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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002842 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
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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.  President Ahmadinejad at Columbia University 
 
¶2.  Mideast 
 
¶3.  Libya 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Leading electronic media quoted President Bush as saying on Monday 
at a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in 
New York City on Monday.  "I strongly support the creation of a 
Palestinian state. I believe it's in the interests of the 
Palestinian people, I believe it's in the interests of Israel to 
have a democracy living side-by -- democracies living side-by-side 
in peace."  The Jerusalem Post quoted a senior official in PM 
Olmert's bureau as saying on Monday that Israel will "be happy to 
attend the US-sponsored meeting later this year in Washington even 
if Syria is invited.  The official was responding to statements made 
on Sunday by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice indicating that 
Syria, which both Israeli and US officials have in recent weeks 
hinted would not be welcomed at the conference, would indeed be 
invited. 
 
All media highlighted the speech delivered by Iranian President 
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia University on Monday, where he 
evaded the question of whether he would seek the destruction of 
Israel.  Instead, he said that to solve the "60-year problem, we 
must allow the Palestinian people to decide its future itself."  He 
was quoted as saying: "Why is it that the Palestinian people are 
paying the price for an event they had nothing to do with?"   He was 
quoted as saying that "nothing is absolute" about the Holocaust.  He 
also said that Iran is the country that cooperates most with the 
International Atomic Energy Agency.  The Jerusalem Post quoted 
officials in the Foreign Ministry as saying that FM Tzipi Livni 
undermined her own message that Iran is a threat to the entire 
world, and not just to Israel, by breaking diplomatic decorum and 
attending a protest rally against Ahmadinejad on Monday. 
 
Leading media reported that 10,000 demonstrators rallied in New York 
against Ahmadinejad.  Maariv bannered: "In America's Face." 
 
All media reported that on Monday Attorney General Menachem Mazuz 
ordered police to launch a criminal investigation against PM Ehud 
Olmert on suspicion of bribery.  Olmert allegedly received favorable 
terms for the purchase of his home on Jerusalem's Cremieux Street in 
return for helping the contractor who sold it to him.  However, 
Ha'aretz reported that senior police officials doubt their ability 
to carry out an investigation.  They cited the amount of relevant 
information that has already been published in official documents 
and the media as the cause of their pessimism and frustration. 
Additionally, all media reported that Mazuz decided to launch a 
criminal probe against former finance minister Abraham Hirchson on 
charges of fraud and theft. 
 
National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was quoted as 
saying in an interview with Ha'aretz that imprisoned Fatah leader 
Marwan Barghouti will become the Palestinians' next leader. 
Ben-Eliezer was quoted as saying: "We have to find a suitable 
opportunity to release Barghouti, and we have to link it to the 
release of Gilad Shalit." 
 
Major media quoted PM Olmert as saying in remarks to the Knesset's 
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that neither Syria 
nor Israel are interested in a military confrontation.  He also told 
the committee that the recent violence in Lebanon, in which an 
anti-Syrian member of parliament was assassinated, is very 
troubling.  With regard to the international conference scheduled to 
take place in Washington in November, Olmert insisted that it is not 
a peace conference, but rather a gathering meant to offer 
international support to the diplomatic process between Israel and 
the PA.  He expressed hope that at the end of the meeting, he will 
be able to present a joint declaration with PA Chairman Mahmoud 
Abbas on the fundamental issues.  "I intend to meet Abu Mazen 
[Abbas] once more next week, and immediately after that, the two 
sides will begin work in an effort to formulate a joint declaration. 
 At this time, there is no draft, but if there is something that 
requires the government's approval, that will happen," Olmert 
promised.  He acknowledged that he does not take concerns about the 
Palestinian government's ability to implement its diplomatic 
commitments lightly.  "There is a Palestinian leadership that wants 
to move forward with us on a diplomatic level.  Abu Mazen and [Prime 
Minister] Salam Fayyad want to make peace and support a two-state 
solution ... They are the ones [to deal with], and if they are not, 
then no one will be."  Olmert was further quoted as saying that he 
would be willing to withdraw from a vast amount of territory in the 
West Bank in return for a genuine peace agreement.  The Jerusalem 
Post cited denial by Olmert's bureau that Olmert said that a 
final-status agreement could take 20 to 30 years. 
 
Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair told Channel 2-TV on Monday 
that the upcoming Mideast meeting in the U.S. should serve as a 
stepping stone toward a peace accord between Israelis and 
Palestinians.  Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that Chairman Abbas 
told Secretary Rice that PM Olmert has agreed that Jerusalem will be 
the capital of the Palestinians state. 
 
