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DE RUEHTV #0523/01 0511034
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P 201034Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000523 
 
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: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Secretary Rice to Israel, West Bank, February 17-20, 2007 
 
SIPDIS 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Ha'aretz's headline on the three-way meeting read: "PM's Talks With 
Rice, Abbas End With Vague Promise."  A Yediot headline summed up 
thus Monday's trilateral parley: "Two Hours of Immaterial Talks, a 
Short Statement to the Press, and Home They Went."  Maariv's 
headline on the talks read: "Abu Mazen Will Not Be Boycotted -- His 
Government Will."  Hatzofe wrote: "Olmert: Link With Abu Mazen to 
Continue." 
 
The media reported that on Monday, following a private meeting with 
PM Ehud Olmert and PA Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas that lasted 
for more than two hours, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice alluded 
to stepped-up efforts to get other regional players involved in the 
process.  She was quoted as saying, during a brief 90-second 
statement, that Olmert and Abbas reiterated their desire for 
"American participation and leadership in facilitating efforts to 
overcome obstacles, rally regional and international support, and 
move toward peace."  Media quoted Secretary Rice as saying: "All 
three of us affirmed our commitment to a two-state solution, agreed 
that a Palestinian state cannot be born of violence and terror and 
reiterated our acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, 
including the Roadmap."  Ha'aretz reported that Rice expressed 
interest in Olmert's domestic "political horizon." 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli sources as saying that the 
trilateral meeting highlighted the "differing opinions on major 
issues" between Israel and the PA.  Olmert, the officials were 
quoted as saying, "clearly and openly" expressed his "frustration" 
that Abbas was not showing leadership and authority.  The Jerusalem 
Post quoted Israeli officials as saying that Olmert said in the 
meeting that rather than showing leadership, Abbas bent over 
backwards to satisfy the extremists.   Ha'aretz reported that Olmert 
demanded in the talks that the Palestinian unity government 
recognize Israel, renounce terror, and accept previous 
Israeli-Palestinian agreements.  He was quoted as saying that Israel 
would reject alternatives to the three conditions that are meant to 
make the unity government appear acceptable in the eyes of the 
world.  Olmert was quoted as saying that Israel will not have any 
contact with Palestinian figures who are considered moderates, if 
they serve in a government that does not accept the Quartet's 
conditions.  Olmert also demanded that the Palestinian government 
release captive soldier Gilad Shalit.  Hatzofe reported that 
Shalit's jailers are opposed to a Palestinian national unity 
government. 
 
The media reported that Abbas told Olmert and Rice that the Mecca 
Agreement on the formation of a unity government was reached because 
there was no other choice if the violent clashes between Hamas and 
Fatah in Gaza were to come to an end.  Media cited Palestinian 
disappointment over the outcome of the talks. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted senior diplomatic officials as saying on 
Monday that, following Monday's inconclusive and what Israeli 
officials termed "frustrating" trilateral meeting, diplomatic 
efforts over the next few weeks will focus in part on getting Saudi 
Arabia to play a more significant role in the process.  The 
Jerusalem Post quoted these officials as saying that the Saudis 
could play a role in two key ways -- by pressing Hamas to accept the 
international community's three conditions and by giving the Israeli 
public a view of a political horizon that it could expect if there 
were a reinvigorated diplomatic process.  According to these 
officials, the Saudis could do this by holding public or even 
private discussions with Israel, or by relaunching their diplomatic 
initiative of 2002.  However, The Jerusalem Post said that the 
officials admitted that US leverage on Saudi Arabia was limited, as 
the results of the Mecca Agreement demonstrated. 
 
Maariv reported that the establishment of a Palestinian unity 
government is delaying a new diplomatic plan by Jordanian King 
Abdullah II that allegedly includes: direct secret talks between 
Israel and Abbas; Abbas would proclaim elections based on the 
arrangement with Israel; toppling Hamas and signing an 
Israeli-Palestinian agreement; establishing diplomatic relations 
between the moderate Arab countries and Israel; calming down the 
Middle East and reducing the level of terror; and curbing the 
Shi'ite revolution. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted visiting US Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) as 
saying that President Bush places the utmost priority on stopping a 
nuclear Iran but that he needs help from Europe. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted that opposition to the excavation of the 
Mugrabi Gate near the Temple Mount has sparked an increase in 
anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric in the Muslim world. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that on Monday border policemen scuffled 
with Hebron settlers in abandoned Palestinian property. 
 
