VZCZCXRO2240
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1308/01 2031121
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211121Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2207
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 7213
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4198
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4051
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5549
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3967
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2532

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 001308 
 
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 (7/21):  WHICH 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The visit by British Premier Gordon Brown to Bethlehem on July 20 
leads all front pages.  Al- Quds reports that after his meeting with 
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, Brown stated at a 
joint press conference that increased settlement activities 
complicate the peace process and that Israel should instead be 
making concessions.  Papers also note Brown's announcement of $60 
million in assistance to the Palestinian Authority, with Al- Ayyam 
and Al- Hayat Al- Jadida highlighting his comment that, "Jerusalem 
is the capital of the two states."  Abbas emphasized that Israel has 
not honored its commitments made at Annapolis, coverage continues. 
In photos, Al Hayat Al Jadida runs a front page photo of Brown's 
wife on a July 20 visit to the Bethlehem Ayda refugee camp, with the 
separation barrier clearly visible in the background.  Related 
reporting in all dailies highlights Israeli Premier Olmert's July 20 
comment that an agreement with the Palestinians is, "closer than 
ever."  Other Brown coverage in Al- Quds reports that students in 
the Gaza Strip sent a letter asking Brown to press Israel on exit 
permits for students wishing to study abroad. 
All dailies report that Israeli security sources told Israeli press 
that Hamas is seeking to imitate Hizbollah in its negotiations with 
Israel over a possible prisoners' release deal.  According to the 
coverage, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyyah is determined to enforce 
Hamas conditions in any exchange that would include the release of 
Israeli soldier Shalit.  For his part, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert 
considers negotiations regarding Shalit, "not easy."  Al- Quds 
reports that Hamas has presented a list of 1,000 Palestinian 
prisoners to be released but, Israel so far, has refused the list. 
 
Daily, front page reporting on Israeli military action in the West 
Bank and Jerusalem continues.  All papers report on the July 20 
release of a video-tape showing a handcuffed and blindfolded 
Palestinian being shot point blank in the legs with rubber bullets 
by an Israeli soldier in the West Bank village of Ni'lin.  Al Ayaam 
leads with photos from the video that was released by Israeli 
watchdog group Betselem.  Coverage does not state the reason for the 
Palestinian's arrest.  Ni'lin is the site of frequent protests 
against the separation barrier.  In Jerusalem, all papers cite 
Israeli daily Haaretz in their reporting about Israeli attempts to 
"take over" the house of the Al Kurd family in East Jerusalem.  The 
family faces eviction after losing its case before the Israeli 
Supreme Court.  According to coverage, the action is part of a 
larger plan for settlement expansion. 
 
Israeli intelligence sources reported on July 20 that Washington 
will attack Iran some time in the next two months if talks in Geneva 
fail, according to front pages.  Related coverage in Al-Quds notes a 
July 20 statement by Iranian Vice President of Culture and Tourism 
Masha'i that Iran is, "a friend to the Israeli people." 
 
On the topic of internal Palestinian reconciliation talks, Al- Ayyam 
highlights news that Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have 
completed "a worksheet" that outlines topics to be discussed and 
mechanisms for launching a national dialogue. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend stories 
--------------- 
 
Sunday, July 20, 2008 
All dailies lead with news about the participation of Palestinian 
Premier Salam Fayyad in the 100th anniversary celebration of 
Ramallah municipality held on July 19.  In his remarks, Fayyad 
 
JERUSALEM 00001308  002 OF 003 
 
 
called on all Palestinian factions to accept the formation of a 
"transitional government" that will organize new parliamentary and 
presidential elections.  In Al- Ayyam, Fayyad adds that there should 
be an immediate response to Palestinian Authority President Abbas' 
initiative to launch a national dialogue and that the top priority 
for Palestinians is to protect land in order to defeat Israeli 
settlement activities.  In related coverage, all dailies note Hamas 
leader Ismail Haniyyah's July 19 announcement that Hamas is ready to 
begin a national dialogue to discuss all pending matters. 
 
All dailies report on a series of meetings held by Palestinian 
Authority President Mahmud Abbas on July 19 in Ramallah and 
Bethlehem.  Al- Quds leads with the meeting of Abbas and European 
Delegate for the Peace Process Mark Otte in Ramallah.  Al- Hayat Al- 
Jadida quotes Otte stating that, "Israeli incursions into 
Palestinian cities make the job of the Palestinian police in their 
campaign to impose security and law, difficult."  Al- Ayyam reports 
that Otte paid a "solidarity visit" to the Al- Kurd family who face 
eviction from their East Jerusalem home.  The dailies report that 
Abbas also met with the Al-Kurd family in Bethlehem and reassured 
them that the Palestinian Authority will exert all efforts, "to 
defend their house from being occupied by the Israeli authorities." 
Finally, the three dailies report that Abbas also met with American 
Middle East expert Dennis Ross in Ramallah and briefed him about, 
"Israeli violations in Palestinian cities." 
 
Al- Hayat Al- Jadida highlights that the U.S. State Department sent 
Iran a letter through a mediator on July 19, warning that Iran must 
choose between cooperation and confrontation regarding nuclear 
issues. 
 
Saturday, July 19, 2008 
 
Al Quds leads with news that Secretary Rice emphasized on July 18 
that the U.S. has "changed its attitude" on the Iranian nuclear 
issue and will send a delegate to negotiations that will be held 
with Iran on July 19 in Egypt.  In response, "Iran is studying its 
strategic options and worrying about progress" in Israeli/Syrian 
negotiations, all front pages report. 
 
All dailies highlight the results of the Tawjihi (SAT-like) exams in 
front page headlines.  The papers report that the Palestinian 
Authority Ministry of Education revealed that the release of results 
was coordinated with the Hamas-led Ministry of Education in the Gaza 
Strip, in contrast to last year when Hamas angered the PA by 
releasing Gaza results ahead of the West Bank.  The story leads 
photo coverage in Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida.  Al Ayyam shows a 
picture of Palestinian youth celebrating their successful Tawjihi 
results, while Al Quds shows the top scoring science graduate, a 
smiling girl from Janin, enjoying the proud embrace of her father. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida runs the same photo of a top graduate in Gaza, 
fully veiled, telling gathered journalists that, "I scored the 
highest marks despite the occupation destroying my home during the 
exams. 
 
Front pages highlight remarks by Quartet Envoy Tony Blair that the 
two-state solution is the only avenue for solving the 
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  Blair made the remarks during a July 
19 visit to Norway. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
Al- Quds prints its daily editorial entitled, "Jerusalem and the 
 
JERUSALEM 00001308  003 OF 003 
 
 
Jerusalemites- where to?" (7/21): "...the lack of a collective and 
comprehensive Palestinian policy and the lack of united Arab and 
Islamic speech about the future of Jerusalem has led to [the city's] 
continued occupation and allowed the Israel Government to make 
unilateral decisions that impose new facts on the ground without 
concern for international resolutions or international legitimacy. 
Such a situation will make it hard to divide the city again, and 
what makes matters worse is the negligence of larger countries and 
their silence towards Israeli actions in the city... Jerusalemites 
are disappointed and have lost hope...  [however,] Jerusalemites 
must refocus their priorities... and unite... the continued 
occupation does not mean that [Jerusalemites] should not demand 
their lost rights.  And finally, it is not possible for the 
situation [in Jerusalem] to continue since its long history teaches 
us that Jerusalem has changed hands many times." 
 
Lapenn