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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TEL AVIV 000604 
 
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 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All media (lead story in The Jerusalem Post) reported 
that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and FM Tzipi 
Livni held a joint press conference Wednesday in 
Washington.  Minister Livni was quoted as saying that 
any Hamas-led PA would be a "terrorist entity" that 
should be dealt with harshly by the world.  Media 
quoted Secretary Rice as saying: "There simply has to 
be a recognition of the State of Israel's right to 
exist.  It simply has to be.  Israel is a member of the 
United Nations.  It cannot be that you have a 
government that does not accept even its right to 
exist."  The Jerusalem Post quoted Secretary Rice as 
saying in response to reporters' questions that she did 
not endorse Israel's plans for further unilateral steps 
in the West Bank.  Media quoted Livni as saying she was 
pleased with the U.S. reaction to the Palestinian 
Legislative Elections and that "the U.S., as a leader 
of the free world, stands wholeheartedly behind the 
demands [of] Hamas."  Israel Radio reported that Livni 
will meet with National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley 
today, and that President Bush will join them briefly. 
Israel Radio quoted Israel's Representative to the UN 
Danny Gillerman as saying that Livni's scheduled 
meeting today with the representatives of the five 
permanent members of the UN Security Council is an 
unprecedented opportunity to present Israel's position 
to people who will have to deal with the Iranian issue. 
 
All media reported that on Wednesday, a Qassam rocket 
landed close to a sensitive infrastructure installation 
near Ashkelon.  Major media cited an AP report that the 
rocket landed close to the Ashkelon power station.  In 
its lead story, Yediot reported that senior officials 
of the Israeli defense establishment demanded that 
Israel respond by striking Palestinian power stations. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Israeli security sources told 
the newspaper that some elements of the Fatah military 
wing have recently resumed terrorist activities, 
following Hamas's victory in the PLC elections.  The 
electronic media reported that before daybreak this 
morning, three armed Palestinians attacked IDF troops 
at the Erez checkpoint between Israel and Gaza.  The 
troops returned fire, killing two of the three 
attackers.  No soldiers were reported wounded in the 
incident.   Leading media reported that the Popular 
Resistance Committees and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades 
claimed joint responsibility for the attack.  Israel 
Radio and the Jerusalem Post's web site cited the 
suspicion of Israeli security officials that PA police 
knew of the attack beforehand and did nothing to 
prevent it.  Israel Radio reported on a subsequent 
attack south of the Erez crossing.  The station 
reported that this morning, shots were fired at police 
north of Jerusalem, slightly injuring a policewoman, 
and that a Palestinian was arrested and that another 
escaped. 
 
Maariv reported that due to Hamas's win in the 
Palestinian elections, Egypt has decided to remove all 
its observers and experts from the Gaza Strip.  The 
newspaper quoted King Abdullah II of Jordan as saying 
recently in private forums that the ascendancy of Hamas 
and the seizure of control in regional foci of power in 
the region by extremist Islamists are putting the 
entire Middle East at risk. 
 
Leading media quoted Khaled Mashal, the head of Hamas's 
political bureau, as saying in Cairo that Hamas has not 
abandoned the option of armed struggle.  Ha'aretz wrote 
that Mashal spoke a few hours after the Islamic Jihad 
leaders convened a press conference during which they 
attacked Hamas for its change following the elections 
and its moderate statements. 
 
Yediot cited an annual intelligence assessment report 
put out by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, according to 
which international pressure on Iran could cause it to 
encourage attacks against Israeli or Jewish targets 
around the world. 
 
