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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002948 
 
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.  Turkey 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Leading media reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will 
come to the region early next week.  Israel Radio reported that a 
three-way meeting will be held between her, PM Ehud Olmert, and PA 
Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas.  Leading media quoted Syrian 
President Bashar Assad as saying in an interview with two Tunisian 
newspapers: "Syria has not received an invitation to the [fall] 
conference, and even if it did, it will not take part in a 
conference that lacks any chance of success."  The Jerusalem Post 
reported that Assad's comments did not surprise Jerusalem, where one 
diplomatic official said that the meeting was aimed at solving the 
conflict through peace and dialogue, a position Damascus -- through 
its support of Hams and Hizbullah -- does not champion.  Yediot 
cited the Mossad's assessment that Syria would agree to peace Israel 
in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan.  However, 
the Mossad reportedly believes that if there is no progress in 
negotiations by 2009, Syria will resort to military provocations. 
 
Ha'aretz's Web site and other media reported that on Thursday 
Secretary Rice told reporters on the way to Moscow that she asked 
 
SIPDIS 
the Israeli Ambassador to the US, Sallai Meridor, for clarifications 
about an Israeli plan to build a road between Jerusalem and Ma'aleh 
Adumim, partly on confiscated Palestinian land.  Rice told the 
reporters that she has not received a reply. 
 
In an interview broadcast last night on Channel 10-TV, chief 
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that President Bush should 
not convene the Mideast peace meeting next month if Israel and the 
Palestinians are unable to reach an agreement in advance.  "Do you 
think President Bush will do what President Clinton did?" Erekat 
wondered aloud.  "I really doubt the Americans will issue the 
invitation if decisions are not made by Abbas and Olmert."  Erekat 
said an Israeli-Palestinian agreement  could be two-three pages and 
that Olmert and Abbas have agreed on some points, however he would 
not elaborate.  He also said that "negotiations are over. It's time 
 
for decisions. We have never been closer to achieving the end game 
than we are nowI don't want my son to be a suicide bomber."  Erekat 
dismissed the notion that neither Olmert nor Abbas is strong enough 
politically to make the concessions necessary or get the backing of 
their people.  "If Mr. Olmert and Mr. Abbas reach the agreement on 
the end game, they'll be the most important persons in this holy 
land since Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem," he said. Erekat 
repeated previous statements from the PA that any peace accord would 
be put before the Palestinian people in a referendum.  While 
admitting that Abbas's Fatah is not strong enough to retake Gaza by 
force, Erekat added that an endgame agreement would shut down Hamas 
without a shot being fired.  Leading media quoted a senior source in 
the IDF's General Staff as saying that the chance of Fatah returning 
to power in Gaza this decade is close to nonexistent and compared it 
to the likelihood that "Gorbachev will return to rule Russia." 
 
Maariv and Israel Radio quoted a senior Palestinian official on the 
negotiating team as saying that Israel has agreed to the terms of 
the 2001 Taba negotiations.  The radio quoted Abbas as saying that 
Israel should release all Palestinian prisoners by the conclusion of 
the negotiations.  On Thursday Israel Radio quoted senior Fatah 
official and former Palestinian PM Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala) as saying 
that if the fall meeting does not yield results, Palestinians are 
likely to respond with a third, more intensified Intifada.    Qurei 
was also quoted as saying that despite Abbas's statements on 
Wednesday demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from all lands 
captured in the 1967 Six-Day War, Palestinians were prepared to 
negotiate   borders. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that IDF Intelligence head Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin 
told the cabinet during a meeting this week that in the eyes of the 
PA leadership, the summit in the US must succeed.  Yadlin contended 
that if it does not, Israel will be blamed.  Hamas, Yadlin added, 
considers the summit a negative development and will  attempt major 
terrorist attacks  to undermine it.  The IDF is concerned that 
suicide bombers will be dispatched from the West Bank or an attack 
will be launched  against one of the crossing points to Gaza. 
 
