VZCZCXRO9666
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1081/01 1770947
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260947Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5245
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 7746
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4721
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4568
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6062
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4483
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3060

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001081 
 
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 (06/26):  "PALESTINIAN UNITY WOULD 
SUPPORT OBAMA'S VISION" 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Quds' front page reported the results of an Israeli-conducted 
opinion poll on the third anniversary of the capture of Israeli 
soldier Shalit.  According to the poll, almost a third of Israelis 
want their government to approve an exchange of Palestinian 
prisoners for the release of Shalit.  Al-Quds included a front-page 
photo of Palestinians holding photos of relatives imprisoned in 
Israeli jails.  Additionally, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page 
reports that negotiations over a prisoner-exchange and "could 
progress" in the near future. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al- Ayyam front-paged coverage of Palestinian 
Authority President Abbas meeting with a Jordanian delegation headed 
by the Jordanian Foreign Minister in Ramallah (June 25).  Abbas 
briefed Juda on recent developments in the Palestinian Territories 
and efforts to end internal division.  Abbas embraced the Jordanian 
initiative to conduct a "Jordanian cultural week" in the Palestinian 
Territories as part of the celebration of Jerusalem as a capital of 
Arab Culture. 
 
All front pages reported on remarks made by PLO Secretary General 
Abid Rabou to the press on June 25 about a PLO executive committee 
proposal to hold Palestinian Authority presidential and legislative 
elections in early 2010.  In addition to elections, he remarked that 
the formation of a consensus government was critical to achieving 
internal unity. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam reported on the speech of Hamas 
Leader Mish'al (June 25) from Syria, in which he welcomed President 
Obama's June 4 speech, and expressed Hamas' readiness to enter 
direct and unconditional talks with the U.S.  Mish'al applauded 
Obama's efforts to engage with the Muslim world and reiterated Hamas 
demands for an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders 
with Jerusalem as its capital.  He also called upon the Palestinian 
Authority and Fatah to support Cairo national unity talks and end 
internal division.  The report also ran on Al-Quds' inside pages. 
 
All front-pages report the announcement by Israeli officials (June 
25) that Israel will limit its military activity in four Palestinian 
cities - Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho and Qualquilya - to allow 
Palestinian security forces control of the areas.  Palestinian 
officials called these move "deceiving," and reiterated their call 
on Israel to stop all military interventions and incursions in all 
West Bank cities. 
 
Al-Ayyam's and Al-Quds' front pages include reports that the U.S. 
administration is drafting a new peace initiative aimed at 
re-initiating peace-talks between Israel and Syria. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
1) Al-Quds main editorial, "Another Reversal by Israel?"(06/26): "It 
is obvious that the Arab region is about to witness a historic phase 
that will produce a solution to regional conflicts... However, in 
order for us as Arabs to support Obama's vision and translate it 
into action, we must unite and at least form a national consensus 
government, thereby denying Israel any opportunity of dominating the 
region." 
 
 
2) Samih Shbayb, Al-Ayyam, "Political and Security 
Prisoners"(06/26):  "It is in everyone's interest that the political 
 
JERUSALEM 00001081  002 OF 002 
 
 
and security arrests by Fatah and Hamas end.  These arrests should 
be stopped and all prisoners released, regardless of any challenges 
and restrictions, as this is the only way to end Palestinian 
division." 
 
WALLES