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P 271013Z OCT 08
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002400 
 
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 
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COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD 
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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.  Israeli Politics 
 
¶2.  U.S. Operation against Syria 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
All media reported that yesterday PM-designate Tzipi Livni told 
President Shimon Peres that she has exhausted all options of forming 
a government.  Peres is consulting all factions as Israel appears 
headed to general elections in February. 
 
All media quoted the Syrian government as saying that yesterday U.S. 
military helicopters attacked an area along the Syrian-Iraqi border, 
killing eight people.  HaQaretz quoted GOI sources as saying that 
the U.S. is taking an extremely harsh line with Syria, especially 
when it comes to shielding terrorists.  Israel Radio quoted DM Ehud 
Barak as saying that the American operation will not affect Israel. 
 
The media reported that yesterday West Bank settlers rioted, 
desecrating headstones at a Muslim cemetery near Kiryat Arba. 
During the rioting, settlers hurled abuse at security forces 
personnel and called for a "revenge attack" against them in response 
to the evacuation of an illegal outpost built by right-wing activist 
Noam Federman near Kiryat Arba.  HaQaretz and The Jerusalem Post 
reported that Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz called for an 
incitement investigation against right wing activists involved in 
the violence. 
 
HaQaretz reported that IDF Intelligence, which until recently 
believed that Western action could halt Iran's nuclear program, now 
believes this will not be the case, according to a new intelligence 
assessment given last month to PM Ehud Olmert. 
 
Leading media reported that Hamas operative Jemal Abu Duabah was 
arrested five weeks ago after he infiltrated Israel from Gaza in a 
bid to kidnap Israeli soldiers.  While in Sinai, he made his final 
arrangements to abduct troops, whom he planned to smuggle back into 
Gaza.  The would-be abduction was intended to capture more soldiers 
to use as bargaining chips in exchange for Palestinian prisoners 
held in Israel. 
 
Maariv reported that the U.S. Army and the IAF will soon cooperate 
on an anti-missile defense system involving the Arrow and an 
advanced American radar. 
 
Yesterday The Jerusalem Post reported that UN special rapporteur 
Richard Falk censured Israel for failing to halt settlement 
expansion consistent with the Annapolis protocols and for violating 
the Geneva Conventions in Gaza. 
 
Yesterday The Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli diplomats as saying that 
Jerusalem has not received any word of U.S. intention to announce 
the establishment of an interest section in Tehran in mid-November, 
after the U.S. elections. 
 
HaQaretz reported that Brig. Gen. Rabbi Avichai Ronski, the chief 
rabbi of the IDF, has in the past year been visiting prisoners 
associated with extreme right-wing groups, some of whom are serving 
jail sentences for planning or helping to carry out terrorist 
attacks against Arabs.  Rabbi Avichai Ronski, who assumed his 
position in 2006, has met with the prisoners to teach them about 
Judaism. 
 
HaQaretz reported that the Labor Party might remove its support for 
Nir Barkat over statements made by the secular candidate for 
Jerusalem mayor.  Last week Barkat declared his support for the 
establishment of a Jewish neighborhood near the village of Anata, 
beyond the Green Line (1967 border), on the city's eastern slopes. 
 
Yediot reported that Israeli emigres are coming back to the country 
because of the worsening economic crisis overseas.  Fifteen 
thousands emigres are expected to return to Israel by the end of 
next year.  Sixty-four percent of the returnees arrived so far from 
North America. Nir Barkat 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that an Israeli delegation of start-up 
companies is in the U.S. this week to meet on furthering clean 
technology innovation and investment. 
 
Maariv reported that Sen. John McCain has a QweaponQ: an Israeli 
documentary about the Islamic peril. 
 
HaQaretz reported that a new Interior Ministry regulation would bar 
certain foreign nationals who had illegally lived in Israel and then 
E 
left of their own volition from entering Israel again.  This 
severely tightens immigration policy in Israel, as it bars the entry 
of foreign nationals from 60 countries exempt from visa 
requirements, including Russia, Romania, Colombia and the 
Philippines, for at least a year and up to a lifetime.  It will 
affect tens of thousands of people, including the families of 
immigrants from the former Soviet Union and of former foreign 
workers, who were granted Israeli citizenship according to an 
arrangement for foreign workers' children. 
 
