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

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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IS KMDR MEDIA REACTION REPORT
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
 
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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  "Agreement on Movement and Access" 
 
¶2.  Mideast 
 
¶3.  Iran: Nuclear Program 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All media (lead stories in Ha'aretz and Yediot) 
reported on the "Agreement on Movement and Access," 
which was brokered on Tuesday by Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice.  Quartet Special Envoy James 
Wolfensohn was quoted as saying in an interview with 
Israel Radio that the sides may have ignored him, but 
that they could not ignore Secretary Rice.  Wolfensohn 
was also interviewed in other media.  Ha'aretz and 
Yediot wrote that convoys will start running between 
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (according to Yediot, 
through Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat) within a month.  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that Gazans are divided 
regarding the necessity of building a seaport in Gaza. 
Ha'aretz reported that speaking on Tuesday at the 
Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, 
Knesset Member Binyamin Netanyahu blasted the 
agreement, saying that Israel's security comes before 
the Palestinians' convenience, and that Israel must 
reject dictates regarding the passages that could 
endanger the nation. 
 
Yediot reported that both Israel and the Palestinians 
welcomed the agreement. The newspaper quoted Defense 
Minister Shaul Mofaz as saying: "This might be the 
basis for continued cooperation."   Yediot quoted PA 
Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas as saying: "The 
independent Palestinian state is within reach.  If we 
have an Israeli partner, we will be able to complete 
the final status arrangement negotiations within six 
months."    Similarly, The Jerusalem Post quoted chief 
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat as saying at an 
event held Tuesday at the Netanya Academic College to 
mark the 10th anniversary of Yitzhak Rabin's 
assassination: "We do not need more than six months to 
see a historic treaty with Israel."  The Jerusalem Post 
further quoted Erekat as saying: "We made our historic 
compromise.  We recognized your right to live as a 
state with secure and recognized borders."  Erekat 
reportedly noted that he was speaking on Abbas's behalf 
and urged Israel to contribute to the peace process. 
This morning, Israel Radio reported that Abbas told FM 
Silvan Shalom in Tunis that contacts should not be 
interrupted after every incident.  The radio said that 
Shalom begged to disagree. 
 
Yediot reported that President Bush has named General 
Keith Dayton as U.S. security coordinator in the 
region, replacing Lt. General William Ward.  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that the European Union has 
decided to upgrade the assistance it provides the PA 
and that, starting January 1, it will deploy a police 
mission -- code-named EUPOL-COPPS -- to the Gaza Strip 
and Palestinian territories.  Ha'aretz reported that 
the PA intends to allow members of Hamas and Islamic 
Jihad to leave the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border 
crossing to "freshen up" in Egypt. 
 
Israel Radio reported that the IDF made use of 
artillery fire throughout the night, in response to 
launchings of mortars from the northern Gaza Strip. 
 
Israel Radio quoted senior Likud sources as saying that 
PM Sharon has decided to remain in the party and that 
the political atmosphere has changed since the election 
of Knesset Member Amir Peretz to the position of Labor 
Party chairman.  Maariv reported that most senior Labor 
Party members with whom Peretz has spoken recently do 
not want to see Shimon Peres in a secure second place 
in the party's list for the Knesset elections.  Israel 
Radio reported that Labor Party sources have asked the 
Yahad-Meretz party to abandon the idea of the 
unification of the two parties, which was put forward 
by Yahad-Meretz Knesset Member Yossi Sarid in an 
article published in Ha'aretz on Friday.  The sources 
reportedly voiced the concern that voters could flee 
the Labor Party in the wake of such a union.  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that the Labor Party, Shinui, 
National Religious Party, and National Union Knesset 
factions agreed with Peretz on Tuesday that the ideal 
date for the general elections would be March 7. 
Israel Radio quoted Labor Party Secretary-General, 
Knesset Member Eitan Cabel, as saying that his party 
favors March 2006 as the date of the next Knesset 
elections, but that he did not rule out late February. 
Ha'aretz reported that Peretz has reportedly won a 
pledge from Shinui party Chairman Yosef (Tommy) Lapid 
that his party will not join Sharon's foundering 
coalition when Labor quits.   Israel Radio reported 
that this morning, at a meeting of the Likud Knesset 
faction, Likud Knesset members from the Sharon loyalist 
camp as well as the Likud rebels took turns talking 
about need for unity in the party in order to defeat 
newly elected Labor chairman Amir Peretz.  The radio 
quoted Sharon as saying afterwards that he was 
unimpressed with those calls.  Ha'aretz quoted Sharon 
associates as saying that over the last few days the PM 
has widened his clear lead over Knesset Member Binyamin 
Netanyahu, his main rival in the Likud chairmanship 
race. 
 
