VZCZCXRO2724
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0810/01 1340908
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130908Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1492
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 7112
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4099
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3952
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5450
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3868
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2430

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000810 
 
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 (5/13): BUSH WILL FIND THE REGION 
IN "DESTRUCTIVE CAOS" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
Talks between Omar Sulayman, head of Egyptian intelligence, and 
Israeli Defense Minister Barak win extensive front page coverage in 
all dailies.  According to the coverage, Sulayman expressed, "high 
expectations" for the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement between 
Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.  In related news, WAFA news 
agency reports that chief PLO negotiator Sa'eb Erekat urged Israel's 
government to cooperate with Egypt on achieving calm in the Gaza 
Strip.  Erekat also called on Palestinian factions to cooperate with 
Egypt, explaining that Egyptian mediation comes at the request of 
Palestinian President Abbas, WAFA continues.  Meanwhile senior Hamas 
leader Mahmoud Zahhar and Islamic Jihad leader Muhammad Al-Hindi, 
assert that the Palestinian people have the right to defend 
themselves should Israel reject a ceasefire, Ma'an reports.  On the 
ground, the dailies front page reports that a Palestinian was killed 
on May 12 by the Israeli military and a 70-year old Israeli woman 
was killed by a homemade shell launched from Gaza on May 12. 
 
Palestinian President Abbas met with Quartet Envoy Tony Blair to 
discuss arrangements for the upcoming investment conference in 
Bethlehem, the dailies announce.  Related stories report that the 
Palestinian government has approved emergency projects at a cost of 
$16.5 million to assist "Jerusalemites." 
 
Ma'an carries an exclusive report about eleven Palestinian leaders, 
mainly businessmen, having lunch with the Israeli Deputy Defense 
Minister Matan Vilnai on May 12, in Tel Aviv.  The businessmen were 
originally invited to meet with Israeli Defense Minister Barak 
following a meeting they had with the Israeli economic coordinator 
at his West Bank Bet El liaison office near Ramallah.  The meeting 
focused on a plan for an industrial zone in the West Bank between 
the cities of Nablus and Ramallah. 
 
Jerusalem area settlement expansion is again in the news:  Front 
pages report on an Israeli plan to build 150 new housing units in 
Gilo, in the southern part of Jerusalem.  According to Al-Quds's 
front page, future plans for Gilo include construction of 10,000 new 
houses. 
 
Reporting on the Lebanon crisis continues on front pages.  Reporting 
remains factual, focusing on an uneasy calm that has settled over 
Lebanon. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Al-Quds carries an op-ed by Tayseer Khaled, member 
of the PLO Executive Committee and the Democratic Front for the 
Liberation of Palestine entitled, "The commemoration of the 
catastrophe is the wrong time to visit" (5/13): "President Bush is 
on his way to the region, which is experiencing [historically] 
unstable days.  The President might look around; if he does he will 
find right before his eyes, the reasons for the region's 
constructive chaos, which ultimately, has resulted in a destructive 
chaos and has caused huge fires that are out of control... the guest 
President will not feel the shock of the Palestinian reality nor be 
affected by the circumstances of the siege under which the people of 
Gaza are living... the President is on his way to the region and he 
realizes that the situation is extremely dangerous and that the 
consequences for world security and stability are tremendous... Bush 
 
JERUSALEM 00000810  002 OF 002 
 
 
has nothing to offer, even for the peace process that was launched 
in Annapolis..." 
 
¶2. Independent Al-Ayyam carries an op-ed by veteran columnist 
Muhanned Abdulmajed entitled, "Hezbollah: a regional coup" (5/13): " 
Since the moment that Israel stopped launching rockets after the 
summer war of 2006, many observers predicted that the outcome of the 
war would leave its mark on Lebanon's internal matters... what is 
happening in Lebanon symbolizes an extreme scenario of the future 
for the whole Middle East... at this time, the Arab community is 
unable to end internal Lebanese conflict through an agreement. 
Therefore, it is more likely that the situation will continue to 
deteriorate...until international forces can interfere and resolve 
it... " 
 
WALLES