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

211034Z Sep 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TEL AVIV 005771 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR NEA STAFF 
 
SECDEF WASHDC FOR USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA 
HQ USAF FOR XOXX 
DA WASHDC FOR SASA 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR 
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD 
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019 
 
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.  Likud Infighting 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All major media, except Jerusalem Post, led with a 
comment made by PM Sharon before 150 Likud Central 
Committee members at his Jerusalem residence last 
night: "I don't want to leave [the party]."  However, 
various media noted that he once again refrained from 
saying he would remain in the Likud under any 
conditions, even if he lost Monday's vote to advance 
the party primary.  Sharon's adviser Eyal Arad hinted 
to IDF Radio this morning that Sharon may quit the 
Likud if he loses in that vote. 
 
Jerusalem Post quoted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan 
as saying after a ministerial level meeting of the 
Quartet in New York: "What happens in the West Bank is 
very much on our mind.  For us, the Quartet, it's Gaza 
first and then the next stage will be the West Bank, 
not Gaza first and Gaza last."  The newspaper quoted a 
spokesman for Sharon as saying in response that what 
comes after disengagement depends entirely now on how 
the Palestinians handle their newfound 
responsibilities.   The official was quoted as saying: 
"If they want Gaza to be first, and not last, then this 
experiment must succeed."  Leading media reported that 
the Quartet urged the PA to "maintain law and order and 
dismantle terrorist capabilities and infrastructure." 
Israel Radio quoted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 
as saying that this is a "Palestinian process." 
Ha'aretz quoted a senior State Department official, who 
asked not to be identified, as saying: "The democratic 
practice ought to be that armed groups do not 
participate in the political process." 
 
Israel Radio quoted Minister-without-Portfolio Haim 
Ramon (Labor) as saying, at a meeting convened by Vice 
Premier Shimon Peres on Tuesday, that Israel will not 
allow the construction of a port in Gaza if 
understandings are not reached between Israel and the 
PA regarding security issues.  Ramon reportedly said 
that Israel should demand supervision over movements in 
the harbor.  Ramon was also quoted as saying that 
Israel must operate the Nitzana terminal and refrain 
from spending 60 million shekels (approximately USD 13 
million) to build a terminal for goods at Kerem Shalom. 
The radio quoted Peres as saying at the meeting that 
the PA and Egypt have announced that they hope to 
control the breaches along the Philadelphi road within 
two days and prevent free passage of people along the 
route.  Israel Radio later reported that Egypt and the 
PA will reopen the Rafah crossing on Friday to 
Egyptians and Palestinians during a two-day period. 
The radio quoted the PA's National Security Adviser 
Jibril Rajoub as saying that the purpose of the move is 
to allow residents who were caught next to the border 
crossing when it was sealed last week to return home. 
Israel Radio reported that senior Egyptian and 
Palestinian officials will meet in a week in order to 
finalize the arrangement at the Rafah border. 
 
Israel Radio and Ha'aretz's web site reported that 
Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser, the head of IDF Military 
Intelligence's Research Division, told the Knesset's 
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this morning 
that, despite fears to the contrary, powerful "tie- 
breaker weaponry," such as long-range Katyusha rockets 
and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, was not 
smuggled into the Gaza Strip when the Egyptian border 
was left largely open in the days following the Israeli 
withdrawal.  Leading media quoted Kuperwasser as saying 
at the meeting that thousands of rifles were smuggled 
into the Gaza Strip during that period.  Yediot 
reported that the prices of weaponry in the Gaza Strip 
have dropped in recent days by over 50 percent, due to 
the fact that the breached border between Egypt and the 
Gaza Strip on Philadelphi Road has caused Gaza to be 
flooded with weaponry from Egypt. 
 
Israel Radio reported on a fiery exchange of words 
between Israel and Iran at the UN General Assembly on 
Tuesday.  The station reported that FM Silvan Shalom 
dubbed the Islamic Republic an "evil regime ruled by 
Tehran's tyrants" and called upon the UN Security 
Council to rein in Iran before it procures nuclear 
weapons.  The radio quoted Iranian representative Ahmad 
Sadeghi as saying that Israel is a "Zionist regime 
ruled by war criminals."  He was quoted as saying that 
Israel's nuclear weapons and missile capability, 
combined with its demonic intentions, threaten regional 
and world peace.  Israel's representative to the UN 
Danny Gillerman cynically replied that he greatly 
admires the Iranian lecture on human rights, terror, 
and proliferation of nuclear weapons delivered by one 
of the greatest experts in those fields. 
 
