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

200801Z Oct 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TEL AVIV 006146 
 
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: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Mideast 
 
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Key stories in the media: 
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Hatzofe (lead story) and most media quoted Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice as saying Wednesday in testimony 
before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that 
the U.S. has clarified to Israel "in no uncertain 
terms" that construction in the "E-1" Jerusalem-Ma'aleh 
Adumim corridor "would contravene American policy." 
Israel Radio quoted an Israeli official as saying that 
Secretary Rice's comment represents the United States' 
 
SIPDIS 
traditional policy. However, the radio quoted Secretary 
Rice as saying that "it is important not to lose sight 
of the larger picture" as Israel has withdrawn from the 
Gaza Strip.  Ha'aretz briefly mentioned Rice's remarks. 
 
In its lead story, Yediot expects President Bush to 
tell PA Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas during his 
visit to the White House today that he must disarm 
Hamas and Islamic Jihad.  The newspaper says that 
Abbas's visit will be solemn, but that the U.S. demand 
of him will be unequivocal.  Ha'aretz reported that a 
senior State Department official told the newspaper on 
Wednesday that the U.S. administration expects to hear 
how Abbas plans to cope with the "inherent 
contradiction" between the status of Hamas as an armed 
terror organization and its intention to participate in 
the PA's political process.  "It is something the 
Palestinians are grappling with," the official was 
quoted as saying, adding that the administration wants 
to know what the PA plans to do. Palestinian officials 
have said in the last few days that the PA does not 
intend to confront Hamas on this issue.  Jerusalem Post 
reported that "U.S. sources" told the newspaper that at 
his meeting with Abbas, President Bush is likely to 
insist that Abbas bar Hamas from participating in the 
Palestinian Legislative Council elections, but that he 
will not force Abbas to disarm the terrorist group. 
Jerusalem Post quoted sources in Washington as saying 
Wednesday that Abbas's visit is intended to be "low- 
key."  Israel Radio says that the U.S. will try to find 
a compromise solution to the problem. 
 
Ha'aretz writes that regarding the establishment of PA 
institutions, Bush is slated to tell Abbas to continue 
to accelerate efforts to ensure the rule of law.  The 
newspaper reported that a replacement for Lt. Gen. 
William Ward, who was responsible for dealing with this 
issue on behalf of the U.S., will soon be named. 
Ha'aretz quoted State Department officials are saying 
that the U.S. is satisfied with the participation of 
Israel and the Palestinians in talks, but that the 
"cooperation can be improved."  Ha'aretz writes that 
Palestinian officials are expected to tell the 
Americans that Israel has been dragging its feet in 
negotiations.  The newspaper quoted State Department 
officials as saying that the U.S. would like to see the 
pace of talks on the economic rehabilitation of the 
Gaza Strip "pick up a bit." 
 
Yediot (Shimon Shiffer) reported that Sharon's bureau 
has told the U.S. administration ahead of the Bush- 
Abbas meeting that Israel's patience is wearing out, 
that Abbas does not control the Palestinian 
territories, and that Israel will not offer him any 
gestures.  Yediot cited the GOI's growing belief that 
King Abdullah II of Jordan cannot serve as a 
substantial element in the region.  The newspaper also 
reported that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will not 
come to Israel. 
 
Ha'aretz banners a remark made by Saddam Hussein at the 
opening of his trial in Baghdad Wednesday that he is 
still president of Iraq.  Jerusalem Post told the story 
of an Israeli family of Iraqi origin, one of whose 
members was hanged 37 years ago by Saddam's regime for 
allegedly spying for the U.S. and Israel.  Leading 
media quoted Secretary Rice as saying Wednesday in 
testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign 
Relations that U.S. troops could still be serving in 
Iraq in 10 years 
 
Leading media (lead stories in Maariv and Ha'aretz 
(English Ed.)) cited a warning given by the Health 
Ministry's DG on Wednesday that the avian influenza 
could reach Israel within the next few days.  Ha'aretz 
reported that officials from Israel's Veterinary 
Service will meet with their Jordanian counterparts 
this morning to coordinate measures against bird flu. 
The newspaper says that it is not yet clear whether 
officials from the PA's veterinary service will also 
attend the meeting, which will take place at the 
Allenby Bridge.  Ha'aretz quoted FM Silvan Shalom as 
saying that Israel and Jordan were trying to forge 
plans for a joint effort against the flu, since it is 
considered likely to spread to the Middle East in the 
near future. He was quoted as saying that Israel would 
also be happy to cooperate with other countries on this 
issue.  Ha'aretz reported that Israeli officials denied 
reports published in several Arab newspapers that 
Israeli officials would also meet on the issue with 
counterparts from other Arab states, including Syria 
and Iraq. The newspaper quoted the officials as saying 
that there would be indirect coordination between 
Israel and other Arab states, since Jordan was 
coordinating its moves with both Israel and with its 
Arab neighbors. 
 
