Cablegate: Israel Media Reaction

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DE RUEHTV #2409/01 2191025
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P 071025Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
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RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0560
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 3319
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0192
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0657
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STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD

WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
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HQ USAF FOR XOXX
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS

SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
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Mideast

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Key Stories in the Media:
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Ha'aretz headlined that PM Olmert is considering a proposal to
transfer an area equivalent to 100% of the territory occupied in
1967 to the Palestinians as a basis for their state. Israel is also
considering trading settlements in the West Bank for Arab
communities within Israel if agreed to by their residents. The plan
was suggested to PM Olmert by President Shimon Peres. The office of
the PM issued a statement denying any such plans.

All media reported that the Monday meeting between PM Olmert and PA
Chairman Abbas in Jericho had a good atmosphere and that the
delegations discussed all issues. The media reported that Chairman
Abbas asked PM Olmert to release more Palestinian prisoners and to
remove additional names from Israel's wanted lists. PM Olmert told
Chairman Abbas that he will take this under consideration. Olmert
was quoted as saying that the joint vision is two countries side by
side.

Three thousand security personnel were involved in the removal of
protestors and settlers from the wholesale market in Hebron on
Tuesday morning. Israel Radio reported that during the evacuation
dozens of teenagers stood on roofs of the market throwing rocks,
eggs, and light bulbs at the security forces. The Radio reported
that according to police reports 13 security officials and 13
activists were wounded.

Media reported that on Monday, twelve IDF soldiers refused orders to
take part in the Hebron operation in the most wide-scale military
refusal since the Gaza disengagement. The soldiers were brought
before a disciplinary and were banned from participating in battle
missions.

Israel Radio reported that a Qassam rocket fired at Israel fell
short and killed two Palestinian children and wounded five more.
The media reported that a Qassam rocket landed in Sderot on Monday,
no casualties or damage was reported.
Ha'aretz quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that
negotiations with Hamas on the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad
Shalit were revived last week with Egyptian mediation.

Leading media reported that the Winograd Committee will allow those
who may be damaged by its conclusions to appear before it to defend
themselves.

Ha'aretz Internet web-site quoted State Department's special envoy
for Holocaust issues as saying that the section of the site devoted
to background notes on Germany would be altered following a protest
from The Simon Wiesenthal Center which claimed that key information
on the Holocaust was omitted.

Ha'aretz quoted Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store as
saying in a meeting with President Peres that Norway has broken all
of its ties with Hamas.

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Mideast:
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Summary:
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Senior veteran columnist Yoel Marcus wrote in the independent,
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "A conference that intends to discuss a
permanent agreement has to prepare everything in advance, down to
the last detail.... Is the current government of Israel prepared for
the Bush conference?"

Diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon wrote in the conservative,
independent Jerusalem Post: "The US needs a regional meeting in
November no less, and probably far more, than either the Israelis or
the Palestinians. The US needs this meeting to show the Iranians
that there is a coalition of the moderate Arab willing who will some
day stand up to them."

Palestinian affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff wrote in the
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The two leaders [PM Olmert and
PA Chairman Abu Mazen] find it important to present their talks,
which have become to be in fact diplomatic negotiation, as
especially positive even if the chances of reaching a permanent
agreement are not good."

Block Quotes:
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I. "Ehud and Ehud to the Summit"

Senior veteran columnist Yoel Marcus wrote in the independent,
left-leaning Ha'aretz (08/07): "The journalists who accompanied
Condoleezza Rice [in her visit to the ME] were vague on the
achievements of her short visit. Granted, in half a day here and
half a day there, you can't organize an international summit.
President George W. Bush came up with his two-state vision five
years ago, but in practice, he hasn't done a thing to make it
happen.... Bush is pushing for an international summit of moderate
countries in the region that are in favor of two democratic states
living in peace and security, saying no to violence and recognizing
Israel's right to exist.... A conference that intends to discuss a
permanent agreement has to prepare everything in advance, down to
the last detail.... Is the current government of Israel prepared for
the Bush conference?.... Is a prime minister who is up to his neck
in criminal investigations, and whose popularity in the opinion
polls has dropped below 10 percent, capable of reaching an agreement
that involves territorial concessions and dismantling
settlements?.... If Olmert survives the Winograd report and the
criminal inquiries against him without elections, the two of them
[Ehud PM Olmert and MoD Barak] can work things out and attend the
international summit together. Better to have Ehud and Ehud at the
conference table than Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Feiglin."

II. "Nothing but a Sideshow"
Diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon wrote in the conservative,
independent Jerusalem Post (08/07): "On the surface, it all looks so
very important.... When Olmert and Abbas sat down in Jericho's
Intercontinental Hotel ... they were talking about issues that
effect us deeply.... But these issues, as fundamental as they might
be, must be seen within the greater context of the overall tumult in
the Middle East and the US effort to do something -- anything -- to
contain it.... The US needs progress here to try and consolidate a
moderate Arab coalition as a counterbalance to the threatening
Shi'ite crescent. And there is no better way to breathe life into
this moderate coalition then to show diplomatic progress on the
Israeli-Palestinian front. The US needs a regional meeting in
November no less, and probably far more, than either the Israelis or
the Palestinians. The US needs this meeting to show the Iranians
that there is a coalition of the moderate Arab willing who will some
day stand up to them. The US, at some point, will leave Iraq, but
it is unlikely to do so unless it has assurances that there is a
coalition of states that will not just let Iran march into the
breach. It is in the US's interests to cobble this coalition
together as soon as possible.... We're important, but we're just one
brick in the anti-Iranian coalition the Americans want to form....
Israel and the Palestinians, or rather a possible
Israeli-Palestinian agreement, are the glue the US has in mind to
stick that coalition together. "

III. "Abbas Needs Success"

Palestinian affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff wrote in the
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (08/07): "Fruitless negotiations
with Israel might push him [PA Chairman Abbas] to renew talks with
Hamas leaders Khaled Mashal and Ismail Haniyeh. Israel understands
the chairman's sensitive situation.... The two leaders find it
important to present their talks, which have become to be in fact
diplomatic negotiation, as especially positive even if the chance of
reaching a permanent agreement are not good. Both parties are
concerned about a joint enemy -- Hamas --; both face political
rivals from home that challenge them.... Successful negotiations
with a framework agreement on establishing a Palestinian state would
protect Abu Mazen from the constant criticism by Hamas that he
cannot bring change or present a diplomatic horizon in his talks
with the Israelis."
JONES

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