VZCZCXRO5652
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1688 2580819
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150819Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6093
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 7859
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4831
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4681
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6172
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4598
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3183

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001688 
 
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 (09/15): Palestinians react to 
Israeli statement to proceed with settlement activities 
 
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Main Stories: 
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements concerning 
Israel's determination to proceed with settlement activities 
receives prominent coverage in the local press. The coverage notes 
that Netanyahu stressed they would not freeze settlement activities 
in the West Bank or Jerusalem, quoting Netanyahu saying that 
Jerusalem "is not a settlement." Netanyahu added that there must be 
a balance between the desire to achieve progress in the peace 
process and granting the Jewish citizens who reside in the West Bank 
and Jerusalem the opportunity to pursue a normal life. In reaction 
to the statement, Palestinian Liberation Organization Chief 
Negotiator Saeb Erekat told Al-Ayyam that further construction in 
Jerusalem could ruin all efforts to achieve peace. 
 
The papers report on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas 
hosting an Iftar dinner in Jericho for orphaned children on 
September 14. President Abbas noted that he hoped to see an 
independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital by next 
Ramadan. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages coverage citing Wafa News Agency and 
the Israeli daily Maariv that Israeli officials are preparing to 
conduct an extensive public relations attack against the UN fact 
finding report which looked into Israeli actions in Gaza during 
Operation Cast Lead. The coverage notes that Israeli Foreign 
Ministry officials will conduct an extensive attack against the 
report and the fact finding committee through the media once the 
report is published. 
 
The dailies post news on a report issued by the United Nations 
Environment Program stating that Gaza will soon suffer from a water 
shortage due to increased pollution from the recent war in addition 
to use by an extremely high population. 
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BLOCK QUOTES: 
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1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title 
"Jerusalem comes first... negotiations come last" (09/15): "We have 
postponed the issue of Jerusalem once, and we paid the price. This 
should not be repeated again regardless of pressure and 
circumstances. Jerusalem should come first ... then the negotiations 
on the details and timeframes ... if we are not able to do this, it 
would be better not to negotiate because it will give Israel the 
ability to pursue construction." 
 
2) Hani Al-Masri opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
title "Will Mitchell's trip rescue the American credibility?" 
(09/15):"The new US administration has given into Israel instead of 
exerting pressure on it. It started with a very low ceiling in terms 
of freezing settlement activity ... although this administration is 
better than the Bush administration, it will not make peace, but 
rather manage the conflict instead of ending it." 
 
RUBINSTEIN