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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #2568/01 3231107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181107Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9201
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 4625
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 1232
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 5012
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5427
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 4648
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 3041
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 5414
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2263
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0488
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 9223
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 6712
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RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0809
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RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMSIXTHFLT  PRIORITY

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002568 
 
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 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA 
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR 
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD 
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019 
 
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.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  U.S.-Israel Relations 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
HaQaretz reported that senior American officials fear that opening a 
U.S. interests section in Tehran could strengthen President Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad and help him win the presidential elections next June. 
Continuing controversy over whether or not to open a Tehran mission 
means the final decision will rest with the incoming Barack Obama 
administration. HaQaretz reported that Under Secretary of State for 
Political Affairs William Burns met a group of Israeli diplomats in 
Washington last week and told them of the argument over the 
interests section.  Burns, who is likely to stay in his post in the 
Obama administration, is coordinating the changeover with Obama's 
people in the State Department. 
 
Major media (banner in HaQaretz) quoted IDF Intelligence head Amos 
Yadlin as saying yesterday that Barack Obama's election and the 
world financial crisis present an opportunity to halt the Iranian 
nuclear drive through diplomacy.  He stressed that he is not opposed 
to direct talks between the United States and Iran, saying that 
"dialogue is not appeasement."  Yadlin was quoted as saying that the 
probability of a war between Israel and its enemies over the next 
year was low. 
 
In an interview held yesterday with HaQaretz, Palestinian PM and 
Finance Minister Salam Fayyad called on the international community 
to up the pressure on Israel to suspend all construction in the 
settlements and implied that the PA could apply to the International 
Court of Justice in this regard, adopting the example of the 
separation fence.  Israel Radio reported that Israel has allowed 
UNRWA to bring 33 truckloads of goods into Gaza, although UNRWA says 
it is not enough. 
 
The media reported that former IDF chief of staff Moshe YaQalon 
announced yesterday that he would be running for the Knesset on 
Benjamin NetanyahuQs list.  The media quoted him as saying yesterday 
that a military option against Iran still exists. 
 
Media reported that police have arrested four senior and 23 lesser 
officials at the Israel Lands Administration on charges of financial 
and sexual bribery.  The media also reported on a possible case of 
double voting in 2003 by Finance Minister Roni Bar-On -Q then a 
simple MK. 
 
The Jerusalem Post and other media reported that yesterday DM Ehud 
Barak told visiting British FM David Miliband during a tour of 
Sderot: QWe will act when the conditions are ripe and when there is 
a need.  And we will act with force. 
 
HaQaretz and The Jerusalem Post quoted IAEA Director Mohamed 
ElBaradei as saying yesterday that traces of uranium found at a 
Syrian site bombed by Israel last year were not sufficient evidence 
of nuclear activity there. 
 
Leading media reported that an Israeli was shot and moderately 
wounded on a West Bank road yesterday. 
 
Yediot and The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel will release 250 
Palestinian prisoners by December.  Israel Radio quoted Palestinian 
negotiator Saeb Erekat as saying that that yesterday, at his meeting 
with PM Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas requested the 
release by the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) of 
Fatah/Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti, FPLP leader Ahmed Saadat, and 
Palestinian parliament speaker Aziz Dweik. 
 
Media reported that during his current visit to the UK, President 
Shimon Peres will address both Houses of Parliament. 
 
Israel Radio reported that the policy of New ZealandQs PM-elect John 
Key is expected to be more Israel-friendly than that of his 
predecessor Helen Clark. 
 
The Jerusalem Post reported that human rights groups told the High 
Court of Justice yesterday that half of the 200 foreign workers 
currently awaiting deportation are being expelled because they left 
their original employers and failed to find a new one.  In 2006, the 
court abolished the QchainingQ of foreign workers to their 
employees. 
 
Yediot reported that 75% of foreign investors in Georgia are 
Israelis. 
 
Most media led with the assassination of crime kingpin YaQakov 
Alperon in a car bomb explosion in Tel Aviv yesterday. 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: QThe chorus of 
people encouraging war [in Gaza] provides no reasonable alternative 
except political sloganeering.  They had better listen carefully to 
the residents of the western Negev, because they know better than 
anyone what the truce is good for. 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: QIt may 
well be unreasonable to expect this caretaker government to solve 
the Gaza conundrum.  It is not unreasonable to ask ministers who 
will not cooperate in the security cabinet to stop babbling away in 
public. 
 
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global Research in 
International Affairs Center, columnist Barry Rubin, wrote in The 
Jerusalem Post: QGetting others to like us is important, Obama said. 
 Fine, they will now present their bill for smiling at America. 
 
