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 001513 
 
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.  Lebanon and Syria 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Ha'aretz reported that PM Sharon told visiting UN 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sunday that there would 
 
SIPDIS 
be no progress on the road map until the Palestinian 
armed factions are completely disarmed, rejected PA 
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's proposal that a cease-fire 
would be enough to allow the start of final-status 
agreement negotiations.  Ha'aretz says that Sharon's 
remarks were prompted by comments made by Abbas on an 
interview broadcast on Israel TV last night, in which 
he said he would be ready for full diplomatic talks 
following the anticipated announcement this week of a 
formal cease-fire by all the Palestinian factions. 
Maariv led with the expected announcement by the 
factions. 
 
On Sunday, the media reported, and Ha'aretz bannered 
that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz instructed the IDF on 
Friday to begin preparations for carrying out the 
disengagement plan in a three- to four-week period. 
Yediot and Ha'aretz reported, and Yediot bannered, that 
hundreds of settlers have registered a change of 
address to Katif Bloc settlements in the Gaza Strip, 
which are slated for evacuation. This would allow them 
to go through IDF roadblocks and disturb the evacuation 
of settlers. 
 
Leading media reported that on Sunday, the cabinet 
voted 18-1 to approve the recommendations of Attorney 
Talia Sasson's report on the illegal outposts and set 
up a ministerial committee to deliver a detailed 
proposal for action within 90 days.  Yediot notes that 
the committee will not have any authority.   Jerusalem 
Post reported that the cabinet decided to remove the 24 
unauthorized outposts established since Sharon came to 
power in March 2001, while the fate of 81 other 
outposts established before that date will be 
determined by a special committee.  For its part, 
Maariv reported that Sharon told Annan that Israel will 
evacuate 24 outposts, but only after the implementation 
of the disengagement plan.  On Sunday, Yediot 
emphasized a recommendation by Mofaz that the 
evacuation of outposts be delayed, while Maariv 
reported that the Labor Party demands their immediate 
evacuation.  Israel Radio cited statistics compiled by 
the GOI's Civil Administration in the West Bank, 
according to which 65 files on illegal construction 
around settlements have been opened in the past two 
months. 
 
Israel Radio reported that Mofaz will meet with PA 
Interior Minister Nasser Yousef today in order to 
finalize the handover of security responsibility of 
West Bank cities to the PA.  Ha'aretz reported that the 
first meeting of the joint Israeli-Palestinian 
committee discussing the release of prisoners will be 
held this evening in Jerusalem.  Maariv reported that 
Deputy Internal Security Minister Jacob Edery (Likud) 
is demanding the delay of the second phase of the 
security prisoners' release because of the PA's 
decision to execute 15 residents of the territories who 
are suspected of collaboration with Israel. 
 
Yediot reported that 250 high-school students have sent 
Sharon a letter, stating that they refuse to serve in 
the "occupation army."  Jerusalem Post web site 
reported that a coalition composed by the Young Guards 
of Likud, Labor, Shinui and the National Religious 
Party, has presented President Katsav with "Youth 
Against Refusal," a proclamation aimed at establishing 
a united front against soldiers who refuse to obey 
orders. 
 
On Sunday, all media reported that Hamas will take part 
in the PA's legislative elections.  The media reported 
on clashes between Fatah and Hamas supporters at Hebron 
University on Sunday. 
 
On Sunday, all media quoted the UN's Middle East envoy 
Terje Roed-Larsen as saying on Saturday that Syria has 
provided a calendar of the pullout of its troops from 
Lebanon. 
 
Interviewed on Israel Radio this morning, Vice Premier 
Shimon Peres (Labor) and Vice PM Ehud Olmert (Likud) 
expressed opposite views regarding the future status of 
the town of Ma'aleh Adumim: while Peres said the status 
of the town was open for negotiations, Olmert stated 
that the route of the security fence would include 
Ma'aleh Adumim, which is an indivisible part of Israel, 
and that Israel has not informed of its intentions 
regarding the city.  However, Olmert was confident that 
the U.S. would understand Israel's move. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that the head of the Disengagement 
Administration, Yonatan Bassi, is expected to promise 
U.S. rabbis and Orthodox community leaders on Wednesday 
that the evacuation of the Katif Bloc will be 
accomplished while taking special care to preserve the 
dignity of the settlers and respect their feelings. 
Jerusalem Post reported that 40 Jews from the New York 
area, led by Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind from New 
York's 48th district will come to Israel on Monday for 
a three-day tour of the Gaza Strip's Katif Bloc. 
Leading media reported that the Erez Junction border 
crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip was reopened 
Sunday for a limited amount of Palestinian traffic into 
Israel. 
 
