VZCZCXRO0948
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1950 3000721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270721Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6478
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 7920
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4887
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4737
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6225
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4656
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3248

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001950 
 
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 (10/27): President Obama's 
Promises Need Implementation 
 
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Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Quds leads with a story that "Israeli radical elements," 
including religious leaders and politicians, have been inciting 
their followers to "intensify" their efforts to "break into" 
Al-Haram Al-Sharif. In a separate front-page article, the paper 
reports that the latest Israeli "escalations" at Al-Haram Al-Sharif 
are an attempt to establish a new status quo at the holy site. 
Al-Ayyam highlights a front-page report maintaining that the recent 
development in the Old City is the beginning of the "battle to 
divide Jerusalem." 
 
The dailies highlight a story quoting Palestinian Authority (PA) 
Presidency Secretary-General Tayyeb Abdel Rahim refuting Israeli 
press reports that PA President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to resign. 
Al-Quds notes that such claims are a part of the Israeli attempts to 
"create chaos." 
 
Al-Ayyam quotes PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat stressing that he 
has serious doubts about any chance to resume negotiations anytime 
soon, citing Israeli "stubbornness."  Al-Hayat Al-Jadidat reports 
that Special Envoy George Mitchell is scheduled to arrive in the 
region tomorrow. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with a story that President Abbas has 
directed the head of the elections central committee, Hanna Nasser, 
to start preparing for presidential and legislative elections on 
January 24, 2010, the date stipulated in the recent presidential 
decree. 
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BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
1) Independent Al-Quds editorializes in "Washington 
Retreats to Square One" (10/27): "The region and the Obama 
administration are retreating to square one. The administration is 
still trying to find a formula to restart negotiations ... Peace 
should have been achieved a long time ago ... The [American] 
mediation is progressing very slowly while faced with an 
unprecedented campaign of settlement activities and judaization [of 
Jerusalem], in addition to fierce attacks against Al-Aqsa Mosque ... 
The region is in vital need of serious and strong efforts to 
implement President Obama's promises ... including a complete stop 
to all settlement and judaization activities." 
 
RUBINSTEIN