VZCZCXRO5190
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1161/01 1891045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081045Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5370
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 7763
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4736
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4583
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6077
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4502
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3078

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001161 
 
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 (07/08): Israel Will Not Commit to 
the Two-State Solution or a Settlements-freeze 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam all run front page coverage 
of the July 7 meeting between Israeli President Shimon Peres and 
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. In a joint press 
conference following the meeting, Mubarak pointed out that there 
must be a serious commitment by Israel to achieve peace, and that 
resolving the Palestinian conflict will ensure peace and security in 
the entire region.  Mubarak also praised President Obama's new 
approach towards the Middle East, stating that there is an excellent 
chance that peace can be achieved with the engagement of the current 
US administration.  Peres stated that although Israel accepts the 
two-state solution and will not construct new settlements, it will 
continue expanding existing settlements to accommodate "natural 
growth."  Concerning the status of the kidnapped Israeli soldier 
Gilad Shalit, Mubarak noted that he hoped to see this matter 
resolved very soon. 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with Al-Arabiya satellite channel's exclusive 
interview with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on July 
7, in which Abbas called on Hamas to agree to presidential and 
legislative elections under Arab and international supervision in 
January 2010. Additionally, Abbas stated that Israel has not met any 
of its obligations under the Road Map, including the cessation of 
all settlement activities.  Abbas reiterated that he will not accept 
a Palestinian state with temporary borders, and doubted that Arab 
countries would be willing to normalize relations with Israel, until 
Israel fulfills all its obligations under the Road Map.  Abbas 
noted, "How can we pressure the Arabs on this when Israel is not 
willing to freeze settlements?" 
 
All dailies run front page coverage of the July 7 meeting between 
Palestinian Authority President Abbas and Serbian President Boris 
Tadic in Belgrade.  Abbas emphasized the need for diplomacy in 
solving the Arab-Israeli conflict, noting that Serbia can play an 
important role in ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 
 
Al Ayyam reports on its inside pages about President Obama's address 
to Russian students during his current visit to Russia. The paper 
noted Obama's comments that a new chapter should be opened in 
US-Russian relations, based upon mutual respect and cooperation. 
 
All dailies run front-page coverage of President Obama's CNN 
interview in which he stated that the US did not give Israel a 
"green light" to attack Iran and its nuclear program. The papers 
note Obama statement that he prefers addressing the Iranian nuclear 
program through diplomatic measures. 
-------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1) Hani Habib, Al-Ayyam, "Peres-Barak: flexible or 
deceptive?"(07/08):  "We heard Barak and Peres noting that the 
settlements will stop, but will they seriously stop...?  Netanyahu 
has not shown any readiness to stop settlement activity... Are these 
contradictory statements meant only to mislead the world and public 
opinion?  Israeli leaders must know they can't keep deceiving the 
e 
world. Obama must show seriousness in exerting pressure on Israel to 
stop these activities!" 
 
2) Azmi Khawaja, Al-Ayyam, "The Palestinians and the two-state 
solution" (07/08): "The proposal in Netanyahu's speech regarding the 
 
JERUSALEM 00001161  002 OF 002 
 
 
two-state solution and the Palestinian state is meaningless. It has 
no solid ground, and is not based either on the Arab peace 
initiative or on the Road Map... His proposal will only lead to more 
chaos and deterioration of regional stability". 
 
WALLES