VZCZCXRO2689
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1154/01 1881054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071054Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5358
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 7761
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4734
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4581
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6075
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4500
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3076

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001154 
 
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 (07/07): Hamas Must Not Be An 
Obstacle to Reconciliation 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with Palestinian Authority President 
Mahmoud Abbas' interview with Al-Falastiniya TV on July 6. Abbas 
stated that the "acceptance of the two-state solution and the halt 
of settlement activities are not Palestinian demands only but also 
international demands that should be met by the Israeli side." 
Abbas went on to state that Palestinians will not resume 
negotiations with the Israelis unless these conditions are met. 
Abbas praised the support of the international community and the US 
administration, which has insisted that Israel stop settlement 
activities and accept the two-state solution. On the subject of 
national reconciliation talks, Abbas said that Hamas' extreme 
positions are what have caused the national unity talks to fail thus 
far. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports on the meeting between Israeli Defense 
Minister Ehud Barak and US envoy George Mitchell in London, noting 
that some progress has been made on the peace process in the Middle 
East.  The paper reported on their joint statement following the 
meeting, in which they noted that "all aspects of the Middle East 
peace and security" were discussed, and further re-affirmed their 
commitment to a regional peace between Israel and the Palestinians, 
Syria and Lebanon. 
 
Al-Ayyam reports on statements made by Israeli Foreign Minister 
Avigdor Lieberman that due to a "conflict of interest" regarding his 
residency in a West Bank settlement, he has deferred to other 
Israeli officials in pursuing negotiations with the US and the 
international community on the settlements issue. 
 
All dailies report on the meeting between PLO Chief negotiator Saeb 
Erekat and the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 
July 6 in the West Bank, in which Erekat briefed Steinmeier on the 
situation in the Palestinian Territories.  The papers noted Erekat's 
comments after the meeting that "the international community must 
tell the Israeli government that it bears responsibility for 
destroying peace efforts if it continues its policies.". 
 
Al-Ayyam, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, and Al-Quds all report positively on 
the US-Russian summit in Moscow (July 6) between Presidents Obama 
Dmitri Medvedev.  The reports focus on the agreements between the US 
and Russia to reduce nuclear warheads.  Cartoons in al-Quds and 
al-Ayyam gave a positive impression of the US role in the summit's 
outcome; one cartoon shows President Obama leading Medvedev by the 
hand away from a large pile of nuclear weapons. 
 
Al-Quds reports on a statement issued by the European Commission 
condemning the continuation of settlement activities and referring 
to all settlements constructed in the Palestinian Territories as 
"illegitimate."  It went on to state that measures imposed upon the 
Palestinians by the Israelis have had long-term negative 
consequences on the Palestinian economy that have in turn increased 
the burden on the international donor community. 
 
Al-Quds reports that the Israeli Housing Ministry has given 
financial incentives to settlers in order to attract them to 
settlements constructed in the West Bank, and to increase the number 
of settlers residing on those lands. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00001154  002 OF 002 
 
 
1)Wadi' Abu Nassar, Al-Quds, "Interesting facts about settlements" 
(07/07): "The Arab states should not be satisfied only with 
statements made by the US administration regarding the freeze of the 
settlement activities, it should be made clear to everyone that the 
continuation of settlement activities doesn't only violate 
international law and the rights of Palestinians, but it also harms 
Israel, as it legitimizes its illegal activities - which in the end 
will legitimize any illegal act in the future by Israelis against 
Israel itself!!" 
 
2) Rajab Abu Sirriyeh, Al-Ayyam, "Internal consensus, early 
rejection" (07/07): "The Palestinian factions - mainly Hamas - 
should realize that the Palestinians can't continue with this 
division... We can't let time slip away without achieving any 
progress in the national dialogue and towards ending the division. 
Hamas should respond to the demands of the Gazans with no shelter or 
no life... It should accept compromises to put an end to their 
suffering." 
 
WALLES