VZCZCXRO4540
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2233/01 3470846
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120846Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3501
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 7439
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4422
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4272
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5766
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4188
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2758

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002233 
 
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 (12/12):  "GAZA SIEGE - PRELUDE TO 
INVASION" 
 
Please note that only Al Quds and Al Ayyam resumed print today. 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al Quds leads with news that Israel again closed Gaza crossings 
after they were briefly opened on December 11 to allow for the entry 
of cash and humanitarian goods.  Al Ayyam's front page covers the 
same news and runs a lead photo of Gazans crowding around ATM 
machines, while Al Quds' front page shows a photo of a very happy 
Gazan with a fist full of cash.  Israel allowed $25 million to be 
transfered to Gaza banks and allowed for the entry of 55 trucks 
carrying humanitarian assistance, reporting notes. The papers add 
that the U.N. Human Rights Council urged Israel on December 11 to 
adopt 99 measures to improve its human rights record, including the 
lifting of the Gaza "siege", the release of Palestinian prisoners in 
Israel and a halt in settlement activities. 
In an above the fold front page article, Al Quds reveals that 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas will pay a "farewell visit" on 
President Bush in Washington late this month.  The paper quotes 
Palestinian sources, stating that it would be important for the U.S. 
to use the visit as an opportunity to applaud Palestinians for the 
role they have played in the peace process.  Al Quds' front page 
also reports that President Bush has again delayed the relocation of 
the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem for another six months.  Bush 
justified his decision in a letter to Secretary Rice as being in, 
"the U.S. national interest," the paper reports. 
Al Quds and Al Ayyam front page December 11 statements made by the 
Jerusalem British Consul General calling Israeli settlements, 
including those in Jerusalem, illegal.  He added that the U.K. is 
ensuring that no preference is given to the import of Israeli 
settlement products. 
Al Ayyam's front page reports on a letter sent from Arab leaders to 
president-elect Obama, expressing a readiness to make peace in 
accordance with the Arab peace initiative.  The letter, which also 
gets coverage on Al Quds' front page, was signed by Saudi Foreign 
Minister Al Faysal and Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa. 
Citing Reuters and AFP, the paper discloses that the letter was 
handed to one of Obama's political advisors a few days ago. 
In a front page item, Al Quds and Al Ayyam cite Israeli daily 
Haaretz in reporting that president-elect Obama will offer Israel a 
nuclear protection umbrella in return for the acceptance of a 
nuclear Iran.  Under that plan, any Iranian nuclear attack on Israel 
would immediately be followed by a destructive U.S. nuclear attack 
on Iran.  Citing news agencies, the papers also reveal that Obama, 
during his first 100 days in office, will address Muslims from an 
Islamic capital, most probably Rabat, in an effort to improve the 
U.S. image in the Islamic world.  Papers note that Obama will use 
his middle name, Hussein, when sworn in as president. 
Al Quds' inside page cites an Israeli daily Jerusalem Post interview 
published on December 11, when quoting U.S. Security Coordinator 
General Dayton applauding the performance of the Palestinian 
security forces.  Dayton noted that they are a key component to the 
establishment of a Palestinian state and he urged Israel to, "let 
the training continue uninterrupted," according to reporting. 
Al Quds' front page quotes Palestinian Authority President Abbas 
telling Arab press on December 11 that no peace can be made without 
the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israel.  Abbas also 
called for a halt to settler "aggressions."  The paper also front 
pages statements from Abbas' office denouncing Israeli Foreign 
Minister Livni's call for Israeli Arabs to relocate to a future 
Palestinian state.  In related news, Al Quds runs front page quotes 
by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad, stating that the key 
to regional security, stability and peace is an end to Israeli 
 
JERUSALEM 00002233  002 OF 002 
 
 
occupation and settlement activity and the guarantee of the right to 
self determination for the Palestinians.  Al Ayyam's front page 
highlights Fayyad's comment that the recent EU decision to upgrade 
relations with Israel sends, "a negative message." Fayyad made his 
remarks during a December 11 ceremony inaugurating 39 development 
projects in northern West Bank towns. 
Al Quds and Al Ayyam publish the results of a poll conducted by the 
Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research on inside pages. 
The poll was conducted on December 3, 4, 5 and asserts that, "while 
Hamas maintains its popularity despite its boycott of reconciliation 
talks, and while two-thirds believe that Abbas's term ends in 
January 2009, three quarters of Palestinians support Abbas's call 
for new elections early next year if reconciliation efforts fail and 
if elections can be held in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip." 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
--------------------- 
 
1)  Regular contributor  Mohammad Yaghi opines in Al Ayyam under the 
title, "Gaza Strip siege is a long prelude to invasion"(12/12): 
"This siege and the continuation of its ugliness, is a prelude it 
seems, to Israeli military action aimed at ending Hamas rule... 
Bringing about the downfall of Hamas through military force will 
transform it from a relatively moderate, political-religious 
movement into an extremist, grassroots religious organization... 
This is very dangerous and will not stop at the Gaza borders, but 
will affect the West Bank and other places in the Arab world, where 
Jordan and Egypt could become the stage for [related violence]." 
2) Al Quds' editorial is titled,"Palestinians want freedom of 
movement"(12/12):  "The unrelenting [Israeli] insistence on 
maintaining checkpoints, coupled with unprecedented settlement 
expansion make for a effective prescription for undermining the 
peace process... What is needed to boost both Israeli and 
Palestinian security, is to remove these checkpoints and allow for 
the freedom of movement for Palestinian citizens and goods, inside 
their homeland." 
Walles