ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 005913

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD

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

SECDEF WASHDC FOR USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA
HQ USAF FOR XOXX
DA WASHDC FOR SASA
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019

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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Kol Israel quoted a senior U.S. Government official in
Washington as saying that the Palestinian Authority
must immediately begin to impose its authority in the
Gaza Strip, and that implementation of the road map
cannot even begin unless this precondition is
fulfilled. The source said the acts of violence in the
Gaza Strip are sabotaging the efforts of the
administration to promote the move towards peace.
Earlier the White House spokesman said President Bush,
at his meeting with Abu Mazen, would demand that the
Palestinian Authority chairman impose law and order in
the Gaza Strip.

All media quoted PM Sharon's vehement denial yesterday
of rumors that Israel was planning additional
unilateral steps similar to the Gaza disengagement.
Speaking at the Annual Israel Management Conference, PM
Sharon said: "Yesterday there was a rumor, as a result
of baseless remarks...I am telling you here, Israel is
not about to examine any other plans. We have only one
plan, the road map, which the U.S. backs, and I see no
change in its position, and that is the only plan that
exists." On the same subject, Ha'aretz and Kol Israel
reported on the meeting yesterday between the PM and
Ambassador Jones, in which the PM presented this
position of rejecting further unilateral moves and
adhering to the road map.

Jerusalem Post reports that Kim Howells, Britain's
Minister of State for the Middle East, praised Israel's
response to the firing of Kassam from Gaza and hinted
that financial aid to the PA might be withheld if the
PA did not seriously begin tackling the terrorism in
its midst.

Ha'aretz quoted PA Leader Mahmoud Abbas as saying
yesterday that the IDF is jeopardizing any chance of
peace, and condemning the ongoing IDF offensive against
Palestinian militants in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel Radio reported this morning that two Al-Aqsa
Martyrs brigades activists were killed in the Balata
refugee camp in Nablus following an exchange of fire
with an IDF paratrooper force that came to apprehend
fugitives. Eleven fugitives were arrested. Ala Danakra,
a leader of the wanted El-Aksa Martyrs Brigade in
Balata, warned that his men would respond to the
killing of two of their comrades, saying that the
"Tahadiya" - the temporary ceasefire - had ceased to
exist. Yediot Aharonot reports that following
intelligence information, there is an high alert in the
IDF, out of a fear that the Hamas will try kidnapping
an IDF soldier.

Ha'aretz report that former Pentagon employee Larry
Franklin has struck a deal with prosecutors and plan to
plead guilty next week to a number of charges against
him. He will also testify against former AIPAC
officials suspected of passing on information they
received from him to a number of Israeli Embassy
employees and journalists.

Kol Israel reported this morning that the Fatah
organization won in yesterday PA elections with more
than sixty percent of the votes in the third round of
the local authority elections in the West Bank. The
Palestinians say Israel did not try to disrupt the
elections in the areas under its control, even though
Hamas was taking part.

All media focused on the decision by Attorney General
Meni Mzuz to re-open a probe into October 2000 riots,
which left 13 Israeli-Arab citizens dead. The Ministry
of Justice is considering the option of exhuming the
bodies, even if the families oppose the move. A/G Mazuz
is quoted as saying that "if we erred, we will correct
it."

Yediot Aharonot reported that Jordan's Ambassador to
Israel Maaruf Suleiman el Bahith confirmed yesterday
that King Abdullah of Jordan will soon visit Israel and
the PA.

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Mideast
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Summary:
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Military correspondent Alex Fishman opined in mass-
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot that: "Israel's
pullout from Gaza gives it legitimization to expand the
intensity and variety of the military responses to
infringement of its sovereignty. The window that the
Americans are giving us is a function of catastrophe.
Until a catastrophe occurs-Israel can continue."

Military correspondent Amos Harel wrote in independent,
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The military reaction in Gaza
helped Sharon's standing in the Likud vote.. Yet, in
both cases, success will be hard to preserve in the
long run.. The question is, when will the IDF attacks
boomerang because, instead of turning the Gaza public
against HAMAS, they bolster hostility toward Israel."

Political analyst Yoel Marcus wrote in independent,
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "To reach the April primaries
safely, if indeed they are held on time, Sharon will
have to form an internal coalition in his party. He
will have to pledge his adherence to the political
arrangement and, speaking in a closed forum, he indeed
pledged not to deviate from his political plan and
execute it according to the road map."



Block Quotes:
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I. Military correspondent Alex Fishman opined in
Yediot Aharonot: "The interest at the heart of the US
policy in the region is: to safeguard Arik Sharon.
Associates of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were
even disappointed by Sharon's achievement in the Likud
Central Committee. From their standpoint, it would
have been preferable for him to fail and establish a
new centrist party, which would make order in the
Israeli political establishment. The polls carried out
by the US embassy in Israel regarding Sharon's
political situation strengthened their sense that he is
the best investment they have in the region.
Ostensibly, the Americans are demonstrating a great
deal of activity in the Gaza Strip. For example, they
are now looking for a replacement for the security
coordinator to the Palestinian security
services-General Ward, who is returning to command the
US Central Command (CENTCOM) in Europe. There is also
extensive activity surrounding the economic envoy to
the PA James Wolfensohn, who is threatening to leave
his position, since he feels he has done all he can as
fundraiser for the Palestinians. The job is too small
for him. He wants to enter the emerging history of the
region in a more central role, and he needs to be
placated.... As far as the Americans are concerned,
Israel's pullout from Gaza gives it legitimization to
expand the intensity and variety of the military
responses to infringement of its sovereignty. The
window that the Americans are giving us is a function
of catastrophe. Until a catastrophe occurs-Israel can
continue."

II. " Military correspondent Amos Harel wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Ari'el Sharon's
week ended better than it started on both the political
and the security fronts....and the two fronts are
closely connected. as the military reaction in Gaza
helped Sharon's standing in the Likud vote.... Yet, in
both cases, success will be hard to preserve in the
long run because they do not resolve the basic
paradoxes in which Sharon performs.... On the
Palestinian ring, Israel is currently taking steps to
remove HAMAS from the PA political game, knowing that
if it succeeds, it will be forcing the organization to
resume its terrorist war against it.... Presently, the
strong-arm policy in the Gaza Strip provides Sharon and
Defense Minister Mofaz with political gains., but if
the skirmishes should continue, Israel will apparently
be facing a problem.. The question is, when will the
IDF attacks boomerang because, instead of turning the
Gaza public against HAMAS, they bolster hostility
toward Israel.... The scenario where an escalation of
the struggle against the organization would make it lay
down its guns sounds too far-fetched, at least for the
moment. and international understanding and sympathy
could vanish in an instant."

III. " Political analyst Yoel Marcus wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "PM Sharon won the
Likud Central Committee vote, but the truth is that he
did not win the war, but only one battle.. His future
rule is still hanging on a thread. with the budget vote
that might advance the elections and the Likud
primaries in April, where he needs his party to elect
him candidate for prime minister.. He must work with
his head, not his gut. and first mend the rifts and win
the next primaries on the ticket of forsaking the
Greater Israel dream... To reach the April primaries
safely, if indeed they are held on time, Sharon will
have to form an internal coalition in his party. He
will have to pledge his adherence to the political
arrangement and, speaking in a closed forum, he indeed
pledged not to deviate from his political plan and
execute it according to the road map, provided the
Palestinians do their share.. Revenge against those
who played their tricks on him can wait. It is always
better served cold."
JONES