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P 251026Z MAY 07
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001549 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
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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. Syrian Option 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Ha'aretz cited both Israeli and American officials as saying that 
neither Jerusalem nor Washington has changed its views on talks with 
Syria. This reaction came in response to recent media reports 
claiming that both sides changed their minds and now favor such 
talks. The American diplomatic source said Thursday that the United 
States had never vetoed Israeli-Syrian talks; it merely asked that 
Israel not surprise it. The Jerusalem Post cited one senior 
government official as supporting a secret channel with Syria in 
order to check the possibility of holding peace negotiations. 
 
All media reported that Palestinian militants continued firing 
Qassam rockets towards Israel Thursday and Friday. Fifteen Qassam 
rockets hit Israel on Thursday and five more were fired Friday 
morning; no injuries or damage were reported. The media reported 
that the Israeli Air Force bombed eight targets in the Gaza Strip 
during the night, one of them near Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail 
Haniyeh's home. 
 
Maariv quoted criticism by several IDF officers that the arrest of 
33 senior Hamas members on Thursday was unnecessary and that it 
might lead to international criticism of Israel instead of Hamas. 
 
Leading media cited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying 
that if Israel dares to attack Lebanon as it did last summer, the 
countries of the region will root out Israel's Zionist regime. 
 
All media reported that the ultimatum for Iran to cease its nuclear 
program expired on Thursday. The media quoted US President George 
Bush as saying that the US and its allies will act to prepare a new 
sanction draft against Iran. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Palestinian UN observer Riyad Mansour has 
called upon the UN Security Council to demand an immediate 
cease-fire in Gaza and consider sending international observers to 
monitor it. 
 
Israel Radio reported that the US Congress has authorized an 
additional 100 billion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
 
Ha'aretz published an interview with former United States Defense 
Secretary William Perry in which he said it would be a mistake for 
 
SIPDIS 
Israel to attack Iran. 
 
POLLS: 
Yediot presented the results of a Mina Zemach (Dahaf Institute) poll 
conducted among 600 Labor Party members in advance of party primary 
elections, which are scheduled for Monday. The numbers in 
parentheses represent last week's poll. 
First round: Ayalon-35% (32%), Barak-31% (34%), Peretz-20% (14%), 
Pines-9% (11%), Yatom-2% (5%) 
Second round: Ayalon-49% (47%), Barak-39% (43%) 
 
Ha'aretz published the results of a poll conducted on Thursday with 
the Dialog Institute and directed by Prof. Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv 
University among Labor Party voters about the primary elections to 
be held on Monday. 
Ayalon-34%, Barak-30%, Peretz-17%, Pines-8%, Yatom-2%, undecided-9%. 
 
 
----------- 
¶1. Mideast: 
----------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev Schiff wrote in 
the independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Israel has no choice but to 
continue to seek agreements with the Palestinians, but it also must 
insist on maintaining broader margins of security.... For this 
reason, most of the security-related sections (the acid tests) in 
the proposal by the American general Keith Dayton must be rejected." 
 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"An Important Lesson" 
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev Schiff wrote in 
the independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (05/25): "In this latest 
round of violence [intra Palestinian violence], the warring parties 
have already decided on a cease-fire five times.  Each time, within 
hours, they were back to killing each other and injuring bystanders 
in the process.  If this is how they behave among themselves, why 
should they be any more scrupulous in abiding by agreements with 
outside elements such as Israel, Jordan, Lebanon or Egypt?  This is 
an important lesson that Israel must learn from the recent events in 
Gaza.... Israel has no choice but to continue to seek agreements 
with the Palestinians, but it also must insist on maintaining 
broader margins of security.... For this reason, most of the 
security-related sections (the acid tests) in the proposal by the 
American general Keith Dayton must be rejected." 
 
----------------- 
¶2. Syrian Option: 
----------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Ben Kaspit wrote in Maariv: "There are 
growing estimations in Jerusalem that the US, still headed by George 
Bush, will perform some kind of military attack on nuclear sites in 
Iran.  Such an aerial strike will cause a crazy Iranian reaction, 
including firing missiles on Gulf countries, including Israel.... If 
this happens this summer, it's highly dangerous.  If it happens next 
summer while Israel is in serious negotiations with Syria, it can be 
a totally different picture." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"A Totally Different Picture" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Ben Kaspit wrote in the popular, pluralist 
Maariv (05/25): "Olmert knows that only a diplomatic move can help 
him survive.  A real move.  In the past few months he conducted 
discrete in-depth examination of the Syrian track.  According to 
people close to him he has come to acknowledge that Israel will have 
no choice but to sit and open negotiations with Bashar Assad.  The 
collapse of the diplomatic dialogue with the Palestinians, the 
breakdown of Fatah in Gaza, the fall of the Gaza Strip into the 
hands of Hamas and the empty talks with Abu Mazen strengthen this 
decision.  The Americans withdraw their objection. The security 
establishment supports and is united.... It is time to decide.... 
whether we are ready to give up the Golan Heights in exchange for 
peace with Syria that would lead to the breaking of the axis of evil 
Teheran-Damascus-Beirut.... There are growing estimations in 
Jerusalem that the US, still headed by George Bush, will perform 
some kind of military attack on nuclear sites in Iran.  Such an 
aerial strike will cause a crazy Iranian reaction, including firing 
missiles on Gulf countries, including Israel.... If this happens 
this summer, it's highly dangerous.  If it happens next summer while 
Israel is in serious negotiations with Syria, it can be a totally 
different picture." 
JONES