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DE RUEHTV #1635/01 2121101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301101Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
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RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 4196
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 2521
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 4954
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1810
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RHMFIUU/COMSIXTHFLT  PRIORITY

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001635 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR NEA STAFF 
 
SECDEF WASHDC FOR USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA 
HQ USAF FOR XOXX 
DA WASHDC FOR SASA 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA 
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR 
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD 
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO ICD 
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
 
SIPDIS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  Muslim-Jewish Interfaith Dialogue 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All major media covered Defense Minister Ehud Barak's visit to the 
U.S.  Barak was quoted as saying that Defense Secretary Robert Gates 
promised that the U.S. would supply Israel with real-time warnings 
on missiles launchings at Israel.  Yediot and Israel Radio reported 
that Gates promised that the U.S. would provide Israel with advanced 
radar systems.  The Jerusalem Post reported that Barak spoke of a 
"shared outlook" with the U.S. that emphasizes diplomacy and seeks 
stronger sanctions to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear 
weapon. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that PM Ehud Olmert has less than a 
month to decide to join the Kadima leadership race or become a "lame 
duck," after the party's election committee decided yesterday to set 
an August 24 deadline to join the race, which is scheduled for 
September 17.  The Jerusalem Post quoted sources close to Olmert as 
saying that he would announce his decision very soon and well ahead 
of the deadline, because it would be clear that he was not running 
if he did not announce his intentions in the near future. 
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, a leading candidate in the 
Kadima primaries, was quoted as saying in an interview with Ha'aretz 
that Olmert and Livni must not be allowed to reach an agreement with 
the PA before the party primaries. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that PA President Mahmoud Abbas warned Israel last 
week that if Israel releases Hamas members of the Palestinian 
parliament as part of a deal for Gilad Shalit's return, he will 
dismantle the PA.  Ha'aretz says that Abbas evidently fears that the 
release of senior Hamas politicians in exchange for Shalit would 
strengthen the Islamic organization's civilian infrastructure in the 
West Bank.  The newspaper quoted an Israeli source well-versed in 
what is happening in the PA as saying that publication of Abbas's 
threat is liable to discredit him massively in the eyes of many 
Palestinians.  In addition, the source noted, this threat creates 
another obstacle to Israel's efforts to reach an agreement for 
Shalit's release.  Israel Radio reported that Hamas has threatened 
that if Israel did not accede to its demand to release 450 prisoners 
in return for Shalit, it would further step up its demands and would 
again demand 1,000  Palestinian prisoners.  This threat was made by 
the Hamas representative in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, in an interview 
to the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper. 
 
Leading media reported that an investigation has been ordered into 
claims that a 10-year-old boy was shot dead by officers in the West 
Bank village of Na'alin in the aftermath of the security fence. 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that the defense establishment has no 
funds until next year to resume work on the fence. 
 
Israel Radio reported that Minister Shaul Mofaz, who heads the 
Israeli team for the strategic dialogue with the U.S., set out last 
night for Washington.  The talks with the administration will focus 
on the Iranian threat, the situation in Lebanon, and Hizbullah's 
growing strength.  Mofaz told Israel Radio that he was convinced 
that whoever is elected president of the U.S. would not allow Iran 
to acquire nuclear weapons, because that would be a threat to the 
entire world.  Ha'aretz quoted Mofaz as saying that if elected 
Kadima chairman, he will handle the peace talks. 
 
Israel Radio reported that FM Tzipi Livni also left for Washington 
last night. She will have a joint meeting with Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice and chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei. 
Livni will also meet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted a variety of USG officials on issues such 
as the problem posed by continued settlement activity (State 
Department Spokesman Sean McCormack), the United States' strong 
commitment to Israel's security (Defense Department Press Secretary 
Geoff Morrell), and U.S. efforts to coerce Iran to give up nuclear 
technology that could be used to build a nuclear bomb (Secretary 
Rice). 
 
Major media reported that in an address he delivered to graduates of 
the National Security program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, 
Olmert defended his decision to hold negotiations with Syria. 
Olmert was quoted as saying that the talks have a good chance of 
success and that soon, "Syria will have to make a strategic choice 
between peace and isolation," referring to Damascus' close relations 
with Tehran and Hizbullah.  The media reported that Livni has 
expressed reservations about Olmert's outline of orders with Syria. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday, for the first time in 
Israel's history, a cross-party parliamentary caucus dealing with 
the rehabilitation of Palestinian refugees (the Caucus for the 
Rehabilitation of the Palestinian Refugees) was launched in the 
Knesset.  The newspaper quoted Kadima MK Amira Dotan as saying: "I 
am not trying to change the Palestinian narrative, but to alter the 
state of mind of the refugees and their descendants.  She added: "We 
have to see how we can work with UNRWA -- not against UNRWA on this 
issue." 
 
