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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 001276 
 
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 
 
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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Mideast 
 
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Key stories in the media: 
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Leading media reported on the aftermath of talks held 
Monday by top Sharon aide Dov Weisglass and Israel's 
National Security Advisor Giora Eiland with senior U.S. 
Administration officials (National Security Advisor 
Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell): 
Ha'aretz reported that the participants agreed that 
another round of talks is necessary before PM Sharon 
visits Washington.  Citing Reuters, Israel Radio quoted 
a White House official as saying that the U.S. is not 
yet prepared to adopt Sharon's disengagement plan, that 
Israel has not provided detailed plans and that a 
disengagement that would bring about a withdrawal from 
the Gaza Strip must reduce the tension between Israel 
and the Palestinians and that no side should impose 
permanent steps on the other side. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that the U.S. complained through 
several channels that Israel did not notify it of its 
intention to raid several Palestinian banks, despite 
reports that the preparations for the action took 
months.  The newspaper also reported that the U.S. was 
unhappy about the lack of reports from Israel after the 
raids.  Jerusalem Post, Yediot and Hatzofe reported 
that Monday the Tel Aviv District Court placed a 
temporary lien on the approximately 40 million shekels 
(around USD 9 million) in funding for terrorist 
organizations seized by security officials from 
Ramallah banks last week, as requested by the family of 
two victims of terrorism. 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that Monday the U.S. Supreme 
Court rejected an appeal from the Holy Land Foundation 
for Relief and Development to reverse a U.S. decision 
to freeze and designate the charity a terrorist group 
in 2001. 
 
Israel TV reported that Sharon told Labor Party 
Chairman Shimon Peres that 10 West Bank settlements 
will be removed, along with all those in the Gaza 
Strip.  Jerusalem Post reported that FM Silvan Shalom 
defended the security fence and the planned 
disengagement when he met senior members of the British 
media on Monday.  Leading media reported that Shalom is 
expected to meet with British PM Tony Blair and British 
FM Jack Straw today. 
 
All media led with the investigation of Elchanan 
Tenenbaum and its implications, as he is slated to 
undergo a comprehensive lie detector test today that 
will determine whether he will be freed or tried. 
Commentators noted that Israeli courts do not accept 
the results of such tests. 
 
Israel Radio reported that Khalil al-Zebin, who was 
media advisor to PA Chairman Yasser Arafat in Beirut 
and Tunis, was assassinated in Gaza early today.  The 
radio reported that a small Palestinian group which had 
claimed responsibility for the assault on Egyptian FM 
Ahmed Maher in Jerusalem in December 2003 took credit 
for the murder.  A radio commentator said that the 
chaos that allows small groups to act has apparently 
reached Arafat's surroundings. 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that a Sunday meeting with 
Jewish leaders and politicians, Sen. John Kerry, the 
Democratic presidential front-runner, pledged his 
strong support for Israel and vowed not to follow the 
Oslo path. 
 
Yediot reported that Israel has complained to the U.S. 
Embassy about an increase in the rejection of visa 
applications.  The newspaper noted that in his meeting 
with Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer during the weekend, 
Deputy Foreign Ministry D-G Yoram Ben Zeev demanded of 
Kurtzer that he cancel the waiting time for Israelis 
born in Arab states.  Ben Zeev also reportedly raised 
the issue of high-tech workers and other scientists who 
must wait for months to get visas.  The newspaper cited 
Kurtzer's response that he cannot promise an 
improvement of the situation in the foreseeable future, 
and that Washington decides directly on both above- 
mentioned cases. 
 
Ha'aretz noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin's 
choice for the post of PM, former ambassador to the EU 
Mikhail Fradkov, is the son of a Jew. 
 
Maariv quoted Israeli security sources as warning that 
Palestinian terrorists could make foreign workers carry 
out attacks. 
 
Ha'aretz and Jerusalem Post reported that Monday Israel 
Aircraft Industries (IAI) conducted a successful test 
launch of a long-range artillery missile (LORA), which 
Ha'aretz says is apparently meant for sale to India. 
 
Ha'aretz reported on a dialogue between Irish-American 
author Frank McCourt and Jerusalem high-school 
students.  McCourt, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his 
memoir, "Angela's Ashes," is in Israel as part of a 
State Department-sponsored program that started after 
the 9/11 attacks. 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that the New York Tolerance 
Center, a branch of the Los Angeles-based Simon 
Wiesenthal Center, opened Sunday in the heart of 
Manhattan. 
-------- 
Mideast: 
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                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar opined in left-leaning, 
independent Ha'aretz: "[The Americans] take into 
account that the Prime Minister understands that 
without the Labor Party, he does not have the political 
strength to move a flower pot from a single windowsill 
in any of the illegal outposts on the Gaza coast, let 
alone on the West Bank." 
 
Right-wing (National Union) Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad 
wrote in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: 
"Will we demand that the President of the United States 
save us from the devastating consequences of a move he 
didn't want?" 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: 
"We know that Kerry hunts doves, loves Israel, and has 
Jewish family.  But Israel's security is at stake.  We 
need to know more about how he would handle [the] Arab- 
Israeli conflict." 
 
