VZCZCXRO7673
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1557/01 2380755
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250755Z AUG 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2583
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 7281
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4270
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4123
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5617
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4037
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2604

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001557 
 
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 (8/25): IF THE SHIPS BREAK THE 
SIEGE, WILL INTERNAL DIVISIONS BE FIXED? 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
No one story captures the headlines in the Palestinian press, with 
the three dailies leading with different reports.  Al-Quds 
highlights news that Israeli police decided to close down an 
Arab-Israeli organization known as the Al-Aqsa institution, located 
in northern Israel.  Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, Head of the Al-Aqsa 
institution, which is affiliated with the Islamic Movement in 
Israel, said the decision was made on August 14, a day after his 
institution "uncovered" Israeli plans to establish several Jewish 
synagogues at the Magrabi Gate area and to turn the cemetery of 
Al-Rahma near the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque into a public park. 
 Salah said during a press conference held in Um Al-Fahem that the 
Israeli decision was implemented on August 24. 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with news of Hizbollah's leader Hasan Nasrallah's 
threat to "destroy" Israel if it carries out its threats to attack 
Lebanon. Nasrallah's threat was announced on August 24 in a speech 
on Al-Manar TV. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida showcases preparations for the official reception 
at the Presidential offices in Ramallah of the 199 Palestinian 
prisoners scheduled to be released by Israel on August 25. 
Palestinian Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Ashraf Al-Ajrami, said 
during a press conference held on August 24 that he considers the 
prisoners' release as a step in the right direction. 
 
The three dailies report that Egypt begins today its meetings with 
the Palestinian factions to resolve the internal Palestinian 
"crisis".  The first meeting will be between Egyptian intelligence 
chief, Omar Suleiman, and the Islamic Jihad leader, Ramadan Shallah. 
 
 
Al-Quds carries a report that five Palestinian students were injured 
during clashes between members of Fatah and Hamas at Al-Azhar 
University in the Gaza Strip on August 24.  Members of both parties 
were quoted blaming the other for the conflict. Fatah members 
claimed the Hamas police raided the university and attacked teachers 
and students, while Hamas members accused the university 
administration and pro-Fatah students of attacking Hamas students. 
In related coverage, Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam report that more than one 
million students began the new school year in the Palestinian 
Territories on August 24. Other reports highlight the tour by PA 
Minister of Education of schools in Ramallah and Al-Bireh on August 
¶24. 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida highlight news that U.S. Secretary 
of State Condoleezza Rice starts her visit to the Middle East on 
August 25 in order to bridge the gap between Palestinians and 
Israelis to reach a peace agreement.  The reports note that Rice 
will meet with the PA President Mahmoud Abbas on August 26 in 
Ramallah. 
 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
¶1.  Independent Al-Quds runs an editorial by regular columnist Talal 
Al-Sharif entitled, "The Two Ships--So Breaking the Siege is not in 
One Direction!" (8/25): "[T]he sailing of the two ships [to the Gaza 
Strip] is a good step, but political [aspirations] cannot be 
achieved without pure national unity.... Leaders, you will 
eventually go, but Palestine will remain. Do not hand it over to the 
 
JERUSALEM 00001557  002 OF 002 
 
 
Israelis with your division, misunderstandings, or mishandling of 
the conflict.  Don't try to jump ahead of yourselves in an effort to 
dodge your obligations toward achieving [internal] unity." 
¶2.  Independent Al-Ayyam runs an editorial by regular columnist 
Samih Shbeib entitled, "The Authority and Future Obligations" 
(8/25): "[I]t is obvious that there is no alternative to 
negotiations. Stopping the negotiations by the Palestinian side may 
lead to great losses, especially on the international and European 
level. However, continuing the negotiations in light of closed 
horizons, ongoing settlement activities and wall building... will 
further increase the internal clashes, weaken the [Palestinian] 
political [position] in general, and exacerbate the financial siege 
on the Palestinian Authority.  [T]hese [futile] negotiations would 
show that [the PA] is incapable of committing to its political and 
economic programs, including its ability to pay the salaries of its 
employees.  The ability to deal with future obligations...is a 
general national responsibility and no one party can be held more 
responsible for it than the other.... This requires a comprehensive 
national unity to agree on a future strategy able to encounter 
future obligations."