VZCZCXRO2145
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1026/01 1700955
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180955Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1823
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 7165
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4152
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4005
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5503
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3921
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2483

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001026 
 
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 (6/18):  WILL THE HAMAS - ISRAEL 
TRUCE HOLD? 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The front pages of the three dailies lead with reports about a truce 
agreement between Hamas and Israel.  The papers report that the 
truce will take effect on the morning of June 19.  Al-Quds 
highlights that the crossing points will reopen for short periods 
and that, "the siege will be lifted."  The same report quotes Hamas 
leader Mahmud Al-Zahhar stating that all parties approved and 
praised the agreement before it was announced.  The dailies also 
report that Palestinian Presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaynah 
confirmed that Palestinian President Abbas played a major role in 
the successful conclusion of the truce agreement.  Related coverage 
notes that Washington is waiting for final confirmation of the 
truce, with Al-Ayyam reporting on American skepticism regarding the 
news.  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida opens with, "Barak thinks it is too early 
to talk about a cease fire."  All dailies remind readers that the 
Israeli military stands ready to launch a military operation in Gaza 
should the truce fail.  On the ground, papers record the deaths of 
six Palestinians in a June 17 Israeli air strike on Gaza. 
 
Al-Quds runs an above-the-fold, exclusive interview with Consul 
General Walles, granted on June 17.  The headline highlights Walles' 
comments that, "the goal of Rice's visit was to deal with the most 
important issues, and settlements is one of them."  A sub-headline 
further quotes Walles stating that, "the United States does not 
differentiate between the West Bank and Jerusalem in regards to the 
settlement issue."  The above-the-fold article, continues on two, 
lengthy columns on an inside page.  The report adds little comment 
to what is essentially a transcription of the interview that touched 
on U.S. policy regarding Palestinian security training, settlements, 
Gaza, a possible Hamas-Israel truce and prospects for an agreement 
this year.  The journalist concludes that the Consul General remains 
"very optimistic" about the possibility for a Palestinian-Israeli 
agreement by 2009.  In separate reporting, Al-Quds quotes chief 
Palestinian negotiator Ahmad Quray, stating that, "settlements will 
kill the peace process, and any efforts towards reaching an 
agreement." 
 
The June 17 meeting of Palestinian President Abbas and Kuwaiti 
Prince Al-Sabah in Kuwait is front page news. 
The two leaders discussed current issues related to Palestinian 
issues and other issues of common interest in the regional and 
international arenas, according to all dailies. 
 
Turkish mediated contacts between Israel and Syria are a topic on 
all front pages.  According to the dailies, Syria and Israel are 
"relaxed" about the progress of negotiations.  The papers also 
highlight that France is pushing for a meeting between Syrian 
President Al-Asad and Israeli Premier Olmert in Paris at a mid-July 
conference organized by French President Sarkozy to establish a 
Mediterranean Union. 
 
Israeli forces seized seven civilians during an overnight raid in 
the West Bank city of Nablus and surrounding villages on June 17, 
according to headlines. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Al-Quds carries its daily editorial under the title, 
"East Jerusalem was also occupied in 1967" (6/18):  "The logic used 
 
JERUSALEM 00001026  002 OF 002 
 
 
by Israeli officials when talking about settlements in East 
Jerusalem is a strange logic that makes no sense, especially when 
they contrast [E. Jerusalem settlements] to settlements in the West 
Bank.  They claim that they have the right to build settlements in 
East Jerusalem and that this does not contradict [obligations linked 
to] peace negotiations.  They are also claim that there is no 
settlement expansion in the West Bank.  Yet, the entire 
international community knows that East Jerusalem is an integral 
part of the West Bank.  It is, in fact, the heart of the West Bank 
that has been strangled by Israeli authorities and isolated from its 
Palestinian environment.  East Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 like 
the West Bank and was then absorbed into the Jerusalem municipality 
a few weeks after the war.  This was a unilateral move [by Israel] 
that has not been recognized by the international community.  Even 
the status of West Jerusalem remains a topic of discussion at the 
international level. Settlements in Arabic Jerusalem are illegal 
just as the settlements in the West Bank are..." 
 
¶2.  Independent Al-Ayyam runs an op-ed by columnist Hani Habib 
entitled, "Will there be a truce this time?" (6/18): "Cairo is 
supposed to mark the zero hour on [June 19] for the beginning of a 
truce that was agreed upon between Israel and the Hamas movement 
through Egyptian sponsorship. ... This time Israel might fulfill its 
pledge, if things go well the first two weeks:  No rockets and a 
comprehensive calm on the borders with Gaza.  Two weeks will be the 
Israeli test for the Hamas movement, according to [Israeli daily] 
Yidot Ahront, to determine if [Hamas] is serious about... a real 
truce... We as citizens who do not partake in [the game of] 
political calculations, know that the truce is a needed step to pave 
the road toward national Palestinian dialogue." 
 
WALLES