VZCZCXRO3231
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0685/01 1121105
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211105Z APR 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1251
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAS-ZD/DACS-ZK//
RUEAHQA/CSAF WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
RHMFIUU/CMC WASHINGTON DC
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7071
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4062
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3918
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5416
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3826
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2391

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 000685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS BBG 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR ABRAMS 
CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD 
LONDON FOR HKANONA AND POL - TSOU 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (04/21): ISRAELI INITIATIVES IN 
GAZA AND THE WEST BANK 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The lead story in Al-Quds quotes Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, one of Hamas' 
Gaza-based leaders, saying "we have agreed on all the Egyptian 
suggestions regarding a truce and a lifting of the siege," adding 
"[the delegation] will not go back to Gaza before overcoming all 
obstacles."  Related reports continue to track the visit of former 
President Carter, who is said to have reached a deal with Hamas that 
includes a truce in Gaza in exchange for an end to the Israeli siege 
and the opening of the border crossings.  Meanwhile, on-going 
violence in Gaza is featured in all dailies, including the death of 
three Palestinians following an Israeli airstrike on April 20. 
Photos of weeping children watching funerals in Gaza appear on the 
front pages of Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida carries a 
report on a symbolic funeral in Ramallah on April 20 for the Reuters 
cameraman killed in Gaza on April 16 by Israeli fire. 
 
Al Hayat Al Jadida reports that Prime Minister Salam Fayyad chaired 
a meeting with his security chiefs on April 20 in Ramallah to 
discuss the security situation in various Palestinian cities. 
Neither Al Quds nor Al-Ayyam reported on this event.  In related 
news, Ma'an quotes Palestinian police sources on several new 
appointments within the Palestinian police services at the request 
of the new commander of Palestinian police Hazim Atallah.  Tariq 
Al-Wahidi was appointed general director of the security department 
in the Palestinian police service, while Yousif Shahada moved to 
general director of the Salfeet district police, and Iyad Shtayya 
was appointed as general director of Palestinian judicial police. 
 
In continuing coverage of President Abbas' foreign travel, the 
dailies carry comments Abbas made in Tunis that "we are working 
towards reaching a framework with Israel before the end of Bush's 
term."  Related coverage on the front page of Al-Quds quotes Abbas 
that "talks with Bush and Rice during my visit to the United States 
will focus on how negotiations are going in light of meetings with 
Olmert." 
 
The three dailies carry a press release sent by ConGen Public 
Affairs Section on an Earth Day Clean-Up sponsored by the U.S. 
Consulate in cooperation with a school and youth association in East 
Jerusalem on April 20. Photos sent by PAS Jerusalem accompany the 
stories in Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida. 
 
According to Ma'an News Agency, Minister of Information and Foreign 
Affairs Riyad Al-Malki announced the Ministry of Information is in 
the process of amending Palestinian media laws. 
 
Al-Quds reports that "the Israeli authorities approved the building 
of 400 new housing units in Qalandia." 
 
--------------- 
Weekend Summary 
--------------- 
 
Sunday, April 20 
 
All dailies led with reports on the attack on Kerem Shalom by Hamas 
militants, reporting that 13 Israeli soldiers were injured and seven 
Palestinians were killed, including the three Hamas bombers who 
drove the three explosives-laden vehicles into the crossing used to 
transport goods into Gaza. None of the reports in the Palestinian 
dailies referred to the attack as a suicide operation, while the 
 
JERUSALEM 00000685  002 OF 003 
 
 
lead headlines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam focused on the 
Palestinians killed in Israeli aerial shelling that followed the 
attack.  The banner headline in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida declared, "12 
Martyrs in Several Massacres in Gaza Strip." 
 
Interactions and reported outcomes of former President Carter's 
second round of talks with Hamas leaders in Damascus continued to 
receive highlighted coverage in the dailies.  Al-Quds reported that 
Hamas will study suggestions presented by Carter, who will return to 
Jerusalem Monday to announce the results of his efforts on the 
issues of truce, prisoner exchanges, and opening of the Gaza 
crossings. 
 