Correspondent Efraim Ganor wrote in popular, pluralist 
Russian-language Novosty Nedely: "[Arafat] understands 
that the worse the situation in the Palestinian 
Authority, the easier for him to force terror [against 
Israel]." 
 
Author Ruhama Shattan wrote in Jerusalem Post: "On the 
first anniversary of her death, I want to thank Rachel 
Corrie for showing Palestinian children how to despise 
America." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "If He Walks Like a Foreign Minister and Talks Like 
a Foreign Minister, Will He Be Foreign Minister?" 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar opined in left-leaning, 
independent Ha'aretz (March 2): "The Americans, like 
the Europeans and Egyptians, know how to count the 
votes against the withdrawal plan among Sharon's 
colleagues in the Likud and other parties.  They take 
into account that the Prime Minister understands that 
without the Labor Party, he does not have the political 
strength to move a flower pot from a single windowsill 
in any of the illegal outposts on the Gaza coast, let 
alone on the West Bank.  They also assume that the 
Prime Minister knows that the seat under his good 
friend George W. Bush is beginning to shake.... since 
Sharon publicized his disengagement plan, Peres has 
been explaining that this time Sharon is serious.  For 
the first time, he points out, Sharon is not 
conditioning anything on Palestinian steps, like the 
seven days of quiet.  The only condition, which derives 
from the unilateralism of the move, is that the 
Palestinians not do anything.  Peres is already 
equipped with polls showing that the public in general, 
and Labor voters in particular, are overwhelmingly in 
favor of joining the government the day the extreme 
right leaves due to its opposition to the disengagement 
plan." 
 
II.  "Sharon and Mofaz Have No Plan" 
 
Right-wing (National Union) Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad 
wrote in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot 
(March 2): "Even those who were absolutely opposed to 
the Oslo Agreement, claiming that the Arabs wouldn't 
fill their part in the accord, can't deny that it 
contained a diplomatic move in which the enemy 
committed himself to certain steps.  Also, those who 
denounced the Geneva Accord as an unauthorized, non- 
mandated national suicide must admit that it is an 
agreement between sides, which still includes an 
internal logical configuration of negotiations.  But 
Sharon and Mofaz have no clue of what will happen in 
the Gaza Strip if the IDF flees from there.  There is 
no agreement.  Therefore nobody can promise that the 
Arab murderers won't procure strategic weapons.  What 
will Israel do to them?.... Will we demand that the 
President of the United States save us from the 
devastating consequences of a move he didn't want?.... 
The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister don't think 
two steps ahead.  They have no plan." 
 
III.  "Kerry's Fence Straddle" 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized 
(March 2): "In today's 'Super Tuesday' primaries, John 
Kerry is expected to cinch his party's nomination.... 
Based on his own statements, to Kerry the fence is both 
necessary and a 'barrier to peace.'  The West Bank is a 
matter for negotiations, yet anything over the Green 
Line (where Kerry seems to think the fence should have 
been built) is 'Palestinian territory.'  Kerry has 
spoken movingly of his deep connection to Israel.  But 
so did Bill Clinton.  Kerry is considered 'pro-Israel,' 
as is almost every candidate for national office in the 
U.S.  But after the failure of Oslo, the current war, 
and 9/11, people who care about Israel, including 
millions of Americans, have a right to know more about 
what a Kerry presidency would really mean.... We know 
that Kerry hunts doves, loves Israel, and has Jewish 
family.  But Israel's security is at stake.  We need to 
know more about how he would handle [the] Arab-Israeli 
conflict when he is not speaking to Jewish leaders just 
before the New York primary." 
 
IV.  "Developing Anarchy " 
 
Correspondent Efraim Ganor wrote in popular, pluralist 
Russian-language Novosty Nedely (March 1): "Anarchy in 
the Palestinian [Authority] is not a surprise for the 
Israeli security forces.... Does Arafat know about 
this?  Of course!.... He understands that the worse the 
situation in the Palestinian Authority, the easier for 
him to force terror [against Israel].  Hungry and 
miserable people who have nothing to lose would wear a 
'shahid's [suicide bomber's] belt' more willingly than 
those who are able to work and feed their families. 
With his stolen billions [of dollars] Arafat considers 
himself invulnerable.  Actually, it's true; therefore, 
the situation in the Palestinian Authority, if it 
changes at all, would change to the worse for Israel". 
 
¶V.  "A 'Tribute' to Rachel Corrie" 
 
Author Ruhama Shattan wrote in Jerusalem Post (March 
2): "On the first anniversary of her death, I want to 
thank [the late American peace activist] Rachel Corrie 
for showing Palestinian children how to despise America 
as she snarled, burned an American flag, and led them 
in chanting slogans, and as she gave 'evidence' at a 
Young Palestinian Parliament mock trial finding 
President Bush guilty of crimes against humanity. 
Perhaps her help in fanning the flames of violent anti- 
American sentiment led to the October 2003 bombing of 
the Fulbright delegation to Gaza to interview 
scholarship candidates, killing three.  There will be 
no new crop of Palestinian Fulbright scholars this 
fall." 
 
KURTZER