VZCZCXRO9508
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0869/01 1421032
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211032Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1591
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 7126
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4113
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3966
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5464
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3882
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2444

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000869 
 
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 (5/21): "THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION: 
EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY" 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
Front and inside pages of all dailies are blanketed with positive 
reports of the Palestine Investment Conference.  Al-Quds opens with 
Palestinian Prime Minster Fayyad stating that, "having President 
Abbas open the conference is a success in and of itself," adding, 
"this is an opportunity for us to show the real face of Palestine 
and to tell the world that we are able to deliver."  The dailies 
highlight coverage on American participation at the conference. 
Al-Quds runs a Reuter's story entitled, "The US is optimistic about 
the Bethlehem conference."  The story quotes Robert Kimmitt, Deputy 
Secretary of the US Treasury stating that the goal of the conference 
was to get the attention of investors for investment opportunities 
through several specific projects.  Official daily Al-Hayat 
Al-Jadida opens its economic page with a quote by US Consul General 
Walles stating, "the US is committed to supporting the Palestinian 
economy."  On-line Palestinian news outlets Ma'an, PNN and Ihbariat 
also carry comments by the Consul General regarding US participation 
and optimism on the eve of the conference. 
 
The dailies report that four people were killed in Gaza following an 
Israeli airstrike on May 20.  Related coverage of a possible truce 
between Hamas and the Israelis includes comments by an Egyptian 
official that, "Israel has agreed to the Egyptian version of a truce 
agreement in Gaza." 
 
The dailies extensively cover the participation of Palestinian 
President Abbas at the May 20 opening of the "right to return" 
monument in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem.  Abbas said, "We are 
determined to say to the world in each and every speech, that the 
right to return is a holy right that will not be delayed or 
postponed." 
 
Al-Quds' front page highlights Israeli-Palestinian negotiations with 
statements by Israeli diplomatic sources confirming that 
negotiations are continuing and focused on the issues of borders, 
refugees and security.  The report adds that there are talks about 
a, "delayed agreement."  In related news, a May 20 telephone call 
between Palestinian President Abbas and Secretary Rice receives 
front page coverage in all dailies.  The dailies highlight that 
Abbas briefed Rice on the latest developments in the peace process. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Al-Ayyam runs an editorial entitled, "The Torah 
speech of Bush at the Knesset and the secularism of the American 
State," by Muhammad Shaker Abdullah (5/21): "The United States was 
established... by groups who were escaping religious persecution in 
Europe in the seventeenth century.  They found, in the American 
land, the only shelter from religious persecution that was 
available... the American Revolution of 1776 resulted in the 
creation of a constitution that protects freedom of expression and 
secularism...  The constitution was based on secularism by 
separating religion from the state and by giving full rights to 
everyone ... the comments by George W. Bush clearly reflect the 
Christian-Judeo tradition.  This does not reflect the nature of his 
country or American society.  Bush's first priority as president 
should be to fairly and without bias represent the United States, 
even if he happens to have been born or inherited certain beliefs or 
traditions..." 
 
JERUSALEM 00000869  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶2.  Official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida carries an op-ed entitled, 
"Talk about resignation!" By Yahya Rabah (5/21): "...we have been 
hearing rumors lately about the resignation of President Abbas... 
these rumors are bad, and they constitute an open invitation to 
everyone to get depressed.  It looks like President Abbas is blaming 
himself... for a failure that wasn't his fault, but rather the fault 
of others.  Let us assume that 2008 ends without reaching the 
desired solution for the establishment of a Palestinian state... 
then the failure will be Bush's and his republican government's that 
declared his two-state solution in Annapolis.  Bush is the one who 
has assistants who feed him with regular and accurate reports about 
Israeli behavior:  settlements, security and military operations 
that are destroying the two-state solution... If the negotiations 
with the Israelis that are headed up by President Abbas encounter 
difficulties... that will not only have a negative effect on the 
Palestinians.  The whole region will suffer the consequences... 
including Israel. Therefore, the responsibility [for success in 
negotiations] belongs to everyone... " 
 
WALLES