VZCZCXRO7877
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1936/01 2960555
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 230555Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6445
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 7907
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4882
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4732
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6220
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4651
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3243

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001936 
 
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 (10/23): Palestinian press leads 
with Secretary Clinton's report to President Obama 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The local press leads with news on Secretary Hillary Clinton's 
briefing to President Obama on the status of the Middle East peace 
efforts. According to coverage, the Secretary told the President 
that challenges remain as the US continues to work with the 
Palestinians and Israelis to re-launch negotiations in a positive 
atmosphere. The Secretary stated that the Palestinians have 
strengthened their efforts on security and reforming Palestinian 
institutions, but they need to do more in these areas, in addition 
to stopping incitement and preventing terror. Clinton added that the 
Israelis have facilitated greater movement for Palestinians and 
responded to the US call to freeze settlement activity by expressing 
a willingness to do so, but they need to translate that willingness 
into real, meaningful action and do more to improve the daily lives 
of Palestinians. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice's 
meetings with Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad 
and Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization 
Executive Committee Yasser Abed Rabbo yesterday. After the meeting, 
Abed Rabbo noted to the press that achieving any progress in the 
peace efforts depends on US efforts to exert pressure on Israel to 
halt the settlement activity. 
 
Al-Quds leads with news that Israel allocated more than $50 million 
to increase settlement activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The 
reports also note that Israel allocated more than $106 million for 
projects that connect the settlements with Jerusalem. In related 
news, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs front page news that Israel started 
construction on new units in the Mikhola settlement near Tubas in 
the northern West bank. 
 
The dailies report on Yasser Abed Rabbo noting that PA President 
Mahmoud Abbas will issue a presidential decree to announce the date 
for holding presidential and legislative elections in the next two 
days. Hamas newspaper Al-Resalah reports that Hamas will not respond 
to this decree, saying that they will not approve of holding the 
elections. 
 
Gaza-based Al-Quds radio reports that five Hamas leaders and members 
of the Palestinian Legislative Council will be released from Israeli 
jails next month after being detained for more than 40 months. 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title 
"Which Peace Process?"(10/23): "Very surprisingly, Israel claims 
that any discussion of the Goldstone report will harm peace efforts 
and the peace process ... Which peace process are they talking about 
when settlement activities are still going on? The Israeli position 
is the only obstacle before the peace process, not the Goldstone 
report!" 
 
2) Rajab Abu Sirriyeh opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the 
title "The Last Chance for Reconciliation" (10/23): "As a political 
movement that seeks to lead the people, Hamas should have been more 
flexible and more moderate. They should have agreed to additional 
compromises to achieve national reconciliation and maintain its 
popularity." 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00001936  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
-------------------- 
Cartoon of the week: 
-------------------- 
 
The cartoon below shows two pigeons as symbols of peace. The one in 
pink is entitled "Goldstone" while the orange is entitled 
"reconciliation."  Two guns are pointed towards them, the first gun 
represents the US veto on the Goldstone report and the second is 
Hamas's postponement of national reconciliation. 
 
 
 
 
 
RUBINSTEIN