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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 006708 
 
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 
 
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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
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¶1.  Mideast 
 
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Key stories in the media: 
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All Israeli media led with pre-election stories on the 
movement of key figures between political parties and 
on public opinion polls. 
The Jerusalem Post reports that Professor Uriel 
Reichman, Shinui founder, decided to join PM Sharon's 
Kadima party, that Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom's 
campaign for Likud leader was off to a slow start 
yesterday, and that former prime minister and Labor 
chairman Shimon Peres is expected to formally announce 
his decision today to leave the Labor Party after 61 
years in the party and its forerunners and not to run 
for re-election to the Knesset after a record 46 years 
in the parliament. The Post also reported that Peres 
would announce that he has accepted an offer from 
Sharon to serve as a minister in charge of peace talks 
with the Palestinians and developing the Negev and the 
Galilee. Peres will not join Kadima, but he will 
endorse Sharon. 
In a related report, the Post adds that after 
attracting 19 MKs to his new Kadima party, Prime 
Minister Ariel Sharon shifted his attention on Tuesday 
to seeking support from mayors from across the country. 
Seventy-two mayors affiliated with Likud, Labor, the 
National Union, Arab, Druze and Bedouin parties 
attended a festive dinner at Sharon's official 
residence in Jerusalem.  Sharon asked the mayors for 
support in building Kadima into a permanent fixture on 
the Israeli political scene.  "The fact that you came 
is proof that that the steps we have taken have 
unprecedented public support from the entire country," 
Sharon told the mayors.  Agriculture Minister Yisrael 
Katz (Likud) said that Sharon was unfairly taking 
advantage of the Prime Minister's Office to advance his 
political party, the Post added.  Ha'aretz reports that 
several mayors and Likud members in attendance said 
they would work to prevent the election of Binyamin 
Netanyahu as Likud chairman so that Sharon could form a 
coalition with his former party should Shalom or Shaul 
Mofaz be elected Likud leaders.  In a related report, 
several Kadima members were cited as saying yesterday 
that the new Kadima party is "beginning to look too 
leftist." 
Ma'ariv reports that a poll conducted yesterday among 
Likud members shows Netanyahu leading with 39%, 
followed by Mofaz (19%) and Shalom (12%).  Ma'ariv and 
Yedi'ot Aharonot carry the same results of telephone 
polls (of a representative sample of Israelis) 
conducted yesterday, showing Likud, Shinui, and Labor 
falling further, while Kadima is seen gaining.  The 
poll question was: "Were elections held today, for 
which of the following parties would you vote?"  The 
results are given in Knesset seats, and last week's 
results are given in brackets: Kadima: 34 (33), Labor: 
27 (26), SHAS: 11 (10), Likud: 10 (13), ultra-Orthodox 
parties: 6 (5), Shinui: 5 (6), Yisrael Beiteinu: 5 (5), 
Yahad-Meretz: 5 (5), National Union Party: 5 (5), NRP: 
4 (3), Arab parties: 8 (9). 
Ha'aretz reports that the religious parties stopped 
deliberations on a potential merger as public opinion 
polls they commissioned revealed that a united list 
would score less votes than if the parties run 
separately. 
The Post reports that the defense establishment 
presented Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Tuesday with a 
plan to halt smuggling from the Sinai by building a 
robust security fence along the Egyptian border. 
Sharon said he would bring the plan, expected to cost 
some NIS 1.5 billion, to the cabinet "in the coming 
weeks."  Yedi'ot Aharonot reports that, touring the 
border area yesterday, PM Sharon was told by security 
officials that more than 4,000 people illegally entered 
Israel across the "porous border" last year.  Sharon 
instructed that this must be stopped, saying that there 
is no difference between criminal and terror-related 
smuggling. 
The Jerusalem Post reports that settler leaders on 
Tuesday launched an open-ended sit down strike opposite 
the government compound in Jerusalem to protest the 
government "neglect" and "obtuseness" in dealing with 
the thousands of Israeli evacuees.  The demonstration 
got off to a slow start with "a mere dozen participants 
in the huge white tent" erected opposite the foreign 
ministry. 
The army radio reported that the Supreme Court has 
decided to allow the extradition of Ze'ev Rosenstein, 
the Israel Police's number one intelligence target, to 
the United States.  He is suspected of involvement in 
worldwide drug deals worth tens of millions of dollars. 
A three-judge panel ruled unanimously that Rosenstein's 
extradition was the correct course of action and 
stemmed from the recognition of the US's natural right 
to defend itself against people who rise up against it. 
Rosenstein's request to be tried in Israel was 
rejected. 
Ma'ariv reports that last week, three tenders for the 
construction of new separation fence segments - 
totaling 71km -- were issued.  The tenders are expected 
to total more than 700 million shekels, and work will 
be done in 17 different sectors, with tender results 
expected by the end of December.  Work is to begin in 
January and end around December 2006. 
Citing an AP report, The Jerusalem Post reported that 
the United States acknowledged Tuesday that reports of 
secret US-run terror prisons have raised an outcry 
 
