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DE RUEHTV #0602/01 0711019
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121019Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
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RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 3681
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2811
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000602 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR NEA STAFF 
 
SECDEF WASHDC FOR USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA 
HQ USAF FOR XOXX 
DA WASHDC FOR SASA 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA 
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR 
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD 
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO ICD 
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
 
SIPDIS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  U.S.-Israel Relations 
 
¶2.  Mideast 
 
¶3.  FAA Downgrading of Israeli Aviation Status 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
The media quoted Likud sources as saying that Justice Minister 
Daniel Friedmann will probably lose his job in the new government. 
According to the sources, PM-designate Benjamin Netanyahu and 
Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman yesterday tentatively 
agreed to name Prof. Yaakov NeQeman as the next justice minister. 
NeQeman was justice minister and subsequently finance minister in 
the first Netanyahu government.  HaQaretz reported that, although it 
received five major portfolios in the coalition deal, Yisrael 
Beiteinu has apparently made far-reaching compromises in its demands 
pertaining to state and religion.  Lieberman has reportedly backed 
down from most of his demands for a civil marriage law, a solution 
to the conversion problem, and changing the system of government. 
Shas mouthpiece Yom Leyom predicts that Netanyahu will declare that 
he will set up a narrow government for a defined amount of time. 
 
The Jerusalem Post and HaQaretz reported that Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton made clear during her visit to the region last week 
that a Palestinian unity government that does not recognize Israel, 
renounce terrorism, or accept previous Israeli-Palestinian 
agreements is one that the U.S. will not be able to accept.  The 
newspapers quoted senior diplomats as saying yesterday that Clinton 
"reiterated" during her visit that the "Quartet and the Arab League 
are in agreement" that those three principles are ones that Hamas 
would have to adopt in order for there to be engagement with Hamas. 
The diplomatQs comments come amid attempts by some European 
countries to look for ways to circumvent the international 
community's three benchmarks that for the most part have kept the 
world from dealing with Hamas.  Leading media quoted Syrian 
President Bashar Assad as saying in an interview that appeared 
yesterday in the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun that Syria could 
conduct direct peace negotiations with Israel if the U.S. acted as a 
mediator. 
 
Israel Radio reported that Ofer Dekel, PM Ehud OlmertQs point man on 
the prisoner issue, is extending his current mission in Egypt.  The 
radio quoted senior Israeli defense sources as saying that, although 
no breakthrough has been achieved in the matter of Gilad ShalitQs 
release, lively negotiations are continuing.  HaQaretz quoted a 
senior Israeli diplomatic source as saying that the goal of DekelQs 
mission is to try to reduce gaps between the prisonersQ list 
presented by Israel and the one demanded by Hamas.  Yediot quoted 
sources in Cairo as saying that Israel is willing to release some of 
the prisoners on HamasQs list, provided they are expelled aboard, 
but not to the territories.  Maariv reported that five senior 
cabinet members demanded to review the prisonersQQ list, saying that 
the deal should not be left in the incoming governmentQs hands. 
Maariv reported that National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin 
Ben-Eliezer told the Shalit family that a majority of ministers will 
approve the deal.  Maariv reported that a mass demonstration in 
favor of ShalitQs release will take place near OlmertQs official 
residence in Jerusalem tomorrow.  Maariv printed a call by Gilad 
ShalitQs mother Aviva imploring Olmert to make a Qbold decision. 
Yediot reported that Olmert wrote a bereaved father who asked him 
not to release terrorists that he is opposed to Qtotal surrender. 
 
The Jerusalem Post and HaQaretz reported that yesterday, in a 
message posted on the Foreign Policy blog The Cable, Charles QChas 
Freeman blamed the Israel lobby, "clearly intent on enforcing 
adherence to the policies of a foreign government," for stoking the 
controversy that led him to withdraw his name as chairman of the 
National Intelligence Council (NIC).   Reporting that pro-Israel 
groups that opposed FreemanQs appointment openly welcomed the news 
that he would not be taking the post, The Jerusalem Post also 
presented opinions that the affair could turn into a Pyrrhic victory 
for Israel supporters. 
 
All media (lead stories in The Jerusalem Post and Makor 
Rishon-Hatzofe) reported that almost 16 years after Israel's Supreme 
Court overturned his conviction and life sentence for war crimes and 
crimes against humanity at the Treblinka death camp, German 
prosecutors yesterday charged retired Ohio autoworker John Demjanjuk 
with more than 29,000 counts of accessory to murder during his time 
as a guard at the Nazis' Sobibor death camp, and will seek his 
extradition from the US.   The Jerusalem Post quoted Efraim Zuroff, 
the Qtop Nazi hunterQ at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, as saying in 
Jerusalem: "We're on our way to a victory for justice today," 
 
Yediot reported that Israel will return to the PA weapons that the 
IDF took away from Palestinian security apparatuses during Operation 
Protective Shield.  The newspaper reported that a diplomatic source 
in Jerusalem linked the gesture to Secretary ClintonQs visit to the 
region. 
 
Maariv reported on a disagreement between Israel and the U.S. 
regarding the imminence of the nuclear threat from Iran.  The 
newspaper quoted Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, head of IDF Intelligence, as 
saying that Iran is stockpile hundreds of kg of uranium.  Maariv 
quoted U.S. intelligence as saying that Iran needs one to six years 
to produce enough uranium to produce one nuclear weapon, but that it 
does not intend to pursue this course.  HaQaretz reported that Iran 
has increased its investments in oil-producing Latin American 
countries in order to counter the extension of international 
sanctions against it.  The newspaper reported that Iran is about to 
inject hundreds of millions of dollars into EcuadorQs energy 
projects.  HaQaretz cited the Foreign MinistryQs concern about the 
growing pro-Iranian axis in South America.  The newspaper cited the 
ministryQs hope that the Obama administration will overturn the 
Qnegative trendQ undertaken during George BushQs administration. 
 