 
 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Stop Beating the Drums of War" 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (11/18): QThose 
seeking to occupy Gaza should be reminded that Israel agreed to the 
truce because it recognized that the price of a large military 
operation in Gaza would be intolerably high.  The Israel Defense 
Forces and the defense minister continue to object to such an 
operation, and their arguments have not changed since before the 
truce....  The policy breakdown is not that Israel is avoiding war 
in Gaza, but that it has failed to recognize the need for dialogue 
with a united Palestinian leadership.  In the current situation 
between Israel and Hamas, there is no choice but to adopt the lesser 
of two evils and mend the shattered truce.  Israel must open the 
border crossings and keep them open, and allow Gaza's residents to 
lead a normal existence.  The chorus of people encouraging war 
provides no reasonable alternative except political sloganeering. 
They had better listen carefully to the residents of the western 
Negev, because they know better than anyone what the truce is good 
for. 
 
II.  "Tower of Babel" 
 
The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (11/18): 
QPity the Hamas leadership as it tries to fathom how Israel will 
respond to the organization's repeated violations of the 
cease-fire.... Trouble is the bluster and contradictory 
pronouncements emanating from Israel's top echelon haven't been made 
to confuse the enemy -- they are sadly indicative of our 
disarray.... Now, nothing is more disheartening to Israel's 
citizenry than to witness such disunity when the country is under 
attack.... It may well be unreasonable to expect this caretaker 
government to solve the Gaza conundrum.  It is not unreasonable to 
ask ministers who will not cooperate in the security cabinet to stop 
babbling away in public. 
 
III.  "Radical Regimes Rethink Obama" 
 
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global Research in 
International Affairs Center, columnist Barry Rubin, wrote in The 
Jerusalem Post (11/18): QEverybody in the Middle East faces the 
challenge of how to deal with President Barack Obama, a decision 
with huge implications for the next four years.  The radicals 
praised Obama during the campaign and some even tried to help him. 
On the eve of the vote, however, they reconsidered their enthusiasm 
.... The alternative is to welcome Obama, negotiate with him, and 
get concessions from an American president eager to please.  Getting 
others to like us is important, Obama said.  Fine, they will now 
present their bill for smiling at America.   This technique of 
pretending to be conciliatory and moaning, QI'm a poor misunderstood 
moderateQ was developed brilliantly by Yasser Arafat.  Indeed, if he 
had not received the Nobel Prize for Peace, Arafat should have 
received one for acting.  Even Hamas is catching on, though its 
performance is probably too little, too late.... The biggest dilemma 
is faced by the more moderate Arab states which will have the 
horrible experience of getting what they said they wanted.  Or, to 
paraphrase William Shakespeare's great opening speech for QRichard 
IIIQ -- you won and now's the time to be discontented.  Unhappy with 
the American presence in Iraq?  QGood news,Q the Americans are 
leaving.  Publicly proclaiming you don't see Iran's nuclear weapons 
drive as a threat?  No worries, the United States will ease up. 
Angry at the previous president's Qsaber-rattlingQ?  Great, Obama 
doesn't want ever to use force, even to protect you.  Oh, it is all 
going to be very interesting.  One can only hope that it isn't going 
to be very bloody. 
 
-------------------------- 
¶2.  U.S.-Israel Relations: 
-------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Former Consul-General in New York Alon Pinkas wrote in the popular, 
pluralist Maariv: Q[Senator Hillary] ClintonQs appointment [as 
secretary of state] will conclude the debate in Israel regarding the 
question whether Qwe are a first priority for the Obama 
administration.Q  The answer is positive. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"The Clinton Outline" 
 
Former Consul-General in New York Alon Pinkas wrote in the popular, 
pluralist Maariv (11/18): QWhat is Hillary Clinton bringing with her 
to the State Department?  1) Some of President ClintonQs people. 
(The time has come to refresh those in Israel who worry about the 
Clinton outlines on the Palestinian and Syrian track.  They are 
coming back.)  2) ClintonQs approach to international relations and 
the need for active American intervention in conflict resolution. 
ClintonQs appointment will conclude the debate in Israel regarding 
the question whether Qwe are a first priority for the Obama 
administration.Q  The answer is positive -Q if not Barack Obama, 
certainly the QObama administration.Q  The appointment of Hillary 
Clinton -Q with Bill in the background -Q can be considered good 
news for Tzipi Livni Q- and much less so for Benjamin Netanyahu. 
 
CUNNINGHAM