VZCZCXRO5645
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2033/01 3160629
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120629Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6628
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 7943
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4910
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4760
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6248
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4679
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3271

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002033 
 
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 (11/12): The Palestinian Authority 
and Hamas signal a willingness to sign the Egyptian national 
reconciliation plan 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The three dailies lead with the commemoration of the 5th anniversary 
of Yasser Arafat's death on Wednesday. In his speech, Palestinian 
Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas said that "no negotiations 
will take place with Israel prior to halting all settlement 
activity." He also reiterated that the PA rejects a state with 
temporary borders. In addressing Hamas, Abbas said that Fatah is 
still in favor of achieving national reconciliation with Hamas based 
on the Egyptian proposal. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports on Ramattan News Agency closing its 
offices in Gaza in protest of a Hamas incursion of its premises on 
Wednesday and obstructing a press conference on the commemoration of 
the 5th anniversary of Arafat's death. In related news, the dailies 
report that Hamas did not allow commemoration activities to take 
place in Gaza and arrested tens of Fatah affiliates and supporters 
in Gaza. 
 
Maan reports on the Head of the Palestinian Legislative Council Aziz 
Dweik saying to Al-Jazeera Arabic yesterday that Hamas will sign the 
Egyptian proposal for national reconciliation before the end of the 
month. Al-Ayyam quotes Dweik noting that he will run for president 
if President Abbas resigns. 
 
The dailies report on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 
meeting with President Obama in Washington on Tuesday. Al Ayyam 
reports that Netanyahu seemed to be tense after the meeting and gave 
no indication of what was discussed. Al Quds quotes a senior 
official noting that the meeting between Netanyahu and Obama was an 
"ice breaker between the two." The headline reads the "US 
understands and respects the Israeli red lines." Israeli Defense 
Minister Ehud Barak is quoted in Al Quds as saying that the meeting 
"helped to identify a solid ground for the resumption of peace 
talks." Citing Ha'aretz, Al-Hayat Al-Jadia reports that the US was 
disappointed with the meeting. 
 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam front page news on the Palestinian 
Liberation Organization Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat saying that 18 
years of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations failed and stressed that 
President Abbas is convinced now that it is impossible to establish 
a Palestinian state under the current Israeli government led by 
Prime Minister Netanyahu. 
 
The dailies and Maan report on Hamas Prime Minister Isma'el Haniyeh 
telling a delegation from the International Committee of the Red 
Cross that Hamas is "not looking for more violence," but that he was 
sure Israel has "plans to target the Gaza Strip once again." 
 
Hamas newspaper Al-Resalah reports on Israeli Foreign Minister 
Avigdor Lieberman noting that President Abbas rejected the prisoner 
exchange deal between Hamas and Israel which included the release of 
450 Palestinian prisoners, claiming that their release would 
increase the violence against Fatah members in the West Bank and 
Gaza. 
 
 Wednesday, November 11: 
 
The three dailies report on the Israeli authorities issuing 25 new 
home demolition orders against Palestinian houses in the Beit-Hanina 
neighborhood of East Jerusalem yesterday, claiming that the owners 
 
JERUSALEM 00002033  002 OF 002 
 
 
lack the appropriate building permits. 
 
Al Quds front pages news citing Israeli TV Channel 10 that the 
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a telegraph stating 
that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is considering resigning 
from her position because she is not satisfied with her duties. The 
coverage notes that Secretary Clinton did not confirm this news. 
------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
 
Al-Quds runs an editorial under the title "Abbas' Positions Are 
Clear...Any Listeners?" (11/12): "After President Abbas laid out the 
requirements he deems necessary for resuming peace talks with the 
Israelis, including the cessation of settlement activity and ending 
the occupation, things became clearer to everyone. But the question 
remains, will the international community, Israel and the US listen 
and respond to these requirements and help move the peace process 
forward?" 
 
 
RUBINSTEIN