VZCZCXRO4088
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1721/01 2680617
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250617Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6136
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 7869
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4841
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4691
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6182
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4608
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3195

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001721 
 
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 (09/25):  Continued Skepticism 
Follows Netanyahu's Speech at the UN 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
-------------News from the UN General Assembly is still receiving 
prominent coverage in the local press. The dailies highlight Israeli 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN, in which he 
asked the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state to the 
Jewish people in order for Israel to approve a demilitarized 
Palestinian state. Additionally, Netanyahu criticized the Goldstone 
report and noted that Israel has been also attacked by Hamas rockets 
without the appropriate condemnation. Netanyahu focused heavily on 
the Iranian nuclear program and avoided any discussion of the 
settlements issue. Commenting on the speech, the dailies highlight 
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who noted that 
Netanyahu's government is "an obstacle" and that there is no common 
ground to initiate talks. In an interview with the London-based 
Al-Hayat journal, Abbas said that he will not accept a partial 
cessation of settlements, as this will mean the continuation of the 
settlement activities. He also stated that Israel is only interested 
in establishing a Palestinian state with temporary borders. Abbas 
reiterated that the Arab states and the Middle East Quartet should 
adhere to their responsibilities in ending the Palestinian-Israeli 
conflict. 
 
Al-Quds runs front page coverage on the Popular Front for the 
Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) issuing a statement that criticizes 
the "reversed" US position concerning the settlements. PFLP claims 
this has negatively affected the interests of the Arabs and that 
this contradicts Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo. The PFLP called on 
the PA Presidency and PLO to respect the decisions of the PLO 
executive committee to boycott the meetings with the Israelis and 
urged the Palestinian factions to end the division and regain unity. 
 
 
The dailies report news on Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor 
Lieberman's holding secret meetings with the Moroccan Foreign 
Minister in New York. The reports continue with news that Netanyahu 
will meet with the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain and Qatar, which 
raises questions about whether some Arab countries are willing to 
normalize relations with Israel prior to the cessation of 
settlements. 
 
The local press highlights news on Israeli police and settlers from 
Maaleh Adumim settlement breaking in to the Al-Aqsa mosque 
yesterday. The reports continue with news that the settlers called 
for another break in on Sunday September 27 in observance of Yom 
Kippur. Other reports also note the break in of 140 settlers into 
Al-Ibrahimi mosque in the Old city of Hebron to perform religious 
rituals. The act was condemned by the head of Religious Affairs in 
Hebron Zaid Ja'bari, who stated that this act is unprecedented and 
the settlers were protected by the Israeli soldiers during the act. 
 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages news citing Wafa News Agency on 
former Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz saying that Prime 
Minister Netanyahu is not willing to achieve peace with the 
Palestinians and noted that Israel must show more flexibility in the 
negotiations with the Palestinians. 
 
Al-Quds runs an inside report that reflects Palestinian pessimism 
from the trilateral summit regarding the chances that President 
 
JERUSALEM 00001721  002 OF 002 
 
 
Obama can bring a miracle to the Middle East and launch the 
Palestinian Israeli negotiations. The reports quote Zakariya Al-Qaq, 
the head of Foreign Affairs at Al-Quds University, saying "we are in 
trouble, Obama's ability to push things forward is weakening." He 
added "Netanyahu seems to be happy with the current situation." 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
1) Rajab Abu Sirriyeh opines in Al-Ayyam daily under the title 
"Washington - a narrow gate to New York" (09/25): "Since his first 
day in office, the Democratic President [Obama] realized that he 
can't win the support of the Muslim world if he continues pampering 
Israel ...he should now realize that time will not help him and that 
if he doesn't take tangible steps that force Israel to end the 
occupation of 1967, he will face a worldwide revolution." 
 
 
2) Omar Hilmi Al-Ghoul opines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official daily 
under the title "Why did the US reverse back?" (09/25):  "The US 
administration tends to forget  ...that if the Palestinian issue is 
not solved in a way that ensures the rights of the Palestinian 
people, peace will never be attained in the region, and the US 
interests will always be targeted. Additionally, the success that 
Obama achieved during his speeches in Turkey and Egypt will quickly 
vanish... Obama has to think thousand times before reversing his 
earlier positions concerning the conflict in the region." 
 
MARCHESE