All media reported that on Tuesday, FM Silvan Shalom 
and Communications Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor) arrived 
in Tunisia, where they will attend the World Summit on 
the Information Society.  Ha'aretz notes that this is 
the first visit to Tunisia by Israeli ministers. 
Israel Radio quoted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as 
saying, following a meeting with Shalom, that the time 
has not yet come to bring the issue of Iran's nuclear 
program to the UN Security Council.  Maariv quoted 
Israeli representatives at the conference as saying 
that Iranian representatives are eager to visit the 
Israeli booth and are demonstrating "openness, 
curiosity, pride, and a tremendous thirst for Israeli 
information." 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Saudi Arabia's 
decision to lift its boycott against Israel was adopted 
after a strong ultimatum from the U.S., which stated 
that any bilateral trade agreement would depend on a 
Saudi renunciation of the Arab embargo against Israel. 
Ha'aretz notes that Saudi Arabia's readiness to lift 
the embargo is a more far-reaching step than those 
taken by other Arab countries that have joined the WTO 
such as Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. 
 
Israel Radio reported that on Tuesday, the Consuls- 
General of Israel and Pakistan in New York met at a 
cultural event in support of the victims of the recent 
South Asian earthquake.  The radio reported that the 
Israeli artist Eidan Reichel performed at the event. 
All media reported on, and The Jerusalem Post bannered, 
Knesset Member Omri Sharon's conviction in Tel Aviv's 
Magistrate's Court Tuesday on charges that he concealed 
illegal donations to his father's (PM Sharon's) 
election campaigns.  The media note that the verdict 
was less lenient than Omri Sharon had expected and that 
he could face a jail sentence.  Leading media reported 
that Omri Sharon is apparently planning to use new 
campaign finance regulations to minimize his sentence. 
In another development, Yediot reported that the legal 
case against Sharon in the Cyril Kern affair -- 
involving alleged illegal loans to Sharon during the 
1999 Likud primaries -- will be closed within two 
months, due to lack of cooperation by the Austrian and 
South African authorities. 
 
Leading media reported that on Tuesday, a military 
tribunal acquitted an IDF captain of all charges 
relating to the killing of a Palestinian girl in the 
Gaza Strip in October 2004. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that the government is advancing a 
bill to prevent Palestinians suspected of security- 
related offenses from meeting with a lawyer for a 
period of up to 50 days.  The bill is in an advanced 
stage of legislation. 
 
Yediot reported that at a meeting with EU foreign 
policy chief Javier Solana on Tuesday, Sharon asked the 
EU to maintain its pressure on Syria. 
 
Israel Radio reported that President Moshe Katsav 
received an enthusiastic welcome during his official 
visit to Italy.  The radio reported that on Tuesday, at 
a state dinner at the Quirinale, the residence of 
Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Katsav called 
on the world to set up an anti-terror HQ.  Katsav is 
scheduled to meet with Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi 
today, and with Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday. 
 
Yediot cited intelligence emanating from Arab sources, 
according to which Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaida's 
chief of operations in Iraq, plans to abduct and murder 
Israeli citizens in Jordan.  Yediot quoted a senior 
Arab intelligence official as saying that Israeli 
businessmen and tourists should exercise extreme 
caution during their visits to Jordan, and shorten 
their stays in that country. 
The Jerusalem Post cited an announcement made Tuesday 
by Qatar Airways that it has signed a special prorate 
agreement with the Israeli airline Arkia, marking the 
first time such partnership has been forged between an 
Israeli and a Gulf state airline. 
 