Leading media cited London's Sunday Times as saying 
Sunday that Israel has drawn up plans for a combined 
air and ground attack on Iranian nuclear installations 
if diplomacy fails to halt Tehran's nuclear program. 
Some media cited a denial by Sharon's bureau.  All 
media reported that on Saturday, Iran rejected U.S. 
overtures concerning its nuclear program. 
 
On Sunday, Maariv reported that last week Peres met 
with Afghani President Hamid Karzai during Madrid's 
international conference on terrorism. 
 
Jerusalem Post cited an announcement by Bank Hapoalim, 
Israel's largest bank, on Sunday, that it has decided 
to sell its remaining 59 percent stake in its New York 
private banking subsidiary, Signature Bank, for an 
estimated USD 490 million. 
 
During the weekend, leading media reported that the USG 
reached a USD 25.5 settlement on Friday with the 
families of Hungarian Holocaust victims and will 
acknowledge the U.S. Army's role in commandeering a 
trainload of the families' treasures during World War 
II. 
 
During the weekend, leading media cited a Bar Ilan 
University poll commissioned by associates of Finance 
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, that a Sharon-led 
coalition would garner 41 Knesset seats, while a 
Netanyahu-led party would get 29 Knesset seats.  The 
poll contradicts with a large-scale poll commissioned 
by Sharon associates, the results of which were cited 
in Friday's morning media review. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "If 
Sharon and Mofaz are sincere in their intentions to 
evacuate the outposts and in their acceptance of Bush's 
visions, they must order the army and police already to 
begin planning for the evacuation of the outposts 
immediately after that of the settlements of Gaza and 
the northern West Bank is finished." 
 
Senior columnist Nahum Barnea wrote in mass- 
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "The question 
whether the Sasson recommendations [regarding the 
evacuation of settler outposts] will be carried out 
depends only on the pressure that the U.S. 
administration applies on Sharon." 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar opined in Ha'aretz: 
"[The] American recognition of the 'new realities on 
the ground' was accompanied by the important words that 
'any final status agreement will only be achieved on 
the basis of mutually agreed upon changes that reflect 
these realities.'" 
 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Little Evacuation, Big Evacuation" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (March 
14): "According to the IDF's plan, most of the standing 
army will be busy evacuating Gaza and the northern West 
Bank [this summer].  That is why Mofaz is so reticent 
about an immediate evacuation of the outposts in the 
West Bank: the little evacuation would set in motion 
the movement to foil the bigger evacuation. The 
settlers are correct in regarding the evacuation of the 
outposts, like the evacuation of Gaza and northern West 
Bank area, as a significant, irreversible step toward 
fulfillment of the two-state solution to which 
President Bush has committed.  But if Sharon and Mofaz 
are sincere in their intentions to evacuate the 
outposts and in their acceptance of Bush's visions, 
they must order the army and police already to begin 
planning for the evacuation of the outposts immediately 
after that of the settlements of Gaza and the northern 
West Bank is finished." 
 
II.  "Narrow Perspective, Broad Perspective" 
 
Senior columnist Nahum Barnea wrote in mass- 
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (March 14): "The 
State Comptroller's first report [on illegal settler 
outposts] was published in September 2003.  He focuses 
on the actions of the defense minister's assistant for 
settlement affairs.  The second report was published in 
May 2004.  It focuses on the actions of the Housing and 
Construction Ministry.  The state comptroller's two 
reports tell the same story as that of Talia Sasson: 
illegal actions that cost tens and hundreds of millions 
of shekels, carried out by government ministries, 
regional councils and the World Zionist Organization's 
Settlement Division.   However, [State Comptroller 
Eliezer] Goldberg's reports came and went like water 
under the bridge, while the Sasson report gave rise to 
a ministerial committee, and will probably bring about 
legislative changes.  Why did Goldberg meet with a 
bitter fate, and Sasson with a relatively favorable 
one?....   First of all, [owing to] Condoleezza Rice. 
Due to the pressure that she and her colleagues in the 
U.S. administration applied, Sharon was forced to 
launch an investigation into the settlement outpost 
affair.  Due to the same pressure he hurried to adopt 
the conclusions.  Behind Justice Goldberg stood only 
the law and the authority of the state comptroller. 
That is not much compared to Condoleezza.... The 
question whether the Sasson recommendations will be 
carried out depends only on the pressure that the U.S. 
administration applies on Sharon.  The conclusion is 
sad.  Israel has a state comptroller, but the name of 
the comptroller is not Eliezer Goldberg.  Her name is 
Condoleezza Rice and her address is the State 
Department, Foggy Bottom, Washington DC." 
 
