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DE RUEHTV #0450/01 0401036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091036Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000450 
 
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 
 
SIPDIS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Mideast 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
The leading story in all media is the unity government agreement 
signed by Fatah and Hamas in Mecca on Thursday. The media reported 
that the agreement sets out the principles of the unity government, 
including an ambiguous promise that it will "respect" previous peace 
deals with Israel. The Mecca accord does not address the other two 
international requirements, recognizing Israel and renouncing 
violence. Ha'aretz quoted State Department spokesman Tom Casey as 
saying that: "The international community has made it clear that in 
order to be able to have a broader relationship with the Palestinian 
Authority government those principles are going to have to be met." 
 
Yediot cited estimates by EU officials that the European foreign 
ministers who are to convene next week might renew economic 
assistance to the Palestinians following the establishment of the 
unity government. Yediot cited Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 
as saying on Thursday that the US will continue to insist that the 
unity government accept the Quartet conditions. Israeli Foreign 
Minister Tzipi Livni was quoted as saying that the Quartet demands 
are not negotiable. 
 
Maariv reported that February 19, 2007, is the official day on which 
negotiations for establishing a Palestinian state will begin. The 
paper quoted Secretary Rice as saying in a special Congressional 
hearing that a Palestinian state will be established only if the 
Quartet demands are fully accepted. 
 
All media reported that the Jerusalem police have raised alert and 
limited Muslim access on Friday's prayers at the Temple Mount. These 
actions were taken in fear of intensification of protests against 
the ongoing construction on the Temple Mount's Mugrabi Gate. The 
media reported that Prime Minister Olmert decided on Thursday to 
continue the work despite the fear of violent confrontations.  The 
media also noted that Arab ambassadors to the United Nations asked 
the UN Security Council on Thursday to "to take immediate and urgent 
measures" to stop the excavation. 
Leading media reported that UNIFIL has accepted Israel's version of 
the events that to the exchange of fire on Wednesday between Israel 
and the Lebanese army. UNIFIL determined that the IDF operated 
within Israeli territory and did not cross the international border. 
According to Israel Radio following the UNIFIL report, Lebanon 
decided not to file an official complaint to the UN Security 
Council. 
 
Leading media reported that on Thursday Lebanese authorities seized 
a truck carrying ammunition intended for Hizbullah.  The media 
reported that Hizbullah demanded that the truck be returned to them 
immediately. 
 
All media reported that Iran claims that it exposed an Israeli spy 
network. According to their report they followed 100 spys who are 
working for the Mossad and the CIA. 
 
Yediot reported that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan intends 
to offer his good offices to PM Olmert, who will visit Ankara next 
week, to mediate between Israel and Syria. According to the 
newspaper Olmert will kindly refuse the offer. 
 
Maariv cited Israeli security officials as denying Palestinian 
reports that military experts from Iran were captured in the Gaza 
Strip last week. 
 
-------- 
Mideast: 
-------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Under these circumstances, 
Israel and the U.S. will have trouble demanding that the 
international economic boycott of the Palestinian government remain 
in place." 
 
Senior Arab affairs commentator Roni Shaked wrote in the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "As for whether the 
international community will recognize the new government --and that 
is definitely liable to happen in light of the cracks yawning in the 
Quartet's position --Israel is liable to yet find itself isolated 
against the position that demands that it negotiate with a Hamas 
government." 
 
The Ultra-Orthodox Hamodia editorialized: "It is clear to us that a 
policy of restraint -- although understood by some Arab countries as 
weakness -- should be continued and wished for unless it is clear to 
all Israelis that it is an inevitable war." 
 
The left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz editorialized: "No commission 
of inquiry is needed in order to realize that the fact that the 
prime and defense ministers are not speaking to each other is a 
clear and present danger to national security." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I. "A Real Problem for Israel" 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (02/09): "The new Palestinian 
unity government creates a real problem for Israel.  It will be 
headed by a senior Hamas figure, Ismail Haniyeh.  Moreover, it will 
not recognize Israel and does not pretend to meet the Quartet's 
conditions, as one Hamas leader said.  Yet at the same time, it is 
not a Hamas government, and Hamas will not have a majority in the 
cabinet.  The finance minister-designate, Salem Fayad, is the White 
House's darling.  The foreign minister-designate, academic Ziad Abu 
Amar, has lectured at many American universities and does not have 
extremist positions on Israel. And the interior minister, who 
commands the security forces, will be an independent rather than a 
Hamas member, though he will be appointed on Hamas' recommendation. 
Under these circumstances, Israel and the U.S. will have trouble 
demanding that the international economic boycott of the Palestinian 
government remain in place." 
 
