VZCZCXRO0912
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1061/01 1751037
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231037Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1873
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 7171
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4158
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4011
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5509
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3927
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2491

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 001061 
 
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 (6/23):  ISRAEL, SOLE BENEFICIARY 
OF THE TRUCE 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The visit of French President Sarkozy and his wife to Israel and the 
Palestinian Territories attracts front page coverage in all dailies. 
 Al-Quds carries a blue banner headline quoting Sarkozy that, "We 
will stand with the Palestinians to build the state that they are 
looking for, and that they have the right to."  Sarkozy adds, "There 
will be no peace without Jerusalem as the capital of the two 
states."  In an exclusive interview with Al Quds, Sarkozy notes 
that, "settlements are the main obstacle." He also praises the work 
of Israeli Premier Olmert in the peace process.  All dailies 
highlight that Sarkozy calls upon Israel to, "take risks for peace." 
 All dailies also report on the visit of the French interior 
minister to the Dome of the Rock and his laying of a wreath at the 
grave of Faisal Husseini, former PLO representative in Jerusalem. 
Finally, papers note that Palestinian President Abbas is expected to 
receive Sarkozy tomorrow in Bethlehem. 
 
The dailies report on the expected meeting between Secretary Rice, 
Ahmad Quray, head of the Palestinian negotiation team, and Israeli 
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Berlin on June 24.  The leaders will 
meet on the margin of the international conference which aims to 
help Palestinians create a state through grassroots security 
measures.  Donor countries are expected to donate 187 million 
dollars to be spent on training programs and the establishment of 
police centers, prisons, courts, and laboratories, the dailies 
report. 
 
According to the lead story in Al-Ayyam, "Israel is satisfied with 
Hamas' commitment to the truce."  The paper highlights, "a 
tremendous increase in the numbers of goods entering Gaza." 
Palestinian President Abbas states that, "the truce in Gaza ensures 
a better atmosphere for a direct and comprehensive internal dialogue 
under Arab sponsorship."  Abbas adds that, "we will agree to any 
mechanism suggested by the Arabs to implement the Yemeni 
initiative," according to the dailies.  Meanwhile Al-Hayat Al-Jadida 
reports that Hamas has taken over the Gaza house of PLO 
representative Abbas Zaki. 
 
Front pages report that Israeli sources claim that Hezbollah is 
demanding the release of hundreds of Palestinian political detainees 
in exchange for the release of two Israeli soldiers captured during 
a cross-border raid in 2006.  In news on a prisoner swap with Hamas, 
Al- Ayyam reports that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has decided to 
accelerate negotiations on the release of captured Israeli soldier 
Shalit, after a, "negotiation session" with Israeli security 
officials. 
 
Tensions between Israel and Iran continue to attract front page 
coverage in all dailies.  According to Al-Quds, Israeli Premier 
Olmert met with the, "planner" of the 1981 Israeli attack on an 
Iraqi nuclear reactor perhaps in preparation of an attack on Iranian 
nuclear facilities.  Al-Quds carries a Washington Post story 
asserting that Israel would not be able to strike Iran by itself. 
According to the story, Israel might "push" the Bush administration 
to take action against Iran. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend stories 
--------------- 
 
Sunday, June 22, 2008 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00001061  002 OF 003 
 
 
Secretary Rice stated that, "the Palestinian track is more important 
than the Syrian, and there are chances to reach an agreement before 
the end of the year," according to Al-Ayyam's front page that quotes 
recent interviews with the Secretary.  Related coverage on Al-Quds' 
front page carries a German wire story quoting Palestinian 
Presidential advisor Yassir Abed Rabbo stating, "the Palestinian 
Authority is close to declaring a position on the continuation of 
negotiations."  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that Abed Rabbo said, 
"settlement activities are destroying the peace process." 
 
All dailies lend positive coverage with photos to the graduation 
ceremony of Palestinian policemen which took place in Jericho on 
June 21.  The dailies highlighted that Palestinian Premier Fayyad 
attended the ceremony. 
 
Saturday, June 21, 2008 
 
Dailies led with reports on the "ongoing truce" between Hamas and 
Israel.  They highlighted photos of hundreds of Gazan children and 
their families "having fun" at the beach.  Hamas political leader, 
Ismael Haniyyah, stated on June 20, that the blockade imposed on the 
Gaza Strip will be "fully lifted in ten days."  Haniyyah added that, 
"Hamas will not stop smuggling activities in Gaza Strip."  President 
Abbas renewed his call on all factions to maintain self-control and 
keep calm in the Gaza Strip, according to the papers.  Finally, the 
dailies highlighted that European Union foreign policy chief, Javier 
Solana, stated on June 20th that the EU is ready to act as an 
observer at the Rafah border terminal if an agreement to open the 
crossing is reached. 
 
All dailies report on the message from Palestinian President Abbas 
to the UN, delivered by Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of 
Palestine to the United Nations.  The dailies quoted Abbas saying, 
"there can be no peace in the region without solving the Palestinian 
issue," adding, "our people have not given up their legitimate 
rights."  Abbas said in his message that "the refugee problem is a 
direct result of Israeli rigidity; Israel has no respect for 
international law."  Abbas called for a "fair" solution to refugee 
issue, according to the coverage. 
 
The front page of Al-Quds reports that PLO negotiator Sa'eb Erekat 
asserted that, "Israel is working towards controlling 40% of the 
West Bank," Erekat added, "the Israeli decision to confiscate more 
land in the [Jordan] valley to build military bases will isolate the 
valley." 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Al-Ayyam carries its daily editorial under the 
title, "The truce and a slightly reduced siege"(6/23): 
Israel needs the rocket attacks to stop and it has achieved that 
[goal].  At the same time, it wants to continue its siege (albeit, a 
bit less restrictive) of the Gaza Strip.  Hamas, however, has 
achieved very little of its demands: a halt to Israeli military 
attacks... and a loosening of the siege ... Hamas will be the one to 
feel the difficulty of the situation and the difficulty [of having 
no other good options] to end the siege [since] rocket attacks [have 
also failed]. 
 
¶2.  Independent Al-Quds runs an editorial by Muhammad Jalal Inayah 
entitled, "The Truce is Hamas' Gateway to Politics" (6/23):  For 
Hamas, the most dangerous matter... is that it is now committed to 
 
JERUSALEM 00001061  003 OF 003 
 
 
maintaining a ceasefire with Israel... the most radical Palestinian 
organizations might now accuse Hamas of the same thing that they 
accused Fatah of:  protecting Israel.  Hamas' request that the 
international community reevaluate its attitude towards the [group] 
will be met by the international community's demand that Hamas 
commit to the Quartet's principles.  This is the international 
community's world of politics into which Hamas is seeking entry. 
 
Duffy