HaQaretz quoted Finance Ministry Director-General Yarom Ariav as 
saying yesterday in an interview with Bloomberg that the GOI could 
well run a deficit equivalent to 6% of GDP this year. 
 
HaQaretz reported that the Defense Ministry is urging Lockheed 
Martin to subcontract work on the future F-35 jet fighter to Israeli 
companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries, Israel Military 
Industries, and Rafael.  The Israeli companies could build parts for 
the plane, electronic systems, and so forth. 
 
-------------------------- 
¶1.  U.S.-Israel Relations: 
-------------------------- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Shmuel Rosner wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv: QA government 
of right-wingers and religious will not be able to hide behind the 
[Israeli] ambassador [to the U.S.] -Q even if he comes from the 
secular Left -Q but it will have to get his help to clarify that the 
Israeli devil is not so terrible. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Selling Netanyahu" 
 
Shmuel Rosner wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv (3/11): 
QKnowing that what the [new Israeli ambassador] says represents the 
prime minister is important to Washington.... Netanyahu and 
Lieberman will have a tough image problem from the very first 
working day of [the Israeli ambassador].  Thus it is important that 
the person holding the job be experienced enough to begin working 
immediately, without an extended adjustment period.  A government of 
right-wingers and religious will not be able to hide behind the 
ambassador -Q even if he comes from the secular Left -Q but it will 
have to get his help to clarify that the Israeli devil is not so 
terrible.  This will be particularly important while working with a 
Democratic administration many officials of which do not view 
Netanyahu as their favorite leader. 
 
------------ 
¶2.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post: QIf we're willing to free 220 killers to 
get Gilad Shalit back, why not 450?.... Now is not the time to say 
Qwe don't make deals with terrorists,Q because we do. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Time to Pay HamasQs Price" 
 
Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the conservative, 
independent Jerusalem Post (3/12): QOf Hamas's [list of] 450 
[prisoners it wants released], the government has signed off on 220. 
  And that's where the negotiations are stuck.   So the question is 
this: If we're willing to free 220 killers to get Gilad Shalit back, 
why not 450?  What risk would we be taking by freeing 450 terrorists 
that we wouldn't be taking by freeing 220?  What principle would we 
be violating that we haven't already violated?  Some very strong 
arguments have been made against the idea of freeing terrorists -- 
certainly large numbers of them -- in return for one Israeli 
hostage.  Maybe that's the policy the government should follow -- 
after Shalit is back home.  But it's not a policy to suddenly invoke 
after pursuing the opposite course for nearly three years, a course 
that has had an unbearably tantalizing, maddening effect on Shalit's 
family and, to a much lesser but still very significant extent, on 
the entir nation.  There's no telling what effect it's had n Gilad 
Shalit himself.  So now is not the time t say Qwe don't make deals 
with terrorists,Q becase we do.... If the government balks now, if 
it efuses to give up 450 killers when it's already ageed to give 
up 220, this will all have been a log, torturous tease -- of Gilad 
Shalit, of his famly, of the whole nation.  Enough.  Bring him 
hom.  Before it's too late.  We have nothing more to lose, and we 
have a soldier's life to gain. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶3.  FAA Downgrading of Israeli Aviation Status: 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
HaQaretz editorialized: QA mere three months ago, the Federal 
Aviation Authority of the United States announced that it was 
downgrading Israel's aviation safety rating.... [Transportation 
Minister Shaul Mofaz] must  demand  fast and thorough action to 
eradicate the lawlessness in the air and save Israel's civil 
aviation from international ostracism and collapse. 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"Anarchy in the Air" 
 
HaQaretz editorialized (3/12): QThe serious findings by the 
Transportation Ministry's chief air accident investigator with 
regard to ultra light aircraft, as reported yesterday  in HaQaretz, 
add weight to the grave picture regarding the safety of civilian 
aviation in Israel.  The investigator found that for the past ten 
years, modern and advanced ultra light aircraft have been added to 
the flight sector that do not meet the required standards and are 
prone to accidents.... Light planes received flight permits from the 
licensing department in the [Israeli] Civil Aviation Authority Qby 
various and unacceptable means that contradict the requirements of 
the law.Q  Moreover, in view of the close ties between the 
supervisors and those being supervised, local permits are issued on 
the basis of the supervisors' goodwill and without any clear policy 
dictated from above.  A mere three months ago, the Federal Aviation 
Authority of the United States announced that it was downgrading 
Israel's aviation safety rating.  Two weeks ago, the European 
aviation authorities stated they were stepping up the safety tests 
for Israeli air companies in the wake of the American report.  The 
international organization monitoring scheduled flights warned that 
Israeli airlines would soon be forbidden to land in Europe or even 
to over-fly the continent.  The responsibility for this grave 
situation with regard to civil aviation in all its forms lies with 
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz.   He must begin to do his job. 
He must give full backing to Giora Rom, the head of the Civil 
Aviation Authority, and demand of him fast and thorough action to 
eradicate the lawlessness in the air and save Israel's civil 
aviation from international ostracism and collapse. 
 
CUNNINGHAM