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

291313Z Mar 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002027 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY; BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU; AF/PA; 
EUR/WE /P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA; INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA 
FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR 
AND PASS USTR/PA; USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; 
ROME/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Israeli Elections 
PARIS - Wednesday, March 29, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Israeli Elections 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Dominating all front pages is yesterday's massive strikes and 
demonstrations against the CPE, and the crisis in the Villepin 
government. Le Figaro headlines "Villepin Between Two Fires," 
and says "the UMP is divided over the strategy for getting out 
of this crisis." Under the headline, "Blockage," Le Parisien 
identifies the competing strategies as Villepin's opposition 
to withdrawing the CPE, and Sarkozy's proposing compromises. 
"Deaf Against All," declares Liberation's front page, saying 
that despite the millions of demonstrators in the streets, 
Villepin refuses to withdraw the CPE. Similarly, France Soir 
underscores the PM's intransigence, headlining, "And Villepin 
Still Doesn't Budge." The first signs of dissension within the 
UMP majority are noted. Parliamentarian Bernard Accoyer has 
"dropped Villepin" and sided with Sarkozy's idea of suspending 
the legislation. In its editorial Le Figaro comments: "The 
political right is on the razor's edge, balancing between two 
opposing attitudes." Interior Minister Sarkozy is on the front 
page of Le Parisien: "Yes to a Compromise" says the title, 
while Villepin's  "No to Withdrawing the CPE." Inside, Sarkozy 
says that "compromising is not an insult." In its editorial 
Liberation urges President Chirac to intervene. A column 
penned by Alain Duhamel notes that "Chirac is not very 
talkative" and that 83% of the French would like to hear him 
on the CPE. The President's cancelled trip outside Paris today 
is prominently noted and leads to conjecture about a possible 
presidential address. 
 
The Israeli elections are today's lead international story. 
Europe-1 Radio this morning gave the final tally as 28 seats 
for the Kadima Party. This slim victory also makes the front 
page of Le Figaro, which notes that voter participation, 62%, 
is the lowest in Israel's history. For Le Figaro this signals 
a loss of steam for the Likud Party. Liberation comments in 
its editorial that "the elections are a referendum on pursuing 
Sharon's policy. The victory is a small victory but it marks 
the end of Greater Israel." (See Part C) 
Zacarias Moussaoui's testimony is widely noted. Le Monde 
reports that Moussaoui "has been waiting for this moment for 
over four years." Le Figaro emphasizes the "suspicious nature" 
of his information but also the fact that "his declaration is 
devastating." Liberation titles its report: "Moussaoui's 
Plunge Towards Death" noting that "his latest testimony is 
only one of several versions." Le Parisien calls Moussaoui's 
attitude "a judicial suicide" and quotes his French lawyer: 
"it is difficult to defend someone against his own 
accusations. This has never happened to me before." 
 
According to popular right-of-center Le Parisien, "good news 
is on the way for prospective travelers to the U.S.: the first 
French biometric passports should be available in Paris on 
April 3, according to the Prefecture. As of the month of May 
and through June 12, all other French prefectures should be 
able to offer biometric passports. But travel industry experts 
are skeptical. and are asking that travelers to the U.S. from 
the provinces should be given priority because they represent 
more than half of the prospective tourists." The article 
concludes with the U.S. Consulate in Paris "submerged with 
visa requests which is also changing its procedure as of April 
3: at that time only on-line forms will be accepted." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Israeli Elections 
 
"A Small Yes" 
Gerard Dupuy in left-of-center Liberation (03/29): "These 
elections were tacitly considered to be a referendum on 
pursuing Sharon's policy of withdrawal from the occupied 
territories. The limited victory registered by Kadima added to 
the more than honorable results for the Labor party equates a 
victory for the yes, but by a short margin. When the Israeli 
settlers began to move out of Gaza, the Israeli right's dogma 
of Greater Israel started to wane. Yesterday's vote confirms 
this trend. although the voting is motivated more by security 
concerns than a will to establish peace. Yet this approach is 
compatible with peace, contrary to Netanyahu's aggressive 
security policy. Kadima's unilateral doctrine implies a policy 
of annexation of territories, which the international 
community and the Palestinians do not recognize as Israeli 
territories. It also implies isolating the Palestinian entity 
and making its development more difficult. Development is the 
first challenge for the new Hamas government and the key to 
pacifying the region. While this policy of cocooning does not 
offer a durable solution to the region's problems, neither 
does it impede a resolution to be found sometime later. This 
requires a government that can implement its policies. 
Olmert's slim victory will make it harder for him to lead a 
coalition government." 
 
"Olmert's Slim Victory" 
Patrick Saint-Paul in right-of-center Le Figaro (03/29): 
"Yesterday Israel officially renounced its dream of Greater 
Israel. Olmert's slim victory should not keep him from 
implementing his unilateral pullout strategy as he targets 
Israel's `definitive' borders. Israel's border issue was in 
fact the main question in a referendum hiding behind the 
elections." 
 
"Separation" 
Bernard Guetta on government-run France Inter radio (03/29): 
"One of the most important lessons to be learned from this 
vote is that more than a party, the winner is an idea, the 
idea of `separation,' which implies more pullouts from 
occupied territories. A page has been turned in Israel. If 
Hamas continues to reject the idea of negotiations, a 
unilateral and armed peace will replace military occupation." 
STAPLETON