VZCZCXRO3230
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0033/01 0080921
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 080921Z JAN 10
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7201
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 8030
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4999
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4847
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6335
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4766
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3370

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000033 
 
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 (01/08): President Abbas says he 
is still waiting to see reported US peace plan 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The dailies lead with news on the US exerting intensified and high 
level efforts to resume peace talks between the Palestinians and 
Israelis that will lead to a final agreement within two years. In 
related news, the dailies report that Special Envoy George Mitchell 
said in an interview on the Charlie Rose show that peace 
negotiations should take no more than two years once they begin. He 
added that he plans to return to the region in the coming days in 
hopes of pushing the talks forward. Al-Quds reports on Palestinian 
Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas saying that the Palestinians 
have not seen the US plan. 
 
The dailies front page news on settlers from the Yitzhar settlement 
attacking Palestinian properties in the village of Bureen in south 
Nablus and cutting down more than 20 olive trees. The lead photos 
show a Palestinian woman screaming after the attack. 
 
The local press reports on Israel's military confirming that its 
warplanes carried out a series of raids on military sites throughout 
Gaza late Thursday night, resulting in the death of one Palestinian 
and injuring others. 
 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other six ministers 
agreed that Israel will continue the negotiation with Hamas 
regarding the prisoner exchange deal. According to Israeli reports, 
Netanyahu is reluctant to make a decision about the deal. 
 
The three dailies front page news that Israel complained to the US 
about the PA honoring individuals who committed attacks against 
Israelis. An anonymous senior Israeli official noted that Israel 
expressed its concern about the "incitement" that the PA is carrying 
out against it. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTE: 
------------ 
Ibrahim Shaban, writing in Al-Quds under the title "PR and 
Diplomatic Noise, Not More" believes that the current efforts by all 
parties claiming to push the peace process forward are not more than 
public relations and media strategies to pretend that there is hope 
in improving the situation. In Shaban's opinion, peace negotiations 
will never succeed with the continued settlement activities and 
Israeli attacks against the Palestinians. 
----------------------- 
Palestinian Cyberspace: 
----------------------- 
 
This week, Palestinian cyberspace focused on the updates on the 
"Viva Palestina" march to Gaza and speculation of a new Israeli 
offensive on Gaza. 
 
Several blogs and news sites are warning of a new Israeli military 
operation on Gaza. Video blog "Palestine Vlog" carried a report 
under the title "Israeli war games eye Gaza Occupation: Tanks enter 
Jabalia & leaflets on Gaza City." 
 
Social Media carried reports on several airstrikes launched by 
Israeli warplanes on the Gaza Strip. It also circulated reports on 
the Israeli Defense Forces training and preparation for another 
military campaign. 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00000033  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
RUBINSTEIN