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Leza L Olson  11/02/2006 02:09:55 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Leza L Olson

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UNCLAS        TEL AVIV 04368

SIPDIS
CXTelA:
    ACTION: PD
    INFO:   DAO AMB DCM POL

DISSEMINATION: PD
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: A/PAO:STUTTLE
DRAFTED: PD:RPAZ
CLEARED: AIO:GANISMAN

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PP RUEHC RHEHAAA RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RUEKJCS RUEAHQA
RUEADWD RUENAAA RHEFDIA RUEKJCS RUEHAD RUEHAS RUEHAM RUEHAK
RUEHLB RUEHEG RUEHDM RUEHLO RUEHFR RUEHRB RUEHRO RUEHRH
RUEHTU RUCNDT RUEHJM RHMFISS RHMFISS RHMFIUU
DE RUEHTV #4368/01 3061155
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P 021155Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7358
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEADWD/DA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 1133
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 7906
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0974
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1898
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 1110
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 8772
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 1834
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8761
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 9206
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 5888
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3260
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 8128
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 2380
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4279
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 4914
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TEL AVIV 004368 
 
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. Iran 
 
¶3. Lebanon 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------ 
 
All media reported that the diplomatic-security cabinet decided on 
Wednesday to continue military pressure on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, 
but not to expand the operation. However, it has instructed the IDF 
to prepare for a larger operation if such an operation becomes 
necessary.  The cabinet meeting was held after a day of heavy 
fighting in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, in which one IDF 
soldier and eight Palestinians, most of them militants, were killed. 
Israel radio, cites Palestinian sources that four Palestinians were 
killed Thursday, among them, a fifteen-year-old boy and an elderly 
man. Israel Radio reported that three Qassam rockets were launched 
towards the southern town of Sderot. No casualties reported. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that in the security cabinet meeting, other 
decisions were made, among them resolutions "aimed at satisfying 
American requests in advance of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's visit 
to Washington."  According to the paper, the government has given 
its a approval to General Keith Dayton's plan to arm and train PA 
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's forces. 
 
Leading media quoted Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya as saying, 
regarding IDF's operation in Gaza: "This massacre is the first fruit 
of the inclusion of the extremist Lieberman in the Zionist 
occupation government.  His inclusion in the government will cause 
an increase in Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people." 
 
 
Ha'aretz quotes senior officials as saying that Israel is ignoring 
US preparations to withdraw from Iraq, despite the fact that such a 
move would have a significant impact on Israel. 
Leading media cited White House spokesman Tony Snow as saying that 
the administration is concerned from testimonies indicating that 
Syria, Iran and Hizbullah are trying to topple the Lebanese 
government. Israel Radio reported that the Syrian embassy to the US 
rejected the accusations and called them "ridiculous." 
 
Israel Radio reported that after two days of negotiations in Cairo. 
Hamas leaders from Damascus who came to discuss a prisoner exchange 
deal have risen their demands. According to the radio they are 
demanding the release of 500 prisoners prior to Corporal Gilad 
Shalit's release and the release of 1000 more prisoners afterwards. 
Hamas is demanding that Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti will be freed 
among the Palestinians to be released. 
 
Israel Radio cited an official Egyptian source as warning Israel 
that if it attacks the weapon smuggling tunnels in the Philadelphi 
Route from the air, relations between Israel and Egypt will be 
affected. 
 
Maariv reported that US President George Bush hinted to French 
President Jacques Chirac in their meeting five weeks ago that he 
will understand Israel if it attacks Iran. 
 
Ha'aretz cited Hamas officials as saying that an initial agreement 
was reached on a Palestinian unity government. According to 
Palestinian sources the sides were discussing the possibility of 
appointing a prime minister that is identified with Hamas but not a 
member of the organization. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected 
to travel to the Middle East before the end of the year.  According 
to the paper, Blair has started to hold a dialogue with Syria in 
order to convince it to play a "positive" role in the region. 
 
Maariv publishes a list of 19 right-wingers who made it into the GSS 
list of people who were told by OC Central Command Maj. Gen. Yair 
Naveh to stay out of all of Judea and Samaria. A top security source 
was quoted: "Each of them has the means and the intent to perpetrate 
secret and violent activity against Arabs or their property. The 
 
SIPDIS 
orders were issued based on concrete intelligence information." 
 
Leading media reported on the results of the Social Strength Index, 
measured before next week's Sderot Conference for Society. According 
to the survey there is a serious deterioration in public faith in 
the state and its institutions, including the Israel Defense Forces. 
 For example Ha'aretz publishes that: "In 2003, 27 percent of the 
public said they do not trust public institutions to help them in a 
time of need. That rate nearly doubled this year to 51 percent." 
Leading media reported that Defense Minister Amir Peretz is holding 
up his approval on IDF's round of appointments. The media reports 
that there is growing tension between the Minister and IDF officials 
especially Chief of Staff Dan Halutz. 
 
All media noted that today, Thursday, is the eleven-year anniversary 
of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. 
 
The Jerusalem Post cited US Ambassador to Israel Richard Jones as 
saying at a lecture given at the Transit-Global Energy and Political 
Trends conference at the University of Haifa that the US goal is to 
help secure a supply of gas and oil to the ME and Asia and that is 
why the US is encouraging multiple pipelines. 
 