Ha'aretz and The Jerusalem Post reported that Baruch 
Marzel, a leader of the outlawed far-right Kach 
movement, announced on Tuesday that he plans to start a 
new party and run for the Knesset.  The party would be 
called Jewish National Front. 
 
Last night, Channel 2-TV reported on the visit of 
senior NATO officials to Israel, and on other senior- 
level contacts in Europe between the two parties.  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that the defense ministers of 
Israel and Greece agreed on Tuesday in Jerusalem to 
move forward with a defense pact and increase bilateral 
defense relations. 
 
Yediot reported that Education Minister Limor Livnat 
has instructed all Israeli schools to devote one hour 
next Monday to discuss the affair of Jonathan Pollard, 
who is detained in a federal U.S. jail after being 
convicted of spying for Israel.  The purpose of the 
move is to bring Pollard's suffering to the 
consciousness of the Israeli youth.  Yediot quoted 
Livnat as saying: "Israel's commitment to Pollard is 
part of the combat heritage and the Jewish heritage: a 
soldier cannot be abandoned on the field." 
 
All media reported that on Tuesday, the police 
interrogated Israel Aircraft Industries CEO Moshe Keret 
on suspicion of accepting bribes and illegal benefits. 
Leading media cited alleged deals with Eastern European 
countries. 
 
Maariv reported that Coca-Cola will open a new 650 
square-meter visitor center in Israel, at a cost of USD 
2.5 million.  The company's previous visitor center 
closed down one year ago. 
 
Erratum: The American equity investment fund that has 
become a majority shareholder in Bank Leumi, Israel's 
second bank, is Cerberus-Gabriel, and not as reported 
on Tuesday. 
--------------------------------------- 
¶1.  "Agreement on Movement and Access": 
--------------------------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon wrote in the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "The growing 
political instability here made it clear to the U.S. 
that the window of opportunity to close a deal such as 
this was narrowing quickly." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Sharon went much 
further here than Ehud Barak's proposals in Camp David 
and even further than Yossi Beilin's Geneva Accord, 
which dealt with an Israeli presence of several years 
on the borders of the Palestinian state." 
 
Military correspondent Arieh O'Sullivan wrote in The 
Jerusalem Post: "The danger of the Rafah precedent will 
be apparent when the Palestinians open their sea- and 
airport where [Katyusha rockets and artillery] could be 
more readily imported." 
 
 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Why Rice Pushed So Hard On Rafah" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon wrote in the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (November 16): 
"It is not every day that the U.S. Secretary of State 
changes her schedule, rolls up her sleeves and gets 
into the nitty-gritty on two hours of sleep - of very 
technical negotiations between Israel and the 
Palestinians.... While during another period the US may 
have tolerated this foot dragging for a bit longer, the 
country's newfound political instability, brought about 
by Amir Peretz's stunning defeat of Shimon Peres in the 
Labor party primary last week, has jolted the 
Administration into action.... The growing political 
instability here made it clear to the U.S. that the 
window of opportunity to close a deal such as this was 
narrowing quickly.  And this deal, with its call for 
enhanced cargo capacity at Karni and a target [date] to 
begin passenger and truck convoys from Gaza to the West 
Bank, was considered by the U.S. and Quartet envoy 
James Wolfensohn as critical to attracting the 
investment and donor dollars into Gaza necessary for 
the region's economic development.  The Rafah deal was 
the first agreement between the PA and Israel since 
disengagement, and it is likely, with elections looming 
so large, to be the last until the country goes to the 
polls.  Rice had to strike while the irons were still 
hot because once Labor and Likud agree on an election 
date, the diplomatic irons will cool down significantly 
for a number of months." 
 
