This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TEL AVIV 000631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR NEA STAFF 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD 
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IS KMDR MEDIA REACTION REPORT
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  Iraq 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Israel Radio reported that Egyptian intelligence chief 
Omar Suleiman met this morning with PM Sharon, who 
updated him on current security contacts with the 
Palestinians and the upcoming Sharon-Abbas meeting. 
The radio reported that Suleiman handed over to Sharon 
an invitation from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to 
a summit with him and Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) next 
Tuesday in Sharm el-Sheikh.  Sharon accepted Mubarak's 
invitation. 
 
Israel Radio quoted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 
as saying Tuesday [in an interview with Reuters and 
AFP] that the U.S. could help equip and train PA 
security forces, and that the U.S. views the issue of 
reforms in the PA as very important.  Secretary Rice 
also said that Israel has responsibility toward the 
Palestinians, notably as regards their mobility. 
Ha'aretz reported that senior GOI officials are feeling 
less than enthusiastic about Secretary Rice's upcoming 
visit to Israel, fearing that the American involvement 
might "raise the price" the Palestinians will demand of 
Israel.  The newspaper quoted a GOI source as saying 
that "Rice knows this and won't let it happen." 
Jerusalem Post quoted a diplomatic official as saying 
that Secretary Rice is not expected to lay a wreath at 
Yasser Arafat's grave. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Israel and the Palestinians have 
agreed to set up a joint committee to deal with the 
cases of wanted men after a cease-fire is formally 
announced.  The committee is to meet for the first time 
next week.  According to the emerging agreements on 
both Gaza and the West Bank, Israel will agree not to 
harm wanted men who hand in their weapons to the PA, 
sign a commitment not to get involved any more in 
terror, remain in their home towns, and agree to 
monitoring by the PA security apparatus.  Ha'aretz 
recommends that those "with blood on their hands" not 
be included.  Leading media reported that Egypt will 
likely host a high-level meeting in Cairo in the coming 
days with Palestinian officials and Hamas heads to 
finalize a cease-fire agreement.  Yediot quoted Abbas 
as saying in Moscow on Tuesday that there were flaws in 
Arafat's policy.  Jerusalem Post quoted senior PA 
officials in Ramallah as saying Tuesday that a sharp 
dispute between Abbas and Palestinian PM Ahmed Qurei 
(Abu Ala) is preventing the formation of a new cabinet. 
Leading media reported that the government coalition 
does not have a majority in the Knesset's Finance 
Committee this week for the evacuation-compensation 
bill, which enables the planned disengagement.  Hatzofe 
(lead story) expects the government to allow evacuees 
to move to existing settlements in the West Bank, but 
not to encourage them to do so.  Ha'aretz reported that 
38 families from two Gaza Strip settlements signed an 
agreement in principle on Tuesday that will see them 
move to a farming community near Ashkelon.  Jerusalem 
Post reported that Zvi Hendel, chairman of the National 
Union Party and the only Knesset member living in the 
Gaza Strip's Katif Bloc, has quietly appointed a legal 
team to investigate the feasibility of moving several 
settlements, including his own, to beachfront property 
inside the Green Line. 
 
Yediot reported that FM Silvan Shalom met with Turkish 
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Davos, Switzerland, over the 
weekend.  Erdogan offered to host an Israeli- 
Palestinian summit in Istanbul.  Leading media reported 
that both Abbas and IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon 
arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for separate talks 
 
Maariv (Ben Caspit) reported that Iran has invited 
Abbas to Tehran.  The newspaper says that it is unclear 
whether the Iranian leaders have changed their minds 
regarding the Palestinians' moderation, or if they 
intend to pressure Abbas to cool down his relations 
with Israel.  All media quoted IDF Intelligence chief 
Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi-Farkash as saying Tuesday before 
the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee 
that the "axis of evil" consisting of Hizbullah, Hamas, 
and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards is determined to 
prevent Abbas from achieving calm in the territories. 
Zeevi-Farkash also said that Russia could supply Syria 
with ground-to-air "Puncher" (phon.) missiles within 
two years. 
 
All media reported that Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz 
has canceled a June 2004 government decision made by 
two ministers to apply the absentee property law to 
sizeable tracts of Palestinian property in East 
Jerusalem. 
 
Leading media reported that the Palestinians have 
started investigating the possible involvement of a 
Palestinian gunman in the death of a 10-year-old 
Palestinian girl in Rafah on Monday.  This is the first 
probe of this kind. 
 