Hatzofe reported on the establishment of a new terrorist 
organization in the Gaza Strip: the Al-Aqsa Liberation Brigades. 
 
Yediot reported that women demonstrating in favor of convicted spy 
Jonathan Pollard succeeded in getting close to the Secretary's hotel 
room in Jerusalem, and that three of them were arrested. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that 62 Knesset members have signed on to one of 
the most expensive bills currently in legislation. The bill, 
initiated by two Knesset members from Kadima and National Union, is 
an amendment to the Evacuation-Compensation Law that determined the 
compensation that Gaza Strip evacuees would receive.  The 
Disengagement Authority (Sela) estimates that the bill will cost a 
mind-boggling 3-7 billion shekels (around USD 717 million-1.67 
billion) -- making it, according to Ha'aretz, a macro-economic event 
that casts a threat on the budget itself. 
 
Leading media quoted Yossi Baidatz, head of research at IDF 
Intelligence, as saying that Hizbullah has recouped its losses.  The 
media quoted Defense Minister Amir Peretz as saying that it is not 
so. 
 
Yediot and reported that Russia is delaying construction of the 
Iranian nuclear rector at Bushehr because of unpaid Iranian debts. 
Likud Knesset Member Yuval Steinitz, former head of the Knesset's 
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, was quoted as saying in an 
interview with The Jerusalem Post that Iran has lately become a 
little more fearful of the Americans, and that it is all for the 
good.   Maariv cited Israeli-Iranian cooperation in the field of 
olive growing. 
 
Leading media reported that Labor Party leaders increasingly favor 
Vice PM Shimon Peres (Kadima) for president of Israel.  The party's 
official candidate is Labor Knesset Member Colette Avital. 
 
All major Hebrew-language media led with Internal Security Minister 
Avi Dichter to go ahead with the submission of Yaakov Ganot as 
police commissioner to the cabinet for ratification as soon as 
possible, despite a chorus of protests. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Secretary Rice to Israel, West Bank, February 17-20, 2007: 
 
SIPDIS 
----------------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "It is the 
responsibility of Israel's leadership to prepare itself and the 
nation that elected it for a daring and far-reaching political plan, 
even if the conditions for its implementation have not yet been 
created." 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "Today's 
three-way summit represents a living contradiction to its original 
purpose: to help separate 'moderate' Fatah from 'radical' Hamas." 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "For many in the Palestinian 
camp [Secretary Rice's] statement [to a Palestinian newspaper] was 
regarded as a slap in the face for Abbas, and raised much concern 
about the future of negotiations." 
 
Foreign News Editor Arik Bachar wrote in the popular, pluralist 
Maariv: "Far from international attention ...  a decision was made 
last month that should greatly worry Israel." 
 
Gershon Baskin, the Co-Director of the Israel-Palestine Center for 
Information and Research (IPCRI), wrote in The Jerusalem Post: 
"These two issues are inextricably linked -- peace making and 
Olmert' political career.  If he does not advance peace, he will not 
last politically." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Israel Must Prepare to Say 'Yes'" 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (2/18): "Even 
if the local Hamas leaders are displaying moderate trends relative 
to the movement's basic extremism, they remain subject to the 
rigidity of the overseas leadership.  Thus, the agreements Rice 
hopes to achieve at the tripartite meeting will depend on the 
approval of Haniyeh, who will depend on the backing of Khaled 
Mashal.  The good news is that the immediate onus is not on Israel. 
However, that is small consolation, for Israel stands to lose the 
most from the absence of peace.... Therefore, it is the 
responsibility of Israel's leadership to prepare itself and the 
nation that elected it for a daring and far-reaching political plan, 
even if the conditions for its implementation have not yet been 
created.  The key to the locked political door may be in the 
Palestinians' hands at the moment.  This key is the release of 
kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.  His release is to be carried out as 
part of a deal consisting of the release of hundreds of Palestinian 
prisoners.... Bush's telephone calls over the weekend with Olmert 
and the Saudi King imply that external Arab pressure, of the kind 
that brought about the Mecca agreement, could serve as a possible 
lever on Hamas.  Israel's government must be ready for the moment in 
which the Palestinians will stop saying 'no' to it." 
 
