VZCZCXRO9648
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0756/01 1281143
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081143Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4796
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 7671
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4649
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4496
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5990
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4411
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2988

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000756 
 
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 (05/08):  WORRY THAT WEST 
BANK-GAZA DIVISION BECOMES PERMANENT 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida lead with news from the Arab 
League's May 7 "exceptional session" held to discuss, the situation 
in the Palestinian Territories, "in light of increased Israeli 
violations in Jerusalem."  According to coverage, Arab foreign 
ministers asserted that the Arab Peace Initiative has not changed. 
Arab League Secretary General Musa further noted that Palestinian 
Authority President Abbas has informed the U.S. that Palestinians 
will not negotiate with Israel unless settlement expansion stops. 
Musa added that the Arab League has high expectations of new U.S. 
policy and is enthusiastic about U.S. policy endorsing the two-state 
solution.  Arab ministers called on the U.N. Security Council and 
Middle East Quartet to intervene immediately to halt negative 
Israeli policies in East Jerusalem including settlement expansion, 
land confiscation, excavations under the Old City's Al-Aqsa mosque 
and home demolitions. 
 
Al-Quds front pages news that President Obama will stress the issue 
of settlements during his upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime 
Minister Netanyahu.  Citing an Israeli paper, reporting highlights 
that West Bank settlement activities have accelerated despite a 
"strict" U.S. position on the issue. 
 
Al-Quds runs inside coverage of Secretary Clinton's joint press 
conference with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on May 7. 
Coverage highlights Clinton's remarks that differences on issues 
related to Georgia will not affect the two counties' talks on START 
and non-proliferation.  Al-Quds runs a photo of the two leaders.  In 
other State Department news, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page cites 
wire coverage of Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs 
Jeffrey Feltman's May 6 comment in Syria that, "I conveyed the 
commitment of President Obama to continue the work for peace on all 
tracks, including the Syrian track." 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Quds run front page coverage on planning for Fatah's 
sixth party conference.  The dailies report that Fatah members and 
affiliates in the West Bank and Gaza reject holding a conference 
with a reduced number of participants, fearing that reductions would 
shut out many "grassroot" supporters.  The preparatory committee 
will ask Palestinian Authority President Abbas for an extension to 
finalize participant lists, according to coverage. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs front page coverage citing wires about 
Israel delaying cash transfers to Gaza because of Israeli settlers 
blocking crossing points.  According to coverage, settlers blocked 
crossings to force the release of Israeli soldier Shalit from Gaza. 
The cash was intended for the payment of Palestinian Authority 
employee salaries, according to coverage.  In related news, Al-Quds' 
front page highlights that the U.N. seems to have closed 
investigations into Israeli violations committed in Gaza during the 
recent conflict. 
 
The visit of an expert speaker sponsored by the U.S. Consulate 
General, Jerusalem is captured on an inside page of Al- Quds. 
Reporting highlights that a Consulate General delegation visited 
Al-Najah University in Nablus on May 7 to discuss cooperative 
projects.  The party included a U.S. Professor of Environment 
Studies who is giving lectures on green building and other 
environmental topics at several West Bank universities, according to 
coverage. 
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BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
JERUSALEM 00000756  002 OF 002 
 
 
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1)Omar Hilmi Al-Ghul opines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official daily 
under the title, "What the Arabs should do": (05/08) "If Arab 
leaders are serious about making their voices heard internationally 
[by asking international courts to review Israeli violations] and 
forcing the world to take serious action against Israeli violations 
in Jerusalem, Arab leaders must revisit their own policies.  They 
should know how to take responsibility for issues in their own 
countries also... A new way of thinking should be promoted.  A new 
political path must be introduced.  They should change themselves 
first, in order to change the way the world views Arabs and Arab 
interests." 
 
2) Regular columnist Rajab Abu Sirrayah opines in Al-Ayyam 
independent daily under the title, "Palestinians:  From the two 
state solution to the two government solution": 
(05/08): "Palestinians do not seem to be willing or may be unable to 
change the current division between the West Bank and Gaza... They 
also cannot change the fact that they are under occupation.  If they 
remain incapable and unwilling [to forge unity], they will find 
themselves forced to accept a legal settlement that ends the 
Palestinian Legislative Council and the Palestinian Authority 
Presidency.  They will be forced to accept not only the two-state 
solution, but also the two government solution [one in the West Bank 
and one in Gaza.]" 
 
WALLES