VZCZCXRO3126
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0089/01 0091116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091116Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3770
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 7482
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4467
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4315
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5809
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4231
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2801

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000089 
 
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 (01/09):  "SAVING GAZA TO SAVE THE 
PLO" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The situation in Gaza continues to dominate all Palestinian news 
outlets.  Al Quds leads with news of the rescue of four Palestinian 
children clinging to the bodies of their dead mothers killed in the 
Gaza fighting.  The paper adds, in red font headlines, that bodies 
of 50 Palestinians were found in the Gaza rubble, bringing the 
Palestinian death toll to 767.   The paper also reports on Israeli 
overnight strikes that killed four Palestinians, one of whom was a 
photographer for Palestinian Authority President Abbas.  All front 
pages highlight UNRWA's decision to suspend operations in Gaza after 
Israeli "attacks" on its personnel and facilities. 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with "agreement" at the UN 
Security Council over a draft resolution calling for an immediate 
ceasefire in Gaza, while Al Quds highlights that the UN Human Rights 
Council will hold an emergency session on January 9, "to pressure 
Israel" on operations in Gaza.  Al Ayyam's front page adds that 
Israel is, "determined to commit more crimes" as Palestinians 
continue to die in the Israeli military operation.  Al Hayat Al 
Jadida's front page adds that the "Gaza massacre" continues, as more 
Palestinians are found dead under the rubble.  Al Ayyam and Al Hayat 
Al Jadida front page reports that one Israeli army officer and two 
other soldiers were killed, and 13 soldiers injured on January 8. 
 
In news on U.S. actions, Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page reports 
that Secretary Rice and her French and British counterparts have 
decided to extend their stay in New York to continue work with Arab 
counterparts on a Gaza draft resolution that will be put to a UN 
Security Council vote on January 9.  Both Al Hayat Al Jadida's and 
Al Quds' front pages cite news agencies in reporting that the U.S. 
Congress has voted to formally express support for the Israeli 
"aggression" on Gaza.  The Congress called for a ceasefire agreement 
that will prevent Hamas from using Gaza as a base to fire rockets 
into Israel.  Al Quds' inside page cites AFP in reporting that a 
State Department spokesman stated on January 8 that the U.S. is 
asking Israel to increase the number of hours of the daily 
"humanitarian pause" in Gaza.  He also described the humanitarian 
situation in Gaza as "dire" 
 
In photo coverage, Al Quds leads with a photo of a young Palestinian 
girl weeping over the dead bodies of her relatives, lying in a heap 
on her doorstep.  Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida run an aerial photo 
of Palestinians gathered around the rubble of a destroyed Gaza 
mosque.  Al Ayyam runs a lead photo of a Palestinian "expressing 
shock" as a crowd gathers on a visibly blood-stained Gaza street. 
All papers run front page statements by Palestinian Authority 
President Abbas made in Madrid on January 8, expressing support for 
the Egyptian-French ceasefire proposal.  Al Quds' front page cites 
AFP in quoting a statement issued by Palestinian opposition groups 
including Hamas, in Damascus on January 8.  The groups state that 
the Egyptian-French ceasefire, "is not a good basis" for solving the 
current crisis in Gaza and is aimed at increasing pressure on 
Palestinian resistance groups. 
Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida run front page statements by 
Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Fayyad, following a PA 
cabinet meeting in Ramallah on January 8.  Fayyad describes Gaza 
"fighting" as another Palestinian national catastrophe, reminiscent 
of the establishment of Israel in 1948.  Coverage notes that Fayyad 
refused to respond to a question about when PA President Abbas' term 
will end, by stating that it was, "irrelevant to discuss that now." 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page quotes another PA official, Minister 
of Planning Abdullah, estimating that there has been $2 billion 
worth of damage to Gaza infrastructure. 
 
JERUSALEM 00000089  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
Al Hayat Al Jadida cites AFP in highlighting front page statements 
by EU foreign policy chief Solana made in Ankara on January 8 that 
the EU is ready to resume its observer mission at the Rafah-Egypt 
crossing point. 
In reporting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza Al Quds' front 
page runs testimonies from Gaza medics describing, "genocide and 
ethnic cleansing against Palestinians."  The same front page also 
highlights statements by Vatican Peace and Justice Cardinal Renato 
Martino comparing Gaza to a concentration camp.  Al Ayyam runs a 
front page story of a Palestinian woman describing how Israeli 
soldiers killed her unarmed husband, "who had his hands up", and 
then killing four of her children and 25 other members of her 
family.  She also speaks about how her son bled to death while she 
pleaded for help, but no one was able to access them. 
An Al Quds' inside page cites DPA in reporting that Gaza Fatah 
official Ibrahim Abu Alnajah has denied Israeli media reports that 
Hamas is using the "war in Gaza" as a pretext to kill Fatah 
activists.  The paper also cites the same source in reporting about 
nine Israeli human rights organizations' January 8 appeal to the 
Israeli High Court to stop Israeli army action that "targets" 
medical teams in Gaza.  The paper also runs featured inside reports 
on the Israeli police preventing Palestinian children in Jerusalem 
from staging a peaceful protest near the Holy Sepulcher Church on 
January 8.  The children wanted to show their solidarity with the 
children of Gaza, reporting notes. 
Al Quds' and Al Hayat Al Jadida's front pages cite AFP and news 
agencies in reporting on four Katyusha rockets landing in northern 
Israel.  Reporting notes that Hizbullah has denied responsibility 
and queried, "What came first?  Rockets or the alleged Israeli 
artillery response?" 
 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1)  Al Quds editorial is titled, "Diplomatic procrastination as 
massacres continue"(01/09):  "The procrastination on the part of 
some countries, especially the USA, in issuing the [UN Security 
Council] resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, gives Israel the green 
light to continue its aggression in the Strip and kill dozens, 
perhaps hundreds, of Palestinian innocents.  It is inhuman to 
transform Gaza residents into hostages or a mere bargain chip in 
order to achieve Israeli goals - which nobody even knows what they 
[goals]are.  There was a truce before this absurd war, and if this 
[new] truce, regardless of its conditions, is the ultimate result of 
this aggression, why did Israel wage war in the first place?" 
 
2)  Mohamad Yaghy opines in Al Ayyam under the title "Saving Gaza to 
save the PLO" (01/09):  "[Palestinian Authority (PA)] President 
Abbas could use the Arab League or his [presidential] office in 
Ramallah as a platform to announce, that unless the war on Gaza 
stops and Gaza crossings are opened, he will refuse to extend his 
term in office.  He could also announce that the PA might cease to 
exist [once he leaves office, thereby throwing responsibility] back 
in the face of Israel, its allies and the Arab regimes, who can try 
to figure out what to do, and what their solutions to the crisis 
will be... This step by the PA Presidency, would not only be an act 
made in the defense of Gaza, but also an act of self-defense, to 
protect its [own] legitimacy and existence that are being crushed by 
Israeli tanks." 
WALLES