VZCZCXRO0398
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1786/01 2681108
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241108Z SEP 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2882
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 7335
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4315
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4168
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5662
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4084
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2649

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001786 
 
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 (9/24):  PALESTINIANS SEE 
INCITEMENT AGAINS EAST JERUSALEMITES 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Quds leads with, and all dailies front page, Fatah Executive 
Committee member Nabil Sha'ath confirming that, "comprehensive 
dialogue" among Palestinian factions will take place in Egypt in 
early November in an effort to form a consensus government and end 
internal division.  Al Ayaam also quotes senior Fatah leader Azzam 
el-Ahmad explaining that any future national government would be 
tasked with preparing new presidential and legislative elections and 
reforming the Palestinian security services. 
 
Al Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida lead with comments by chief 
Palestinian negotiator Ahmad Quay rejecting Israeli proposals to 
implement "quick fixes" to end the conflict, noting that such 
proposals would exclude major issues such as the status of Jerusalem 
and Palestinian refugees.  Al-Ayyam also quotes Quray rebuffing 
American proposals based on "compromises," stating that the new 
American administration should resume negotiations from wherever the 
last administration left off.  In another front-page article in 
Al-Ayyam, a Hamas spokesman is quoted reiterating Hamas' objection 
to any attempts to prolong Palestinian President Abbas' time in 
office, calling the attemps illegal. 
 
Al-Quds' runs a front page report citing Israeli Defense Forces 
radio, that quotes Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon blaming 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas and Palestinian chief 
negotiator Quray for the failure of the two sides reaching a 
memorandum of understanding. Al-Ayyam runs a related DPA story, 
quoting Israeli Prime Minister Olmert expressing "great hopes" that 
an agreement with the Palestinians can be reached despite his 
resignation. 
 
Front page coverage in all dailies of the aftermath of the running 
over of several Israeli soldiers by a Palestinian driver in 
Jerusalem on September 23, highlights the refusal by Israeli 
authorities to allow the dead driver's family to erect a customary 
mourners' tent.  The articles also quote family members rejecting 
the characterization of the event as a terrorist attack, insisting 
that it was no more than a traffic accident.  In separate front page 
reporting, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida highlights a comment by Israeli 
Premier Olmert stating that the separation of Arab and Jewish 
neighborhoods in Jerusalem would be "the ideal solution" to 
preventing future attacks on Israelis in the city. 
 
 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas' participation in the opening 
session of the UN General Assembly and his meetings with several 
world leaders receive highlighted coverage on all dailies' front 
pages.  In related coverage, Al-Ayyam frontpages a highlighted 
report entitled, "UN: Bush and World Leaders Try to Contain Fall-Out 
of Financial Crisis." 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida quotes Bassam Zakarnah, head of the Public 
Employees Union, announcing that the Palestinian Authority will pay 
a full month's salary to every government employee. 
 
Al-Ayyam front-pages a report on access issues released by the UN's 
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).  The 
report states that 65 percent of principal roads in the West Bank 
are either closed or subject to Israeli Defense Forces checkpoints, 
which now number 630. 
 
In cultural news, Al-Ayyam reports on an inside "local news" page 
 
JERUSALEM 00001786  002 OF 002 
 
 
about the September 23 U.S. Consulate-sponsored iftar held for youth 
leaders and their families in the Jerusalem community of Al Tur. 
The press release is also carried by the Ma'an and Palestine News 
Network websites.  The story follows a September 23 inside article 
in Al Hayat Al Jadida and on Ma'an websites, about a U.S. 
Consulate-supported peace concert organized by a U.S. Fulbrighter in 
Jerusalem. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
¶1.  In its main editorial, Al-Quds independent argues under the 
title, "The Series of 'Accidents' in Jerusalem" (09/24): "The day 
before yesterday, news reported an accident in West Jerusalem where 
a Palestinian Jerusalemite ran over a number of pedestrians on one 
of the city's sidewalks.  The accident resulted in the injury of a 
number of Israelis and the killing of the Palestinian who was shot 
dead by a passerby.  With his death, the secret of what caused the 
accident also died.  Only the Israeli version, claiming that it was 
"a terrorist attack," over the objections of the driver's family who 
say it was a traffic accident and nothing more, remains... violence 
against innocent civilians is denounced everywhere, but inciting 
people against [East] Jerusalemites and mobilizing a media campaign 
against them as if they were fifth class citizens by implying that 
'violence by Jerusalemites' is on the rise, will only make the 
situation worse.  Jerusalem is witnessing a calm period, calmer than 
ever before despite Israeli measures such as the siege, the 
expensive taxes and the rare issuance of building permits, the 
campaigns to demolish Palestinian homes... This series of accidents 
labeled by the Israelis as terrorist attacks before a proper 
investigation can be concluded, must come to an end... These claims 
should not be used to increase emotional tensions.  There are 
already many sensitivities and a lot of distrust between Israelis 
and Palestinians in the Holy City." 
 
 
¶2.  Columnist Basem Abu Sumaya opines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official 
under the title "Dissolving the Authority..!!" (09/24): "Waving 
around the threat of dissolving the [Palestinian] Authority if an 
agreement with Israel is not reached, has been the topic of daily 
conversation since Oslo or even Madrid.  In reality, it is nothing 
more than a melo-dramatic threat that the international community 
makes against Israel or is used as a way to pressure progress 
towards concluding a peace agreement.  A decision like that would 
need an Authority with super-powers and supernatural boldness and a 
strategic alternative plan... Resorting to such a plan would put an 
end to the American-supported peace process and return the 
day-to-day rule of the West Bank to Israel... all the Authority can 
do in its current state, is get used to the finger-biting game and 
controlling tempers and preparing for a strategic alternative plan 
in case negotiations fail." 
 
MARCHESE