VZCZCXRO4094
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0797/01 1340919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140919Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4845
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 7679
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4657
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4504
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5998
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4419
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2996

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000797 
 
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 (05/14):  PALESTINIANS WONDER: 
CAN OBAMA INFLUENCE NETANYAHU? 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
All dailies continue coverage of the Pope's visit, leading with his 
May 13 visit to Bethlehem.  Front pages feature lead pictures of the 
Pope with Palestinian leaders standing in front of the separation 
barrier.  Al Hayat Al Jadida's photo is a close-up of the Pope and 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas greeting a Palestinian wearing 
a shirt that prominently reads "1948".  The dailies quote 
extensively from the Pope's remarks highlighting his endorsement of 
the Palestinians' right to an independent state and his sorrow over 
the suffering of Palestinian refugees.  The papers also highlight 
the Pope's message that, "all walls can be removed" and that all 
parties should engage in negotiations towards a just settlement of 
the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  Remarks by Abbas are also 
highlighted.  Abbas stressed Palestinian commitment to peace in 
contrast to Israeli acts that harm both Muslims and Christians and 
are destroying all hope of reaching a peace settlement. 
 
Al-Ayyam runs inside coverage of a May 13 meeting between U.S. 
Consul General Walles and PLO Chief Negotiator Sa'eb Erekat in 
Jericho.  According to coverage, Erekat reiterated Palestinian calls 
on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to halt 
settlement expansion and accept the two-state solution and 
previously signed agreements.  Erekat also underscored that home 
demolitions and settlement expansion jeopardize chances for a peace 
settlement.  Finally, Erekat thanked the U.S. government for its 
continued support. 
 
Front pages report that the PLO issued a statement on May 13 urging 
the international community, particularly the U.S. and E.U., to 
immediately intervene and force Israel to meet its obligations 
towards implementing the two-state solution.  The statement 
introduces reporting on several activities and events to take place 
in the West Bank and Gaza on the 61st anniversary of the Nakba [the 
catastrophe] on May 15. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam run front page coverage of Egyptian 
President Mubarak's remarks on May 13 that called on Israel to make 
some progress towards a two-state solution by halting settlements, 
if Israel wants good relations with the Arab world.  In the Reuters 
story, Mubarak is also quoted stating that the Obama administration, 
in contrast to the Bush administration, has quickly engaged in 
resolving the crisis and Israel should take advantage of that fact. 
 
Front pages again report on the postponement of the formation of a 
new Palestinian Authority (PA) government, citing AFP.  Al-Hayat 
Al-Jadida runs separate, inside coverage quoting Azzam Al-Ahmad, 
head of the Fatah block in the Palestinian Authority's Palestinian 
Legislative Council, criticizing the "consultation mechanisms" 
employed by PA President Abbas and PA Premier Fayyad.  Al-Ahmad 
urged Abbas to postpone the formation of the government until after 
the next round of Palestinian unity talks scheduled for May 16 in 
Cairo.  Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida run back page political 
cartoons reflecting popular Palestinian frustration with the lack of 
progress in unity talks. 
 
Al-Quds' front page quotes Israeli President Peres stating that the 
time has come to denounce violence and stop building walls.  The AFP 
coverage cites a May 13 interview with an Italian newspaper during 
 
JERUSALEM 00000797  002 OF 002 
 
 
which Peres further stressed that, "the two-state solution for two 
peoples is still available."  Peres continued that he remains 
committed to the solution which was accepted by the previous Israeli 
government, according to coverage. 
 
Al-Ayyam runs inside coverage of Israeli settlers from "Karma'el" 
settlement attacking Palestinian homes in Yatta village near Hebron 
and blocking farmers from their fields in Beit-Ummar village on May 
¶13. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
1) Azmi Al-Khawaja opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
title, "On the 61st anniversary of the Nakba [catastrophe]" (05/14): 
 "President Obama wants to resolve the Arab-Israeli and 
Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, action supported by the international 
community and the Pope.  However, we should ask ourselves whether or 
not Obama will be able to exert pressure on Netanyahu to accept the 
[two-state] solution... Obama is now in a delicate position and he 
is expected to use his power to force Israel to resolve the 
Palestinian issue by establishing an independent Palestinian state, 
...Will Netanyahu respond positively to what Obama will propose [at 
his meeting in Washington]? Netanyahu has opposed granting any 
rights to the Palestinian people including the right of return, 
Jerusalem, the Palestinian state, and Israeli withdrawal from the 
Palestinian Territories.  Will Obama have any luck resolving the 
Arab-Israeli conflict?" 
 
2) Hafith Barguti, chief editor of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official daily 
opines under the title, "The renewed crisis" 
(05/14):  "The Fatah confusion that resulted in postponing the 
announcement of a new [Palestinian Authority] government reflects 
the conflict within Fatah.  Fatah is the largest Palestinian faction 
and will probably manage the majority of the new government's 
portfolios... However, the Fatah party has been marginalized and 
consultations on naming the new government have been made by a few 
individuals... I believe that President Abbas is capable of 
containing this crisis... our situation cannot afford any new 
crises... Fatah may need to run internal reconciliation talks 
parallel to national reconciliation talks so that Fatah can restore 
its own unity." 
 
WALLES