All media reported that after failing a polygraph test, the 
commander of Armored Battalion 71, Lt. Col. Omri Fruberg, was 
suspended from his post yesterday.  The battalion commander, who was 
photographed holding a bound Palestinian demonstrator while a 
soldier fired a rubber bullet at him from close range, was suspended 
for ten days after a hearing held for him by OC Northern Command 
Maj. Gen. Eizenkot. 
 
Hamas and Popular Resistance Committees troop and rocket training 
was shown on all three TV stations last night.  Commentators 
wondered whether how this met the stipulations of a "truce." 
 
All media reported that yesterday the Jerusalem District Court 
convicted Majdi Rahima Rimawi, the man who planned, ordered, and 
organized the assassination of Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi in 
2001, on five separate charges for his part in the assassination and 
four other terrorist attacks in the month leading up to it. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday Peace Now petitioned the 
High Court of Justice, demanding that the IDF remove civilians 
living in the former central bus station in Hebron, which has been 
used as an army base since 1983. 
 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that yesterday five senior professors 
asked the High Court of Justice to add their names to the petition 
of the Gisha non-profit organization against the Defense Ministry 
for its restrictions on Palestinian students who wish to enter 
Israel to study at its universities. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted Israel's Islamic Movement spokesman Zahi 
Nujidat as saying yesterday that a brief course offered by the 
Chabad Hassidim about the Second Temple endangers the Al-Aqsa 
Mosque.  Chabad spokesman Rabbi Menachem Brod was quoted as saying: 
"This is a pure provocation by an organization that is exploiting 
any opportunity to incite the Arab public to violence against 
Israel." 
Yediot reported that yesterday in a first reading the Knesset voted 
to grant a pardon to disengagement opponents against whom criminal 
cases were opened.  Likud MK Reuven Rivlin drafted the bill. 
 
The Jerusalem Post and Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that a 
code-share agreement between El Al and American Airlines will become 
effective in September. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Former Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami wrote in the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "[American] policy in 
the Middle East, as defined since President BushQs 'axis of evil' 
speech in January 2002, is in the midst of a radical change." 
 
Liberal op-ed writer Uzi Benziman commented in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "[Tzipi] Livni's glory will ... be ... her 
ability to form an independent worldview for Israel's future, and to 
find within herself the leadership and the determination to 
translate her vision into an action plan." 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "The 
government owes it to Israelis to publicly and explicitly delineate 
which parts of the city the Jewish state claims.....[Anyway], 
however the diplomatic process plays out, the Arab and Jewish 
sections of Jerusalem must receive equal treatment -- not to buy 
loyalty or affection, but a concrete manifestation of Jewish 
sovereignty." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Victory of the Extremists" 
 
Former Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami wrote in the 
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (7/30): "[American] 
policy in the Middle East, as defined since President BushQs 'axis 
of evil' speech in January 2002, is in the midst of a radical 
change.  The paradigm of creating an alliance of 'moderates' to 
defeat the 'extremists' -- which was welcomed enthusiastically by 
Israel and a coalition of Arab states headed by Egypt and Saudi 
Arabia -- has collapsed.  The 'extremists,' who were supposed to 
have been defeated by economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and 
military operations, have managed to survive.  Now it is the turn of 
the 'moderates' to adapt their policies to reality.... Now, when it 
is clear that his foreign policy has failed miserably, Bush has 
decided not to ignore the advantages of co-opting Syria and Iran. 
These two countries are the key to stability in the Middle East. 
They are vital in Lebanon, they play a role in Iraq, and they can 
effect a change in the approach of organizations such as Hamas and 
Hizbullah, which play an important part in the regionQs instability. 
 Moreover, including Iran [in an alliance], is the only way to 
shatter the nuclear apocalypse in the region.   The fact that the 
general atmosphere tends towards a political calm is partly due to 
the collapse of another misguided perception of the Bush 
administration: The idea that the 'axis of evil' is a coalition of 
mad countries, whose sole interest is in spreading evil around them. 
 The use of radical tactics does not necessarily mean madness. 
Syria and Iran have no interest in adopting the role of the pariahs 
of the international community.  More than wanting to spread terror 
and revolution, their policy advocates the promotion of goals that 
can be placed on the negotiating table.  They are well aware of the 
limitations of encouraging instability, and they look forward to a 
friendlier U.S. administration, which will be willing to engage them 
in dialogue." 
 
