VZCZCXRO7145
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1373/01 2190817
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 070817Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5682
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 7813
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4785
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4633
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6126
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4552
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3130

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001373 
 
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 (08/07): Palestinian Commentators 
Hope for a Strong and Transparent Fatah 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
All dailies front page news citing Israeli daily Ha'aretz that US 
Special Envoy George Mitchell has proposed a written agreement for 
Israel to freeze settlement construction for one year. The reports 
note that Mitchell discussed this proposal with Israeli Prime 
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak during 
his recent visit to Israel. The coverage notes that this agreement 
will assist the US in urging Arab States to take confidence building 
measures towards Israel. The reports also note that Israel did not 
refuse the proposal, but indicated that they have some reservations, 
including the length of the proposed freeze. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs front page news on a 24-member US 
congressional delegation which has been conducting a one-week visit 
to Israel. The head of the delegation, Republican Whip Eric Cantor, 
noted to the press that the international community should stop 
pressuring Israel to freeze settlement activity and focus instead on 
the Iranian nuclear program, according to coverage. Cantor is quoted 
as saying "If we are interested in a two state solution, then we 
have to accept, and the Palestinians have to accept, that Israel is 
a Jewish state." 
 
Al-Ayyam leads with news from the Sixth Fatah Party Congress in 
Bethlehem. The reports, which also appear on the front pages of 
Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, note that Fatah delegates will be 
holding elections on August 7 for members of the Central Committee 
and Revolutionary Council of Fatah. 
 
Al-Quds leads with news on Palestinian Authority Prime Minister 
Salam Fayyad approving the allocation of millions of dollars to 
institutions and local councils in Jerusalem to overcome challenges 
they are facing due to the separation barrier and severe financial 
shortages. According to coverage, checks were distributed to 30 
local councils and 44 clubs in addition to cultural, social and 
development societies on August 6. 
 
In lead photos, Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run pictures of the 
Hanoun and Ghawi families sleeping in the streets, having been 
evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah by the Israeli police on 
August 2.------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Dr. Naji Shurrab opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the 
title, "The success of the Fatah conference is in the Palestinian 
interest" (08/07): "Having a strong Fatah party in addition to a 
strong Hamas and additional political parties is in the national 
interest ... as this will ensure the creation of a solid, stable and 
balanced political regime that avoids the domination of any one 
party over the others. It will also contribute to the emergence of a 
national reconciliation and an end to the current internal 
division." 
 
2) Rajab Abu Sirriyeh opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
headline "The Restructuring of Fatah" (08/07): "It is extremely 
essential that Fatah restructures itself in a transparent fashion, 
since it will not only be obliged to find an end to its conflict 
with Hamas [and with other parties who obstruct the establishment of 
the Palestinian state], but it will also be responsible for building 
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JERUSALEM 00001373  002 OF 002 
 
 
a modern and democratic Palestinian state without inheriting any of 
the previous corruption." 
 
WALLES