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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TEL AVIV 002212 
 
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. Upcoming Bush-Sharon Meeting 
 
¶2. Mideast 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
 
The leading media carried reports on the Gaza Strip 
incident of 9 April in which three Palestinian youths 
were killed by IDF fire, after which Katif Bloc 
settlements were bombarded with some 80 mortars and 
Qassam rockets that caused no damage.  Ha'aretz 
reported (10 April) that the Israeli security forces 
fear the incidents might lead to an escalation in the 
Gaza Strip area.  Defense Minister Mofaz reportedly 
called PA Chairman Abu-Mazen and told him that Israel 
would not reconcile itself to the deterioration of the 
situation. 
 
Ha'aretz reported on 10 April that the U.S. State 
Department advised American citizens to "carefully 
weigh" travel to Israel and defer any unnecessary trips 
to the territories.  Israel's ambassador in Washington 
Dan Ayalon said on Friday that the modified warning is 
"a positive step. We hope it will lead to the warning's 
complete cancellation."  Israeli officials said the 
State Department's advice to American travelers should 
reflect the improved security in Israel in the past few 
months. They said there is no reason for Israel to 
continue suffering from reduced tourism when the safety 
risk has been significantly reduced. 
 
Yediot Aharonot cited Israeli intelligence sources (10 
April) as assessing that Hamas has been drafting 
documents with excuses for future terror attacks, 
believing that the organization is preparing to resume 
the fire.  The sources estimated that, contrary to 
previous assessments, Gaza Strip Palestinians have many 
Strela rockets.  On 11 April, Ha'aretz reported that 
the Egyptians arrested a Palestinian who admitted under 
questioning that he smuggled Soviet-made surface-to-air 
Strela missiles into Gaza through Sinai. 
 
On 11 April, Yediot Ahronoth reported that, preparing 
to prevent a violent confrontation,  the army the 
security forces will collect all the IDF weapons in the 
possession of the settlers in northern Samaria some two 
weeks before the disengagement.  Residents of the Katif 
Bloc will also be required to hand over their weapons, 
but only a day before leaving their homes.  The IDF has 
promised that there will be tighter security around the 
settlements during evacuation, and that the settlers 
will remain without weapons. 
 
Ha'aretz reported (11 April) that a senior Central 
Command officer as saying that there will be no change 
to the legal status of the territory from which Israel 
will be evacuating four settlements.  The source added 
he would recommend demolishing the buildings 'if there 
is nobody to hand them over to.' 
 
All media on 10 April carried banner headlines 
regarding the expected demonstrations on the Temple 
Mount, expressing fears of a conflagration.  On 11 
April, however, the media reported that 31 Jews and 
eight Palestinians were detained as Temple Mount events 
passed quietly.  In related anti-disengagement rallies, 
Ha'aretz reported on 11 April that 33 right-wing 
activists, including two minors, were arrested 
yesterday after blocking traffic in both directions on 
the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv.  As in previous cases, 
their action was organized to protest the disengagement 
plan. 
 
Yediot Aharonot (11 April) cited Israeli diplomatic 
sources as fearing that a new prayer for Pollard's 
release, written by the IDF chief rabbi, might provoke 
a diplomatic incident while Sharon is the U.S. 
 
"An American Helicopter, Israeli Brain" Maariv 
headlined when reporting about the festive ceremony 
held in Mitzpe Ramon on Sunday to welcome the first 
three Longbow helicopters from the U.S. The paper noted 
that the huge amount of money that was invested in the 
project came mostly from the U.S. security assistance. 
 
-------------------------------- 
¶1. Upcoming Bush-Sharon Meeting: 
-------------------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz editorialized: "No 
bitter surprises are believed to await Sharon in 
Crawford.... Although the evacuation from Gaza is less 
than all that is needed, it must first be assured that 
it happens." 
 
Yahad-Meretz Party head Yosi Beilin writes in left- 
leaning, independent Ha'aretz:  "The only question is 
how serious Bush takes the commitment he took upon 
himself -- to assist in bringing the Israeli- 
Palestinian conflict to an end.  During his first term 
in office, he contributed very little to advance this 
process.  In his second term, he still has a period of 
grace." 
 
Washington-based correspondent Orli Azulay-Katz writes 
in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot:  "When 
an American president is friendly, he expects something 
in return and will not settle for a vague declaration." 
 
Washington-based correspondent Nathan Gutman wrote in 
left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz: "The administration 
does not expect to solve the settlement issue today.... 
That message is that despite the support for 
disengagement and the April 14, 2004 letter from Bush 
to Sharon, the issue of the settlement construction is 
not over, and the settlement freeze is still a matter 
of contention." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in left- 
leaning, independent Ha'aretz: "It appears that 
Sharon's festive visit with Bush will become yet 
another chapter in the tiresome bickering and infinite 
search for the culprits in the breakdown of the 
process." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶1. "The Focus, According to Bush" 
 
Left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz editorialized (April 
10):  "No bitter surprises are believed to await Sharon 
in Crawford.... The Americans are now working on two 
parallel tracks.  The Palestinians are being required, 
at the direction of General William Ward, to unify 
their security services and reform their 
administration.  From Sharon, 'the father of the 
settlements' in the words of Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice, the demand is simple: translate words 
into deeds, and see to it that in the summer of 2005 
not one Israeli, soldier or settler, remains in Gaza. 
That is the focus.  All the rest -- outposts, Ma'aleh 
Adumim, construction in population centers -- is 
outside the scope of the lens.  Bush is right in his 
approach. Presidents who believed they had accomplished 
a great deal with their demands found out they had 
actually accomplished nothing.  Although the evacuation 
from Gaza is less than all that is needed, it must 
first be assured that it happens." 
 
