VZCZCXRO1464
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2018/01 3101423
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061423Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6601
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 7936
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4903
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4753
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6241
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4672
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3264

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 002018 
 
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 SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION (11/6): President Mahmoud 
Abbas announces he will not run for re-election 
 
-------- 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
On October 23, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas 
issued a presidential decree to hold Palestinian presidential and 
legislative elections in the West Bank and Gaza on January 24, 2010. 
 On November 5, Abbas held a meeting with the Central Committee of 
the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and informed the 
committee members that he will not run for President in these 
elections.  After the meeting, Abbas gave a speech announcing this 
news.  He explained that his decision was in reaction to the US 
reversing its position on the cessation of settlement activity and 
negotiations.  He also stated that he will not accept any 
concessions on Palestinian national principles.  He criticized the 
Hamas take-over of Gaza in 2007, describing it as the most dangerous 
event that happened over the past five years. 
 
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Main Stories: 
------------- 
The local Palestinian press prominently covered Abbas' announcement. 
 The leading headlines in the three dailies focused on his 
announcement and its implications.  The local press noted that the 
Fatah Central Committee members and the PLO Executive Committee 
members reiterated their support for President Abbas and hoped that 
he would change his mind.  However, the committee members pointed 
out that they understood his position and frustration with the 
current situation. 
 
Independent daily Al Quds and the official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida 
lead with headlines quoting Abbas as saying "We were surprised to 
see the US favoring the Israeli position regarding settlements." 
Independent daily Al-Ayyam runs a headline that reads "Abbas 
criticizes the US favoring Israel."  Fatah External Affairs 
Commissioner Nabil Shaath is quoted in Al-Ayyam as saying that the 
US retreat has created a "serious political crisis." 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida also reports on Shaath saying that the US 
position forces the Palestinians to choose one of two options, 
either resort to violence or pursue a one-state solution.  Shaath is 
quoted as saying that solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will 
allow the United States to improve it relationship with the Arab and 
Muslim worlds. 
 
Local press highlighted Israeli leaders' disappointment with Abbas' 
decision.  Independent Maan News Network reports that Israeli 
President Shimon Peres called Abbas and urged him to stay.  Maan and 
Al-Ayyam report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes 
that the decision won't harm the peace process. 
 
Hamas newspaper Al-Resalah reports that Hamas believes that Abbas's 
announcement proves the failure of negotiations and that trying to 
work with Israel has reached a dead end, which proves the accuracy 
of Hamas's vision, according to coverage. 
 
Maher Al-Taher, member of the Political Bureau for the Palestinian 
Front for the Liberation of Palestine, is quoted in Hamas press as 
saying that President Abbas took this decision after he realized 
that "Israel doesn't want peace but rather wants to destroy the 
Palestinian cause," and accused the US of being supportive and 
biased towards Israel. 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00002018  002 OF 003 
 
 
Maan News Network quotes Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri as saying 
Abbas' speech was "a symbol of failure after America and Israel used 
him as a tool."  He also said "We advise Abbas to ... face the 
Palestinian people and tell them frankly that the path of 
negotiations has failed.  Halt negotiations with the occupier and 
take practical steps toward [national Palestinian] reconciliation." 
 
Pan Arab media and local outlets covered the speech live and invited 
local and Arab political figures to comment on the speech. 
Al-Jazeera interviewed Abdel Bari Atwan, the Chief editor for 
London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, who criticized Secretary 
Clinton's remarks regarding the announcement.  Atwan noted that 
Clinton is not concerned that Abbas will not run for re-election, 
which he considered very humiliating.  Atwan considered the decision 
by Abbas to be very courageous and commended him for it. 
---------------- 
Editorial Notes: 
---------------- 
 
Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title "Abu 
Mazen's Message..." (11/6):  "President Abbas is extremely 
disappointed in the change in President Obama's position and the US 
adoption of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's position regarding 
the situation... The only thing that may make Abu Mazen change his 
mind is to achieve real progress in the peace process and to see the 
US impose greater pressure on Israel regarding settlements and 
Jerusalem." 
 
------------------------ 
Opinion Leader Reaction: 
------------------------ 
 
Well-respected Palestinian veteran journalist, media analyst and 
blogger Wafa Amr told us that the Palestinian public, for the most 
part, understands Abbas' frustration and support his decision not to 
run for re-election.  She said that even though Abbas has threatened 
to resign more than once in the past, the current circumstances and 
general Palestinian "disappointment" with the American stance on 
settlements have given credibility to his announcement.  Amr added 
that Abbas reached the firm conclusion that the Obama administration 
will not deliver on its promises and Abbas' announcement will either 
distance him from an inevitable failure, or force the Americans to 
exert pressure on Israel.  She said Abbas' frustration was evident, 
as he has never criticized the American position in such a direct 
way before.  "He's clearly had enough," she concluded. 
 
Dr. Nabeel Kassis, President of Birzeit University, told us he had 
expected Abbas' decision calling it "a good move" and that we'll 
have to wait to see what the next few days brings.  Kassis did 
express surprise at the American reaction towards the move of Abu 
Mazen - namely, that there was no push for Abbas to reconsider. 
 
 
-------------------- 
Cyberspace Reaction: 
-------------------- 
 
Most Palestinian bloggers support President Abbas' decision.  Some 
ask the President to go one step further and break down the PA and 
revert to pre- Oslo status.  Many bloggers who regularly criticize 
Abbas are now praising him.  Maher Al-Sadeeq blogs under the 
headline "Thank You Mr. Abbas," saying that this is the first time 
he sees such a courageous position from Abbas and he hopes it will 
 
JERUSALEM 00002018  003 OF 003 
 
 
continue. 
 
Abu Sa'da entitled his most recent blog "More on America and the 
'New Beginning Policy.'"  Abu Sa'da describes Secretary Clinton as 
the White House's "Blondie," saying, "Just minutes after President 
Mahmoud Abbas finished his speech... The White House's Blondie, 
Hillary Clinton, announced her indifference to the President's 
(Abbas') decision."  He calls for the US to declare its policy a 
failure and follow the lead of President Abbas. 
 
COMMENT:  The media is reflecting the general mood of satisfaction 
with Abu Mazen's move.  After a long period of impotence in the face 
of perceived U.S.- Israeli collusion on settlement activity, 
Goldstone manipulations, home evictions in Jerusalem, and Temple 
Mount incitement, this was the least Abu Mazen could do - even if 
the ramifications remain unclear. 
 
 
 
 
 
RUBINSTEIN