ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 003415 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: -------------- Mideast -------------- Key stories in the media: -------------- Leading media (banner in Jerusalem Post) quoted top Sharon aide Dov Weisglass as saying at a symposium on disengagement at Tel Aviv University Thursday that once Israel leaves Gaza, it will turn its sights on dismantling the illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank. Weisglass cited one or two "traumas" that have prevented Israel from fulfilling its promises to President Bush so far. The media also reported that Weisglass played down the rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. Israel Radio quoted Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as saying before a Likud forum Thursday that he would vote against disengagement when the cabinet is asked to approve it before implementation. He said that he decided to change his mind after senior security officials warned that the Palestinians regard disengagement as fleeing and not a choice made by Israel. Netanyahu was quoted as saying that he salutes former chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon and the heads of the security establishment who behaved courageously and voiced opposition against disengagement. Ha'aretz reported that about half the farmers in the Katif Bloc (Gush Katif) have reached tentative agreements with the government's Disengagement Administration to receive alternative agricultural lands inside Israel in place of the lands they will lose when the Gaza Strip is evacuated. Israel Radio reported that the two Palestinians from Islamic Jihad who were about to carry out a planned double suicide bombing in Jerusalem's Ramot neighborhood have been arrested. The radio also reported that prior to this, five members of another Islamic Jihad cell were arrested in the Hebron area. They had allegedly planned to carry out a suicide attack, kidnap soldiers and fire a rocket at an IDF position. Ha'aretz writes that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is interested in transferring three West Bank cities -- Qalqilya, Bethlehem, and Ramallah -- to the PA prior to the disengagement. Israel Radio cited The New York Times as saying, based on Israeli military officials, that Syria test-fired three Scud missiles, fragments of which landed in Turkey. Syria has reportedly apologized to Turkey. Jerusalem Post cited the predicament of the residents of Dahaniya in the Gaza Strip, a village known as the "den of collaborators," who fear they could be slaughtered after Israel's withdrawal from the Strip. Ha'aretz quoted Vice Premier Shimon Peres as saying Thursday at a meeting with Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayed that some 100,000 Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip will receive USD 100 a month from a fund aimed at helping Palestinian families in distress. The newspaper quoted the Indian ambassador to Israel as saying that his country would contribute USD 15 million to the fund. Ha'aretz quoted U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer as saying at the event that the international community will invest money in the PA only when it will be certain that the funds will not get lost, as has been the case until now. The Egyptian and Jordanian ambassadors also attended the meeting. Jerusalem Post (Wednesday) and Ha'aretz also reported on the Portland Trust, which was created in the UK two years ago and aims to revive the Palestinian economy in order to strengthen Israeli-Palestinian stability in the post-disengagement era. Ha'aretz highlighted reserve Brig. Gen. Eival Giladi's role in the trust. Yediot reported that FM Silvan Shalom left for the U.S. on Thursday. He will take part in Sunday's annual Salute to Israel Parade in New York and meet with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former U.S. president SIPDIS Bill Clinton, and former secretary of state Colin Powell. The newspaper also reported that former cabinet ministers Effi Eitam and Uzi Landau will demonstrate against the disengagement in Manhattan's Central Park Sunday. Jerusalem Post reported on an announcement released on Tuesday by NATO, according to which it is granting observer status to the Palestinian Legislative Council. The newspaper reported that officials in Jerusalem have responded coolly to the announcement. This morning, Israel Radio and Ha'aretz web site reported that nearly all personnel from the Israeli embassy in Tashkent have been evacuated due to terror warnings. The Maariv/Teleseker poll found that 50 percent of the public support the disengagement -- a 9-percent drop from two weeks ago and an all-time low. -------------- Mideast: -------------- Summary: -------------- Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "If the new chief of staff does not broadcast resolve ... the settlers will conclude that it is business as usual and that their promises of chaos on the day of the evacuation have once again succeeded in intimidating decision-makers." Ultra-Orthodox Yated Ne'eman