¶2. "If Bush Is Really Serious" 
 
Yahad-Meretz Party head Yosi Beilin writes in left- 
leaning, independent Ha'aretz (April 10): "No one knows 
when the second stage of the road map is supposed to 
start, but it is clear to everyone that it leads to a 
potential confrontation....  Bush can untangle this 
knot.  The U.S. should demand of Sharon that he fulfill 
his commitments regarding the unauthorized outposts and 
a settlement freeze.  He should also be asked to define 
exactly what the legal status of northern Samaria will 
be after the settlements are evacuated from that area. 
Bush, on his part, can give both sides an updated 
timetable for the road map.... In light of the fact 
that violations by both sides constitute one of the 
central problems in the implementation of the road map, 
it is important for Bush to establish the international 
monitoring mechanism that is stipulated in the road map 
but that has never been established.... The only 
question is how serious Bush takes the commitment he 
took upon himself -- to assist in bringing the Israeli- 
Palestinian conflict to an end.  During his first term 
in office, he contributed very little to advance this 
process. In his second term, he still has a period of 
grace." 
 
¶3. "The Price of Friendship" 
 
Washington-based correspondent Orli Azulay-Katz writes 
in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: (April 
10) "With their declarations yesterday that 
construction in the territories will continue, Sharon 
and his cabinet members spoiled the festive mood.... 
This is actually the reason why, when flying back from 
Rome to Texas, President Bush used no uncertain terms 
to disperse opacity and said he will unequivocally tell 
Sharon in private that which he had said in public: a 
total freeze of the settlements.  When an American 
president is friendly, he expects something in return 
and will not settle for a vague declaration." 
 
¶4. "Settlement Freeze vs. Settlements Please" 
 
Washington-based correspondent Nathan Gutman wrote in 
left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz (April 11):  "Bush 
is not looking for a crisis with Sharon.  The Israeli 
officials correctly diagnosed the main purpose of the 
meeting: to help Sharon execute the disengagement and 
to encourage him to cooperate with the Palestinians. 
Thus, Bush is careful with his criticism....  The 
administration does not expect to solve the settlement 
issue today.  From that perspective, indeed, the issue 
is raised for the protocol, but the fact that the U.S. 
constantly reiterates its criticism is an important 
message for Israel.  That message is that despite the 
support for disengagement and the April 14, 2004 letter 
from Bush to Sharon, the issue of the settlement 
construction is not over and the settlement freeze is 
still a matter of contention.  It might not be 
something either side wants to fight over right now, 
but it is certainly on the agenda and is waiting for 
the day after the departure from Gaza." 
 
¶5. "Another Chapter of Tiresome Bickering" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (11 April): 
"Sharon's visit was planned as a public relations 
exercise, as a show of support on the part of President 
George W. Bush for the prime minister and his 
disengagement plan.  There isn't much personal 
chemistry between Sharon and Bush, but they need one 
another.... The Americans wanted to urge Sharon to make 
more gestures to strengthen Abbas; the Israeli side 
wants to speak to the Americans about scenarios to deal 
with Abbas' expected downfall.... And so it appears 
that Sharon's festive visit with Bush will become yet 
another chapter in the tiresome bickering and infinite 
search for the culprits in the breakdown of the 
process." 
----------- 
¶2. Mideast: 
----------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                        ------- 
 
Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in mass- 
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Since there is 
no Israeli policy, and we have no red lines.... each 
round will be more aggressive than the previous one, 
and disengagement will no longer be quiet and 
coordinated." 
 
Mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot 
editorialized: "The cost and damage of a mass 
destruction [of settlers' houses] move incredibly 
exceeds its benefits, if there are any." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶1. "No Policy" 
 
Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in mass- 
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (April 11): "IDF 
lookouts spotted at least some of the launching points 
of the Kassam rockets and mortar shells that were fired 
over the weekend towards Gush Katif.  But we decided 
not to attack the launching points.  To show 
restraint.... The lack of response represents the third 
option: There is simply no policy.  For we have not yet 
decided what we want from ourselves and from the 
Palestinian Authority.  The Israeli government has not 
yet decided how exactly it is disengaging from the Gaza 
Strip -- with coordination or unilaterally, will we 
raze [the settlers' homes] or will we not?  It has no 
red lines in the activity against the Palestinians.  It 
has not even decided yet how to treat this phenomenon 
known as Abu Mazen.  Will a [military] response to 
mortar shell fire weaken or strengthen him?  It has 
been a long time since the Israeli intelligence 
agencies were so upset and divided over an issue as 
over the question: Who are you, Abu Mazen?.... Since 
there is no Israeli policy, and we have no red lines, 
it remains only to wait for the next round of 
rampaging.  They will already come up with reasons on 
their own.  If Israel does not employ means of reining 
them in -- each round will be more aggressive than the 
previous one, and disengagement will no longer be quiet 
and coordinated." 
¶2. "Do Not Destroy" 
 
Mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot 
editorialized (April 10): "Only some 25 percent of the 
Israeli public are in favor of the deliberate 
demolition of settlers' houses during the evacuation. 
Three quarters would rather see positive solutions that 
leave the houses in place.  This has also been the 
consistent recommendation of the defense establishment 
and its head, Defense Minster Mofaz.... The cost and 
damage of a mass destruction move incredibly exceeds 
its benefits, if there are any.  Many of the Gaza 
evacuees may sadly watch how their homes are given to 
an international organization and then to the 
Palestinians, but their grief cannot be the only 
political yardstick of the GOI policy." 
CRETZ