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DE RUEHJM #0188/01 0320903
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 010903Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7438
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 8071
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5026
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4870
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6358
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4789
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3393

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000188 
 
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 (02/01): Settlement-related 
stories dominate the local press for the past three days 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
 
The dailies run front page stories on today's laying of the 
"foundation stone" for new houses in a settlement south of Hebron. 
The dailies quote Hebron mayor Al-Aaraj warning of an outbreak in 
violence if the Israeli government continues its settlement 
activities. Al-Ayyam and Al-Quds report on their front pages that 
Israeli forces are planning to re-occupy the "Osh Al-Ghorab" area in 
Beit Sahour. The IDF evacuated their military base from that area in 
¶2006. Al-Quds reports that settlers welcome this step, hoping that 
they can turn it into a settlement post. 
 
The dailies highlight Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud 
Abbas' visit to Berlin. A headline in Al-Quds quotes Abbas saying 
that there will be no negotiations with Israel before a complete 
freeze of all settlement activities. In a separete headline, Abbas 
is quoted in an interview with The Guardian saying that the 
continuation of settlement activities will result in a one state 
solution. 
 
---------------- 
Weekend stories: 
---------------- 
 
Sunday, January 31: 
 
Al-Quds runs a front page story reporting on the article that 
appeared in Time Magazine about the future of the peace process. The 
story reports that experts believe that the prospects of a two-state 
solution are declining and Palestinians' confidence in realizing 
peace is vanishing. 
 
Al-Quds runs a separate front page story quoting Hatem Abdel Qader, 
the Fatah official responsible for Jerusalem affairs saying that the 
Israeli Parks Authority will confiscate 1000 dunums of land south of 
the Isawiyyeh neighbourhood in East Jerusalem to create a new 
national park. The plan includes demolishing dozens of homes and 250 
residential units. Residents have been working on a plan to expand 
the neighbourhood for a few years due to natural growth and the 
hundreds of families who moved to Issawiyyeh over the past few years 
due to the construction of the separation wall. Abdel Qader said 
that the Israeli plan fails to take this into consideration. 
 
Saturday, January 30 
 
The local press highlight and the three dailies run front page 
stories on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying 
yesterday that the Ariel settlement "will remain forever an integral 
part of the state of Israel and of Eretz Israel." Netanyahu added 
"we want to enhance peace and cooperation with our neighbours but 
this should not prevent us from living here and continuing to plant 
and build our lands. We are here in the heart of our country. Our 
forefathers lived here and we will continue to live here." Netanyahu 
made similar pledges and statements during his visits to the Gush 
Etzion settlement near Bethlehem and Ma'ale Adumim settlement east 
of Jerusalem. 
 
Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam run front page stories on the Jerusalem 
Municipality's local committee for zoning and construction approving 
a plan to transform 660 dunums of land in the Isawiyyeh 
neighbourhood of East Jerusalem into a national park. This step will 
 
JERUSALEM 00000188  002 OF 002 
 
 
deprive the town of any possibilities for future expansion on its 
land, even though part of this approved land had previously been 
approved for expanding the Arab town, according to reports first 
published by the Israeli weekly Yerushalayym. The report added, "By 
approving the transformation of 660 dunums of lands at the slopes of 
Mount Scopus into a national park, part of which were set for 
expanding the Palestinian town, the committee proved that there is 
nothing better than using archaeological sites as a pretext for 
realizing political objectives and realities on the ground." 
 
Al-Ayyam runs a front page story on Israeli sources confirming that 
Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to a proposal made by Special Envoy 
George Mitchell whereby initial negotiations between the Israelis 
and Palestinians to be indirect, similar to those Turkey has 
conducted between Israel and Syria. The sources added "the proposal 
is for Mitchell to move back and forth between Jerusalem and 
Ramallah, conveying messages regarding the positions of both parties 
regarding the final status core issues. Following that, low-level 
negotiations may start to test whether or not it would be possible 
to move to the comprehensive mode of negotiations with the two 
leaders." According to the same sources, Mitchell made the same 
suggestion to President Abbas, who has not yet responded. 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTE: 
------------ 
 
Talal Okal opines in Al-Ayyam under the title "The Priority of 
Politics on Ground" saying, "The operation executed by Mosad agents 
in a Dubai hotel against Al-Qassam 'struggler and leader' Mahmoud 
Al-Mabhooh is starting to reveal itself slowly...The timing is 
important. If Israel wanted calm it wouldn't have executed the 
operation. It's clear that Israel is trying to lure reactions from 
Hamas and other Palestinian groups in its efforts to create an 
excuse to launch new wars." 
 
 
RUBINSTEIN