VZCZCXRO7280
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2244/01 3511006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161006Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3520
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 7444
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4427
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4277
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5771
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4193
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2763

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002244 
 
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 (12/16):  "EXTENDING ANNAPOLIS TO 
CUT A PATH FOR THE ISRAELI RIGHTWING" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All papers lead with photos and reporting on the release of 224 
Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons on December 15 in an 
Israeli gesture of goodwill towards Palestinian Authority President 
Abbas.  Abbas received the prisoners at the presidential complex in 
Ramallah stating that he would continue work to gain the release of 
all 11,000 Palestinians still in Israeli prisons.  Al Hayat Al 
Jadida's and Al Ayyam's front pages report that "Palestinian 
Legislative Council Speaker" Aziz Dwayk of Hamas, currently detained 
in Israel with other Hamas "legislators", will soon appear before an 
Israeli court to learn the ruling on his continued imprisonment. 
The papers also report that a former Hamas minister Omar Abdul 
Raziq, who was released by Israel last August, turned himself in to 
the Israeli military on December 15 after Israel ordered him to 
serve a second term in Israeli prison. 
The second lead story in all papers highlights statements by 
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad and British Prime 
Minister Brown made on December 15 in London at a conference on 
investment in the Palestinian Territories.  Fayyad is quoted urging 
the E.U. to take measures against Israeli settlement expansion, 
while Brown is quoted urging president-elect Obama to give Middle 
East issues priority, and halt Israeli settlement activities.  All 
the papers front page references to a letter sent by Brown to Fayyad 
on December 15, reiterating the E.U. stand on opposing Israeli 
settlement activities and supporting the two-state solution. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page cites Reuters in reporting on a 
December 15 joint statement by Middle East Quartet Representative 
Tony Blair and the World Bank, calling on Israel to ease the cash 
flow crisis in Gaza by facilitating the transfer of cash to Gaza 
banks. 
Al Ayyam's front page quotes PLO Executive Committee Member Yasir 
Abd Rabbuh predicting that Palestinian legislative and presidential 
elections, based on a fully proportional system, will be held in the 
first half of 2009 in the West Bank and Gaza.  Abd Rabbuh was 
responding to a recent speech made by Hamas leader Haniyah rejecting 
any extension to Palestinian Authority President Abbas' term, the 
paper notes. 
Al Ayyam's front page cites AFP when quoting Amos Gilad, advisor to 
the Israeli Defense Minister, stating that the date when the truce 
with Hamas expires is unclear.  Gilad's statement was made on 
December 15 in Cairo, where he also denied that the purpose of his 
visit was to urge Egypt to mediate with Hamas to secure an extension 
of the truce.  The paper cites DPA in quoting a Hamas-affiliated Al 
Qassam Brigades source announcing that the final decision on 
extending the truce will be made in the next few days. 
Al Quds' front page cites AFP in reporting on rallies held in Iraq 
to push for the release of the Iraqi journalist who attacked 
President Bush in Baghdad.  The paper reports "wide-spread support" 
for the journalist who "insulted" the President who is "unpopular" 
in the Arab world.  The paper quotes President Bush saying that he 
did not feel insulted, and cites the Washington Post describing the 
incident as the "goodbye kiss" that Bush deserved from the Iraqis. 
Al Quds runs a full inside page feature dedicated to Arab reactions 
to the shoe-throwing incident. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page cites news agencies in reporting on 
Israel's decision to deny entry to U.N. Special Rapporteur on the 
Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Richard 
Falk who, according to coverage, has angered Israel in the past with 
statements comparing the Israeli military to Nazi Germany's 
military.  In related news, the paper's front page reports 
separately on death threats made against the U.N. General Assembly 
Speaker and the head of the Nicaraguan delegation to the U.N., the 
 
JERUSALEM 00002244  002 OF 002 
 
 
latter of whom is known for being critical of Israel's behavior, the 
paper notes. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida runs an inside report on a visit by a delegation 
from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Consulate General in 
Jerusalem to Jenin.  The delegation met with the Jenin Governor at 
the Chamber of Commerce to discuss the situation in the Governorate, 
including projects for an industrial zone that would be operational 
by 2011, and a new sewer system. 
Al Ayyam's inside page reports on the Israeli military "storming" 
Balata refugee camp near Nablus on December 15, where they arrested 
four Palestinian youths.  The paper adds that the Israeli military 
also "stormed" the Zawata village near Nablus, entering Palestinian 
homes and detaining Palestinians outside their houses. 
 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
----------------------- 
 
1)  Al Quds' editorial is titled, "Ending the rights of the Human 
Rights Rapporteur" (12/16):  "We appreciate Professor Falk's stand 
and bravery in reporting on whatever he deems as true and necessary. 
 We believe that he has now personally experienced some of the same 
practices that we do, when he was detained at the [Ben Gurion] 
airport and denied entry.  [His experience at the airport]... is the 
most effective report that he could write..." 
 
2) Hani Al Masry opines in Al Ayyam under the title "Extending the 
Annapolis track to cut a path for the Israeli rightwing"(12/16): 
"The end of 2008 and the new U.S. administration... constitute a 
historic chance for Palestinians to demand the articulation of a new 
political track that is serious and capable of ending the [Israeli] 
occupation and realizing a minimal level of respect for Palestinian 
rights... instead of clinging to the Annapolis track that has 
dramatically failed and needs to be buried, not revived." 
MARCHESE