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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TEL AVIV 000751 
 
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.  Muhammad Cartoon Controversy 
 
¶2.  U.S.-Israel Relations 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Israel Radio quoted Israel's representative to the UN 
Danny Gillerman as warning at the UN Security Council 
Tuesday that an Iran-Syria-Hamas "terror axis" might 
emerge and that ignoring it could lead to a new world 
war.  The radio cited the Syrian representative's reply 
that Israel is stockpiling nuclear weapons on the 
Golan.  Yediot also cited Gillerman's remarks. 
Speaking on Israel Radio, Gillerman said that Russia 
and Turkey's attitudes toward Hamas were strange, 
because of Chechnyan and Kurdish terrorist activities. 
 
Ha'aretz and Israel Radio quoted President Bush as 
saying Tuesday aboard Air Force One as he returned to 
Washington from Colorado: "So long as Hamas does not 
recognize Israel's right to exist, my view is we don't 
have a partner in peace and therefore shouldn't fund a 
government that is not a partner in peace."  Israel 
Radio reported that in Cairo Tuesday, Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice referred to Hamas: "You cannot 
have one foot in the camp of terror and another foot in 
the camp of politics."  The Jerusalem Post quoted 
Israeli officials as saying there was no intent by Rice 
to "slight" Jerusalem by skipping Israel during her 
Mideast trip. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that on Monday, a day 
before Secretary Rice set out for a trip in the region, 
Quartet principals decided that financial support for 
the PA should continue while there is an interim 
government.  Maariv quoted the Quartet's Middle East 
envoy James Wolfensohn as saying that the PA will reach 
bankruptcy in two weeks. 
 
Israel Radio and the leading news web sites Ynet and 
NRG quoted Acting PM Ehud Olmert as saying this morning 
before the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense 
Committee that the entire Palestinian Authority has 
turned into Hamas in the wake of the new parliament's 
swearing-in ceremony.  Meretz Knesset Member Ran Cohen 
was quoted as saying that if the GOI does not 
differentiate between Abbas and Hamas, there will be 
more terrorist attacks and people killed, and that 
Israelis would pay for Olmert's color-blindness with 
their blood.  Olmert was also quoted as saying that 
Israel's commitment to dismantling illegal settler 
outposts would be upheld without restraints.  Media 
reported on a verbal clash between Olmert and right- 
wing Knesset Member Effi Eitam regarding the evacuation 
of the Amona outpost, during which Eitam was injured. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Henry A. Crumpton, the 
State Department's Coordinator for Counterterrorism, 
"who last month said he did not rule out military 
action against Iran," arrived in Israel Tuesday night 
for three days of talks. 
 
Major media reported that a Federal Court in Virginia 
will hear verbal arguments today to dismiss the charges 
against two former lobbyists of the American Israel 
Public Affairs Committee, Steve Rosen and Keith 
Weissman.  Israel Radio reported that the prosecution 
in the case is opposed to Israeli diplomats testifying 
in court. 
 
Yediot reported that today, the Israeli human-rights 
group Civil Coalition will file a criminal suit against 
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Germany's 
Constitutional Court for Holocaust denial, harming the 
rights of Holocaust victims, inciting hatred and 
racism, and violating the UN Charter.  Ha'aretz 
reported that documents published on an Internet site 
involved in Holocaust denial show that Holocaust 
deniers from the West played a key role in attempts by 
Iran to cast doubts on the veracity of the Holocaust. 
 
All media reported that the IDF blew up an explosives 
factory in Nablus on Tuesday.  At least three 
Palestinians were wounded in the operation.  Leading 
media reported that a major blast occurred at the Karni 
crossing last night.  Yediot and Israel Radio cited the 
IDF's belief that the cause was an explosives tunnel 
dug by Palestinians.  Major media reported that on 
Tuesday, former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon, in a 
speech during a conference of the Jerusalem Center for 
Public Affairs, accused the GOI of responsibility, for 
Hamas's victory in the recent Palestinian Legislative 
Council (PLC) elections, particularly through Israel's 
withdrawal from Gaza.  He was quoted as saying: "We 
need to escalate military action against the Qassam 
rocket launchers, even if it means entering the Gaza 
Strip." 
 
