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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TEL AVIV 000149 
 
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.  U.S.-Israel Relations 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All media continued to highlight PM Sharon's physical 
condition.  The Jerusalem Post and Yediot quoted Dr. 
Yoram Weiss, one of his anesthesiologists, as saying in 
a briefing outside Jerusalem's Hadassah University 
Hospital, Ein Karem, last night that Sharon has 
"stepped meters away from the precipice" and that he is 
"no longer in immediate danger."  This morning, Israel 
Radio reported that Sharon's doctors will stop 
administering sedatives to Sharon.  Their effect will 
disappear in 36 hours.  Expanding on its lead story on 
Tuesday, Ha'aretz reported that doctors at Hadassah 
University Hospital, Ein Karem, discovered that Sharon 
suffered from a vascular disease when he was 
hospitalized with his first stroke on December 18, but 
administered him blood-thinning medication anyway. 
This morning, Israel Radio cited a rebuttal by the 
hospital of criticism leveled at Sharon's treatment. 
 
All media reported that Acting PM Ehud Olmert told 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday that 
 
SIPDIS 
Israel will allow Palestinians living in East Jerusalem 
to vote in the January 25 Palestinian Legislative 
Council (PLC) elections, but that it will restrict the 
participation of terrorist groups.  The cabinet will 
vote on the decision on Sunday.  The media reported 
that the Likud expressed its strong opposition to the 
move. 
 
In its lead story, Maariv quoted Sharon associates as 
saying that Likud Chairman Knesset Member Binyamin 
Netanyahu is taking advantage of the situation by 
presenting himself in interviews with the media, 
particularly in Tuesday's edition of The New York 
Times, as Sharon's most direct inheritor.  Speaking on 
Israel Radio this morning, prominent Kadima Knesset 
Member Roni Bar-On said that Netanyahu is "squinting 
towards the U.S. administration."  Ha'aretz and 
Maariv's polls indicate further strengthening of the 
Kadima Party (see below). 
 
All media reported that Vice Premier Shimon Peres is 
slated to be No. 2 on Kadima's Knesset list, whereas 
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni is the party's candidate 
for the foreign affairs portfolio. 
 
Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin was quoted as saying before 
the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on 
Tuesday that there are 40-km range missiles in the PA. 
 
All media reported that on Tuesday, Iran resumed its 
uranium enrichment research.  The media cited U.S. and 
European threats to bring the issue to the UN Security 
Council (UNSC).  Visiting U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos 
(D-CA) was quoted as saying in an interview with The 
Jerusalem Post that the U.S. and the EU should impose a 
range of sanctions against Iran for continuing to press 
ahead with its nuclear program if the UNSC does not do 
so. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Tourism Minister 
Abraham Hirchson, a close ally of Sharon and one of the 
first members of Kadima, has aborted a potential USD 50- 
million partnership with American televangelist Pat 
Robertson to protest his suggestion that Sharon's 
stroke was God's punishment for the Gaza pullout.  The 
newspaper wrote that the Tourism Ministry was about to 
sign a deal with Robertson and a group of other 
evangelical leaders, committing the GOI to providing 
land and infrastructure for a Christian Heritage Center 
in the Galilee, while Robertson's group would raise USD 
50 million in funding. 
 
All media reported that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz 
ordered that work be resumed on three sections of the 
separation fence in Jerusalem that have been frozen by 
order of the High Court of Justice.  However, media 
quoted officials in Mofaz's office as saying that the 
minister merely ordered the construction of a 
"temporary fence" that will later be moved to wherever 
the court decides, and that even this part will not be 
built without first obtaining the court's permission. 
 
Ha'aretz and Maariv quoted Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin 
as saying on Tuesday that his agency has given the army 
and police identifying details of "hilltop youth" from 
the settlements of Yitzhar and Itamar who are suspected 
of having cut down olive trees belonging to 
Palestinians.  Leading media cited the Yesha Council of 
Jewish Settlements in the Territories' claim that 
Palestinians sometimes label pruned trees as having 
been vandalized in order to smear the settlers, who are 
believed responsible for the vandalism.  Ha'aretz 
reported that experts in olive tree cultivation refuted 
the council's allegations. 
 
Yediot reported that Amir Peretz told the newspaper 
that as part of an agreement with the PA, he would be 
willing to give back the Arab villages on the outskirts 
of Jerusalem's jurisdiction to the control of the PA. 
 
The media reported that primaries in Likud and three 
small parties are slated to take place on Thursday. 
 
Leading media reported that on Tuesday, the Beersheba 
District Court indicted Shadi Halawa, a Gaza Strip 
Hamas activist, for infiltrating Israel in order to 
enter the West Bank and set up a Hamas cell there. 
Major media reported that on Tuesday, the Tel Aviv 
District Court sentenced Abbas al-Sayed to 35 
consecutive life sentences, the longest prison term in 
Israeli history, for involvement in two deadly attacks 
-- the Passover eve suicide attack in Netanya's Park 
Hotel in March 2002, which killed 30 Israelis, and a 
suicide attack in Netanya's Hasharon Mall in May 2001, 
which killed five Israelis.  Some 250 people were 
wounded in the two attacks. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted Meir Elran, the author of a 
study on the effect of the Intifada on the Israeli 
public, which was recently released by Tel Aviv 
University's Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, as 
saying: "If the Intifada was supposed to undermine the 
foundations of Israeli society and to bring it to a 
state of imbalance and destabilization, it has failed." 
 
