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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001961 
 
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.  Iran 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
Ha'aretz cited a Reuters report of a Russian diplomat as saying that 
the Russian navy will make more use of Syrian ports as part of an 
increased military presence in the Mediterranean. The Jerusalem Post 
reported that Israel is continuing its cautious policy regarding the 
conflict in Georgia, with Israeli plans to send humanitarian aid not 
only to Georgia, but also to North Ossetia.  The Jerusalem Post 
reported that Anatoly Yurkov, the charge d'affaires at Russia's 
embassy in Tel Aviv, told the newspaper that Moscow appreciated the 
balanced position Israel had taken throughout the crisis, as well as 
its "low profile." 
 
Citing the East Jerusalem newspaper Al-Quds, Israel Radio quoted a 
senior official in the PA Chairman's bureau as saying that Secretary 
of State Condoleezza Rice had informed Israel and the Palestinians 
that the U.S. administration would aim to establish an international 
mechanism to compensate the Palestinian refugees.  The senior 
official added that Secretary Rice had urged the parties to reach 
understandings about the holy sites in Jerusalem, and about 
arrangements, both administrative and security, for ties between 
both parts of the city.  He was quoted as saying that Secretary Rice 
spoke for the first time about a Palestinian state within the 1967 
lines, with border revisions.  Makor Rishon-Hatzofe cited the 
London-based Al-Hayat as saying that Ahmed Qurei, the head of the 
Palestinian negotiating team, told Rice on Tuesday that the 
Palestinians would demand the dissolution of the settlements Ma'aleh 
Adumim and Ariel.  The reason for the Palestinian demand is that 
those two settlements disrupt Palestinian territorial contiguity. 
Yasser Abed Rabbo, the secretary of the PLO Executive Committee, 
told Aljazeera-TV that he demanded that Rice compose a document that 
would clarify the achievements of the negotiations to date. The goal 
is to submit this document to the next U.S. administration so as not 
to be forced to begin the talks once again from scratch. 
 
Maariv reported that Livni is increasing the margin between her and 
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz in the Kadima primary polls (see 
under: Polls). 
 
Despite earlier reports that Israel will open the border crossings 
with Gaza this morning, Israel Radio reported that they will remain 
closed following rocket fire on Israel. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that Israel is not expected to prevent 12 
Palestinian students, who have been accepted by foreign 
universities, to sail from Gaza to Cyprus on the boats that brought 
peace activists to Gaza.  Ha'aretz quoted activists as saying that 
they will not be passing through Israel's territorial waters. 
Israel Radio quoted an IDF officer as saying that Israel will not 
let people involved in terror leave Gaza.  Maariv cited the defense 
establishment's concern about such a development.  The Jerusalem 
Post reported that the Israel Navy may detain the boats today. 
 
Maariv reported that Labor Party veterans and senior ministers are 
considering deposing Ehud Barak from the post of party chairman. 
 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe reported that in a religious publication Rabbi 
David Rosen (the rabbi of the Zemach Institute) called Peace Now 
activists "mosers" -- a Talmudic term denoting Jews informing on 
other Jews to non-Jews.  The notion was popular among right-wing 
Jews before Yitzhak Rabin's assassination.  Makor Rishon-Hatzofe 
reported that Peace Now has complained to the Attorney General about 
the Rabbi. 
 
All major media reported that "peace fighter" Abie Nathan passed 
away yesterday in Tel Aviv at the age of 81.  Nathan flew a solo 
peace flight to Egypt in 1966, for which he was arrested in Israel. 
His "Voice of Peace," a radio station transmitted from a ship in the 
Mediterranean, started regular broadcasts in 1973.  Nathan was one 
of the first Israelis who met with Yasser Arafat, when this was 
against the law. 
 
All media reported that an Israeli construction manager was 
kidnapped outside his home in Nigeria on Tuesday night. 
 