II.  "Rafah Deal Is Sharon's Last Act on the PA Stage" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (November 16): "The 
Rafah agreement reached Tuesday to operate the Gaza 
Strip's border crossings is probably the last political 
act by the Sharon government on the Palestinian stage. 
It may be seen as the final chapter of the 
disengagement in which Israel is pulling out the cork 
that has blocked the Strip from the rest of the world 
until now.... Sharon went much further here than Ehud 
Barak's proposals in Camp David and even further than 
Yossi Beilin's Geneva Accord, which dealt with an 
Israeli presence of several years on the borders of the 
Palestinian state.  However, with the IDF pullout from 
Rafah it transpired that Israel can no longer control 
Gaza's gates.  The Palestinians also conducted a 
successful public opinion campaign, claiming the 
Israeli occupation was continuing around it, and that 
the Strip was 'the world's largest prison.'" 
 
III.  "Rafah Deal Will Only Have Marginal Impact on 
Security" 
 
Military correspondent Arieh O'Sullivan wrote in The 
Jerusalem Post (November 16): "[Officials in Israel's 
defense establishment] maintain that Israel has long 
known that it would have to give up control of the 
international border as part of the disengagement.  The 
attempts to keep a semblance of overall rule were part 
of the Middle East negotiation bazaar.  The 
'concessions' paid were to portray to the Americans a 
sense of how difficult it was for Israel.  Palestinians 
made no concessions apart from the fact that they now 
have a camera over their shoulder, and European 
supervision.  But whether or not the monitors have 
teeth able to bite into the flow of terrorism remains 
to be seen.  Military and security officials point out 
that the impact on Israeli security of this deal was 
marginal since the Gaza Strip itself was still sealed 
off from Israel and the West Bank.... The danger of the 
Rafah precedent will be apparent when the Palestinians 
open their sea- and airport where [Katyusha rockets and 
artillery] could be more readily imported.  It will be 
difficult for Israel to insist on a veto here after 
giving it up on the land crossing to Egypt." 
 
------------ 
¶2.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker opined in the lead 
editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot: "If not for the disengagement from Gaza and 
the renewal of cooperation between the Israeli 
government and the Palestinians, the Saudi boycott of 
Israel would not have been lifted, and Minister 
Shalom's state visit to Tunisia would not have come to 
pass." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Boycott Lifted" 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker opined in the lead 
editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot (November 16): "Two pieces of good news about 
the renewing relations with the Arab world: Saudi 
Arabia has completely lifted the economic boycott 
against Israel, and Tunisia opened its gates to an 
official delegation from Israel headed by Foreign 
Minister Silvan Shalom.... The Saudi regime was faced 
with a choice: to stop the boycott against Israel or 
international economic isolation -- and it chose to 
lift the boycott.  This is how globalization lays the 
groundwork for the warming of relations between the 
Arab states and Israel.... However, this is not just 
about the fruits of globalization.  If not for the 
disengagement from Gaza and the renewal of cooperation 
between the Israeli government and the Palestinians, 
the Saudi boycott of Israel would not have been lifted, 
and Minister Shalom's state visit to Tunisia would not 
have come to pass." 
 
-------------------------- 
¶3.  Iran: Nuclear Program: 
-------------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "It's 
important for Israel to make it clear that time is 
running out and that diplomacy must have a clear and 
final target date." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Don't Let Up on Iran" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized 
(November 16): "The effort to stop the 'Iranian bomb' 
took on secondary importance in the wake of the call by 
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to 'wipe Israel 
off the map.'  The radical comment clarified the 
severity of the threat facing Israel and generated 
worldwide condemnation.  But Israel cannot allow 
expressions of sympathy to suffice when it faces an 
enemy threatening to destroy it and aiming to arm 
itself with the means necessary to do so.... Now the 
time has come for another decision.  The International 
Atomic Energy Agency board of governors is to meet 
again next Thursday to discuss turning the Iran matter 
over to the UN Security Council, which can impose 
sanctions.  Russia is persistent in its opposition to 
this and insists that diplomacy be given another 
chance.... It's important for Israel to make it clear 
that time is running out and that diplomacy must have a 
clear and final target date.... Iran today feels strong 
in light of the increase in oil prices and the 
political difficulties the American and French leaders 
have encountered.  There's no doubt that in such 
circumstances it will be more difficult to pressure 
Tehran, but we must not stop trying.  The Iranian bomb 
must be stopped before it becomes operational and 
fundamentally changes the balance of power in the 
Middle East." 
 
JONES