Israel Radio reported that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has warned 
the PA not to make "further concessions" to Israel.  The Jerusalem 
Post quoted Christina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy 
chief Javier Solana, as saying on Thursday that the EU would support 
President Abbas if he reconciled with Hamas.  However, she was 
quoted as saying that the EU still held firm to its policy of not 
recognizing Hamas until it recognizes Israel. 
Ha'aretz reported that in a strongly worded message to the US, 
Israel said that the smuggling of weapons and militants from Egypt 
into the Gaza Strip is directly threatening the Annapolis 
conference.   Ha'aretz quoted senior Israeli political figures as 
saying on Thursday that in talks with their American counterparts, 
they stressed that the porous border in Sinai "is becoming a 
strategic problem" and asked them to raise the issue with the 
Egyptians.  The Israelis also expressed their frustration over 
Egyptian behavior towards Hamas, both in terms of the ease of 
smuggling and  Cairo's calls for Fatah and Hamas to renew 
negotiations for a unity government.   Ha'aretz reported that senior 
Israeli officials told the Americans: "Egypt is working against 
everything we are all trying to achieve.  We are organizing a summit 
to further the diplomatic process under the banner 'strengthening 
Abu Mazen,' and they are strengthening Hamas." 
 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe cited the assessment of right-wing Knesset 
members and jurists that the Jerusalem Arabs will demand enormous 
sums if the city is divided. 
 
All media reported that Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman 
(Yisrael Beiteinu) told Mideast envoy Tony Blair on Thursday that 
any attempt to address the core issues surrounding the establishment 
of a Palestinian state at the upcoming US-hosted peace meeting would 
"bring about the collapse of the coalition and the government in 
Israel."  Lieberman met with Blair in Jerusalem Thursday, and told 
him that any solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "must 
include Israel's Arab citizens as well, when the basis for an 
agreement should be a land swap and a population transfer." 
Lieberman also said that "the international community has to make a 
concerted effort to resolve the issues of Israel's security and the 
Palestinian economy." 
 
In an interview with Yediot's Nahum Barnea and Shimon Shiffer, Blair 
("The Man Who Came to Help") was optimistic on the peace process. 
 
Ha'aretz quoted Israeli defense sources as saying on Thursday that 
during his official visit to Jerusalem next week, Turkish Chief of 
Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit will focus on his country's strategic and 
defense relationship with Israel and not on the air strike the IDF 
carried out in Syria last month.  Major media voiced concerns that 
the House Foreign Relations Committee's decision to declare the 
World War I massacre of Armenians "genocide" might be detrimental to 
Israel. 
 
Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer was quoted in an interview 
with Yediot that the continued tenure of Accountant General Yaron 
Zelekha might harm the Israeli economy.  The media reported that on 
Thursday, in an unprecedented move, the entire elite of the Finance 
Ministry gathered to call for Zelekha's dismissal, charging that his 
conduct was harming the Israeli economy. 
 
Major media reported that Daniel Sharon, the dual Israeli-German 
citizen arrested in Lebanon on suspicion of involvement in murder 
and spying, was released on Tuesday and returned to Germany. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Ynet, the news Web site of the Yediot 
publishing group, is closing its English version [www.ynetnews.com], 
apparently within days, because it wasn't generating satisfactory 
revenues. 
 
Yediot quoted the Dutch Defense Ministry as saying that turning off 
the radar of a Dutch ship operating off the shores of Lebanon might 
prevent the detection of weapons being smuggled to Hizbullah.  The 
radar is suspected of being the source of interference to the 
broadcasts of the Israeli satellite TV company Yes. 
 
On Thursday IDF Radio reported that a right-wing group plans to 
launch a campaign next week calling for the release of PM Yitzhak 
Rabin's assassin, Yigal Amir. 
 
The Jerusalem Post lengthily exposed the attitudes of Democratic US 
Jews vis-a-vis presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack 
Obama. 
 
Maariv reported that the renowned American surfer Kelly Slater, who 
is of Syrian origin, will arrive in Israel to attend an event 
promoted by the peace oriented OneVoice movement. 
 
Israel Radio cited the results of a poll it sponsored: 
61.4% of Israelis believe that the fall meeting will not yield 
diplomatic progress, while 22.8% think it will.  The remaining 15.8% 
are undecided. 
 
Maariv cited the resultsQ a poll gauging the general confidence of 
Israelis, and members of the armed forces in the IDF: 
Only 25% of reservists express high confidence in the IDF's top 
brass. 
Only 40% of the public express high confidence in the IDF's top 
brass. 
Over 50% of young professional soldiers express interest in civilian 
jobs. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Olmert believes he will go to Annapolis from 
a position of strength.... George W. Bush, the friendly president, 
now in his final year of office, will not get into a confrontation 
with Israel." 
 
