VZCZCXRO8313
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2128/01 3290958
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250958Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6771
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 7962
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4929
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4779
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6267
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4698
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3299

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002128 
 
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 (11/25): Contradicting Reports on 
Prisoner Exchange Deal 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
-------------Dailies continue to lead with the prisoner exchange 
deal and contradicting reports from Hamas and Israeli officials 
about its status.  Some Israeli officials report that the "deal is 
soon to happen" while Prime Minister Netanyahu denied the news and 
pointed out that such an agreement may not happen.  Other sources 
predict that a deal will be concluded in the coming hours. 
 
Dailies continue to report on President Abu Mazen's visit to 
Argentina and his speech yesterday before the Argentine parliament 
in which he said that President Obama is not doing anything at this 
stage to revive peace negotiations.  He stated that world peace 
cannot be achieved if double standards persist in the implementation 
of international law and that under the Land for Peace plan, 
settlement activity is "illegitimate." 
 
Dailies report that during yesterday's meeting between Prime 
Minister Fayyad and German Foreign Minister, Fayyad emphasized the 
important role international support plays in ending settlement 
expansion and protecting the two state solution. 
 
Dailies report on Prime Minister Fayyad's remarks yesterday at the 
opening session of the "International conference on the Palestinian 
prisoners" in Jericho, in which he stated that the treatment of 
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails must adhere to prisoner of 
war standards set forth in the Fourth Geneva Convention. 
Al-Quds, Ma'an and WAFA report on the IDF position that Berlanty 
Azzam, the Palestinian Student deported to Gaza last month, not be 
allowed to continue her studies at Bethlehem University.  The news 
comes following yesterday's decision by the Israeli High Court 
recommending that the IDF and Berlanty's representatives reach an 
agreement to allow Berlanty to pursue her studies and scheduling a 
follow up hearing on the issue in the next seven days. 
Dailies front page reports on an Israeli delegation conducting a 
secret visit to Oman last week. Due to the secrecy surrounding the 
visit, some reports speculated that the delegation discussed issues 
pertaining to sea water desalination while other reports suggested 
that the visit aimed at discussing means of re-launching 
Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. 
Citing the German Press Agency (DPA), Al-Ayyam front pages news 
that, in preparation for general elections, Fatah has established a 
new commission for elections and that Fatah has called on 
Palestinian factions to support the commission and hold elections to 
end the current state of internal division between Hamas and Fatah. 
 
 ------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------- 
The dailies ran several op-eds on the prisoner exchange deal and 
Israeli settlement activity. 
 
1) Adli Sadeq writing in the PA official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida 
under the title "A Deal For A Qfe" expressed hope that the prisoner 
exchange would succeed even if it results in empowering Hamas. 
2) Ashraf Ajrami, in a commentary, in independent daily Al-Ayyam, 
entitled "The Prisoner Release:  A Deal For The Hamas' Empire" 
expresses supports for the release of as many Palestinian prisoners 
as possible, but criticizes Hamas for its blunt announcements of a 
ceasefire with Israel.  Ajrami accuses Hamas of supporting Israeli 
 
JERUSALEM 00002128  002 OF 002 
 
 
interests and of accepting things that it never would have agreed to 
previously. 
3) Al-Quds runs an editorial under the title: "Israeli Manipulative 
Attempts To Bypass A Settlement Freeze."  The writer opines that 
Israeli attempts to get around a complete freeze of settlement 
construction will never be accepted by the Palestinians nor will 
such attempts create the conditions necessary for the establishment 
of a Palestinian state.  According to the writer, it would be better 
for the Government of Israel to "stop wasting time and effort 
expanding settlements and instead negotiate with the 
Palestinians...to not only freeze the settlements but also evacuate 
them." 
 
RUBINSTEIN