III.  "Time For Annexation" 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar opined in Ha'aretz 
(March 14): "Ever since Sharon returned from the White 
House last April with a letter full of promises from 
President George W. Bush, the prevailing view has been 
that the problem of the settlements has finally reached 
its resolution.  The U.S. will allow the 'settlement 
blocs' to remain.  However, that American recognition 
of the 'new realities on the ground' was accompanied by 
the important words that 'any final status agreement 
will only be achieved on the basis of mutually agreed 
upon changes that reflect these realities.'  When 
Israel asks the Palestinians to agree to those changes, 
they will be presenting it with a clear choice: 
immediate annexation of the settlement blocs with all 
the settlers, in exchange for suitable compensation, 
meaning a 1:1 territorial change, or annexation in the 
not-so-distant future of all the territories, with all 
'the Arabs of Judea and Samaria' [i.e. the Palestinians 
in the territories] included.  Experts on the right 
argue that the demographic problem is overblown.  Okay, 
then let them annex it all." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
---------------------- 
¶2.  Lebanon and Syria: 
---------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: 
"[Hizbullah] is by nature inimical to democracy and an 
antithesis to what the U.S. claims to advocate.... The 
rehabilitation of Nasrallah would be a signal victory 
for the global forces of terror." 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "The Pullout and Its Significance" 
 
Nationalist, Orthodox Hatzofe editorialized (March 14): 
"The heaviest pressure that was applied on Assad came 
from the European states, which are not that moved by 
the presence of the Syria army in Lebanon and the fact 
that the Lebanese government is Assad's puppet cabinet. 
Europe is interesting in making use of the withdrawal 
of the Syrian forces in order to set up as broad a 
front as possible, so that Israel's withdrawal from the 
territories is accelerated, and the establishment of a 
Palestinian state made possible.  European leaders 
still have to express that context, but it will be 
clearly and loudly enunciated   when Assad starts 
pulling out his troops from Lebanon in significant 
numbers.  Israel will be presented in the Middle East 
and the world as a country that hanging on to its 
conquests.  Thus, a cycle of threats of sanctions and 
more would begin." 
 
II.  "Don't Sanitize Nasrallah" 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized 
(March 13): "From Europe come wan, belated, non-binding 
references to the terrorist nature of Hizbullah. 
Simultaneously, worrying reports from across the ocean 
point to a possible regression in American policy 
toward Hizbullah and to its quasi-legitimization as a 
political component in the Lebanese equation.... 
Hizbullah may indeed be a powerful player on the 
Lebanese arena, but it is not the type of player who 
should be tolerated, primarily because it will wreck 
the democratic process, not promote it.  Hizbullah is 
not a political party, it is a ruthless and heavily 
armed militia with political ambitions.  It is by 
nature inimical to democracy and an antithesis to what 
the U.S. claims to advocate.... The rehabilitation of 
Nasrallah would be a signal victory for the global 
forces of terror.  As tempting as it might be to view 
his transformation into a peaceful politician as a 
victory for the West, there is a simple test for who is 
fooling whom: does Hizbullah disarm or not?  So long as 
Hizbullah remains armed to the teeth, it will threaten 
the nascent Lebanese democratic movement, Israel and 
the prospects for further democratization in the 
region.  Just as the U.S. couldn't accept an Afghan 
democracy with al-Qaida as a major political 
participant therein, or an Iraqi democracy in which 
Saddam's Ba'ath is regarded as a normative party, so it 
is unthinkable that it consent to Hizbullah as a 
feature of the Lebanese body politic." 
 
KURTZER