VZCZCXRO7556
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1355/01 2101035
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281035Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2285
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 7228
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4213
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4066
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5564
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3982
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2547

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 JERUSALEM 001355 
 
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 (7/28):  "Bush...seeks to achieve 
an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians in order to urge 
Jewish pressure groups to vote for McCain." 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All dailies lead with news about the launching of a Palestinian 
national dialogue in Cairo under Egyptian sponsorship on July 27. 
Al-Quds quotes the Palestinian Authority President, Abu Mazen, as 
saying "we [Palestinians] will continue the [internal] negotiations 
even if the chance of success is only 1%" and reports that Abu Mazen 
agrees with Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, about inviting all 
Palestinian factions for talks in Cairo. Al-Ayyam reports that Abu 
Mazen and Mubarak have discussed the latest developments in the 
negotiations with Israel and the truce in the Gaza Strip.  All the 
dailies report that in a press conference held between the two 
presidents in Cairo, Abu Mazen denied accusations that Fatah was 
involved in the recent chaos in the Gaza Strip. 
 
Al-Quds highlights news about the ongoing campaign of arrests of 
Fatah members in the Gaza Strip by Hamas.  All dailies report that 
Hamas began this campaign against Fatah members on July 26, 
including incursions into Fatah offices and charitable societies. 
Al-Quds leads with a photo of Hamas security men checking a car in 
the Gaza Strip on July 27. In related coverage, all dailies report 
that on July 27, Hamas invaded the Gaza-based Media Development 
Center of Bir Zeit University and either destroyed or stole its 
contents.  These actions are in response to the explosion which took 
place next to a car used by the armed wing of Hamas on a Gaza beach 
on July 25, causing the death of six people, including a child. 
 
Coverage reports on continuing Israeli actions in the West Bank and 
Jerusalem. Al-Quds reports the killing of a Hamas leader in Hebron 
on July 27 by Israeli forces. In related coverage in Al-Quds, 15 
Palestinian youths are reported as injured in clashes with Israeli 
soldiers in Ni'lin village near Ramallah on July 27, during a 
demonstration against Israelis who were constructing part of the 
separation wall on Palestinian farmland.  Al-Quds further cites a 
member of Ni'lin village as saying in an interview on July 27 that 
if the barrier is established on the remaining lands, 2500 dunums of 
Ni'lin's lands will be lost in addition to 1000 olive tress. He 
added that many farmers will lose their jobs on the lands from which 
they earn money. In Jerusalem, Al-Quds reports on the 
precedent-setting Israeli campaign of Palestinian house demolition. 
On July 27, the Jerusalem municipality reiterated its intention of 
destroying the five-storey house of the Palestinian Abu Eisha family 
in Beit Hanina.  The Palestinian Prime Minister's Counselor for 
Jerusalem Affairs, Hatem Abdul Qader, warned on July 27 in an 
exclusive interview with Al-Quds against the Israeli demolition 
campaign against the houses of Palestinian Jerusalemites, and he 
called on all Jerusalemites to start a sit-in at the Abu Eisha house 
in Beit Hanina as of July 28. 
 
Al-Quds covers the visit of a group of Palestinian negotiators to 
Washington on July 30 to discuss the developments in 
Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, as reported by the Palestinian 
Chief Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, in an interview with Palestine 
Radio on July 27. Erekat added that the peace process and the 
ongoing negotiations are facing a serious crisis and should continue 
without any obstacle, a reference to the latest Israeli settlement 
activities. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend stories 
--------------- 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00001355  002 OF 004 
 
 
Sunday, July 27, 2008 
 
The aftermath of the Gaza bombings dominates coverage in all 
Palestinian dailies.  Describing Hamas' reaction and its crackdown 
on Fatah institutions in the Strip as an "unprecedented onslaught," 
and a "campaign of repression and arrests," the dailies ran lead 
headlines criticizing the Hamas security apparatuses for the 
haphazard arrests of dozens of Fatah members and the shutting down 
of PLO and Fatah institutions.  The dailies highlight coverage of a 
statement issued by President Abbas' office, stating that despite 
Hamas' actions in Gaza and its "insistence on dividing the nation," 
President Abbas will continue his efforts to "ensure the unity" of 
the Palestinian Territories and "ease the suffering" of Palestinians 
in Gaza.  The coverage cites another statement issued by the Fatah 
Central Committee bashing Hamas for the "destructive chaos" going on 
in Gaza.  Al-Quds front-pages an AFP report quoting Palestinian 
analysts that the recent violence in Gaza will further deepen the 
division and tension between Fatah and Hamas.  For their part, 
spokespeople for the Hamas government are quoted as saying that the 
real aim of the bombings is to spoil the "state of quiet and 
security that has prevailed in Gaza" in the past year. 
 
Al-Quds front-pages an article underlining the "dismay" and "deep 
disappointment" of Palestinian leaders concerning remarks by 
Republican presidential nominee John McCain about Jerusalem, in 
which he reportedly promised to move the American Embassy to 
Jerusalem soon after he is elected.  "The Jerusalem issue is bigger 
than the U.S. and all its nominees," says President Abbas' advisor 
Adnan Husseini, adding that the Palestinians "don't bet much on the 
American policy."  The same article cites Ahmad Ruweidi, also of 
President Abbas' office, as saying that no American President has 
the authority to rule on the status of Jerusalem.  For his part, 
Hatem Abdel Qader, advisor to Prime Minister Fayyad, is reported as 
saying that McCain's "unfortunate" and "dangerous" statement about 
Jerusalem reflects the nominee's attempt to "appease the Jewish 
lobby in the U.S." 
 