Channel 10-TV and Ha'aretz published the results of a 
survey conducted on Monday by Prof. Camille Fuchs of 
the Amanet Group's Dialogue Institute, which show that 
Sharon's Kadima Party has recorded another rise in the 
polls to 44 Knesset seats, compared with 40 seats one 
day before Sharon's hospitalization.  Labor, on the 
other hand, dropped two seats (to 19), while Likud lost 
one (to 13).  Of the remaining parties, Shinui stands 
on the threshold for Knesset entry, with 4 seats.  The 
poll gives Shas 10 seats, with Meretz-Yahad holding 
steady at 5.   The poll also found that Olmert bested 
his rivals, Netanyahu and Labor Party Chairman Amir 
Peretz, in personal characteristics such as credibility 
and suitability to the position of prime minister. 
 
An Israel TV/Geocartographia survey found that Kadima 
would get 45 Knesset seats, the Labor Party 18, Likud 
15, Shas 11, National Union 8, the Arab parties 7, 
United Torah Judaism 6, Yisrael Beiteinu 3, and Meretz- 
Yahad 3.  The poll found that Shinui and the National 
Religious Party would get 2 seats each, which is below 
the threshold for entering the Knesset. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Israel tried to 
place the U.S. administration in a dilemma between the 
two values it is promoting: democratization in the Arab 
world and the war on terrorism." 
 
Ha'aretz editorialized: "The Likud chairman must not 
blur his party's essence and place on the political 
map: a right-wing party whose positions are no 
guarantee of progress in the peace process." 
 
Senior columnist Haggai Huberman wrote in nationalist, 
Orthodox Hatzofe: "Israel's objection to the setting up 
of ballot boxes in Jerusalem stems from its opposition 
to the posting of Hamas observers, not to an objection 
to the holding of elections in Israel's capital." 
 
Tel Aviv University political science lecturers Evgeni 
Klauber and Alberto Spektorovski wrote in popular, 
pluralist Maariv: "Even without [right-wing politician 
Avigdor] Lieberman (should he decide to return to the 
territorial Right), Liebermanism is the prominent trend 
in Israeli politics." 
 
Editor-in-Chief Lutfi Mashour wrote in independent, 
moderate Arabic-language Assennara: "The collapse of 
Sharon's health has brought Israel and the Middle East, 
particularly as regards the Palestinians, into a new 
historical stage -- the post-Sharon stage." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Olmert Faces Reality" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (January 11): "Ehud 
Olmert finally decided to back down and agreed that 
Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem could vote in 
the Palestinian legislative elections at polling booths 
to be stationed at post offices in the city.  Thus 
ended Israel's failed attempt to protest Hamas's 
participation in the elections.... Israel tried to 
place the U.S. administration in a dilemma between the 
two values it is promoting: democratization in the Arab 
world and the war on terrorism.  The Americans made it 
clear that they consider the Palestinian elections, and 
broad participation in them, to be of top priority. 
They warned that Israel would be blamed for the 
postponement of the elections if it insisted on 
preventing voting in East Jerusalem, and would also be 
absolving Mahmoud Abbas of his pledge to dismantle the 
terrorist groups 'after the elections'.... Olmert 'cut 
to the chase,' in keeping with his approach that there 
is no point in dragging out decisions that have 
foregone results.  He telephoned Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice to inform her of his decision, instead 
of waiting for the administration's emissaries, Elliott 
Abrams and David Welch, who are arriving in the region 
today.  He was worried that a further delay in the 
decision would achieve nothing and merely present him 
as a doormat who gives in to pressure." 
 
II.  "Unwarranted Presumption" 
 
Ha'aretz editorialized (January 11): "In an interview 
with The New York Times (January 10), [Likud Chairman 
Binyamin Netanyahu] presented himself as 'Sharon's most 
direct inheritor.'  This claim involves more than a 
little vulgarity and effrontery. Vulgarity, even to 
speak of inheriting while the legator is in the 
hospital in serious condition, and effrontery, because 
Netanyahu is trying to blur the significant gaps that 
developed between himself and Sharon over a Palestinian 
state (as evidenced by the Likud Central Committee 
vote) and the disengagement, which led to his 
opportunistic, last-minute resignation from the 
government.  The interview's detailed description of 
Netanyahu's positions and intentions should he attain 
power -- from the principle of 'if they give, they will 
get' to his willingness to use disproportionate force 
to deter terror -- seem dishonorable in light of his 
statement that he does not want to make declarations 
about political strategy, but prefers to postpone the 
political debate at a time when the focus should be on 
Sharon's 'battle for life.'  At the end of March, the 
public will be called upon to decide whether Netanyahu 
is fit to return to power.  But the Likud chairman must 
not blur his party's essence and place on the political 
map: a right-wing party whose positions are no 
guarantee of progress in the peace process." 
 
