VZCZCXRO9552
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0702/01 1170905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270905Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4719
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 7656
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4632
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4481
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5975
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4396
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2973

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000702 
 
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 (04/27): PALESTINIAN DIVISION 
REMAINS THE MAIN OBSTACLE 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Israeli plans to expand Maale Adumim settlement east of Jerusalem 
leads coverage in all dailies.  Al-Quds reports that the Israeli 
Ministry of Interior has recommended annexing 3,000 acres to the 
settlement.  Al-Ayyam's lead story highlights that the plan includes 
building 6,000 housing units in Maale Adumim.  All dailies quote 
Palestinian Authority presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaynah 
condemning the plan and accusing Israel of, "intentionally 
destroying international and American efforts," to move the peace 
process forward.  Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run lead photos 
showing local and international peace activists near Hebron 
protesting the expansion of settlements. 
 
Jordanian King Abdullah's U.S. visit continues to capture front-page 
headlines.  All dailies highlight remarks by Palestinian Authority 
President Mahmud Abbas praising Abdullah's efforts and noting that 
the King speaks on behalf of all Arabs and Muslims and that the 
"ball is now in the U.S. court," meaning that the U.S. should exert 
pressure on Israel regarding the peace process. 
 
Palestinian unity talks in Cairo are front page news in all dailies. 
 The papers warn that the current round of talks will likely be the 
last attempt by all parties to reach agreement on a new Palestinian 
Authority (PA) government.  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida cites an AFP story 
quoting "unnamed Palestinian politicians and observers" commenting 
that PA President Abbas will be forced to think of alternatives 
should talks fail.  Reports suggest that one alternative would be to 
task current PA Prime Minister Fayyad to form a new government. 
 
Al-Quds front-pages a report citing "leaked information from senior 
American sources" that the U.S. has reiterated to Israel its 
insistence on the two-state solution.  The report also states that 
Special Envoy Mitchell emphasized in his last meeting with Israeli 
officials that President Obama, "does not believe in the economic 
peace settlement," proposed by Israeli Premier Netanyahu. 
 
Secretary Clinton's visit to Lebanon receives coverage on inside 
pages.  Citing wire stories, Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida 
spotlight Clinton's remarks that the U.S. supports "voices of 
moderation" in Lebanon and that the U.S. would never sign an 
agreement with Syria at the expense of Lebanese interests. 
 
All papers report that Israeli authorities closed crossings and 
"imposed a total siege" on the West Bank and Gaza Strip until the 
evening of April 29, Israel's Independence Day. 
 
------------------------------- 
STORIES FROM THE WEEKEND PRESS 
------------------------------- 
 
Sunday, April 26, 2009 
 
Al-Quds' and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front pages quoted Nabil Abu 
Rudaynah, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority Presidency, 
reacting to statements by Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Leiberman rejecting the principle of land for peace.  Abu Rudaynah 
called the comments, "devastating to the proposals and opportunities 
provided by the new American administration.  He added that the 
Israeli position demands a "clear and serious" international 
response, in particular from the United States. 
 
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida front paged news that prisoner 
 
JERUSALEM 00000702  002 OF 002 
 
 
exchange negotiations between Hamas and Israel have been postponEhQ`?i*^ocruQLable Egyptian source," quoted in both papers, 
Israeli officials made it clear to Egypt's Intelligence Chief 
Sulayman during his recent visit to Tel-Aviv that, "the issue will 
require some time for the [new] Government to look into the issue, 
study it, and explore the proposed solutions. 
 
Saturday, April 25, 2009 
 
The dailies reported on remarks by Jordan King Abdullah II of Jordan 
at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington 
on April 24.  Abdullah noted that Israel must choose now whether to 
integrate into the region or remain isolated and hold Israel and the 
region hostage to on-going confrontations.  The King added that the 
Arab peace initiative has provided Israel with a plan to take its 
place "among its neighbors."  Also highlighted was Abdullah's call 
on the U.S. to clear up any ambiguity regarding its support for the 
establishment of a Palestinian state. 
 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
¶1.  Talal Ukal of Al-Ayyam writes in "A decision Round, not [more] 
talks"(4/27):  "Overshadowed by an atmosphere of pessimism, or, in 
the best case scenario, cautious optimism, the fourth round of 
talks- which could very well be the last in the series of 
inter-Palestinian dialogue - is scheduled to start [April 27]... The 
atmosphere that preceded this last round was not positive.  Division 
is deepening and counterproductive actions continue...  We see no 
indication of any change in the parties' positions... Hillary 
Clinton also repeated in her testimony before the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee, the usual American position of refusing to deal 
with any government that includes Hamas... Such challenges should be 
sufficient motivation for all the quarreling parties to forge an 
agreement as soon as possible, one that would strengthen them when 
confronting these challenges... and protect the Palestinian people's 
national interests and goals." 
 
¶2.  Al-Quds publishes an op-ed by Naji Sharab under the title, "No 
other solution for the Palestinian problem than ending 
division,"(4/27):  "The current Palestinian problem is an internal 
problem... even though external factors play a significant role... 
It must be said that there is no alternative [to resolving the 
internal Palestinian crisis] than to end political division and 
rebuild the Palestinian political system in order to provide a 
framework for political consensus and coexistence." 
 
WALLES