Yediot cited a confidential Foreign Ministry document 
that says that Israel's decision to stop transferring 
funds to the Palestinians will bring about the collapse 
of the PA and harm the population of the territories. 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel has canceled 
the VIP travel privileges of PLC members, barring them 
from enjoying unrestricted travel between Gaza and the 
West Bank. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Ismail Haniyeh now has three 
weeks to form a government, with the possibility of a 
two-week extension. 
 
Yediot cited the belief of Israeli defense sources that 
the Iranian security and intelligence services intend 
to use the strategic alliance between Tehran and 
Damascus to encourage terrorist activity against 
Israeli targets through Hamas and Islamic Jihad.  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that Hamas leaders are divided 
on the role of Iran in Palestinian affairs. 
 
Ha'aretz and other media reported that Labor Party 
leader Amir Peretz will visit Cairo today for talks 
with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Egyptian 
intelligence chief Omar Suleiman.  Senior Labor Party 
members will accompany Peretz on his trip. 
 
Leading media (banner in Yediot) reported that former 
Likud cabinet ministers Silvan Shalom and Yisrael Katz 
are boycotting Likud Chairman MK Binyamin Netanyahu's 
efforts to reduce the power of the party's central 
committee and to introduce party primaries. 
 
Ha'aretz cited a report published on Tuesday by the 
Israeli human-rights groups B'Tselem and Bimkom - 
Planners for Planning Rights, according to which the 
main consideration behind the route for "numerous 
segments" of the security fence was settlement 
expansion. 
 
Citing Reuters, Ha'aretz reported that Turkish PM Recep 
Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday criticized Israel's use of 
economic sanctions against Palestinians for voting 
Hamas into power and defended Ankara's decision to hold 
talks with the militant group.  Reuters further 
reported that Israel's envoy in Ankara, Pinchas Avivi 
met leaders of Turkey's ruling party AKP on Tuesday in 
an apparent bid to patch up the quarrel.  However, 
Maariv reported that FM Tzipi Livni ordered Avivi not 
to meet Turkish Foreign Ministry officials to hear an 
update about Hamas's meetings with Turkish officials. 
 
Yediot reported that the Turkish government has 
requested assistance from Israel regarding the 
establishment of a PR structure that would improve 
Turkey's image in the world. 
 
Yediot reported that Al Qaida attacks against Israelis 
have been thwarted in Turkey and Jordan. 
 
Yediot reported that hundreds of fake Israeli passports 
are sold annually all over Asia, and that they have 
been used by Iranians, Pakistanis, and Turks.  The 
newspaper quoted Israeli representatives in Asia as 
saying that such documents might be used by terrorists. 
 
All media reported that State Comptroller Micha 
Lindenstrauss has decided to probe the sale by Olmert 
of his private Jerusalem residence to an offshore 
company registered in the British Virgin Islands for a 
sum of USD 2.7 million.  Olmert continues to reside in 
the house.  U.S. businessman S. Daniel Abraham, a 
former campaign contributor, is behind the company. 
Ha'aretz reported that Lindenstrauss also plans to look 
into Olmert's ties with Abraham, who contributed money 
to Olmert's campaign in the Jerusalem mayoral elections 
and to Shimon Peres for last November's Labor Party 
primaries.  Leading media reported that Olmert refuted 
the charges.  Maariv reported that Olmert demands that 
Lindenstrauss conclude his investigation this week. 
 
Leading media reported that Attorney General Menachem 
Mazuz has resolved that Minister Without Portfolio 
Tzachi Hanegbi not be appointed minister after the 
elections. 
 
