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OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1103/01 1820444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 300444Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1925
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 7180
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4167
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4020
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5518
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3936
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2500

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001103 
 
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 (6/27):  "ARE WE ON OUR WAY TO 
GIVING UP JERUSALEM?" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
All dailies lead with news that Gaza crossing points will remain 
closed for a third day because of Palestinian truce violations.  The 
Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for the shooting of 
two rockets on July 26 into southern Israel, papers report, further 
noting that the group justified the attacks as a response to 
unspecified Israeli violations of the Hamas/Israeli truce.  Papers 
highlight the angry reaction of Hamas to the rocket attacks on front 
pages.  According to coverage, Hamas has threatened to punish any 
Palestinian group that violates the truce, including the Al- Aqsa 
Brigades. 
 
Palestinian Authority officials weigh in on the issue of the 
Hamas/Israeli truce.  In a June 26 statement issued to the press, 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas emphasizes his support for the 
truce agreement, explaining its benefits:  creating conditions 
conducive to the end of the Israeli blockade on Gaza, ending Israeli 
"aggression", and facilitating the reopening of the Gaza crossings, 
"so that the Palestinian people can go back to living a normal 
life."  In related coverage, Palestinian Authority Premier Fayyad 
underscored a similar message about the importance of the truce and 
the reopening of Gaza crossing points during a June 26 meeting with 
his Czech counterpart in Prague. 
 
Al-Quds quotes "reliable" Palestinian sources in reporting about the 
agenda of Palestinian Authority President Abbas' upcoming visit to 
Syria.  Sources confirm that Abbas will ask Syrian President Al 
Assad to use his authority to push Hamas leaders to participate in a 
Palestinian national dialogue aimed at ending internal Palestinian 
division.  Abbas and Al Assad will also discuss Palestinian-Israeli 
negotiations, the paper reports.  The quoted sources expect the 
Syrian President to respond to Abbas' call and urge Hamas to agree 
with Fatah on a start date for talks.  Abbas wants Arab League 
sponsorship for the talks and the participation of other Arab 
countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen, the article 
notes.  The talks would focus on all, "complicated matters between 
Fatah and Hamas" and include the participation of representatives 
from all factions, Al Quds continues.  In related coverage in all 
papers, Dr. Ahmad Yousef, political advisor to former Hamas Premier 
Haniyyah, states that those who are, "betting on the failure of 
talks between Fatah and Hamas are wrong" and that, "everybody is 
waiting for the Cairo invitation to officially launch dialogue and 
achieve the necessary understanding," among parties. 
 
The three dailies report on revelations and anger over the discovery 
of additional structural damage to houses in the Old City in 
Jerusalem due to Israeli excavations near the Mograbi or Dung Gate, 
near the Al-Aqsa mosque complex. 
 
Prisoner exchange deals continue to capture headlines:  The three 
dailies report that an official Egyptian source has confirmed the 
dispute between Hamas and Israel over the list of 450 Palestinian 
prisoners to be released.  Israel has agreed to release 71 prisoners 
from the list, but continues to refuse the release of those, "whose 
hands are stained with blood."  In regards to the Israel/Hizbollah 
prisoner exchange deal, the three dailies report that the deal is 
expected to be signed by the Israelis on June 30. 
 
Front pages highlight declining standards of living:  The head of 
the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics Dr. Luay Shabanah announced 
that one out of three families in the Palestinian Territories lives 
 
JERUSALEM 00001103  002 OF 002 
 
 
below the poverty line. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Independent Ayyam prints its daily editorial entitled, 
"Palestinian Visit to Damscus" (6/27): "It is clear that President 
Mahmud Abbas will visit the Syrian capital [in July] upon the 
official invitation [by] President Bashar Al-Assad... the invitation 
to Damascus is not only a show of appreciation for Abu Mazen's views 
and his participation at [Syria's] Arab summit, but also a new 
beginning for more balanced relations between the two parties... 
[However,] Abu Mazen's visit to Damascus is not purely about 
Palestinian- Syrian relations, it has significance for Amman, Cairo 
and Riyadh as well.  [They] are waiting for ... Palestinians to 
regain national unity, [and thereby] strengthen the Arab position 
vis-a-vis the Israeli enemy and the international community so that 
Arab views will be heard and respected by everybody." 
 
¶2.  Independent Al-Quds runs its daily editorial entitled, "Are we 
on our way to giving up Jerusalem?" (6/27): "Jerusalemites who are 
threatened with the loss of their [Palestinian identity] are now 
faced with two options..., either immigrate without keeping the keys 
of return, or give up an identity for which they have [already 
greatly sacrificed] in order to ... remain in their city with an 
identity... that is different from [the Israelis]... the 
international community... is incapable of making progress on a 
number of matters, mainly Jerusalem... is it realistic to talk about 
a Palestinian Jerusalem and an Islamic Kiblah and rosy dreams?... 
 
Walles