VZCZCXRO8648
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0923/01 1541056
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021056Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1680
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 7141
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4128
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3981
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5479
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3897
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2459

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 000923 
 
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 (6/05):  ISRAELI AND US ELECTIONS 
"FREEZE" PEACE PROCESS 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
All front pages carry negative reports about Israeli plans to, 
"renew [Israel's] settlement campaign in Jerusalem."  Al-Quds 
reports that the timing of the "settlement campaign" is meant to 
come just before the June 2 meeting of Palestinian President Abbas 
and Israeli Premier Olmert.  Angry comments by Palestinian Authority 
(PA) officials appear in the dailies:  Palestinian Presidency 
spokesperson Abu Rudaynah states, "This is a real threat to the 
peace process."  Al-Ayyam calls the plans a, "settlement attack on 
Jerusalem."  All dailies quote PLO negotiator Sa'eb Erekat 
announcing that, "settlements, negotiations and the truce will all 
be on the agenda of [the June 2] meeting between Olmert and Abbas." 
 
Violence grabs headlines:  12 Palestinians were injured during a 
protest, "against the wall" in N'ilin village near the West Bank 
city of Ramallah, according to the dailies.  The papers also 
highlight the injuring of three Palestinians and an Israeli soldier 
during an Israeli military operation in Gaza on May 1.  Papers also 
report that Israeli police have, "heightened the security alert" in 
Jerusalem because of activities linked to the Israeli celebration 
of, "Jerusalem day," a national holiday celebrating the 
"reunification" of the city in 1967.  Related coverage highlights an 
"attack" by Israeli authorities on Palestinians gathered in East 
Jerusalem at a June 2 commemoration ceremony for deceased 
Palestinian Authority advisor on Jerusalem affairs, Faisal 
Al-Hussayn. 
 
Front pages devote extensive, positive coverage to the homecoming of 
Lebanese civilian Nassim Nasr on June 1, following his release from 
an Israeli jail.  Nasr served a six-year prison term on charges of 
spying for Hezbollah  Reports note that Palestinian prisoners in 
Israeli jails are encouraged by the action, hoping that a prisoner 
exchange deal may happen soon.  Photos of Lebanese celebrating the 
release also appear on the front pages. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page reports that PLO member Yaser Abd 
Rabbo confirmed that the appointment of a vice president to the 
Palestinian Authority and the PLO is a proposal currently under 
consideration. 
 
Reports about a truce between Hamas and Israel continue to attract 
front page headlines.  Al-Quds reports that Hamas denied receiving 
any, "official Israeli response" to a truce proposal.  Hamas also 
announced its readiness to start immediate national talks with Fatah 
and other Palestinian parties.  Meanwhile Hamas repeated its threats 
to end the "siege" on Gaza.  Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoom 
commented that, "the breaking of the siege could come at any moment 
and the world will be caught off guard." At the same time, Hamas 
denied reports that Egyptian authorities would soon reopen the 
Gaza-Egypt Rafah crossing. 
 
Al-Ayyam's front page reports that former American diplomats met 
with former Hamas Premier Haniyya in Gaza on June 1.  Al Quds 
carries an inside story.  The stories note the visiting Americans 
confirming that they did not, "ask anyone's permission," to travel 
to Gaza and that they had, "serious and open negotiations," with 
Haniyya. 
 
Ma'an New agency reports that German Foreign Minister Steinmeier is 
scheduled to visit Jenin district on June 2, together with a 
high-level Palestinian delegation including Palestinian Prime 
 
JERUSALEM 00000923  002 OF 003 
 
 
Minister Salam Fayyad.  Related coverage in the dailies, reports on 
a June 1 meeting between Fayyad and a European Union delegation in 
Ramallah.  According to reports, Fayyad discussed Israeli measures 
and settlement expansion. 
 
