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OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2103/01 3291208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241208Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3332
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 7415
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4397
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4248
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5742
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4164
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2730

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 002103 
 
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 (11/24):  RESISTING "SOFT" U.S. 
PRESSSURE ON ABBAS 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The three papers lead with detailed reports and photos documenting 
the November 23 PLO Central Council meeting in Ramallah.  The body 
held its periodic, symbolic vote electing Palestinian Authority (PA) 
President Abbas to the post of "Palestinian State President," 
according to headlines.  Addressing the gathering, Abbas declared 
his intentions to call PA presidential and legislative elections 
early next year, should national dialogue between PLO factions and 
Hamas fail.  Al Hayat Al Jadida adds that Hamas leader Zahhar 
rejects early elections and has called for the Palestinian 
Legislative Council (PLC) to serve out its term until 2010.  In 
statements, Zahhar and Abbas traded blame for the failure of 
Palestinian talks in Cairo.  In related news, Al Hayat Al Jadida's 
front page cites Israel's Haaretz newspaper revealing a classified 
Israeli security document that recommends blocking PA elections, 
"even at the cost of differences with the U.S." out of fears of a 
weakened PA and stronger Hamas. 
 
On its front page, Al Quds cites DPA in quoting Hamas leader Ayman 
Taha confirming on November 23 that Hamas has achieved agreement 
with other Palestinian factions on halting rocket attacks on Israel 
in return for a reopening of Gaza crossings.  Taha stated that it 
was too early to discuss extending the ceasefire with Israel that 
expires next month.  However, Al Quds reports that London-based 
daily Al Hayat noted that Egypt has already secured an agreement 
with all parties to extend the ceasefire in return for reopening 
crossings. 
 
Reporting on the suffering of Gaza civilians continues.  UNRWA chief 
Abu Said repeats on Al Ayyam's front page, calls from the weekend 
that Israel allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.  Jordan's 
King Abdullah calls on Israel to lift the Gaza "siege" and warns of 
a humanitarian crisis in the Strip, on an inside page of Al Quds. 
Over the weekend, Al Quds reported that Israel reassured the King 
that it has no intention of launching a full-scale attack on Gaza in 
an effort to remove Hamas rule.  In other Gaza news, Al Quds' inside 
page reports that Israel barred Catholic Church clerics from 
entering Gaza.  The clerics were en route to celebrate mass, "to 
highlight that the Holy See is close to the people in Gaza and its 
Christian communities in these difficult days." Reporting notes that 
three churches serve Gaza's 2,000 Christians, who are mainly 
Catholic and Greek Orthodox. 
 
Al Quds' front page cites "media sources" revealing president-elect 
Obama's plan for solving the Middle East conflict.  The paper 
reports that his plan is based on the following points:  Israeli 
withdrawal to the 1967 borders with certain adjustments, 
compensation for Palestinian refugees instead of the right to 
return, and a united Jerusalem as a capital for two states.  The 
paper expects there to be active U.S. engagement in the Middle East 
peace process once Hilary Clinton assumes office as Secretary of 
State and General James Jones assumes the post of National Security 
Council chief.  In related reporting, papers note comments by 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas to the PLO Central Council 
addressing the "impasse" of Israeli-Palestinian final status talks. 
"We insisted on participating in negotiations so as not to give 
Israel, the U.S. or the Quartet any pretext for saying that we do 
not want to negotiate, however; we do not go to those negotiations 
only to negotiate [but to get results]," Abbas stated. 
 
Al Quds' front page reports that Palestinians in the West Bank city 
of Hebron are suffering continued attacks by Israeli settlers and 
 
JERUSALEM 00002103  002 OF 003 
 
 
that the Hebron Municipal Council has called for a lifting of the 
Israeli closure of the Hebron Old City.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's front 
page reports that Israeli settlers occupying a dispQd Palestinian 
house in Hebron, have been joined by 150 additional settlers who 
have barricaded themselves inside the house to prevent eviction, in 
accordance with an Israeli court order.  In related news, Al Quds' 
inside page reports that Israeli Defense Minister Barak is 
considering a cut-off of electricity and water supplies to West Bank 
outposts. 
 
