VZCZCXRO2243
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1309/01 2031122
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211122Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2210
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 7216
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4201
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4054
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5552
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3970
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2535
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 001309
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: CORRECTED COPY - JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (7/21):
JERUSALEMITES ARE DISAPPOINTED AND HAVE LOST HOPE
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Main Stories:
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The visit by British Premier Gordon Brown to Bethlehem on July 20
leads all front pages. Al- Quds reports that after his meeting with
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, Brown stated at a
joint press conference that increased settlement activities
complicate the peace process and that Israel should instead be
making concessions. Papers also note Brown's announcement of $60
million in assistance to the Palestinian Authority, with Al- Ayyam
and Al- Hayat Al- Jadida highlighting his comment that, "Jerusalem
is the capital of the two states." Abbas emphasized that Israel has
not honored its commitments made at Annapolis, coverage continues.
In photos, Al Hayat Al Jadida runs a front page photo of Brown's
wife on a July 20 visit to the Bethlehem Ayda refugee camp, with the
separation barrier clearly visible in the background. Related
reporting in all dailies highlights Israeli Premier Olmert's July 20
comment that an agreement with the Palestinians is, "closer than
ever." Other Brown coverage in Al- Quds reports that students in
the Gaza Strip sent a letter asking Brown to press Israel on exit
permits for students wishing to study abroad.
All dailies report that Israeli security sources told Israeli press
that Hamas is seeking to imitate Hizbollah in its negotiations with
Israel over a possible prisoners' release deal. According to the
coverage, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyyah is determined to enforce
Hamas conditions in any exchange that would include the release of
Israeli soldier Shalit. For his part, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert
considers negotiations regarding Shalit, "not easy." Al- Quds
reports that Hamas has presented a list of 1,000 Palestinian
prisoners to be released but, Israel so far, has refused the list.
Daily, front page reporting on Israeli military action in the West
Bank and Jerusalem continues. All papers report on the July 20
release of a video-tape showing a handcuffed and blindfolded
Palestinian being shot point blank in the legs with rubber bullets
by an Israeli soldier in the West Bank village of Ni'lin. Al Ayaam
leads with photos from the video that was released by Israeli
watchdog group Betselem. Coverage does not state the reason for the
Palestinian's arrest. Ni'lin is the site of frequent protests
against the separation barrier. In Jerusalem, all papers cite
Israeli daily Haaretz in their reporting about Israeli attempts to
"take over" the house of the Al Kurd family in East Jerusalem. The
family faces eviction after losing its case before the Israeli
Supreme Court. According to coverage, the action is part of a
larger plan for settlement expansion.
Israeli intelligence sources reported on July 20 that Washington
will attack Iran some time in the next two months if talks in Geneva
fail, according to front pages. Related coverage in Al-Quds notes a
July 20 statement by Iranian Vice President of Culture and Tourism
Masha'i that Iran is, "a friend to the Israeli people."
On the topic of internal Palestinian reconciliation talks, Al- Ayyam
highlights news that Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have
completed "a worksheet" that outlines topics to be discussed and
mechanisms for launching a national dialogue.
---------------
Weekend stories
---------------
Sunday, July 20, 2008
All dailies lead with news about the participation of Palestinian
Premier Salam Fayyad in the 100th anniversary celebration of
JERUSALEM 00001309 002 OF 003
Ramallah municipality held on July 19. In his remarks, Fayyad
called on all Palestinian factions to accept the formation of a
"transitional government" that will organize new parliamentary and
presidential elections. In Al- Ayyam, Fayyad adds that there should
be an immediate response to Palestinian Authority President Abbas'
initiative to launch a national dialogue and that the top priority
for Palestinians is to protect land in order to defeat Israeli
settlement activities. In related coverage, all dailies note Hamas
leader Ismail Haniyyah's July 19 announcement that Hamas is ready to
begin a national dialogue to discuss all pending matters.
All dailies report on a series of meetings held by Palestinian
Authority President Mahmud Abbas on July 19 in Ramallah and
Bethlehem. Al- Quds leads with the meeting of Abbas and European
Delegate for the Peace Process Mark Otte in Ramallah. Al- Hayat Al-
Jadida quotes Otte stating that, "Israeli incursions into
Palestinian cities make the job of the Palestinian police in their
campaign to impose security and law, difficult." Al- Ayyam reports
that Otte paid a "solidarity visit" to the Al- Kurd family who face
eviction from their East Jerusalem home. The dailies report that
Abbas also met with the Al-Kurd family in Bethlehem and reassured
them that the Palestinian Authority will exert all efforts, "to
defend their house from being occupied by the Israeli authorities."
Finally, the three dailies report that Abbas also met with American
Middle East expert Dennis Ross in Ramallah and briefed him about,
"Israeli violations in Palestinian cities."
Al- Hayat Al- Jadida highlights that the U.S. State Department sent
Iran a letter through a mediator on July 19, warning that Iran must
choose between cooperation and confrontation regarding nuclear
issues.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Al Quds leads with news that Secretary Rice emphasized on July 18
that the U.S. has "changed its attitude" on the Iranian nuclear
issue and will send a delegate to negotiations that will be held
with Iran on July 19 in Egypt. In response, "Iran is studying its
strategic options and worrying about progress" in Israeli/Syrian
negotiations, all front pages report.
All dailies highlight the results of the Tawjihi (SAT-like) exams in
front page headlines. The papers report that the Palestinian
Authority Ministry of Education revealed that the release of results
was coordinated with the Hamas-led Ministry of Education in the Gaza
Strip, in contrast to last year when Hamas angered the PA by
releasing Gaza results ahead of the West Bank. The story leads
photo coverage in Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida. Al Ayyam shows a
picture of Palestinian youth celebrating their successful Tawjihi
results, while Al Quds shows the top scoring science graduate, a
smiling girl from Janin, enjoying the proud embrace of her father.
Al Hayat Al Jadida runs the same photo of a top graduate in Gaza,
fully veiled, telling gathered journalists that, "I scored the
highest marks despite the occupation destroying my home during the
exams.
Front pages highlight remarks by Quartet Envoy Tony Blair that the
two-state solution is the only avenue for solving the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Blair made the remarks during a July
19 visit to Norway.
------------
BLOCK QUOTES:
------------
JERUSALEM 00001309 003 OF 003
Al- Quds prints its daily editorial entitled, "Jerusalem and the
Jerusalemites- where to?" (7/21): "...the lack of a collective and
comprehensive Palestinian policy and the lack of united Arab and
Islamic speech about the future of Jerusalem has led to [the city's]
continued occupation and allowed the Israel Government to make
unilateral decisions that impose new facts on the ground without
concern for international resolutions or international legitimacy.
Such a situation will make it hard to divide the city again, and
what makes matters worse is the negligence of larger countries and
their silence towards Israeli actions in the city... Jerusalemites
are disappointed and have lost hope... [however,] Jerusalemites
must refocus their priorities... and unite... the continued
occupation does not mean that [Jerusalemites] should not demand
their lost rights. And finally, it is not possible for the
situation [in Jerusalem] to continue since its long history teaches
us that Jerusalem has changed hands many times."
Lapenn