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 004659 
 
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.  Secretary Rice to Israel, West Bank, and Lebanon 
 
¶2.  Mideast 
 
¶3.  Iraq 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Israel Radio cited a White House announcement, 
according to which Richard Jones has been appointed 
U.S. ambassador to Israel. 
 
Ha'aretz (Akiva Eldar) says that PM Sharon is worried 
about papers circulated recently among members of the 
Quartet, under the heading "The day after the 
disengagement," which allegedly call for a conference 
that would "begin the process that would lead to the 
establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 
temporary borders." 
 
Ha'aretz, Yediot, and Israel Radio bannered IDF 
preparations towards the disengagement move.  Leading 
media reported that the IDF have constructed a 
"settlement" at the Tse'elim army base in the Negev, 
where Ha'aretz says there once was a Palestinian 
village.  On Sunday, Maariv reported that the defense 
establishment intends to merge the four planned stages 
of disengagement into a single, gradual evacuation, 
because a more protracted move would make the 
withdrawal more difficult and endanger soldiers. 
Today, the newspaper cites ministers Binyamin Netanyahu 
and Limor Livnat's opposition to the change. 
 
On Monday, Netanyahu told Israel Radio that the Gaza 
Strip would turn into a base for terror operations 
after the disengagement. 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that the settler leaders plan 
to stage next week a prolonged sequel to last week's 
march, in a move that disengagement opponents hope will 
siphon away enough security forces to disrupt the Gaza 
pullout.  All media reported that on Monday, dozens of 
settlers attacked the IDF Chaplain General, Brig. Gen. 
Rabbi Israel Weiss, who came to the Gush Katif 
settlement of Neve Dekalim to coordinate the transfer 
of graves from the local cemetery to Israel before the 
disengagement.  Ha'aretz quoted a spokesman for 
residents of Sa-Nur, one of the West Bank settlements 
slated for evacuation, as saying on Monday that 
residents recently identified two suspected Shin Bet 
security service "provocateurs" who tried to infiltrate 
their ranks, and a third man whom residents also 
suspected was a Shin Bet agent and who suspended 
contact and left the community. 
 
Maariv reported that on Monday, Jerusalem's local 
council for planning and construction approved a plan 
to build a Jewish neighborhood -- 30 housing units and 
a synagogue -- opposite Herod's Gate (Flower Gate) 
inside the Old City's Muslim Quarter.  The newspaper 
reported that Knesset Member Ran Cohen (Yahad-Meretz) 
wrote Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Herzog, 
saying that the plan is akin to gunpowder that could 
ignite. 
 
The Arutz-7 (Arutz Sheva) radio, followed by Hatzofe, 
reported that Sharon's friend, South African 
businessman Cyril Kern, in partnership with Israeli 
businessman Shmuel Flatto-Sharon and Saudi billionaire 
Mahmoud Elabad (phon.), is planning to build a casino 
in Elei Sinai, now a Gaza Strip settlement.  Hatzofe 
reported that Knesset Member Uri Ariel (National Union) 
has requested that Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz 
investigate the motive for the transfer of northern 
Gaza Strip settlements to the PA.  Yediot reported that 
Hamas is opposed to the construction of such a casino. 
 
Israel Radio quoted Sofian Abu Zaida, the Palestinian 
Minister of Prisoner Affairs, as saying, in an 
interview with the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam, that the 
PA has requested that Israel release Palestinian 
prisoners originating from the Gaza Strip after the 
disengagement, but that Israel has not responded to the 
request. 
 
All media reported that Sharon will leave for a three- 
day visit to France today.  Ha'aretz writes that the 
French attitude vis-a-vis Israel softened after 
European leaders became convinced that Sharon was 
determined to evacuate the Gaza Strip and after French 
President Jacques Chirac lost the vote to ratify the 
European constitution. 
 
All media reported that, in the biggest economic deal 
in Israeli history, the pharmaceutical giant Teva 
announced Monday that it had signed an agreement to 
purchase the U.S.-based Ivax for USD 7.4 billion.  Teva 
will thus become the world's largest generic drug maker 
once again. 
 
Ha'aretz quoted official Palestinian sources as saying 
that on Monday, the PA set new dates for completing the 
local authority elections -- September 29 and December 
¶8. 
 
Yediot cited a report published in the German weekly 
Der Spiegel, which reveals a secret Iranian nuclear 
plan that makes use of material surreptitiously bought 
from South Korean and French companies.  Israel Radio 
cited a report in the London-based Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat 
that Iran has started a training program for suicide 
bombers who will operate in Western countries and 
Israel. 
Ha'aretz cited a recent announcement by the state 
prosecution, according to which the Civil 
Administration in the territories is to place signs in 
Canada Park, near Latrun, to commemorate the 
Palestinian villages of Imwas and Yalu, which were 
destroyed in 1967. 
 
Leading media reported that the Vatican envoy was 
summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Monday as Israel 
expressed its outrage that Pope Benedict XVI failed to 
condemn terror against Israelis. 
 
 
 
 
Maariv cited the results of a poll conducted among 
settlers by Haifa University's National Security 
Studies Center: 
-40 percent of respondents believe that isolated 
settlements should be conceded in order to keep large 
settlement blocs. 
-51.8 percent believe that extremist [Jewish] elements 
in the territories harm the settlement drive. 
-12.8 percent believe that the creation of a Jewish 
underground that would fight the evacuation of Jewish 
settlements is legitimate within the struggle over the 
entire Land of Israel [i.e. Israel, including the 
territories]. 
-0.2 percent are ready to make use of firearms against 
elected officials or security forces in order to 
prevent the evacuation of settlements. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶1.  Secretary Rice to Israel, West Bank, and Lebanon: 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Senior columnist and longtime dove Yoel Marcus wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Since the U.S. 
administration is doing the asking, Israel must help 
Abu Mazen to help himself." 
 
