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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000460 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
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SIPDIS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  Iran 
 
¶3.  U.S.-Israel Relations 
 
¶4.  DPRK 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All media reported that on Wednesday afternoon a student at the 
Sapir College near Sderot was killed by a Qassam rocket and that 
Grad-style Katyusha rockets landed in Ashkelon.  Israeli strikes in 
Gaza killed 13 Palestinians, including three children and a baby, 
and media reported that among those killed were five Hamas members 
trained abroad for a special mission.  The media also played up an 
air strike against the Palestinian Interior Ministry near 
Palestinian (Hamas) PM Ismail Haniyeh's office in Gaza City. 
(Israel Hayom bannered: "IDF Hints: Haniyeh Is Not Immune.") 
Ha'aretz quoted a senior defense official as saying that the Israeli 
response to the rocket fire on Sderot and Ashkelon is expected to be 
particularly harsh, and that Israel does not intend to let Hamas's 
decision to escalate go unanswered. 
 
Leading media quoted Defense Minister Ehud Barak as saying that the 
solution to the Qassam problem will come soon.  However, PM Ehud 
Olmert was quoted as saying in Tokyo on Thursday morning, that 
Israel will not change its overall policy. "What is happening today 
happened a week ago, and is likely to happen in the near future," he 
was quoted as saying.  Olmert added: "We are in a war which 
sometimes exacts a high cost, and sometimes does not. We will 
continue fighting in order for the danger to the residents of the 
south to end.  This is a long process, and a painful one, and we 
haven't any magic formulas to solve this today.  We are suffering 
painful blows, but are returning more painful blows."  Israel Radio 
reported that Olmert told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 
Tokyo that Hamas is pushing Israel to the edge of its patience.  The 
Jerusalem Post quoted unnamed government sources as speculating that 
Barak will take a more aggressive line within the government than 
Olmert as he is "looking to prove himself" before the next 
 
election. 
 
Maariv's online service NRG and Israel Radio quoted PA Chairman 
[President] Mahmoud Abbas as saying in an interview with the 
Jordanian daily A-Dustur that he has not ruled out a future renewal 
of the armed struggle against Israel. Abbas was quoted as saying 
that he fired the first bullet at Israel back in 1965, that it was 
his organization that taught the Arabs the path of "resistance" and 
that Hizbullah was taught in Fatah training camps.  Abbas said in 
the course of the interview that at this stage he is opposed to the 
armed option, but added that he does not rule out a return to a 
military battle in the future. 
. 
The Jerusalem Post quoted PM Olmert as saying after talks with 
Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda on Wednesday that Israel and Japan will 
cooperate in efforts to stop development of nuclear weapons by Iran 
and North Korea. 
 
Leading media reported that on Tuesday, during a presidential debate 
with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democratic presidential hopeful 
Senator Barack Obama stressed his "stalwart" support for Israel and 
his ties to American Jews.  Obama stated his belief that Israel's 
security was "sacrosanct" and criticized African-American leader 
Louis Farrakhan, who had endorsed him, calling his anti-Israel and 
anti-Semitic statements "unacceptable and reprehensible." 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that on Tuesday UN Secretary-General Ban 
Ki-moon called suicide bombing an "unacceptable political weapon." 
He was quoted as saying that he will speak to the President of the 
General Assembly about holding a special session on the issue.  Ban 
spoke during a private meeting with officials from the Simon 
Wiesenthal Center, who urged the UN to designate suicide bombing a 
crime against humanity. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that as the UN prepares for a follow-up meeting 
next year to its 2001 World Conference against Racism, Canadian 
Senator Jerry Grafstein has proposed a counter-conference of human 
rights activists to combat anti-Semitism 
 
Yediot reported that over the past year right-wing former strategic 
affairs minister Avigdor Lieberman collaborated with former Meretz 
leader Yossi Sarid on issues of national security and the Iranian 
nuclear threat. 
 
In a paid ad in Ha'aretz (English Ed.), conservative activists, 
including former cabinet minister Uzi Landau (Likud), addressed the 
people of Israel and Sen. John McCain, saying, 'The jihadist' 
Palestinian state the U.S. State Department proposes to wedge 
between [Israel and Jordan] would guarantee a quick end to the peace 
and visibility of both these American allies.  It would, in short 
order, become the enshrined capital of radical Islam." 
 
Ha'aretz reported that "Eyes Wide Open," a new documentary film that 
follows American Jewish tourists in Israel and explores their 
complex and sometimes strained relationship with the Jewish State 
debuts tonight at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "The decision 
as to whether, how and when to embark on a [military] operation [in 
Gaza] will remain in Israel's hands.  We must hope that this 
decision will be both daring and level-headed." 
 
Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote on page one of the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (2/28): "IsraelQs policy 
is unclear, non-aggressive, inconsistent, and the cause of the 
ongoing failure on the Gaza front." 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "What 
the Hamas-inspired murderous rocket fire across the Gaza border 
should long since have made plain to all ... is that even territory 
cleared of every last vestige of Israeli presence does not sate the 
appetite of the Islamists." 
 
Editor-in-Chief Amnon Lord wrote in the nationalist, Orthodox Makor 
Rishon-Hatzofe: "Israel has no security policy.... In Sderot and 
other communities [aggression] has been going on forever." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "On the Edge in the South" 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (2/28): "The 
dozens of rockets that were fired on Wednesday from the Gaza Strip 
-- one of which killed Roni Yehiah, a 47-year-old father of four -- 
 
have placed the IDF on the threshold of a major raid into the 
Palestinian territory.  Crossing this threshold is soon liable to be 
seen as a necessity that cannot be condemned, but it can still be 
prevented.  Responsibility for the escalation lies entirely with the 
Palestinian side; in other words, the Hamas government.... Although 
the situation has worsened, a massive invasion of Gaza is not 
unavoidable, if outside forces can be harnessed to decree restraint 
on Hamas -- primarily U.S. President George W. Bush and Egyptian 
President Hosni Mubarak, whose senior emissaries are investing a 
great deal of diplomatic effort which has been unsuccessful so far 
in cooling the flames.  The U.S. Secretary of State and the Egyptian 
Intelligence Minister, both of whom are scheduled to arrive in 
Israel in the coming days, can and must make it clear to Hamas that 
if Israel is pushed into crossing the fence in Gaza should the 
efforts fail, the world will be understanding.  The decision as to 
whether, how and when to embark on an operation will remain in 
Israel's hands.  We must hope that this decision will be both daring 
and level-headed." 
 
II.  "The Price of Restraint" 
 
Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote on page one of the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (2/28): " IsraelQs 
policy is unclear, non-aggressive, inconsistent, and the cause of 
the ongoing failure on the Gaza front.  The political echelon does 
not want to take over the Gaza Strip, nor is the army eager to 
return to wallow in Gaza.  Everyone in the top political and 
military echelon knows exactly what we shouldn't do, but nobody 
wants to take risks -- political or military -- to put out the fire. 
 So what do we do?  They haven't a clue.... It is unthinkable that 
after Hamas's attack on Wednesday, the Hamas leadership continues to 
be exempt from threats to its life.  Hamas's military and political 
infrastructure must be dealt with.  This can be done even before the 
'large-scale ground operation' that nobody in Israel is ready for. 
But the political echelon is so scared of a deterioration that won't 
take this middle step for fear of giving Hamas a pretext to go 
crazy.  The problem is that paradoxically, this inaction will in 
fact bring about a ground operation sooner.  They (Hamas) realize 
that Israel's strategy begins and ends with 'controlling the height 
of the flames.'  Israeli restraint is perceived by them as 
hesitancy.  When the threats to their lives begin and end with 
newspaper headlines, they stop taking the threats seriously. Hamas's 
responses to  IDF activity will become more impudent and more 
aggressive, more Israelis will be killed and maimed, public pressure 
will increase, and we will then find ourselves -- because of 
distorted policy -- in a war that we don't want at a time not of our 
choosing." 
 
III.  "Insatiable Extremism" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (2/28): 
"It is long past time for the learned diplomats of the UN, and all 
too many other international statespeople, to stop excusing the 
Islamist supremacists and ignoring their avowed and insatiable 
ambitions.  This newspaper recognizes that for Israel to remain at 
once Jewish in character and democratic, it must relinquish 
territory to which it claims a biblical and historic right and 
separate from the Palestinians.  It looks forward to the day when 
the Palestinians will live peacefully, and independently, alongside 
Israel.  But Sharon's 'disengagement' did not advance that day.  And 
the failure is that of the Palestinians. A mindset that loathes 
Israel more than it seeks its own freedom will not be remade by 
Israeli withdrawal or endless international funding and sympathy.... 
Under Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, and now Ehud Olmert, we have sought 
somehow to separate from the Palestinians.  What the Hamas-inspired 
murderous rocket fire across the Gaza border should long since have 
made plain to all, however, is that even territory cleared of every 
last vestige of Israeli presence does not sate the appetite of the 
Islamists -- who, terribly, happen to constitute the parliamentary 
leadership freely elected by the Palestinian public, and the 
murderous sole rulers of Gaza." 
 