III.  "The Olmert Government's Slippery Slope" 
 
Senior columnist Haggai Huberman wrote in nationalist, 
Orthodox Hatzofe (January 11): "The announcement by 
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz that 'the elections in the 
Palestinian Authority will take place as they did in 
1996' heralded the surrender of the Olmert government 
to the U.S. administration with regard to the Jerusalem 
issue.... It appears that the Kadima-led Olmert 
government is about to replicate the process that was 
then [in 1996] led by one of its senior members -- 
Shimon Peres.... Israel's objection to the setting up 
of ballot boxes in Jerusalem stems from its opposition 
to the posting of Hamas observers, not to an objection 
to the holding of elections in Israel's capital. 
According to the Palestinian election regulations, 
representatives of all parties must be present in each 
voting center.... The placement of Palestinian ballot 
boxes in Jerusalem and the propaganda for those 
elections place a huge question mark above Israel's 
sovereignty in Jerusalem.... Olmert is simply dividing 
Jerusalem." 
 
IV.  "The Right Will Divide Jerusalem" 
 
Tel Aviv University political science lecturers Evgeni 
Klauber and Alberto Spektorovski wrote in popular, 
pluralist Maariv (January 11): "Despite inevitable 
differences [within the new Right] between Israel and 
Europe, the declared trend is to strengthen the ethno- 
national state by delaying, as much as possible, the 
granting of rights to foreigners and to the national 
minority in its midst.... To this purpose, Lieberman is 
prepared to concede not only parts of the Land of 
Israel [i.e. Israel, including the territories] but 
also of Israel proper and Jerusalem.... Even without 
Lieberman (should he decide to return to the 
territorial Right), Liebermanism is the prominent trend 
in Israeli politics." 
 
¶V.  "After Sharon" 
 
Editor-in-Chief Lutfi Mashour wrote in independent, 
moderate Arabic-language Assennara (January 6): "The 
collapse of Sharon's health has brought Israel and the 
Middle East, particularly as regards the Palestinians, 
into a new historical stage -- the post-Sharon 
stage.... Even if Sharon survives, he will most likely 
not return to power, not during the coming weeks before 
the elections and not even afterwards.... Sharon's 
illness will first of all affect Kadima.... If Olmert 
proves himself to be powerful as a prime minister or as 
a head of a coalition, then the next period will be 
better and more promising.  However, if he turns out to 
be weak and if his coalition relies on the Right, then 
it will be a horrible period, provided Kadima doesn't 
get shattered altogether after Sharon, which is also a 
possibility.... Even if [Amir] Peretz and Olmert follow 
in Sharon's steps, they still wouldn't have Sharon's 
power and experience.  It seems like a coalition might 
be formed between Kadima, Labor and Shinui.  However, 
if Netanyahu forms the next government or is part of 
it, there will be a major regression.... The post- 
Sharon period will be very different and radiate to all 
fields of life -- within Israel and outside." 
 
-------------------------- 
¶2.  U.S.-Israel Relations: 
-------------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Eytan Haber, veteran op-ed writer and assistant to the 
late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, commented in an 
editorial in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot: "The Foreign Minister did well in reminding 
Israelis who's the boss, to whom we owe so much, and 
why we abide by its commands." 
 
Jonathan S. Tobin, executive editor of The Jewish 
Exponent in Philadelphia, wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post: "As compelling as the story 
from Israel might be this week, Jewish fears about the 
Christian Right and the liberal counter-attack against 
conservatives remains the key issue for American Jews." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "Our Life Source" 
 
Eytan Haber, veteran op-ed writer and assistant to the 
late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, commented in an 
editorial in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot (January 11): "Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom 
said this week that U.S. assistance to Israel amounts 
to over USD 3 billion this year.  There is nothing new 
in these data, but the Foreign Minister did well in 
reminding Israelis who's the boss, to whom we owe so 
much, and why we abide by its commands.  We indeed pray 
three times a day, as we turn eastwards [in the 
direction of Jerusalem], but with such an amount of aid 
remedy, we may have to start praying westwards.  It is 
there that we have our source of living water." 
 
II.  "Politically Holier Than Thou" 
 
Jonathan S. Tobin, executive editor of The Jewish 
Exponent in Philadelphia, wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post (January 11): "Israelis 
would be wrong if they assumed that the uncertainty 
over their political future is the top priority for 
their American cousins.... While Sharon lay ill at 
Hadassah Hospital, many American Jews were far more 
interested in an Italian-American from New Jersey 
rather than anyone in Israel.  The nomination of Judge 
Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court has 
resulted in a mobilization of a wide cross-section of 
Jewish groups who oppose him and the Bush 
administration.  That they do so speaks volumes about 
American Jewish politics and priorities.... So as 
compelling as the story from Israel might be this week, 
Jewish fears about the Christian Right and the liberal 
counter-attack against conservatives remains the key 
issue for American Jews.  And in a week when the Alito 
confirmation hearings start, even the Sharon illness 
and the ascent of Ehud Olmert cannot eclipse this 
struggle." 
 
JONES