VZCZCXRO4694
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0910/01 1490855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 280855Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1656
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 7135
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4122
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3975
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5473
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3891
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2453

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000910 
 
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 (5/28): THE FAILURE OF FATAH's 
PARTY CONVENTION 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The dailies lead coverage with a UN report revealing that Israel is 
issuing hundreds of house demolition orders to Palestinians in area 
C, areas in the Palestinian Territory that are under Israeli 
administrative and military control and include Israeli settlements, 
military and "state" lands.  The coverage highlights that the 
demolitions would leave, "thousands of Palestinians homeless." 
The meeting between Palestinian President Abbas and Hamas officials 
at the Muqata'a presidential compound in Ramallah on May 26 is front 
page news.  The Hamas delegation carried a letter from Palestinian 
prisoners in Israeli jails who called for unity among the 
Palestinian leadership, papers note.  The Hamas delegation included 
former Deputy Prime Minister Naser Addin Ash-Sha'ir, Sheikh Hamid 
Al-Baytawi and Samir Abu 'Aysha. 
 
The three dailies report extensively on an Israeli military 
operation in the West Bank city of Qalqilya on May 27.  The Israeli 
military arrested five people and injured eight, according to 
reports. 
 
Ma'an news agency carries an exclusive report on rumors that 
Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad will soon reshuffle the cabinet of 
the, "Palestinian caretaker government." Fayyad will meet with Azzam 
Al-Ahmad, head of the Fatah block in the Palestinian Legislative 
Council to discuss the planned changes, Ma'an reports. 
 
Al-Quds runs a German wire DPA story about PLO negotiator Erekat 
denouncing an Israeli plan for a future state of Palestine, 
presented as part of on-going negotiations between Israel and the 
Palestinians.  Erekat stresses that peace with Israel, "will be 
based on 1967 borders."  The story adds that "Secretary Rice will be 
visiting the region on the tenth of the coming month." 
 
Al-Quds daily and Ma'an news agency preview the announcement of U.S. 
funding assistance to the Jenin Governorate.  The paper reports that 
Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad, U.S. Consul General Jake Walles, 
and the USAID Country Director will visit the West Bank city of 
Jenin on May 28 for the announcement.  The coverage (incorrectly) 
highlights that the aid will come in the form of direct assistance 
to the Palestinian Authority. 
 
The graduation ceremony of Palestinian Authority National Security 
Forces in Jordan on May 27 wins positive coverage in a 3/4 page 
article on Al Quds' second page.  The article highlights comments by 
US Security Coordinator General Dayton praising the security forces 
and stressing U.S. commitment to the peace process.  General Dayton 
states that the security training symbolizes cooperation between the 
U.S., Palestinians and Jordan.  The article also quotes Palestinian 
Interior Minister Al-Yahya stating that, "our ultimate goal is peace 
and the establishment of a Palestinian state." 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Veteran columnist Hani Habib opines in independent Al-Ayyam 
under the title, "Revolutionary Council... and Fayyad's Government" 
(05/28): "The 25th Fatah [party] convention that just concluded 
could have been the most important and critical convention of all, 
since it was held in troubled times with Fatah facing difficult 
circumstances:  political division between Ramallah and Gaza; the 
 
JERUSALEM 00000910  002 OF 002 
 
 
failure of on-going negotiations with the Israelis and continued 
Israeli attacks.... [Instead] the leaders focused on a minor point 
that should have not been added to the agenda... [Palestinian Prime 
Minister] Fayyad's Government... as if Fayyad's Government was the 
reason for the fall of Gaza to Hamas, and as if Fayyad's Government 
is an obstacle to Fatah returning to Gaza... No doubt there are 
aspects of Fayyad's government that could be improved and changed, 
but...these issues... don't justify re-distributing the cake 
[dissolving and reforming the Government] to cater to the desires of 
some in Fatah's leadership..." 
 
¶2.  Al-Quds independent daily's editorial page opens with a piece 
entitled, "Jerusalem and the policy of demolition, again" (05/28): 
"If the reports that the Jerusalem municipality intends to issue 
hundreds of demolition orders... is true, it further proves that 
Israeli authorities and ministries are continuing a policy that 
dates back to 1967, to make life insufferable for Palestinians in 
the city, in order to make the majority of Jerusalem residents 
Jewish... the Arab and Palestinian existence in the Holy City [that 
is holy to] both Muslims and Christians, is under constant threat. 
It is about time that Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims start paying 
attention to the situation and make it a priority in their peace 
efforts." 
 
WALLES