Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (06/05): Deep Palestinian Concern

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DE RUEHJM #0888/01 1561028
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O 051028Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4973
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 7709
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4687
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4534
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6028
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4449
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3026

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000888

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 (06/05): DEEP PALESTINIAN CONCERN
OVER CONTINUED DIVISION

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Main Stories:
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President Obama's June 4 speech received extensive, overwhelmingly
positive coverage in all Palestinian media, broadcast, on-line and
print. All dailies lead with front page coverage highlighting
Obama's remarks regarding a new beginning with the Muslim world,
U.S. opposition to Israeli settlement expansion and support for a
resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. All dailies posted
the full text of the speech on inside pages. Papers also run
numerous articles about official Palestinian and Israeli reaction to
the speech and editorial and analytical pieces. Please see
separate, Special Jerusalem Media Reaction for detailed reporting on
coverage of the Cairo speech.

Al-Ayyam runs an exclusive interview with President Obama by
prominent Palestinian journalist Wafa Amr, drawn from Amr's
participation in the special press roundtable after the speech. The
above the fold feature, under a dramatic red font headline,
highlights Obama's statement in response to Israel's request for
time to review its policy, "60 years of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict have passed. We can wait a few more months before making
further decisions or taking steps towards resolving the conflict."
Amr also notes that the President reiterated his commitment to
ending the conflict, but refused to put a timeframe on relaunching
the peace process.

All dailies front page news on June 4 confrontations in Qalqilyah
between Hamas militants and Palestinian Authority police which
resulted in the killing of one police and two militants.
Palestinian factions condemned the attacks and stressed that the
incidents hinder chances of achieving progress in "national
dialogue" (Palestinian unity talks).

Al-Quds runs front page coverage citing "Tel Aviv" about U.S.
Special Envoy Mitchell meeting with a Jewish leader in Washington
last week. Addressing the question of possible U.S.-Israeli
tensions over a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the
paper reports that Mitchell stated, "the Israelis lied to us all the
time. That era has ended." The papers also noted that Mitchell
earlier met with Israeli Defense Minister Barak.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs a front page AFP article under the headline,
"a new enemy of West Bank settlements: Obama." The article quotes
"extremist activist" Nadia Matter noting, "Obama does not scare
us."

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs inside coverage about a U.S. Consulate
General delegation visit to the Tubas district on June 4. The
delegation met with the Tubas Governor who briefed them on the
impact of Israeli restrictions and obstacles, "imposed on the
ground." The delegation also toured areas "destroyed, demolished or
confiscated" by Israelis in the district.

All inside pages reported on a Foreign Commercial Service seminar
held on June 4 in Ramallah in cooperation with the
Palestinian-American Chamber of Commerce for Palestinian
Businessmen. The seminar shared information with leading
Palestinian business leaders about the U.S.-Palestinian Authority
Duty Free Treatment agreement, designed to provide Palestinian
importers and exporters with greater access to the U.S. market.
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida ran photos of the seminar.
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BLOCK QUOTES:

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1) Dr. Naji Sadiq opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the
title "The Nakba caused the Palestinian crisis and division has
deepened it" [referring to recent violent confrontations in
Qalquilyah between Fatah and Hamas](06/05): "If division between
the Palestinian factions continues, it will squander all influence
available to the Palestinian people and derail any political efforts
to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict..."

WALLES

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