Yediot reported that a senior Syrian official told Reuters that 
Syria has decided to exercise restraint and not to attack Israel 
following its alleged operation on its soil.  Israel Radio quoted 
Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal as saying in an interview 
with the London-based Al-Hayat that there are not preparations for 
war in his country but that the Syrian response to the operation 
would come when the time is right.  Leading media reported that 
senior Syrian officials told Reuters that the Israeli operation has 
eliminated the chance for peace and that Israel has a military edge 
over Syria. 
 
Yediot reported that five-day maneuvers of the Egyptian Army ended 
on Monday.  The newspaper reported that Egyptian ground and air 
forces conducted an exercise simulating the crossing of the Suez 
Canal, as during the Yom Kippur War.  Yediot quoted Israeli defense 
sources as saying that Israel should monitor such exercises. 
 
All media reported that Labor Knesset Member Ami Ayalon was sworn in 
as minister-without-portfolio.  He had to contend with harsh 
accusations from colleagues across the political board for entering 
the cabinet despite previous pledges to the contrary. 
 
Maariv reported that the association "Bayit Ehad" (One House), which 
promotes an evacuation (with compensation) of West Bank settlements 
found out that around 2,000 settlers are interested.  Meretz MK 
Avshalom Vilan and Labor MK Colette Vital are among the founders of 
Bayit Ehad. 
 
Yediot cited the hope of Raed Nasra, an Israeli-Arab friend of 
Daniel Sharon, the dual Israeli-German citizen who was arrested in 
Lebanon several days ago, that former MK Azmi Bishara -- who fled 
Israel amidst allegations that he provided intelligence to Hizbullah 
-- will help release him.  Yediot quoted Beirut sources as saying 
that senior intelligence officers in several Arab states intend to 
severely punish Israelis with dual citizenship who enter Arab 
countries. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that on Monday the High Court of Justice gave the 
Jewish National Fund (JNF) and Israel Lands Administration three 
months to reach a comprehensive agreement to resolve discriminatory 
policy in allocating land to Arabs. 
 
Yediot quoted a senior Israeli defense official as saying on Monday 
that Israel plans to establish a military academy. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that on Monday the Bank of Israel elected to leave 
interest rates unchanged. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶1.  President Ahmadinejad at Columbia University: 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The average American is not familiar with 
the regional complexities.  He is tired of the region's fighting. 
To him, Ahmadinejad's idea may sound tempting." 
 
Eytan Gilboa, Professor of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University 
and an expert on US politics, wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Ahmadinejad wanted to capitalize on his 
visit to the UN General Assembly for an offensive on American public 
opinion." 
 
Columnist and Law Professor Amnon Rubinstein, who currently teaches 
at Columbia University, wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv: 
"Experience proves that dictators do not know how to interpret the 
signals that they hear in the democratic world that is alien to 
them." 
 
Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz wrote on page one of the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "Much of [Ahmadinejad's] 
audience was not only deluded and swayed by the big lies, but was 
evidently unperturbed by some of the despicable truths he vouchsafed 
as well." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Israel Is the Big Loser" 
 
Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (9/25): "The Iranian President's visit to 
Columbia University in New York on Monday resulted in one clear 
loser: Israel.  In his speech, Ahmadinejad took aim at Israel.  If 
he managed to convince one person of his views on Israel and 
Zionism, then he has already gained.  If he managed to persuade 50, 
then he has gained even more.  For months, Israel worked fervently 
to prevent what happened on the podium on Monday.  For the duration 
of his speech, Ahmadinejad produced a televised illusion: It is not 
Iran versus the world, but Iran versus Israel. If he manages to 
convince enough people of this, the mirage could become reality and 
Israel would be isolated, and that is exactly what Ahmadinejad is 
trying to accomplish.... The pro-Israel camp consoled itself with 
the knowledge that those who are familiar with the regional 
complexities, and with Tehran's antics, will surely realize the 
absurdity of Ahmadinejad's proposal.  But the average American is 
not familiar with the regional complexities.  He is tired of the 
region's fighting.  To him, Ahmadinejad's idea may sound tempting." 
 
II.  "Congruence of Interests" 
 
Eytan Gilboa, Professor of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University 
and an expert on US politics, wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot (9/25): "Like any terrorist leader and 
like his partner Hassan Nasrallah, Ahmadinejad combines violence 
with propaganda very well. Ahmadinejad wanted to capitalize on his 
visit to the UN General Assembly for an offensive on American public 
opinion.... Columbia's interest in the publicized event and 
AhmadinejadQs interest in gaining legitimacy coincided.  Freedom of 
speech has nothing to do with this disgraceful event, and it is very 
unlikely that the innocent students of international relations at 
Columbia will learn anything from it about morality and power in our 
world today.  We can hope that the heavy donors to Columbia, most of 
whom are Jews, will react in a way that will cause the 
publicity-hungry Bollinger to regret inviting the most fascist 
leader that exists in the world today." 
 
