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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001036 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
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PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
Visit of President Bush to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, May 
14-16, 2008 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Maariv and other media reported on President BushQs pending arrival 
in Israel at 11:00 a.m. today.  Maariv reported that the President 
will hold meetings with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister 
Ehud Olmert and then deliver a speech to the President's Conference. 
 Maariv reported that he will speak before the Knesset tomorrow. 
 
The media quoted PM Olmert as saying on Tuesday, hours before the 
arrival of President Bush, that "real progress" has been achieved in 
the negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, and that 
"understandings and agreements have been reached on important 
matters, although not on all issues.Q  Israel Radio quoted National 
Security Advisor Stephen Hadley as saying en route to the region 
that the President still believes that Israel and the PA can reach 
an agreement before he ends his term.  Israel Radio quoted 
Ambassador Richard Jones as saying in an interview with the web site 
of the Arabic-language Panorama that Bush will not pressure Israel, 
that an Israeli-Palestinian agreement is feasible by the end of 
year, and that it only depends on the good will of the parties. 
Jones was quoted as saying that Jerusalem is the most sensitive 
issue, and that it may be discussed at the end of the process. 
Jones reportedly said that he had heard from knowledgeable sources 
that even if the allegations against Olmert were verified, the 
coalition would remain strong.  Maariv cited the hope of senior 
diplomatic sources in Israel that the President's visit will be used 
to make some progress in the "jumpy" peace process.  Maariv quoted 
senior diplomatic sources as saying yesterday that beyond the moral 
support Bush is trying to provide Olmert, President Bush will push 
him to reach an early declaration of principles ahead of a 
final-status agreement with the Palestinians. 
 
Ha'aretz quoted sources close to Olmert as saying that he is 
expected to ask Bush to upgrade substantially the security 
relationship between Israel and the U.S.  Olmert's people are 
leaning, said the sources, toward presenting the President with a 
list of weapon systems that Israel wants to purchase or otherwise 
gain access to.  Next month Olmert is scheduled to visit Washington 
for 48 hours, and will expect to receive Bush's answer on the 
possibility of supplying the items.  Yediot reported that Bush will 
present Israel with a package of "goodies" -- mostly in the fields 
of weaponry and intelligence.  Yediot reported that the U.S. has 
informed Israel in advance that it will be "positively surprised." 
 
Leading media reported that President Shimon Peres told the Facing 
Tomorrow conference, which opened last night in Jerusalem, that 
Israel's enemies belong to yesterday, and that "the skies of the 
Middle East are clouded over with Iranian ambition."  Peres's 
address to the 1,000 foreign guests, who included the presidents of 
11 countries, focused Israel's achievements and hope for the future. 
 However, regarding Iran, he said, "The Iranian threat is taking on 
two forms. It is destroying Lebanon, breaking apart its unity, 
destroying its welfare without contributing anything for the future. 
 And in the Gaza Strip, a group of religious fanatics is preventing 
the establishment of a Palestinian state.  If it weren't for Hamas, 
there would have already been a Palestinian state founded on the 
principle of two states for two peoples. They [Iran] only bring 
destruction without any benefit whatsoever," Peres continued. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Israel and the Palestinians have been 
discussing an almost complete transfer of security responsibility in 
the Jenin area to PA security forces in order to turn the area into 
a "model region" -- where Israeli presence is almost non-existent. 
Ha'aretz quoted sources in the Defense Ministry as saying on Tuesday 
that talks on the new security arrangements were underway with 
American mediation and that of Quartet representative Tony Blair. 
Ha'aretz and The Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday Blair 
presented several measures to ease life for the Palestinians in the 
West Bank, to which Israel and the PA had agreed ahead of President 
Bush's visit. 
 
Ha'aretz cited the belief of Israeli defense officials that Egypt 
will reopen the Rafah crossing to Palestinians even if Cairo's 
initiative to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas fails. 
Ha'aretz also reported that the IDF is taking steps to be able to 
limit mass marches to the fence separating Gaza and Israel. 
Ha'aretz reported that although Egypt denies it, evidence is 
mounting that Cairo and Hamas recently reached an understanding to 
open the crossing regardless of the outcome of the negotiations. 
 
Leading media reported that the IDF will reduce its operations 
throughout the West Bank starting today in respect for President 
Bush's visit.  Maariv reported that, changing his mind, IDF Chief of 
 
Staff Gabi Ashkenazi now supports a ground operation in Gaza.  The 
newspaper reported that Ashkenazi's new stance was motivated by 
Qassam rocket fire, the negotiations over the release of Gilad 
Shalit, and the fear that a period of calm would help strengthen 
Hamas.  Israel Radio reported that an IDF operation is underway east 
of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.  The radio quoted Palestinian 
sources as saying that a Hamas militant was killed and three others 
were injured in an IAF raid.  Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that a 
terrorist was killed in an IAF raid yesterday. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that some 40 families from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, whose 
member Jimmy Kedoshim was killed by mortar fire on Friday, have 
decided to leave the area. 
 
