VZCZCXRO5047
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0835/01 1361107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151107Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1534
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 7116
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4103
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3956
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5454
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3872
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2434

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 000835 
 
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 (5/15):  "SETTLEMENTS:  THE NEW 
PALESTINIAN CATASTROPHE" 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The visit of President Bush to Israel and his May 14 remarks get 
front page billing. The dailies focus on Bush's statement that, 
"Israel is the closest ally to the United States in the Middle 
East."  The dailies also highlight his comments that he will 
continue working towards a peace agreement.  Turning attention to 
the Israeli Premier, the dailies report that Olmert stated that," it 
is possible to reach a partial declaration of principles this year." 
 Meanwhile, Ma'an News Agency reports that Secretary Rice "ruled 
out" the possibility of reaching a peace agreement by the end of the 
year.  An inside page of Al-Quds carries an AP report that judges 
President Bush's optimism on reaching an agreement in 2008 unfounded 
and says that the task will have to be left to his successor. 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with, "on the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, the 
Palestinian people are still here and will not forget."  Extensive 
photos and reports on Nakba commemoration in the Palestinian 
Territories appear in all dailies.  Major protest marches are 
planned for the Ramallah and Jerusalem areas that will include the 
release of thousands of black balloons, the dailies report.  Ma'an 
News Agency reports that senior Hamas leader Mahmud Zahhar demanded 
international recognition of the right of return for Palestinian 
refugees, and stressed the importance of, "not recognizing Israel" 
in light of Palestinian dispossession. Zahhar harshly criticized the 
visit of President Bush to Israel to celebrate its 60th anniversary 
of statehood.  Looking to the future, the dailies highlight 
demographic findings released by the Palestinian bureau of 
statistics that estimate that the number of Palestinians and Jewish 
Israelis living in Israel and the Palestinian Territories will be 
equal by 2016.  The Bureau estimates the current population of 
Palestinians in the Territories at 105 million. 
 
Al-Quds leads and all papers highlight "threats" made by Israeli 
Premier Olmert of an possible, impending "wide-scale military 
operation" in Gaza in response to a May 14 rocket attack on a 
shopping center in the Israeli city of Ashkelon.  Related reporting 
notes the killing of one Israeli woman and wounding of 15 others in 
the attack.  Reporting identifies the perpetrators as," Palestinian 
fighters."  Papers suggest that the attack came in retaliation for 
the killing of six Palestinians in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on 
May 1.  The dailies also report that Israel has filed a complaint 
with the UN Security Council regarding the rocket attack.  Finally, 
Al Quds contends that President Bush has shown his support for 
Israel by fighting Hamas and Hezbollah. 
 
Negative coverage dominates front pages in reporting about the 
Israeli authorities' decision to build a new settlement in "occupied 
Jerusalem."  Al-Ayyam reports that, Israeli Premier "Olmert's 
government welcomed Bush with the announcement of a new settlement 
project."  Al-Quds also notes that Olmert approved the building of 
600 new housing units in Bitar Eilit settlement in the West Bank. 
Citing Israeli daily Maarive, Al-Quds reports that Israeli Knesset 
member of the Shas party Eli Yishay insisted that President Bush 
allowed Israel to implement the two West Bank settlement projects in 
Bitar Eilet and Keriat Sefer.  Related, negative front page stories 
announce Israeli intentions to build a Jewish neighborhood and 
synagogue in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem.  The dailies 
report that Palestinian President spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudayna 
stated on May 14 that, "these Israeli decisions run counter to the 
ongoing peace process."  He added that, "we are used to these 
"needling Israeli decisions that come whenever there is an American 
 
JERUSALEM 00000835  002 OF 003 
 
 
official visiting." 
 
Al-Quds reports that the leader of the West Bank city Janin area 
Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, General Sulayman Amran, 
stated that, the success of the "Hope and Smile" security campaign 
in Janin will be the start to Palestinians Authority control of 
Jenin Governate.  He added that the success of the security 
campaign, that is led by a recent infusion of additional PA security 
forces, will refute Israeli allegations of chaos and disorder and 
will accelerate the process of the PA assuming responsibility for 
security issues [from the Israelis].  The dailies also report that 
Palestinian security forces have arrested ten Palestinians who are 
accused of shooting at security forces in the West Bank town of 
Yatta, south of Hebron. 
 
The dailies report that Quartet Envoy Tony Blair met with 
Palestinian businessmen in the West Bank city of Jericho on May 14. 
The group discussed, "Israeli obstacles facing improvements to the 
business environment in the Palestinians Territories." d 
 
Al-Quds carries an exclusive interview with Israeli Interior 
Minister Meir Sheetrit who announced that Israeli ID cards will be 
changed for all Israeli citizens and Jerusalem residents.  He added 
that he supports the idea of conducting a poll to give [Palestinian] 
residents of Jerusalem the option to remain under Israeli authority 
or moving to areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. When 
asked about family reunification, he stated that Israel cannot give 
citizenship to "just anyone" who marries an Israeli.  He added that 
getting American citizenship is, "10 times harder that getting an 
Israeli one."  Currently, Israel does not allow West Bank residents 
to relocate to Jerusalem or Israel to "reunite" with an Israeli 
spouse, except in rare circumstances. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Al-Quds runs an editorial by columnist Sulaiman 
Al-Wari entitled, "Settlements are the new Palestinian catastrophe" 
(5/15):  "On the sixtieth anniversary of the catastrophe, Israel 
remains the only occupying country [power] in this modern time.  It 
has not assumed its responsibilities towards the Palestinians who 
were kicked off their land.  Israel is confiscating land, building 
the wall, and doubling the number of settlements, all of which is 
against international and human rights law.  This catastrophe 
resulted in the occupation of the historic, national land of the 
Palestinians and exiled them from their homeland, thereby 
establishing the Israeli state... We also should not ignore the fact 
that settlements aim to take over all Palestinian land and end the 
dream of an independent Palestinian state... 
 
¶2. Independent Al-Quds features an op-ed by former Palestinian 
Authority Minister of Health, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi entitled, 
"Sixty years later, Israel is moving backwards" (5/15):  "... sixty 
years later, Israeli institutions still cannot, regardless of all 
their efforts, discredit the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle 
for basic human rights.  These rights have been recognized by 
international law; the rights of equality and of freedom to live 
like the rest of the world... so when Palestinians fight, they fight 
against discrimination and ethnic cleansing.  They also struggle to 
regain the right of their scattered sons and daughters to come back 
and live in their country in dignity, like the rest of the world. 
They also struggle to achieve the right to self-determination so as 
to regain stolen rights..." 
 
JERUSALEM 00000835  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
WALLES