III.  "The Columbia Disaster" 
 
Columnist and Law Professor Amnon Rubinstein, who currently teaches 
at Columbia University, wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv 
(9/25): "Freedom of speech -- an important and lofty principle of 
all democratic regimes -- is usually debated in cases of censorship 
or of oppression: a person, or a newspaper, writes something, and 
someone else tries to shut them up....   Censorship and suppression 
were greatly reduced by supreme courts in both [the United States 
and Israel].  Everyone has freedom of speech, including serial 
murderers.  The question that comes up in this case, has nothing to 
do with censorship or suppression, but of giving a university seal 
of approval to opinions that have already been expressed and been 
given world wide attention.  The serial murderer has freedom of 
speech, but he does not have the right to be a guest at Columbia 
University.  This is a matter for judgment, not for freedom of 
speech, and the judgment of the university administration was 
completely flawed.  Why?  Because experience proves that dictators 
do not know how to interpret the signals that they hear in the 
democratic world that is alien to them." 
 
IV.  "Big Lies and Pernicious Truths" 
 
Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz wrote on page one of the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (9/25): "The President of 
Iran, a nation disseminating a perverted Islamist ideology that 
obligates the indiscriminate killing of non-believers, a country 
directly encouraging the deaths of American soldiers right now in 
Iraq, came to a prominent institute of American learning.  Canny, 
well-prepared, and sharp, he emerged, there should be no doubt, with 
greater legitimacy than when he went in, and thus strengthened his 
standing back home and his capacity to engineer more harm.  But 
perhaps saddest and most worrying of all much of his audience was 
not only deluded and swayed by the big lies, but was evidently 
unperturbed by some of the despicable truths he vouchsafed as 
well." 
 
------------ 
¶2.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "There are 
still two months before the conference in Washington, and it is 
important that this time is used to further the process in which the 
conference is central, and to prepare for the next stages in the 
negotiations for the solution of the conflict and the establishment 
of a Palestinian state." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Don't Be Petty or Stingy" 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (9/25): "'As is 
always the case with the Middle East, one should recognize that the 
road ahead is one that is very difficult,' [Secretary of State 
Condoleezza] Rice said on Sunday at the completion of the meeting of 
the Quartet.  While recognizing that this is indeed the case, and 
assuming that Israel has a clear interest in the peace conference 
taking place and succeeding, it is important that the government 
make every attempt to bolster this diplomatic effort and avoid 
actions that may undermine it.... Israel must show openness and 
flexibility in the negotiations on the formulation of the 
declaration of principles that will be presented at the 
conference.... The professional atmosphere that has characterized 
the Abbas-Olmert talks to date must also guide their aides.... It is 
hard to see how tiny steps [by the government of Israel] will 
advance the declared aim -- bolstering Abbas's standing among the 
Palestinian public -- if these are not felt by the people in the 
West Bank.  There are still two months before the conference in 
Washington, and it is important that this time is used to further 
the process in which the conference is central, and to prepare for 
the next stages in the negotiations for the solution of the conflict 
and the establishment of a Palestinian state." 
 
 
 
 
 
---------- 
¶3.  Libya: 
---------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Intelligence affairs correspondent Gad Shimron wrote in the popular, 
pluralist Maariv: "Despite his efforts and mostly his statements, 
the Libyan ruler is unable to overcome the old and well-known 
Qadhafi." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"The Return of the Qadhafi" 
 
Intelligence affairs correspondent Gad Shimron wrote in the popular, 
pluralist Maariv (9/25): "For some years Muammar Qadhafi, Libya's 
perennial leader, has been presenting himself as someone who wishes 
to be reintegrated in the family of nations.... But, since the 
1970s, Qadhafi has claimed sovereignty over the northern part of 
Niger, saying this is Libyan territory.  The Agadez province is 
Niger's main source of income -- gold, oil in small quantities with 
a good chance of finding new fields, and mostly rich uranium mines 
producing 3,500 tons annually.... Yes, it is the same uranium that 
was involved in the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.... Why has 
Qadhafi now decided to take over the Agadez?.... Despite his efforts 
and mostly his statements, the Libyan ruler is unable to overcome 
the old and well-known Qadhafi." 
 
JONES