VZCZCXRO5487
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0052 0120839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120839Z JAN 10
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7260
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 8053
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5006
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4852
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6340
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4771
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3375
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000052
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 (01/12): Special Envoy Mitchell
stresses that the Palestinians deserve their own state
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Main Stories:
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The three dailies highlight Special Envoy Mitchell calling for the
international community's engagement to support the resumption of
negotiations as soon as possible with a clear timeframe to achieve
positive outcomes. Al-Quds independent daily leads with news on
Mitchell stressing that cooperation between the US and Europe is
crucial to push the peace process forward. The daily also runs a
headline of Mitchell stating that the Palestinians don't have a
state and they deserve to have one of their own.
In related news, the dailies report that US National Security
Advisor Jim Jones will visit the Middle East in an attempt to push
the peace process forward.
The local press reports that one Palestinian was killed and three
were injured during Israeli shelling in northern Gaza yesterday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak urged Hamas to stop firing rockets at
Israel in order to avoid a strong Israeli response.
Palestinian media highlights news that the PLO Executive Committee
called for the discussion of how to save Jerusalem from continued
Israeli demolitions and construction at the next Arab Summit,
scheduled for March in Libya. The committee issued a statement
yesterday urging the international community and the Quartet to take
a decisive position regarding the Israeli actions in Jerusalem and
present the issue to the UNSC.
In related news, the dailies front page reports that the Fatah
Central Committee concluded a meeting yesterday headed by President
Mahmoud Abbas. The Central Committee renewed calls for a complete
settlement freeze to pave the way for the resumption of
negotiations. The Central Committee also rejected any temporary
solutions to the conflict and a state with temporary borders.
In its weekly cabinet meeting yesterday, the Council of Ministers
condemned the Israeli attacks against the Palestinian citizens of
Tana (near Nablus) on Sunday. Prime Minister Fayyad asked several
ministries to pursue the reconstruction of Tana.
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BLOCK QUOTE:
------------Tayseer Zubri, writing in Al-Quds under the title
tle
"The New US Move ... Would it Help Obama's Administration?" is
skeptical that US efforts to resume peace talks between the
Palestinians and Israelis will succeed. Zubri believes that the US
should stop playing the mediator role because it failed and
recommends that the UN takes over.
RUBINSTEIN