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DE RUEHJM #1029/01 1711103
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191103Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1832
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 7167
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4154
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4007
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5505
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3923
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2485

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001029 
 
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 (6/19):  CAN HAMAS ENFORCE THE 
TRUCE? 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All dailies open with extensive coverage of the truce between Hamas 
and Israel which took effect June 19.  According to the dailies, the 
ceasefire was welcomed by Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad, the 
United Nations, the European Commission, Washington and many other 
local and international entities.  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's lead story 
headlines, "America expressed hope that the ceasefire will lead to a 
halt in rocket attacks."  Israel confirmed agreement to the truce, 
though Israeli Premier Olmert deemed it "fragile" in a June 18 
statement to the press.  Papers report that Israel will begin easing 
the blockade on Gaza starting next week.  Coverage also notes that 
talks on the release of Israeli soldier Shalit will resume on June 
22 through Egyptian mediation. 
 
Hardship in Gaza is highlighted in front page photos:  Al Ayyam 
shows people lined up outside a gas station, waiting for the rare 
fuel, while Al-Quds leads with a photo of a man selling corn oil to 
Gaza drivers to use as gasoline.  Violence is also highlighted. 
Papers report that just hours before the truce took effect, six 
Gazans were injured in an Israeli air strike and 38 rockets were 
launched from Gaza into southern Israel. 
 
Internal Palestinian dialogue wins notable front page coverage in 
all dailies.  Al-Ayyam's front page quotes Hamas leader Ismael 
Haniyyah confirming that, "Cairo will soon call for Palestinian- 
Palestinian dialogue." Related coverage notes that Palestinian 
President Abbas has called upon Arab leaders to put mechanisms into 
place to implement the Yemen initiative aimed at ending internal 
Palestinian disagreement. 
 
Citing different wires, all dailies front page quotes from Jordanian 
King Abdullah warning that the failure to establish a Palestinian 
state by the end of the year would be, "very dangerous."  King 
Abdullah added, "Palestinians will not accept any alternative home 
to Palestine."  His comments came during a celebration for Noble 
prize winners in Petra city on June 19. 
 
The dailies report that Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and 
European Commission Representative in Jerusalem John Kjaer signed a 
financing agreement worth 14 million on June 18.  The EU funding 
will be used for institution building activities in preparation of a 
future Palestinian state. 
 
On the Syrian- Israeli front, Al-Ayyam carries an AFP story quoting 
Israeli Premier Olmert saying, "I am not far from direct talks with 
Syria."  Meanwhile, Syrian President Al-Assad is quoted saying, 
"developments in the region are very optimistic ones."  On the same 
topic, Hamas leader in Damascus, Khalid Masha'al, told Reuters that, 
"Syria will not bow to Israeli pressure and boycott Hamas," 
Al-Ayyam's front page reports. 
 
A photo of a member of the Palestinian national security forces, 
proudly opening the door of a brand new vehicle, appears on page two 
of Al Quds June 18 edition.  The first batch of 35 vehicles which 
are part of the U.S. security assistance package, arrived on June 
¶17.  A total of 145 will be delivered by August 
 
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BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Al-Quds runs its daily editorial entitled, "Who can pressure 
 
JERUSALEM 00001029  002 OF 002 
 
 
Israel?" (6/19): "Secretary Rice admitted the dangerous consequences 
of Jewish settlement activities in the Palestinian Territories, 
especially in East Jerusalem. During her last visit, she described 
it as a phenomenon that contradicts current negotiations between 
Palestinians and Israelis and that it seeks to prejudice the outcome 
of negotiations, as well as being an obstacle to the peace process. 
Later, American diplomatic sources stated that the United States 
does not differentiate between settlements in the West Bank and 
Jerusalem... there is a sense, even if it is not accurate or 
realistic, that the American Administration has not pressured Israel 
enough, or that it has not used every available means to convince 
Israel to stop settlement activities... The question remains as to 
what will happen if the next six months of Bush's term end without 
reaching the needed agreement?  Which international entity will be 
able to assume the role of influencing and pressuring Israel towards 
the conclusion of a just and lasting peace... ? " 
 
¶2.  Independent Al-Ayyam carries an op-ed by columnist Abdullah Awad 
entitled, "No truce... no peace... do not be sad" (6/19):  "This is 
not the first time that the Jewish state and the Palestinians in 
Gaza agree to a truce, and it will not be the last time.  There were 
many truces before this one, but most of them only lasted for a 
short period before they evaporated, as if nothing had ever 
happened.  It is true that Hamas controls the situation in Gaza with 
an iron hand.  But it is also true that, in the absence of united, 
strategic Palestinian policy, there will be no guarantee that 
Palestinian groups will halt rocket attacks from Gaza and the truce 
may fail.  Our experience of the Jewish state and agreements is very 
clear.  It teaches that there has been nothing that could be called 
'commitment' since the time of Oslo.  This is only a small and 
temporary truce...  The deal is closely related to the fate of 
[Israeli soldier Shalit], and if he is not released, the truce will 
fail, if we even dare to assume that it will last at all..." 
 
WALLES