All media reported that on Wednesday, 18 parties -- 
only four of which were represented in the outgoing 
Knesset -- submitted lists for the Knesset elections to 
the Central Election Committee.  The registration will 
close tonight at midnight.  Hatzofe and Israel Radio 
reported that National Union and the National Religious 
Party (NRP) have reached an accord to run on a joint 
list. 
All media reported that on Wednesday, the Knesset 
plenum voted 37-32 to appoint a parliamentary committee 
of inquiry into the violent evacuation of the Amona 
settler outpost, where more than 200 police officers 
and right-wing protesters were wounded. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz 
has issued new directives for investigating IDF 
killings of Palestinian civilians, following the High 
Court of Justice's examination of the issue.  The human 
rights group B'Tselem had petitioned the court to 
oblige the IDF to open an inquiry into the death of 
every Palestinian killed by the army. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Pierre Collignon, a senior 
editor of Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper that 
published cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, told 
Ha'aretz that Jyllands-Posten has canceled plans to 
reprint several cartoons dealing with Israel.  Leading 
Israeli media quoted a Jyllands-Posten editor as saying 
on CNN Wednesday that he would cooperate with the 
Iranian daily Hamshahri, which announced a competition 
of cartoons on the Holocaust.  However, Ha'aretz wrote 
that Jyllands-Posten hastened to issue a denial. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that the Ethical Investment 
Advisory Group, which counsels the Church of England on 
ethical investment strategies, let the newspaper know 
on Wednesday that the Church's resolution calling for 
the sale of the Church's USD 2.2 million in the 
American firm Caterpillar, whose products are used by 
Israel in the territories, was "an advisory one only." 
The Jerusalem Post and Ha'aretz reported that Jewish 
groups, including the World Jewish Congress, blasted 
the Church's decision.  Ha'aretz quoted Labor Party MK 
Rabbi Michael Melchior as saying that he was surprised 
by the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. 
Rowan Williams, for the decision, which would "only 
hurt the peace process and the chance for the church to 
serve as honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian 
conflict." 
 
Maariv reported that the British government is 
considering amending legislation that currently allows 
private citizens to take legal action against Israeli 
officers who allegedly carried out war crimes. 
Globes reported that the Tel Aviv-based advertising 
agency Asvac (phon.), which focuses on the Israeli-Arab 
sector and the territories, is suing USAID in the Tel 
Aviv District Court for 541,000 shekels (around USD 
115,000) over an alleged breach of contract. 
 
Ha'aretz reported on the new Internet-based visa 
services offered by the U.S. Embassy in Israel. 
 
According to a Yediot/Mina Zemach (Dahaf Institute) 
poll conducted on Wednesday, Kadima is increasing its 
edge over other parties (in brackets, results of 
previous poll.): Kadima would get 43 Knesset seats 
(42); the Labor Party 20 (21); Likud 15 (15); and Shas 
11 (10). 
 
Channel 10-TV and Ha'aretz published the results of a 
survey conducted Tuesday night by Prof. Camil Fuchs of 
the Amanet Group's Dialogue Institute, which Ha'aretz 
says show that the violent evacuation of Amona and 
Hamas's victory "have taken a small toll on Acting PM 
Ehud Olmert and his Kadima party": 
-"Were elections for the Knesset held today, for whom 
would you vote?"  (Results in Knesset seats -- in 
brackets, results of last week's poll.) 
-Kadima 40 (43); Labor Party 21 (21); Likud 15 (13); 
Shas 10 (9); Arab parties 9 (10); United Torah Judaism 
7 (6); National Union 6 (6); Yisrael Beiteinu 5 (5); 
Meretz 5 (4); NRP 2 (3). 
 
-------- 
Mideast: 
-------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Washington correspondent Orly Azolai and New York 
correspondent Eitan Amit wrote in mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice ... exposed the first difference of 
opinion between the U.S. administration and the Acting 
Prime Minister." 
 
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev 
Schiff wrote on page one of independent, left-leaning 
Ha'aretz: "In a deteriorating situation, there is 
clearly no choice [for Israel] but to respond more 
forcefully [to attacks from the Gaza Strip]." 
 
Columnist Avraham Tal wrote in Ha'aretz: "Hamas openly 
continues [the] line for the extermination of Israel 
that Arafat tried to hide.  The partial compensation is 
that Israel is not alone in dealing with aggressive 
fundamentalist Islam." 
 
Middle East affairs commentator Dr. Guy Bechor, a 
lecturer at the Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in 
Yediot Aharonot: "Paradoxically enough, Israel's 
situation is far better than that of the Europeans 
insofar as concerns political Islam." 
 
Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "Israel, the 
U.S. and Europe have to calm the hell down.... 
[Otherwise,] the doomsday predictions about the new 
Palestine could turn into self-fulfilling prophecies." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.  "First Difference of Opinion Between Olmert and 
Washington" 
 
Washington correspondent Orly Azolai and New York 
correspondent Eitan Amit wrote in mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot (February 9): "Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice responded last night for the 
first time to Ehud Olmert's political plan, and exposed 
the first difference of opinion between the U.S. 
administration and the Acting Prime Minister. 
Permanent borders will be established in negotiations 
between the parties over the final status, said Rice in 
response to Olmert's statements that Israel would have 
to part with the Palestinians and fashion its borders 
on its own.  We are opposed to unilateral steps, said 
Rice at the end of her meeting with Foreign Minister 
Tzipi Livni.  With that having been said, the Secretary 
of State reiterated President Bush's commitment to 
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that in the final status 
arrangement the new realities on the ground would have 
to be taken into account, namely, the settlement blocs 
that would remain in Israeli possession." 
 
