VZCZCXRO8703
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1003/01 1661035
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151035Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5135
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 7725
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4703
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4550
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6044
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4465
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3042

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001003 
 
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:  SPECIAL JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION - PALESTINIAN REACTION TO 
NETANYAHU'S JUNE 14 SPEECH (06/15): 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's June 14 speech leads coverage in 
all dailies and broadcasts, attracting criticism and negative 
reaction.  Coverage focuses on Netanyahu's "vague" statements about 
settlement activity, his proposal for a demilitarized Palestinian 
state, "with no control over its own borders," and highlights his 
failure to reference the Roadmap or Arab peace initiative and 
insistence that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state. 
Coverage also highlights Netanyahu's support for an economic peace, 
opposition to the Palestinian refugees' right of return and call on 
Arab countries to immediately pursue peace talks with Israel, 
without precondition.  Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs a lead photo of 
"Codepink American activists" protesting against Israeli policies 
and Netanyahu's speech near the Bar Ilan University in Tel-Aviv on 
June 14. 
 
All dailies run separate front page coverage of White House reaction 
to Israeli Premier Netanyahu's June 14 speech.  Reporting notes 
that, "President Obama welcomed the speech as a step forward as this 
was the first time Netanyahu has talked about a Palestinian state as 
a viable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."  Reporting 
adds that President Obama will continue work with all parties, 
including Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Middle East 
Quartet, to ensure that all obligations and commitments are met in 
an effort to achieve a comprehensive regional peace. 
 
All front pages run official Palestinian reaction to Israeli Prime 
Minister Netanyahu's June 14 speech.  Palestinian Authority 
Presidential spokesman Abu Rudaynah noted that Netanyahu's 
statements, "ruined all initiatives and expectations of peace."  He 
considered the speech, "a new challenge to the Arab and U.S. 
positions." 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs inside coverage citing Wafa news agency, on 
PLO chief negotiator Erekat's reaction to Israeli Premier 
Netanyahu's June 14 speech, calling it a, "unilateral end to 
political negotiations and peace agreements.  Erekat also stated 
that, "the proposals made in the speech fully ignore President 
Obama's efforts towards achieving peace in the region," according to 
reporting. 
 
Al-Ayyam front pages a Wafa news agency report on reaction to 
Israeli Premier Netanyahu's June 14 speech by PLO Secretary Yassir 
Abed Rabbo.  Abed Rabbo states, "reading through Netanyahu's speech, 
it is obvious that he wants a Palestinian zone and not a Palestinian 
state... "the state he is proposing is meaningless."  Abed Rabbo 
also stated that Netanyahu, "is not ready to halt settlement 
activities... he wants to impose a solution that drops Palestinian 
refugees' right of return ...(and) refuses to consider Jerusalem as 
the capital of Palestine..." 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
1) Al-Quds independent daily runs its editorial under the  title, 
"Nothing new in Netanyahu's speech"(06/15):  "What is important 
about Netanyahu's speech is not what he said but what he did not 
say.  Reading between the lines, we see a more clearly defined 
Israeli policy.  Netanyahu tried to contain [the effects of] 
President Obama's [June 4] speech, particularly Obama's support for 
the Arab Peace Initiative, the Roadmap and freeze of settlement 
activity.  The U.S. and President Obama now have to analyze the 
message in Netanyahu's speech and act accordingly.  The Israeli 
 
JERUSALEM 00001003  002 OF 002 
 
 
positions are now clear and the international community must 
recognize that Israel is ignoring all the fundamentals of any peace 
settlement." 
 
2) Regular columnist for independent daily Al-Ayyam, Samih Shbayb 
writes an opinion piece entitled, "What comes after Netanyahu's 
speech?" (06/15):  "The U.S. position is what matters now after 
Netanyahu's speech.  What does the U.S. see in the speech?  Does it 
consider it an encouraging start to cooperation or a threat to the 
peace process, security and stability in the Middle East?  The next 
few days will tell." 
 
3) Talal Okal titles his op-ed in independent daily Al Ayyam, "The 
moment of renewed attack" (06/15):  "Netanyahu's speech was meant to 
present his vision of the peace process; however, the speech proved 
that the Israeli Prime Minister does not seek peace, and does not 
even seek common ground with the international community in 
attempting to reach any peace settlement... The speech was no 
surprise to the Palestinians... it was all that they expected!" 
 
WALLES