VZCZCXRO5806
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0911/01 1501118
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291118Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1658
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 7137
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4124
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3977
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5475
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3893
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2455

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000911 
 
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 (5/29): WAITING ON AMERICAN AND 
ISRAELI "NEWCOMERS" 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Israeli Defense Minister Barak's call for Israeli Premier Olmert to 
step down leads coverage in all dailies.  The papers report that 
Olmert "refuses" to resign despite Barak's call and note that Israel 
might be heading towards early elections.  Reporting includes 
official Palestinian reaction with quotes by Palestinian President 
Abbas that the corruption scandal is, "an internal Israeli issue," 
and that the PA, "will work with any Israeli government committed to 
the peace process."  The dailies also quote Abbas' spokesperson Abu 
Rudaynah stating that, "our only concern is that any Israeli Premier 
be committed to the peace process," adding that, "what is happening 
in Israel will negatively influence negotiations."  All dailies 
highlight that, "the United States reaffirmed its commitment to 
Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations," citing an AFP story with 
quotes by State Department spokesman Tom Casey.  In related news, Al 
Ayyam's front page announces that an Israeli plan released by the 
Washington-based Middle East Institute, "excludes Jerusalem and 
claims 11.5% of West Bank land for Israel." 
 
The May 28 announcement of US assistance to the residents of the 
West Bank Governorate Jenin wins prominent and positive front page 
coverage in all dailies and on-line news agencies in the West Bank 
and Gaza.  All coverage highlights Consul General Walles' comments 
about US commitment to peace and support of the Palestinian 
Authority.  Al Quds highlights Walles' comment that Palestinian 
President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad are "partners in peace." 
The paper continues with quotes from Walles, "that the United States 
realizes that the time for the establishment of a Palestinian state 
is overdue.  As President Bush said in Sharm Al-Sheikh, we stand 
beside the Palestinians people who have suffered for decades 
[sic]." 
 
The "homecoming" of Palestinian Security Forces to Jericho also wins 
front page, positive coverage in all dailies and on-line news 
sources.  A photo of Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad dancing with 
security forces leads coverage in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, while Al Quds 
places a front page photo of Fayyad reviewing a line of forces 
marching in formation.  Coverage quotes Fayyad stating that, "the 
Palestinian Authority is a home for everyone and the only title 
[legitimate representative] for all Palestinians."  Fayyad praised 
the security forces and stressed that their efforts were crucial to 
the, "stability and progress of Palestinians."  The security forces 
were trained by Jordanian police in Jordan with U.S. government 
funding. 
 
Reports about Israeli-Palestinian truce efforts lead coverage in 
Al-Quds which highlights that, "there is no connection between the 
Palestinian prisoner swap and the Hezbollah prisoner swap with 
Israel." Coverage added that the Egyptian side is increasing 
diplomatic efforts because of fears of a breach by Palestinians of 
the Gaza border.  Related coverage in all dailies reports that 
Israeli tanks and warplanes killed two Palestinians and injured five 
during an incursion into Gaza on May 28. 
 
Al-Quds' front page reveals that sources close to Palestinian 
President Abbas deny rumors that there will be a reshuffling of his 
cabinet members.  According to the sources, Abbas has confirmed that 
the rumors are untrue and that he is determined to put a stop to 
them. 
 
The visit of Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa to Gaza is 
front page news.  Speaking in Gaza on May 28, he commented that what 
 
JERUSALEM 00000911  002 OF 002 
 
 
he had seen is beyond human comprehension and that, "the siege on 
the Gaza Strip is illegal and must end immediately."  Tutu is 
heading a high-level UN fact-finding mission to investigate a 
"massacre" committed by the Israeli military in November 2006, in 
the town of Beit Hanun, in which 19 Palestinian civilians were 
killed. 
 
According to Ma'an news agency, Hamas says that the Palestinian 
security forces detained five Hamas activists across the West Bank 
on May 27.  Activists were arrested in Al-Far'ah refugee camp in the 
Tubas Governorate, in the Bethlehem Governorate and the Jenin 
village of As-Sila Al-Harthiya. 
 
Online sources reported that Palestinian President Abbas intends to 
issue a presidential decree barring torture in the Palestinian 
Territory.  The statements by Abbas came following a meeting with 
the Palestinian Independent Committee for Citizens Rights and after 
the release of the 2008 Amnesty International Human Rights report. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
Independent Al-Quds carries its daily editorial entitled, "The 
importance and necessity of evaluating the next stage" (5/29): "... 
today, we are facing the possibility of new Israeli elections.  If 
Olmert leaves his position for one reason or another, negotiations 
will stop.  We are also facing imminent American elections, which 
will mean a freeze of serious, external diplomatic activity that 
might last for a year... Faced with these realities, the ball is now 
in the Palestinian and Arab court.  The issues need to be carefully 
considered; otherwise we will sit waiting on the newcomers from 
Israel and America!" 
 
¶2.  Independent daily Al-Ayyam runs an op-ed by veteran columnist 
Dr. Abulmajid Swaylam entitled, "Investment conference in 
Bethlehem"(5/29):  "... the kind of investment that was proposed at 
the Bethlehem conference is problematic from a Palestinian point of 
view; but it might be an effective mechanism to expose the strategic 
Israeli policies [obstacles] imposed on the ground... Economics is 
not the key to political progress.  The real key to economic 
development is a fair, political solution that will guarantee 
security and stability for everyone including the investors 
themselves. In any case, investment is very important and we cannot 
wait for the end of the occupation to invest.  But investment under 
occupation is completely different from investment without 
occupation." 
 
WALLES