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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000461 
 
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: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  Iran 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Last night Israel TV confirmed that Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice will hold a three-way meeting with Olmert and PA Chairman 
[President] Mahmoud Abbas on February 19 as planned.  Over the 
weekend the media quoted senior GOI officials in Jerusalem as saying 
that the Mecca agreement could jeopardize the trilateral meeting. 
On Sunday Yediot reported that the US was angry with Abbas because 
it had asked him before the visit that he oppose a government that 
would not recognize Israel.  However, Yediot reported that the US 
would not go overboard over the matter.  Israel TV also reported 
that Abbas promised an Israeli source that Gilad's release will be a 
precondition for the establishment of a Palestinian unity 
government. 
 
Leading media reported that on Sunday PM Ehud Olmert softened 
Israel's stance on the "Mecca agreement" for a Palestinian unity 
government.  Last week, the government had said the agreement was 
unacceptable. On Sunday, however, Olmert told the cabinet that "at 
this stage, Israel neither rejects nor accepts the agreement.  Like 
the international community, we are studying what was achieved in 
the agreement, what it says and the basis of the consensus." 
Ha'aretz reported that Olmert's decision to stop criticizing the 
accord stemmed from the Quartet's announcement that it continues to 
demand that any Palestinian government abide by the conditions it 
laid down last year: recognizing Israel, renouncing terror and 
accepting previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements, as well as the 
Roadmap.  Ha'aretz said that Olmert opted to lower the profile of 
his response, so as not to appear rejectionist.  Yediot reported 
that Olmert wants to put the Palestinian unity government to the 
test, should it come into being, and present it with a demand that 
it release the abducted soldier Gilad Shalit immediately.  The 
newspaper reported that on Sunday Olmert had a phone conversation 
with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ahead of the meeting of the 
EU's foreign ministers in Brussels over the significance of the 
Mecca accord.   Yediot quoted close Olmert associates as saying that 
Olmert told Merkel that the international community should stand by 
the Quartet's three principles.  The Jerusalem Post quoted senior 
diplomatic sources in Jerusalem as saying that today the 27 EU 
foreign ministers will likely take a "wait-and-see attitude." 
Yediot reported that the heads of IDF Intelligence and the Shin Bet 
told the cabinet on Sunday that Hamas is the big winner in the Mecca 
accord.  The Jerusalem Post reported that on Sunday PA 
representatives appealed to Hamas to stop issuing "provocative" 
statements about the agreement that was reached in Mecca last week. 
The call followed statements by a number of Hamas spokesmen who 
wished to make it clear that the agreement did not require Hamas to 
recognize Israel's right to exist. 
 
Ha'aretz and Israel Radio reported that Jerusalem Mayor Uri 
Lupolianski announced late Sunday night that he has decided to 
postpone construction of the walkway at the Mugrabi Ascent until 
zoning authorities complete plans for the area.  The radio reported 
that Lupoliansky decided that archaeological rescue excavations at 
the site would continue.  The media reported that on Sunday the 
cabinet had decided to continue the works.  The media reported that 
the rift between Olmert and Defense Minister Amir over the matter 
was expanding.  The Jerusalem Post reported that, in an attempt to 
calm Muslim tension over building near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Chief 
Rabbinate has requested to meet with leading Islamic spiritual 
leaders. 
 
All media reported that on Sunday Israel successfully tested the 
Arrow anti-missile system, in its first nighttime trial, 
intercepting a test target that simulated the warhead of a long 
range Iranian surface-to-surface Shihab-3 missile. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as 
saying on Wednesday, in a hearing before the US House Committee 
Foreign Committee, that the US is not planning an attack on Iran. 
The Jerusalem Post and Israel Radio quoted chief Iranian nuclear 
negotiator Ali Larijani as saying on Sunday that his country's 
nuclear program is not a threat to Israel. 
 
Israel Radio reported that this morning four Qassam rockets were 
fired from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel, causing no victims. 
Hatzofe quoted Islamic Jihad's "Al-Quds Company" as saying that the 
group has recently succeeded in manufacturing a "Quds-4" rocket with 
a 220-mm-diameter and a maximum range of 22 kilometers.  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that an IDF officer told the newspaper that 
it is only a matter of time before Palestinians in the West Bank 
begin using tunnels in attacks against Israel. 
 
Yediot reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting 
Saudi Arabia, the first such trip by a Russian president.  Yediot 
reported that commentators in the Arab world emphasize Russia's 
striving to assume the role of broker in the Middle East. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "The agreement 
signed in Mecca between Hamas and Fatah, will not realize Israel's 
dream..... [However], it is ... best to look squarely at the reality 
that created the Mecca agreement." 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "Talking 
to Abbas -- Hamas's new fig leaf -- will not increase the pressure 
on Hamas to end terrorism and recognize Israel." 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "The United States will not be able to 
afford to reject an internal Palestinian reconciliation agreement 
that was sponsored by the King of Saudi Arabia." 
 
Senior columnist Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot Aharonot: "[Mahmoud 
Abbas] preferred a temporary conciliation with Hamas over his 
long-term alliance with the Americans." 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Danny Rubinstein wrote in 
Ha'aretz: "The Israeli government can and should recognize the 
Palestinian unity government." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "A Potential Turning Point" 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (2/11): "The 
agreement signed in Mecca between Hamas and Fatah, will not realize 
Israel's dream..... [However], it is ... best to look squarely at 
the reality that created the Mecca agreement and to hope that it 
will be translated into a practical and moderate platform for the 
Palestinian unity government.  Meanwhile, it is appropriate to move 
to a practical step: to ease the sanctions, to permit the inflow of 
money to rehabilitate the economy and services in the territories, 
and to hold direct talks with the Palestinian government over the 
prisoner exchange and begin building a relationship of trust with 
it.  This is not an untenable demand.  It is inscribed on the same 
Roadmap that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will attempt to 
further this week." 
 
