VZCZCXRO9637
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1264/01 1991035
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171035Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2147
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 7209
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4194
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4047
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5545
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3963
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2528

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001264 
 
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 (7/17):  THE PRISONER RELEASE - "A 
DAY TO SMILE" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The Palestinian media carries upbeat coverage of the July 16 
prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hizbollah.  Coverage 
dominates all front pages, highlighting that the deal is a clear 
victory for Hizbollah and Arab parties.  The overwhelming theme of 
the dailies' commentaries and political cartoons is that the deal 
bodes well for future prisoner releases.  Al-Quds leads with a photo 
of long-time Lebanese prisoner Samir al-Quintar wearing military 
fatigues during the July 16 official homecoming celebration in 
Lebanon.  Al-Ayyam leads with two photos that span the space above 
the fold:  One showing Nasrallah, next to Quintar, addressing the 
crowd at the celebration and one showing children attending a rally 
in Ramallah, dressed in Palestinian colors and holding identical 
posters of Palestinian "fighter" Al Mughraby and PLO leader Arafat. 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with an over-sized photo of Nasrallah 
making a victory, standing next to Quintar.  Both Al-Ayyam and 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front page smaller photos of Kuntar's step-mother 
dancing in celebration inside her Gaza home. 
 
Official reactions to the Israel/Hizbollah prisoner exchange deal 
also appear in the dailies.  Palestinian Authority (PA) President 
Abbas welcomed the release in a statement from Malta where he was on 
a state visit.  Abbas congratulated the families of Quintar and 
other released prisoners, the papers report.  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida 
reports that the PA confirmed at a July 16 celebration in Ramallah 
that, "we [Palestinians] will implement the wishes of Dalal 
Al-Mughraby and all martyrs to be buried in Palestine."  EU's 
Commissioner for External Relations Valdner commented that the deal 
contributed to regional stability, according to coverage.  In 
related reporting, all dailies note an Al-Qassam Brigades statement 
asserting that the deal, "proves that resistance is an, active, 
effective and best option" when dealing with Israel.  The group also 
insisted that Israeli soldier Shalit will not be released until 
Israel fulfills their conditions. 
The plight of an East Jerusalem family that has been issued eviction 
orders by Israeli authorities continues to grab front page 
headlines.  All dailies highlight, "a serious development," 
entailing the July 16 raid by Israeli police of the family's home. 
Police ordered the family to vacate the house by 9:00am on July 17 
despite a planned sit-in by Palestinian, Israeli, and foreign peace 
activists.  The Palestinian Authority President's Office called on 
international representatives and diplomats to act immediately and 
take steps, "to prevent the Israeli occupation," from expelling the 
family. 
All dailies headline, "the continuing attack on Nablus" by Israeli 
Defense Forces (IDF).  Members of the Nablus Municipal Council 
condemned the "attack" on the West Bank city and the July 16 arrests 
of two of its members by the IDF. 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Al-Quds reprints an editorial without attribution to the 
original source (UAE paper Al-Khalil) under the title, "The naivety 
of betting on Obama" (7/17):  "Many Arab writers and political 
analysts are betting on Obama's victory in the U.S. elections, 
thinking that if he wins, it will also constitute a victory for 
them.  So they praise him in their articles... because they believe 
that his victory will bring real change to U.S. foreign policy... as 
if his success will bring victory especially to the Palestinian and 
Iraqi causes, and more generally to Arab matters... Whether Obama or 
 
JERUSALEM 00001264  002 OF 002 
 
 
McCain [wins the elections], the core of U.S. foreign policy will 
not change, except for a few details." 
 
¶2.  Al-Ayyam independent daily prints an editorial by Dr. Abdul 
Majid Swaylim entitled, "They return... " (7/17):  "[Palestinian and 
Lebanese prisoners] return as if they are the leaders of their 
people.  They left as fighters and now return as heroes and 
leaders... these days, Israel's self-image is closer to reality than 
at any time in the past.  As a state with the strongest and largest 
military [in the region]... Israel stares into the mirror for a long 
time... Israeli leaders are confused whether the [negative] image 
that they see is accurate or if the mirror needs to be fixed.  Very 
few ask themselves why... they break the mirror when they do not 
like what they see.  Today, we [Palestinians] can also stare into 
the mirror and smile. Isn't it the time for us to smile a bit?" 
 
Lapenn