All media reported that yesterday State Comptroller Micha 
Lindenstrauss presented a special report on alleged wrongdoings by 
PM Ehud Olmert (as Industry, Trade, and Labor minister) when he 
pushed the $300 million Aquaria resort project near Eilat, despite 
reports that proved the project's lack of economic viability. 
Maariv reported that the State Prosecutor' Office insists on Moshe 
Talansky testifying.  Maariv reported that Jerusalem District 
Prosecutor Eli Abravanel told the court that the Prosecutor's Office 
will facilitate Talansky's appearance at the cross-examination. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel welcomed the UN Security 
Council's decision yesterday to renew UNIFIL's mandate in southern 
Lebanon, even though Jerusalem would have liked -- and has indeed 
raised the matter in numerous capitals over the past few months -- 
to see the peacekeepers' rule of engagement strengthened. 
 
Ha'aretz reported that African border infiltrators arrested by the 
IDF while crossing into Israel from Sinai are now being immediately 
returned to Egyptian territory.  Dozens of illegal immigrants were 
returned to Egypt this past week, leading human rights groups to 
petition the High Court of Justice for a temporary injunction 
against the expulsions.  On Tuesday, Ha'aretz learned of the 
"immediate return" policy from soldiers serving on the Egyptian 
border, and the army confirmed the news yesterday.  The same army 
sources said that the policy of immediate expulsion was dictated by 
senior political officials, and is being carried out with Egyptian 
cooperation. 
 
Maariv presented the results of a TNS/Teleseker poll taken among 
registered Kadima voters 
In a first round, Livni would beat Mofaz, 49 to 28%; Internal 
Security Minister Avi Dichter would garner 8.1 of the vote, and 
Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit 7.6% 
In a run-off, Livni would win over Mofaz, 53 to 34%. 
 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Columnist Ari Shavit wrote in the independent, left-leaning 
Ha'aretz: "[Tzipi Livni] must understand that she can not do all 
things better than others." 
 
Middle East affairs commentator Dr. Guy Bechor, a lecturer at the 
Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist 
Yediot Aharonot: "Russia is drawing near to Israel nowadays no less 
than it is to Syria, and perhaps even more so." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "The Livni Paradox" 
 
Columnist Ari Shavit wrote in the independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz 
(8/28): "[Tzipi Livni's] report card is complex.  The daughter of 
the operations officer of the Etzel -- the right-wing, pre-State 
paramilitary organization, commonly known as the Irgun -- she is an 
ethical and clearheaded Israeli woman, but she lacks experience and 
is weak on agenda.  In a sense her candidacy for the premiership 
comes too early.  This is a promising and interesting candidacy that 
ripened before its time -- a half-baked candidacy.  Livni's chances 
are good to very good.... Being fed up with arrogant, wealthy and 
aggressive men has created a true desire for a different leadership. 
 At the end of the summer of 2008, Livni is the different 
leadership.... The obvious solution is a Livni-Barak-Netanyahu 
government.  Israel is already facing a dramatic security challenge. 
 Within months Israel is liable to face a severe economic challenge 
as well.  Tzipi Livni does not have the necessary abilities to deal 
with the two challenges on her own.  However, if she rises above 
herself, she can be quite a good team leader.... In order to do the 
right thing Livni must demonstrate a degree of realism and a degree 
of modesty.  She should admit that her meteoric rise has turned her 
head.  She must understand that she can not do all things better 
than others.  And she should once again become the devoted and 
concerned patriot that she was only a few years ago.  The paradox 
remains a paradox: Only if Tzipi Livni understands that she is not 
yet worthy of being prime minister will she have a chance of being a 
worthy one." 
 