Ha'aretz quoted FM Shalom as saying on Tuesday, in an 
address to the UN General Assembly, that diplomatic 
ties and cooperation with Israel are essential 
prerequisites for any country that wishes to help the 
Palestinians.  Yediot quoted Shalom's comment in his 
address that the "iron wall between us and the Arab 
states is falling."  Yediot quoted Shalom as saying, 
during a meeting with Annan, that Israel will submit in 
the next few days its candidacy for membership in the 
UN Security Council. 
 
All media reported that Attorney General Menachem Mazuz 
has begun looking into dozens of complaints alleging 
that Sharon collected illegal campaign contributions at 
a banquet held in his honor in New York.  Leading media 
reported that State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss 
announced Tuesday evening in a letter to the Knesset 
his willingness to immediately investigate allegations 
in the matter. 
 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that King Abdullah II of Jordan 
is set to speak with a group of American rabbis in 
Washington today, as part of his ongoing effort to 
build bridges between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. 
 
Jerusalem Post reported that 28 Jewish leaders from 
eight countries met Monday in London to strategize an 
international campaign to "assert the rights of former 
Jewish refugees from Arab countries."  Jerusalem Post 
reported that Stanley Urman, president of Justice for 
Jews from Arab Countries, told the newspaper that the 
ultimate goal of the campaign is to link Jewish 
refugees with Palestinian refugees in peace talks. 
 
Yediot quoted Indonesian President Susilo Bambang 
Yudhoyono as saying Monday that last week's 
 confidential meeting between FM Shalom and Indonesian 
FM Noer Hassan Wirajuda was "consistent with the 
interests of the entire world and with those of the 
Muslim world in particular." 
Maariv reported that representatives of the Tourism 
Ministry held a meeting this week with Foreign Ministry 
officials and asked them not to inflate incidents such 
as Qassam and Katyusha rocket fire.  "Don't make a big 
deal of every Qassam," the Tourism Ministry officials 
reportedly said.  "You are destroying Israel's tourist 
industry." 
 
Yediot reported that Israel has strongly protested to 
the Swedish government over the fact that Swedish FM 
Laila Freivalds will be the keynote speaker at an anti- 
Israeli conference about the "wall" that Israel is 
building in the territories.  The meeting, which the 
newspaper writes is organized by the "Swedish trade 
union," will take place in 10 days. 
 
Israel Radio reported that IDF forces have apprehended 
six Islamic Jihad activists in the refugee camp of Nur 
a-Shams near Tulkarm.  The radio said that the arrested 
men had been involved in recent terrorist attacks in 
Netanya and Tel Aviv. 
 
Leading media reported that the head of the Tafnit 
organization, Maj. Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan, presented his 
plan for the separation of Israel and the Palestinians 
at a press conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.  Under 
the proposal, the separation fence in the West Bank 
would be completed and Israel would evacuate 32 
settlements containing 20,000 residents within three 
years.  The IDF would redeploy along a temporary 
border.  [NB: The political movement Tafnit, founded by 
Uzi Dayan, aims to promote socio-civic and national 
security agendas.] 
 
Jerusalem Post quoted Vice PM and acting Finance 
Minister Ehud Olmert as saying Tuesday that Israel is 
close to signing a free trade agreement with the 
Mercado Comun del Sur (Mercosur) in South America. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that, "in a surprise move," the State 
Department announced on Tuesday that it expects to fill 
its quota of visas in the Employment Based Third 
Preference (E3) Immigrant Visa Category by next month. 
The newspaper says that the visas are allotted to 
professionals with a B.A. degree.  Maariv and other 
media also reported on the matter. 
Israel Radio reported that on Tuesday, President Bush 
expressed his sadness over the "death of Simon 
Wiesenthal, a tireless and passionate advocate who 
devoted his life to tracking down Nazi killers and 
promoting freedom." 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: 
"Abbas's plan is unacceptable to the government of 
Israel.  However, Israel must avoid deepening the 
internal rifts in Palestinian society, and work to 
strengthen Abbas as a partner in the diplomatic 
process." 
 
