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

291131Z Nov 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 006683 
 
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.  Iran, nuclear program 
 
               ------------------------- 
               Key stories in the media: 
               ------------------------- 
 
All media report that former Labor Party Chairman 
Shimon Peres has finalized his decision to leave the 
Labor Party, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's associates 
said late Monday night.  In addition, Labor MK Dalia 
Itzik announced at 11 p.m. on Monday that she was 
leaving Labor for Sharon's Kadima party.  At the same 
time, top radio and TV personality Shely Yehimovich 
announced she is joining Labor. 
 
Major media reported that Justice Minister and P.M. 
Sharon's ally Tzipi Livni outlined the proposed 
platform of the new Kadima Party Monday afternoon, 
emphasizing the nature of Israel as a democratic Jewish 
state, the need to continue along the roadmap,and 
stating that "we have to give up part of the Land of 
Israel to establish a Jewish and democratic state." The 
platform also addresses the social economic affairs and 
changing the system of government.  Yediot Aharonot 
also reports that P.M Sharon will soon reveal the final 
platform. 
 
Ha'aretz, The Jerusalem Post and Yediot Aharonot 
reported on the issuance of a Code of Conduct on 
Countering Terrorism, on Monday, in the Euro-Med 
conference, in Barcelona, Spain, by Israel, the EU, and 
Muslim Mediterranean countries, among them Syria and 
Lebanon. The Code condemns terror "in all its 
manifestations," and states "terrorism can never be 
justified."  Ha'aretz also report that due to dissent 
between Israel and the Arab countries on reference to 
the Roadmap, especially with regard to the linkage to 
the Saudi Middle East peace plan of 2002 and its 
interpretation of the refugees right of return, the 
publication of a final joint declaration was prevented. 
The Jerusalem Post reported that EU's Ambassador to 
Israel Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal told reporters during a 
meeting with the press on Monday that Hamas "will 
remain in the EU list of terrorist organizations" until 
it "recognizes the state of Israel" and "commits to 
solving the conflict through peaceful means."  He noted 
that Israeli construction in the West Bank and around 
Jerusalem "is illegal," adding that he hoped that the 
Road Map would be relaunched following both the 
Palestinian and the Israeli elections, explaining that 
he believes the two sides were in phase one of the 
process. 
Ha'aretz and the Jerusalem Post reported that the PA's 
ruling Fatah party on Monday called off primary 
elections in the Gaza Strip following a series of 
attacks on polling stations and armed clashes between 
rival gangs.  Fatah leaders who held an emergency 
meeting in Gaza City on Monday evening decided to call 
off the elections because of what they described as 
"serious transgressions."  Referring to scenes of 
anarchy and violence that accompanied the voting 
process, the Fatah leaders said it had become 
impossible to hold the elections under the current 
circumstances.  The decision is seen as a severe blow 
to Fatah and is likely to have a negative impact on its 
chances of making a strong showing in the parliamentary 
elections, slated for January 25.  Moreover, the 
decision is likely to play into the hands of Hamas, 
which is planning to contest the vote for the first 
time since the establishment of the Palestinian 
Authority. 
Major media reported that in the 3rd quarter of 2005, 
the unemployment rate fell to 8.9%, which is the first 
time unemployment in Israel's workforce dropped below 
9% since mid-2001.  Israeli media also reported that 
Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer raised the 
shekel interest rate in December by 0.5%, placing it at 
4.5%, citing a need to keep inflation within the 
government's stability target for 2005. 
In a related development, Maariv reported that the US 
Administration decided not to slice its annual security 
and economic aid to Israel despite the ongoing 
settlement construction.  The full sum of $2.52 billion 
will be transferred to Israel by the end of December. 
The Americans are still undecided on Israel's request 
for $2 billion of special aid in the wake of the 
disengagement. 
------------- 
¶1. Mideast 
------------- 
                       Summary: 
                     ------------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized:  "The 
reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza 
Strip and Egypt is an achievement for the Palestinians, 
but no less so for Israel..  The agreement and the 
understanding over the Rafah crossing have a natural 
continuation, which is also dictated by circumstances - 
a link between Gaza and the West Bank, which should be 
opened in the coming weeks, and, in the future, the 
opening of an international airport in Gaza and the 
completion of the seaport there." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
"A step in the right direction" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized:  "The 
reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza 
Strip and Egypt is an achievement for the Palestinians, 
but no less so for Israel..  On the Israeli side, the 
defense establishment initially voiced several 
objections and concerns, but eventually even Defense 
Minister Shaul Mofaz welcomed the agreement that paved 
the way to the reopening of the border as a confidence- 
building measure between Israel and the PA and as an 
important Egyptian contribution to security 
arrangements.  The reopening of the crossing sets 
several important precedents. For the first time in 
decades, since 1967, to be precise, there is an 
international border between the territories and a 
neighboring country that is not under direct Israeli 
supervision. In other words, Israel waived exclusive 
control of the border area that it enjoyed for years. 
The Palestinians claim that they also made concessions, 
since the Rafah crossing is only open to those whose 
names appear in the population register of the 
territories, which is supervised by Israel. In 
addition, Israel has installed electronic surveillance 
equipment at the crossing, allowing it to see at any 
given time who is using the crossing.  Another 
important precedent is the involvement of a third party 
- border police from the European Union - whose job it 
is to ensure that the agreement is fully implemented.. 
The agreement and the understanding over the Rafah 
crossing have a natural continuation, which is also 
dictated by circumstances - a link between Gaza and the 
West Bank, which should be opened in the coming weeks, 
and, in the future, the opening of an international 
airport in Gaza and the completion of the seaport 
there. The entire agreement is valid for one year and, 
if properly implemented, the PA will assume further 
responsibilities for operating border crossings, as one 
step on the road to assuming all the roles of a 
sovereign nation, and in accordance with its agreements 
with Israel." 
 