II.  "A Slap in Assad's Face " 
 
Middle East affairs commentator Dr. Guy Bechor, a lecturer at the 
Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist 
Yediot Aharonot (8/28): "The Syrian President went off to Moscow 
with a package of proposals from which his generals assumed both 
sides stood to gain.  The proposal included the following 
components:  1. Syria agrees that the Russians will deploy on its 
soil advanced surface-to-surface missiles to counter the American 
missile deployment in Poland that so enraged the Russians.  2. Syria 
agrees that Russian Air Force jets will use its airspace and soil. 
¶3. The sea port in Tartus will be reopened.  4. Russia will gain a 
friendly military stronghold in the eastern part of the 
Mediterranean Sea, at the gates to Europe, and with that will revert 
to being a regional super power.  In return, Assad had hoped to ask 
for RussiaQs new surface-to-surface missiles, Iskander SS-26, as 
well as other weaponry....  How stunned he was when the Russians 
gave him a stinging slap on the cheek.  Putin and Medvedev replied 
to his offer: Not interested.  They don't want to begin another Cold 
War.  The slap on the cheek was so stinging that the Russians 
refused to sell the Syrians the advanced missiles and added a number 
of additional conditions: first of all, they would not sell Syria 
any offensive weaponry, only defensive.  Second, Syria would not be 
sold any weaponry that would violate the status quo of IsraelQs 
superiority over Syria.  Third, everything needs to be paid for in 
cash, up front.... Russia is drawing near to Israel nowadays no less 
than it is to Syria, and perhaps even more so, against the backdrop 
of the million and a half former Russians who live in Israel and 
because of the high-tech industry that is very important for the 
Russian economy.  The world in this era of globalization isn't going 
to revert to being black and white, and Assad isnQt going to find 
any Russian babushka with a magic solution waiting for him." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
--------- 
¶2.  Iran: 
--------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Intelligence affairs correspondent Yossi Melman wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "[Senator Joseph Biden's] 
positions regarding Iran ... cannot be encouraging to the policy 
makers in Jerusalem.... [But] it could be that Biden, an experienced 
and canny politician, will change his approach and suddenly take a 
tougher line on Iran." 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in Ha'aretz: "A U.S. radar 
system in the Negev ... will bolster Israel's defense against 
Iranian or Syrian surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.  The radar 
deployment will have historical significance: the first American 
base on Israeli territory." 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Joseph Biden Has Shown Softness toward Iran" 
 
Intelligence affairs correspondent Yossi Melman wrote in the 
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (8/28): "[Senator Joseph Biden] 
is ... considered to be in the very middle of the mainstream of 
traditional support for Israel, though in the distant past, in 1981, 
he supported a tougher stance toward Israel.  However, his positions 
regarding Iran, whose acquisition of nuclear weaponry tops Israel's 
list of security concerns, cannot be encouraging to the policy 
makers in Jerusalem.  This is especially so in the context of the 
danger that in 2009, when Biden could well be vice president, Iran 
is liable to reach or even to go beyond the 'technological 
threshold' -- i.e., to achieve the capability that will enable it to 
develop nuclear weapons.... After the [2007 Senate] vote [on 
declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization] 
Biden explained that he had opposed the proposal because 'I don't 
trust this administration.'  Thanks to his position, Biden won 
praise from Press TV, which broadcasts in English and is considered 
the major propaganda arm of the Islamic government for shaping 
positive public opinion beyond the borders of Iran.... It could be 
that Biden, an experienced and canny politician, will change his 
approach and suddenly take a tougher line on Iran." 
 
II.  "A Casually Deployed Radar System" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in Ha'aretz (8/28): 
"Significant strategic changes often occur surprisingly quietly, 
without drawing the deserved attention.  A clear example of this is 
the agreement last month for the deployment of a U.S. radar system 
in the Negev, which will bolster Israel's defense against Iranian or 
Syrian surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.  The radar deployment 
will have historical significance: the first American base on 
Israeli territory.  Israel has always had reservations about such a 
possibility and preferred to 'defend itself by itself' and retain 
maximum freedom of action.  This time the deployment will be for the 
long term.  The radar will be operated by civilians employed by the 
company that builds the system, contracted by the Pentagon, and by 
two U.S. soldiers.  Military sources say that in the future the 
system will be handed over to the IDF.  Until then, if it happens, 
an American flag will fly in the Negev." 
CUNNINGHAM