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DE RUEHJM #2210/01 3441159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091159Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3474
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 7436
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4419
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4269
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5763
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4185
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2755

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 002210 
 
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 (12/09):  THE OTHER ENEMY: 
INTERNAL DIVISION 
 
Please note that Palestinian newspapers are not printed on December 
9, 10, 11, in observance of Eid al Adha. 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
December 8 
All dailies led with reporting on Gaza.  Israel prevented a 
"solidarity" boat with humanitarian supplies, organized by Israeli 
Arab Knesset member Ahmad Tibi, from leaving Israel's Jaffa port for 
Gaza on December 7.  Al Ayyam cites AFP when quoting a senior 
Israeli official from a December 7 cabinet meeting, noting that the 
truce with Hamas has completely collapsed and that Israeli Premier 
Olmert has asked the military to draft possible responses to rocket 
attacks from Gaza.  Al Ayyam reported on a December 7 meeting in 
Jerusalem between Palestinian Authority Premier Fayyad and Israeli 
Defense Minister Barak.  Fayyad asked Barak to end the Gaza "siege" 
and allow money transfers into Gaza.  Al Hayat Al Jadida reported 
that Barak responded with vague promises to allow the cash transfers 
"soon."  Al Ayyam reported on Gaza's only power plant in Gaza 
closing down because it ran out of fuel on December 7.  Finally, in 
another front page article, the paper notes that Fatah has called 
upon Gazans to fly black flags at their homes to protest Hamas' 
continued "de facto" rule of Gaza. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page cited AFP when quoting Secretary of 
State Rice noting on December 7 that she does not expect significant 
progress in the peace process until president-elect Obama takes 
office.  Rice also added that she expects that Palestinians will 
establish an independent state under the leadership of Mahmud Abbas 
in the near future, according to reporting. 
Al Ayyam's front page cited AFP in quoting former U.S. Ambassador to 
Israel Martin Endyk stating on December 7 that Israel should not 
expect a blank check from the Obama administration.  He added that 
the incoming U.S. administration would adopt policies to create an 
environment that is safer and more peaceful, in contrast to 
President Bush's policies, the paper reported. 
All papers front paged the names of 250 Palestinian prisoners that 
Israel was to release on December 8 as a goodwill gesture.  Al Hayat 
Al Jadida reported that the list represented but a very small 
percentage of the 11,000 Palestinian prisoners still being detained 
in Israel. 
Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida quoted Israeli Premier Olmert stating 
during a December 8 cabinet meeting that recent settler violence in 
Hebron and throughout the West Bank was, "organized terror" and an 
"organized massacre."  He added that he has ordered his Defense 
Minister to show no mercy in dealing with the perpetrators of 
violence, according to reporting. 
All papers published Consul General Walles Eid al Adha message on 
inside pages.  Walles promises to work with his Consulate team to 
continue efforts to realize a Palestinian state, living in freedom 
and prosperity. 
--------------- 
WEEKEND STORIES 
--------------------------- 
 
December 7 
All front pages highlighted that, "settlers continue attacks in the 
Hebron and Nablus areas."  Papers noted that despite "extensive 
deployment of Israeli forces," Palestinian houses were set on fire 
in the Old City of Hebron by settlers from Avraham Avino while other 
houses were targeted in the vicinity of Qiryat Arba'a settlement. 
Papers also reported that hundreds of settlers and their supporters 
held a two-day prayer vigil in front of the evacuated Rajaby 
building in Hebron and were "escorted" by Israeli soldiers and 
 
JERUSALEM 00002210  002 OF 003 
 
 
police forces.  In photo coverage, Al Quds and Al Ayyam showed a 
burnt out Hebron house, while Al Hayat Al Jadida highlighted Israeli 
"left-wing peace activists" demonstrating in Tel-Aviv to demand the 
withdrawal of all Israeli settlers from the West Bank.  In related 
news, all papers front paged reports that the UN Security Council 
passed a non-binding resolution commending Israel's eviction of 
settlers from the Rajaby building and condemning the resulting 
settler attacks on Palestinians. 
UNRWA will run out of food supplies by December 9 and the Gaza power 
plant will shut down at noon, according to all front pages.  In a 
press conference, UNRWA officials demanded international 
intervention to allow for supplies to enter the Strip to feed more 
than 750,000 Palestinians who depend on UNRWA assistance. 
Headlines also highlighted calls by the Governor of the Palestinian 
Monetary Authority Governor and the World Bank on Israel to allow 
for money transfers to Palestinian Authority employees in Gaza. 
Al Ayyam's front page reported that Hamas will not accept 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas remaining "one day past the 
end of his term."  A Hamas spokesperson on December 6, expressed 
"resentment" over what he called "the media campaign" against Hamas 
and its positions and relations with Arab countries.   He added that 
the escalating pressures against Hamas will not force the group to 
change its fundamental positions and stressed that Hamas will not 
accept extending President Abbas' term beyond January 9, 2009. 
December 6 
Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmad Quray "denounced Israeli official 
silence on settler attacks," adding that conditions in the 
Palestinian Territories were "explosive," according to Al Quds' and 
Al Ayyam's front pages.  Quray considered that Israeli officials' 
silence on the "systematic aggression" signaled a tacit approval 
that encourages settlers to continue their bloodshed and destruction 
of property in the Old City of Hebron.  The Old City of Hebron, 
Quray added, has been subject to the most aggressive settler attacks 
since the beginning of reconstruction efforts and the deployment of 
Palestinian security forces to Hebron.  The Israeli Government's 
silence aims to "foil" efforts by the Palestinian leadership to 
enforce rule of law, and therefore, undermines peace efforts as a 
whole, Quray concluded.  In related reporting, Al Quds' noted that 
Israeli security sources expressed their concern that the "price" of 
Israeli extremist right-wing violence may be the inflaming of all of 
the West Bank. 
 
Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida ran wire reporting on, "American 
troops to act upon Bagdad's approval following the ratification of 
the agreement with Washington" (Al Hayat Al Jadida).  The papers 
noted that  General Odierno asked his troops on December 5, "to be 
ready for slight modifications in their MO", particularly since all 
operations carried by American troops will require prior approval by 
the Iraqi government according to the signed agreement that will 
come into effect beginning of 2009. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
--------------------- 
 
1)  Talal Okal opined in Al Ayyam under the title, "Israel 
responsible ... yes, but what about division?" (12/08): "While 
touching on components of the Gaza catastrophe, it would be nonsense 
to continue talking about the responsibility of the Israeli enemy; 
this is more than clear, but we need to highlight that Palestinian 
division is another important reason for this catastrophe, which 
threatens to lead to a total collapse." 
2)  Palestinian National Council member Azmi Khawaja opines in Al 
Ayyam under the title, "The Popular Front for the Liberation of 
 
JERUSALEM 00002210  003 OF 003 
 
 
Palestine on its forty-first anniversary" (12/08):  "There is no 
alternative to [internal Palestinian] dialogue, to bridging the gap 
and forming a unified Palestinian policy with the consent of all 
Palestinian factions, so that we can face our bitter reality and 
remain steadfast in the face of occupation." 
Walles