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Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (10/23): Palestinian National

Published: Thu 23 Oct 2008 09:29 AM
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TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (10/23): PALESTINIAN NATIONAL
DIVISION - ON A PERSONAL LEVEL
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Main Stories:
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Al Quds and Al Ayyam newspapers lead with news that new Palestinian
Authority elections is as an issue being discussed in Cairo. All
front pages report that Hamas leader Misha'al has called for the
whole-sale adoption of Egypt's unity proposal, whereas PLO Executive
Committee member Yaser Abed Rabbo stated at an October 22 Ramallah
press conference, that the proposal has sections that remain open to
discussion and, "need more detail". Rabbo also called for a
timetable for new PA elections, according to reporting.
Al Hayat Al Jadida leads with statements by Chief PLO negotiator
Ahmad Quray insisting that no peace deal can be reached by the end
of the year. His statements came during an October 22 press
conference with French Foreign Minister Kushner in Paris. He blamed
Israel for not reaching an agreement. In related reporting, Al Quds
notes on its front page that Israel's President Peres will, "build
on statements by Assistant Secretary of State David Welch," to
approach his Egyptian counterpart about "collective" negotiations
between Israel and Arab countries.
The three papers publish front page reports on the announcement of
$150 million in additional U.S budget support to the Palestinian
Authority (PA), bringing U.S. assistance to the PA to more than $700
million in 2008. Papers report that a ceremony was held on October
22 in Ramallah to announce the funding. U.S. Consul General Jake
Walles and USAID Director Howard Sumka stated that the U.S., "is
happy to support the PA and enhance its efforts to secure economic
and, eventually, political stability." PA Prime Minister Fayyad
thanked the U.S. for its, "consistent support."
Al Ayyam publishes a prominent front page item on statements by
Consulate General Jerusalem's Public Affairs Officer Micaela
Schweitzer-Bluhm "strongly" denying that there has been any contact
between the U.S. Government, specifically Secretary Rice, and Hamas.
In photo coverage, the three papers publish front page photos of
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad assisting farmers near
Ramallah pick olives on October 22. Fayyad condemned recent Israeli
settler attacks on olive farmers in the West Bank, saying, "this is
nothing short of terrorism enacted by settlers." Al Ayyam leads
with a photo of a teargas cloud disbursing Palestinians at Israel's
Huwara checkpoint near Nablus. The accompanying story cites a World
Bank report noting that the environment for investment in the
Palestinian Territories remains "unfavorable" due to Israeli
restrictions.
Al Quds runs front page statements by Hamas Spokesman Fawzi Barhum
on October 23 about a, "so-called Palestinian Hizbollah" projectile
attack on Israel. Hamas denies the existence of a faction by that
name and claims the October 21 incident was an, "Israeli media
fabrication" intended to justify the Gaza closures that began on
October 22. In related reporting, Al Hayat Al Jadida notes Russian
Foreign Minister Lavrov's comments from October 22 that the Gaza
closures are, "unfruitful" adding that, "Gaza border smuggling
tunnels have become an industrial zone, employing 20 to 25,000
people."
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1. Abdullah Awwad opines in Al Ayyam under the title, "A calm
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discourse in a noisy moment (10/23): "All that can be said about
the rift between Hamas and Fatah or between the Islamic movement and
the nationalist one... is that it is a conflict between the West
Bank and Gaza and the victims are the land [as politicians ignore
Israeli settlement activities]... and the people... It is a conflict
about privileges, seats and offices... Those in the West Bank and
Gaza who support the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority (PA)
have become more than 50% ...according to the polls ... support for
the PA has dropped to less than 25%... those who feel harmed by the
PA and the occupation are becoming the vast majority... The man on
the street says that it is only a matter of time [before opposition
to the PA]... explodes..."
2. Al Quds editorial is titled "School violence" and reacts to a
recent incident at a Gaza school where a Hamas appointed substitute
teacher who replaced a teacher on strike, caused a student to fall
from the third floor (10/23): "[the] tragedy should be a wakeup call
for all of us facing school violence, whether it be verbal,
psychological or physical... respect should begin with the teachers
and students themselves, and be cultivated within the family and
society... the pieces are interrelated and affected by the general
economic and political situation, the strikes and resulting
chaos....if we value social stability than we should value the
building of our nation even more."
Walles
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