Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV2212
2005-04-11 10:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

Tags:  IS KMDR MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TEL AVIV 002212 

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

--------------------------------
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
--------------------------------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TEL AVIV 002212

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

--------------
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
--------------


1. Upcoming Bush-Sharon Meeting


2. Mideast

--------------
Key stories in the media:
--------------


The leading media carried reports on the Gaza Strip
incident of 9 April in which three Palestinian youths
were killed by IDF fire, after which Katif Bloc
settlements were bombarded with some 80 mortars and
Qassam rockets that caused no damage. Ha'aretz
reported (10 April) that the Israeli security forces
fear the incidents might lead to an escalation in the
Gaza Strip area. Defense Minister Mofaz reportedly
called PA Chairman Abu-Mazen and told him that Israel
would not reconcile itself to the deterioration of the
situation.

Ha'aretz reported on 10 April that the U.S. State
Department advised American citizens to "carefully
weigh" travel to Israel and defer any unnecessary trips
to the territories. Israel's ambassador in Washington
Dan Ayalon said on Friday that the modified warning is
"a positive step. We hope it will lead to the warning's
complete cancellation." Israeli officials said the
State Department's advice to American travelers should
reflect the improved security in Israel in the past few
months. They said there is no reason for Israel to
continue suffering from reduced tourism when the safety
risk has been significantly reduced.

Yediot Aharonot cited Israeli intelligence sources (10
April) as assessing that Hamas has been drafting
documents with excuses for future terror attacks,
believing that the organization is preparing to resume
the fire. The sources estimated that, contrary to
previous assessments, Gaza Strip Palestinians have many
Strela rockets. On 11 April, Ha'aretz reported that
the Egyptians arrested a Palestinian who admitted under
questioning that he smuggled Soviet-made surface-to-air
Strela missiles into Gaza through Sinai.

On 11 April, Yediot Ahronoth reported that, preparing
to prevent a violent confrontation, the army the
security forces will collect all the IDF weapons in the
possession of the settlers in northern Samaria some two
weeks before the disengagement. Residents of the Katif
Bloc will also be required to hand over their weapons,
but only a day before leaving their homes. The IDF has

promised that there will be tighter security around the
settlements during evacuation, and that the settlers
will remain without weapons.

Ha'aretz reported (11 April) that a senior Central
Command officer as saying that there will be no change
to the legal status of the territory from which Israel
will be evacuating four settlements. The source added
he would recommend demolishing the buildings 'if there
is nobody to hand them over to.'

All media on 10 April carried banner headlines
regarding the expected demonstrations on the Temple
Mount, expressing fears of a conflagration. On 11
April, however, the media reported that 31 Jews and
eight Palestinians were detained as Temple Mount events
passed quietly. In related anti-disengagement rallies,
Ha'aretz reported on 11 April that 33 right-wing
activists, including two minors, were arrested
yesterday after blocking traffic in both directions on
the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. As in previous cases,
their action was organized to protest the disengagement
plan.

Yediot Aharonot (11 April) cited Israeli diplomatic
sources as fearing that a new prayer for Pollard's
release, written by the IDF chief rabbi, might provoke
a diplomatic incident while Sharon is the U.S.

"An American Helicopter, Israeli Brain" Maariv
headlined when reporting about the festive ceremony
held in Mitzpe Ramon on Sunday to welcome the first
three Longbow helicopters from the U.S. The paper noted
that the huge amount of money that was invested in the
project came mostly from the U.S. security assistance.

--------------

1. Upcoming Bush-Sharon Meeting:
--------------

Summary:
--------------

Left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz editorialized: "No
bitter surprises are believed to await Sharon in
Crawford.... Although the evacuation from Gaza is less
than all that is needed, it must first be assured that
it happens."

Yahad-Meretz Party head Yosi Beilin writes in left-
leaning, independent Ha'aretz: "The only question is
how serious Bush takes the commitment he took upon
himself -- to assist in bringing the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict to an end. During his first term
in office, he contributed very little to advance this
process. In his second term, he still has a period of
grace."

Washington-based correspondent Orli Azulay-Katz writes
in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "When
an American president is friendly, he expects something
in return and will not settle for a vague declaration."

Washington-based correspondent Nathan Gutman wrote in
left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz: "The administration
does not expect to solve the settlement issue today....
That message is that despite the support for
disengagement and the April 14, 2004 letter from Bush
to Sharon, the issue of the settlement construction is
not over, and the settlement freeze is still a matter
of contention."

Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in left-
leaning, independent Ha'aretz: "It appears that
Sharon's festive visit with Bush will become yet
another chapter in the tiresome bickering and infinite
search for the culprits in the breakdown of the
process."

Block Quotes:
--------------


1. "The Focus, According to Bush"

Left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz editorialized (April
10): "No bitter surprises are believed to await Sharon
in Crawford.... The Americans are now working on two
parallel tracks. The Palestinians are being required,
at the direction of General William Ward, to unify
their security services and reform their
administration. From Sharon, 'the father of the
settlements' in the words of Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, the demand is simple: translate words
into deeds, and see to it that in the summer of 2005
not one Israeli, soldier or settler, remains in Gaza.
That is the focus. All the rest -- outposts, Ma'aleh
Adumim, construction in population centers -- is
outside the scope of the lens. Bush is right in his
approach. Presidents who believed they had accomplished
a great deal with their demands found out they had
actually accomplished nothing. Although the evacuation
from Gaza is less than all that is needed, it must
first be assured that it happens."