Maariv reported that Hamas is "on the verge of 
splitting."  The newspaper says that Mahmoud Zahar 
leads the movement's extremist line, while its moderate 
side is headed by Ismail Haniya, who advocates 
gathering weapons from activists and putting an end to 
terrorist attacks. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that officials in Jerusalem have 
clarified on Wednesday that Israel has no new plans to 
separate Israel and Palestinian traffic on the roads of 
the West Bank.  The clarification comes in the wake of 
harsh U.S. criticism of the restrictions imposed by 
Israel on Tuesday on Palestinian vehicular traffic in 
the territories. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that before dawn on Thursday, Abbas 
met with Meretz-Yahad head Yossi Beilin, who was also 
visiting Washington.  The Palestinian leader told 
Beilin that the purpose of his trip to Washington is to 
ensure the Palestinian elections will be held as 
scheduled and without interference despite Hamas' 
participation.   Ha'aretz writes that Beilin told Abbas 
that it is vital that the PA make a commitment to 
disarm Hamas immediately after the elections are held. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Peace Now is advocating the 
immediate evacuation of 26 isolated settlements in the 
West Bank as a follow-up to the disengagement from 
Gaza. 
Yediot quoted Maj. Gen. (in the reserves) Amos Gilad, 
the head of the Defense Ministry's Political-Security 
Bureau, as saying Wednesday that Israel has no interest 
in Syrian President Bashar Assad being toppled.  Gilad 
was quoted as saying: "The Israeli interest is to turn 
Syria from a terror-sponsoring country into a peace- 
seeking country."  Yediot also quoted senior diplomatic 
sources in Jerusalem as saying that the U.S. 
administration will soon increase its pressure on 
Assad's regime, but that it will prefer a situation in 
which Assad "repents" and abandons his instruments of 
terror rather than being deposed, because Muslim 
extremists could replace him. 
 
Israel Radio and the Ha'aretz web site reported that 
this morning, IDF soldiers arrested a 15-year-old 
Palestinian boy found to carrying weapons at the Hawara 
checkpoint south of Nablus.  The youth aroused the 
suspicion of troops, who subsequently found in his 
possession a 52-millimeter mortar shell and two knives. 
The youth said he was asked to smuggle the bomb through 
the checkpoint by members of a Palestinian armed group. 
The media reported on several other security-related 
incidents in the West Bank. 
 
Yediot and Israel Radio reported that over 200 olive 
trees were uprooted and burned in the Palestinian 
village of Salem, east of Nablus, shortly after 
Sunday's terrorist attack in Gush Etzion.  The media 
quoted local Palestinians as saying this was a 
retaliatory action by settlers.  Ha'aretz reported that 
the IDF's Central Command has decided to cancel the 
military escort for Palestinian children on their way 
to school south of Hebron.  The escort had been 
introduced to protect the children from attacks by 
settlers. 
 
On Wednesday, Maariv reported that subsequent to a more 
stringent policy in recent weeks, the U.S. Defense 
Department and the U.S. Army refuse to let Israeli 
firms participate as subcontractors in Iraq, and that 
they reject bid offers by those companies.  The 
newspaper notes that Israeli companies served as 
subcontractors in the past.  Maariv cited assessments 
of unnamed sources that the new policy is related to a 
series of sanctions imposed on Israel by the U.S. 
administration over Israel's defense connections. 
 
Yediot reported that on Wednesday, Amin Hussein 
(phon.), the speaker of Pakistan's parliament, met in 
Geneva with Israel's Deputy Education Minister, Knesset 
Member Majalli Whbee (Likud), and thanked him for 
Israel's aid proposal following the earthquake on the 
Indian subcontinent. 
 
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Mideast: 
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                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: 
"Israel has an interest in utilizing its current edge 
to shape the outlines of the next diplomatic move." 
 