II.  "A Contradictory Summit" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (2/19): 
"Today's three-way summit represents a living contradiction to its 
original purpose: to help separate 'moderate' Fatah from 'radical' 
Hamas.  It was scheduled before the Mecca agreement on forming a 
unity government, which sets out terms that can only be described as 
an abject defeat for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud 
Abbas.... The Mecca Agreement was the latest stage in a drawn out 
game of chicken, in which Hamas tries to prove that it has a greater 
ability to impose suffering on Palestinians and Israelis than the 
Quartet has to adhere to its principles.  The international 
community has no choice in this context other than to redouble its 
determination, and find new ways of convincing Hamas that it must 
comply.   Ending direct aid to the PA government, while flooding the 
Palestinians with indirect assistance, has evidently not produced 
sufficient pressure on Hamas. While the financial pressure could be 
increased by reducing indirect assistance, pressing Arab states to 
undermine Hamas's diplomatic position is at least as important. 
Even Saudi Arabia should be pressed to clarify to the Palestinians 
that unity is not enough.  The unity must be for the purpose of 
ending terrorism, abandoning the 'right of return' to Israel, and 
building the state alongside Israel that Palestinians claim to want. 
 The Palestinian refusal to abide by the Quartet's conditions does 
not invalidate those demands; it does mean that insufficient 
pressure has been brought to bear to bring those conditions about." 
 
III.  "Slap in the Face" 
 
Palestinian affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff wrote in Ha'aretz 
(2/20): "Several hours after the [trilateral] meeting, Al-Ayyam, a 
Palestinian daily, published an interview with Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice in which she said that there is no certainty that a 
Palestinian state would emerge during the tenure of President George 
¶W. Bush.   For many in the Palestinian camp this statement was 
regarded as a slap in the face for Abbas, and raised much concern 
about the future of negotiations.  This was proof to them that the 
US administration was giving up on the two-state vision and on 
efforts to reach a final status agreement.  The summit also appeared 
to have been forced.... In the view [of the Palestinian leadership], 
the Americans were going through the motions to appease the Arab 
world to receive support in Iraq, and to appease the European Union 
so that the Quartet's unity would continue." 
 
IV.  "The Kosovo Allegory " 
 
Foreign News Editor Arik Bachar wrote in the popular, pluralist 
Maariv (2/20): "Far from international attention ...  a decision was 
made last month that should greatly worry Israel, especially in 
light of attempts to incite a domestic Arab Intifada.  For the first 
time since World War II, the international community has decided on 
the modification of an international boundary without the assent of 
both sides.... The Kosovo case is important to Israel from two 
points of view.  First, the demographic aspect crucial, because it 
is easy to claim that an ethnic majority in a certain area is 
entitled to determine its fate independently.  Second, behaving 
forcefully with a minority population grants international 
organizations legitimacy to intervene ruthlessly in the maternal 
affairs of a country that does not conduct those affairs according 
to reasonable norms." 
 
¶V.  "The Ball Is in Olmert's Court" 
 
Gershon Baskin, the Co-Director of the Israel-Palestine Center for 
Information and Research (IPCRI), wrote in The Jerusalem Post 
(2/20): "Before her trip to the region this week, US Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice said her purpose was 'to recommit to existing 
agreements, but also to begin to explore and probe the political and 
diplomatic horizon.'  Exploring horizons means defining the end game 
-- the creation of the Palestinian state alongside Israel as the 
main element of a permanent status agreement.... We ... know how 
anxious Abbas is to move forward; however he will not be a partner 
in any process that appears to be a charade akin to the Oslo 
process.  No number of photo-ops will allow Abbas to be made a fool 
of to serve Israeli political needs.  If this process does not move 
forward it will be because Olmert will not allow it to move forward. 
 That is the bottom line. Olmert must decide.  Time is running out, 
both for peace and his own political career and ambitions.  These 
two issues are inextricably linked -- peace making and Olmert' 
political career. If he does not advance peace, he will not last 
politically." 
 
JONES