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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TEL AVIV 002156 
 
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: 
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¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  Iraq 
 
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Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All media highlighted PM Sharon's visit to the U.S. 
Sharon left Israel last night.  He is expected to meet 
with National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice today 
and with President Bush Wednesday.  Jerusalem Post 
quoted a senior Israeli source as saying that, even in 
light of Bush's current problems in Iraq, Sharon is 
expected a firm and solid U.S. statement backing his 
plan.  Ha'aretz quoted sources in Jerusalem as saying 
that a disagreement remained regarding "one or two 
words," and not on principles.  Sunday, Maariv reported 
that the defense establishment is considering 
dismantling settler outposts during Sharon's visit. 
 
Leading media quoted Bush as saying Monday in Crawford, 
Texas during his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni 
Mubarak that the U.S. would continue to push for 
implementation of the road map even if Israel goes 
ahead with its planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. 
Sunday, Yediot wrote that Bush would tell Sharon that 
the U.S. supports his unilateral disengagement plan and 
that it views it as a first step towards the 
implementation of the road map.  Israel's Ambassador to 
the U.S. Danny Ayalon said this morning on Israel Radio 
that the plan is not part of the road map, which Israel 
supports but for which there is presently no partner. 
Yediot quoted senior sources "associated with the 
understandings shaping up in the U.S." as saying that 
Bush will declare that the U.S. understands that, in 
the context of a final-status agreement between Israel 
and the Palestinians, Israel will not return to the 
1949 borders.  (Sunday, Ha'aretz gave no sources for a 
similar report.)  Leading media quoted Sharon as 
stressing last night in the West Bank town of Ma'aleh 
Adumim the importance to Israel of "strong" blocs of 
settlements, including Hebron and Kiryat Arba. 
 
All media reported that the Likud's Central Elections 
Committee has decided that the referendum on Sharon's 
plan will take place on April 29. 
 
Ha'aretz and Jerusalem Post reported that the PA has 
expressed its opposition to any assurances that the 
U.S. might give Sharon in exchange for his unilateral 
withdrawal plan. 
 
All media (banners in Yediot and Maariv) reported that 
the Shin Bet and the other security forces foiled 10 
terrorist attacks planned for Passover, including a 
Fatah-Tanzim suicide bombing involving AIDS-infected 
blood.  Yediot quoted defense sources as saying that 
Hizbullah is responsible for 80 to 90 percent of 
terrorist attacks.  Jerusalem Post cited Hamas's denial 
on Monday that it has agreed to a cessation of attacks 
on Israel after the planned withdrawal from the Gaza 
Strip.  All media reported that Monday before dawn IDF 
soldiers killed two gunmen and wounded a third when 
Palestinians tried to attack the Netzarim settlement in 
the Gaza Strip.  According to the IDF, eight terrorists 
were involved in the attempted infiltration, the 
responsibility of which was jointly claimed by Fatah, 
Hamas and Islamic Jihad. 
 
Hatzofe led with an "exclusive" report that Saturday 
night Sharon and Labor Party Chairman Shimon Peres 
agreed on the formation of a "left-wing" government, in 
which Labor would get the foreign affairs and defense 
portfolios. 
 
Iraq: 
-Saturday, on Channel 2-TV, IDF Chief of Staff Moshe 
Ya'alon said that he would not be surprised if chemical 
weapons were found in Iraq (cited by Ha'aretz), and 
that Israel had told the U.S. before the Iraq War that 
the Americans had overstated Iraq's weapons capability 
(cited by Hatzofe).  Sunday, Ha'aretz and Jerusalem 
Post reported that over the weekend thousands of 
Palestinians took part in demonstrations in support of 
the armed uprising against the U.S. and coalition 
forces in Iraq.  Jerusalem Post quoted Iraqi National 
Security Adviser Dr. Muafak Rube'i as saying at a press 
conference that the U.S.-led coalition and the Iraqi 
Governing Council could ban Al Jazeera-TV and Al 
Arabiya-TV reported from Iraq for ratcheting up 
sectarian strife in Iraq. 
-Yediot quoted Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari and the 
commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq, Gen. John 
Abizaid, as saying Monday that Iran and Syria are 
behind the wave of kidnappings of foreign citizens in 
Iraq. 
-Sunday, Ha'aretz reported that Israel has announced 
that it would no longer handle the case of Nabil 
Razouk, the Israeli Arab from East Jerusalem who was 
abducted in Iraq.  The newspaper quoted a spokesman for 
the Foreign Ministry as saying Saturday: "The issue has 
been passed on to the USG and the company that hired 
him."  The spokesman added that Israel would no longer 
respond on the issue, and that it is waiting to get 
information from the U.S. State Department.  Sunday, 
Jerusalem Post cited an announcement by the Canadian 
government that the other "Israeli" abductee, Ahmed 
Yassin Tikati, is actually a Canadian citizen whose 
real name is Hissan Fadel. 
 