II.  "The PR Advisers' PR" 
 
Liberal op-ed writer Uzi Benziman commented in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (7/30): "It is ... not surprising that when 
the Farm Forum, Sharon's inner circle of advisers, agreed to offer 
its public relations services to Tzipi Livni, that headline competed 
Monday with other political headlines.... This is what happens when 
craftsmen, who are supposed to serve politicians, become important 
national personalities and compete with their clients over the 
public's attention, to the point where it is not quite clear who was 
serving whom on Monday: [the forum members] serving Livni -- or she 
serving them.... The blurring between reality and image is possible 
when ideology has increasingly given way, where basic societal 
values have been undermined, where there is no leadership, and where 
the rules of the game are being constantly changed.  Such a diffuse 
reality lets the opinion thieves fill the void, where authenticity 
is lacking, and all that remains is masks, and content gives way to 
form.  Language loses its original meaning: A lie is a 'spin,' a 
commercial is a 'news item,' and a public relations stratagem is a 
'political program.'  Livni's glory will not be in hiring the Farm 
Forum team, but her ability to form an independent worldview for 
Israel's future, and to find within herself the leadership and the 
determination to translate her vision into an action plan." 
 
III.  "Where's Our Jerusalem?" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (7/30): 
"The image of municipal markets, backed by armed Border Police, 
demolishing a practically new residential dwelling in East Jerusalem 
makes for bad publicity.  It also exposes an underlying incoherence 
in Israel's approach to the capital's Arab neighborhoods.... Does 
Olmert honestly think the residents of [the Jewish neighborhood of 
Talpiot and its environs will be better off if [the bordering Arab 
neighborhood of] Sur Bahir is turned over to the Palestinians?  The 
government owes it to Israelis to publicly and explicitly delineate 
which parts of the city the Jewish state claims.  Why not tell us 
what Mahmoud Abbas and Ahmed Qurei presumably already know?  And 
once it does, Arab neighborhoods that are to remain under permanent 
Israeli control should reap the full benefits of Jewish sovereignty 
-- regardless of whether an agreement with the Palestinians is 
achieved.... However the diplomatic process plays out, the Arab and 
Jewish sections of Jerusalem must receive equal treatment -- not to 
buy loyalty or affection, but a concrete manifestation of Jewish 
sovereignty." 
 
-------------------------------------- 
¶2.  Muslim-Jewish Interfaith Dialogue: 
-------------------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs 
for the American Jewish Committee and interfaith adviser for 
Israel's Chief Rabbinate, wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post: "The [Saudi-sponsored interfaith] encounter ignited 
a humanizing flame that began to burn away the demonized image of 
the other." 
 
Conservative international Jewish leader Isi Leibler wrote in The 
Jerusalem Post: "How could Jewish leaders participate in such an 
evet [the Saudi-sponsored interfaith dialogue] withou even 
relating to the obscene, state-sanctioned eligious anti-Semitic 
incitement openly promoted by the country sponsoring the event?" 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
Arabia -- has collapsed.  The 'extremists,' who were supposed to 
have been defeated by economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and 
military operations, have managed to survive.  Now it is the turn of 
the 'moderates' to adapt their policies to reality.... Now, when it 
is clear that his foreign policy has failed miserably, Bush has 
decided not to ignore the advantages of co-opting Syria and Iran. 
These two countries are the key to stability in the Middle East. 
They are vital in Lebanon, they play a role in Iraq, and they can 
effect a change in the approach of organizations such as Hamas and 
Hizbullah, which play an important part in the regionQs instability. 
 Moreover, including Iran [in an alliance], is the only way to 
shatter the nuclear apocalypse in the region.   The fact that the 
general atmosphere tends towards a political calm is partly due to 
the collapse of another misguided perception of the Bush 
administration: The idea that the 'axis of evil' is a coalition of 
mad countries, whose sole interest is in spreading evil around them. 
 The use of radical tactics does not necessarily mean madness. 
Syria and Iran have no interest in adopting the role of the pariahs 
of the international community.  More than wanting to spread terror 
and revolution, their policy advocates the promotion of goals that 
can be placed on the negotiating table.  They are well aware of the 
limitations of encouraging instability, and they look forward to a 
friendlier U.S. administration, which will be willing to engage them 
in dialogue." 
 
II.  "The PR Advisers' PR" 
 
Liberal op-ed writer Uzi Benziman commented in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (7/30): "It is ... not surprising that when 
the Farm Forum, Sharon's inner circle of advisers, agreed to offer 
its public relations services to Tzipi Livni, that headline competed 
Monday with other political headlines.... This is what happens when 
craftsmen, who are supposed to serve politicians, become important 
national personalities and compete with their clients over the 
public's attention, to the point where it is not quite clear who was 
serving whom on Monday: [the forum members] serving Livni -- or she 
serving them.... The blurring between reality and image is possible 
when ideology has increasingly given way, where basic societal 
values have been undermined, where there is no leadership, and where 
the rules of the game are being constantly changed.  Such a diffuse 
reality lets the opinion thieves fill the void, where authenticity 
is lacking, and all that remains is masks, and content gives way to 
form.  Language loses its original meaning: A lie is a 'spin,' a 
commercial is a 'news item,' and a public relations stratagem is a 
'political program.'  Livni's glory will not be in hiring the Farm 
Forum team, but her ability to form an independent worldview for