VZCZCXRO1507
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1401 2250925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130925Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5720
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 7819
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4791
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4639
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6132
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4558
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3136

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001401 
 
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 (08/13): Commentators Discuss 
Implications of Fatah Party Congress and Central Committee vote 
 
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Main Stories: 
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The Palestinian press highlights the official results for the Fatah 
Central Committee (FCC) elections, announced by Palestinian 
Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. The coverage notes that the 
newly elected FCC consists of 19 members, 14 of whom were elected 
for the first-time. Results of the elections for the Fatah 
Revolutionary Council will be announced on August 14 or 15. 
 
In reaction to the election of imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan 
Barghouti to the FCC, the Palestinian press notes conflicting 
statements by Israeli officials regarding his release from Israeli 
jail to pursue his duties as an FCC member. On the one hand, reports 
quote the Israeli Minister of Trade and Industry Binyamin Ben 
Eliezer saying on Israeli radio that "Marwan Barghouti should be 
released immediately, we need someone like him to take bold 
decisions and work towards achieving peace." On the other hand, 
Kadima leader Tzipi Livni objected to his release, stating that "he 
murdered and was convicted of murder. The fact that the Palestinian 
public chose him to lead Fatah, or that some of us think that he 
might be a better partner than others, that does not justify in my 
eyes his release from jail given the crimes he committed." 
 
Al-Ayyam runs front page coverage citing AFP on Israeli Minister of 
Trade and Industry Binyamin Ben Eliezer noting that Israel must 
abide by the US demand to freeze settlement activity in the West 
Bank. Reports highlight Ben Elizar saying "the US should not appear 
weak. We are linked to them, so if the Americans want us to freeze 
settlements, then we have to do it." 
 
All daily newspapers report on the PA weekly cabinet meeting in 
Ramallah on August 12. The coverage notes that PA Prime Minister 
Salam Fayyad blamed Israel for the deteriorating health of 
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and condemned settlers' 
continued attacks against civilians in the West Bank. 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Naji Shurab opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the title, 
, 
"Limited options for Israel" (08/13): 
"Resorting to military power to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict 
is not the right option ... The two state solution remains the best 
strategic and practical formula. It will ensure the achievement of 
all Palestinian objectives, which cannot be achieved by military 
means, and will lead to economic growth and prosperity." 
 
2) Talal Okal opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
headline "Fatah Conference, new hope" (08/13): "The Fatah conference 
did not provide anything new on the political level ... Fatah as a 
movement still needs to show more flexibility and maturity to 
re-launch the negotiations with Israel, and it still needs to work 
on a profound political agenda that will end the Palestinian-Israeli 
conflict." 
 
WALLES