 4 address to AIPAC runs in
front page headlines. Al-Quds highlights that Palestinian President
Abbas, "completely rejects" Obama's comments about Jerusalem
remaining the united capital of Israel and reiterated the
Palestinian position that the eastern part of the city, "shall be
the capital of the future Palestinian state." In a sarcastic tone,
Al-Ayyam runs the headline, "Obama submits his credentials to Israel
soon after he wins the Democratic Party's nomination." Al-Quds
quotes Abbas's Chief of Staff Rafiq Husseini stating that the
situation in Jerusalem may "explode" and the whole conflict turn
into an "ideological and religious" struggle.
Coverage of Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's visit to Washington is
highlighted in Al-Ayyam, citing his "threats" to wage a vast
military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The story states that
Olmert's discussion with President Bush focused on Iran.
Al-Ayyam reports that Israel has decided to suspend the delivery of
fuel into Gaza amid the June 4 firing of missiles on Israeli targets
from the Strip.
All dailies front-page coverage of remarks by chief Palestinian
negotiator Ahmad Quray that, "it would take a miracle to reach an
agreement by the end of this year."
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1. Veteran columnist Talal 'Ukal comments in independent Al-Ayyam
under the headline, "Not Much Time Is Left," (6/5): "It is safe to
say that [Israeli Prime Minister] Olmert has achieved the goals of
his [Washington] visit. I I think those goals can be summarized in
the following two points: The first is to ensure American
administration support for Olmert to remain in office for at least a
few more months. The second is to acquire a possible American green
light to wage vast military aggression on the Gaza Strip, for which
it seems that detailed plans have already been drawn up and the
countdown has started. [American] statements that preceded Olmert's
meeting with Bush indicate that the American administration is not
the least bit concerned about the political crisis in Israel, and
that Washington, in fact, would like to take advantage of Olmert's
hardship ... to obtain guarantees on progress in Palestinian-Israeli
negotiations. For her part, Secretary Condoleezza Rice has restated
that Washington is determined to forge an agreement this year. She
would not have said that if she doubted Olmert's chances of
remaining in office... and [his] being capable of continuing to make
decisions."
2. Independent Al-Quds runs an op-ed by Jamil Salhut entitled,
"Remembering the June [war], no signs of any solutions," (6/5):
"These days mark the beginning of the 42nd year of Israel's
occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan
Heights.... In fact, settlement activities have never stopped in
East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank. Continued and
accelerated announcements about additional settlement activities
during ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian
Authority can only mean that the current Israeli Government, like
all previous Israeli governments, is not serious about peace. This
peace cannot be achieved without complete Israeli withdrawal from
the occupied territories. Therefore, any... possibility of
establishing a Palestinian state by the end of this year, in
accordance with President Bush's vision, is simply impossible...."
WALLES