2. "If Bush Is Really Serious"

Yahad-Meretz Party head Yosi Beilin writes in left-
leaning, independent Ha'aretz (April 10): "No one knows
when the second stage of the road map is supposed to
start, but it is clear to everyone that it leads to a
potential confrontation.... Bush can untangle this
knot. The U.S. should demand of Sharon that he fulfill
his commitments regarding the unauthorized outposts and
a settlement freeze. He should also be asked to define
exactly what the legal status of northern Samaria will
be after the settlements are evacuated from that area.
Bush, on his part, can give both sides an updated
timetable for the road map.... In light of the fact
that violations by both sides constitute one of the
central problems in the implementation of the road map,
it is important for Bush to establish the international
monitoring mechanism that is stipulated in the road map
but that has never been established.... The only
question is how serious Bush takes the commitment he
took upon himself -- to assist in bringing the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict to an end. During his first term
in office, he contributed very little to advance this
process. In his second term, he still has a period of
grace."


3. "The Price of Friendship"

Washington-based correspondent Orli Azulay-Katz writes
in mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: (April
10) "With their declarations yesterday that
construction in the territories will continue, Sharon
and his cabinet members spoiled the festive mood....
This is actually the reason why, when flying back from
Rome to Texas, President Bush used no uncertain terms
to disperse opacity and said he will unequivocally tell
Sharon in private that which he had said in public: a
total freeze of the settlements. When an American
president is friendly, he expects something in return
and will not settle for a vague declaration."


4. "Settlement Freeze vs. Settlements Please"

Washington-based correspondent Nathan Gutman wrote in
left-leaning, independent Ha'aretz (April 11): "Bush
is not looking for a crisis with Sharon. The Israeli
officials correctly diagnosed the main purpose of the
meeting: to help Sharon execute the disengagement and
to encourage him to cooperate with the Palestinians.
Thus, Bush is careful with his criticism.... The
administration does not expect to solve the settlement
issue today. From that perspective, indeed, the issue
is raised for the protocol, but the fact that the U.S.
constantly reiterates its criticism is an important
message for Israel. That message is that despite the
support for disengagement and the April 14, 2004 letter
from Bush to Sharon, the issue of the settlement
construction is not over and the settlement freeze is
still a matter of contention. It might not be
something either side wants to fight over right now,
but it is certainly on the agenda and is waiting for
the day after the departure from Gaza."


5. "Another Chapter of Tiresome Bickering"

Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (11 April):
"Sharon's visit was planned as a public relations
exercise, as a show of support on the part of President
George W. Bush for the prime minister and his
disengagement plan. There isn't much personal
chemistry between Sharon and Bush, but they need one
another.... The Americans wanted to urge Sharon to make
more gestures to strengthen Abbas; the Israeli side
wants to speak to the Americans about scenarios to deal
with Abbas' expected downfall.... And so it appears
that Sharon's festive visit with Bush will become yet
another chapter in the tiresome bickering and infinite
search for the culprits in the breakdown of the
process."
--------------

2. Mideast:
--------------

Summary:
--------------

Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in mass-
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Since there is
no Israeli policy, and we have no red lines.... each
round will be more aggressive than the previous one,
and disengagement will no longer be quiet and
coordinated."

Mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot
editorialized: "The cost and damage of a mass
destruction [of settlers' houses] move incredibly
exceeds its benefits, if there are any."

Block Quotes:
--------------


1. "No Policy"

Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in mass-
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (April 11): "IDF
lookouts spotted at least some of the launching points
of the Kassam rockets and mortar shells that were fired
over the weekend towards Gush Katif. But we decided
not to attack the launching points. To show
restraint.... The lack of response represents the third
option: There is simply no policy. For we have not yet
decided what we want from ourselves and from the
Palestinian Authority. The Israeli government has not
yet decided how exactly it is disengaging from the Gaza
Strip -- with coordination or unilaterally, will we
raze [the settlers' homes] or will we not? It has no
red lines in the activity against the Palestinians. It
has not even decided yet how to treat this phenomenon
known as Abu Mazen. Will a [military] response to
mortar shell fire weaken or strengthen him? It has
been a long time since the Israeli intelligence
agencies were so upset and divided over an issue as
over the question: Who are you, Abu Mazen?.... Since
there is no Israeli policy, and we have no red lines,
it remains only to wait for the next round of
rampaging. They will already come up with reasons on
their own. If Israel does not employ means of reining
them in -- each round will be more aggressive than the
previous one, and disengagement will no longer be quiet
and coordinated."

2. "Do Not Destroy"

Mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot
editorialized (April 10): "Only some 25 percent of the
Israeli public are in favor of the deliberate
demolition of settlers' houses during the evacuation.
Three quarters would rather see positive solutions that
leave the houses in place. This has also been the
consistent recommendation of the defense establishment
and its head, Defense Minster Mofaz.... The cost and
damage of a mass destruction move incredibly exceeds
its benefits, if there are any. Many of the Gaza
evacuees may sadly watch how their homes are given to
an international organization and then to the
Palestinians, but their grief cannot be the only
political yardstick of the GOI policy."
CRETZ