IV.  "Academic Cover" 
 
Editor-in-Chief Amnon Lord wrote in the nationalist, Orthodox Makor 
Rishon-Hatzofe (2/28): "Israel has no security policy.... The 
Israeli military and political leadership adjusts theories and goals 
to reality.... How can one explain that Israel is flooded with 
institutes and interdisciplinary centers ... and that all are busy 
analyzing security and strategic affairs?.... For over a year and a 
half, the Israeli leadership keeps repeating the failure of the 
Second Lebanon War, which ended after a month and a half.  In the 
south -- in Sderot and other communities -- this has been going on 
forever." 
 
--------- 
¶2.  Iran: 
--------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
Senior military affairs analyst Reuven Pedatzur wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "If ... by the end of George 
Bush's term -- the U.S. President does not order a military 
operation against Iran's nuclear sites, it is doubtful whether it 
would be possible to prevent Iran from turning into a nuclear state. 
 Jerusalem must start getting used to this and prepare for a 'new 
Middle East.'" 
 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Iran's Great Victory" 
 
Senior military affairs analyst Reuven Pedatzur wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (2/28): "IAEA Director Mohamed 
ElBaradei played into the Iranians' hands again.  Not only did he 
help their president to celebrate in Tehran, he also gave them 
another extension on their way to completing their nuclear weapons 
development.  Once again, as expected, ElBaradei missed the 
opportunity to unite the international community around the efforts 
to prevent Iran's nuclearization.... Even if Russia and China do not 
object, as expected, and the Security Council adopts the [sanctions] 
proposal, it is doubtful whether this would unduly upset the 
Iranians.  The conclusion is that if during the coming year -- by 
the end of George Bush's term -- the U.S. President does not order a 
military operation against Iran's nuclear sites, it is doubtful 
whether it would be possible to prevent Iran from turning into a 
nuclear state.  Jerusalem must start getting used to this and 
prepare for a 'new Middle East.'" 
 
-------------------------- 
¶3.  U.S.-Israel Relations: 
-------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post: "The record on Obama as an anti-Semite 
or enemy of Israel is utterly blank.... Depicting him as an 
anti-Semite or an enemy of Israel is the stuff of a hate campaign." 
 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Islamophobia, Obamaphobia" 
 
Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post (2/28): "I support John McCain for 
president, and I think Obama is too inexperienced in military and 
foreign affairs to be president now.  But as far as anyone has been 
able to find out, he has never made anything even close to an 
anti-Semitic or anti-Israeli remark in his life -- unless you think 
that expressing sympathy for Palestinians, and preferring Middle 
East diplomacy to Middle East war, is inherently anti-Israeli and 
anti-Semitic.  There are lots of Jews in America and Israel who do 
think this way, and if Obama wins the Democratic nomination as 
expected, we are going to be hearing more from them.... The record 
on Obama as an anti-Semite or enemy of Israel is utterly blank. 
He's not a Muslim, either.... Even in politics there is a red line, 
and on the other side of that red line is what's called a hate 
campaign.  Deliberately drawing attention to Obama's middle name, 
Hussein, is the stuff of a hate campaign.  Depicting him as an 
anti-Semite or an enemy of Israel is the stuff of a hate campaign. 
For information on how you can become part of it, contact 
Republicans Abroad in Israel." 
 
 
--------- 
¶4.  DPRK: 
--------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker opined in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Rather than showing a softening of the 
North Korean regime, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's visit to 
Pyongyang demonstrated the distortion of thought in America and the 
darkening of its values." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Would the Orchestra Have Played in 1938 Berlin?" 
 
Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker opined in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot (2/28): "The New York Philharmonic 
Orchestra flew this week to the North Korean capital, enchanting for 
one evening the ears of its residents -- more exactly, those of the 
senior members of the Communist Party, in a superb concert..... 
Indeed, this was a historic moment.  America's cultural elite opened 
its arms to embrace the darkest, most murderous, and most crazed 
regime on earth.... I watched the live broadcast of the American 
networks; I read the stories from there as they appeared in the U.S. 
newspapers, and I shuddered.  What happened to the reporters and 
broadcasters' natural critical sense?  What happened to their 
liberal world view?.... Of course the orchestra collaborated with 
tyranny.... The visit of the orchestra to Pyongyang resembles those 
of 'progressive' Western writers and artists in Stalin's Soviet 
Union during the peak of red terror and the great famine.  They were 
welcomed like kings in Moscow, a city haunted by purges, whose 
residents were highly frightened by night visits by NKVD agents. 
[The Western visitors] reported on the Soviet citizens' joy of 
life.... Rather than showing a softening of the North Korean regime, 
the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's visit to Pyongyang 
demonstrated the distortion of thought in America and the darkening 
of its values." 
 
JONES