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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TEL AVIV 002988 
 
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: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Iran: Nuclear Program 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
The media reported that a Katyusha rocket was launched 
on the western Galilee town of Shlomi Wednesday night, 
the eve of Independence Day, and that Israel 
subsequently complained to the UN.  Jerusalem Post and 
Maariv cited a condemnation of the event by UN 
Secretary General's Kofi Annan Thursday.  A strong 
 
SIPDIS 
explosion was heard last night in the Sheba farms area. 
Yediot and Israel Radio quoted Defense Minister Shaul 
Mofaz as saying Thursday that Israel will not be 
dragged into a military response in Lebanon, but that 
he views that country as responsible for the rocket 
launches. 
 
Israel Radio reported that this morning in Tashkent, 
Uzbekistan, a guard at the Israeli Embassy shot and 
killed a suspect who was approaching the building.  The 
station cited the Foreign Ministry as saying that the 
man wore a fake explosives belt. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that PA Chairman [President] Mahmoud 
Abbas has begun to implement his promise to collect 
weapons from Palestinians on Israel's wanted list. 
According to the newspaper, in Jericho, the suspects 
have handed their weapons in to the PA and pledged in 
writing not to return to terrorism, and in Tulkarm, 
implementation is at an advanced stage.  On the other 
hand, Israel Radio quoted Palestinian security sources 
as saying that those weapons have not been handed over 
to the PA. 
 
Leading media quoted FM Silvan Shalom as saying 
Thursday that there is no justification for Iran's 
attempts to obtain nuclear weapons.  Shalom also said 
that Iran's announcement that that it would resume its 
production of enriched uranium is dangerous, and that 
nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran would be a 
nightmare for the entire world. 
 
Leading media reported that tens of thousands of people 
spent Independence Day in the Katif Bloc (Gush Katif), 
to show solidarity with the residents and protest the 
disengagement plan. 
 
Ha'aretz and Maariv reported that on Thursday, dozens 
of settlers invaded Palestinian villages in the Nablus 
and Tulkarm areas, and that the IDF had to deploy large 
numbers of troops, including special forces, to drive 
them out. 
 
Israel Radio reported that the U.S. is trying to soothe 
a storm that has arisen in the Muslim world following 
rumors that copies of the Koran have been desecrated in 
the Guantanamo Bay prison.  The station quoted 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as saying that if 
 
SIPDIS 
the rumors turn out to be true, those responsible will 
be brought to trial. 
 
In an interview with Maariv, Professor Rashid Khalidi, 
the director of the Middle East Institute at Columbia 
University, apologizes for some anti-Israeli utterances 
at his university, but says that pro-Israeli students 
who feel uncomfortable about having been silenced 
during classes should take other courses.  Maariv's 
headline: "The Faculty in Anti-Semitic Sciences." 
Jerusalem Post quoted Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) 
Executive Director Wayne Firestone as saying that anti- 
Israel activity on U.S. campuses this spring has been 
at its highest level since the outbreak of the second 
Intifada and has successfully pushed through three 
divest-from-Israel resolutions.  The newspaper quoted 
Firestone as saying that pro-Palestinian groups are 
targeting U.S. campuses with a low Jewish population. 
 
Featuring the Larry Franklin/AIPAC affair, Hatzofe says 
that it could bring down AIPAC's status. 
 
Ha'aretz (English Ed.) reported that the U.S. Consulate- 
General in Jerusalem has launched an Arabic-language 
web site meant to ease communications between American 
officials and the Palestinian-American community based 
largely around Ramallah. 
 
---------------------- 
Iran: Nuclear Program: 
---------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Israel believes 
that, despite its radical, zealous image, Iran is very 
sensitive to international pressure and is reluctant to 
become a pariah state." 
 
Extreme right-wing columnist Caroline B. Glick wrote in 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "Today it 
would seem that what is really necessary is a 
diplomatic campaign aimed not at convincing the 
Iranians and the North Koreans to cease their nuclear 
programs, but to pave the way both internationally for 
military assaults against the counties' nuclear 
programs." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "The Iranian Game" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (May 13): "Iran may 
postpone resumption of uranium reprocessing, Gholamreza 
Aghazadeh, the head of Iran's Atomic Organization, told 
Tehran state-run television on Thursday.  Israeli 
experts monitoring Iran's 'nuclear diplomacy' assume 
the Iranians are playing a game of nerves.  Tehran 
continually explores the limits of patience in Europe 
and Washington, but is careful not to cross any red 
lines that would propel the Iranian nuclear issue into 
the UN Security Council.... Israel believes that, 
despite its radical, zealous image, Iran is very 
sensitive to international pressure and is reluctant to 
become a pariah state.  This reluctance has been 
holding back Iran's effort to built a nuclear bomb, so 
far.  Israel believes that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and 
his comrades in Iran's leadership want to be part of 
the international community, rather than a boycotted, 
isolated state like North Korea.... The Security 
Council is not a magic wand.... [But] the Iranians 
understand that no good can come for them by having 
their case transferred to the Security Council.  Even a 
long process full of delays could end with sanctions 
and painful restrictions." 
 
II.  "Diplomatic Dead Ends" 
 
Extreme right-wing columnist Caroline B. Glick wrote in 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (May 13): 
"There is a strong sense in Washington these days that 
a large part of the reason that the Bush administration 
has yet to construct a coherent policy for dealing with 
Iran's nuclear program is that it is hoping Israel will 
launch a military strike against the Iranian nuclear 
sites, thus obviating the need for any real action. 
And yet, if these officials are even mildly aware of 
what is happening today in Israel -- with the 
government completely obsessed with the Palestinians 
and the Gaza and northern Samaria [northernmost part of 
the West Bank] withdrawal programs -- they would take 
little comfort in that hope.... Many opponents of the 
Bush administration have been eager to accuse the 
President and his advisers of being responsible for the 
failure of their diplomatic attempts to deal with the 
issue.  But the truth is, given the fact that anti- 
Americanism is second to anti-Zionism as the popular 
course in the world today for countries seeking to 
augment their international standing on the cheap, it 
is unclear what the Americans could have done 
differently.  Today it would seem that what is really 
necessary is a diplomatic campaign aimed not at 
convincing the Iranians and the North Koreans to cease 
their nuclear programs, but to pave the way both 
internationally for military assaults against the 
counties' nuclear programs.  Such a campaign should 
highlight North Korea's policy of starving its people 
to death and gassing them in death camps.  It should 
also highlight Iran's abysmal human rights record, the 
regime's lack of legitimacy, and its support for 
terrorism throughout the world." 
 
KURTZER