VZCZCXRO1637
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1842 2890649
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 160649Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6332
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
RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7899
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4871
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4721
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6212
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4643
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3232
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001842
SIPDIS
STATE PASS BBG
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC
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 (10/16): Hamas continues to stall
the national reconciliation process
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Main Stories:
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The dailies prominently report on today's UN Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) session to discuss the Goldstone report. In response to
remarks by Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev stating that
Israel will boycott any peace talks if the report is not withdrawn,
Palestinian Authority (PA) Ambassador to the UN Ibrahim Khreisheh
noted that the PA is not concerned about a peace process that is
based on continued settlement activity, the building of the
separation wall, and adoption of collective punishment policies
against the Palestinian people.
The local press continues to report on national reconciliation.
Azzam Al-Ahmad submitted Fatah's approval of the Egyptian proposal
yesterday to Egyptian Chief of Intelligence Omar Suleiman. The
reports note that Hamas has requested two to three more days before
submitting their response. The Palestinian factions based in
Damascus said that they won't sign the agreement unless it
recognizes the Palestinians' right of resistance, according to
coverage.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas's remarks during a joint press conference
with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Zapatero received prominent
coverage in the local press. Abbas stated that the Palestinian
elections will be held according to the basic law in January 2010
unless national reconciliation is successful, in which case the
elections will be held in June 2010.
Citing the Israeli daily Yediot, the local press highlights news
that after its failure to reach an agreement to freeze settlement
activity and announce the resumption of negotiations, the US plans
to move directly to final status negotiations. The report notes that
the US will invite the Palestinians and Israelis to the US to
discuss the crucial issues, including Jerusalem, borders and
security. In related coverage, the reports note that Special Envoy
George Mitchell met with an Israeli delegation in Washington
yesterday and discussed ways to re-launch negotiations.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title "Who
is deceiving the Palestinian people?" (10/16): "The Palestinian
leadership and political factions are responsible for deceiving the
Palestinian people. The Palestinians dream about national
reconciliation, but no one knows who is responsible for the failure
of the reconciliation thus far. Is it Hamas or Fatah? Whom should we
believe? The factions fight and the people pay the price."
2) Samih Shbeib opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the title
"Hamas and the closed prospects" (10/16): "Hamas will not approve of
holding national presidential and legislative elections. In fact
they see no need to hold the elections because they won't be elected
again. In the coming days, we will see that Hamas is creating many
obstacles and problems with Egypt to hinder the national
reconciliation."
RUBINSTEIN