VZCZCXRO9048
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0546/01 0840825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250825Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4475
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 7601
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4586
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4435
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5928
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4350
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2924

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000546 
 
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 (03/25):  PONDERING THE IMPACT OF 
THE DOHA SUMMIT ON PALESTINIAN TALKS 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with confrontations between 
Arab-Israelis and Israeli police in Um Al Fahm town in Israel on 
March 24.  The confrontations erupted when Israeli "rightwing 
settlers" attempted to hold a rally, "waving Israeli flags, under 
police protection."  The rally "provoked" residents to ask the 
"settlers" to leave and clashes ensued, according to coverage. 
Several people were injured, including activists and policemen, who 
arrested Arab citizens, papers note. 
 
Al Ayyam leads with Egyptian invitations to Palestinian factions to 
resume reconciliation talks in Cairo on April 1, following the Arab 
summit in Doha.  The report, which features on all front pages, adds 
that contacts have intensified among factions, "to iron out 
differences" in preparation of declaring a, "Cairo Document on Unity 
and Agreement."  Al Quds runs an inside page caricature with two 
women wondering if April 1 was picked as the date for new talks in 
honor of April Fools Day. 
 
Al Quds and Al Ayyam front page a UK-based daily Guardian report 
about Israeli forces using Palestinian boys as human shields during 
the recent Gaza conflicts, and the use of drones to bomb medical 
teams and hospitals.  The report quotes Israeli Army sources denying 
these accusations and adding that the Army acted in accordance with 
international law.  Al Quds cites Reuters in quoting a retired 
Israeli Army commander, asserting that Israeli attempts to protect 
their own military personnel during the conflict led to higher 
Palestinian civilian casualties.  Al Ayyam's front page reports that 
Israel condemned the recent report by UN Human Rights Rapporteur 
Richard Falk that calls for the investigation of Israel for possible 
war crimes committed during the Gaza Cast Lead operation.  Reporting 
also notes statements by State Department spokesman Robert Wood 
describing the Falk report as, "not objective" and stating that 
though the U.S. would not seek to block an investigation into war 
crimes, such an investigation should be objective. 
 
All front pages run an AFP report about the Israeli Labor party 
joining a coalition government with Likud under the premiership of 
Netanyahu.  Papers note that Labor head Ehud Barak would retain the 
defense portfolio. 
 
Al Quds highlights a front page report citing DPA about an Israeli 
decision to deploy a "Steel Dome" system around the Gaza Strip to 
intercept rockets and projectiles fired into Israel. 
 
Al Quds' inside page runs an AFP report revealing that two human 
rights groups; the Legal Center on Freedom to Travel and Doctors for 
Human Rights, have accused Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, 
and Egypt of keeping the Gaza Rafah crossing closed.  The paper also 
runs an inside report by Israeli human rights group, B'Tselem, 
noting increased Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West 
Bank, following the Israeli operation in Gaza. 
 
Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida run an inside report on a meeting 
between U.S. Consulate General staff and Palestinian Authority Chief 
Islamic Judge Taysir Tamimi in Ramallah on March 24.  Tamimi briefed 
the delegation on Israeli negative practices targeting Palestinian 
Jerusalemites and Palestinian institutions and cultural activities 
in Jerusalem.  Tamimi also demanded the U.S. administration pressure 
Israel to stop settlement activities and "violations" against 
Islamic and Christian shrines in Jerusalem. 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00000546  002 OF 002 
 
 
Al Quds runs an inside DPA report revealing that U.S. Embassy staff 
in Beirut met with their counterparts at the Iranian Embassy in 
Lebanon.  The report notes that both Embassies denied holding such 
meetings.-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1)  Hani Habib opines in Al Ayyam under the title, "The 
Palestinian... Doha summit"(03/25):  "What happens at the Doha 
meeting will set the course for and determine the nature of 
Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue in Cairo.  We expect a halt to 
dialogue, if we carefully read the agenda for the summit." 
 
2)  Hamada Farana writes in Al Ayyam, "No alternative but to sign 
and agree"(03/25):  "The resistance factions, especially Fatah and 
Hamas have entered the reconciliation tunnel, and they will emerge 
united by consent or after being forced by the stick... The 
agreement is on the way, it simply requires time and patience until 
it is signed." 
 
WALLES