VZCZCXRO5229
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0751/01 1261059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051059Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1375
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 7093
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4087
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3940
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5438
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3848
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2417

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 000751 
 
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 (5/05): 
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Main Stories: 
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Factual coverage of the visit by Secretary Rice to Ramallah and her 
meetings with Palestinian Authority officials appears on all front 
pages.  The three dailies open with photos of Secretary Rice and 
President Abbas at the Ramallah press availability.  Al-Quds leads 
with the headline, "Abbas:  Negotiations with Israel are racing 
against time and we hope to establish a Palestinian state before the 
end of this year."  Al-Quds quotes Secretary Rice saying, "we 
support secret negotiations and we are pushing for the issuance of a 
joint document."  Palestinian presidency spokesperson Abu Rudaynah 
stated that, "the gap in the negotiations with Israel is wide."  The 
dailies also report that an unnamed Palestinians official commented 
that, "the American Administration is working on a definition for 
the state of Palestine."  The dailies also highlight that Secretary 
Rice pushed for a statement regarding progress in negotiations, but 
that Palestinian and Israeli sources excluded the possibility of 
issuing such a "progress document" or framework agreement." 
 
Positive coverage of the visit of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam 
Fayyad to the West Bank city of Jenin for meetings with the 
Palestinian security forces, one a day after Israel allowed 600 
Palestinian security officers to enter the West Bank city, expresses 
optimism over the forces upcoming mission.  The dailies report that 
Fayyad described the May 3 deployment to Jenin as a, "significant 
step towards imposing law and order, and a major pillar of the 
security plan."  He added that, "priority should be given to 
restoring a sense of security among Palestinian citizens."  Ma'an 
News Agency reports that the Palestinian Premier felt encouraged by 
the warm welcome that residents of Jenin had given the 
newly-deployed forces. Photos show a smiling Fayyad during his 
visit. 
 
On the ground, the front pages of the three dailies report that in 
Gaza, one Palestinian was killed and six were injured after Israeli 
military shelled their house on May 4.  Related reports on the front 
page of Al-Ayyam highlight a second halt to UNRWA food assistance to 
Gaza refugees because of the fuel shortage.  Other reports in the 
dailies highlight the closing of the Nahal Oz and Karni Gaza border 
crossings by Israeli authorities. 
 
The expected visit to Israel by the chief of Egyptian intelligence 
Suleiman receives front page billing in all dailies.  The dailies 
report that Egyptian President Mubarak stated on May 4 that Suleiman 
will be in Israel soon to discuss the truce between Palestinian 
parties and Israel. 
 
Investigations into possible corruption charges of Israeli Premier 
Olmert continue to capture front page headlines in the dailies.  For 
a second day, the dailies raise the possibility of Olmert's 
resignation. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend Review 
--------------- 
 
Sunday, May 04, 2008 
 
The lead story in all dailies focuses on comments made by Secretary 
Rice on the eve of her visit to Ramallah.  Rice is quoted saying, 
"We want to make sure that checkpoints have been removed." 
According to the lead story in Al-Quds, Rice urged Israel not to 
"weaken" the Palestinian Authority.  All dailies highlight that Rice 
as concerned that life for Palestinians be made easier.  Related 
 
JERUSALEM 00000751  002 OF 003 
 
Main Stories: 
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coverage on the front page of Al-Quds, states that, "Israel welcomes 
Rice with new settlement expansion near Nablus."  On the other hand, 
the front pages of the dailies quote Palestinian President Abbas' 
advisor Nimr Hammad stating that, "There are no indicators to 
suggest a possibility of reaching an agreement with the Israelis 
this year." 
 
