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 002921 
 
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.  Democracy in Mideast 
 
¶3.  President Bush Visits Latvia, Russia, Netherlands, 
Georgia (May 6-10) 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
In separate interviews broadcast last night on Israel 
TV, Channel 2-TV, and Channel 10-TV, Sharon said that 
the evacuation of settlers from the Gaza Strip and the 
northern West Bank will begin immediately after the 
fast of Tish'a B'av, namely August 15-17.  An official 
announcement will be made after Independence Day. 
Sharon mentioned in all of the interviews that "the 
dream" of Israeli control over all of the territories 
could not be realized today because of the 
circumstances.  However, he said that the settlement 
blocs "will be a part of the State of Israel, 
territorially connected to Israel, and with a much 
larger population than there is today."  Sharon also 
said: "When you see road blockages [by anti- 
disengagement protesters], the atmosphere is that of an 
eve of civil war."  (Maariv bannered Sharon's comment.) 
 
Leading media quoted FM Silvan Shalom as saying at a 
meeting with PA Interior Minister Nasser Yousef Monday, 
after Sharon told Israel TV that the disengagement plan 
will be implemented regardless of Hamas's showing in 
the upcoming Palestinian Legislative Council elections: 
"If Hamas wins the parliamentary elections in the 
Palestinian Authority, Israel will not be able to carry 
out disengagement."  Israel Radio cited angry responses 
among the PA and Fatah leaderships. 
 
Leading media quoted senior IDF officers as saying 
Monday that the IDF and settler leaders are working 
together to formulate basic rules for handling 
resistance to the evacuation of settlements.  Several 
media quoted a senior IDF officer as saying that under 
no circumstances will security forces open fire on 
settlers during the evacuation of Gaza Strip 
settlements.  Jerusalem Post quoted anti-disengagement 
activists as saying at a rally last night that they 
plan to "paralyze the country" next week as part of an 
experiment in advance of the disengagement plan. 
 
Yediot reported that most ministers (all of the Labor 
Party's eight ministers and four of the 13 Likud 
ministers) support overturning the cabinet decision of 
June 2004 stating that Israel will demolish the 
settlers' homes in the Katif Bloc (Gush Katif) and the 
northern West Bank.  The newspaper cited the Defense 
Ministry's estimate that the cost of demolishing the 
settlers' homes in the Katif Bloc will come to 200 
million shekels (around USD 46 million), and that the 
demolition process is liable to take eight to ten 
months. 
 
Ha'aretz and Jerusalem Post quoted Chief Justice Aharon 
Barak as saying Monday that the July 2004 ruling of the 
International Court of Justice at The Hague (ICJ) also 
includes many positive aspects for Israel.  The 
newspapers reported that influential Justice Mishael 
Cheshin blasted the ICJ's non-binding ruling, and 
questioned its factual basis. 
 
Israel Radio quoted a State Department spokesman as 
saying Monday that Iran must not be allowed to develop 
a nuclear weapons capability, and that if the latter 
carries through with its threats to resume uranium 
conversion, testing, or production or any other aspects 
of its program, that step would be in clear violation 
of its suspension pledge and its agreement with the EU- 
3 (the UK, France and Germany). 
 
Yediot reported that the PA has complained to the World 
Health Organization (WHO) and the UN's Office of the 
High Commissioner on Human Rights in Geneva that Israel 
makes use of security checkpoints that "undress" 
Palestinian women.  The newspaper cited the Foreign 
Ministry's concern that the Palestinians will 
intensively use that claim to attack Israel during the 
WHO's annual conference that will take place in Geneva 
next week.  Yediot quoted Foreign Ministry sources as 
saying that the machine installed in Rafah conforms to 
all international standards. 
 
Yediot quoted FM Shalom as saying Monday at a briefing 
with the EU countries' ambassadors that he and Sharon 
have decided to make "concrete" steps to have the spy 
Jonathan Pollard released from prison in the U.S. 
Jerusalem Post also quoted Shalom as saying that 
Ambassador Danny Ayalon will visit Pollard next week. 
 
All media reported that on Monday, Hollywood 
billionaire and Israeli expatriate Haim Saban gained 
control of Bezeq, after the government accepted his 
Saban-Apax-Arkin consortium's offer of 4.237 billion 
shekels (around USD 972 million) for the 
telecommunications company. 
 
All media reported on events related to Remembrance Day 
for the Fallen of Israel's Wars, which will be 
commemorated tonight through Wednesday night. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: 
"[Israel] must shape its policies so that it can truly 
help those considered to be more moderate -- whether 
they be from Fatah or Hamas -- to fulfill their 
commitments to their supporters." 
 
Defense and foreign affairs columnist Amir Oren wrote 
in Ha'aretz: "Sharon cannot cancel the evacuation, lest 
he ignite George Bush's rage.  But nor can he actually 
go through with it. That's the perfect situation as far 
as he is concerned: an eternal limbo, an evacuation 
that neither lives nor dies." 
 
