ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TEL AVIV 001631

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD

WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC FOR NEA STAFF

JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL
PARIS ALSO FOR POL
ROME FOR MFO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IS KMDR MEDIA REACTION REPORT
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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All media reported on the Cairo talks and their
conclusion with an agreement on a temporary state of
calm, known in Arabic as tahdia. According to a report
in Yediot, PA Chairman Mahmud Abbas sought to achieve a
long-term cease-fire, or hudna, but the Palestinian
factions refused, preferring to maintain their freedom
to engage in militant action. This morning Israel
Radio cited PM Sharon as saying, in the course of a
telephone conversation with Egyptian President Mubarak,
that the agreement reached in Cairo is an initial
positive step; however, Palestinian factions should be
disarmed in the interest of the continuation of the
peace process.

Yediot reports that as of next week, the security
establishment has decided to ban settlers from moving
to Gush Katif in order to block a massive move of
residents to Gaza with the purpose of disrupting the
disengagement move. All media reported on a mass
prayer yesterday in Neve Dkalim, attended by some
10,000 people, to stop the disengagement plan. The
rift between settlers advocating an all-out struggle
against the pull-out and those who want to campaign for
a better compensation deal was also covered.

Leading media reported that U.S. President George W.
Bush has invited PM Sharon to his Crawford, Texas ranch
in April for the first time for talks on boosting the
Middle East peace process. U.S. government sources
were cited as saying that the decision to move the
location from Washington to the ranch is meant to help
advance the peace process, and as expressing President
Bush's support of Sharon.

Maariv bannered this morning that Jewish investors from
overseas have secretly purchased from the Greek
Orthodox church in Jerusalem the Ibn al-Hitab compound
in the Old City, between the Jaffa Gate and the Arab
market, including the Imperial Hotel and the Palace
Hotel. Palestinians are said to be in shock at this
development.

All media reported on the arrival of the new Egyptian
Ambassador, Mohammed Assem Ibrahim, in Israel, after
the four-year absence of an Egyptian Ambassador.

Yediot quoted Finanace Minister Netanyahu as promising
that the vote on the budget will have sufficient
support by the deadline at March 31 at 23:59.
Meantime, Haaretz reported this morning that the vote
in the Knesset Finance Committee on the budget has been
postponed to next Wednesday, since the coalition
appeared to lack the necessary votes. Maariv led with
the headline: "Shinui and Am Echad said "no" to
Sharon." Israel Radio reported this morning on a rift
among Shinui party leadership with regard to their vote
on the budget. Shinui Chairman Tommy Lapid slandered a
few of his colleagues, accusing them of hindering their
party's platform by saying in public that their lack of
support for the budget will interrupt the disengagement
move.

According to Teleseker's poll published in today's
Maariv, 40% of Israelis (including 28% of Likud
constituencies) support the immediate evacuation of the
illegal outposts. Only 20% (30% of right wing voters)
are categorically against any evacuation. 20% agree to
evacuation, however, only following the disengagement.

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1.Mideast:
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Summary:
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Senior Arab Affairs op-ed writer Zvi Bar'El wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The more important
aspects of the agreements reached yesterday lie in the
new relationship between the PA and the Palestinian
opposition groups, including their participation in the
local elections, scheduled for May, and those for the
Legislative Assembly, set for July, as well as their
political cooperation in the future."

Senior columnist and long time dove Yoel Marcus wrote
in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Anyone who
thinks that the pullout will end with disengagement
from Gaza should pay attention to what President Bush
is saying about a Palestinian state being established
on contiguous territory. "

Correspondent Efraim Ganor wrote in popular, pluralist
Russian-language Novosty Nedely (March 17): "Apparently
PM Sharon has problems not only with the rebels in his
own [Likud] party and the state budget, but ... also
with the U.S. - Israel's main ally. ... The White House
is very upset with Sharon for not fulfilling his
obligations. One can only guess what would happen
should Israel not make the serious and painful
concessions Washington is to demand in the nearest
future."

Columnist Caroline Glick wrote in conservative,
independent Jerusalem Post: "The only thing left for
the Israeli public to do is to demand new general
elections. "



Block Quotes:
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1. "The start of a new relationship"

Senior Arab Affairs op-ed writer Zvi Bar'El wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz : "The gathering of
the Palestinian factions and the leadership of the
Palestinian Authority in Cairo... not in a crisis, but
in an agreement that was well-known in advance for the
most part.... The more important aspects of the
agreements reached yesterday lie in the new
relationship between the PA and the Palestinian
opposition groups, including their participation in the
local elections, scheduled for May, and those for the
Legislative Assembly, set for July, as well as their
political cooperation in the future. This is a
significant change in the attitude of Hamas, which
refused in 1996 to participate in the elections that it
regarded as the result of the Oslo process. It is also
a withdrawal from terms initially posed by the group,
when they asked for a 40 percent quota of
parliamentarians, before the elections were held. But
the continuation of the hudna is not merely a tactical
ploy to bring calm to the area, but a return for the
commitment of Mahmoud Abbas to carry out structural
reforms in the Palestinian leadership."





2. "8 comments on the situation"

Senior columnist and long time dove Yoel Marcus wrote
in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Everyone knows
that a camel is a horse designed by a committee. The
government's decision to appoint a ministerial
committee to study Talia Sasson's report on the
unauthorized settlements is a stalling tactic at best
and an attempt to turn the horse into a kosher camel at
worst. But anyone who thinks that the pullout will end
with disengagement from Gaza should pay attention to
what President Bush is saying about a Palestinian state
being established on contiguous territory, i.e., land
that is basically settlement-free. Friendship is all
very nice, but Bush is the redhead type. I wouldn't
want to get him mad."





3. "When the White House Gets Upset"

Correspondent Efraim Ganor wrote in popular, pluralist
Russian-language Novosty Nedely (March 17):"Apparently
PM Sharon has problems not only with the rebels in his
own [Likud] party and the state budget, but ... also
with the U.S. - Israel's main ally... Israel has not
fulfilled part of the obligations it committed itself
to (establishment of a joint U.S.-Israeli committee
that would define the borders of Jewish settlements in
the West Bank; Israel has to pass the Americans a list
of unauthorized outpost settlements in 30 days,
including the date for their dismantling; build the
security fence as discussed; an assurance to forward a
map with all the check-posts in the West Bank.) ... The
GOI seems to avoid the obligations it committed itself
to. It seems like PM Sharon personally stands behind
this. Since his disengagement plans aroused protests
among the right wing in general and Likud party in
particular, PM Sharon decided not to stop construction
in the Jewish settlements. He also prefers not to
provide the U.S. with a list of unauthorized outpost
settlements which are subject to dismantling. ... The
White House is very upset with Sharon for not
fulfilling his obligations. One can only guess what
would happen should Israel not make the serious and
painful concessions Washington is to demand in the
nearest future."





4. "Sharon's Terror Masters"

Columnist Caroline Glick wrote in conservative,
independent Jerusalem Post: "Unfortunately, the answer
to all these questions - unasked by the Israeli media -
is internal Israeli politics. Once Sharon abandoned
his natural support base and preferred instead the
embrace of the Left, he has boxed himself into a
situation where he can do nothing except advance the
Left's agenda of appeasing terrorists. ... Given this
state of affairs, the inevitable conclusion is that the
only thing left for the Israeli public to do is to
demand new general elections. With Sharon now fully
committed to a policy that is manifestly dangerous to
the state, he must be replaced by a leader who has not
so committed himself. It is the only chance that
Israel has to prevent the establishment of a new base
for global terror on the outskirts of Ashkelon [in
Gaza]."

KURTZER