VZCZCXRO8058
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0308/01 0511431
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201431Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4148
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 7551
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4536
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4384
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5878
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4300
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2872

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000308 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS BBG 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC 
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 (02/20):  "EFFORTS TO JUDAIZE 
JERUSALEM CONTINUE" 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All front pages feature and Al Quds leads with news that Israeli 
President Peres will meet with the heads of the Kadima and Likud 
ud 
 
parties on February 20 to seek agreement for a national unity 
government.  If efforts fail, papers report that Peres will ask 
Likud's Netanyahu to form a government.  Al Quds quotes former US 
Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer calling a possible 
Netanyahu-Lieberman coalition a, "dangerous combination for U.S. 
interests."  He is also quoted stating that the Obama administration 
would like to see a broad-based coalition government that includes 
both Kadima and Likud. 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with angry Egyptian reactions 
to Israel's decision to link the release of Israeli soldier Shalit 
to a Gaza truce agreement with Hamas.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's front 
page adds that Egypt has put on hold trade negotiations with Israel, 
ordering its trade delegation to immediately return from Israel.  In 
related reporting, Al Quds' front page quotes PLO Executive 
Committee member Yasir Abd Rabbuh stating that internal Palestinian 
talks should not be delayed by Israel's decision or other Israeli 
issues.  The paper further notes that Abd Rabbuh spoke to the press 
after meeting with U.S. Senator Lieberman in Ramallah. 
 
All papers run front page photos and reports on the visits to Gaza 
by Senator Kerry and Congressmen Baird and Ellison. The photos show 
the Congressmen inspecting "post-war devastation" in Gaza, and 
highlight that the visits were not sponsored by the U.S. 
administration.  The Congressmen are quoted expressing "sorrow and 
dismay" over what they saw in Gaza.  Senator Kerry is quoted 
clarifying that his visit does not imply any change in U.S. policy 
towards Hamas and indicates only, "our wish to listen and learn." 
The papers note that the delegations visited the Gaza Center for 
Psychological Health and received briefings on the suffering of 
Palestinians in Gaza.  The papers also quote Hamas' reactions to the 
visits.  Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum hoped for a change in 
President Obama's policy towards Hamas and stated that the 
congressional visits were a,"first step in the right direction" but 
did not go far enough and that additional steps were needed. 
 
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page reports that Russia has decided to 
stop meeting with Hamas representatives after their failure to 
convince Hamas to accept the Middle East Quartet's three conditions. 
 
All papers run front page coverage of a signing ceremony between 
Palestinian Authority (PA) Premier Fayyad and banks to allow the PA 
to provide direct assistance to, "Gaza war victims."  The papers 
quote Fayyad stating that 4,000 housing units were completely 
destroyed in Gaza, leaving more than 23,500 Palestinians homeless, 
and that 11,000 housing units were partially damaged, affecting 
another 78,000.  In related reporting, Al Quds' front page notes a 
European Commission donation of $41 million to UNRWA's emergency 
Gaza appeal. 
Al Quds' front page notes an "escalation" in Israeli military 
operations in Gaza and the West Bank.  The report details February 
19 actions such as Israeli machine-gun fire near the Gaza Kerem 
Shalom crossing and arrests near Hebron and other West Bank areas. 
Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's front page cites AFP in reporting that five 
Palestinians rockets were fired from Gaza onto Israel on February 
19, causing no damage. 
All front pages highlight the February 19 Fatah Revolutionary 
Council meeting that yielded the decision to hold Fatah's convention 
by next December.  The Council's declaration that no negotiations 
should be conducted with Israel before settlement activities cease, 
 
JERUSALEM 00000308  002 OF 002 
 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All front pages feature and Al Quds leads with news that Israeli 
President Peres will meet with the heads of the Kadima and Likud 
ud 
parties on February 20 to seek agreement for a national unity 
government.  If efforts fail, papers report that Peres will ask 
Likud's Netanyahu to form a government.  Al Quds quotes former US 
Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer calling a possible 
Netanyahu-Lieberman coalition a, "dangerous combination for U.S. 
interests."  He is also quoted stating that the Obama administration 
would like to see a broad-based coalition government that includes 
both Kadima and Likud. 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with angry Egyptian reactions 
to Israel's decision to link the release of Israeli soldier Shalit 
to a Gaza truce agreement with Hamas.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's front 
page adds that Egypt has put on hold trade negotiations with Israel, 
ordering its trade delegation to immediately return from Israel.  In 
related reporting, Al Quds' front page quotes PLO Executive 
Committee member Yasir Abd Rabbuh stating that internal Palestinian 
talks should not be delayed by Israel's decision or other Israeli 
issues.  The paper further notes that Abd Rabbuh spoke to the press 
after meeting with U.S. Senator Lieberman in Ramallah. 
 
is also highlighted. 
In Jerusalem settlement news, Al Quds' front page reports that an 
Israeli court has delayed its ruling on a dispute over the ownership 
of 28 houses in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.  The 
paper explains that the delay came after Palestinians presented the 
court with evidence that "Israeli settlers" forged relevant 
ownership documents. 
In an inside report, Al Quds cites London-based Al Sharq Al Awsat 
daily in quoting U.S. envoy George Mitchell stating that the 
"economic peace" called for by Israeli Likud leader Netanyahu "is 
not enough" if it is not coupled with political action.  He is also 
quoted saying that the U.S. would like to see a Palestinian 
Authority unity government that includes Fatah and Hamas, and that 
the U.S. appreciates Egyptian efforts towards Palestinian 
reconciliation. 
Al Quds' reports on an inside page that USAID Director Howard Sumka 
visited the Palestinian Authority Higher Judicial Council in 
Ramallah and the Rafidiyyah hospital in Nablus on February 19. 
Sumka is quoted confirming USAID commitment to supporting the 
Palestinian judiciary sector. 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida's front pages report on Jewish 
immigration from Yemen to Israel.  According to coverage the new 
immigrants were escaping murder threats and harassment.  Al Ayyam 
runs a front page photo of the new immigrants. -------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
- 
1) Al Quds editorial is titled, "Efforts to Judaize Jerusalem 
continue:  We need more than a halt to negotiations"(02/19): "It 
seems that we, at the official level, have been late in realizing 
the futility of negotiations[while] settlement activities 
continue... we [need]to send a message to the U.S. administration, 
as it sinks into the global economic swamp... that this Israeli 
policy... will certainly threaten American interests because 
regional peace and stability have been identified as American 
interests by more than one official in Washington." 
WALLES