Ha'aretz cited a report by the Jerusalem-based 
Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMP), 
headed by Bassem Eid, which found that over 11 percent 
of Palestinians killed during the Intifada died at the 
hands of other Palestinians. 
 
Sunday, Maariv featured the importance of the Jewish 
vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. 
Jerusalem Post cited a newly-issued report by the Anti- 
Defamation League (ADL), summed up by ADL director 
Abraham Foxman: "Anti-Semitism remains deeply engrained 
in Egyptian society and continues to be a destabilizing 
force in the Middle East." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: 
"Sharon has a problematic record of keeping political 
commitments.... Despite this, American support and the 
great effort invested in achieving it, strengthen the 
chance that his disengagement plan will indeed be 
approved and carried out." 
 
Senior columnist Nahum Barnea, who is part of Prime 
Minister Sharon's delegation to the U.S., wrote on page 
one of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: " 
The papers given last night for Bush to study included 
statements that were agreed on.... Sharon wanted 
more.... For this he needed the President's consent." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of 
Ha'aretz: "[Sharon's] real challenge will be to 
maintain security and prevent a renewed outburst of 
terror, which the letter from Bush will not be able to 
thwart." 
 
Senior columnist Yoel Marcus wrote in Ha'aretz: "If ... 
the Likud, the cabinet, and the Knesset all approve the 
initiative, Sharon's plan may be deemed, to paraphrase 
Churchill, the beginning of the end of the occupation." 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: 
"Even hawks like Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert have 
concluded that the so-called demographic problem is too 
serious to neglect, and even doves like Ehud Barak and 
Shlomo Ben-Ami have conceded that under their current 
leadership the Palestinians must be fought." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
¶I.  "The Tenth Meeting" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (April 
13): "The [U.S.] Administration has shown sympathy for 
the idea of evacuating the settlements and presented it 
as having 'historic potential,' but asked in return 
that the disengagement appear part of the 'road map' 
and not prevent the resumption of negotiations in the 
future.  To demonstrate this, the Americans insisted 
that Israel also evacuate settlements in the West Bank, 
and not stop at the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, 
which is in any case considered an irksome security, 
economic and moral burden.  Sharon has a problematic 
record of keeping political commitments.  Everyone 
remembers his promises to evacuate the outposts in the 
West Bank and to remove roadblocks in the territories, 
which were only partially and belatedly kept.  Despite 
this, American support and the great effort invested in 
achieving it, strengthen the chance that his 
disengagement plan will indeed be approved and carried 
out.... The American declarations on the permanent 
settlement are expected to support Israel's position 
that rules out withdrawal to the Green Line in the West 
Bank and rejects the Palestinian demand for the return 
of refugees to Israel.  The Americans wished to phrase 
them ambiguously, in a way compatible with their past 
statements -- not to tie their hands in the future, and 
not to complicate their relations with the Arab states 
and Europe.  This is therefore a symbolic achievement, 
which Sharon needs mainly due to the pressure of 
Binyamin Netanyahu and other Likud ministers.  They 
have conditioned their support for the plan on the 
annexation of settlement blocs and negating 'the right 
of return.'" 
 
II.  "Sharon Wanted More" 
 
Senior columnist Nahum Barnea, who is part of Prime 
Minister Sharon's delegation to the U.S., wrote on page 
one of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot 
(April 13): "The papers given last night for Bush to 
study included statements that were agreed on and 
statements in parentheses.  The parts in parentheses 
have not been agreed on.  The Americans agreed, for 
example, that the final status arrangement between 
Israel and the Palestinians will take into 
consideration the demographic situation created in the 
territories, a sort of intimation of recognition of 
some of the settlements.  Sharon wanted more.  He 
wanted it stated that the final status arrangement 
would take into consideration the large population 
centers of Jews, a hint to the settlement blocs.  He 
wanted it to be stated than the 1967 borders are not 
realistic.  For this he needed the President's consent. 
When [Sharon bureau head] Dov Weisglass left for 
Washington, he had in his bag 12 sections in 
parentheses.  One problem that was apparently resolved 
was Israel's fear of new diplomatic plans.  Bush will 
officially promise Sharon that the U.S. will not 
support any plan that deviates from the road map. 
Another issue that is close to being resolved regards 
the right of return.  Bush will state that the 
designated haven for refugees is the Palestinian state. 
This formulation is still far from what Netanyahu 
demanded, but it may satisfy [moderate Likud cabinet 
minister] Tzippi Livni." 
 
