VZCZCXRO1055
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0320/01 0551504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241504Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4176
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 7556
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4541
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4389
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5883
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4305
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2877

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000320 
 
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 (02/24):  "FACING A MORE HOSTILE 
ISRAEL" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Arab reaction to Israeli plans to demolish 88 homes housing 1,500 
Palestinians in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Bustan leads Al 
Al 
Quds' coverage and features prominently on all front pages.  The 
Arab League and Islamic countries are quoted calling for 
international action to stop the demolitions that are meant to clear 
the way for a new public park.  PLO Executive Committee member Abid 
Rabbuh is quoted calling on President Obama to personally intervene. 
The PLO also called for a protest strike in the Palestinian 
Territories to take place on February 28.  Additional Palestinian 
statements reiterated the view that the plans constitute an 
expansion of settlement activities and are aimed at changing the 
"demographic balance" in the holy city.  The papers also note that 
Palestinians will arrange tours of Bustan for foreign diplomats and 
plan to launch an international legal campaign in support of the 
Palestinian owners' rights. 
All front pages quote PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat announcing 
that Secretary of State Clinton plans to visit the Palestinian 
Territories on March 3 and 4, after participating in the Gaza 
reconstruction conference in Egypt.  Erekat further adds that 
Clinton and Abbas will discuss, during her first visit to Ramallah, 
the agenda of the new Israeli government, the need to respect signed 
agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, ending Israeli 
settlement activities and the two-state solution. Erekat is also 
quoted stating that U.S. envoy Mitchell is expected to meet with 
Palestinian Authority(PA) President Abbas in Ramallah on February 
¶27. 
 
Al Quds and Al Ayyam run a front page report citing Reuters quoting 
an anonymous State Department official revealing that Clinton will 
announce $900 million in assistance to the PA for Gaza 
reconstruction.  The official explained that the funds will not be 
channeled into Gaza through Hamas, but rather through the U.N. and 
other parties. 
 
Al Quds' and Al Ayyam's front pages report on Israeli Defense 
Ministry concern over U.S. envoy George Mitchell's plans to open an 
office in Jerusalem.  The reports cite Israeli daily Ma'ariv in 
explaining that Mitchell will probably monitor Israeli settlement 
activities "on the ground" instead of "just" looking at satellite 
photos.  Mitchell will not accept, "procrastination or tricks," the 
reporting concludes. 
 
All front pages cite AFP in reporting on an Italian plan for 
economic development in the West Bank, to be submitted at the next 
G-8 meeting.  The plan will include building an airport to serve 
religious travelers and tourists to the West Bank. 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with news that Palestinian 
reconciliation talks will begin March 5 in Cairo.  Al Quds also 
reports the item on its front page and joins Al Hayat Al Jadida in 
expressing pessimism over Hamas' participation.  Al Ayyam, however, 
notes that a Hamas delegation, headed by deputy Hamas chief Abu 
Marzuq, has already headed to Cairo and is will hold a meeting with 
the Fatah delegation in the next few days to prepare for the talks. 
 
 
All front pages report on Palestinian President Abbas' international 
tour which now finds him in Oslo.  He is quoted calling for the 
resumption of peace talks on the basis of the two-state solution. 
Al Quds' front page runs a photo and a report on the EU parliament's 
fact finding mission in Gaza.  The mission is headed by EU 
 
JERUSALEM 00000320  002 OF 002 
 
 
Parliament President Poettering who visited Gaza hospitals and other 
sites "devastated in the war." Poettering is quoted expressing 
support for Palestinian Authority President Abbas. 
Al Quds' front page reports on tension between the outgoing Israeli 
Premier Olmert and Israel's security establishment.  Citing Israeli 
daily Ma'ariv, the paper reports that relations between Olmert and 
Defense Minister Barak have reached a state of "all out war" and 
that Olmert has replaced Defense Ministry envoy to Egypt Amos Gilad 
with Shabak head Yuval Diskin.  The report notes the Gilad 
publically criticized Olmert for conditioning the truce in Gaza on 
freeing kidnapped Israeli soldier Shalit. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
- 
1) Al Quds' editorial is titled, "Israel challenges the whole 
world"(02/24):  "All these issues [settlement activities in 
Jerusalem, delays in truce and prisoner exchange talks, the recent 
Amnesty report] should be placed at the top of any Palestinian or 
Arab agenda for meetings with American or European envoys in the 
region.  It is the duty of America, Europe and the international 
community to halt these Israeli policies and... make clear to Israel 
that it cannot continue its occupation and acts that threaten the 
security and stability of the region... 
2) Hani Al Masri reacts in Al Ayyam to a recent op-ed by Martin 
Indyk, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel (02/24): "The Israeli 
Government headed by Netanyahu was the one that ended the Oslo 
agreement, and the Likud party is now more extremist than it was in 
¶1996.  Israel is in an extremist rightwing mode... which makes it 
likely that Israel will opt for war, settlement expansion and 
aggression.  We are now, Mr. Indyk, faced with a more hostile 
Israel, not an opportunity for peace!!" 
WALLES