Saturday, April 19 
 
President Abbas' meeting with Russian President Putin in Moscow 
received highlighted coverage in the local press.  Leading with the 
story, Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida quoted Abbas saying talks with 
Israel are facing difficulties.  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's lead headline 
cited remarks by Abbas that he will not agree to a memorandum of 
understanding with the Israelis as a substitute to a final and 
implementable agreement.  Other reports cited comments by Abbas 
during a TV interview that the Palestinians would not give up the 
right of return. 
 
Israel's plan to build 100 housing units in two West Bank 
settlements was the lead story in Al-Ayyam. Front-page reports in 
all dailies highlighted the Palestinian Authority's condemnation of 
the Israeli plan, quoting Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat as 
saying that the PA has asked the American administration to activate 
the trilateral mechanism headed by LTG Fraser as the way to stop all 
settlement expansions. 
 
The meeting between former President Carter and Hamas chief Khalid 
Mish'al in Damascus received front-paged coverage.  Al-Quds reported 
that the lengthy meeting included discussion on the issues of 
reaching a cease-fire with Israel, prisoners' exchange and lifting 
the siege on Gaza.  The same article quoted Hamas senior leader 
Mohammad Nazzal that Carter's aides have already started talks with 
Hamas officials on the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and 
halting rocket attacks against Israel.  In related news, the dailies 
reported that Israeli Deputy PM Eli Yishai expressed to Carter his 
willingness to meet with Hamas leaders, including Mish'al, to 
expedite the completion of the exchange of prisoners deal. 
 
The dailies reported that Israel has agreed to allow the Palestinian 
Authority to re-open 20 police stations in Area B of the West Bank 
that were closed by Israeli in 2000.  Al-Quds reported the Israeli 
government move comes as part of the Israeli easing of restrictions 
on Palestinians, as promised to Secretary Rice by Israeli Defense 
Minister Barak during their meeting in March. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1. Independent Al-Quds, in its daily editorial entitled, "The 
truce... the ball is in the Israeli court," opined : "It is very 
clear from the statement of Hamas leader Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar that 
Hamas is more likely going to positively interact with the Egyptian 
suggestions for reaching a truce with Israel... it is clear that 
Egyptian efforts side by side with the communications and 
consultations done Former US president Carter with the Palestinian 
Authority and Hamas leadership will speed up this process. Talks 
 
JERUSALEM 00000685  003 OF 003 
 
 
with all involved parties focused on the main elements that will 
help reach a comprehensive truce. It includes agreeing to a mutual 
cease-fire (though Israel is trying to keep this limited to only the 
Gaza Strip), an end to the siege on Gaza, as well as a prisoner's 
exchange and the opening of the Gaza crossings. It is obvious that 
reaching a detailed agreement on these elements is not impossible if 
Israel shows a real desire for a truce, and if it realizes that 
reaching a truce needs all parties to offer core 'compromises,' 
especially after Hamas showed high flexibility in Egypt during 
meetings with Carter, despite on-going Israeli actions and the 
accumulation of new victims [in Gaza] every day." 
 
¶2. Independent Al-Ayyam carries an op-ed by regular columnist Ali 
Jaradat, entitled, "Olmert and the 'Isolation plan'" that reads: 
"...Olmert reminded the Israelis, in a TV interview to celebrate the 
Passover holiday, that he has not rejected the option of imposing a 
unilateral Israeli vision on the ground.  He announced that he will 
work until the end of this year to achieve an understanding with the 
Palestinians, but added that if this appears impossible, [Israel] 
would implement a unilateral solution ... going back to complete 
what Sharon started in Gaza, going back to implementing a one-sided 
'Isolation Plan' in the West Bank. This plan, which Olmert delayed 
after failing in the aggression of May 2006 [Lebanon War], ... has 
political Israeli agreement to what the Israeli bulldozers are doing 
on the ground.  It also receives absolute American support.  Without 
internal Palestinian agreement, the Palestinian policy - both its 
diplomatic path of negotiations and its aggressive approach of 
resistance - will remain ineffective." 
 
DUFFY