VZCZCXRO6428
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0129/01 0141108
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141108Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3840
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 7489
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4474
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4322
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5816
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4238
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2810

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000129 
 
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 (01/14):  U.S. RIGHTWING SUPPORT 
FOR ISRAELI RIGHTWING 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All papers lead with news that the Palestinian death toll is nearing 
1,000 in Gaza fighting which included intensive Israeli air strikes 
and ground battles with Palestinian militants on the 18th day of 
"war in Gaza."  Al Quds notes that 311 children have been killed so 
far, while Al Ayyam highlights the January 13 Palestinian death toll 
of 45, with 140 injured.  Front pages highlighted January 13 
statements about a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza made by 
international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and UNRWA. 
In photo coverage, Al Quds and Al Ayyam lead with a photo of the 
aftermath of an Israeli air strike on a Gaza neighborhood, billowing 
with smoke and fire.  Al Hayat Al Jadida leads with a photo of a 
Palestinian woman sitting on the remains of her furniture, after 
the, shelling and destruction of a residential tower in Gaza." 
 
Congressional hearing statements by Secretary of State designate 
Clinton appear on all front pages.  Clinton is quoted expressing 
support for Israel's right to defend itself and belief that at a 
peace agreement would bring independence, economic development and 
security to the Palestinians.  Clinton is also quoted calling for a 
more "conciliatory" foreign policy.  She also promises dialogue with 
Iran but rules out dialogue with Hamas as long as it does not accept 
the three conditions of the Middle East Quartet. 
 
Statements by State Department spokesman McCormack are highlighted 
on Al Quds' front page.  Citing DPA, the paper quotes McCormack 
refuting recent statements by Israeli Premier Olmert that he 
influenced, via a conversation with President Bush, the U.S. vote on 
U.S. Security Council resolution 1860.  Ma'an online news agency 
notes that Olmert's version on events has, "many holes."  In a 
separate front page story, Al Quds reports that a Pentagon spokesman 
said on January 13 that the US has decided to cancel an ammunitions 
shipment to Israel through Greece, after announcing that Greece was 
facing difficulties in releasing the shipment to Israel.  Greece 
must request US permission to access the ammunition, according to 
the report. 
In Arab diplomatic efforts, all front pages report on obvious 
division among Arab states regarding attendance at a summit on Gaza 
to be hosted by Qatar on January 16.  Saudi Arabia and Egypt 
reportedly refused to attend the summit, preferring to discuss Gaza 
issues at an economic summit to be held in Kuwait on January 19. 
The countries stated that it was not appropriate to attend a summit 
that was not initiated by Arab foreign ministers (rather than 
Qatar.)    For his part, Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa is 
quoted stating that 13 Arab states, including the Palestinian 
Authority, have expressed a willingness to attend the Doha summit, 
which would require at minimum, the attendance of 15 Arab states. 
In Gaza ceasefire news, Al Quds' front page cites AFP in quoting UN 
Secretary General Ki-Moon calling on January 13 for a halt to the 
fighting that has claimed many casualties.  In separate reporting, 
the same front page adds that Israel has rejected a Hamas proposal 
for a one-week ceasefire and the reopening of Gaza crossings.  The 
paper reveals that the proposal was passed to Israel through Egypt. 
Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's front page quotes "Israeli sources" stating 
that the next 48 hours will be decisive in terms of Israel's 
willingness to negotiate a ceasefire and that the Israeli Government 
has not ruled out the possibility of launching a third stage of its 
military operations in Gaza. 
 
Al Quds and Al Ayyam front page statements by Palestinian Authority 
President Abbas stating on January 13 that Israel is trying to, 
"annihilate our people in Gaza, through its aggression there." 
 
JERUSALEM 00000129  002 OF 002 
 
 
Meanwhile, Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page and inside Al Quds, runs 
a wire quote by former Israeli minister and head of Israel's 
Beiteinu party, Avigdor Lieberman, calling on Israel to drop a 
nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip, "to destroy it completely.  We 
should act exactly as the USA did with Japan in WWII." 
All papers dedicate significant coverage to solidarity activities 
being held in the West Bank and internationally for the people of 
Gaza. 
Non-Gaza deaths are highlighted on Al Ayyam's and Al Hayat Al 
Jadida's front pages that reports on the killing of two Palestinians 
on January 13 by the Israeli military in Tarqumiyah near Hebron in 
the southern West Bank, and one Palestinian killed by Israeli 
settlers in Azzun, near Qalqiliyah in the northern West Bank. 
 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1)  Al Quds editorial is titled, "Gaza civilians are the victims of 
aggression" (01/14):  "There is no justification whatsoever for 
constantly targeting civilians and demolishing houses with mortars 
and rockets; even during the few hours declared by Israel as a lull 
time; even if there were Palestinian fighters among the civilian 
population... the final picture of the post-aggression war 
[situation]... is becoming clearer:  Israel will not achieve victory 
in Gaza, even if it occupies it completely, because... the 
Palestinian people's will and their determination to enforce respect 
for their rights, regardless of the means, cannot be stymied or 
broken." 
 
2) Hamada Farana writes in Al Ayyam under the title, "Internal 
Israeli unity vs. Palestinian disarray" (01/14): "Our Palestinian 
people have paid a high price in an unequal battle... [therefore] 
wise Palestinian efforts, supported by a responsible Arab consensus 
and international solidarity, focus on minimizing the expected 
losses.  The Israeli extremist right wing, supported by the no-less 
extremist American right wing, has shifted from proposing to erase 
the decision, aspirations and rights of Palestinians to an 
independent state, to making proposals that will destroy the rights 
of Palestinians and scatter them among Israel, Jordan and Egypt..." 
 
WALLES