 
 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Hamas, the Partner's Partner" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (May 
10): "The results of the municipal elections in the 
Gaza Strip and West Bank appear to spell fear for 
supporters of the political process.  According to the 
results, Hamas's political power has increased, Fatah 
has lost a number of important positions of power, and 
the Palestinian Authority, which is controlled by 
Fatah, could find itself in a position of weakness when 
coming to negotiate with Israel.  Hamas's achievements 
in the elections could also serve as an excuse for 
opponents of the process in Israel.... [But] Israel's 
withdrawal from Gaza is not a Hamas victory that can 
stand on its own if Hamas fails to capture a piece of 
the governmental pie.  And this can't happen if the 
organization is unable to come to terms with the 
aspirations of the majority of Palestinians and their 
leadership.... Israel, which continues to divide the 
Palestinian population and its various leadership into 
'supporters of terror' and 'opponents of terror,' is 
required therefore to adopt finer and more precise 
distinctions.  Primarily, it must shape its policies so 
that it can truly help those considered to be more 
moderate -- whether they be from Fatah or Hamas -- to 
fulfill their commitments to their supporters.... The 
term 'terror infrastructures' requires a more narrow 
definition that rests on acknowledging that Hamas's 
participation in the political process is part and 
parcel of the complexity of Palestinian politics.  This 
would indeed be a fundamental change in Israel's 
strategic perception, but there appears to be no 
escaping it." 
 
II.  "The Evacuation Is Only on the Horizon" 
 
Defense and foreign affairs columnist Amir Oren wrote 
in Ha'aretz (May 10): "Behind the sudden wrapping in 
the tallit [Jewish prayer shawl], like behind the 
discovery that the demolition of the settlers houses 
and the evacuation of the rubble would very much extend 
the evacuation, there lurks a stubborn suspicion that 
the government of Ariel Sharon, with Defense Minister 
Shaul Mofaz in the role of Dov Weisglass's arm, is 
maneuvering to turn the evacuation into a horizon -- 
always there, approached but never quite reached.  The 
longer the execution of the evacuation is delayed, the 
intensity of the vow in its name will increase.  It 
won't be canceled, just its timing will go through 
occasional updating, from time to time, as required by 
developments on the ground, keeping in mind the rulings 
of the religious teachers of our era.... Sharon cannot 
cancel the evacuation, lest he ignite George Bush's 
rage.  But nor can he actually go through with it. 
That's the perfect situation as far as he is concerned: 
an eternal limbo, an evacuation that neither lives nor 
dies." 
 
------------------------- 
¶2.  Democracy in Mideast: 
------------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global 
Research in International Affairs Center, columnist 
Barry Rubin, wrote in conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post: "As has so often happened, the 
prospects for stability in Egypt are good, but the 
likelihood of real improvement is dim." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Change in Egypt?" 
 
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global 
Research in International Affairs Center, columnist 
Barry Rubin, wrote in conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post (May 10): "Consider the statements made 
by some [Egyptian] reform movement leaders.  Ayman Nour 
told a Cairo crowd: 'We can be for democracy and 
against the United States.'  And the vice-chairman of 
the Enough group is none other than Abdel-Halim Qandil, 
a critic of the regime but also editor of the 
sensationalist and radical Arab nationalist newspaper 
al-Ahali.  It is not surprising when he calls for armed 
Egyptian involvement in attacks on Israel and on 
American forces in Iraq.  In other words, while the 
opposition includes courageous moderates, it is being 
seriously infiltrated by radical Islamists and 
nationalists.... Mubarak will ... continue to be 
president until he dies and passes on the office to 
whomever he chooses.  This might be, but probably will 
not be, his son Gamal who, reflecting the ironies of 
Egyptian politics, has made himself leader of the 
'reform' movement within the ruling National Democratic 
Party.  More likely some former general who has held 
high governmental posts will be selected.  As has so 
often happened, the prospects for stability in Egypt 
are good, but the likelihood of real improvement is 
dim. " 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
¶3.  President Bush Visits Latvia, Russia, Netherlands, 
Georgia (May 6-10): 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: 
"The Baltic peoples were eager Nazi collaborators, 
among the most zealous in exterminating their 
countries' Jews.... The Jewish voice must not be left 
out." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Selective Memories" 
 
Conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized 
(May 10): "Sixty years after the fact, the end of World 
War II is unexpectedly again the subject of heated 
controversy, with the Russians stressing the Third 
Reich's defeat, while their Baltic neighbors emphasize 
the Iron Curtain's descent upon them at war's end. 
U.S. President George W. Bush inserted himself right 
into the middle of the quarrel when he wrote to Baltic 
leaders that V-E Day 'also marked the Soviet occupation 
and annexation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and the 
imposition of communism.'  This provoked an angry 
response from the Russians, disputing in particular the 
implied equation of the occupation by Hitler and 
domination by Stalin.  The significant piece of the 
puzzle that remains glaringly absent from these 
polemics is the fact that the Baltic peoples were eager 
Nazi collaborators, among the most zealous in 
exterminating their countries' Jews.... To keep the 
record from becoming too distorted and history from 
being more tendentiously revised than is already the 
case, the Jewish voice must not be left out.  For the 
sake of posterity, the world must be reminded that 
Lithuanian and Estonian leaders refused to attend 
Moscow's 60th anniversary celebrations on the pretext 
that the Russians had not apologized sufficiently.... 
Though Jews never massacred hundreds of thousands of 
Baltic nationals, few in the region today reject the 
Baltics' fallacious equation and its derivative 
narrative, which blames Jews for their own bitter fate. 
As a result, World War II commemorations often have 
anti-Semitic overtones.... Before the Baltic states can 
expect any apologies to them, they had better make a 
much more serious effort to come to terms with their 
own active participation in the Nazis' Final Solution." 
 
KURTZER