VZCZCXRO2538
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1991/01 3091058
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041058Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3170
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 7386
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4366
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4219
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5713
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4135
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2700

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001991 
 
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 (11/04): "TIME FOR AMERICA TO 
LEAD" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
Reports and photographs of U.S. presidential candidates and voters 
dominate above the fold coverage on the front pages of Al Ayyam and 
Al Quds.  Both papers note the historic aspect of the elections.  Al 
Quds runs a smaller, highlighted front page article on the topic. 
Al Ayyam wonders if "a black man can really enter the White House," 
and runs additional coverage on inside pages including a highlight 
about Syria's satisfaction over President Bush's departure from 
office. 
 
Al Hayat Al Jadida leads with a photo of a frightened Palestinian 
youth, holding his hands up in surrender amidst Israeli soldiers, 
one of whom has his weapon trained on the boy.  The photo captures 
events during a November 3 incursion by Israeli military into Farah 
refugee camp, north of the West Bank city of Nablus.  The paper's 
lead article highlights statements by "an Arab diplomat" commenting 
that Palestinian reconciliation talks in Cairo are at a crossroads 
and stressing that if talks fail now, reconciliation would, "have to 
wait for years to come." The paper continues and an Al Quds 
front-page report notes that Palestinian Authority President Abbas 
has pledging to do his best to ensure the success of talks. 
Meanwhile, Al Ayyam and Ma'an report on statements by Hamas chief 
Misha'al calling for Abbas to attend sessions of more 
"comprehensive" talks that would include discussions on arrests of 
Hamas activists by the Palestinian Authority. 
 
All front pages highlight President Abbas' visit to Romania and his 
statements that there will be no peace agreement with Israel until 
new administrations are in place in Israel and the United States. 
In related reporting, Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida front page 
statements by Israeli Foreign Minister Livni dismissing any 
possibility of Israeli agreement to a "soft, interim" agreement with 
Palestinians, before the end of 2008. 
 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida highlight front page reports about 
Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians on November 3.  Al Ayyam 
publishes two front page reports, noting that three Palestinians 
were attacked in Hebron, where settlers also attacked a Palestinian 
boy and stole his olive harvest.  Al Hayat Al Jadida reports that 
Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian cars on a Jericho road.  The 
paper quotes Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad stating 
that, "aggressive practices by settlers against (Palestinian) 
farmers will badly affect the future of the peace process."  The 
paper also reports that Israeli military dismantled four settlement 
outposts near Ramallah.  Finally, Al Quds front page reports that 
Britain is taking stronger measures against the import of products 
from Israeli West Bank settlements and urging E.U. member states to 
do the same. 
 
The three papers front page statements by Jordanian King Abdullah 
rejecting any change to the Islamic identity of Jerusalem, in a 
response to Israeli excavations and construction near the Old City 
of Jerusalem.  Abdullah's statements were made in a November 3 
meeting with UNESCO in Amman. 
 
The three papers front page reports that Hamas member Aziz Dwayk was 
taken from Israeli detention to a hospital for urgent surgery.  The 
papers report that Hamas holds Israel responsible for Dwayk's 
health. 
 
------------ 
 
JERUSALEM 00001991  002 OF 002 
 
 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
1)  Al Quds editorial opines under the title, "Which settlement 
outposts are they talking about?" (11/04):  "The Israeli cabinet has 
decided to stop direct and indirect funding to what it referred to 
as 'settlement outposts'... Israeli Minister Haim Ramon frankly 
stated that the Palestinians are subjected to a racial 
discrimination policy [by Israel] and that the Israeli settlers are 
enjoying treatment that they do not deserve... Is this a belated 
wakeup to the practices of Israeli settlers, that we know well and 
have suffered from for years?  Could this promised measure [to stop 
funding] be the beginning of a new policy? We very much doubt that, 
since the talk about settlement outposts suggests that there are 
"legal," regulated settlements, which is not true.  If this issue 
were discussed seriously, it would have to discuss settlements as a 
whole thereby seeking a serious horizon for realizing peace." 
 
2)  Columnist Abu Sariyya writes in Al Ayyam under the title, 
"American elections: The world awaits change" (11/04):  "Unless 
there is a great surprise, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the next 
U.S. President... There is a need [for the U.S.] to give [Arab] 
people the right to self determination and to arrange their internal 
affairs in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine, free of American 
interference as is the case in Iraq or the case of the U.S. 
replacing the U.N. and even the Quartet as the "manager" of 
Israeli/Palestinian dialogue, as has happened since Annapolis... It 
is time, then, for America to "lead" the world... instead of using a 
"big stick" as the Republican Bush administration has done". 
 
Walles