VZCZCXRO5932
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0587/01 0910613
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 010613Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4527
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
RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7612
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4597
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4446
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5939
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4361
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2935

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000587 
 
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 (03/31):  PALESTINIANS:  CULTURE 
OF VIOLENCE HARMS CIVILIANS ON BOTH SIDES 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Quds leads with news from the Second Summit of Arab-South 
American leaders held in Doha on March 31.  The leaders stressed the 
 
need to strengthening ties between their countries, particularly in 
terms of working towards international and regional peace and 
security.  The reports, that also appear on the front pages of 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam, quote Palestinian Authority (PA) 
President Abbas addressing summit participants about the importance 
of adopting the Arab Peace Initiative.  Abbas noted that the 
initiative must be promoted by regional leaders and that mechanisms 
for implementation must be identified.  Regarding concerns about the 
new Israeli government, Abbas called on Israel to recognize signed 
agreements regarding the two state solution and halt all settlement 
activities, dismantle checkpoints and lift the "siege", according to 
coverage. 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with a wire report noting that the new Israeli 
government was sworn in on March 31.  According to the report, 
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his readiness to pursue 
peace talks with the Palestinian Authority based on promoting 
security and economic stability, without making mention of the 
establishment of an independent Palestinian State.  In related news, 
Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front page an AFP report about 
observers expectations that the Middle East peace process will be 
put on hold under the Netanyahu government. 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida cite a Wafa report on their front 
pages, quoting Palestinian Authority(PA) President Abbas explaining 
that the resignation of PA Premier Fayyad was made to support and 
facilitate national Palestinian dialogue and that the resignation 
was not accepted.  According to Abbas, the PA will wait to review 
the outcome of national dialogue before deciding on how to proceed 
with any new PA government. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with a wire report about the third round of 
national Palestinian dialogue that will begin in Cairo on April 1. 
The latest round of talks, according to the report that also appears 
on the front pages of Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam, will focus on the 
pending, key issues of new PA parliamentary and presidential 
elections, the formation of a consensus government, security, PLO 
reform. 
 
In economic news, Al-Quds front pages a report about the merger of 
Palestinian Telecommunications Group(Jawwal) and the Kuwaiti Zayn 
Group.  Al-Quds quotes Palestinian Authority (PA) Premier Fayyad 
stressing that the PA is working seriously to finalize the agreement 
that should be concluded soon.  According to the report, that is 
also on the inside pages of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the merger will be 
"extremely useful" to the Palestinian economy and give proof that 
the PA is serious about encouraging investment in the Palestinian 
Territories.  Chairman of the Palestinian Telecommunications Board 
of Directors, Sabih Al-Masri, is quoted in the Al-Quds report, 
asserting that the merger reflects the strength of the Palestinian 
private sector and its ability to overcome external challenges. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
 
1) Hamada Fara'nah opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
title, "Inevitable Palestinian-Israeli Partnership"(04/01): 
"Palestine/Israel has become one state where the leaders of the two 
nations must combat the culture of violence, terror and racial 
 
JERUSALEM 00000587  002 OF 002 
 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Quds leads with news from the Second Summit of Arab-South 
American leaders held in Doha on March 31.  The leaders stressed the 
need to strengthening ties between their countries, particularly in 
terms of working towards international and regional peace and 
security.  The reports, that also appear on the front pages of 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam, quote Palestinian Authority (PA) 
President Abbas addressing summit participants about the importance 
of adopting the Arab Peace Initiative.  Abbas noted that the 
initiative must be promoted by regional leaders and that mechanisms 
for implementation must be identified.  Regarding concerns about the 
new Israeli government, Abbas called on Israel to recognize signed 
agreements regarding the two state solution and halt all settlement 
activities, dismantle checkpoints and lift the "siege", according to 
coverage. 
 
discrimination. This culture can continue to inflict harm for a long 
time on civilians... in Gaza as well as in Natanya, in Hebron as 
well as in Tel-Aviv." 
 
2) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title, 
"Israeli Challenges... and Palestinian Division"(04/01):  "The peace 
slogans that were made by Netanyahu will not deceive anyone.  Peace 
cannot be won in parallel with settlements, the siege, oppression, 
the occupation... our Arab leaders should know by now that the so 
called "peace process" has always been a slogan used by all Israeli 
governments without meaning.  The Palestinians have to achieve 
national unity in order to counter Israel and its western allies." 
 
 
WALLES