Veteran columnist Yaron London wrote in the editorial 
of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "The 
lesser evil is to decide to let the Palestinians form 
their own democracy, without extending unsolicited help 
to them." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Efraim Ganor wrote in popular, 
pluralist Russian-language Novosty Nedely: "U.S. 
pressure on Israel ... and the Palestinian leader is 
unlikely to increase in the short-term; the U.S. isn't 
interested in weakening Abu-Mazen." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Beyond the Holiday Table" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized 
(October 20): "Israel has no time.  Following the 
disengagement, it gained a valuable asset: control of 
the moral high ground and international legitimacy. 
But its control of this essential high ground is liable 
to be short-lived.  As memory of the evacuation of Gush 
Katif fades, Israel's control of this ground will 
weaken.  Violent incidents are liable to erase it 
completely.  Therefore, Israel has an interest in 
utilizing its current edge to shape the outlines of the 
next diplomatic move.  If it does not, this move will 
be defined, and perhaps even dictated, by others.  And 
in that event, all the gains of the disengagement would 
be lost.  Ariel Sharon also has no time.  The 
disengagement from Gaza and his victory over Binyamin 
Netanyahu strengthened his position both among the 
general public and within his own party.  Nevertheless, 
one long winter of discontent could deprive him of all 
this.  A Hamas takeover of Gaza, bloodshed in Israel or 
a confrontation with the U.S. could return Sharon to 
that same political valley of the shadow of death from 
which he emerged thanks to his disengagement plan.... 
It is acceptable to enjoy the lull for one more moment. 
It is acceptable to enjoy the last fruits of this sweet 
disengagement holiday.  But immediately after the 
[current Jewish] holiday [of Sukkoth], we must throw 
ourselves back into work with all our energy.  Both 
Israel and Sharon must make it clear to themselves 
where they are headed." 
 
II.  "Let Us Not Obstruct Elections in the PA" 
 
Veteran columnist Yaron London wrote in the editorial 
of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (October 
20): "The elections for the Palestinian Legislative 
Council, or the Palestinian parliament, are scheduled 
to be held in less than three months.  Our neighbors 
view them as an important chapter in the history of 
their people.... If the elections are conducted 
properly, the Palestinian nation will be able to boast 
of a democratic regime, a phenomenon that does not 
exist in any Arab state apart from Lebanon.  We have 
already seen the initial signs of democracy in the 
elections for PA chairman.... It should be understood 
that in the conditions of semi-occupation that exist in 
the areas of Judea and Samaria [i.e. the West Bank], 
denying help means obstructing and possibly preventing 
the elections.... [But] the militants will not disarm, 
and the PA leadership will not become entangled in a 
civil war in order to force them to do so.... If we do 
not firmly oppose the inclusion of Hamas in the 
elections, we will thereby be admitting that we have 
waived an important clause in our agreements with the 
PA and will undermine the American effort to crush the 
terror organizations.  Hamas, whose leadership sits in 
Damascus, is on their blacklist.  We are between the 
hammer and the anvil, but we must make up our minds. 
The lesser evil is to decide to let the Palestinians 
form their own democracy, without extending unsolicited 
help to them.  Hamas is a large and complex entity: not 
everyone who supports the social aspects of the Hamas 
ideology is a bloodthirsty individual.  We will handle 
the villains as we handle terrorists who are not under 
a parliamentary guise." 
 
III.  "The 'Rais' Has Been Authorized to Ask..." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Efraim Ganor wrote in popular, 
pluralist Russian-language Novosty Nedely (October 
20):"The [Israeli] sanctions on the Palestinians 
[subsequent to Sunday's terrorist attacks] caused a odd 
reaction in Washington. ... The Israeli decision to 
restrict the Palestinians' travel was harshly 
criticized by the U.S. Department of State.  The U.S. 
envoy in the Middle East William Ward called on Israel 
to take steps to 'ease the daily plight of the 
Palestinian people, while [State Department] Spokesman 
[Sean McCormack] said that although Israel, like the 
U.S., is a victim of terrorist attacks ... [Israel 
should] act in terms of long-term peace, stability and 
security....  Although the U.S. also called on the 
Palestinian Authority to fight terror more intensely, 
this request obviously would not have any practical 
results.  The PA's inability to do anything in this 
direction is absolutely clear.  It is considered in 
Jerusalem that the Bush-Abu Mazen meeting would turn 
out to be a series of complaints about various Israeli 
actions.... U.S. pressure on Israel ... and the 
Palestinian leader is unlikely to increase in the short- 
term; the U.S. isn't interested in weakening Abu 
Mazen." 
 
JONES