Senior Middle East affairs analyst Zvi Bar'el wrote in 
Ha'aretz: "Lebanon can very justly view as historic the 
day of the Secretary of State's visit.... [But] Syria 
still has means of its own to deal with Lebanon." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
¶I.  "Leader Remodeling Inc." 
Senior columnist and longtime dove Yoel Marcus wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (July 26): "This 
time, Rice's demands did not go through the filtering 
system of [top Sharon aide Dov] Weisglass. There was no 
sugar to sweeten the pill or make it easier to swallow. 
There was no beating around the bush.... When she 
visited the Palestinians, she praised Abu Mazen's 
leadership abilities and his 'war on terror.'  In 
Israel, she went on about how weak and frail he is, and 
urged us to strengthen him.  As if Israel were Leader 
Remodeling Inc.... The Bush administration wants to 
strengthen him because of his commitment to democratize 
the PA, whereas all we see is a man incapable of 
carrying out his most elementary obligation -- cracking 
down and disarming the terrorist organizations.  With 
Israel taking its first historic step to leave the 
territories, one might expect something different.... 
But since the U.S. administration is doing the asking, 
Israel must help Abu Mazen to help himself.  If he 
needs a blood transfusion, we can donate some.  After 
all, we do want a strong and credible partner. But we 
can't replace all his blood for him.  If he is really 
so weak that he can't curb terror, can't discuss 
compromise and can't come up with any painful 
concessions on his side, then he is not a worthy 
partner." 
 
II.  "U.S.-Lebanon Relations are Warmer Despite 
Hizbullah in Government" 
 
Senior Middle East affairs analyst Zvi Bar'el wrote in 
Ha'aretz (July 26): "Lebanon can very justly view as 
historic the day of the Secretary of State's visit, 
when for the first time she neither visited Syria 
first, nor coordinated the visit with Bashar Assad, nor 
reported to him about that visit's results.... 
According to [Lebanese] sources, Rice was asked [by her 
Lebanese hosts] to pressure Israel to withdraw from the 
Sheba Farms, so that the Lebanese government can 
uncompromisingly demand Hizbullah's disarming.... But 
[Secretary Rice] asked what guarantees Israel would get 
as to Hizbullah's being satisfied with that pullout.... 
No less important was the message Rice conveyed to 
Syria.  A Syrian president hasn't received such an 
affront for years, although it is difficult to know 
what it'll serve.  Syria still has means of its own to 
deal with Lebanon." 
 
------------ 
¶2.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Veteran print and TV journalist Dan Margalit wrote in 
popular, pluralist Maariv: "This is an opportune moment 
[for Israel].... The formula needs to be: anyone who 
crosses the [West Bank security] fence is placing his 
life at risk." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
"An Opportune Moment" 
 
Veteran print and TV journalist Dan Margalit wrote in 
popular, pluralist Maariv (July 26): "The Queen of 
England is angry that the [British] legal establishment 
is investigating its troops but is treating the 
terrorists gently.  It won't be long before billions 
will know how to say 'kill confirm' in English.... The 
Americans have been in that place for a long time 
already.  This is evinced in their laws and in the 
violent interrogations to which they subject suspected 
terrorists in Guantanamo Bay.  To put things in simple 
terms, one could say Guantanamo Bay is 'in' while the 
International Court of Justice at The Hague is 
'out'.... There is an international atmosphere that 
divides the world into 'ours' and 'theirs,' and into 
'good guys' and 'bad guys'.... Al-Qaida, Hizbullah and 
Palestinian terrorism are all on the far side of that 
divide.  This is an opportune moment; we do not know 
how long it will last.... The formula needs to be: 
anyone who crosses the [West Bank security] fence is 
placing his life at risk.  It would be best to apply 
these terms of engagement while [Israeli Representative 
Danny] Gillerman's life in the UN Security Council is 
still comfortable." 
 
--------- 
¶3.  Iraq: 
--------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global 
Research in International Affairs Center, columnist 
Barry Rubin, wrote in conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post: "Iraqis should not be surprised at Arab 
indifference to their suffering, since the same 
quarters celebrated former Iraqi dictator Saddam 
Hussein as a great Arab hero." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Terrorists For Occupation" 
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global 
Research in International Affairs Center, columnist 
Barry Rubin, wrote in conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post (July 26): "We have become used to much 
of the world's willingness to accept, excuse and even 
sympathize with Arab nationalist and radical Islamist 
terrorism against Israel.  In this case, the situation 
is distorted so that the victims become the accused. 
But when the same thing happens regarding the mass 
murder of Arab Muslims, it gets really scary.... Israel 
has been remarkably restrained given the ordeal it has 
faced, notwithstanding the misinformed perceptions of 
much of the world.  Iraqi Shi'ites may act differently 
when they are eventually unleashed on their foes as the 
Americans start to leave.... Iraqis should not be 
surprised at Arab indifference to their suffering, 
since the same quarters celebrated former Iraqi 
dictator Saddam Hussein as a great Arab hero while he 
was torturing and murdering millions of his 
countrymen.... Who are the new murderers being 
glorified as Arab and Islamic heroes?  They are a 
combination of Saddam loyalists, Sunni communal 
nationalists who view killing Shi'ites as their highest 
duty, and radical Islamists who want to plunge Iraq 
into still another hell.  Then there are the many young 
men being lured to their deaths by inebriation on a 
steady diet of propaganda from those who make a good 
living from such deception.  What hope can there be for 
progress in the Arab world, or peace in the region, 
when such things are happening at an increased pace and 
the voices of sanity are so few and far between?" 
 
KURTZER