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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Secretary Rice to Israel, West Bank, October 14-18, 2007 
 
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------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
The media reported that on Sunday Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice met with PM Ehud Olmert, and that she is scheduled to meet with 
PA Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah today. The 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz quoted sources in the Prime 
Minister's Bureau as saying that Secretary Rice has no intention of 
imposing on Israel "anything that will not be acceptable to it." 
Ha'aretz quoted Olmert as saying during his meeting with Rice: "I 
would very much like for there to be a joint declaration at the 
summit, but the Palestinians also know that this has never been a 
precondition."  Leading media reported that he also reiterated that 
the diplomatic process must follow the Roadmap.  Ha'aretz reported 
that Palestinian sources expect Rice to raise in her meeting with 
Chairman Abbas, coalition problems faced by Olmert's government and 
that the mention of a timetable or core issues -- refugees, 
Jerusalem, borders -- will result in the government's fall.  The 
same sources were quoted as saying that the Palestinians will ask 
Rice to press Israel to agree on a detailed statement on core issues 
for the Annapolis meeting.  The Palestinians are also expected to 
raise two other issues: IsraelQs decision to expropriate land for 
E-1 development, and the decision to resume excavations near the 
Temple Mount (it has been temporarily blocked by a parliamentary 
maneuver). 
 
Ha'aretz reported that on Sunday Rice met with Defense Minister Ehud 
Barak, Industry and Trade Minister Eli Yishai, and Finance Minister 
Roni Bar-On -- all of whom warned against focusing on the core 
issues.  "The Israeli public feels that the concessions are only 
getting bigger from one summit to another," Yishai told Rice. "From 
our point of view, any discussion on Jerusalem is out of the 
question and any agreements on the core issues will mean the fall of 
the government," he warned.  However, leading media reported that 
Secretary Rice was adamant in her position. "We have rejected this 
 
SIPDIS 
approach for decades," she was quoted as saying.  "Decisions must be 
made without running away from the issues.  Only dealing with the 
core issues will bolster the diplomatic process."  The Secretary of 
State also declared: "The time has come for a Palestinian state. I 
agree that the partners are weak, but we must bolster them."  Barak 
informed Rice that a permanent roadblock on the road connecting 
Bethlehem and Hebron will be dismantled.  The Defense Minister also 
told Rice that the PA has still not completed the deployment of 500 
Palestinian police officers in Nablus, even though they received 
permission to do so during her previous visit to the region.  Barak 
reiterated that the ability of Israel to operate freely in security 
matters in the West Bank is a basic principle that must be 
protected. 
 
Speaking to the cabinet on Sunday, Olmert said that his decision to 
appoint FM Tzipi Livni as the head of the negotiating team with the 
Palestinians came after "I was convinced that it is necessary to 
include a senior politician in the negotiations."  Olmert was quoted 
as saying that his chief of staff, Yoram Turbowicz, who had served 
as the head of the negotiating team, had suggested Livni, 
"emphasizing the fact that if the Palestinian head of negotiators is 
Abu Ala [former prime minister Ahmed Qurei], then it is appropriate 
that the Israeli side will also be represented by a senior 
government figure."  Olmert told the cabinet that "we are very much 
interested in the basis of the declaration being approved by the 
relevant persons in Israel and among the Palestinians, with 
subsequent talks about the possibility of establishing a Palestinian 
state next to Israel."  The PM spoke out against a timetable for the 
negotiations, adding that "I and others believe that such a 
timetable causes more obstacles." Ha'aretz reported that for her 
part, Livni is concerned that a crisis in the talks may develop in 
the coming weeks as expectations on the part of both the 
Palestinians and the international community are too high.  The 
popular, pluralist Maariv quoted Israeli political sources as saying 
that Livni's appointment is a "honey trap." 
 
Ha'aretz reported that senior Japanese diplomats told Ha'aretz last 
week that Japan has recently requested Washington and Jerusalem to 
allow it to participate in the Annapolis meeting.  Ha'aretz quoted 
sources at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem as saying they were 
inclined to support Japan's request. 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post and other media 
reported that last week settlers broke talks with Defense Minister 
Barak's office over the possible voluntary evacuation of some 
unauthorized outposts.  The settlers are angered by their belief 
that Barak has halted all new construction plans in the West Bank. 
 