SIPDIS 
among European allies, and said the US will account for 
its actions. Without confirming that any CIA detention 
sites exist in Europe, a State Department spokesman 
said the US has not violated either its own laws or 
international treaties. "The United States in its 
actions does not break US law," spokesman Sean 
McCormack said. "All its actions comply with the (US) 
Constitution and we abide by our international 
obligations. 
The Jerusalem Post reported that, speaking at a 
November 24 rally in Damascus, white supremacist and 
former US State Representative from Louisiana David 
Duke called the US a land "occupied" by Zionists. "The 
Zionists occupy most of the American media and now 
control much of American government. It is not just the 
West Bank of Palestine, it is not just the Golan 
Heights that are occupied by the Zionists, but 
Washington DC, and New York, and London, and many other 
capitals in the world," the former KKK member said. 
The Jerusalem Post reported that as the United Nations 
began its annual debate on the Palestinian issue 
Tuesday, Israeli officials expected less criticism 
against Israel than in former years. Israeli diplomats 
at the UN have managed to take off the agenda one of 
the anti-Israeli resolutions and are negotiating a 
weaker language for other resolutions condemning 
Israel. 
------------- 
¶1. Mideast 
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                       Summary: 
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Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized:  "In 
the illegal outposts that the Israeli Government is not 
dismantling live outlaws who not only seize others' 
lands, but also cause damage to Palestinian persons and 
property..  Needless to say that no government 
authority is doing anything to change this reality." 
Senior military affairs analyst Reuven Pedatzur writes 
in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "If we were to 
accept the conclusions of the analysis presented by the 
Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Israel's strategic 
situation has never been better..  If things are so 
good, why does Israel keep investing so many resources 
in security?  This is from where much money can be 
taken to solve much of Israel's poverty problems, that 
make the defense minister lose sleep." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Who Will Deal With Choppers Of Trees?" 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized:  "In 
the illegal outposts that the Israeli Government is not 
dismantling live outlaws who not only seize others' 
lands, but also cause damage to Palestinian persons and 
property, assuming that the law cannot touch them.  The 
olive picking season has in recent years turned into 
fun season for some of the outpost dwellers and the 
damage they cause - undisturbed - to Palestinian olive 
plantations is inconceivable..  The Samaria and Judea 
District police say 672 cases were opened against 
Israelis who attacked Palestinians, but this is no 
indication of results.  Most of the cases are closed 
with time, investigations are not conducted seriously, 
the police are not investing resources in the district, 
the police stations are inside settlements and the 
Palestinians are afraid to come there and report, and 
the police officers are themselves settlers.  Needless 
to say that no government authority is doing anything 
to change this reality." 
II.  "Our Situation is Better Than Ever" 
Senior military affairs analyst Reuven Pedatzur writes 
in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "If we were to 
accept the conclusions of the analysis presented by the 
Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies last week, Israel's 
strategic situation has never been better..  As its 
power of deterrence grew, Israel faces no real danger. 
The threat of terror indeed remained, but it poses no 
existential threat.  The future potentially holds an 
Iranian nuclear threat, but it seems that it will be 
years before it becomes real.  Syria is weaker and 
isolated., relations with Egypt improved., the peace 
accord with Jordan is stable., the occupation of Iraq 
completely eliminated the age-long threat of the 
eastern front., the disengagement started a positive 
era in Israel's relations with Europe., the strategic 
relations with the United States are better than ever, 
and the Bush administration. is actually giving Israel 
a free reign in its war against terror.  Even the 
developments in the PA territories helped improve 
Israel's security situation..  If things are so good, 
why does Israel keep investing so many resources in 
security, much more than all of its neighbors?  The 
Jaffee Center report does not ask that..  The situation 
should have led to a decision on substantial cuts in 
the security budget and the formulation of a new 
security concept that would cost much less than the 
current one.  Regrettably, this is not happening, and 
the defense minister is advised to read the report to 
remind himself of things he probably knows well.  This 
is from where a lot of money can be taken to solve much 
of Israel's poverty problems, which make the defense 
minister lose sleep." 
CRETZ