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O 080921Z JAN 10
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7201
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 8030
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4999
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4847
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6335
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4766
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3370
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000033
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 (01/08): President Abbas says he
is still waiting to see reported US peace plan
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Main Stories:
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The dailies lead with news on the US exerting intensified and high
level efforts to resume peace talks between the Palestinians and
Israelis that will lead to a final agreement within two years. In
related news, the dailies report that Special Envoy George Mitchell
said in an interview on the Charlie Rose show that peace
negotiations should take no more than two years once they begin. He
added that he plans to return to the region in the coming days in
hopes of pushing the talks forward. Al-Quds reports on Palestinian
Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas saying that the Palestinians
have not seen the US plan.
The dailies front page news on settlers from the Yitzhar settlement
attacking Palestinian properties in the village of Bureen in south
Nablus and cutting down more than 20 olive trees. The lead photos
show a Palestinian woman screaming after the attack.
The local press reports on Israel's military confirming that its
warplanes carried out a series of raids on military sites throughout
Gaza late Thursday night, resulting in the death of one Palestinian
and injuring others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other six ministers
agreed that Israel will continue the negotiation with Hamas
regarding the prisoner exchange deal. According to Israeli reports,
Netanyahu is reluctant to make a decision about the deal.
The three dailies front page news that Israel complained to the US
about the PA honoring individuals who committed attacks against
Israelis. An anonymous senior Israeli official noted that Israel
expressed its concern about the "incitement" that the PA is carrying
out against it.
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BLOCK QUOTE:
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Ibrahim Shaban, writing in Al-Quds under the title "PR and
Diplomatic Noise, Not More" believes that the current efforts by all
parties claiming to push the peace process forward are not more than
public relations and media strategies to pretend that there is hope
in improving the situation. In Shaban's opinion, peace negotiations
will never succeed with the continued settlement activities and
Israeli attacks against the Palestinians.
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Palestinian Cyberspace:
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This week, Palestinian cyberspace focused on the updates on the
"Viva Palestina" march to Gaza and speculation of a new Israeli
offensive on Gaza.
Several blogs and news sites are warning of a new Israeli military
operation on Gaza. Video blog "Palestine Vlog" carried a report
under the title "Israeli war games eye Gaza Occupation: Tanks enter
Jabalia & leaflets on Gaza City."
Social Media carried reports on several airstrikes launched by
Israeli warplanes on the Gaza Strip. It also circulated reports on
the Israeli Defense Forces training and preparation for another
military campaign.
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