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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS
 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION 
 
-------------------------------- 
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  Mideast 
 
¶2.  Iran 
 
------------------------- 
Key stories in the media: 
------------------------- 
 
The media reported that yesterday in Paris PM Benjamin Netanyahu 
continued to refuse to yield ground on the settlement construction 
issue, even though French President Nicolas Sarkozy squarely backed 
the U.S. position and called for a complete halt to the 
construction.   (At his meeting with Netanyahu in Rome on Tuesday, 
Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi had also insisted on a settlement 
construction freeze.  Maariv reported that Netanyahu suggested to 
Berlusconi that Israel build towers in settlements, akin to those 
rising above the medieval Tuscan city of San Gimignano, in order to 
solve the issue of natural growth, a proposal that Maariv said that 
Israel discussed with the U.S. and that Sarkozy rejected.) 
Netanyahu, speaking with reporters after his meeting in Paris with 
Sarkozy, said that Israel and the U.S. had an "unbreakable bond," 
but that "there can be differences of opinion between friends." 
The Jerusalem Post reported that the PM reiterated what he has been 
saying for the last few weeks, that Israel would not build any new 
settlements or expropriate land to expand existing ones, but at the 
same time would allow for natural growth to let Jewish residents of 
the West Bank live normal lives.   "I hope it will be possible to 
solve the problems with the U.S.," Netanyahu said. "I believe it is 
possible."  HaQaretz reported that Netanyahu and his aides are 
trying to formulate a compromise solution that will appeal to the 
U.S. administration.  The proposal that the prime minister is now 
considering, which Ariel Sharon had previously put forward, is to 
carry out a "territorial freeze" to settlement activity.  In other 
words, the settlements would not expand onto more territory, in an 
effort to meet the growing needs of settler population without 
leading to new "facts on the ground" that would be obstacles to the 
creation of a future Palestinian state.  Under this proposal, the 
only new structures in settlements would be for public use, like 
kindergartens or schools. 
 
All media marked the third anniversary of Gilad ShalitQs captivity. 
HaQaretz and other media cited a report filed yesterday by the 
Palestinian news agency MaQan that Shalit would be transferred soon 
from Gaza to Egypt.  Israel Radio quoted PLC Speaker Abdel Aziz 
Dweik, whom Israel released yesterday, as saying that the process of 
ShalitQs release will last for at least six months.  The Jerusalem 
Post quoted Hamas as saying yesterday that Dweik should be treated 
as acting president of the PA. 
 
HaQaretz reported that the Obama administration is examining a 
proposed Israeli-Syrian peace plan that is based on demilitarizing 
the Golan Heights and transforming it, along with a strip of the 
Jordan Valley, into a nature preserve, or "peace park," that would 
be open to visitors during the day.  The newspaper says that the 
decision to send an American ambassador to Damascus after a 
four-year absence, along with the recent visit to the Syrian capital 
by U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell, were meant to prepare the 
ground for a resumption of Israeli-Syrian talks under American 
auspices.  HaQaretz reported that a senior diplomatic source told 
the daily yesterday that Washington has concluded that including 
Syria in the peace process is a key to the effort to bring about an 
internal Palestinian reconciliation, without which the chances of 
progress on the Israeli-Palestinian track are small.  The Americans 
believe that the crisis in Iran has created an opportunity for the 
U.S. to draw Syria closer and resume Israel-Syria negotiations, the 
source added.  The Jerusalem Post noted that yesterday, in a move 
representing a considerable warming in relations between the two 
countries, the State Department praised Syria for its Qconstructive 
role to promote peace and stability.Q  Yediot quoted FM Avigdor 
Lieberman as saying yesterday that the reinstatement of an 
ambassador to Damascus is an QAmerican decision.  We never intervene 
in decisions made by the Americans or by anyone else.  What is 
important now is to see some change in Syrian policy. 
Unfortunately, we have not seen such a change. 
 
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah of Iran, was quoted as 
saying in an interview with Maariv that the only thing that Israel 
can do at this time is help the Iranian people in their struggle for 
freedom and equality. 
 
Maariv cited vigorous denials by the PMQs bureau and the office of 
U.S. special envoy George Mitchell of media reports that the U.S. 
allegedly conveyed a message to Israel that Qthere is nothing to 
talk about with Netanyahu. 
 
Citing Reuters, HaQaretz quoted Syrian President Bashar Assad as 
saying yesterday that his country cannot make peace with Israel 
because the latter is not committed to reaching a deal. 
 
HaQaretz reported that the UN Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced yesterday that Israeli 
authorities had somewhat eased travel restrictions for Palestinians 
to and from four cities in the West Bank: Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus, 
and Qalqilya.  However, OCHA also said that IDF claims that there 
are only 16 manned roadblocks in the West Bank are incorrect. 
According to OCHA there are 69 manned roadblocks.  On the other 
hand, this number includes 37 roadblocks between the West Bank and 
Israel, or roadblocks that are part of the separation fence, which 
the IDF does not include in its total number.  Not including the 37, 
OCHA's count is still 32, which is double the number of manned 
roadblocks the IDF says there are.  According to OCHA, there are 
also 521 unstaffed roadblocks throughout the West Bank, including 
earthen barricades, gates, concrete blocks, etc, as well as 23 
"partial" roadblocks, a designation for roadblock structures that 
are staffed some of the time. 
 
The media reported on a speech delivered yesterday to a Muslim 
student group at the University of Haifa by Sheikh Raed Salah, the 
leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel. 
Some 100 Jewish student protesters were not allowed into the 
auditorium, because of security concerns.  The Jerusalem Post cited 
the outrage expressed by members of the Knesset Education Committee 
over the contents of SalahQs speech --  namely his insinuation that 
the government had plans to build a third temple on the Temple Mount 
and his encouragement that Muslims martyr themselves in their 
struggle against the Jewish state. 
 