Ha'aretz cited the IDF's Civil Administration that the 
settlers are proceeding with construction in illegal 
outposts in the West Bank, even those earmarked for 
evacuation.  According to the IDF, the settlers have 
built new structures in four outposts awaiting 
evacuation. 
Israel Radio reported that the State Department has 
asked the Knesset's Committee for Foreign Workers for 
information on possible trafficking in persons. 
 
Leading media reported that Tuesday the Rafah border 
crossing with Egypt was re-opened for business. 
 
Yediot cited Israel's concern that the EU could remove 
Hamas from its list of terrorist organizations. 
 
All media reported on German President Horst Koehler's 
visit to Israel. 
 
Ha'aretz notes that Israel was not invited to the Cairo 
Book Fair that opened last week, and that religious 
censorship in Egypt has been on the rise. 
 
All media reported that on Tuesday, Minister-Without 
Portfolio Matan Vilnai, calling himself the late 
Yitzhak Rabin's successor, announced his candidacy for 
Labor Party chairmanship.  Vilnai criticized former PM 
Ehud Barak, saying that he had destroyed the party. 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that, holding banners reading 
"Never Again" and "Israel Must Condemn," over 100 
people gathered in front of the Foreign Ministry in 
Jerusalem Tuesday to protest the use of gas chambers on 
political prisoners in North Korea. 
 
----------- 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Rice will go to 
Israel and the PA Sunday, and two days later, Abbas and 
Sharon will meet.  Now's the time for the 'half-full 
glass,' to highlight the relative quiet and not 
endanger it with a 'half-empty glass' approach." 
 
Veteran op-ed writer and the late prime minister 
Yitzhak Rabin's assistant Eytan Haber opined in the 
lead editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot: "Ariel Sharon currently has a massive 
majority in the people, a real mandate to implement his 
disengagement plan.  So where are Sharon's supporters?" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in Ha'aretz: 
"One can only hope that the calmer atmosphere Mahmoud 
Abbas has brought will also moderate the domestic 
debate [on demography] in Israel and at least prevent 
its deterioration into even worse forms of racism." 
Nationalist, Orthodox Hatzofe editorialized: "Sharon 
will be obligated to accede to [Secretary Rice's] 
demands; the production line of rockets in Gaza cellars 
will increase and improve under the auspices of 'poor 
Abu Mazen's' mask." 
Extreme right-wing columnist Caroline B. Glick wrote in 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "What 
[Attorney-General Menachem] Mazuz is agreeing to is the 
acceptance of a discriminatory principle whereby Jews 
have no right to collectively own land for the benefit 
of Jews in the Jewish state." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Now's the Time for a 'Glass Half-Full' Approach" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (February 2): "A 
source in [Israel's] defense establishment described 
the dilemma now facing Israel following mortar fire in 
Gaza:  On the one hand, the public wants quiet and is 
ready to close 'half an eye' to give the cease-fire a 
chance.  On the other hand, Israel cannot give up the 
principle that the PA prevent attacks.  The solution to 
the dilemma is also split into two: verbal pressure on 
the PA and restraint on the ground.... Prime Minister 
Ariel Sharon, meanwhile, is as suspicious as ever.... 
[Secretary] Rice heard [from senior Sharon aide Dov 
Weisglass] that Hamas could break the quiet any moment, 
but has been badly hurt by IDF actions, and is 
attentive to the public mood in the Palestinian street, 
which wants quiet.  In other words, Hamas faces the 
same dilemma as Israel.  The Palestinians also are 
tired of the fighting, want domestic and international 
legitimacy, and understand now is the time for some 
quiet.  Thus the two sides continue their delicate 
dance.  Sharon now needs pubic support ahead of the 
votes on the disengagement and the budget, and he needs 
American support ahead of the renewal of diplomatic 
talks with the Palestinians.  The quiet is important 
for him to make goodwill gestures to the Palestinians, 
like freeing prisoners and dropping the list of wanted 
men.  Rice will go to Israel and the PA Sunday, and two 
days later, Abbas and Sharon will meet.  Now's the time 
for the 'half-full glass,' to highlight the relative 
quiet and not endanger it with a 'half-empty glass' 
approach." 
 