----------- 
¶1. Mideast: 
----------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Senior military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "In the Israeli 
political and military view: the road to a second Lebanon in Gaza 
goes through Hamas's ideas for a hudna. Thus, there is no chance of 
a diplomatic arrangement of any kind with Hamas.  And so we find 
ourselves in a gradual process leading to a large-scale military 
confrontation in Gaza." 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "The cabinet, in 
its new, more militant composition following the entry of Avigdor 
Lieberman, has been asked to approve an expanded IDF operation in 
Gaza when in practice, the operation is already underway, or has at 
least begun.  In this case as well, it is hard to rely on the 
leadership's judgments." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I. "The Finger Plugging the Dike" 
 
Senior military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (11/2): "Operation 
Autumn Clouds is a pinpoint operation, with limited goals, for a set 
time.  But it is one more step in the direction of focusing the 
military efforts in the Gaza Strip.... These are gradual, slow, 
calculated actions, with a minimum of damage to the civilian 
population, in the course of which the army will try to strike as 
many armed men as possible, to arrest as many people as possible for 
interrogation, to try and locate as many labs as possible or as many 
hiding places for weapons.  This action will not completely stop the 
Kassam rocket fire. On the other hand, it will also not lead to a 
big explosion with Hamas. Hamas at the moment does not want an 
escalation.  At the moment, the level of resistance on the ground 
against this action is not high. But that could change.... In the 
Israeli political and military view: the road to a second Lebanon in 
Gaza goes through Hamas's ideas for a hudna. Thus, there is no 
chance of a diplomatic arrangement of any kind with Hamas.  And so 
we find ourselves in a gradual process leading to a large-scale 
military confrontation in Gaza." 
 
II. "What Motivates the IDF" 
 
Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (11/2): "The 
legitimate differences of opinion between the government and the 
army over the necessity of a large-scale military operation in the 
Gaza Strip have become part of an illegitimate battle for survival 
by those who conducted the second Lebanon war.  In a situation where 
the chief of staff is fighting for his position, a state commission 
of inquiry is not yet out of the question and the Winograd Committee 
is at the height of its investigation, it is hard to distinguish 
manipulations from serious debate, or necessary moves from public 
relations.... The cabinet, in its new, more militant composition 
following the entry of Avigdor Lieberman, has been asked to approve 
an expanded IDF operation in Gaza when in practice, the operation is 
already underway, or has at least begun.  In this case as well, it 
is hard to rely on the leadership's judgments.  Are there indeed 
essential security reasons for reoccupying the Philadelphi Route, or 
are commanders whose pride was hurt looking for a success, or at 
least a diversion, or to silence the critics by mobilizing a 
national consensus for a new operation? " 
 
-------- 
¶2. Iran: 
-------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Columnist Amir Taheri wrote in conservative, independent Jerusalem 
Post: "The Assad regime is the typical Arab set-up that cannot 
survive without the backing of an outside power.  For a brief moment 
in 2003 and 2004 it looked as if the US could provide that backing. 
Since then, Assad has been left with no option but putting himself 
under Iranian protection.  And that, in turn, makes a showdown 
between the US and the Islamic Republic that much more possible." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"The 'Iranization' of Syria" 
 
Columnist Amir Taheri wrote in conservative, independent Jerusalem 
Post (11/2): "While there is much talk of continued Syrian 
machinations in Lebanon, little attention is paid to an Iranian plan 
to remodel Syria into a Khomeinist state.... Last summer's war in 
Lebanon that ended with Israel's 'greatest defeat,' according to 
Iran, has strengthened the supporters of a Damascus-Teheran axis 
within the Syrian leadership.  The Assad regime is the typical Arab 
set-up that cannot survive without the backing of an outside power. 
For a brief moment in 2003 and 2004 it looked as if the US could 
provide that backing.  Since then, Assad has been left with no 
option but putting himself under Iranian protection.  And that, in 
turn, makes a showdown between the US and the Islamic Republic that 
much more possible." 
 
----------- 
¶3. Lebanon: 
----------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Arab affairs correspondent Zvi Bar'el wrote in independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Nasrallah's calculation is that if the 
government falls, he will win more seats in the next election -- and 
if he does not win a majority, he can always continue to threaten 
the government from outside.... In the coming days, attempts to 
reach a compromise will continue. For now, however, it seems as if 
the government is en route to collapsing." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Siniora's Government on the Road to Collapse" 
 
Arab affairs correspondent Zvi Bar'el wrote in independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (11/2): "Even without the warnings emanating 
from the White House, it is clear that Lebanon is embroiled in a 
severe political crisis. Since the end of the war in Lebanon, and 
especially over the last two weeks, Hezbollah leader Hassan 
Nasrallah has been honing his demands of Fouad Siniora's 
government.... Nasrallah is demanding the establishment of a 
national unity government in which the Shi'a parties -- Amal and 
Hezbollah -- would have greater representation.  Currently, they 
comprise only five of the 24 ministers; Nasrallah wants to increase 
this to one-third.... This would effectively give the Shi'as a veto 
over important decisions, since under Lebanon's constitution, such 
decisions must be approved by two-thirds of the cabinet.  Siniora 
opposes a unity government, as this would probably restore Syria's 
influence over Lebanese politics, constrain Lebanon's economic and 
foreign policy.... Nasrallah's calculation is that if the government 
falls, he will win more seats in the next election -- and if he does 
not win a majority, he can always continue to threaten the 
government from outside.  Siniora, for his part, has few options: A 
unity government would neutralize his political power, but he has no 
guarantee of winning new elections.  In the coming days, attempts to 
reach a compromise will continue. For now, however, it seems as if 
the government is en route to collapsing." 
JONES