VZCZCXRO9321
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2196/01 3401049
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051049Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3446
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 7434
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4416
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4267
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5761
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4183
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2753

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002196 
 
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 (12/05):  HAMAS "WALKING INTO THE 
ISRAELI LINE OF FIRE" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Israeli settler violence sparked by the Israeli military's December 
4 evacuation of settlers from the Rajabi house in Hebron, dominates 
all front pages.  In reporting and photos, the dailies document 
widespread rioting by settlers throughout the West Bank causing 
injury to dozens of Palestinians and property damage to Palestinian 
mosques, homes, cars, and grape vines.  Papers add that settlers 
blocked roads near Nablus and Jericho, pelting Palestinian cars with 
stones, while settlers near Qalqilia painted area mosques with Stars 
of David and "racist" slogans.  In other "settler" news, Al Hayat Al 
Jadida's front page reports that the Israeli police have arrested 
two Jewish youths, suspected of stabbing a Palestinian in Jerusalem 
on December 3. 
 
All dailies report that Palestinian public outrage over settler 
violence is mounting, putting greater pressure on the Palestinian 
Authority (PA) to take action and protect the public.  Several 
Palestinian leaders, including PA President Abbas, his advisor Nabil 
Abu Rudaynah and chief PLO negotiator Erekat criticized Israel for 
failing to control settler rioting.  Abbas and Abu Rudaynah called 
on the UN Security Council to meet and discuss the violence and 
provide protection for Palestinians.  Erekat commented that settler 
rioting undermines the peace process. 
 
All papers front page reports on Israel allowing entry on December 
4, to a limited supply of PA-provided fuel and medicine into the 
"besieged Gaza Strip."  Banks are still closed and have failed to 
pay salaries to PA employees because of a shortage of cash caused an 
Israeli block on PA money transfers to Gaza, the papers report.  Al 
Hayat Al Jadida also front pages reports on Israel allowing foreign 
journalists to enter the "besieged Gaza Strip" after an almost 
month-long ban. 
 
The front pages of Al Quds and Al Ayyam report the Arab League 
condemns the Israeli "siege" on Gaza and notes that Israel continues 
to block a Libyan ship with humanitarian aid from docking along the 
Stip.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page cites Reuters in quoting a 
Libyan representative at a December 4 UN Security Council meeting, 
describing the Israeli "interception" of the ship as an act of 
piracy.  The Security Council held the meeting upon Libya's request, 
but failed to reach any decision on condemning Israel, reporting 
notes.  Citing AFP, Al Ayyam's and Al Hayat Al Jadida's front pages 
report on "harsh criticism" leveled against Israel at the UN Human 
Rights Council meeting in Geneva on December 4, upon review of 
Israel's human rights record. 
Al Ayyam runs front page details of a French draft document 
formulating EU strategies on several issues including the 
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  The document confirms EU readiness 
for a greater role in moving towards a "peace agreement."  In the 
document, the EU states that it plans to continue calls on Israel to 
freeze settlement activities, allow for freedom of movement and the 
reopening of Gaza crossing points in a bid to encourage economic 
revival in the Palestinian Territories.  The EU also expresses 
readiness to "reactivate" their observer mission at the Egypt-Gaza 
Rafah crossing point. 
 
Al-Quds headlines that Middle East Envoy Tony Blair revealed that 
"Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have reached an unannounced 
agreement."  The article, written by the paper's Washington 
correspondent, does not specify the date of Blair's comment, noting 
only that it was made, "as he departed Washington after a two-day 
visit."  Blair is further quoted asserting that the key to regional 
 
JERUSALEM 00002196  002 OF 002 
 
 
stability lies in the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict 
and the establishment of a Palestinian state.  Blair applauds the 
nomination of Hillary Clinton as the next Secretary of State and 
praises President Bush and his administration for exerting 
"tremendous effort despite a very difficult situation."  The article 
notes that Blair plans a late December visit to the West Bank and 
hopes to visit Gaza as well. 
 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page cites AFP in quoting White House 
spokesperson Perino announcing that President Bush will give a 
speech on December 4 listing his achievements in the Middle East. 
Bush is expected to speak about universal agreement on the two-state 
solution. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida reports on an inside page that USAID Director 
Howard Sumka attended the celebration of the completion of a 
USAID-funded project to renovate Rafidiyyah hospital in Nablus on 
December 4.  Sumka is quoted saying that the 1.2 million project was 
done in partnership with the Palestinian Authority. 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
--------------------- 
 
1)  Rajab Abu Sarayyah opines in Al Ayyam under the title, "Decisive 
weeks"(12/05):  "In two weeks the truce with Israel will expire... 
then, the U.S. president-elect will assume office... the way to 
[Hamas'] salvation is clear, Gaza must return to the [Palestinian] 
national and Arab body politic or it will walk right into the 
Israeli line of fire." 
Walles