The front pages of the three dailies report positively on the 
deployment of 600 Palestinian security forces to the West Bank town 
of Jenin on May 3.  The dailies report that city residents welcomed 
them, "with roses and sweets."  According to Al-Ayyam, the mission 
of the security forces is, "to bring back happiness and hope to the 
citizens of the city."  All dailies state that the forces will be 
under the authority of Palestinian President Abbas and aim to 
strengthen law and order in the city.  Al Quds shows a photo of a 
long line of military vehicles with Palestinian flags entering the 
city, while Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida run a picture of smiling 
residents greeting the forces. 
 
US General Fraser examines the situation on the ground in the 
northern West Bank city of Qalqilya where he met with the mayor on 
May 3, according to Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page.  The story 
reports in a neutral tone that the mayor explained to Fraser the 
effects of the separation barrier on agricultural lands and the 
effects of frequent Israeli military incursions into the city. 
 
Saturday, May 04, 2008 
 
Pessimism accompanies coverage of the ongoing peace process and 
related negotiations. Al-Quds daily opened with "[PA Prime Minister] 
Fayyad warns of a collapse in negotiations if Israel does not change 
its path and show commitment to Annapolis."  Citing various news 
agencies, Al-Ayyam reported that Secretary Rice "warned" Israel 
against settlement expansion and quoted her saying, "The two-state 
solution will not remain a possible solution forever." Al-Hayat 
Al-Jadida quoted Secretary Rice saying, "The window for the 
two-state solution is getting narrower day by day." The dailies 
focused on calls by the Quartet urging Israel to stop West Bank 
settlements. 
 
An "attack" by settlers on a motorcade carrying General Fraser 
received front page coverage in the three dailies. The dailies 
reported that settlers prevented the American envoy from entering 
the old city. 
 
A letter from the American Public Affairs Officer at the Consulate 
General in Jerusalem to Palestinian journalists in commemoration of 
World Press Freedom Day on May 2 appeared in Al-Quds along with a 
photo of PAO Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm. 
 
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BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Al-Quds runs its daily editorial entitled "What is 
wanted is core Israeli changes on the ground" (5/05):  "Once again, 
Secretary Rice returned to the region and we heard her say... [the] 
 
SIPDIS 
exact same comments that we heard her say during her many previous 
visits.  She talked about the necessity of creating an appropriate 
atmosphere for the peace process, not prejudicing final status 
issues, [the fact] that settlements destroy trust between the two 
parties and American efforts to implement Bush's vision of a 
 
JERUSALEM 00000751  003 OF 003 
 
Main Stories: 
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Palestinian state.  Rice also reconfirmed her commitment to working 
towards improving the life of the Palestinian people and working 
with the two sides to discuss implementation of the first stage of 
the Road Map... we do not know how Rice's comments and her desire to 
push forward the peace process and Road Map implementations can go 
hand by hand with Israeli [actions that ignore commitments made in] 
Annapolis and Paris... the [U.S.] overlooks ongoing Israeli 
violations on the ground that serve only to raise tensions and 
deepen mistrust between the two sides as will as close the door on 
any possible progress in negotiations..." 
 
¶2.  Independent Al-Ayyam runs an op-ed by veteran columnist Talal 
Okal, entitled "End of the line and the start of a new one..." 
(5/05):  "...the fourth visit of Secretary Rice since the launching 
of negotiations last January might have been the last chance to 
convince the Israeli Government that it must initiate significant 
movement in the troubled negotiations with the Palestinians.  Rice 
has not stopped working towards an achievement that will save 
President Bush and the dignity of the United States... Rice has only 
one week to succeed in achieving something, before the arrival of 
President Bush to the region, therefore, her options are very 
limited.  The United States and the Quartet did not succeed in 
ensuring an appropriate atmosphere for negotiations...  and they 
should have expected the need to force both sides [to meet their 
obligations]. They should have pushed Israel to stop settlements, 
remove checkpoints which have increased to almost 620, stop the 
daily Israeli aggression on Palestinians and halt [Israeli] efforts 
to undermine the Palestinian Authority's [security and economic 
programs]..." 
 
WALLES