VZCZCXRO9775
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1168 1901225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091225Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5378
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 7765
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4738
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4585
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6079
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4504
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3080

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001168 
 
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 (07/09): Palestinian Papers Report 
on U.S. Statements Denying Settlements "Deal" 
 
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Main Stories: 
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Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and al-Ayyam lead with and Al-Quds front pages a 
report on statements by US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly that 
there is no "deal" between Israel and the US regarding the 
continuation of settlement construction in the West Bank.  Kelly 
denied reports published in Israeli daily Maariv alleging that the 
US approved the construction of 2500 housing units in settlements in 
the West Bank.  The papers report that Kelly reiterated that the US 
has not changed its position regarding the cessation of settlements, 
emphasizing that all parties have to fulfill their obligations and 
commitments. 
 
Al-Quds leads with a report that an Egyptian delegation will arrive 
in Ramallah on July 9 to meet with Palestinian Authority President 
Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah leaders, and members of Palestinian factions in 
an attempt to discuss a comprehensive proposal by Egypt that aims at 
ending the Palestinian division.  The proposal reportedly also 
includes arranging a truce with Israel and releasing the kidnapped 
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The delegation previously met with 
Hamas leaders in Damascus. 
 
All dailies report on their front pages on statements by Palestinian 
Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad during the weekly cabinet 
meeting.  Responding to recent moves by Israel to confiscate up to 
139,000 dunums of unregistered Palestinian land for the construction 
of new settlements, Fayyad called on the US administration to 
intervene and exert pressure on Israel regarding continued land 
confiscations and expansion of settlements, including stopping 
"natural growth." 
 
Al-Quds runs a front page report of an opinion poll recently 
conducted by the Arab World Center for Research and Development 
(AWRAD) in the West Bank and Gaza, assessing whether Palestinians 
prefer Fatah or Hamas.  According to the poll, President Mahmoud 
Abbas is more popular among Palestinians than Hamas's Gaza leader 
Ismail Haniyeh.  The results also show that the current Palestinian 
government led by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is considered more 
legitimate than the Hamas government in Gaza. 
 
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BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
 
1) Naji Shurrab, Al-Quds, "What matters is not what Netanyahu says, 
but what we do ourselves" (07/09):  "Israel knows what it wants, and 
has a clear vision and well defined ideology... However, the 
question remains, what do we want as Palestinians?  We have no clue 
what we want, and this explains our failure to form a Palestinian 
government to end our internal division.  Ultimately, a lack of 
vision serves no one but Netanyahu... we will therefore end up with 
no state and no solution." 
 
2) Talal Okal, Al-Ayyam, "They unite and we divide" (07/09): 
"Despite all the Israeli crimes and violations committed against the 
Palestinians, not a single Arab country dared to seriously consider 
imposing sanctions against Israel...On the contrary, we see that 
Arab countries have strengthened relations with Israel.  This is 
what gives Israel more power to keep arguing for a solution that 
will give Palestinians minimal rights in any future state." 
 
WALLES