VZCZCXRO6456
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2319/01 3621333
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281333Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7105
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 8016
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4983
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4833
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6321
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4752
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3356

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 002319 
 
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 (12/28): The PA continues to 
condemn the killing of three Palestinians by Israeli forces in 
Nablus 
 
------------ 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The three dailies lead with stories on the activities in the West 
Bank and Gaza to commemorate the first anniversary of the Gaza war. 
President Abbas reiterated that the PA will pursue "war criminals 
and bring them to justice" and called on the Palestinian factions to 
end the state of division and achieve national unity. 
 
The local press continues to report on the Palestinian Authority 
(PA) condemnation of the Israeli attack against Palestinians in 
Nablus on Saturday. PA Presidency Secretary General Tayyeb Abdel 
Rahim gave condolences to the families of the Palestinians who were 
killed on behalf of PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Independent daily 
Al-Ayyam front pages news on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 
Netanyahu congratulating his army for the operation in Nablus during 
the ministerial cabinet meetiQyesterday. Citing an Israeli source, 
Al-Ayyam and PA official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida report that 
Washington is asking for more information from the Israeli 
government regarding the incident. 
 
The local press publishes contradictory reports regarding the 
prisoner exchange deal. While independent daily Al-Quds quotes Prime 
Minister Netanyahu saying that an agreement is still a long way off, 
Al-Ayyam reports on Hamas and Egypt saying that 90% of the 
disagreements over the deal have been resolved and that it is almost 
complete. Israeli Radio reported on Egyptian Foreign Ministry 
Spokesman Husam Zaki saying yesterday that Hamas agreed to the 
expulsion of some of the released prisoners. 
 
Citing Israeli TV Channel 10, the dailies report that the Israeli 
Housing Ministry issued new construction tenders yesterday to build 
692 housing units in Jerusalem settlements. 
 
---------------- 
Weekend Stories: 
---------------- 
 
Sunday, December 27: 
 
The three dailies lead with stories on Israeli forces killing six 
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Saturday. The Israeli forces 
killed three Fatah activists who were suspected of killing a settler 
on Thursday. The men were unarmed and killed in front of their 
families in their homes in Nablus, according to reports. A family 
member of one of the targets was also killed by a fire that ignited 
after shots were fired. The three Palestinians killed in Gaza were 
workers collecting trash near the border fence. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, 
Spokesperson for the PA Office of the President said in a press 
release, "The Israeli escalation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and 
Israel's return to the policies of assassinations and random 
killings under lame excuses reveals that the occupation's government 
has decided to destroy the security and stability of the Palestinian 
people. Israel wants to drag our people into a cycle of violence to 
avoid political pressures and obligations." Prime Minister Salam 
Fayyad condemned the operation, calling it a grave escalation that 
must be seen in the context of attempts to undermine the state of 
security and stability that the PA was able to achieve. Prime 
Minister Fayyad called for avoiding being dragged into a cycle of 
violence and chaos. 
 
Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run front page stories on 
 
JERUSALEM 00002319  002 OF 003 
 
 
confrontations that broke out Saturday morning in the East Jerusalem 
neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah when settlers attacked the residents. 
Eye-witnesses said that scores of settlers threw stones at the 
families and beat a French solidarity activist on the head with 
sticks, causing serious injuries. Three members of one family were 
also injured by the settlers. Resident Amal Al Qassem said that the 
Israeli police allowed the settlers to escape instead of arresting 
them. Al Qassem added "All the settlers' attacks are carried out 
under the protection of the Israeli police forces. Anyone from the 
neighbourhood who complains is taken away and interrogated by the 
police." 
 
Al-Ayyam runs a front page story quoting well-informed sources 
saying that contrary to reports, Hamas leader Dr. Mahmoud Az Zahhar 
did not leave Gaza until Saturday, which some say signifies Hamas' 
dissatisfaction with Israel's most recent proposal regarding the 
prisoners' exchange deal. According to the sources, the recent 
Israeli proposal included an approval to release 438 prisoners from 
the list of 450 prisoners put forward by Hamas. The Israeli 
government continues to have reservations about the release of 12 
prisoners, including leaders from Fatah, Hamas and the Palestinian 
Front for the Liberation of Palestine. 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front page news on Arab League 
Secretary General Amr Moussa saying, in the first clear and public 
criticism of Hamas since the 2007 coup, that Hamas must sign the 
reconciliation agreement without any further delay since Fatah has 
already signed it. While calling for accelerating the reconciliation 
process and refraining from providing any excuses to delay it, 
Moussa said "The Palestinian division has served a severe blow to 
the Palestinian cause and we don't want the blow to be fatal." Hamas 
spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri accused Moussa of "shunning his 
responsibilities by making such statements," reiterating that Hamas 
will not give in to any pressures or blackmailing attempts to change 
its position. 
 
Saturday, December 26: 
 
The three dailies lead with stories quoting Izzat Risheq, a member 
of the Hamas political bureau, confirming that Hamas will deliberate 
the Israeli response regarding the prisoners' exchange deal in a 
two-day meeting in Damascus before delivering its final response 
through the German mediator. Khaled Abdel Majeed, the secretary 
general of the coalition of Palestinian factions in Damascus stated 
that the disagreement revolves around Israel's refusal to release 
nine leaders who are serving long sentences and the Israeli 
government's insistence to expel 123 prisoners, including 90 to the 
Gaza Strip, 20 to Qatar, and 13 to other countries. 
 
The three dailies also run front page stories on hundreds of 
Palestinian, Israeli, and foreign solidarity activists participating 
in a demonstration against settlement activities in Jerusalem. 
Israeli police arrested eight Palestinians and peace activists while 
soldiers and police forces attacked the protestors with clubs. 
 
Al-Quds runs a front page story on Fatah Central Committee member 
Azzam Al Ahmad saying that Fatah will not accept any attempt to 
amend the national reconciliation document that was signed by Fatah. 
Al Ahmad called on Hamas to sign the document as is and stressed 
that they will not withdraw from the national dialogue unless Egypt 
declares a new position in this regard. Al Ahmad added that Fatah 
signed the paper, despite having comments and reservations and 
 
JERUSALEM 00002319  003 OF 003 
 
 
despite the tremendous pressure exerted by the US and some Arab 
countries against signing it. 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida carry front page stories on Hamas 
criticizing Egypt's placement of underground metal barriers along 
the Egyptian-Gaza border to prevent smuggling into Gaza through the 
tunnels. During a rally held in Gaza, Hamas leader Hamad Raqab told 
protestors "we expected the Egyptian army to support us, but 
unfortunately, the steel moved towards Gaza to strangulate it, to 
break it. But Gaza will not be broken." Meanwhile, Egyptian Minister 
of Foreign Affairs Aboul Gheit denied media reports that Egypt will 
stop the construction. Gheit said in a press release that "Egypt is 
not ready to stop protecting its people and borders." 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTE: 
------------ 
Al-Quds runs an editorial under the title "Without Conscious" that 
criticizes the international community for not showing any sympathy 
towards the crisis that resulted in Gaza after the war. The 
editorial blames the Europeans and Americans for not doing anything 
to punish Israel for its crimes against the people in Gaza while at 
the same time promoting human rights and justice. The writer 
concludes that the Western countries have to bear the responsibility 
for the continued suffering of the people of Gaza. 
 
RUBINSTEIN