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 001075 
 
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: 
------------------------- 
 
Ha'aretz reports that according to the 2006 national 
security strategy published by the White House, Iran is 
the biggest threat to the world. 
 
Yesterday the Jerusalem Post reported that Israel will 
not cut off water, gas or electricity to the 
Palestinian Authority even after Hamas forms a 
government. 
 
Israel Radio this morning quoted Hamas leader and 
Palestinian Prime Minister designate Ismail Haaniyah as 
saying in an interview with CBS News that he has never 
personally ordered a terrorist action against Israel 
and that he hopes to ultimately reach a peace deal with 
Israel. 
 
Media reported that the GSS (Israeli Security Agency) 
fears that terror groups will try to assassinate senior 
officials in response to the Jericho operation. 
Ha'aretz reported that the IDF's biggest concern is 
that Fatah activists have taken Hamas's place in 
executing terrorist attacks. 
 
Maariv cites Syrian President Bashar Assadi as saying 
in an interview with the British Sky news that Syria is 
essential to the peace process in the Middle East.  He 
was also cited as saying that the US did not succeed in 
isolating Syria. 
 
Israel Radio and Yediot reported that UN Secretary- 
General Kofi Annan has spoken to Syrian President Assad 
and asked him to do all he can in order to calm the 
tension with Israel along the northern border. 
 
All media reported that following consultations, State 
Prosecutor Eran Shendar concluded that Israel has a 
right to try Ze'evi's killers who were apprehended in 
the Jericho operation. 
 
The Jerusalem Post published an exclusive report 
identifying what seems to be the first crack in the 
formal EU position against contact with Hamas, the EU's 
Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) 
intends to host at least one newly elected member from 
Hamas. 
 
All media reported in their international sections that 
the US is willing to hold talks with Iran regarding 
Iraq provided that the discussions are restricted to 
that topic alone. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that the High Court of 
Justice has rejected Palestinian petitions against the 
route of the security fence saying that the path gives 
the proper balance between Israel's security interests 
and the Palestinians' well-being. 
 
Israel Radio reported that the Ministry of Agriculture 
has ordered the slaughter of tens of thousands of birds 
suspected of being infected with the deadly H5N1 strain 
of bird flu. The Health Ministry confirmed suspicions 
that the virus has reached Israel, after more than 
16,000 birds died this week. 
 
The media reported that the IDF soldier that was killed 
on Thursday may have died from friendly fire. 
 
 
-------- 
Mideast: 
-------- 
 
                       Summary: 
                      ---------- 
 
Senior columnist and longtime dove Yoel Marcus wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "There is no way 
Israel is going to achieve permanent borders without an 
agreement with the Palestinians and an American 
commitment to wipe out those Qassam rocket launchers, 
for example, or any other weapons of destruction aimed 
at Israel after it has cleared out of most of the 
territories.  The big unknown is whether Olmert is 
capable at this point in time of picking up where 
Sharon left off." 
 
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev 
Schiff wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: 
"Livni has stated that Abbas is not relevant as far as 
she is concerned, but Washington feels committed to 
him.  The fear in the United States is that his fall 
will be the end of the road map peace plan, and even 
the end of the vision of President George Bush as 
outlined in his June 2002 speech." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Ben Caspit wrote in popular, 
pluralist Maariv: "James Wolfenson is on the verge of 
leaving the region.  The Europeans are desperate. 
Wolfenson said last week that he estimates that 'In two 
years the world will lose interest in what is happening 
here and withdraw.'  Anyone who thinks it's for the 
best, might be proven wrong quicker then he thinks." 
 
 
                     Block Quotes: 
                     ------------- 
 
¶I.   "Olmert zig or Olmert zag" 
 
Senior columnist and longtime dove Yoel Marcus wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (March 17): "The 
lightness in which Olmert promises to create in four 
years a fun living country is surprising. It is unclear 
how, who, when and in what way does he plan to 
implement such a presumptuous goal.  It took years 
before Sharon, the settler of all settlers, could bring 
himself to say things like: "We had a dream but it's 
gone now.... Complete disengagement is not 
realistic.... There is no way Israel is going to 
achieve permanent borders without an agreement with the 
Palestinians and an American commitment to wipe out 
those Qassam rocket launchers, for example, or any 
other weapons of destruction aimed at Israel after it 
has cleared out of most of the territories.  The big 
unknown is whether Olmert is capable at this point in 
time of picking up where Sharon left off.  His career, 
up until now, has been helped along by chance and a 
large dose of luck.... As a politician all these years, 
Olmert has done okay.  If he got into trouble, he got 
out of it.  He has been an MK, a mayor and a 
minister.... What Olmert has going for him today as 
head of Kadima, 11 days before the elections, is 
Sharon's legacy and a lot of luck.  As for the rest, 
we'll have to wait and see." 
II. "Where to draw the line" 
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev 
Schiff wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz 
(March 17): "There is no disagreement today among the 
top levels of the Israeli government, which view a 
Hamas government as illegitimate, that Israel will 
oppose attempts by international bodies to cooperate 
with such a government.  The developing disagreement 
with the U.S. administration is not related to a 
government led by Hamas, which is perceived as a 
terrorist organization, but to the attitude that should 
be taken to the presidency of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu 
Mazen).  Livni has stated that Abbas is not relevant as 
far as she is concerned, but Washington feels committed 
to him.  The fear in the United States is that his fall 
will be the end of the road map peace plan, and even 
the end of the vision of President George Bush as 
outlined in his June 2002 speech.... Hamas leader 
Khaled Meshal has declared that his organization will 
not put its political policy on the block in return for 
donations from the international community.  Reality 
will no doubt persuade him that things are not as 
simple as that.  Israel must also assume that economic 
pressure is not the only key to influencing the 
Palestinians.... It ... turns out that it is extremely 
difficult to set a correct dose of sanctions, and, 
above all, that it is almost impossible to 
differentiate between economic sanctions against the PA 
and sanctions against the Palestinian public." 
 
III. "Desperation" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Ben Caspit wrote in popular, 
pluralist Maariv (March 17): "The Jericho operation 
this week was blown out of proportion.... Tactically 
Olmert registered victory.  Strategically? It depends 
from where you're looking.  It could be that we have 
been losing for several years now, an ongoing loss, 
hurtful, irreversible.... In an historic view the 
Jericho event will be seen as another big step on the 
way of the almost final archiving of the Palestinian 
option....  Abu Mazen never looked more pathetic.  He 
has earned that patheticness rightfully but we stand 
with him aboard the leaking pathetic ship deck.... 
When the land is piled up with Hamas and then Al Qaida, 
we will all be yearning.  James Wolfenson is on the 
verge of leaving the region.  The Europeans are 
desperate.  Wolfenson said last week that he estimates 
that 'In two years the world will lose interest in what 
is happening here and withdraw.'  Anyone who thinks 
it's for the best, might be proven wrong quicker then 
he thinks." 
JONES