All media covered -- banners in all media outlets, except the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot -- an order given on 
Sunday to the police by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to open a 
third investigation against PM Ehud Olmert.  The latest probe, which 
covers four different affairs, relates to Olmert's tenure as 
industry and trade minister in 2003-2005 under then PM Ariel Sharon. 
 On Sunday various politicians demanded that Olmert suspend himself 
due to the plethora of criminal investigations against him.  The 
media reported that Olmert called the investigations "unnecessary." 
 
Ha'aretz reported that sources in the defense establishment told the 
newspaper that Israel has recently agreed to grant West Bank 
resident status to some 5,000 people who seek family reunification. 
The sources explained that the recipients had asked to be recognized 
as West Bank residents in the past.  The sources were quoted as 
saying that the decision to approve their request was part of a 
goodwill, however, the approval is a one-off incident and does not 
represent a renewal of the family-reunification mechanism Israel 
halted in 2001, following the outbreak of the second Intifada. 
 
All media reported that on Sunday the GOI denied Ash-Sharq 
Al-Awsat's report that the two IDF soldiers abducted by Hizbullah in 
July 2006 were transferred to Iran.  Leading media quoted Ali 
Nourizadeh, the Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat journalist who published the 
report, as saying that "Israelis will be surprised when the prisoner 
swap is formed."  Yediot Aharonot's lead story is about a trip by 
MIA Ron Arad's daughter to Berlin to try to prevent the release of 
the Iranian terrorist Kazem Darabi. 
 
Maariv quoted IDF reserve officers involved in the preparation of a 
possible war with Syria as saying that the IAF has no real answer to 
the Syrian Army's medium- and long-rage missile batteries, and that 
the Israeli home front is not prepared for a massive rocket attack. 
The newspaper cited an official IDF response that this is the 
unfounded view of one or two reserve officers. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that PA officials told the newspaper on 
Sunday that the Egyptian authorities have released Nahro Massoud, a 
top Hamas operative wanted by the PA and Israel for his involvement 
in terror attacks over the past few years. 
 
Maariv ran a feature about Jewish-American NASA astronaut Geoffrey 
Hoffman, who will soon visit Israel. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Secretary Rice to Israel, West Bank, October 14-18, 2007: 
 
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----------------------------------- 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Rice's mission in the region 
this week is almost impossible.  She must bridge the Palestinians' 
rigid demands and has to defuse their call to draft a detailed 
agreement before the Annapolis conference.  Back in Jerusalem, she 
has to be mindful of Olmert's threats to disband the coalition if he 
is pressured into making concessions." 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar commented in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "[The President of the US] has a clear 
interest in seeing the process succeed, and he is holding carrots 
for the more flexible of the sides and a stick for the 
recalcitrant." 
 
The nationalist, Orthodox Makor Rishon-Hatzofe editorialized: "This 
time [Secretary Rice] is coming to reap achievements, despite the 
fact that she outwardly reiterates that she does not expect a 
breakthrough." 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "Any 
candidate for leader of the free world has the duty to explain how 
they would do so, not least to those members of their own party who 
have become blind to the most urgent global threats to everything 
they claim to believe in." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "A Shadow Negotiator" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (10/15): "The offer Olmert is 
making to Livni is simple enough.  Instead of warning against 
pitfalls, she will now have to lead the troops and avoid them.  That 
way, Livni will be forced to remain committed to a future agreement 
and share the blame in case the talks fail to produce that 
agreement.  The Premier gains from Livni's appointment in two 
additional respects.  It will help him both with the Palestinians 
and with the Americans.  US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who 
has so far had to deal with a reluctant Olmert and an eager Livni, 
will now have to confront her good friend, and say: 'Tzipi, your 
positions are non-starters and they will lead nowhere.'  Rice's 
mission in the region this week is almost impossible.  She must 
bridge the Palestinians' rigid demands and has to defuse their call 
to draft a detailed agreement before the Annapolis conference.  Back 
in Jerusalem, she has to be mindful of Olmert's threats to disband 
the coalition if he is pressured into making concessions.... The 
only problem is that Olmert will never allow Livni to succeed and be 
portrayed as the great peacemaker.  This means he and Abbas will 
have to engage in separate, secret talks.  It is within this sort of 
framework that the big decision will be made." 
 
