VZCZCXRO6277
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0742/01 1251046
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051046Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4779
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 7667
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4645
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4492
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5986
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4407
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2984

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000742 
 
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 (05/05):  LOW EXPECTATIONS OF 
FUTURE PALESTINIAN STATE 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Quds leads with news quoting White House Chief of Staff Rahm 
Emanuel at a May 4 AIPAC conference noting that President Obama is 
serious about achieving peace and security for the Israeli state and 
an independent Palestinian state.  Emanuel confirmed that Obama 
intends to work hard on achieving a permanent peace and added that 
the U.S. believes that some progress must be made in resolving the 
conflict if U.S. efforts to engage Iran are to be successful. 
Al-Quds runs separate front page coverage quoting Israeli sources 
indicating that AIPAC members will ask the group to support Obama in 
moving a regional peace process and the two-state solution forward, 
in reaction to the Israeli Prime Minister's rejection of the 
two-state solution. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with news citing Wafa that the Jerusalem 
Municipality issued demolition orders for Palestinian homes in the 
Jerusalem neighborhoods of the Old City, Wadi Al-Joz and Ras Al-Amud 
on May 4.  Palestinian Authority (PA) official for Jerusalem Affairs 
Abdul Qadir confirmed that the PA will pursue the issue of 
demolitions before international courts, asking them to investigate 
the  "continuous violations."  Qadir also noted that the PA will not 
remain idle while the Israeli government confiscates thousands of 
acres of Palestinian land to expand Israeli settlements. 
 
All dailies run front page coverage about Palestinian Premier 
Fayyad's May 4 call on the U.N. to send an international 
fact-finding mission to investigate Israeli "violations" in 
Jerusalem, including those against religious sites, home demolitions 
and land confiscations. 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with news that the Fatah party convention may be 
cancelled or postponed after the preparatory committee suggested 
that participation be cut from 1,500 members to 650.  However, 
Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee Balawi denied the news and 
insisted that the conference will be held when a time and venue have 
been identified, according to coverage. 
 
An Al-Quds' inside page cites AP in reporting on the visit by U.S. 
Secretary of Defense to Cairo on May 4.  The visit was aimed at 
reassuring allies in the region that U.S. efforts to open a dialogue 
with Iran will not affect other U.S. bilateral relations. 
 
Al-Quds runs front page coverage citing AFP confirming that 
Washington does not intend to open dialogue with Hamas or Hezbollah 
in response to recent calls by the Syrian President.  According to 
coverage, the U.S. has urged Syria instead to put pressure on the 
two movements to change their "political discourse."  Reporting 
concludes that dialogue could only begin once the groups met the 
Middle East Quartet conditions. 
 
Al-Ayyam runs front page coverage of Palestinian Authority President 
Abbas' visit to Cairo on May 5 to meet with Egypt's President.  The 
meeting is in preparation of the two leaders' visit to the U.S. 
during which they plan to discuss the two-state solution, Israeli 
"violations" in Jerusalem, home demolitions and settlement 
expansion, according to coverage.  Reporting also noted that Special 
Envoy Mitchell called Abbas on May 4 to discuss the peace process 
and current situation in the Palestinian Territories. 
 
Al Hayat Al-Jadida runs front page coverage citing the wires about 
Palestinian President Abbas meeting with the Iraqi Vice President in 
Jordan on May 4 to discuss bilateral relations and recent 
 
JERUSALEM 00000742  002 OF 002 
 
 
developments in the Palestinian Territories. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
1) Dr. Naji Sadiq opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the 
title, "Is the establishment of the Palestinian State helping 
Israel?": (05/05) "Although the establishment of a Palestinian state 
has become a common goal for all parties attempting to end the 
Arab-Israeli conflict... the question remains whether... such a 
state will do Israel any good...The answer is yes, because the 
Palestinian state, should it ever see come to be, will be nothing 
more than a sick body, incapable of normal life, crippled with no 
resources.  It will be a symbolic state with no geographic borders 
and will focus on providing shelter for its citizens, thereby posing 
no threat whatsoever to Israel. 
 
2) Rajab Abu Sirriyah opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
title, "Netanyahu resorts to the back door"(05/05):  "The new 
government in Israel has been formed and is trying to be shrewd by 
remaining patient and not issuing an official political vision, in 
order to allow for the world to first absorb its election.  What 
works in Netanyahu's favor are the deep Arab divisions that have 
also weakened the Arab Peace Initiative...  Netanyahu is not like 
former right-wing Israeli presidents in that he will avoid looking 
for trouble caused by [troublesome] public statements.  He remembers 
that he wants to stay in the government for the longest time 
possible.  Eventually, this may make him more flexible about 
reaching some sort of settlement [with the Palestinians]." 
 
WALLES