Media reported that yesterday the police questioned billionaire U.S. 
businessmen Sheldon Adelson and S. Daniel Abraham in connection with 
the alleged bribery of PM Olmert by American businessman Morris 
Talansky. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that the Jerusalem Municipality has begun the 
process of approving a plan for a new housing complex, including a 
synagogue, in the heart of the Arab neighborhood of Silwan south of 
the Old City.  The plan was submitted by the right-wing Elad 
association.  Documents show the land the complex is to be built on 
belongs to the Israel Lands Administration (ILA); however, the ILA 
was quoted as saying that it was unaware of the plan.  Israel Radio 
reported that Housing and Construction Minister Zeev Boim told 
representatives of Shas and United Torah Judaism that the government 
will cancel a freeze of construction of 600 housing units in the 
settlement town of Beitar Illit, which was announced at the 
beginning of the year.  The radio quoted party envoys as saying that 
Boim told then that building permits there will be made public only 
after President Bush's departure, so as not to embarrass him.  The 
radio later cited Boim's denial of the report, saying that it 
amounted to hearsay intended to increase the prestige of various 
ultra-Orthodox groups.  Maariv quoted Shas Chairman Eli Yishai as 
saying that President Bush has given Olmert a green light for 
construction in Beitar Illit and Kiryat Sefer. 
 
Yediot reported that Israel has lodged a complaint with Egypt over a 
comment by its Culture Minister, Farouk Hosni, in a parliamentary 
debate, that he will burn Israeli books himself. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that yesterday the human rights group B'Tselem 
revealed video footage showing an IDF officer firing a rubber-coated 
bullet at an Israeli protester at close range, during a protest 
against the separation fence in Bil'in two months ago.  The shooting 
appears to violate IDF regulations, which state that rubber bullets 
may be fired from no closer than 40 meters.  Ha'aretz quoted the IDF 
Spokesman as saying: "The court has already ruled and ordered that 
the path of the fence around Bil'in be changed, yet the disruption 
of order there goes on, with protesters coming regularly to the 
area, where they employ violence against security forces and 
vandalize the fence itself.  In several cases, protesters even 
wounded soldiers and officers, so security forces were ordered to 
employ crowd dispersal means on the demonstrators." 
 
Ha'aretz reported that a plan to build a large desalination plant 
for the Palestinians got the green light yesterday from Israel's 
national planning and construction council, which also paved the way 
for a significant increase in the amount of sea water that will be 
desalinated by 2040.  The desalination plant for the Palestinians 
will be located in the Hadera industrial zone.  In addition to 
allocating land for the facility, Israel will also allow a pipeline 
on its soil, but donor nations are slated to actually build and 
operate the facility.  The planning council also decided that 
additional desalination plants can be added as needed, depending on 
Israel's water needs by 2040. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that yesterday a six-day international design 
workshop on architecture opened at Naharayim, 10 kilometers south of 
the southern tip of the Lake of Galilee, at the confluence of the 
Yarmuk and Jordan rivers. It is part of the preparation for the 
proposed Jordan River Peace Park.  The participants are faculty and 
students from Yale University and the Bezalel Academy of Arts and 
Design, Jerusalem, together with Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli 
architects.  Friends of the Earth Middle East is behind the 
initiative, which seeks to extend the development on the Israeli 
side of the site to the Jordanian side to create a transborder 
protected area in which both Israelis and Jordanians will be able to 
cross the river from either side without the need for a visa. 
Visitors will not, however, be able to continue on to the rest of 
either country without a visa. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Visit of President Bush to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, 
May14-16, 2008: 
--------------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Bush comes to his second and final visit to 
Israel as president with a sense of serenity about what he has done 
and about what he will not manage to do.  This serenity is worth 
adopting:  He will be followed by subsequent governments." 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "Of all 
the U.S. presidents over the past 60 years, it is hard to think of a 
better friend to Israel than George W. Bush." 
 
Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz wrote on page one of The Jerusalem 
Post: "[Bush] made crystal clear that he wants to see at least a 
framework agreement concluded before he leaves office.  And the 
indications are that he believes this can best be achieved by 
focusing first on borders -- not from an automatic standpoint of 
U.S. support for expanded Israeli sovereignty." 
 
Ha'aretz editorialized: "Israel is interested in a cease-fire with 
Hamas and there is no point in pretending that this is not so.... 
What should not be done at this time is to postpone decisions that 
in any case will be taken at a later stage -- too late for those 
whose blood will be spilled." 
 