Maariv printed the results of a TNS/Teleseker poll conducted 
yesterday: 
 
Were elections for the Knesset held today, and the competing parties 
be the following  whom would you vote for? 
(Results in Knesset seats)   Kadima: 31; Likud: 29; Labor Party: 11; 
Yisrael Beiteinu: 11; Arab parties: 11; Shas: 8; National 
Union-National Religious Party: 7; Meretz: 5; United Torah Judaism: 
4; Green Party: 3; Gil Q Pensioners Party: 0; Social Justice (under 
Arkady Gaidamak) 0. 
 
--------------------- 
¶1.  Israeli Politics: 
--------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Ben Caspit wrote on page one of the 
popular, pluralist Maariv: QThere will be a Turkish bazaar here 
after the elections, and it is possible that even if Livni wins by a 
seat or two, the prime minister will be Netanyahu thanks to blocking 
work (such as he did this week). 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar commented in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz: QThe time has come for someone to tell [Ehud 
Barak] that Benjamin Netanyahu has won the battle over the 
declaration that Qthere is no partner,Q but the battle for peace is 
still on. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Everything is Still Possible" 
Diplomatic correspondent Ben Caspit wrote on page one of the 
popular, pluralist Maariv (10/27): Q[In the upcoming elections] 
Netanyahu [will get] a firm core of support, but limited. 
The peace camp [will sustain] a severe blow.... Against the backdrop 
of the economic collapse around the world and the security 
challenges, there is more than a reasonable chance that the next 
government will include the three major parties: Likud, Kadima and 
Labor.  The question is who will form it.  Who will block whom. 
There will be a Turkish bazaar here after the elections, and it is 
possible that even if Livni wins by a seat or two, the prime 
minister will be Netanyahu thanks to blocking work (such as he did 
this week).  The Labor Party?  It needs to pray for a miracle.... 
All this is conditional.  In the insane place where we live, 
anything possible can happen at any given moment, to reshuffle the 
deck and turn all the forecasts and analyses into dust.   We should 
remember that the incumbent prime minister is still called Ehud 
Olmert, and he wants to leave behind something that is not related 
to Nasrallah or [Attorney General] Meni Mazuz.  A diplomatic flurry 
of activity by Olmert could hurt Livni and benefit Netanyahu.  So 
that everything, including everything, is still possible. 
 
II.  "The Battle for Peace Is Still On" 
 
Senior op-ed writer Akiva Eldar commented in the independent, 
left-leaning Ha'aretz (10/27): QThe candidate of the ruling party 
for the premiership will have to reveal to the electorate the 
positions she presented in negotiations with the Palestinians. 
Because the positions of the Palestinians and of the Arab League 
have barely changed during the past year, it will not be difficult 
for people to find the differences.   And where is the Labor Party, 
the one that paved the way for dialogue with the Palestinians and 
eight years ago began the negotiations over the final status 
agreement?.... Instead of demanding that Livni give an accounting of 
her achievements in the negotiations with the Palestinians, Ehud 
Barak last week repeated the mantra that Abu Mazen is not ready for 
a peace agreement.  It turns out that in the draft of his coalition 
agreement with Livni, there was no mention of the Annapolis process, 
of evacuating outposts, or of freezing settlements.  The time has 
come for someone to tell him that Benjamin Netanyahu has won the 
battle over the declaration that Qthere is no partner,Q but the 
battle for peace is still on. 
 
--------------------------------- 
¶2.  U.S. Operation against Syria: 
--------------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot: Qthe Americans decided to send [Bashar 
Assad] a public, noisy and humiliating message. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Humiliating Message" 
 
Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot (10/27): QThe Americans decided to 
humiliate the Syrians. TheyQre fed up with AssadQs games. Every time 
his relations with the American regime cool, he punishes them and 
opens the border to global jihad groups that train on Lebanese soil, 
stay on Syrian soil, and act against the American forces in Iraq. 
The Americans protested to the Syrians, but the latter feigned 
innocence.... So this time the Americans decided to send [Bashar 
Assad] a public, noisy, and humiliating message.  The target of the 
commando operation was an activist in one of global jihadQs 
branches, who was linked to terror activity in Iraq.  Israel, 
incidentally, did not receive from the Americans any prior notice of 
the operation, and itQs good that it was so.  Operations of this 
sort are built, first of all, on secrecy.  The Americans share with 
Israel in those cases in which there is concern that an American 
military operation will spark a response against Israel (for 
example, the U.S. informed Israel three days before the second Gulf 
War began).  What isnQt clear in this case is why the Syrians, of 
all people, were in a hurry to be the first to report the attack on 
their sovereignty.  Incidentally, they were also the first to report 
the Israel Air ForceQs attack. 
 
CUNNINGHAM