Senior columnist Haggai Huberman wrote in nationalist, 
Orthodox Hatzofe: "A diplomatic program based on the 
unilateral dismantling of 32 settlements without 
getting anything in exchange ... is yet another program 
of the Left." 
 
 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Help Abbas" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized 
(September 21): "Israel's position is that 
participation in elections to the Palestine Legislative 
Council, which is the Palestinian Authority's 
parliament, requires Hamas to disarm and abrogate its 
basic manifesto that calls for the political 
annihilation of Israel.  If Hamas does not do so, 
Sharon says, Israel will not prevent the elections, but 
will give them no support.  Israel's position is 
logical, correct and justified. Since its establishment 
some 17 years ago, the Hamas movement has declared all- 
out war on the 'Zionist entity,' out of a belief that 
all of Israel is Muslim sacred ground and not one inch 
should be given up.  To this end the movement initiated 
and justified acts of terror and murderous suicide 
attacks.  Even though it has agreed over the past few 
months to a cease-fire, it has not given up its 
declared goals.... The concern of Israel and Abbas over 
Hamas's growing strength is shared by many parties, 
among whom cooperation can be created.  Abbas has 
avoided a direct clash with Hamas, which he believes 
would result in civil war among the Palestinians.  He 
is asking to absorb armed Hamas members, numbering 
about 3,000, into the approximately 40,000 or more 
Palestinian police and soldiers in Gaza.  Abbas 
believes that without its military units, Hamas will be 
transformed from a terror organization to a political 
party.  Abbas's plan is unacceptable to the government 
of Israel.  However, Israel must avoid deepening the 
internal rifts in Palestinian society, and work to 
strengthen Abbas as a partner in the diplomatic 
process.  Abbas was elected for a four-year term as a 
powerful chairman with wide-ranging authority, and all 
processes involving elections to the Palestinian 
Legislative Council should and must be coordinated with 
him." 
 
II.  "No Message" 
 
Senior columnist Haggai Huberman wrote in nationalist, 
Orthodox Hatzofe (September 21): "On Tuesday, [Maj. 
Gen. (res.)] Uzi Dayan founded another left-wing party, 
whose platform isn't very different from those of most 
Israeli left-wing parties, including Sharon's faction 
in the Likud.  A diplomatic program based on the 
unilateral dismantling of 32 settlements without 
getting anything in exchange, and the determination 
that in any case this would be an interim border that 
would change during final-status negotiations, is yet 
another program of the Left, with minor debates as to 
whether the border would cross a hill on the left side 
or another one on the right side.  Uzi Dayan didn't 
convey any special point on Tuesday, except for some 
hints that, in order to reform Israel, people should 
vote for him and [his movement]." 
 
--------------------- 
¶2.  Likud Infighting: 
--------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Chief economic editor Sever Plotker opined in mass- 
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Like a 
shepherd who knows his flock, Sharon is certain that he 
knows the collective soul of the Likud Central 
Committee and the trend of opinion there." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"The Undivided Land of Israel in Exchange for Jobs" 
 
Chief economic editor Sever Plotker opined in mass- 
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (September 21): 
"Sharon surprised everybody.  [Instead of founding a 
new party or returning to the hard core of Likud], he 
pulled a third option, astonishing in its originality, 
out of the hat -- to run for re-election inside the 
Likud, with the political worldview of Meretz.... 
Sharon is certain that he will win, this time without 
misleading the voters.  Like a shepherd who knows his 
flock, Sharon is certain that he knows the collective 
soul of the Likud Central Committee and the trend of 
opinion there.  Today it is a skeleton party, devoid of 
ideology, and the only fuel in its engine is the 
burning desire to hold onto the reins of power. 
Nothing remains of that historic Likud except the name. 
In Poland, between the two world wars, there was a 
broad-based party in power called 'the non-party bloc 
for the government.'  There is no more appropriate name 
for the Likud in its present situation.  So that is the 
alternative which Sharon has been offering, since his 
return from New York, to the members of the Likud 
Central Committee: territory or jobs, nationalist 
ideology or a good living, love for the Land of Israel, 
or the love of the trappings of power.  Like any wily 
farmer Sharon knows which they will choose. They will 
not give up the jobs.  They will give up Karnei Shomron 
[a key settlement]." 
 
JONES