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DE RUEHTV #2345/01 2120957
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310957Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002345 
 
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: 
------------------------- 
 
Israel Radio quoted Secretary of State Rice as saying on her way to 
Egypt that providing arms to U.S. allies in the Middle East will not 
upset the balance of power in the region. Secretary Rice added that 
the arms deal is in response to threats from Syria, Iran, Hizballah 
and al-Qaida. 
 
Israel Radio quoted Jerusalem officials as saying that Secretary 
Rice will be told that Israel is trying to persuade PA Chairman 
Mahmoud Abbas not to reconcile with Hamas.  Yediot reported that 
Secretary Rice is expected to pressure Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to 
 
SIPDIS 
publically declare that Israel is willing to discuss the Saudi peace 
initiative with the hope that this will convince Saudi Arabia to 
participate in the international conference this fall.Israel Radio 
reported that Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said on 
Monday following a meeting with Arab foreign ministers in Cairo that 
they will tell Secretary Rice  in Sharm el-Sheikh that the proposed 
fall peace conference must address all issues relating to Israel 
including rlands  captured from Syria. 
 
The Jerusalem Post, citing diplomatic officials in Israel, reported 
that restrictions on several components in the arms sale to Saudi 
Arabia could complicate matters when Secretary Rice visitsJeddah on 
Tuesday and tries to convince the Saudis to play a more public role 
in promoting the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. The newspaper 
also reported that the arms deal with Saudi Arabia would face stiff 
opposition in Congress as congressmen have pledged to block the 
deal. 
 
Maariv continued reporting on a planned economic peace conference. 
The paper wrote thatthe Israeli-Palestinian Business Council (IPBC) 
is behind the venture and that it may take place in late October. 
The paper speculated that Prime Minister Olmert, PA Chairman Abu 
Mazen and Quartet envoy Tony Blair will take part. 
 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that Palestinian Prime Minister Salam 
Fayad of Fatah said in a press conference on Sunday that: 
 
"resistance is the legitimate right of the Palestinian people which 
is under occupation." Fayad noted that the recently presented 
platform for his new government is designed for the post occupation 
period. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that a week ago the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
published new guidelines allowing renewed diplomatic ties with 
Palestinian representatives around the world. 
 
Yediot reported that the Iranian regime is enhancing efforts to 
recruit Hebrew speakers for its intelligence service.  Iranians have 
been approaching Hebrew speaking Arabs, such as Palestinians, who 
are studying in third countries. According to the newspaper, this 
effort is being led by Hizbullah. 
 
All media reported that the US Congress last week voted to loosen 
restrictions for the Visa Waiver Program.  The media noted that 
Israel could be one of the additional 12 countries that will meet 
the new criteria.  The media also emphasized that even following a 
presidential OK, the program might take another year to implement. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Hamas militiamen prevented the 
distribution of three Fatah newspapers in Gaza. 
 
-------- 
Mideast: 
-------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Veteran senior columnist Yoel Marcus wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Bush is ending his failed career the only 
way America knows how: Here, take the money, and work it out 
yourselves." 
 
Columnist Anshel Pfeffer wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post: "Tony Blair might have been an effective prime 
minister, but he's now on the path to being a has-been.  Anyway, his 
American friends weren't prepared to entrust him with anything more 
than being an economic coordinator.  Not that they're doing much 
better.  What are the chances that the weakest and most discredited 
U.S. administration in living memory, whose rating is low especially 
in this region, will succeed where no one has before in resolving 
our conflict?" 
Well-known novelist and journalist Amos Oz wrote in the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "If [Olmert and Abu 
Mazen] muster the courage and reach a draft agreement, and if that 
draft agreement is put to a referendum in Israel and Palestine, it 
will become evident to everyone that the two peoples are willing to 
reach a compromise solution.... The two peoples already know what 
 
the bottom line is.  And they are destined to accept that bottom 
line in a referendum -- even if they do so through gritted teeth." 
 
Columnist Caroline Glick wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post: "If the US were willing to understand the clear 
lessons from its Cold War experience in the Middle East, it would 
not be pushing Israel to weaken itself still further through land 
giveaways to Iran's Palestinian proxies.  It would not be actively 
undercutting Israel's national security by supplying sophisticated 
weapons to the Saudis." 
 
Former Director General of the Prime Minister office Yossi Ben 
Aharon wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv: "The most dangerous 
possible outcome of this conference would be for the Olmert 
government to internalize the conflict.... Implementing this idea 
will turn Israel into a protge of the international community and 
hurt its sovereignty dearly.  All this will be in exchange for an 
agreement that bears no resemblance to peace." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I. "Work it Out Yourselves" 
 
Veteran senior columnist Yoel Marcus wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (07/31): "The American decision to sell 
billions of dollars' worth of cutting edge weapon technology to 
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, and to compensate Israel by 
increasing military aid to $30 billion over the next decade, boils 
down to an admission by President George W. Bush that after two 
botched terms, he is leaving behind a lot of scorched earth.  The 
situation in Iraq is gridlocked; Iran is still developing the bomb; 
al-Qaida continues to stalk the earth; and the two-state solution in 
our neck of the woods is still far from being implemented, if it 
ever will be.  His push for democratic elections in the territories 
has produced Hamastan in Gaza.  Bush is ending his failed career the 
only way America knows how: Here, take the money, and work it out 
yourselves." 
 
