VZCZCXRO9827
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0932/01 1551116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031116Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1692
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 7144
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4131
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3984
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5482
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3900
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2462

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000932 
 
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 (6/03): PALESTINIAN PESSIMISM IN 
LIGHT OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS AND POLITICAL CRISIS 
 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The dailies devote extensive coverage with photos to the June 2 
meeting of Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Premier Olmert in 
Jerusalem.  The dailies characterize the meeting as "difficult." 
The lead story in Al-Quds reports that Abbas told Olmert, 
"negotiations and settlements do not mix."  Al-Ayyam reports that 
the meeting ended, "without results." 
 
Upon his departure to Washington, the dailies note Israeli Premier 
Olmert's comments that, "Jerusalem will forever remain under Israeli 
control."  Related negative coverage about settlement expansion in 
the Jerusalem area also appears on all front pages.  Papers run 
statements from the White House and the United Nations showing 
"concern" over the Israeli plan to build 844 new homes in "occupied 
East Jerusalem."  Al-Quds reports that Palestinian Prime Minister 
Fayyad declared himself, "pessimistic" in an interview with AP about 
negotiations with Israel in light of accelerating settlement 
activities. 
 
Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad has signed an agreement with the 
German Foreign Minister to provide funding for ten development 
projects in Jenin, the dailies note.  Separate reports in all papers 
highlight that Israeli authorities have allowed "Arabs living inside 
the green line" to go shopping in Jenin for the first time in eight 
years.  The papers declare the action a positive step that will help 
Jenin's economy. 
 
Headlines highlight that Palestinian President Abbas announced that 
his government is, "thinking of calling for Arab and international 
intervention to end the miserable situation in Gaza."  Related 
coverage in all dailies carries "threats" by the Israeli Government 
to conduct a "wide-scale military operation" in Gaza. 
 
Ma'an News Agency reports that, "The U.S. Consulate [on June 1] told 
Fulbright candidates from Gaza that it is restoring funding for the 
prestigious scholarship program and is 'working closely' with the 
Government of Israel to secure permits for the students to leave 
Gaza in order to attend visa interviews at the U.S. Consulate in 
Jerusalem and thereafter leave Gaza for travel to the United 
States." 
 
Citing wires, the front page of Al-Ayyam reports that presidential 
candidate John McCain has promised to, "provide more support to 
Israel."  Al-Ayyam quotes McCain stating that threats against Israel 
are escalating so American support to Israeli should also increase. 
 
 
Citing different news agencies, the front page of Al-Ayyam reports 
that the Syrian President has asked for American sponsorship of 
Syrian negotiations with Israel. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
¶1.  Independent daily Al-Ayyam runs an op-ed by veteran columnist 
Muhannid Abd-Alhamid entitled, "Do we have other options?" (6/03): 
"After the American and Israeli performance, who dares be optimistic 
about reaching a political solution that will end the Israeli 
occupation and bring international legitimacy?  Anyone who takes a 
closer look at what has been announced and what is still hidden in 
the details on the negotiation table, and at the situation on the 
 
JERUSALEM 00000932  002 OF 002 
 
 
ground, will conclude that there is no solution! Moderate and 
extremists agree on this point.  Bush's administration and several 
Israeli governments succeeded in convincing the world, including 
Arab countries and the Palestinian elite, that [former Palestinian 
President] Arafat was the obstacle to reaching an agreement at Camp 
David in 2000.  But this [analysis] has been proven wrong after the 
death of Arafat and the election of [Palestinian President] Abbas 
who is totally committed to the road map without reservation. 
[Abbas] surrendered to negotiations as the one and only means [of 
achieving peace].  Nevertheless, the Israelis continued to repeat: 
There is no Palestinian partner..." 
 
¶2. Independent daily Al-Quds runs an op-ed by columnist Rasim 
Obaidat entitled, "Stopping the vicious circle." (6/03): "... it is 
not true that what is happening in Israel is an internal Israeli 
issue; it is an issue that has direct influence on Palestinian 
issues and Palestinian rights.  Under no circumstances should 
Israeli political reshuffling be used as a justification to escalate 
Israeli aggression against our people.  We remain under an 
occupation that is growing worse and we should not place our hope 
[for improvement] in the international community. Previous 
experience has taught us that the world does not respect weak people 
and discounts them... given current Israeli settlement policy and 
their rejection of peace, the Palestinian team should... declare 
[negotiations] a failed mechanism." 
 
WALLES