 
 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "A Job Half-Done" 
 
Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (5/14): "Bush's critics think that his inner 
compass is broken, its response to magnetic fields erratic, and the 
President gave up trying to convince them otherwise long ago.  This 
was quite evident during a long conversation on Monday with Israeli 
journalists in the Oval Office.... In any event, earth-shaking 
changes do not take place within neat four- or eight-year time 
spans, in accordance with the U.S. political calendar.  The American 
President who understands this and does not attempt to stuff 
impossible tasks into a tight time frame is better than one who 
thinks that what he cannot accomplish in his own term will never be 
accomplished.  Bush is an example of the former, even if his 
secretary of state often seems to be inimical to the inexorable 
trickle of the sands in the hourglass.  The Bill Clinton of the Camp 
David era represented the latter approach, an approach that Bush 
opposed at the time and to which he is even more opposed today.  And 
so it is that Bush comes to his second and final visit to Israel as 
president with a sense of serenity about what he has done and about 
what he will not manage to do.  This serenity is worth adopting:  He 
will be followed by subsequent governments." 
 
II.  "Bush in Context" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (5/14): 
"Of all the U.S. presidents over the past 60 years, it is hard to 
think of a better friend to Israel than George W. Bush.  No 
president has been more committed to steering the Middle East toward 
the values of liberty and tolerance which Americans naturally 
cherish, and presuppose to be universal.  Bush combines a personal 
affinity toward Israel with policies that are generally responsive 
to its concerns. His performance as president is best understood in 
historical context.... While Bush may have been wrong on Iraq, he is 
dead right about Iran -- though an ungrateful, sometimes spiteful 
world appears in denial. Iran is blatantly pursuing destabilizing 
nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them beyond the Middle 
East, even as key international players stoke its economy.... The 
president told The Jerusalem Post yesterday that before leaving 
office he wants a structure in place for dealing with Iran. 
Washington already has a strong security commitment to Jerusalem. 
Now we would urge the president to work for an upgrade in Israel's 
relationship with NATO.  Europe must understand that Iran is 
pivotal; that there will be no stability, no progress -- not in 
Iraq, not in Lebanon and not on the Palestinian front -- until 
Tehran's advances are first contained, and eventually rolled back." 
 
III.  "On Borders, Swiss Cheese Trumps a Four-Year-Old Letter" 
 
Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz wrote on page one of The Jerusalem 
Post (5/14): "In our Oval Office interview on Monday, President Bush 
said he was anxious not to supply us with a 'screaming headline' 
about the dimensions of a future Palestinian state, a headline, he 
said, such as 'Bush says this is what the borders ought to look 
like.'  Rather, said the President, those dimensions of the new 
Palestine and the finalized Israel needed to be agreed by the two 
sides themselves.  So, said Bush, the headlines 'ought to be, "Abbas 
said this is what the borders ought to look like," or, "Olmert said 
this is what the borders ought to look like.'"'  The President was 
speaking in response to a question I had asked him about whether he 
truly envisaged a future Israel as being larger than its pre-1967 
contours.  Ariel Sharon often asserted that the president had 
promised him American support for such an expanded Israel in a 2004 
letter, which stated that 'in light of new realties on the ground,' 
a full withdrawal to the 1949 Armistice Lines is 'unrealistic.'  And 
Sharon's successor, Ehud Olmert, told this newspaper in a recent 
interview that Bush was uniquely supportive of Israel precisely 
because his vision of our future was based not on the 1967 borders 
but on ''67-plus.'  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, however, 
has been known to minimize the significance of this four-year-old 
letter.... Bush took pains in the interview to assert that he wasn't 
chasing a Nobel Peace Prize and wasn't worrying about his legacy. 
But he also made crystal clear that he wants to see at least a 
framework agreement concluded before he leaves office.  And the 
indications are that he believes this can best be achieved by 
focusing first on borders -- not from an automatic standpoint of 
U.S. support for expanded Israeli sovereignty to include major 
settlement blocs, as Sharon and Olmert would have hoped.  But 
apparently from a belief that the Palestinians must be assured full 
control of contiguous territory, because only if they are satisfied 
with the parameters of their state-in-waiting might they possibly be 
wooed toward compromise on the refugee issue." 
 
 
 
 
IV.  "Educating Hamas" 
 
Ha'aretz editorialized (5/14): "Israel is interested in a cease-fire 
with Hamas and there is no point in pretending that this is not 
so.... Israel is interested in quiet even more than Hamas, because 
Iran (which is supporting Hamas) increases its involvement in the 
region the more the ground is burning. A peace agreement with Hamas 
is not in the cards, so all that can be wished for is a cease-fire 
that lasts however long it lasts.  We will always be able to return 
to the current situation.... There is no point in trying to educate 
Hamas and asking for a cease-fire in return for Shalit and the 
opening of the Rafah crossing without including a prisoner release 
in the deal.  In these negotiations we will not be able to win -- 
whatever their outcome.  It is not possible to defeat Hamas with a 
large ground operation or a peace treaty.... Noam Shalit [the father 
of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit] is right in his insistence on 
tying his son's release to the cease-fire agreement, but it is 
doubtful this is possible.  Gilad Shalit can be released in a 
prisoner deal, which could perhaps be combined with a truce.  What 
should not be done at this time is to postpone decisions that in any 
case will be taken at a later stage -- too late for those whose 
blood will be spilled." 
 
 
JONES