VZCZCXRO1636
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2298/01 3550834
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210834Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7065
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 8010
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4977
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4827
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6315
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4746
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3350

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002298 
 
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 (12/21): Prisoner exchange deal 
could be imminent 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The three dailies run front page coverage on today's Israeli cabinet 
meeting to discuss the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. 
Independent daily Al-Quds cites Israeli TV saying that the ball is 
in Israel's court now regarding the deal, noting that the next hours 
will be decisive. 
 
The three dailies also front page news on Palestinian Authority (PA) 
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's visit to Bethlehem yesterday to 
inaugurate several development projects. Prime Minister Fayyad is 
quoted in the dailies reiterating the importance of pursuing state 
building measures to create new facts on the ground. 
 
Al-Quds runs an article citing Israeli government sources revealing 
news on a new US plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 
The coverage notes that the US realizes its mistake of focusing on 
permanent solutions with high expectations, and will now work 
towards temporary solutions. The proposed plan calls for allowing 
the PA to have full control over 60% of the West Bank, according to 
coverage. 
 
Citing the PA official news agency Wafa, Al-Quds front pages news on 
PA President Mahmoud Abbas' interview with Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, 
published yesterday. Abbas noted that he decided not to run for 
re-election because he realized that the peace process reached a 
dead end. 
 
In related news, the dailies report that Secretary Clinton 
telephoned President Abbas yesterday to discuss peace efforts and 
the latest developments in the region. 
 
---------------- 
Weekend stories: 
---------------- 
Sunday, December 20: 
Al Ayyam runs front page coverage of Palestinian Liberation 
Organization (PLO) Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat confirming that the 
PA is working towards asking the UN Security Council to declare the 
borders of a Palestine state. The PA is also going to ask the 
International Court of Justice to issue a decision regarding the 
Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories of 1967, and 
requesting that Switzerland implement the Fourth Geneva Convention 
regarding protection of civilians during times of war. Erekat told 
WAFA agency, "We are working on several fronts to end the 
occupation." 
Al Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run front page stories on an 
Egyptian security source stating that Egypt is strengthening and 
reinforcing security measures on its borders with the Gaza Strip 
after drilling equipment used to build the proposed underground 
steel wall came under Palestinian fire for three days in a row. The 
source added that Egypt deployed 300 policemen and intensified 
patrols along the borders and in areas of drilling. The source told 
Reuters "we sent new police forces to the borders with Gaza 
following repeated shooting incidents from the Palestinian side." 
Al Quds and Al Ayyam run front page stories on former President 
Jimmy Carter calling on the international community to end the 
suffering of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. In an article 
published by The Guardian yesterday, President Carter discussed the 
deterioration of the peace process between the Palestinians and the 
Israelis, noting that the peace process is almost dead. President 
Carter also pointed to Israel's continued settlement expansion and 
 
JERUSALEM 00002298  002 OF 002 
 
 
the PLO leaders' refusal to join renewed peace talks without a 
settlement freeze as obstacles. President Carter added that the U.S. 
has impeded Egyptian efforts to resolve differences between Hamas 
and Fatah that could have lead to elections next year. Carter noted, 
"Despite offers by Palestinian leaders and humanitarian 
organizations to guarantee that imported materials will not be used 
for military purposes, cement, wood, and panes of glass are not 
permitted to pass into Gaza. The US and other nations have accepted 
this situation without forceful corrective action." 
 
Saturday, December 19: 
 
Al Quds carries front page news on an Egyptian diplomatic source 
telling Saudi newspaper Al Watan that Israel will provide Cairo with 
its response to the prisoners' exchange deal within the next 48 
hours. The source stated that the current disagreement between 
Israel and Hamas revolves around 50 people Hamas wants released from 
Israeli jails, including Fatah leader Marwan Al Barghouthi. Reports 
note that under the terms of the deal, Israel will release 
approximately 1400 Palestinian prisoners in return for the release 
of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The source also stated 
that 150 of the released Palestinian prisoners will be expelled to 
the Gaza Strip or outside the Palestinian Territories. 
 
Al Quds runs a front page story quoting Israeli sources stating that 
Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed a coordinator to help the 
government, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Israeli Ministry of 
Interior to accelerate the demolition of more than 7,000 Palestinian 
homes in East Jerusalem under the pretext of fighting unlicensed 
construction activities. According to Israeli sources, the 
Municipality has identified Silwan (Al Bustan area in particular) as 
a priority for implementing this plan. 
 
The three dailies run front page stories on two teenage brothers and 
a journalist who were hospitalized after sustaining injuries Friday 
during an attack carried out by a group of Israeli settlers against 
a family in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. Local 
sources reported that a group of settlers attacked the home of the 
Attayeh family, who live near the recently seized home of the Al 
Ghawi family. Nuha Attayeh said that settlers attacked them while 
they were inside their home and condemned the fact that Israeli 
police forces did nothing to prevent the attack that was unfolding 
in front of them. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTE: 
------------ 
Wahid Abdel Majid writing in Al-Quds under the title "Barak Obama 
after Receiving the Nobel Prize - Peace or War?" raises questions 
about whether or not President Obama deserved to win the Nobel Peace 
Prize. The writer discusses two arguments. The first criticizes 
Obama for accepting the prize despite few, if any, achievements, 
while the second argues that Obama contributed to promoting change 
and dialogue among nations, and therefore deserved it. 
 
 
MARCHESE 
E