VZCZCXRO7470
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0870/01 1521426
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011426Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4944
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 7697
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4675
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4522
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6016
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4437
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3014

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 000870 
 
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 (06/01):  CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM OVER 
U.S. ABILITY TO MOVE PEACE FORWARD 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All front pages report on "bloody confrontations" on May 31 between 
Palestinian Authority (PA) police and Hamas "militants" in 
Qualquilya northern West Bank.  Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida lead 
with the story.  Papers report that six police and 2 militants were 
killed and one innocent bystander.  Palestinian Authority (PA) 
President Abbas condemned the incident and highly praised the role 
of the PA police and security services in keeping the situation calm 
and strengthening the rule of law in the Palestinian Territories. 
PA Premier Fayyad expressed his sorrow over the confrontations, but 
also stressed that the, "PA won't apologize for the incident since 
it is our duty to enhance rule of law."  Al-Ayyam runs separate 
front page coverage of Hamas reaction in Gaza, where Hamas leaders 
are reconsidering Hamas participation in future Palestinian unity 
talks, in light of the incident and, the "continued crimes against 
Hamas," according to coverage. 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with and Al-Quds runs front page coverage on Israeli 
Premier Netanyahu's rejection of President Obama's request to 
halting all settlement activities and quotes him stating that there 
will be no freeze, despite requests by Obama and Secretary Clinton. 
Israeli officials are further quoted stating that, "the decision to 
halt settlement activities is unacceptable to the Government and the 
people of Israel." 
 
All front pages report that Palestinian Authority President Abbas 
met with Jordan's King Abdullah on May 31 in Amman.  The two leaders 
discussed efforts to re-launch peace talks between Israel and the 
Palestinians and end the conflict based on the two-state solution 
and the Arab Peace Initiative.  Abbas briefed King Abdullah on his 
meetings with President Obama last week in Washington, during which 
Obama reiterated the need to halt all settlement activities, 
according to coverage. 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Quds run front page coverage citing the London-based 
Al Sharq Al Awsat newspaper on, "sources in the Israeli right wing" 
revealing that prominent American and European political figures 
have promised to try to undermine the two-state solution by offering 
Palestinian refugees monetary compensation and an "alternate 
homeland" in Jordan, according to reporting. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page cites AFP in reporting that Egypt 
hopes that President Obama's speech to the Muslim world on June 4, 
will present a, "serious rapprochement towards peace in the Middle 
East".  Quoting an Egyptian Presidency spokesperson, reporting 
continued that Egypt considers the Palestinian-Israeli conflict a 
higher priority than even the "Iranian threat" and that no further 
delays or failures to end the conflict should be allowed, given U.S. 
and European support for a Middle East peace process. 
 
-------------- 
Weekend Stories: 
-------------- 
Sunday May 31: 
 
Weekend papers carried extensive reporting on last week's meetings 
between President Obama and Palestinian Authority (PA)President 
Abbas.  All front pages on May 31 led with Abbas' quotes highlighted 
in lead headlines, "We felt the Americans were serious about 
achieving peace:  We told them to implement the Arab peace 
initiative and reiterated our opposition to any modification of that 
initiative."  Speaking in a joint press conference with his Egyptian 
 
JERUSALEM 00000870  002 OF 003 
 
 
counterpart, Abbas again reiterated Palestinian demands for a halt 
to all settlement activities and Israel's acceptance of the 
two-state solution and noted that the Annapolis meetings were not "a 
waste of time" but could be useful in resolving final status issues. 
 In regards to a future PA unity government, Abbas noted that he 
told the Americans that all members of such a government would abide 
by PLO agreements.  In separate reporting, all front pages also ran 
comments by Fatah leader Ahmad Quray welcoming U.S. policy regarding 
the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and  rejecting Israeli Premier 
Netanyahu's policies, stressing that Palestinian-Israeli 
negotiations have been "exhausted". 
 
Well-informed American sources told London-based Al Sharq Al Awsat 
newspaper that President Obama wants U.S. partners in the Middle 
East to take positive steps towards, "laying the foundation" for 
re-launching the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, according to Al 
Hayat Al Jadida's  and Al Ayyam's front pages.  The sources added 
that the U.S. will work as an "honest broker for peace" a role which 
has become more visible to the American public through constant U.S. 
pressure on Israel's Prime Minister to halt settlement activities. 
In related reporting, Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page and Maan news 
agency reported that U.S. officials have promised to step up 
pressure on Israel to halt Palestinian home demolitions in Jerusalem 
and ensure their housing needs in exchange for certain steps. 
According to reporting, a senior Palestinian official revealed on 
May 29 the steps that Palestinian-Americans are helping put into 
play by asking Palestinians to temporarily refrain from building 
without Israeli permits and immediately seeking permits through 
Israeli legal channels by submitting zoning and construction plans 
to the Jerusalem Municipality. 
 
Saturday, May 30: 
 
Reporting on last week's meetings between President Obama and 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas led news.   All front pages 
noted that Obama awaited official response from Israel to his 
request for a halt to settlement activities and acceptance of the 
two-state solution.  Lead headlines also highlighted that 400 U.S. 
Congressmen have signed a letter calling upon President Obama to 
intensify his efforts for peace in the Middle East.  In separate 
front page reporting, all dailies reported that Abbas gave Obama a 
document outlining the PA's plan for re-launching the peace process 
and resolving final status issues. Abbas told AFP that the plan 
"corresponded to" the Road Map and the Arab peace initiative.  Al 
Ayyam's front page ran optimistic quotes by PA Presidency 
spokesperson Abu Rudaynah noting that, "We heard a new and unified 
language in Washington and the coming weeks will witness active 
political movement." 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
1) Regular columnist Samih Shbib opines in Al-Ayyam independent 
daily under the title, "A Promising Start" (06/01):"President 
Obama's meeting with Abbas in Washington has been very positive; it 
was an open and honest talk.  Obama reiterated his commitment to the 
two-state solution... The U.S. administration fully realizes that 
any progress in relations with the Muslim world won't be attained if 
the expansion of settlements continues... However, Israel has never 
felt any real pressure from all previous U.S. administrations, 
pressure that actually stops Israel from imposing facts on the 
ground ... We, as Palestinians, hope to see Obama's promising 
statements coupled with specific timeframes and real pressure to 
translate promises into action or else the Palestinian state will 
never be a reality." 
 
JERUSALEM 00000870  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
2) Hafith Barghouti opines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official daily 
under the title "Netanyahu" (06/01):  "... Netanyahu will never be 
forced to halt settlement activities, since he is supported by all 
Israeli factions who endorse settlement expansion in one way or 
another... These factions don't believe in the establishment of an 
independent Palestinian state... I believe that halting settlements 
can't be achieved through agreements and understandings but through 
REVOLUTIONS." 
 
WALLES