VZCZCXRO6981
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1695/01 2591217
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161217Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6099
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 7860
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4832
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4682
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6173
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4599
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3184

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001695 
 
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 (09/16): Palestinian press report 
on efforts to move the peace process forward 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The local press highlights the meetings of Special Envoy George 
Mitchell with Israeli and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials on 
September 15. The coverage notes that Mitchell did not reach an 
agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during 
their meeting yesterday and that they will continue discussions 
today. One headline reads, "Mitchell admits he failed to convince 
Netanyahu to freeze settlements." After meeting with PA Prime 
Minister Salam Fayyad and President Mahmoud Abbas, Mitchell stated 
to the press that he had productive meetings and noted that he will 
continue his talks with the Israelis today. Palestinian Liberation 
Organization Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat stated that the PA will 
not compromise on the issue of settlements and will not meet with 
the Israelis unless settlement activity is completely stopped. 
Referring to the proposed trilateral meeting between President 
Obama, Abbas and Netanyahu, Erekat said that the PA will not meet 
for the sake of meeting and that there should be a clear vision to 
end the occupation. 
 
In related news, the local press runs coverage on Erekat denying 
news reports in the Israeli daily Haaretz that Erekat had a secret 
meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres to discuss the 
anticipated trilateral meeting in New York on the margins of the UN 
General Assembly. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages news on Israeli Foreign Minister 
Avigdor Lieberman reiterating yesterday that the Israeli government 
is ready to meet with Palestinian officials to revive the peace 
process. Lieberman blamed the Palestinians for their refusal to 
meet, according to coverage. He added that the issue of settlements 
is not a real issue but rather a "misunderstanding." 
 
The dailies report on the continued attacks by settlers against 
Palestinian citizens. The reports note that one group attacked a 
Palestinian farmer and slaughtered 15 of his sheep near the Yizhar 
settlement south of Nablus on September 15. Al-Quds front pages a 
photo of a settler throwing wine on a Palestinian woman yesterday in 
the Old City of Hebron. 
 
Al-Ayyam front pages news on Palestinian officials revealing to Maan 
News Network that President Abbas will issue a presidential decree 
by October 25 calling for presidential and legislative elections in 
January 2010. The sources noted that Hamas is trying to postpone the 
elections to continue the state of division. 
 
News on the UN fact finding report on the recent conflict in Gaza 
receives front page coverage in the three dailies. According to the 
report by UN investigator Richard Goldstone, Israel and Hamas 
committed war crimes during the January 2009 war. Both Israel and 
Hamas have rejected the findings. The report recommends that the UN 
bring the issue to the International Criminal Court. 
 
The dailies report that Egypt opened the Rafah border crossing for 
three days before the Eid holiday. 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title "Open 
Questions" (09/16): "Given the extensive talks that the US is 
conducting with all parties to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict 
 
JERUSALEM 00001695  002 OF 002 
 
 
... is Israeli really ready for peace when they refuse to freeze 
settlement activity? On the contrary, what matters to Israel is 
deepening the occupation and denying the Palestinians rights while 
it misleads the entire world with peace slogans ... The most 
important question that should be asked of the Americans and 
Europeans is what has Israel left for the negotiations after all its 
recent actions? What would we negotiate over?" 
 
2) Hani Habib opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the title 
"Mitchell's Fifth Visit ... and Obama's Options" (09/16):"From 
Ireland to the Middle East, US Special Envoy George Mitchell 
conducts one round of talks after another hoping to make the kind of 
progress he achieved in Ireland, which doesn't seem to be easy to 
repeat in the Middle East ... Here he conducts his fifth round of 
talks, and the only new development is that his failure is more 
obvious ... His meeting with Netanyahu today shows that there are 
still questions to be answered." 
 
RUBINSTEIN