Al Hayat Al Qida's front page reports that President Bush and 
Israel's Premier OlmertQll hold a farewell meeting at the White 
House on November 24.  The paper adds that Olmert is seeking 
last-minute promises from Bush regarding Iran policy.  Another 
report appears on the same page stating that president-elect Obama 
will announce his economic team on November 24. 
 
--------------- 
Weekend stories 
--------------- 
Sunday, November 23 
Front pages led with news from the second Palestine Investment 
Conference, opened in Nablus on November 21.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's 
headline reads, [Palestinian Authority (PA)] "President Abbas: No 
sustainable development under occupation, and no economic, social, 
or political life without security."  Al Quds' headline also 
highlighted a message from PA Prime Minister Fayyad that, "We are 
committed to creating an environment conducive to investment and 
attractive to investors."  Papers reported extensively on Abbas' 
remarks which included an explanation of the role of government in 
stimulating economic investment, Palestinian national dialogue, and 
the peace process. The conference "endorsed" a package of important 
projects valued at $490 million. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida and Al Ayyam reported on front pages that Israeli 
Army radio announced on November 22 that an advanced American 
anti-missile radar system, set up by the U.S. in southern Israel, 
will become operational in mid-December.  Reporting notes that the 
installation of the radar system comes on the backdrop of increased 
Israeli concerns over Iran's nucleaQrogram. 
 
Saturday, November 22 
Al Quds' lead headline read, "Israel establishes a network of West 
Bank streets and roads to seize as much land as possible ahead of a 
peace settlement."  Quoting Israeli daily Haaretz, the report 
continued that Israel is spending 250 million Shekels on the, 
"settlement roads to nowhere." In related news, the dailies reveQd 
that the Israeli military has issued an order to "seize" four 
PalestiQn houses in Hebron for use as military barracks.  The 
barracks will serve to restrict the movement of Palestinians living 
near the Israeli Qiryat A'rba settlement, north of Hebron, according 
to reporting. 
 
"An official secret Israeli document allows Israeli interrogators to 
use torture and psychological techniques on Palestinian detainees," 
Al Quds' front page reported. 
 
All dailies frontpaged news with photos about the injuring of 
several Palestinians and international solidarity activists, 
including a Nobel peace laureate, on November 21, during the weekly 
anti-wall and anti-settlement protests in the West Bank villages of 
Ni'lin, Bi'lin, and Ma'sara.  Israeli military fired rubber bullets 
and tear gas on the protestors.  Clashes broke out in Ni'lin when 
protestors threw stones and clashes lasted for more than four hours 
in Bi'lin, according to reporting. 
 
JERUSALEM 00002103  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
 
1)  Al Quds daily editorial is titled, "The national and 
international duty to immediately end Gaza suffering" (11/24):  It 
is no longer possible to put off ending the suffering of one and a 
half million Palestinians in Gaza, regardless of Israeli, Arab or 
international pretexts that remain insensitive to the death, illness 
and hunger of children, the elderly and women...  Any Israeli plans 
for a massive military offensive will come at a high price, 
especially in humanitarian terms, and they will change many facts at 
the regional and international levels." 
 
2)  Regular columnist Hasan Al Batal opines in Al Ayyam under the 
title, "A soft political siege on Abbas' authority!"(11/24): "[PA] 
President Abbas... in his speech in Nablus the other day... [clearly 
alluded to the] American side pressuring him not to attend a U.N. 
Security Council session... to discuss Jewish settlement activities 
in the West Bank.  The President didn't respond to the pressure and 
attended the [September] session... without explicitly naming 
General Fraser, President Abbas wondered about a "classified report" 
written by this... [General] in charge of the Road Map peace plan, 
after the Annapolis conference.  Why should this report remain 
"secret" or "top secret" and be given only to Ms. Condoleezza 
Rice...?" 
 
Walles