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TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  U.S. Elections 
 
¶3.  Global Financial Crisis 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
The media reported that Knesset faction leaders decided yesterday to 
set the date for general elections on February 10.   HaQaretz 
reported that Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Labor Chairman Ehud 
Barak are beginning their struggle for the support of left-wing 
voters, with part of the focus being their disagreement over the 
Arab peace initiative.  Barak, the defense minister, has proposed 
that Israel use the initiative as a basis for negotiations, to 
smooth the way for both the Palestinians and the Syrians to make 
concessions. He also assumes that Israelis are willing to make 
concessions in exchange for a comprehensive peace. President Shimon 
Peres also supports this view, although his position as head of 
state precludes his taking an active role in political discourse. 
FM Livni does not oppose the Arab peace initiative, but believes 
that efforts must focus directly on the Palestinian track.  Livni 
has disparaged Barak's approach, calling it, in private 
conversation, an "attempt to seek a diplomatic agenda for himself 
and the Labor Party."  HaQaretz also quoted Livni as saying 
privately, "I'm for world peace and regional harmony, too; who 
isn't?  But is it realistic?" 
 
HaQaretz reported that Livni has not abandoned the regional arena. 
On November 12, she will take part in New York in an interreligious 
summit hosted by Saudi King Abdullah and UN Secretary General Ban 
Ki-moon, with the participation of President Bush.  King Abdullah is 
the architect of the original Arab peace initiative, and also 
oversaw its reaffirmation last year at the Riyadh Summit.   Yediot 
noted that this is the first time that Saudi Arabia has invited 
Israel to a conference. 
 
All media reported that Knesset Member Dr. Yossi Beilin, who was 
chairman of the Meretz-Yahad party until a year ago, announced 
yesterday that he is quitting politics and will resign from the 
Knesset in the next few days.  Beilin was quoted as saying that he 
plans to go into business, although HaQaretz quoted sources close to 
him as saying that he will continue to be involved in public life 
and promote the Geneva peace initiative, of which he was a key 
architect. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Assistant Secretary of State for 
International Organizations Brian Hook told the newspaper yesterday 
that the UN should set up an Iran sanctions committee to help 
identify Qcheaters and spoilersQ who are not complying with UN 
Security sanctions. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Harvard Law Professor Alan 
Dershowitz is defending a possible Democratic Obama administration 
to conservative Jews who argued that anyone who was worried about 
Israel should be for John McCain.  Maariv reported that the economic 
situation will determine the vote of American expatriates in Israel, 
as 41.2% of those would choose Obama over McCain (36.1%).  The 
Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday hundreds of expatriates voted 
in Jerusalem for next weekQs presidential elections. 
 
The Jerusalem Post quoted PM Olmert as saying in this speech to the 
Knesset his week that he is intent on running Israel Qwith the same 
sense of responsibility and prudence with which I have acted so far 
until his successor is elected.  The newspaper reported that in his 
address, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu asked why LivniQs coalition 
is repelling IranQs nuclear threat with one hand while bringing 
IranQs terror threat closer with the other.  Peres called for 
rehabilitation, healing, and unity.  The ultra-Orthodox Yated 
NeQeman reported that Peres hinted yesterday that disengagement had 
been a failure. 
 
HaQaretz quoted Palestinian Authority security officials as saying 
that the tunnel near Hebron uncovered about two weeks ago by the PA 
was used by Hamas as a firing range and for other weapons training. 
The discovery of the tunnel is indicative of the kind of pressure 
the PA security forces are putting on the military wing of Hamas. 
The revelation of the tunnel caught by surprise Israeli security 
officials, who reportedly agree with the PA's evaluation of its 
purpose. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday the High Court of Justice 
agreed to give the state 90 days to test out changes in a military 
regulation regarding Palestinians prohibited from traveling abroad 
because Shin Bet regards them as security threats.  The regulation 
was originally introduced in January in response to a petition filed 
two years ago by the Association for Civil Rights and Moked 
Defense of the Individual. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that Syria is keeping a close eye on the 
outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential and Israeli elections, 
particularly after Sunday's U.S. raid on a Syrian compound raised 
questions about the future of U.S.-Syrian relations and American 
foreign policy in the region.  The newspaper also reported that 
British FM David Milliband has decided to work with his Syrian 
counterpart to promote stability in the region. 
 
Maariv reported that yesterday the residents of the village of 
Ghajar, which straddles the Israel-Lebanon border, asked the UNIFIL 
commander and the Assistant UN Secretary General to try to remove 
the uncertainty surrounding their future. 
 
Yediot reported that a police officer from the fraud unit, who is 
conducting a judicial inquiry in the U.S., is probing the 
possibility that PM Ehud Olmert received an illegal loan from 
Israeli-American businessman Joe Elmaleh that was not reported to 
the State ComptrollerQs Office. 
 
