VZCZCXRO8236
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0271/01 0420942
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110942Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4087
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 7538
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4523
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4371
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5865
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4287
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2859

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000271 
 
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 (02/11):  "POLITICAL PROGRESS... 
IN THE HANDS OF OBAMA" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All papers lead with exit polls from Israeli elections and 
announce that Kadima and Likud are "very close."  Al Hayat Al Jadida 
da 
runs the headline, "Kadima wins and Likud leads," speculating on a 
possible coalition between Likud and other rightwing parties.  Al 
Quds quotes the Israeli Central Elections Committee stating that 
results were too close to call the election on the early morning of 
February 11. 
In coverage of Palestinian reactions to Israeli elections, Al Hayat 
Al Jadida's front page runs an AFP story quoting Hamas spokesman 
Fawzi Barhum commenting that the Israeli elections have promoted the 
"most extremist and most war-mongering" of candidates.  Al Ayyam's 
front page quote chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat commenting that 
the incoming Israeli government will not be able to achieve peace. 
Al Hayat Al Jadida and Al Ayyam's front pages, and Al Quds on an 
inside page, cite news agencies in reporting on Amnesty 
International's allegation that Hamas has killed, kidnapped and 
tortured Palestinians.  According to Amnesty, Hamas killed 25 
Palestinians, some of whom were receiving treatment in hospitals, 
and shot dozens others in the legs. 
Al Quds' front page reports that Egyptian sources confirm that Hamas 
has agreed to a truce agreement with Israel that would establish a 
300-meter wide "militant free" buffer zone along the Gaza borders 
with Israel; the deployment of Palestinian Authority personnel at 
the Rafah crossing with Egypt; the release of 1,000 Palestinian 
prisoners from Israeli prisons; and the release of captured Israeli 
soldier Shalit.  Hamas has briefed all Palestinian factions on the 
agreement except for Fatah, according to the article.  The report 
adds that Israel still objects to the release of three Hamas leaders 
and the Secretary General for the Popular Front for the Liberation 
of Palestine Ahmad Saadat.  The report says that what remains, 
according to Hamas, is agreement by Israel to the terms and deciding 
on the duration of the truce agreement.  Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's front 
page cites news agencies in reporting that a Hamas delegation from 
Damascus will arrive in Cairo on February 11 to submit its final 
response to the proposed truce agreement.  The agreement would allow 
for significant reopening of Gaza crossings, according to Al Ayyam. 
 
 
Al Quds' front page reports that a second Hamas delegation has 
arrived in Egypt to discuss Palestinian reconciliation. The paper 
adds that a Cairo meeting has already been held between Fatah 
representative Azzam Al Ahmad and a Hamas delegation headed by Ayman 
Taha.  The meeting was in preparation of a "national dialogue 
conference" scheduled to begin in Cairo on February 22. 
Al Ayyam runs a front page story quoting a "Palestinian official" 
saying that Israel is considering the hand over of security 
responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the northern 
West Bank city of Tulkarim, as a good will gesture towards PA 
President Abbas.  The three papers report on the visit of Abbas to 
Rome as part of his international tour, and add that Italy has 
accepted the Egyptian invitation to attend a conference on Gaza 
reconstruction to be held in Cairo in March. 
Al Quds' inside page cites Reuters when reporting that UN Secretary 
General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his 
intention to initiate a UN Board of Inquiry into "incidents 
involving death and damage at UN premises in Gaza" during the recent 
fighting there.  Al Quds also reports inside, citing Epithet UNRWA 
Operations Officer John Ging criticized Israel for not allowing 
paper supplies into Gaza, adding that 60% of books needed there are 
not printed because of a shortage of paper, resulting in students 
 
JERUSALEM 00000271  002 OF 002 
 
 
doing without text books.-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1)  "Al Quds editorial is titled, "The Palestinian dimension of 
Israeli elections"(02/11):  "The Israeli elections hold no surprises 
for Palestinians... no change will take place towards ending the 
occupation or settlements or the establishment of the independent 
Palestinian state, since it is clear that there is Israeli consensus 
on consolidating the occupation and expanding settlements... It is 
all but certain that any Arab and international initiatives will be 
indefinitely shelved, which makes... the role of American President 
Obama's administration more important and urgent..." 
2)  George Jaqaman opines in Al Ayyam under the title, "The third 
and final stage of the PA [Palestinian Authority]"(02/11):  "Within 
one or two years, the picture will become clear:  If there has been 
no political progress...  related to the two-state solution... there 
will be no future for the PA... thus, the matter is in the hands of 
President Obama's administration, which will need to decide if 
[Obama] wants to proceed with President Bush's "road map" or take 
another path.  The life of the PA is in his hands, but not the life 
of the Palestinian people nor their future, for they are not owned 
by him [President Obama] nor anyone else." 
 
WALLES