Columnist Caleb Ben-David wrote on page one of the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post (10/12): "[Secretary Rice's] one 
advantage over [James] Baker ... is that this time the two sides are 
already talking substance with each other." 
 
Conservative journalist Haggai Segal, a member of the Jewish 
Underground that was active in 1980, wrote on page one of the 
nationalist, Orthodox Makor Rishon-Hatzofe: "It is really funny to 
concede the Temple Mount while suddenly insisting on some side wall 
[the Western Wall]." 
 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "A Welcome Right-Wing Leverage" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (10/12): "Internal opponents are important -- 
they strengthen you outwardly.  That historic role is now being 
played by the Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu parties.... Faced with ... 
Palestinian demands and the pressures exerted by US Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice, who is to arrive in the region on Sunday for 
talks, Olmert has two cards he can play: Eli Yishai and Avigdor 
Lieberman, the leaders of Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu, 
respectively.... The view in the Prime Minister's Bureau is that the 
existing coalition will survive the Annapolis meeting and the 
declaration it will produce.  Shas has no ideological problem when 
it comes to negotiations with the Palestinians.... Lieberman's 
agenda is different.... A more forceful policy in southern Israel, 
which will reduce the extent of the rocket fire, will make it easier 
for him to stay in a government pursuing a political process with 
the Palestinians.  The implication is that Olmert should take a 
harder hand against Hamas, which will make public opinion more 
receptive to the anticipated concessions to Abbas.... Olmert 
believes he will go to Annapolis from a position of strength.... 
George W. Bush, the friendly president, now in his final year of 
office, will not get into a confrontation with Israel.  Unlike Rice, 
Bush is not eager to liberate the Palestinians from the yoke of the 
Israeli occupation." 
 
II.  "Can Condi 2007 Trump Baker 1991?" 
 
Columnist Caleb Ben-David wrote on page one of the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post (10/12): "[Secretary Rice's] one 
advantage over [James] Baker ... is that this time the two sides are 
already talking substance with each other.  But Rice's predicament 
is clearly evident in her lack of leverage with the rest of the 
guest list.... Assad's presence in Annapolis would anyway have 
likely been more of a hindrance than help in the main business of 
moving the Israeli-Palestinian tack along.  Not so the Saudis; 
indeed, the presence of Saudi Arabia at the meeting next month would 
be a genuine step forward, even if not much else is accomplished 
there." 
 
III.  "The Arab Wall" 
 
Conservative journalist Haggai Segal, a member of the Jewish 
Underground that was active in 1980, wrote on page one of the 
nationalist, Orthodox Makor Rishon-Hatzofe (10/12): "The old-new 
Palestinian demand of sovereignty over the Western Wall is coming 
back.  However unpleasant it is to say this, [the Palestinians] are 
right.... [As every place is considered a Muslim holy site] our wall 
is their wall -- not the Western Wall, but the Arab Wall.  After 
all, this is just a supporting wall.  All right, we might have some 
feelings for it.... At the beginning we might say 'absolutely not' 
... but in a matter of days we'll also get used to this idea.... It 
is really funny to concede the Temple Mount while suddenly insisting 
on some side wall." 
 
----------- 
¶2.  Turkey: 
----------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Columnist and former Meretz Party Chairman Yossi Sarid wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "There is no need to compare 
between holocausts to recognize other nations' suffering." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Today's Denial Is Tomorrow's Holocaust" 
 
Columnist and former Meretz Party Chairman Yossi Sarid wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (10/12): "Denying another 
nation's Holocaust is no less ugly than denying ours.  It is also 
dangerous.  Today's denial is tomorrow's Holocaust.... A week before 
invading Poland, Hitler addressed his officers.... 'Who, after all, 
speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?'  Such was 
Hitler's calming message to his troops.  The next time some Israel 
hater -- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for example -- denies the Jewish 
Holocaust, and we raise a hue and cry about it, there will be some 
self-righteous Gentiles ready to say, 'You're right, but we have our 
own Turkeys'... As natural and historic victims, we should be the 
ones to spread the message from one end of the world to another: 
what happened to us can happen again, to us and to the people of 
Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, Sudan, and Burma.  There is no need to 
compare between holocausts to recognize other nations' suffering." 
 
JONES