Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (11/5): Palestinian Press And

VZCZCXRO9611
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1996 3090704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050704Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6575
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 7933
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4900
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4750
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6238
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4669
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3261

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001996

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 (11/5): Palestinian press and
officials continue to criticize the US position on settlements

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Main Stories:
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The three dailies report on Secretary Hillary Clinton's remarks in
Cairo yesterday reiterating that the US position on settlements "has
not changed" and stressed that the US considers settlement activity
"illegal." An Al-Quds headline highlights Clinton as saying that the
US is still committed to the two-state solution. Al-Ayyam runs a
cynical headline that reads "Clinton believes that the best way to
freeze settlements is through the resumption of negotiations!" The
headline continues to say that Clinton reaffirmed Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position as "unprecedented." Al-Hayat
Al-Jadida also front pages news on Clinton saying that moving
towards the establishment of the Palestinian state has to include
all pending issues, including Jerusalem. The coverage notes that
Clinton received Egypt's support for the resumption of negotiations
without preconditions.

Al-Quds leads with Palestinian Liberation Organization Chief
Negotiator Saeb Erekat's remarks yesterday in a press conference in
Ramallah that Clinton's recent statements and appreciation of
Netanyahu's position will only lead to an increase in settlement
activities in the next two years. Erekat also stated that the only
option remaining for Palestinians is "one state with Muslims,
Christians and Jews living together as equals." Erekat described the
current situation as very dangerous and noted that time has come for
President Abbas to tell the people the truth, that "with continued
settlement activity, the two state solution is no longer an
option."

Dailies report on the Fatah Central Committee encouraging President
Abbas to run for reelection in the next presidential elections.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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Al Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title
"Continuous Visits ... Continuous Judaization" (11/5): "We wonder
about Secretary Clinton's intentions with her visits to Arab
capitals and her contradictory and ambiguous statements ... we all
know that the US goal is to resume direct Palestinian-Israeli
negotiations. Clinton is looking for any way to achieve this goal
despite the Palestinian and Israeli positions, which leads her to
make such contradictory and ambiguous statements."

RUBINSTEIN

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