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OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0236/01 0351036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041036Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4029
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 7527
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4512
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4360
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5854
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4276
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2848

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 000236 
 
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 (02/04):  FEAR THAT SEPARATION OF 
GAZA WILL BECOME PERMANENT 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All papers front page and Al Quds leads with statements by 
Secretary Clinton from her press conference with Special Envoy 
Mitchell on February 3.  Coverage highlights the statement 
identifying the U.S. goal to establish an "independent and viable 
Palestinian state."  The papers also highlight quotes about 
continued work with Palestinian Authority President Abbas and the 
need for Hamas to end rocket attacks.  Al Quds' lead photo shows 
Clinton and Mitchell at the press conference and reporting welcomes 
news that Mitchell has asked President Obama and Secretary Clinton 
for a Jerusalem office and staff in order to better monitor issues 
on the ground and coordinate with U.S. diplomats in the field.  The 
paper calls the request a, "sign of U.S. desires to directly engage 
in negotiations."  Al Ayyam's headline highlights that Mitchell will 
return to the region this month, after Israeli elections.  Al Hayat 
Al Jadida's coverage highlights Clinton's commitment to assisting 
Palestinians and Israel to reach a negotiated agreement to the 
conflict. 
Al Quds front pages and Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with 
the February 3 meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Abu Dhabi. 
Reporting notes that the meeting was closed to press and focused on, 
"preventing non-Arab interference" in regional issues, resolving 
Arab differences before the Doha Arab summit, supporting the 
Palestinian Authority under President Abbas, and recognition of the 
PLO as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian 
people. 
Al Quds' front page cites news agencies in reporting that Israel has 
threatened a tough response to a grad missile fired on Ashkelon on 
February 3.  The paper notes Israeli Foreign Minister Livni's call 
for "hard" Israeli retaliation, while Israeli Defense Minister Barak 
is quoted commenting that though Hamas was dealt a powerful blow in 
the war, rocket attacks from Gaza remain a serious matter. 
Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's front page quotes Israeli opposition leader 
Netanyahu stating that he would seek to topple Hamas rule in Gaza. 
Al Quds' front page reports that the Hamas delegation in Cairo 
continued meetings with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Sulayman 
regarding a truce with Israel in Gaza.  Al Ayyam's front page quotes 
Hamas delegation member Bardawil confirming by telephone to Ma'an 
news agency on February 3 that Hamas has approved a truce proposal 
that would "lift 75% of the Gaza siege" and has agreed to join 
Palestinian unity talks on February 22. 
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abbas hopes that the outcome of 
Israeli elections will not set Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, 
"back to square one."  Speaking in Paris, Abbas expressed his belief 
that talks with Israel in recent months have allowed each side to 
better understand the demands and expectations of the other.  Al 
Ayyam adds that Abbas announced that France has pledged to rebuild 
the Al Quds hospital in Gaza after it was destroyed in recent 
Israeli military operations.  In other official Palestinian 
statements, Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida front page reports that 
the PLO Palestinian National Council rejected the Hamas proposal to 
establish a new political body to represent Palestinians at their 
February 3 meeting in Ramallah.  The papers also report, in separate 
front page coverage, that PA Premier Fayyad will make a speech on 
February 4 about Gaza.  Fayyad is expected to demand the entry of 
cash into the Strip and to elaborate on PA plans for Gaza 
reconstruction, according to coverage. 
Al Ayyam's front page cites Reuters in quoting EU Special 
Representative Mark Otte expressing frustration over Israeli 
restrictions on goods entering Gaza, thereby hindering 
reconstruction efforts.  Speaking in Jerusalem, Otte questioned how 
specific EU assistance activities could be viewed as, "encouraging 
 
JERUSALEM 00000236  002 OF 003 
 
 
terrorism":  repairs to the sewage system, provision of clean water, 
repairs to hospitals.  In other Gaza news, Al Hayat Al Jadida's 
front page runs an AFP story on the International Criminal Court's 
General Prosecutor questioning the legitimacy of the Hamas 
"government" in Gaza and Hamas ability to implement a court ruling 
there. 
 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page runs a Reuters story on statements 
by Turkish Premier Erdogan expressing Turkey's readiness to mediate 
between Israel and the Palestinians. Erdogan also noted that U.N. 
Secretary General Ki-moon has asked him to resume mediation efforts 
between the two parties, according to reporting. 
Settler news grabs front page headlines in Al Quds and inside Al 
Ayyam.  The reports highlight the injuring of seven Palestinians 
during clashes with Israeli soldiers and settlers in Sair village 
near Hebron and with soldiers in Bil'in near Ramallah.  The papers 
report that clashes erupted in Sair when Palestinians saw Israeli 
soldiers protecting settlers who had brought bulldozers to destroy 
Palestinian agricultural land.  In related news, Al Quds carries an 
inside story and photo of the Al Kurd house in the East Jerusalem 
neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah from which an Palestinian family was 
evicted by the Israeli Jerusalem Municipality late last year. 
Reporting notes that the "Israeli settlers" who now occupy the 
house, sealed its windows with bricks and have not been evicted 
despite Israeli court orders to that effect.  The paper further 
notes that many Palestinian parties have appealed Israeli courts to 
order the Municipality and police to implement the eviction orders. 
 
Coverage of U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem mission activities 
appears on inside pages of Al Quds.  The paper covers the February 3 
visit by Consul General Walles to Al Quds University, noting that he 
discussed in detail with university officials, "the current 
political situation in Palestine following the war on Gaza and its 
implications for the region."  University President Nussaybah is 
quoted calling on President Obama to immediately push for clear 
results in the peace process, stressing that after a six month 
window, the risk increases for a, "swift deterioration" in the 
region.  A second inside story notes that representatives of USAID 
and the Palestinian Water Authority met on February 3 to discuss 
future water projects.-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1)  Al Quds' editorial is titled, "Lifting the siege on Gaza, its 
airport and seaport" (02/04):  "The Israeli army destroyed the Gaza 
airport in 2001.  The Israeli Government has also prevented the 
rehabilitation of the Gaza sea port to serve larger ships, and the 
opening of two safe passages to the West Bank... [Crossing points] 
remain closed to the movement of citizens and goods [between Gaza 
and the West Bank]... this continued Israeli violation of agreements 
has resulted in the deepening of the de-facto separation of the two 
parts of the [Palestinian] homeland...  [We note that] the closing 
of safe passages was done long before Hamas took control of Gaza by 
force in June 2007.  There are 1 and 1/2 million humans in the Gaza 
Strip that should be treated as humans and not as a political 
l 
bargaining chip by Hamas..." 
2) Hamada Farana opines in Al Ayyam under the title, "National 
partnership needed to face the occupation and the [Hamas]coup": 
"Will the leaders of Fatah, Popular Front for the Liberation of 
Palestine, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, 
Communists, Nationalists and the independents understand the 
importance of consolidating and strengthening their alliance to 
become a [true]partnership?  A partnership in the Palestinian 
 
JERUSALEM 00000236  003 OF 003 
 
 
Authority National government, a partnership in the Fayyad 
government, a partnership in organizations and a partnership in 
confronting the coup?  [A partnership] to confront oppression and 
egotism whether it comes from some Fatah leaders or Hamas? 
...Partnership is key to... the struggle against the occupation and 
the coup. 
 
WALLES