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Leza L Olson  10/30/2006 01:08:44 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Leza L Olson

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UNCLAS        TEL AVIV 04306

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    INFO:   POL DAO DCM AMB

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CHARGE: PROG

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P 301030Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7284
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8746
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 9191
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 5873
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3245
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 8113
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4264
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 004306 
 
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 
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR 
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD 
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO ICD 
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IS KMDR
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1. Mideast 
 
¶2. US Israeli Relations 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Leading media reported that the police will begin an initial 
examination to determine whether to open a criminal investigation 
against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on his role in the sale of the 
controlling interest in Bank Leumi. 
 
All media reported that Labor Party central committee has voted in 
favor of remaining in the coalition despite the joining of Avigdor 
Lieberman's Israel Beitenu party. 
 
All media reported that the cabinet and the Knesset will vote today 
on the appointment of MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) as 
minister dealing with strategic threats and a deputy prime minister. 
 
 
All media quoted that President Moshe Katzav's attorney Zion Amir as 
saying that the president does not intend to resign before a final 
decision is reached by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on whether to 
indict him. 
 
All media reported that the 2007 budget proposal and Economic 
Arrangements Law will be submitted to the Knesset by Finance 
Minister Avraham Hirshzon on Monday.  The budget proposals sum to 
300 billion shekels. 
 
Ha'aretz cited a senior spokesman for Egyptian President Hosni 
Mubarak as announcing that Meshal would arrive in Egypt for talks 
with senior officials, but did not specify when that would take 
place.  The paper noted that the announcement is considered to be 
unusual. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that following media reports on Saturday 
that the Egyptians are reinforcing their troops on Gaza border 
(following a report that Israel intends to use cluster bombs to bomb 
smuggling tunnels), Defense Minister Amir Peretz said on Sunday that 
Egypt has only 750 border policemen and that it is reinforcing its 
forces. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that the Foreign Ministry is unhappy 
about steps taken by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to open a 
new Vienna-based office to register claims by Palestinians who have 
been harmed by the Israeli construction of its security fence. 
 
Maariv cited a report conducted by the Boeing Company that 
investigated the crash of the Apache Longbow on July 24, 2006 in the 
northern Israel that determined that the Apache crashed due to 
overuse and bad weather conditions. 
 
Leading media reported that a major terror attack was thwarted after 
the police arrested four Palestinians and one Israeli-Arab suspects 
and discovered a car carrying explosives. 
 
Maariv reported that in a year all IDF tanks will be equipped with 
the modern protection system known as TROPHY, supposed to be able to 
withstand advanced anti-tank missiles of the types used by 
Hizbullah. 
 
----------- 
¶1. Mideast: 
----------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Danny Rubinstein wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The government of Israel can 
and must help the Palestinian economy.... this will not only make 
things better for Gaza, but also for Israel, because this is the 
only way to destroy the terror infrastructure." 
 
Liberal columnist Akiva Eldar wrote in independent, left-leaning 
Ha'aretz: "The silence of the leadership of mainstream Jewry in the 
world, in view of the legitimization of a person such as Lieberman, 
undermines the moral high ground they hold in the struggle against 
Israel-haters throughout the world.  If a Jewish politician who 
aspires to transfer an Arab minority across the border can sit in an 
Israeli cabinet, why should an anti-Semite not sit in an Austrian 
government? Let's hear it for the Haiders." 
 
Op-ed writer Yael Paz Melamed wrote in the lead editorial of 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Even if Israel's 
leaders will continue to dodge their responsibility, and even if 
minister Peretz continues to allow the use of shock grenades and 
rubber bullets against demonstrators, the truth cannot stay 
unrevealed -- the route of the political-arbitrary fence is 
consecutive with land robbery and expropriate human rights violation 
of Palestinian residents." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I. "The way to eliminate terror" 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Danny Rubinstein wrote in 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (10/30): "The power struggle 
between Fatah and Hamas will not be quietened by this or that 
agreement, but rather only if they go along with a radical change in 
the economic and social reality in Gaza -- a matter in which Israel 
plays a key function.  First of all, Israel's government has to 
return the money to the PA that Israel owes it.... The government of 
Israel can and must help the Palestinian economy by renewal of 
subcontracting work to Israeli factories in Gaza ... That should be 
in addition to the export of agricultural products from Gaza, which 
has provided hundreds of thousands of jobs.  Now everything is 
paralyzed because of the blockage of the border crossings, a problem 
to which a solution can also be found -- for example, passage by way 
of Egypt to the Nitzana terminal. After all, there are no weapons 
tunnels there.  In addition, infrastructure projects should be 
started up again in Gaza involving the port and the utilization of 
natural gas on the coast.  More Palestinian laborers should be 
allowed into Israel and industrial zones should be established.  All 
this will not only make things better for Gaza, but also for Israel, 
because this is the only way to destroy the terror infrastructure." 
 