HaQaretz reported that Israel has decided to prevent an additional 
group of left-wing activists from reaching Gaza by sea.  About 20 
passengers, most of them members of the Free Gaza organization, are 
expected to set sail for the Strip on Wednesday from Cyprus.  MK 
Jamal Zahalka (Balad Q National Democratic Assembly) will most 
likely be aboard along with 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead 
Corrigan.  Other media reported on the planned embarkation. 
 
Leading media reported that Kadima will not give Transportation 
Minister Shaul Mofaz a safe second spot on the partyQs election 
list. 
 
Maariv reported on the number of lists representing political 
parties in the upcoming municipal elections: Kadima: 120; Shas: 90; 
Labor Party: 73; Likud: 50; Green Party: 30; Meretz: 50; Yisrael 
Beiteinu: 8. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that the PA has joined a seven-fold 
electric power grid, which will allow it to become less dependent on 
Israeli supplies of electricity within four years. 
Maariv reported that Shas leader and Industry, Trade, and Employment 
Minister Eli Yishai aspires to become education minister.  He was 
quoted as saying with frustration that Israeli children know that 
the Four Mothers organization initiated the Israeli withdrawal from 
Lebanon but they are unable to name the QFour MothersQ of Jewish 
religious tradition. 
 
Yediot reported that American real estate mogul Donald Trump is 
considering building a hotel in Eilat. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Professor Manfred Gerstenfeld wrote in the nationalist, Orthodox 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe: QIt would be better to turn things around and 
watch the Palestinians act to create a peace atmosphere first. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"The Israeli Elections and the Lessons of Oslo" 
 
Professor Manfred Gerstenfeld wrote in the nationalist, Orthodox 
Makor Rishon-Hatzofe (10/29): QTodayQs negotiators do not 
demonstrate that they learned anything from the huge failures of 
their predecessors.... The simplest lesson from the failures of the 
Oslo people is that instead of first making concessions and seeing 
how the Palestinians will behave, it would be better to turn things 
around and watch the Palestinians act to create a peace atmosphere 
first. 
 
------------------- 
¶2.  U.S. Elections: 
------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Columnist Michael Freund, who was an assistant to former prime 
minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post: QObama makes Tehran, Tripoli, and Gaza convulse with 
excitement, and that alone should make the rest of us shudder with 
fear. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Look WhoQs Rooting for Obama" 
 
Columnist Michael Freund, who was an assistant to former prime 
minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote in the conservative, independent 
Jerusalem Post (10/29): QWhat do Iran's ayatollahs, Hamas 
terrorists, Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, and Libyan dictator 
Muammar Qadhafi have in common?  They are all pulling for Barack 
Obama to win the U.S. presidential election.  When Israel's 
disparate foes manage to rally behind a single candidate, it should 
set off alarm bells for anyone who cares about the Jewish state.  If 
you think this is just Republican scaremongering, consider the 
following.... [Recent expressions of support by prominent Iranian 
and Hamas spokesmen are] two clear expressions of preference for 
Obama from two of the leading anti-Israel and anti-Western forces in 
the Middle East.  Both the Iranian regime and the Hamas terrorist 
organization view Obama in a positive light and hope he will be 
elected.  Their enthusiasm for the senator from Illinois is shared 
by a number of other long-time enemies of the Jewish state on both 
sides of the Atlantic.... Normally, one would expect that such a 
motley collection of rogues would be enough to send shivers down the 
spine of even the most spineless of voters.  In the end, who wants 
to be cheering for the same outcome as Qadhafi and Farrakhan? 
Nonetheless, if two recent polls are to be believed, Obama seems 
poised to capture a significant majority of the Jewish vote.... The 
bottom line is that Obama makes Tehran, Tripoli, and Gaza convulse 
with excitement, and that alone should make the rest of us shudder 
with fear. 
 
---------------------------- 
¶3.  Global Financial Crisis: 
---------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Dr. Ofir Haivri of the Shalem Center wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot: QAs long as no country or viewpoint 
offers an alternative to [the American] spirit, the U.S. will 
continue to lead. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"The U.S. Will Continue to Lead" 
 
Dr. Ofir Haivri of the Shalem Center wrote in the mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Aharonot (10/29): QAgainst the background of the 
global financial crisis, there are increasing voices heralding the 
imminent twilight of AmericaQs total economic, political, and 
cultural supremacy.  But the most relevant answer to that would be 
Mark TwainQs remark: QThe reports of my death are greatly 
exaggeratedQ. Despite tremendous changes that have intervened in 
the United States over generations, the characteristics [of its 
culture] have remained constant.  At present, they will not cease to 
influence the American spirit.  As long as no country or viewpoint 
offers an alternative to that spirit, the U.S. will continue to 
lead. 
 
CUNNINGHAM