The dailies reported on the visit of US General Fraser to Nablus. 
The dailies positively highlighted that General Fraser met with 
local businessmen and was given a briefing by Nablus Governor Jamal 
Muhaysin on economic, political and security issues. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend stories 
--------------- 
 
Sunday, June 1, 2008 
 
The front pages of the three dailies carried extensive coverage on 
Israeli "settlement plans" for Jerusalem continuing coverage from 
May 31 about building tenders announced by Israeli Housing Minister 
Boim on May 30.  Al-Quds reported that 1,420 new units will be added 
to the Jerusalem area settlements of Har Homa and Pisgat Ze'ev. 
Al-Ayyam reported the number of new housing at 820. Related coverage 
on Al-Ayyam's front page also revealed statistics from an Israeli 
study showing that the number of, "Palestinians is increasing in 
Jerusalem.  They form 34% of its population." 
 
The dailies reported that a "storm" erupted over celebrity U.S. chef 
Rachael Ray wearing a kaffiyah.  The front page of Al-Hayat 
Al-Jadida reported that Dunkin' Donuts has pulled an online 
advertisement featuring Ray after criticism from conservative groups 
in the U.S. over her choice of scarf. 
 
Saturday May 31, 2008 
 
The front pages carried a neutral to positive article responding to 
the New York Times article about Fulbright grants being withdrawn 
from Gaza students.  The dailies highlighted that Secretary Rice is 
"investigating" a decision that was made by the State Department on 
this issue.  All dailies highlighted Washington's, "pressure to 
secure," the traveling of seven students from Gaza to study in the 
United States.  Al-Quds reported in a red box that the State 
Department will resume Fulbright scholarships for Gaza students. All 
dailies carried the full text of the May 30 NY Times article.  The 
dailies reported that the State Department issued a statement saying 
that, "the United States will not give up on innocent people living 
in Gaza," adding that, "communications will continue with the 
Israeli Government to enable these students to travel." 
 
All dailies carried the US Consulate General Jerusalem's press 
release about the donation of 700 books and 100 magazines to the 
Community Center in Salfit on inside pages.  The dailies quoted 
Public Diplomacy Officer Jacqueline Deley stating that, "we are 
delighted to provide these books that came entirely from the private 
collections of staff and families of the U.S. Consulate."  The 
Deputy Governor, Mr. Souf, thanked the U.S. Consulate for its 
generosity and support for the people of Salfit, according to the 
reports. 
 
The front page of Al-Quds carried the results of an opinion poll 
that shows that 73% of respondents trust Palestinian President 
Mahmoud Abbas.  The poll was conducted by the Near East Company for 
Consultation in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.  The poll also 
showed that 65% of respondents oppose the resignation of the 
President; 37% support Fatah; 13% support Hamas; 6% support other 
 
JERUSALEM 00000923  003 OF 003 
 
 
Palestinian factions; 75% of respondents support signing a final 
peace agreement with Israel. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
¶1.  Independent daily Al-Ayyam runs an op-ed by veteran columnist 
Talal Okal entitled, "After Barak... Olmert loses his chance" 
(6/02):  "...Olmert cannot go to Washington and ask for its support 
in the middle of his current crisis unless he achieves some progress 
in his meeting with Palestinian Authority President Abbas... Bush 
showed unlimited support to Israel when he visited to celebrate its 
60th anniversary, which was also a show of [U.S.] support for 
Olmert...  But the question is, can Olmert, who is weak... really 
pull off a historic or significant break-through while he is losing 
the confidence [of everyone] everywhere he goes..." 
 
¶2. Independent daily Al-Ayyam runs an op-ed by veteran columnist 
Samih Shbaib entitled, "Early elections and the contours of the 
Israeli political map!" (6/02): "It is practically an established 
fact that early Israeli elections will take place soon.  As a 
result, political Israeli parties have begun preliminary moves 
towards elections including the Kadima party... we can infer that 
the current state of the Israeli political map, after Olmert's 
scandals and his preliminary surrender, is very tentative and likely 
to change... Israel will experience a string of changing... foreign 
policy.  It will not be able to negotiate neither with the 
Palestinians nor the Syrians.  This situation will be accompanied by 
a frozen U.S. foreign policy until the beginning of next year.  This 
raises very serious questions about how to deal with Palestinian 
negotiations and realign Palestinian national efforts with the 
national interest." 
 
WALLES