Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (02/25): More Demolition Orders

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TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS

SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/25): More demolition orders
for homes in East Jerusalem

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Main Stories:
-------------The dailies front page news that the Israeli
municipality of Jerusalem distributed 12 demolition orders against
Palestinian houses in Silwan (East Jerusalem), including houses that
were built before 1967, claiming that they lack the appropriate
building permits. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that the Israeli
Minister of Interior said that Israel intends to confiscate land in
East Jerusalem which belongs to a Palestinian citizen to build a
parking lot for settlers on it. In related news, Al-Quds and
Al-Ayyam report on settlers attacking the Ghawi and Hanoun families
in Sheikh Jarrah yesterday, leading to confrontations between
Palestinian citizens and the settlers. Six Palestinians were injured
by tear gas.

Al-Ayyam continues to lead with news on the protests in the West
Bank (mainly in Hebron) for the third consecutive day against the
Israeli announcement to add two holy sites in the West Bank to its
list of heritage sites. Reports note that there will be more
demonstrations tomorrow throughout the West Bank. Al-Quds reports
that Yasser Abed Rabbo condemned the Israeli decision and accused
Israel of confiscating the Palestinian heritage. Abed Rabbo noted
that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will follow up on this issue
with all Arab and international bodies. Al-Ayyam, citing Yedioth
Ahronot, reports that settlers in the West Bank sent a letter to
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging him to add two more
tombs in Hebron to the list.

The three dailies continue to run front page coverage on
developments in the investigation of the murder of Hamas leader
Al-Mabhouh in Dubai last month. Reports note that the Dubai police
accused 15 more individuals carrying foreign passports of
involvement in the murder. The total number of suspects is now 26.
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, citing Haaretz, reports that the son of Hamas
leader Hasan Yousef has been a "spy" for Israel for more than 10
years and that he was behind the murder of Al-Mabhouh. Hasan Yousef
and Hamas denied this news.

The dailies quote Secretary Clinton testifying before Congress
yesterday saying that she hopes the Palestinian-Israeli peace
negotiations will resume soon. Al-Quds runs a separate front page
story citing the London based Al-Hayat reporting that the
Palestinian-Israeli indirect negotiations will begin in two weeks,
according to Palestinian sources. The report notes that PA President
Mahmoud Abbas initially agreed to indirect talks but needs to get
the green light from the Arab states after the Arab Follow-Up
Committee meeting scheduled for next Tuesday.
------------
BLOCK QUOTE:
------------
Under the title "Too Many Initiatives.... Too Little Action," an
editorial in Al-Quds argues that there is no need to look for or
create any initiatives other than that Arab peace initiative, which
was approved by 57 Arab and Muslim states. The Arab initiative
should be the framework for any peace prospects in the region. The
author criticizes the "endless" European and American efforts to
continue drafting initiatives while no concrete actions are taken on
the ground.
RUBINSTEIN

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