Maariv reported that Kadima Knesset Member Shaul Mofaz told 
associates that he cannot imagine his party leader Tzipi Livni as 
PM.  He reportedly expressed his desire to head the party, not to 
dismantle it. 
 
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk was quoted as saying 
in an interview with The Jerusalem Post that, in spite of past 
failures, there is still hope for achieving peace in the Middle 
East, but that America cannot do it alone.  His recently released 
book, QInnocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace 
Diplomacy in the Middle East,Q just came out in Hebrew. 
 
HaQaretz reported that a soldier from the Kfir Brigade recently 
refused to serve in the West Bank because his complaints about abuse 
of Palestinian civilians went unheeded. The soldier told his 
commanders that soldiers from his unit had brutally beaten 
Palestinian civilians and looted their belongings. The soldier, 
whose unit is now under Military Police investigation, was not 
charged, but went home in frustration and was then put on trial for 
going AWOL.  He was sentenced to 17 days in prison.  Earlier this 
week, HaQaretz reported on another soldier who was sentenced to 30 
days in prison for refusing to take part in the brigadeQs operations 
in the territories. That soldier said Palestinian prisoners had been 
abused during an operation. 
 
Nearly all major media led with the sentencing of former finance 
minister Avraham Hirchson (Kadima) -- to five-and-half years' 
imprisonment -- and former cabinet minister Shlomo Benizri (Shas) -- 
to 4 years in jail -- in separate corruption cases.  Major 
commentators stressed the need to impose public punishments on 
corrupt officials and others. 
 
Leading media reported on the visit to Israel of Jewish-American 
actor Jason Alexander, who is promoting the activities of the 
pro-peace movement One Voice. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
------------ 
¶1.  Mideast: 
------------ 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
¶I.  "Obama Handcuffing Negotiations" 
 
Diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon wrote on page one of the 
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (6/25): QIt is instructive 
to ask at this point what exactly U.S. President Barack Obama is 
trying to achieve by pushing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to 
the wall on [the] issue [of construction in the settlements].  If, 
as some maintain, it's a way to build his credentials in the Arab 
world, then -- okay -- the policy can be understood.... But if Obama 
is being so forceful on the settlements out of a belief that this 
will push the negotiation process forward, then he is mistaken.... 
If Obama thinks that by pressing this issue real hard, the Israeli 
public will revolt against Netanyahu, or that Netanyahu will go 
gently into the good political night, then he is misreading both the 
public and Netanyahu. Netanyahu, currently flirting with Kadima's 
Shaul Mofaz, will not be felled so easily. 
 
II.  "Brave Decision Needed" 
 
The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (6/25): QIt's 
as if there had been no public debate during the past three years; 
as if with Benjamin Netanyahu's government assuming office, it's now 
necessary [for the cabinet] to reevaluate the Qethics of the [Gilad 
Shalit] dealQ.... No less troubling is the thought that Israel's 
security depends on whether we release prisoners to the West Bank or 
Gaza Strip, or on the difference between releasing 1,000 or 900. 
Gilad Shalit cannot wait for the prime minister's popularity 
ratings; he can't wait for the adjustment period that [NetanyahuQs 
point man on the prisoner issue Haggai] Hadas needs to familiarize 
himself with the matter.  Hamas' terms are known; any improvements 
that Netanyahu might gain will not alter the substance of the terms, 
and certainly do not justify keeping Shalit imprisoned another day. 
Meanwhile, one gets the painful impression that Netanyahu's obtuse 
statements on Shalit are not intended to hide effective action. 
They more seem like the smoke and mirrors used by magicians. 
 
III.  "JerichoQs Stasi" 
 
Bassem Eid, the founder and director of the Palestinian Human Rights 
Monitoring Group based in East Jerusalem, wrote in The Jerusalem 
Post (6/25): QI would like to suggest that [Lt.] Gen. [Keith] 
Dayton, [the U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the 
Palestinian Authority],  not just train agents in the use of 
weapons, beatings, and torture (eight prisoners have been tortured 
to death in Palestinian prisons so far this year: five in Gaza, 
three in the West Bank), but also train them how to behave among 
their own people.  However, I don't believe that ranks high on 
Dayton's list of priorities.  Whenever someone is beaten or 
tortured, the justification given is that the person either "opposed 
d 
the peace process" or Qbelonged to Hamas.Q  At the end of the day, 
people return to their routines and shut their eyes to the reality 
around them. 
 
--------- 
¶2.  Iran: 
--------- 
 
Block Quotes: 
------------- 
 
"A Lesson in Proper Judgment" 
 
Columnist Ron Maiberg wrote from Maine in the popular, pluralist 
Maariv (6/25): QThe CIA has a dismal history in Iran.  Obama is too 
clever and cautious to repeat past mistakes.  Even the crocodile 
tears of Reza Pahlavi, the ShahQs son, have not made him swerve from 
his way.  ObamaQs inexperience in foreign policy was the most 
prominent trait associated with him during the election campaign. 
Over the past ten days, this diplomatic midget actually turned into 
a shining example of conduct vis-a-vis a rogue, cruel regime that 
provided the world with scenes that destabilized the sane world and 
maintained a policy of good sense and restraint.... As America is 
involved in two wars and warily observes the North Korean madness 
and IranQs nuclear insatiability, Obama has let his supporters and 
adversaries release steam on the domestic Iranian issue without 
turning it into a drums-of-war band. 
 
CUNNINGHAM