II.  "Why Does the Silent Majority Keep Still?" 
 
Veteran op-ed writer and the late prime minister 
Yitzhak Rabin's assistant Eytan Haber opined in the 
lead editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot (February 2): "The residents of Judea, Samaria 
and Gaza [i.e. the settlers] did not succeed in 
'settling in the hearts' over the years, and appear to 
be paying the price for their behavior and high handed 
attitude now in spades.... Along with many voters of 
Likud, the Labor Party, Meretz and other parties, Ariel 
Sharon currently has a massive majority in the people, 
a real mandate to implement his disengagement plan.  So 
where are Sharon's supporters?  Where is the silent 
majority that wishes for the implementation of 
disengagement?  Experts will say that it is always 
easier to gather a crowd against something.  People do 
not come to the square to support, only to oppose. 
True or untrue, this large public, silent and still, is 
leaving the floor open to intensive activity and 
growing influence by the settlers.  This silent public 
does not budge from its easy chairs." 
 
III.  "Demographic Politics" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in Ha'aretz 
(February 2): "'Demography,' meaning anxiety about an 
Arab majority, has lately taken over the shaping of 
national policy.... The disciples of the 'demographic 
rationale' enjoy all possible worlds.  They support 
withdrawal from the territories like the Left, and 
appear to be Arab haters like the Right.  The 
'security' Left turned into the "demographic' Left 
during the Intifada.  Between the suicide bombings and 
Arafat's speeches about millions more marching to 
Jerusalem, it was difficult to talk about the moral 
burden of the occupation and much easier to hope the 
Arabs simply would disappear.  One can only hope that 
the calmer atmosphere Mahmoud Abbas has brought will 
also moderate the domestic debate in Israel and at 
least prevent its deterioration into even worse forms 
of racism." 
 
IV.  "In the Service of Words" 
 
Nationalist, Orthodox Hatzofe editorialized (February 
2): "Elected PA leader Abu Mazen has nurtured great 
hopes following this statements against violence and 
terror.  For the time being, beyond words, words and 
more words, he does not intend to do anything at all 
that would fill those words with tangible contents.... 
The problem is the necessity for the government to make 
several gestures to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice.  Rice, who will be arriving in the region, will 
demand that Sharon accede to Abu Mazen's demands, 
including a prisoner release, in order to please the 
post-Arafat Palestinian street, and to ease Abu Mazen's 
control of the complex environment in which he 
operates.  Sharon will be obligated to accede to those 
demands; the production line of rockets in Gaza cellars 
will increase and improve under the auspices of 'poor 
Abu Mazen's' mask." 
 
¶V.  "Mazuz Vs. the Jewish People" 
 
Extreme right-wing columnist Caroline B. Glick wrote in 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (February 1): 
"Last Wednesday Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz did 
something unpardonable.  He decided that the state can 
no longer abide by the law of the land.  That law, the 
Basic Law for the Israel Lands Authority [ILA] from 
1960 provides the legal basis for the ILA's 
administration of both state-owned lands and lands 
owned by the JNF [Jewish National Fund].... The JNF was 
founded at the dawn of modern Zionism for the purpose 
of raising money from Jews in the Diaspora and in 
Israel to buy lands in the Land of Israel for Jewish 
settlement. Its charter stipulates that JNF lands are 
to be used specifically for Jewish settlement.... What 
[the Israeli-Arab human rights organization] Adalah is 
demanding in its petition and what Mazuz is agreeing to 
is the acceptance of a discriminatory principle whereby 
Jews have no right to collectively own land for the 
benefit of Jews in the Jewish state.... In making this 
decision, Mazuz has not merely overstepped his 
authority. He has effectively seized the property of 
the entire Jewish people -- in Israel and throughout 
the world -- who have for the last 120 years been 
putting their dollars, rubles, francs and pounds into 
the blue [collection] boxes of the JNF.  It is the 
responsibility of all Jews to protest against this 
discriminatory expropriation of our property." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
--------- 
¶2.  Iraq: 
--------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Liberal columnist Tallie Lipkin-Shahak wrote in 
popular, pluralist Maariv: "America wishes to go 
through re-education in Iraq, to finally succeed ... to 
win [the war], but it is doubtful whether it can do 
so." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Too Late" 
 
Liberal columnist Tallie Lipkin-Shahak wrote in 
popular, pluralist Maariv (February 2): "On the day 
when Iraq went to vote, President George W. Bush was 
unable to hide smiles of contentment that were subdued 
by concern of hard days to come.  But the U.S. citizens 
weren't really excited.  The number of dead, the 
economic cost, and the lies on the way to that 
celebration are heavier on their hearts.  It looks as 
if, through its re-elected President, America wishes to 
go through re-education in Iraq, to finally succeed in 
merging its good intentions join its wider and even 
darker interests, or in other words, to win [the war], 
but it is doubtful whether it can do so." 
 
KURTZER