II. "From Winds of War to Seeds of Peace?" 
 
 
 
Columnist Anshel Pfeffer wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerualem Post (07/31): "Only a few weeks ago, just about everyone 
... was predicting a war this summer.  Now, they've all disappeared 
and in their place we suddenly have a procession of peace-makers 
descending on Jerusalem.... Tony Blair might have been an effective 
prime minister, but he's now on the path to being a has-been. 
Anyway, his American friends weren't prepared to entrust him with 
anything more than being an economic coordinator.  Not that they're 
doing much better.  What are the chances that the weakest and most 
discredited US administration in living memory, whose rating is low 
especially in this region, will succeed where no one has before in 
resolving our conflict?  Neither is this a particularly good period 
for the Arab League -- with Iraq in ruins, Lebanon tottering on the 
brink, and the rest of the members shaky and at each other's 
throats.  Even if all these intermediaries were actually capable of 
brokering an agreement, could the most unpopular Israeli prime 
minister in history push it through the Knesset, let alone sell it 
to the Israeli public?  As for Abbas, he isn't even in control of 
half his territory and people.  Meanwhile, Hamas, which is really 
calling the shots, is out of the negotiations.... We might not be 
facing war in the next few weeks, but an outbreak of peace isn't in 
the cards either." 
 
III. "Good News" 
 
Well-known novelist and journalist Amos Oz wrote in the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (07/31): "The separation 
between Gaza under Hamas rule and the West Bank that is controlled 
by the moderates serves us with an historic opportunity to make 
peace between Israel and the Mahmoud Abbas government.  Both the 
Olmert government and the Abbas government accept the principle of 
two states for two peoples, the idea of land for peace and the 
approach that champions ending the Israeli occupation.  The points 
in contention are plentiful, but over none are the parties separated 
by an unbridgeable gap. Intensive negotiations are likely to bridge 
the differences and produce a draft agreement.... The Israeli 
gestures are liable to turn into nothing more than crumbs tossed to 
the poor if they are not followed by intensive and far-seeing 
negotiations for the resolution of all the issues that still remain 
in contention and to the establishment of Palestinian state on the 
West Bank.... Are the governments of Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas 
strong enough to persuade the two peoples to accept an agreement in 
which both are going to have to make painful concessions? ... if 
they both muster the courage and reach a draft agreement, and if 
that draft agreement is put to a referendum in Israel and Palestine, 
it will become evident to everyone that the two peoples are willing 
to reach a compromise solution.... The two peoples already know what 
the bottom line is.  And they are destined to accept that bottom 
line in a referendum -- even if they do so through gritted teeth." 
 
IV. "America's best friends" 
 
Columnist Caroline Glick wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post (07/31): "There are two principal causes of the US's 
coolness toward Israel and warm embrace of the Saudis.  First, the 
administration's failure to achieve its goals in Iraq strengthened 
the influence of the Saudi's Cold War proponents.  These proponents, 
led by former secretary of state James Baker's disciples Secretary 
of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, 
advance their Saudi-centric agenda while paving the way for a US 
withdrawal from Iraq without victory.... The second cause of the 
administration's hostility toward Israel is the Olmert government's 
irresolute handling of the Second Lebanon War last year.... Last 
summer the Olmert government led Israel to defeat in Lebanon, it 
weakened the standing of administration officials who view Israel as 
a strategic ally and oppose the Saudis, while strengthening Israel's 
Baker-inspired foes who view Israel as a strategic liability.  The 
Olmert government's enthusiastic embrace of capitulation as a 
national policy toward the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria merely 
serves to strengthen the US view that Israel is a strategic 
liability rather than an asset.  Yet the lessons of the Cold War, 
and those of the past 15 years remain clear.  The Saudis remain at 
best fair-weather friends to the US, while Israel's strength or 
weakness directly impacts US national security and geopolitical 
interests.... If the US were willing to understand the clear lessons 
from its Cold War experience in the Middle East, it would not be 
pushing Israel to weaken itself still further through land giveaways 
to Iran's Palestinian proxies.  It would not be actively 
undercutting Israel's national security by supplying sophisticated 
weapons to the Saudis.  It would be admonishing the Olmert 
government for its irresponsible behavior and exhorting Israel not 
to go wobbly because it is needed for the larger fight." 
 
¶V. "No Resemblance to Peace" 
 
Former Director General of the Prime Minister office Yossi Ben 
Aharon wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv (07/31): "The 
international conference scheduled for September is totally 
different from the one held in 1991 [the Madrid Peace Conference]. 
Back then all Arab elements ... deterred from holding direct 
negotiations with Israel.... Since then the situation has completely 
changed and we held negotiations with everyone.  So why do we need 
this conference now?  Olmert and his deputy do not miss a chance to 
declare on far-fetching concessions to the Palestinians.... The 
current American administration - perceived as more friendly then 
the one of Bush senior - puts Israel in face of done deals, it 
intervenes in the details of the negotiations and Olmert does not 
react.  The most dangerous possible outcome of this conference would 
be for the Olmert government to internalize the conflict.... 
Implementing this idea will turn Israel into a protge of the 
international community and hurt its sovereignty dearly.  All this 
will be in exchange for an agreement that bears no resemblance to 
peace." 
JONES