 
II. "Let's Hear it for Haider" 
 
Liberal columnist Akiva Eldar wrote in independent, left-leaning 
Ha'aretz (10/30): "The prevalent comparison between Avigdor 
Lieberman and Joerg Haider does an injustice to the Austrian 
nationalist whose party joined the government in the winter of 2000. 
Haider is far from being a righteous man, but even in his most 
fascist days, he never called on Austria to rid itself of citizens 
who'd been living in the country for generations. Also, Haider never 
suggested standing up legislators representing these citizens in 
front of a firing squad.... With the entry of his party into the 
coalition, Haider signed a declaration promising to abide by the 
European principles of democracy and human rights, and to protect 
the rights of minorities.  Prior to that, he apologized to the 
Jewish people for his statements that downplayed the Nazi horrors. 
What about Lieberman, then? Has he accepted the article in the 
government's basic guidelines that includes the commitment to 
'respect the civil rights of minorities and not accept any 
expression of racism in the country'? .... The growth of extremist 
parties on the right in Europe is worrying to Israel, and 
justifiably so.... The silence of the leadership of mainstream Jewry 
in the world, in view of the legitimization of a person such as 
Lieberman, undermines the moral high ground they hold in the 
struggle against Israel-haters throughout the world.  If a Jewish 
politician who aspires to transfer an Arab minority across the 
border can sit in an Israeli cabinet, why should an anti-Semite not 
sit in an Austrian government? Let's hear it for the Haiders." 
 
III. "No Inner Responsibility" 
 
Op-ed writer Yael Paz Melamed wrote in the lead editorial of 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (10/30): "Even if 
Israel's leaders will continue to dodge their responsibility, and 
even if minister Peretz continues to allow the use of shock grenades 
and rubber bullets against demonstrators, the truth cannot stay 
unrevealed -- the route of the political-arbitrary fence is 
consecutive with land robbery and expropriate human rights violation 
of Palestinian residents.  Even it avoids money compensation; Israel 
shall pay dearly for these acts.... With the lack of inner 
responsibility, the UN has no choice but to establish a 'situation 
room' that gathers all the harsh facts and urges us to confront our 
accountability." 
 
------------------------ 
¶2. US Israeli Relations: 
------------------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "Bush, a constant 
friend, could see Israeli response to Syrian courtship as 
undermining his battle in Iran, which threatens Israeli existence. 
Tactically, it is better for the Israeli administration to be 
attentive to U.S. desires.  Strategically, it is critical to 
continue striving for peace.  However, a government with political 
wisdom -- and yes, with an agenda of peace -- would strive to 
resolve this conflict, through constant and intensive dialogue with 
the U.S." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Strive for Peace 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (10/29): "In Bush's 
eyes, there are two key priorities in the Middle East: transferring 
security in Iraq to a local government, so the American military can 
leave; and preparing for a conflict with an Iran on the verge of 
nuclear arms, if political means fail.  All other issues, such as 
the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Lebanese arena and the 
possible resumption of Jerusalem-Damascus talks, are seen only from 
the angle of whether they serve the key goals in Iraq and Iran.  In 
this context, the U.S. labels Syria among the bad guys and seeks to 
preclude its propaganda achievements, such as Assad looking like a 
proponent of peace.  Israel, which needs American support in every 
arena and particularly against Iran, is subjected to a role 
reversal: The pressure to become more moderate has become pressure 
to become tougher.  Bush, a constant friend, could see Israeli 
response to Syrian courtship as undermining his battle in Iran, 
which threatens Israeli existence.  Tactically, it is better for the 
Israeli administration to be attentive to U.S. desires. 
Strategically, it is critical to continue striving for peace. 
However, a government with political wisdom -- and yes, with an 
agenda of peace -- would strive to resolve this conflict, through 
constant and intensive dialogue with the U.S.... Israel must not be 
seen as refusing peace.  It makes sense to respond in a positive 
tone to Assad's peace signals while putting out quiet feelers 
through indirect channels from Turkey to Saudi Arabia, to determine 
his intent. Israel must take U.S. military and political 
considerations and Washington's requirements of Syria, into 
consideration in any fruitful process that develops between 
Jerusalem and Damascus." 
JONES