II.  "Sanitizing Hamas" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (2/11): 
"Hamas went into the Mecca talks on a Palestinian unity government 
seeking what it has wanted since it gained power: the fig leaf of 
Fatah's participation, without having to give into any of the three 
demands of the international Quartet: accepting previous agreements, 
renouncing terrorism and accepting Israel's right to exist.  Hamas 
got what it wanted -- 'unity' without concessions.  Now the ball is 
in the Quartet's -- and Israel's -- court.... Talking to Abbas -- 
Hamas's new fig leaf -- will not increase the pressure on Hamas to 
end terrorism and recognize Israel.  The way to do that is for the 
Quartet to press the Arab states to lead by example and publicly 
thaw relations with Israel and reject positions -- such as the 
demand of a 'right of return"' to Israel -- that are inconsistent 
with Israel's right to exist.  By sanitizing an unchastened Hamas, 
the Mecca agreement did the opposite, and was therefore a step away 
from peace." 
 
III.  "The Saudi Patronage Government" 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot (2/11): "Hamas has achieved its goals 
without having had to concede even one of its principles or tenets. 
That achievement was delivered to Hamas by the Saudi leadership, 
since the 'Mecca agreement' is the product of a Saudi dictate that 
is 85 percent biased in Hamas's favor.  It was not a national unity 
government that was established in Mecca but a Saudi patronage 
government.... The 'Mecca agreement' is a troubling development from 
Israel's point of view.  The battle to prevent world resignation to 
Hamas is liable to end in defeat.  For let us not delude ourselves: 
The United States will not be able to afford to reject an internal 
Palestinian reconciliation agreement that was sponsored by the King 
of Saudi Arabia.  The American interests [in that country] are too 
strong:... No administration in Washington is going to dare dismiss 
the 'Mecca agreement' that the Saudi King is so proud of.  No matter 
what the opinion harbored by the administration leaders is about the 
agreement.  The Olmert government erred when it based its approach 
towards Hamas on its blind faith in the economic and political 
boycott.  A siege is a passive act that only serves to elicit a 
defiant position.... The result is that the 'Mecca agreement' will 
establish a strengthened Hamas government that will dance to the 
tunes played by Khaled Mashal, which were composed in Riyadh." 
 
IV.  "Die Hard" 
 
Senior columnist Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot Aharonot (2/12): "Abu 
Mazen and his people did not go to Mecca willingly: they were led 
there by fear.  The violent clashes between the Fatah and Hamas 
forces threatened to deteriorate to a full-scale civil war.  Abu 
Mazen is not cut out for this kind of confrontation.  He feared a 
state of anarchy that would turn the PA territories into a Middle 
Eastern version of Somalia.  And perhaps, as Israeli officials 
contend, he feared for his own life.  In any case, he preferred a 
temporary conciliation with Hamas over his long-term alliance with 
the Americans.   The Saudis and the Egyptians did the same.... 
[Secretary of Rice Condoleezza] Rice's embarrassment does not 
alleviate Olmert's difficulties in the least.  Abu Mazen was his 
last foreign policy hope.  This hope has now become distant, if not 
completely disappeared.  It remains for him only to try to persuade 
the world to continue to boycott the Palestinian government.  A 
vision of this type was good for Yitzhak Shamir, not for Ehud 
Olmert." 
 
¶V.  "A Chance to Change Direction" 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Danny Rubinstein wrote in Ha'aretz 
(2/12): "The Israeli government can and should recognize the 
Palestinian unity government.  Can recognize -- because in his 
letter of appointment, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas 
calls on Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh 'to honor the legitimate Arab 
and international resolutions and to honor the agreements signed by 
the Palestine Liberation Organization.'  This could be seen as a 
call to abide by the Oslo Accords, including the three demands 
leveled by the Quartet (recognizing Israel, honoring prior 
agreements and denouncing violence).  Should recognize -- because 
recognition of the new government is the only way now to renew 
negotiations with PA head Abbas, who has received the backing of all 
the Palestinian factions to conduct the talks." 
 
--------- 
¶2.  Iran: 
--------- 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Former cabinet minister Natan Sharansky wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post: "The Jewish world now must mobilize 
[against Iran's plans] at a level no less than during the struggles 
to establish the State of Israel and to free Soviet Jewry." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Mobilize Now, Save the World" 
 
Former cabinet minister Natan Sharansky wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post (2/12): "We must recognize the fact that 
though sympathy for Iran's expressed goal of Israel's destruction is 
hardly mainstream, the idea of a world without Israel is more 
acceptable in polite company, the media and academia today than 
Hitler's expressed goal of a Europe without Jews was in 1939.  Given 
this situation, it should be clear that we are beyond the stage of 
definitions.  The Jewish world now must mobilize at a level no less 
than during the struggles to establish the State of Israel and to 
free Soviet Jewry.  It is this latter struggle that presents the 
most potent model for action today.  Though both sides of the 
genocidal pincer are in quite advanced stages of development, the 
Jewish world remains mired in pre-mobilization debates reminiscent 
of the early stages of the Soviet Jewry struggle in the 1960s.  This 
may be hard to recall in light of the subsequent success, but back 
then a debate raged among Jews over whether a campaign to free 
Soviet Jewry was 'too parochial,' and whether being out front risked 
making it too much of a 'Jewish issue.'" 
 
JONES