II.  "Turn Up the Heat" 
 
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev 
Schiff wrote on page one of independent, left-leaning 
Ha'aretz (February 9): "A look at the steps Israel has 
taken so far against the Qassam rockets makes clear 
that it will soon have to decide to escalate its 
responses.  Israel will certainly put this off until 
the nature of the new government in the Palestinian 
Authority, and Hamas's place in it, is revealed.  A 
successful targeted killing in Gaza or Khan Yunis and a 
massive artillery barrage on empty areas in the 
northern Gaza Strip do not give a full response to the 
launching of Qassam rockets on targets considered 
strategic in the Ashkelon area, or on Negev communities 
like Sderot.  In a deteriorating situation, there is 
clearly no choice but to respond more forcefully, 
whether by firing on populated areas, by inserting 
military forces into the northern Gaza Strip, or by 
cutting off the electricity." 
 
III.  "We Are Not Alone In This Struggle" 
 
Columnist Avraham Tal wrote in Ha'aretz (February 9): " 
We are back to the 1960s, when the late [Israeli] 
Orientalist, Yehoshafat Harkaby, analyzed the trends 
for the extermination of Israel in the Palestinian 
liberation movement, trends that included unequivocal 
anti-Semitic tones.  Hamas openly continues that line 
for the extermination of Israel that Arafat tried to 
hide.  The partial compensation is that Israel is not 
alone in dealing with aggressive fundamentalist Islam. 
It's now being made tangible to European countries -- 
by the street rioting and the torching of embassies -- 
that their culture and the lives of their citizenry are 
in real danger." 
 
IV.  "The Conflict Is Migrating to Europe" 
Middle East affairs commentator Dr. Guy Bechor, a 
lecturer at the Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in 
Yediot Aharonot (February 9): "Until the explosion, pun 
intended, of the cartoon scandal in Europe, 
conventional wisdom posited that when it comes to Islam 
and the clash of cultures, the Middle East was 
responsible for producing and Europe merely responded. 
It was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that created 
the shockwaves that became sensible as far away as in 
France, for instance.  Now, however, a shift of 
historic proportions is occurring right in front of our 
very eyes.... The heart of the conflict is migrating to 
Paris and Copenhagen.... No one can bury their head in 
the sand any longer and blame Israel, as the Europeans 
tried to do at the 2001 Durban conference, hoping that 
the Islamic tiger would devour Israel and not them.... 
The border between the two countries [Israel and the 
future Palestinian state] will mark the line between 
the first world and the third world, with all the 
political, religious and social conflicts that go hand 
in hand with that.  The rise of Hamas to power and the 
cultural conflagration in Europe evince the advantages 
of disengagement-- be it unilateral or through 
agreement, it makes no difference.  In that sense, the 
existence of a Palestinian state is one of Israel's 
most important interests nowadays, against the backdrop 
of the world order that is changing before our very 
eyes.... And so, paradoxically enough, Israel's 
situation is far better than that of the Europeans 
insofar as concerns political Islam." 
 
¶V.  "Panicking Over Palestine" 
 
Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (February 9): 
"Between war and peace there's a lot of ground, and 
that is the ground Israel should be exploring with the 
PA once Hamas moves in.  In diplomatic terms, Israel 
should downgrade its relations with the PA slightly, 
more in style than substance.  There's not much to 
downgrade, anyway; Israel may have formally recognized 
the PA under Fatah, but the IDF has done most of the 
government's talking since the Intifada ended the peace 
process.  I don't see any reason why this shaky but 
tolerable status quo can't be maintained with Hamas.... 
And above all, Israel, the U.S. and Europe have to calm 
the hell down.  They have to stop threatening to lay 
siege to the West Bank and Gaza, to try forcing Hamas 
into submission, to punish the Palestinians for 
rejecting democracy, Fatah-style. It's going to 
backfire.  And if that happens, the doomsday 
predictions about the new Palestine could turn into 
self-fulfilling prophecies." 
 
JONES