 
Saturday, July 26, 2008 
 
The series of bombings that took place in Gaza on July 25, killing 
at least five people---four Hamas militants and a 5-year-old 
child---lead coverage in all the Palestinian dailies.  While Hamas 
leaders are quoted as accusing "external parties" of being behind 
the attacks, front-page articles cite statements by the offices of 
the PA President and Fatah, stressing that the "mysterious" bombings 
were perpetrated by Hamas individuals as a result of infighting 
within the movement, and that Fatah has nothing to do with this 
violence. 
 
Secretary Rice's statement that "there is still time for Israelis 
and Palestinians to reach a peace agreement by the end of 2008" 
receives front-page coverage in all dailies.  Al-Quds cites the 
Secretary as saying that the upcoming trilateral talks in Washington 
between the U.S., Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) should 
take place behind closed doors in order to offer the best chance for 
success.  Al-Ayyam quotes Deputy NSA Elliot Abrams as "disagreeing" 
with Secretary Rice's optimism and instead expressing doubt about 
the possibility of forging such an agreement this year, citing 
Israeli PM Olmert's "weakness" as a reason.  Abrams is further 
quoted as saying that the current Administration is focusing on 
ensuring a "smooth transition" of the negotiations file to the next 
American administration. 
 
JERUSALEM 00001355  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
Describing it as an "unprecedented" campaign by Israel to demolish 
Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, Al-Ayyam front-pages an article 
highlighting the Israeli authorities' issuance of a record number of 
demolition orders for Palestinian properties in several Jerusalem 
neighborhoods.  Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run the same story. 
The coverage also includes front-page stories about the Palestinian 
family Al-Kurd's efforts to save their home in Sheikh Jarrah from 
being taken over by Jewish settlers.  In related coverage, Al-Quds 
front-pages a report citing a Ha'aretz story that the U.S. has 
officially raised an objection with Israel concerning the plight of 
the Al-Kurd family.  In a separate article on page two, Al-Quds 
quotes State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos criticizing 
Israel's intention to build a new settlement in the West Bank as 
"unhelpful."  The EU's "displeasure" over Israel's announcement 
about the new settlement also receives front-page attention in 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida. 
 
Citing a report by the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs a front-page story that the Palestinian 
Authority is considering three options to deal with the impasse in 
the peace talks with Israel.  The paper states that if Israel 
continues its settlement activities and the construction of the 
separation barrier, the PA may take the following three decisions by 
September: ceasing all contacts with Israel; unilaterally declaring 
a Palestinian state; and withdrawing all Palestinian security forces 
from the West Bank cities, while handing over the security 
responsibility of the areas to Israel.  The article cites the PLO's 
Saleh Ra'fat as asserting that all these options are open and are 
being seriously studied. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
¶1. Al-Quds runs an editorial by Faysal Abu Khadra entitled, 
"Obama...and the Miracle of Israel" (7/28): "It is sad to hear and 
read that the African-American Senator whose father is a Muslim and 
whose mother is a white American Christian has a tendency towards 
[miraculously supporting Israel] rather than [supporting] justice 
... As far as we know, Mr. Obama prays to and knows God and has 
called for the respect for the Islamic, Christian and Jewish 
teachings, but at the same time, he does not mention at all the 
Israeli violations against the besieged Palestinian people ... We 
[Palestinians] want to tell the Senator [Obama] who wishes to enter 
the White House with the support of the Jewish lobby that of all the 
peoples on Earth, it is the Palestinians who are the most connected 
to religion and to religious teachings. So, Mr. Obama should 
sympathize with the Palestinian people and approve of the justice 
that they deserve by alleviating the Israeli tyranny ... We 
[Palestinians] wish that the new American Administration would learn 
from history and give people back their rights because it an 
illusion to believe that you [Americans] and Israel will win over 
the will of the Palestinian people, because this people learnt from 
the past and will not move at all from their and their grandfathers' 
lands and the [Palestinian people] will achieve their rights no 
matter how long this will take." 
 
¶2. Independent Al-Ayyam runs its daily editorial by Jawad Al-Bashiti 
entitled, "Rice's Optimism!" (7/28): "[The American, Palestinian, 
and Israel negotiators] still have enough time to reach a peace 
agreement by the end of 2008 if they are committed to the secrecy of 
the complicated and difficult negotiations going on in Washington, 
 
JERUSALEM 00001355  004 OF 004 
 
 
hosted by the U.S. Secretary of State Rice on July 30. This is what 
Rice said and confirmed regarding the Israeli-Palestinian-American 
talks that are to start soon ... If we suppose that the Bush 
Administration wishes to show off in its final days...its interest 
can be achieved if the two parties [Israelis and Palestinians] reach 
an agreement despite the short time left for Bush ... 
[Moreover],this administration has an interest in employing all of 
its foreign policies to serve the presidential candidate McCain, and 
the [hoped-for] success of McCain over Obama is what makes the 
American Administration busy, especially Rice. This means that the 
Bush Administration seeks to achieve an agreement between Israelis 
and Palestinians in order to urge Jewish pressure groups to vote for 
McCain ... If the Palestinian negotiators do not succeed in making 
this paper agreement fail, then the Palestinians will be the losers 
... [Therefore], Washington and July 30 are the worst place and time 
for the Palestinians to hold negotiations with Israel. These 
negotiations will not succeed...and will not fail...unless they 
serve Israel and the election campaign of McCain run by Bush and 
specifically by Rice." 
 
WALLES