--------------------------------- 
¶1.  Muhammad Cartoon Controversy: 
--------------------------------- 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker wrote in the 
editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot: "Who is asked to apologize [for Muslims' 
violence over the Muhammad cartoons]?  Not the 
jihadists, but the cartoonists -- since they 'offended 
Islam.'  Those who were murdered in the name of Islam 
can no longer be offended.  Their body parts are buried 
deep in the ground of New York, London, Madrid, Bali, 
Djerba and Jerusalem." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"The Reticence, the Hypocrisy and the Apology" 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker wrote in the 
editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot 
Aharonot (February 21): "The 14th Dalai Lama, the 
exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, recently 
visited Israel.... The Dalai Lama preaches non- 
violence, understanding between people, compassion and 
many other such good virtues. And all of them are truly 
good and desirable; it is only astonishing that the 
honorable Dalai Lama XIV did not think it appropriate 
to preach his beliefs of complete non-violence to the 
Palestinian Islamic radicals.... An unbalanced approach 
is characteristic of many people who seek to improve 
the world.  For them the West, and particularly Israel 
and the United States, are routinely to blame for the 
ills of civilization.  The Muslims, conversely, are 
given special discount rates.  A newspaper in Denmark 
ran a cartoon six months ago in which the Prophet 
Muhammad was cast as a promoter of terrorism; 
undoubtedly, this cartoon was inspired by the cries of 
'Allah akbar' that are aired by suicide terrorists. 
Anyone who goes on a bloody holy war and murders, in 
the name of religion, hundreds of train passengers in 
Europe should not be taken aback when his religion is 
construed as one that preaches terrorism.  In response 
to the cartoon, Muslim riots and unruly demonstrations 
erupted; an incited minority once again imposed its 
delusional agenda on the cultured world.  And who is 
asked to apologize?  Not the jihadists, but the 
cartoonists -- since they 'offended Islam.'  Those who 
were murdered in the name of Islam can no longer be 
offended.  Their body parts are buried deep in the 
ground of New York, London, Madrid, Bali, Djerba and 
Jerusalem." 
 
-------------------------- 
¶2.  U.S.-Israel Relations: 
-------------------------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                       -------- 
 
Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "[Former AIPAC 
employees Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman] did not 
threaten, did not pay, did not scheme.  It was merely 
the mundane routine of the lobbyist and journalist and 
entrepreneur and scholarly researcher." 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
"Aiming For the Bird -- and Missing" 
 
Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (February 22): "What 
generated the sudden interest [in Section 793 of the 
American Espionage Act] was the surprising recruitment 
of a celebrity to the defense team [of former AIPAC 
employees Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman].  Viet Dinh, 
a former Justice Department deputy secretary and a key 
architect of the controversial U.S. Patriot Act, co- 
authored a detailed and persuasive memorandum that will 
be the focus of today's hearing. The man who helped 
write the legislation that is often described as 
preferring 'security' over 'individual rights' will now 
be arguing against the overuse of an inherently 
security-minded law.  Section 793, Dinh writes, is not 
appropriate for the case against Rosen and Weissman: it 
is vague, has never been used against citizens who are 
not civil servants, and also does not pertain to 
transmitting information orally.  The state is trying 
to set a precedent that will greatly expand the 
boundaries of the law that the legislature did not 
intend.... It is the moment of truth in which the 
establishment apparently decided to do away, once and 
for all, with chatter.... Those who were aiming for the 
bird hit [Rosen and Weissman] in the face instead.  And 
those who are not among their followers or AIPAC's 
followers -- and there are quite a few of these -- also 
have to understand how far-reaching the suit against 
them is.  They were never warned, Dinh points out, and 
why should they suspect that their actions are illegal? 
After all, they did what everyone in Washington does. 
They went to restaurants, heard stories, told them to 
others.  They did not threaten, did not pay, did not 
scheme.  It was merely the mundane routine of the 
lobbyist and journalist and entrepreneur and scholarly 
researcher." 
 
JONES