Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (11/17): Palestinian Authority

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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6665
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INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7950
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4917
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4767
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UNCLAS JERUSALEM 002052

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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 (11/17): Palestinian Authority
announces is has begun to seek support for a unilateral declaration
at the UNSC

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Main Stories:
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The three dailies report on Palestinian Liberation Organization
(PLO) Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat announcing yesterday that the
efforts to issue a UN Security Council resolution recognizing the
Palestinian state on the 1967 borders has begun. The coverage notes
that the Palestinian Authority (PA) officially asked the European
Commission to support this step and issue an international
resolution that recognizes the Palestinian state. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida
reports on the Congressional delegation visiting Israel saying that
the US will veto such a resolution at the UNSC. Al-Quds reports on
Ian Kelley saying that the US supports the creation of a Palestinian
state and that the best way to achieve it is via negotiations.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages news on Hamas leader Salah
Al-Bardaweel as saying that the PLO Central Council is illegitimate
and that Hamas will not accept any transfer of the Palestinian
Legislative Council responsibilities to the Council.

Al-Ayyam front pages news on Israeli officials reiterating that
Israel will take unilateral steps if the Palestinians declare a
unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state without Israel's
approval. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is quoted as saying that
"any unilateral step will lead to a unilateral response from the
Israeli side" and he urged the Palestinians to return to
negotiations without preconditions.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Hani Al-Masri opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the
title "The Recognition of the State is Not Enough, We Need an
Alternate Strategy" (11/17): "The Palestinians should pursue their
efforts towards the unilateral declaration of the state ... In the
meantime, they should work on a strategy that ensures the
implementation of national goals ... the negotiations are no longer
an option after the failure of negotiations over the past years."

2) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title
"Going Back to Dialogue" (11/17): "Egyptian sources have noted
lately that Egypt will invite the Palestinian factions for another
round of national reconciliation dialogue after the Al-Adha feast to
discuss the Egyptian plan without any amendments ... however, let's
not be optimistic as usual and hope that an agreement will be
reached after this dialogue session. Let's only expect progress
since nothing has changed in the positions of Fatah and Hamas."

RUBINSTEIN

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