VZCZCXRO9900
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1758/01 2750736
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020736Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6194
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 7878
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4850
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4700
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6191
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4617
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3205

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001758 
 
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 (10/02): Palestinians believe the 
international community needs to remain strong against Israeli 
positions 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
News on the US-Iranian talks in Geneva receives front page coverage 
in the local dailies. The reports quote President Obama calling the 
first official meeting between the US and Iranian officials in more 
than 30 years "constructive," but urged Iran to follow this with 
tangible actions on the ground. In related news, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida 
posts a report citing Reuters that the Israeli government will 
reconsider its policy on Iran in light of yesterday's meeting. 
 
The local press highlights news on the national reconciliation 
efforts. Jibril Al-Rjoub, Vice Secretary of the Palestinian 
Liberation Organization Central Committee, noted that Egypt will 
extend invitations to Fatah, Hamas and the other Palestinian 
factions for the reconciliation agreement signing ceremony scheduled 
for October 22. The report notes that Egypt will revise their plan 
based on the Palestinian factions' feedback, finalizing it this 
week. 
 
News on the release of 20 Palestinian female prisoners from Israeli 
jails today also receives prominent coverage in the dailies. The 
reports note that the Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister of 
Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqe' will welcome the released prisoners 
at the Ofer checkpoint in Ramallah. The reports also note that the 
Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal by an extremist Jewish 
organization to stop the release. 
 
Al-Ayyam carries front pages news quoting PA presidency spokesperson 
Nabil Abu Rudeina saying that the gap between the Palestinian and 
Israeli positions is huge. Abu Rudeina also noted that any more 
delays to end the conflict will result in negative consequences for 
the entire region. 
 
Israeli reactions to the Goldstone report still receive prominent 
coverage in the Palestinian press. The reports quote Israeli Prime 
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging the UN not to refer the report to 
the Security Council, saying that this step would have negative 
implications on the peace process. 
 
The dailies report that the Israeli authorities have imposed a 
strict closure on the West Bank starting October 1 in observance of 
the Jewish holiday Succoth. The closure will remain in effect until 
October 10. 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Al-Quds Editorial states under the title "The Arab and 
International Silence towards Israeli Stubbornness" (10/02): "Modern 
history has not witnessed a similar case where a state occupies the 
land of another people and continues its occupation for more than 
four decades ... Obama, the EU, Russia and all the powers that 
believe in justice and peace should stand courageously to achieve 
it. The Palestinians who chose peace as a way to achieve their goals 
expect more from the Arab states and the international community 
than just statements and remarks that don't change Israeli 
positions." 
 
2) Sameeh Shbeeb opines in Al Ayyam independent daily under 
the headline "Negotiations and Settlements" (10/02):"The 
Palestinians are disappointed. After fighting a battle to halt 
 
JERUSALEM 00001758  002 OF 002 
 
 
settlement activities as a necessary condition to return to 
negotiations, they [Palestinians] believe that the American retreat 
has weakened their position in a clear political battle ... what 
happened in the battle to halt settlement activities is a repeat of 
the previous American administrations that started out opposing 
Israeli policies, but at the end of the day changed to agree with 
the Israeli positions." 
 
RUBINSTEIN