VZCZCXRO8408
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0461/01 0720740
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130740Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4361
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 7583
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4568
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4416
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5910
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4332
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2906

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000461 
 
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 (03/13):  PALESTINIANS CALL ON 
"FACTIONS" TO ACT IN CITIZENS' INTEREST 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The three dailies lead with "Palestinian dialogue" in Cairo but 
differ in their assessments of progress being made in talks.  Al 
Quds reports that the five dialogue committees have made significant 
progress and will continue meetings on March 12.  The paper further 
quotes "informed sources" revealing that remaining differences will 
likely require a few more days of dialogue, despite efforts by the 
five dialogue and Higher Steering and Oversight committees.  The 
paper also notes that Hamas leaders in Israeli detention welcomed 
the release by Palestinian Authority (PA) security services of 35 
Hamas prisoners in the West Bank as a gesture of good will.  Al 
Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida, however, reveal that the "marathon 
dialogue" faces "real difficulties" and "obstacles" regarding the 
"government platform and elections."  Meanwhile, Egypt is working 
hard to move factions towards a speedy agreement, the papers report. 
 Al Ayyam quotes "sources participating in the dialogue" including 
Azam Al Ahmad of Fatah, confirming that it is difficult to speak of 
a breakthrough, as things are not progressing.  The sources add that 
Fatah is demanding a "non-factional government" that would abide by 
PLO commitments, whereas, Hamas wants a "factional government" with 
the same platform as the unity government formed after the Mecca 
agreement in 2007.  Further, Hamas has reservations about 
presidential and legislative elections in January, and would 
consider postponing elections in return for an extension of PA 
President Abbas' term, according to coverage. 
The three papers front page a report, citing Israeli daily Yedeot 
Aharanot, that Israel has returned hundreds of confiscated arms to 
the Palestinian Authority police, following Secretary Clinton's 
visit.  The report quotes an Israeli source stating that the timing 
of the return of arms taken during operation Defense Shield in 2002 
was not a coincidence. 
 
Al Quds' front page cites AFP in reporting that President Obama has 
banned the export of cluster bombs, "a weapon that harms 
civilians." 
Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida report on inside pages about the 
visit of a U.S. Consulate General, Jerusalem delegation to the 
Nablus Chamber of Commerce on March 12.  The delegation included 
members from the economic team and USAID-funded Palestinian Trade 
Facilitation Project.  Chamber head Basil Kanaan praised the 
positive results of Palestinian Authority district law enforcement 
in creating a security environment that allowed exports to increase 
and unemployment to drop, despite Israeli restrictions on movement 
of people and goods, "hampering normal life in the city." 
Al Ayyam runs an inside report on a U.S. Consulate General, 
Jerusalem visit to a Janin refugee camp on March 12.  The report 
notes that it was the first visit of its kind to the camp, and that 
the delegation included the Consulate's regional coordinator for 
refugees affairs, coordinator for MEPI.  Senior UNRWA officials also 
accompanied the group, according to reporting.  The delegation 
toured the camp and announced funding for the camp's health center 
and plans to strengthen camp infrastructure and implement youth 
programs in the near future. 
Al Quds runs front page coverage of a Palestinian Authority cabinet 
report stating that last month, Israeli military forces carried out 
877 incursions into the West Bank and Gaza and, "continued human 
rights violations, including violations that can be classified as 
war crimes under international humanitarian law." 
All papers provide front page coverage of the trial of an Israeli 
who killed a Palestinian taxi driver and confessed in court that he 
killed him, "just like I would kill an animal since Arabs don't have 
souls like humans."  The court ruled that the perpetrator is not 
 
JERUSALEM 00000461  002 OF 002 
 
 
mentally fit for trial and placed him in psychiatric care.  The 
papers voice popular anger over the ruling and quote Arab Knesset 
members Sani and Sarsur and other Palestinian Jerusalemites, 
referring to the ruling as, "expected, the usual, and 
racist."-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
 
1)  Independent daily Al Quds' editorial is titled, "We need 
agreement on a truce in Gaza" (03/13):  "[Palestinian] factions 
should act out of a sense of commitment to the interests of all 
citizens, shielding decisions from time pressures, improvisation and 
miscalculations.  The [Gaza]truce is a top demand of Palestinians in 
general and of Gazans in particular." 
2) Mohamad Yaghi opines in independent daily Al Ayyam under the 
title, "Cairo Dialogue:  Reality moves everyone forward"(03/13): 
"[An Israeli government led by] Netanyahu highlights the paramount 
importance of Palestinian unity, even if it means that Arab states 
must force Palestinians to unite.  Arabs will... find it difficult 
to assert that peace is possible or that their initiative is still 
relevant unless there is effective American pressure on Israel. 
Such pressure will only be exerted if Palestinians resolve their 
internal issues... the peace process has been moving in circles 
without result, but at least it's still moving..." 
 
WALLES