III.  "A Summit of the Weak" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of 
Ha'aretz (April 13): "Since Sharon and Bush's last 
meetings, last summer, the two have sunk to a political 
nadir.  Bush is no longer the big winner of the 
'mission accomplished' in the Iraq war; he is no longer 
the maker of new order in the region.  His army is 
stuck in the Iraqi quagmire, and he is falling behind 
in the polls for the November elections.  He will have 
to work hard to beat his Democrat rival John Kerry and 
win a second term in office.  Sharon is haunted by the 
shadow of police investigations and the looming 
decision of the attorney general whether to indict him. 
His chances in the polls are plummeting too, and his 
public credibility is at a low.  Thus, Bush and Sharon 
will meet tomorrow in a summit of the weak, intended to 
help them a little and to demonstrate an 
achievement.... The main threat to Sharon's plan comes 
not from the Americans, even if their president is 
changed, and not even from the Likud.  The danger is 
that the Palestinians will try to repeat their 
achievement in Gaza and drive Israel by force out of 
the West Bank as well.  Perhaps to thwart this, Sharon 
resumed his threats on Arafat.  But his real challenge 
will be to maintain security and prevent a renewed 
outburst of terror, which the letter from Bush will not 
be able to thwart." 
 
 
 
 
IV.  "The Beginning of the End of the Occupation" 
 
Senior columnist Yoel Marcus wrote in Ha'aretz (April 
13): "Bush and Blair, two leaders in trouble, need some 
kind of success with regard to our conflict so as not 
to lose the Arab world.  Sharon will return from 
Washington with a green light for his plan.  It might 
not be exactly what he wanted, but it will give him 
enough of a tail wind to continue to pursue this, the 
most intensive and consistent leadership chapter in his 
life.  From the time he went public with his 
initiative, and until the Likud membership referendum, 
12 weeks will have passed.  If Mofaz is right, and the 
Likud, the cabinet, and the Knesset all approve the 
initiative, Sharon's plan may be deemed, to paraphrase 
Churchill, the beginning of the end of the occupation." 
 
¶V.  "Respect the New Consensus" 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized 
(April 11): "On the face of it, what is at stake here 
is the fate of several dozen settlements and their 
several thousand inhabitants. In fact, the stakes are 
much higher.... Even hawks like Ariel Sharon and Ehud 
Olmert have concluded that the so-called demographic 
problem is too serious to neglect, and even doves like 
Ehud Barak and Shlomo Ben-Ami have conceded that under 
their current leadership the Palestinians must be 
fought.  Between them, all these newly humbled leaders 
have all the makings of a new Israeli consensus: one 
that appreciates the attachment to any part of our 
ancestral land, but also realizes we are not alone 
here; one that understands that, while peace is worth 
concessions, it can only be struck with enemies who 
have truly abandoned the quest for destruction; and one 
that realizes that, in the foreseeable future, 
surviving here will still mean fighting some Arabs and 
demand solidarity among Jews.  Those who intend to 
brace for the referendum with violence, whether 
physical or verbal, would do well to understand that 
the Israeli public is no longer the impressionable one 
it was in previous years.  Today's Israelis crave and 
deserve the national solidarity of which the Right and 
Left once jointly deprived them." 
 
 
 
--------- 
¶2.  Iraq: 
--------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Ha'aretz editorialized: "The President of the U.S. can 
present to his guests [Mubarak and Sharon] one 
important lesson.... Occupation is not the end of a 
war.... It would appear that this lesson, which has 
been drawn after one year of warfare in Iraq, has yet 
to permeate the minds of Israel's decision makers, 
after 37 years of occupation." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
"Between Iraq and Palestine" 
 
Ha'aretz editorialized (April 11): "Events of the past 
week in Iraq are likely to create the erroneous 
impression that the rule of coalition forces in the 
country has totally collapsed.... Events are, indeed, 
dangerous and circumstances could have grave 
repercussions if they are not handled wisely and 
quickly. Nonetheless, it is still too early to talk in 
apocalyptic terms about a collapse of authority in 
Iraq.... In various parts of the world, including areas 
close to Israel, voices are articulating anew glee 
about the U.S. entanglement in Iraq.... As in the past, 
such militant voices drown out rational voices in the 
Arab world that speak not only for the genuine welfare 
of Iraq, but also for the aim of carrying out civil 
reform in their own countries.  It would appear that of 
all peoples in the region, the Palestinians are the 
last ones who should celebrate America's 
misfortunes.... For his part, the President of the U.S. 
can present to his guests [Mubarak and Sharon] one 
important lesson drawn from his war in the Middle East: 
Occupation is not the end of a war, but rather another 
phase -- it is perhaps the toughest stage, since it 
involves war against civilians.  Hence a local, 
national leadership is needed to continue the job.  It 
would appear that this lesson, which has been drawn 
after one year of warfare in Iraq, has yet to permeate 
the minds of Israel's decision makers, after 37 years 
of occupation." 
 
LEBARON