II.  Only Bush Can" 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar commented in Ha'aretz (10/15): 
"Since the outbreak of the second Intifada seven years ago Israelis 
and Palestinians have not been this close to a peace agreement.  The 
failure of violence and the disappointment with unilateralism have 
brought the two sides back to the negotiating table.  Yet ... 
Israelis and Palestinians are in need of an active mediator.  The 
President of the United States is not only a counselor-mediator.  He 
has a clear interest in seeing the process succeed, and he is 
holding carrots for the more flexible of the sides and a stick for 
the recalcitrant.... Israeli and Arab leaders find it much easier to 
agree to the proposals of the American mediator than to 'surrender' 
to each other's demands.... In essence, Bush already formulated his 
mediating document three years ago.... All that Bush must do now is 
to add a short paragraph to the letter [he sent former Prime 
Minister Ariel Sharon in April 2004]: 'Israel will give the 
Palestinians a suitable territorial equivalent in return for the 
settlement blocs; the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem will be part 
of Palestine; the two sides will reach a detailed agreement on the 
exchange of territories; a special regime will be established in 
Jerusalem's Old City; a detailed agreement on all these issues, 
including the question of the refugees, will be reached with the 
help of the United States by the end of 2008.'  He should wrap this 
up nicely with an international aid package that includes economic 
and security assurances and add a few words about the kind of 
treatment that awaits the side that refuses to sign the 
letter-document.  If Bush is not willing to put such a document on 
the table, then it is truly best that he not send out invitations to 
Annapolis." 
 
III.  "Rice's Pressure" 
 
The nationalist, Orthodox Makor Rishon-Hatzofe editorialized 
(10/15): "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in this 
region to complete the preparations for the conference that will 
take place next month in Annapolis.  This time she is coming to reap 
achievements, despite the fact that she outwardly reiterates that 
she does not expect a breakthrough ... Prime Minister Olmert who is 
willing to withdraw from Judea and Samaria [i.e. the West Bank] and 
Jerusalem is not folding at the moment to Washington's pressure.... 
[Shas party leader and cabinet minister Eli] Yishai believes that 
[by focusing on general issues] the diplomatic matters can be 
bypassed in the agenda.  But the Palestinians are still adhering to 
diplomatic issues.  The question is where the US Secretary of State 
will position herself -- on the Palestinian or the Israeli side? 
This is no simple matter." 
 
IV.  "Who's Naive Now?" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (10/15): 
"As Democrats, it is hardly surprising that Clinton and Obama are 
opposed to giving President George Bush a blank check on anything, 
including a confrontation with Iran.  But they seem to have nothing 
to say to those many of their supporters who are much more concerned 
about Bush than about Ahmadinejad.  Whenever the two leading 
Democratic candidate start down the road of sanctioning Tehran -- to 
say nothing of military action or helping the Iranian people rid 
themselves of a hated regime - they are yanked back into a 
hyper-pacifist position by the ostrich wing of their party.  Perhaps 
all this can be dismissed as a function of the politics of 
primaries, in which each party's more extreme wing tends to flex its 
muscles.  Yet, what is more difficult to shrug off is how Clinton 
explained her latest position of supporting talks with Tehran.... 
However much Americans distrust Bush, they -- along with Europeans, 
Israelis, and free peoples everywhere -- understand that the Iranian 
regime is a menace that must be stopped.  Any candidate for leader 
of the free world has the duty to explain how they would do so, not 
least to those members of their own party who have become blind to 
the most urgent global threats to everything they claim to believe 
in." 
 
JONES