II. "Hamas took the Whole Pot in Mecca" 
 
Senior Arab affairs commentator Roni Shaked wrote in the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (02/09): "The agreement 
signed last night in Mecca is a great victory for Hamas. Khaled 
Mashal and Ismail Haniya could not have hoped for more.  Even after 
the tremendous pressure by the Saudi king, Hamas did not yield and 
it emerges greatly strengthened in the internal Palestinian arena 
and greatly strengthened in the Arab and international arenas. 
Hamas did not concede power, did not concede ideology, did not 
recognize Israel, did not renounce terror and did not agree to 
promise to honor signed agreements.  In return for this stubborn 
position, it received the unity government it so wished for.  Hamas 
wished for a national unity government to put an end to the 
international economic and diplomatic siege on the Palestinians and 
to stop the civil war.... Hamas took the whole pot in Mecca. Thanks 
to this agreement and to the millions of dollars of the Saudi king, 
Hamas will emerge from its financial crisis, it will solidify its 
rule and it will reach the next elections with a lot more strength, 
and it will not only win the elections for president but also the 
elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council.... Mecca's 
holiness, as well as the efforts of the Saudi king, were unable to 
bridge the gap in the positions between Islamist Hamas and 
nationalist Fatah.  It was in fact Abu Mazen who folded, who agreed 
to the establishment of a unity government even before its basic 
guidelines were formulated.... As for whether the international 
community will recognize the new government --and that is definitely 
liable to happen in light of the cracks yawning in the Quartet's 
position --Israel is liable to yet find itself isolated against the 
position that demands that it negotiate with a Hamas government." 
 
III. "Keep the Restraint" 
 
The Ultra-Orthodox Hamodia editorialized (02/09): "The military 
activity on the Lebanese border and the construction work at the 
Mugrabi Gate might set fire to the Palestinian street in particular 
and the Islamic street in general against the Israeli state.... If 
there is no urgent need that cannot be postponed to build the bridge 
to the Mugrabi Gate now, it should be postponed to a later date. Not 
while the Palestinians are fighting each other.  For over a year the 
wooden bridge stood at the Wailing Wall and no one cared. So what is 
the rationale behind the decision to act now. It is against 
reason.... The Jewish street does not want a third Intifadah ... It 
also wants quiet on the northern border.... It is clear to us that a 
policy of restraint -- although understood by some Arab countries as 
weakness -- should be continued and wished for unless it is clear to 
all Israelis that it is an inevitable war." 
 
IV. "A Clear and Present Danger" 
 
The Left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz editorialized (02/09): "No 
commission of inquiry is needed in order to realize that the fact 
that the prime and defense ministers are not speaking to each other 
is a clear and present danger to national security.  This grave 
situation has continued since the war in Lebanon ended, but the 
public is not fully aware of its gravity.  All the conciliatory 
statements emanating from both ministers' offices are false, as are 
the smiles they exchange in front of the cameras.  The state is not 
being governed, and there is no coordination between Ehud Olmert and 
Amir Peretz on the most vital issues.... It is hard to put faith in 
the government's declarations about Israel Defense Forces activity 
on the Lebanese or Gazan borders, its policy on the settlement 
outposts and the considerations that have led it to acquire new 
weapons systems -- let alone its handling of the Iranian nuclear 
issue or its contacts with the Palestinian Authority -- when these 
issues are dealt with mainly via the media, and every statement by 
one side immediately prompts a dismissive response by the other.... 
The work on the Temple Mount, as well as the operations along the 
Lebanese border, are both matters with the potential to spark a 
major conflagration, so it would have been reasonable to assume that 
the decisions were made knowledgeably and judiciously.  But the 
current Israeli government has neither knowledge nor judgment.... If 
the prime minister wants to leave any positive impression at all 
before he is replaced, he must at least ensure that the defense 
establishment is headed by someone who enjoys the confidence of that 
establishment, and with whom he can work.  And if Labor quits the 
government over the defense minister's replacement that will be a 
sign that it, too, is unsuited to lead the country." 
JONES