VZCZCXRO8018
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1753/01 2660811
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 220811Z SEP 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2838
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 7328
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4310
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4163
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5657
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4078
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2644

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 001753 
 
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 (9/22):  THE UN, THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY, AND THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Israel to open synagogue next to Al-Aqsa Mosque, lead headlines in 
Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida declare.  Citing a report by 
Israeli-based Al Aqsa Institute, a branch of the Islamic Movement in 
Israel, the dailies report that the new synagogue will be located 
"only" 50 meters from the holy plaza of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and will 
connect to a network of tunnels underneath the mosque complex. 
 
Israeli Premier Olmert's September 21 resignation and efforts by 
Israeli Foreign Minister Livni to form a new government is 
highlighted on all front pages.  In related news, Al-Quds cites 
Israeli daily Yediot Ahranot in quoting an unnamed senior 
Palestinian official stating that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is 
working with the U.S. to "maintain the principals and understandings 
reached in recent months with the Israelis, as the basis for any 
future negotiations."  The same article quotes Rafiq Hussayni, PA 
President Abbas' Chief of Staff, telling Britain's Sunday Telegraph 
that some Palestinian officials may take the "decisive step" to 
dismantle the PA if current negotiations with Israel fail to result 
in a permanent agreement. 
 
The Egyptian effort to launch unity talks among Palestinian factions 
is the subject of several front-page stories.  Al-Quds reports that 
Cairo is engaged in "extensive efforts" to end inter-Palestinian 
division by building talks on a "sound basis."  Palestinian 
Ambassador to Egypt Nabil Amr is quoted predicting that the next two 
months will be crucial to the success or failure of the talks. 
Al-Ayyam quotes senior Fatah leader Abdallah Abu Samhadanah 
commenting that Fatah will reject the formation of any unity 
government with Hamas, in an effort to avoid, "the same old 
problems."  Another Al Ayyam article quotes Diab Al-Ali, head of 
West Bank Palestinian security forces, warning that the PA will have 
no alternative but to use force against Hamas in Gaza.  A third 
article in the same paper quotes Fatah leader Azzam Al-Ahmad 
explaining that until now, Hamas has been sending "negative signals" 
vis-`-vis a launch of Palestinian dialogue. 
 
Al-Ayyam front-pages a report issued by the PLO's Negotiation 
Affairs Department reporting that since the Annapolis meetings, 
Israel has intensified settlement activities in the West Bank and 
Jerusalem.  The report explains that the Israeli Government has 
issued tenders for the construction of 10,000 new housing units in 
East Jerusalem, since Annapolis. 
 
The "sudden" closure of the Rafah Gaza/Egypt crossing point on 
September 21 by Egypt, is highlighted on the dailies' front-pages. 
Al-Quds reports that Egyptian authorities decided to close the 
crossing due to "technical difficulties" turning back many 
Palestinians seeking entry into Egypt, including students and those 
in need of medical care.  The crossing was opened on September 21. 
 
Al Quds' front page runs the results of a recent U.S. public opinion 
poll conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, showing 
that 51 percent of American respondents support negotiating with 
Hizbollah and 53 percent support negotiations with Hamas. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend stories 
--------------- 
 
Sunday, September 21, 2008 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00001753  002 OF 003 
 
 
Al-Quds ran an exclusive interview with Nayef Hawatmah, Secretary 
General of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine 
under the headline "Hamas' conditions for National dialogue threaten 
its success, and Hamas' indirect negotiations with Israel are of no 
help to the Palestinian people."  Hawatmah calls for the, "halt of 
Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, because they only benefit Israel, 
and are, "illogical in the shadow of continued Israeli aggression, 
the siege, and settlement activities."  Hawatmah also called on all 
Palestinian parties to leave party politics behind and work towards 
making national dialogue a success. 
 
Al-Quds' and Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida's front pages quoted Nabil Amr, 
Palestinian Ambassador to Cairo and representative to the Arab 
league, calling on Fatah to conduct a critical reassessment of the 
organization and work hard to ensure that the party's 6th Convention 
will be held before the end of the year.  The papers quoted Amr 
stating that, "the world holds us responsible for the tragic 
situation that the Palestinian cause finds itself in." 
 
On the "local life" inside page, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reported that 
the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem organized and funded an 
activity for Jenin youth to beautify 6 Jenin public schools.  The 
activity was also featured on Wafa news agency's websites. 
 
Saturday, September 20, 2008 
 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas' op-ed in the Wall Street 
Journal was quoted on the front pages of all three dailies.  Abbas 
confirms that, "I continue to believe that we can achieve a lasting 
peace."  He pledges full cooperation with peace efforts in the days 
and months ahead, and thanks the Bush Administration for its 
assistance in the peace process.  In a related article, Al-Ayyam 
reported that Abbas will attend the opening session of the UN 
General Assembly.  The article also quoted the full White House 
statement that President Bush, "looks forward to discussing with 
President Abbas the progress made toward building Palestinian 
institutions and toward realizing the vision of two states, Israel 
and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security." 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
¶1.  Al-Quds independent argues in its main editorial under the 
title, "International Responsibility" (09/22): [I]nternal political 
crises in Israel... directly impact the Palestinian issue and 
efforts to reach a solution [to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict]... 
How much longer will the international community remain ignorant of 
the successive Israeli governments' policies to destroy peace 
efforts... [the situation] lends increasing credibility to the 
demand that the Palestinian file should be transferred to the United 
Nations so that the international community will be forced to carry 
out its obligations [to enforce] international resolutions... 
Israeli governments have abused negotiations to expand settlements, 
strengthen the siege, isolate and judaize Jerusalem, cause the 
fragmentation of the Palestinian Territories and complete the racist 
separation barrier in the heart of the occupied West Bank." 
 
 
¶2.  "Regular columnist of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official, Adli Sadiq 
opines under the title, "Daughter of the Institution" (09/22): 
"Tzipi Livni [her political career] was born with the creation of a 
new party institution [Kadima].  Beyond that, she has no political 
or intellectual value... In this country [Israel] of theft, murder 
and racial discrimination... no official can go far without being 
 
JERUSALEM 00001753  003 OF 003 
 
 
confronted by an institution... Her father and mother, Likud 
activists, did not notice any special qualities that distinguish her 
as a leader nor does her university degree prepare her for it... it 
was the institution of the [Kadima] party, filling a void, that gave 
Livni her great self-confidence and strong sense of security that, 
as long as she abides by the [party's] rules, she can overcome the 
pitfalls.  Today, she is a leader who looks from the window of her 
institution and declares herself a leader, and why not?!" 
 
Marchese