editorialized: "The murderous terrorists whom Abu Mazen required to demonstrate a 'light pause' and a 'brief quiet' are not prepared to continue playing that game." Former editor-in-chief Moshe Ishon wrote in nationalist, Orthodox Hatzofe: "During his talks with Abu Mazen, President Bush took away from Sharon's hands the American chip upon which Sharon was relying." Senior Middle East affairs analyst Zvi Bar'el wrote in Ha'aretz: "We have already seen that both Israel and Egypt generally obey when there is an American scolding.... Why not initiate, for example, the award of an honorary doctorate by an American university to Ali Salem for his contribution to peace between the peoples?" Block Quotes: -------------- ¶I. "With Resolve" Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (June 3): "If there is one thing that all IDF chiefs of staff from the start of the occupation began have had in common, it is their warm and forgiving attitude toward law-breaking settlers.... The new chief of staff is now confronted with this long tradition of not enforcing the law against the settlers; he must evacuate them from Gush Katif within three months of assuming office. [Dan] Halutz's one clear advantage over his predecessors is the full backing of the prime minister, who wants the evacuation to succeed -- or at least that is how things appear, based on Ariel Sharon's public statements. But alongside the Prime Minister is a cabinet that is unenthusiastic about the disengagement, and some of the ministers may even be hoping to advance themselves through Sharon's failure. If the new chief of staff does not broadcast resolve, does not help the prime minister to transmit that resolve to his subordinates and does not make this resolve clearly apparent in concrete acts, the settlers will conclude that it is business as usual and that their promises of chaos on the day of the evacuation have once again succeeded in intimidating decision-makers." II. "End of the Illusion of Quiet" Ultra-Orthodox Yated Ne'eman editorialized (June 3): "Despite the quiet, some still plan massive murderous attacks -- God forbid. [Israeli] security sources said Thursday that the uncovering of [Islamic Jihad's] plan is deeply embarrassing for PA chief Abu Mazen, who declared only two days ago, 'The era of suicide-bombers is over'.... The Palestinians are losing patience. The murderous terrorists whom Abu Mazen required to demonstrate a 'light pause' and a 'brief quiet' are not prepared to continue playing that game. They are again trying to make good on their desire to spill Jewish blood like water, Heaven forbid." III. "Sharon Also Failed in the United States" Former editor-in-chief Moshe Ishon wrote in nationalist, Orthodox Hatzofe (June 3): "During his talks with Abu Mazen, President Bush took away from Sharon's hands the American chip upon which Sharon was relying. In the joint [Bush-Abbas] announcement, everyone could see that the letter in which Sharon is putting his faith isn't even worth the paper it's printed on. That announcement has unequivocally exposed the policy of the U.S., which advocates dialogue between the parties, based on the 1949 ceasefire lines. It is no secret that the 1949 ceasefire accords are more problematic to Israel than the situation that prevailed on the eve of the June 1967 Six-Day War. Immediately following the publication of President Bush's announcement ... Israel took a few steps in an attempt to modify the White House's policy. Sharon is aware of the difficulty involved in this step, but he outwardly endeavors to appear as if he can make the White House toe the Israeli line." IV. "Hi Dina, Regards From Ali" Senior Middle East affairs analyst Zvi Bar'el wrote in Ha'aretz (June 3): "Greetings, Ms. Dina Habib Powell. And congratulations on your appointment as America's Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.... Since you are Egyptian by origin ... and have so quickly reached such a senior position, at age 33, permit me to shake your hand.... The thing is, on the day you were called before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to present your views and obtain formal approval for your appointment, Ali Salem was standing in a different place entirely. He had been waiting for two days at the Taba border crossing and was ejected from there with his head hanging down. This time not by the Israeli police, but rather by the Egyptians.... And there was good reason for this. Ben- Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheva had decided to award Ali Salem an honorary doctorate for his contribution to literature and drama and his work for peace.... Ms. Habib, I am allowing myself to make a modest proposal to you. We have already seen that both Israel and Egypt generally obey when there is an American scolding. As it is now Egypt's turn to take pride in the appointment of one of its former citizens to a high position, why not take advantage? Why not initiate, for example, the award of an honorary doctorate by an American university to Ali Salem for his contribution to peace between the peoples?" KURTZER