VZCZCXRO7457
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0137/01 0150936
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150936Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3851
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 7491
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4476
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4324
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5818
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4240
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2812

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000137 
 
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 (01/15): COMPLAINTS OF "NEVER 
ENDING" ARAB SUMMITS 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All papers lead with news that the estimated Palestinian death toll 
from the "aggression" on Gaza has reached 1,035 killed and 4,850 
injured.  The January 14 death toll is reported as 48, of whom 29 
were children, nine, women and five, elderly Palestinians.  Al Quds' 
and Al Ayyam's front pages report that Palestinian militants injured 
17 Israeli soldiers in fierce battles on January 14.  The militants 
used mortars against Israeli army troops supported by air and tank 
power, causing the Israeli forces to fail in their advance on Gaza 
City, according to all front pages.  In lead photo coverage, Al 
Quds' caption shows, "Northern Gaza Strip: Smoke rises from site 
being shelled by Israeli army," while Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al 
Jadida run a photo encaptioned, "residents inspect [extensive] 
destruction caused by Israeli aerial shelling on houses in Sheikh 
Rodwan [Gaza City] neighborhood..." 
 
In US-related coverage, Al Quds and Al Ayyam front page quotes by 
White House spokesperson Perino expressing skepticism during her 
January 14 press briefing, over reports that Hamas has accepted 
Egypt's ceasefire initiative.  In addition, Al Ayyam's front page 
cites AFP in quoting an "anonymous" State Department official, 
stating on January 14 that Hamas has yet to meet ceasefire 
conditions, without elaborating further on the specific conditions. 
 
 
All front pages devote detailed coverage to Gaza ceasefire efforts, 
highlighting Hamas' acceptance, with "comments," of the Egyptian 
ceasefire proposal.  The papers quote Egyptian sources in revealing 
that Hamas' positive response will be conveyed to Israel through 
Israel's Defense Ministry envoy Gilad, who will be visiting Egypt on 
January 15.  Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's front page adds that Israel has 
rejected a Hamas proposal for a limited one-week ceasefire, on the 
grounds that it does not want Hamas to rearm.  The paper also cites 
Israeli daily Haaretz in reporting that for the first time, since 
the beginning of Israel's recent military operations in Gaza, 
Israeli Army commanders are "demanding a halt to the offensive." 
Finally, Al Quds' front page cites AFP in quoting Jordanian King 
Abdullah on January 14 calling on the international community to 
prioritize a ceasefire in Gaza, while Turkish Foreign Minister Ali 
Babacan is quoted on an inside page telling his Israeli counterpart 
Livni, "you can come to Turkey only if you want to discuss a 
ceasefire." 
 
In official Palestinian reaction, all front pages quote Palestinian 
President Abbas stating that the current priority is to halt 
"aggression" on the Gaza Strip and end the suffering of Palestinians 
there, "by any means possible."  Abbas made his statement in a 
January 14 Ramallah meeting with visiting Spanish Foreign Minister 
Moratinos.  Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad is also 
quoted from meetings with Moratinos on Al Hayat Al Jadida's front 
page.  Fayyad condemned the "aggression" on Gaza and demanded an 
immediate halt to Israeli military operations there. 
 
News of "never ending" summit calls to discuss the situation in 
Gaza, including Saudi Arabia's call for an urgent summit for Gulf 
states to be held on January 15, is front page news in all papers. 
The papers also note that the planned Doha summit for January 14, 
called to discuss Gaza, has been cancelled since the minimum number 
of states did not commit to attending.  Al Ayyam's front page cites 
AFP in quoting Qatar's Emir renewing invitations to the summit and 
noting that Qatar will not invite Palestinian factions. 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00000137  002 OF 002 
 
 
In coverage of international efforts and statements, Al Ayyam's 
front page reports that the UN General Assembly will hold a special 
session on Gaza on January 15.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page 
cites Reuters in quoting International Court of Justice officials 
stating that they do not have the expertise to investigate war 
crimes in Gaza.  Al Quds front pages January 14 comments by Russian 
Foreign Minister Lavrov expressing, "deep concerns over the 
increased number of victims" and calling for immediate 
implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1860.  Finally, Al 
Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida's front pages report that Bolivia has 
severed relations with Israel in protest of Israel's military 
operations in Gaza. 
 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1)  Al Quds editorial is titled, "Controversy over the summit...and 
vague stands on the Egyptian initiative" (01/15) "We don't believe 
that those accepting to attend the [Doha] summit are more interested 
in the Palestinian cause than those refusing [to attend]...the Arabs 
already proposed at two important summits, a peace initiative that 
no one cares about... We reject the use of our cause, a common cause 
among Arabs, as fuel for divisions and [special]interests... if 
someone needs an example [of how to sever relations with Israel], 
they have Venezuela and Bolivia.  They don't need a summit or 
collective decision." 
 
2) "Abdul Majid Swaylim opines in Al Ayyam under the title "Features 
of a possible solution in Gaza" (01/15): "[Israel] has replaced talk 
of a permanent truce with talk of permanent arrangements.  A halt to 
rocket fire... [seems inevitable], within the framework of a 
ceasefire, as does... [the implementation of] a long term or 
permanent comprehensive deal... 
 
WALLES