--------------------------- 
¶2.  Iranian nuclear efforts 
------------------------------ 
 
                        Summary 
                      ----------- 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post 
Editorialized: "The question is whether Israel can 
continue to sit silently on the sidelines, pretending 
that the international community is successfully 
blocking the Iranian bomb..  The US, it seems, has 
decided it will not break ranks with Europe, and even 
Russia, at all costs, even if the policy is moving in 
the wrong direction..  Israel has the right and 
obligation to openly spell out the global implications 
of a nuclear Iran." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                    --------------- 
"Speak up on Iran" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post 
editorialized:  "With its rejection Sunday of a Russian 
proposal, the increasing belligerency of the Iranian 
regime may have once again staved off the West's best 
efforts to avoid confronting the world's principal 
international threat.  The question is whether Israel 
can continue to sit silently on the sidelines, 
pretending that the international community is 
successfully blocking the Iranian bomb..  The US, it 
seems, has decided it will not break ranks with Europe, 
and even Russia, at all costs, even if the policy is 
moving in the wrong direction.  What, for example, will 
the US do if Iran comes to its senses and says yes? 
The world will proclaim the Iranian problem as solved, 
and Iran will have bought more time and legitimacy for 
its obvious quest for the bomb..  Europe, let alone 
Russia, cannot be relied upon to stop Iran from 
becoming a nuclear power.  Every day that goes by in 
which the US continues to follow Europe's, and now even 
Russia's, lead, the presumption grows that even the 
Bush administration has given up on stopping an Iranian 
bomb, and is just going through the motions.  Our 
reluctance to, even implicitly, criticize the US, and 
risk turning the matter into an "Israeli" issue, is 
understandable and was probably even warranted up to 
this point.  But the failure of the IAEA to refer the 
matter to the Security Council, combined with the 
international acceptance of Russia's blatant watering 
down of even the E-3's demands, shows that 
psychological acceptance of an Iranian bomb is growing. 
In this context, the time has come for Israel to sound 
the alarm..  Israel has the right and obligation to 
openly spell out the global implications of a nuclear 
Iran, and to frontally combat the creeping sense of 
helplessness in preventing this nightmare from coming 
about." 
CRETZ