VZCZCXRO1350
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1618/01 2521002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091002Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5996
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 7852
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4824
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4672
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6165
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4591
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3170

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001618 
 
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 (09/09): The Obama peace 
initiative cannot offer Palestinians less than the Roadmap 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
In its lead story, official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports on the 
first meeting of the new U.S. Consul General, Daniel Rubinstein, 
with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on 
September 8. The report, which also appeared on the front pages of 
Al-Quds (independent daily) and Al-Ayyam (independent daily) - notes 
that the meeting focused on U.S.-led efforts to resume the peace 
process in the Middle East. President Abbas raised the issue of 
Israel's continued settlement activity, calling upon the U.S. to 
continue exerting pressure on Israel to put a stop to measures that 
"violate" the Road Map and the peace process.  The dailies also 
report about CG Rubinstein's meeting with PA Prime Minister Salam 
Fayyad in Ramallah, in which they discussed the latest developments 
in the Palestinian territories. Al-Quds also ran CG Rubinstein's 
biography and photo in its inside page. 
 
Citing well-informed sources in Cairo, Al-Ayyam reports that Chief 
of Egyptian Intelligence Omar Sulaiman has reached agreement with PA 
President Mahmoud Abbas and Chief of the Hamas Political Bureau 
Khaled Mishal about what future steps are required in order to end 
the internal Palestinian division.  According to the report, Egypt 
will be sending Fatah and Hamas a document outlining Egypt's plan 
for ending the internal division and achieving national 
reconciliation.  Sources also noted that an Egyptian delegation will 
be visiting Ramallah and Damascus in order to assess the positions 
of Hamas and Fatah regarding this document, prior to extending 
invitations for the Palestinian factions for a signing ceremony to 
be held after Ramadan. 
 
Reports on the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and 
Jerusalem areas continue to receive prominent coverage in the local 
press.  Al-Quds reports on an article published in an Israeli daily 
September 8 about the increased settlement construction - recently 
endorsed by the Israeli government - in the Palestinian territories. 
 The reports note that this construction of new housing units will 
exceed the annual settlement construction average.  Furthermore, the 
number of settlement units in the West Bank is expected to increase 
by approximately 14,000. 
 
Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam front page a statement issued by the European 
Union in Brussels on September 8, condemning the Israeli 
government's decision to endorse the construction of additional 
housing units in West Bank settlements. In its statement, the EU 
referred to the construction as "illegal," ading that it will hinder 
any peace settlement. 
 
Al-Ayyam's front-page also reports on statements made by Egyptian 
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on September 8, in which he 
reiterated that the normalization of relations between Israel and 
the Arab states is possible only if Israel freezes all settlement 
activity in the West Bank. Abu Al-Gheit also called on Israel to 
renew peace talks with the Palestinians. 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Al-Quds, "We need a clear US position" (09/09): "Can Israeli 
Prime Minister Netanyahu challenge the US demands so boldly and so 
proactively? Or does he have a hidden agreement with the US [about 
 
JERUSALEM 00001618  002 OF 002 
 
 
continuing with the settlements activity]?  If he is challenging the 
U.S. then we have a problem, but if he is coordinating with the 
Americans then the problem is much bigger... In both cases, 
President Obama will have to clarify the US position from these 
actions." 
 
2) Ali Badwan, Al-Quds, "Obama and the Upcoming Solution: A Reversal 
of the Roadmap" (09/09):  "It is apparent from recent developments 
that the U.S. administration wants the Arab states to accept 
solutions that are significantly less than what international laws 
and legitimacy require; we fear that President Obama's anticipated 
peace initiative will be much less than the Road map, itself full of 
controversial issues." 
 
RUBINSTEIN