ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TEL AVIV 006386

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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1. Mideast


2. France Riots


3. U.S.-Israel Relations

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Key stories in the media:
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All media led with political developments at the
Knesset on Monday. They reported that eight Likud
"rebels" voted with the opposition to defeat by 61-54
the appointment of Vice PM Ehud Olmert and two other
Likud Knesset members to permanent ministerial posts.
However, in a later vote, the Knesset approved, 71-41,
the separate appointments of Olmert as finance minister
and Matan Vilnai (Labor Party) as science and
technology minister, two of the empty posts. PM Sharon
vowed to take revenge against the eight Likud MKs.
Yediot (Shimon Shiffer) quoted Sharon associates as
saying that Sharon is more convinced than ever that the
Knesset elections should be held earlier than the
scheduled date of November 2006.

The Jerusalem Post reported that EU ministers who are
meeting in Brussels called on Israel Monday to
"facilitate the preparations and conduct" of the
upcoming PA elections. An EU statement issued after
the meeting "underlined the importance of the
forthcoming elections for the Palestinian Legislative
Council as an essential element for progress." The
Jerusalem Post and Israel Radio said that the
Palestinians want the Europeans to serve as advisers at
the crossing, while Israel wants the foreigners to be
in charge, with the authority to carry out arrests or
confiscate luggage if necessary. Leading media
reported that Israeli and Palestinian officials met
with Quartet Special Envoy James Wolfensohn on Monday
to hammer out the arrangement at the Rafah border
crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Israel
Radio reported that Wolfensohn and Defense Minister
Shaul Mofaz met in Tel Aviv today to sum up the
understandings reached by Israeli and Palestinian
negotiators about the Karni and Erez crossings. The
radio said that Israel's insistence on receiving closed-
circuit television pictures from the Rafah crossing in
real time remains an obstacle to reaching an agreement.
The radio reported that PA Civilian Affairs Minister
Muhammad Dahlan strenuously opposed this demand.
Israel Radio reported that Wolfensohn is drafting a
bridging document on the crossings issue, which he will
ask the parties to sign.

Leading media quoted Sharon as saying Monday before the
Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that
Israel would restrict the movement of Hamas officials
during voting in the January 25 elections to the
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC),in which the
organization is participating for the first time.
Sharon was quoted as saying that if Hamas participated
in those elections, Israel would not hold meetings with
PA officials, and would make it difficult for Hamas
members to campaign freely. Sharon also said that if
Hamas was allowed to participate in the elections,
there would be no easing of military restrictions in
the territories in the run-up to the vote. He was also
quoted as saying: "Nevertheless, Israel has no
intention of disrupting elections in the PA. But we
will do whatever is possible to impose difficulties on
the movement of Hamas members on election day." The
Jerusalem Post reported that PA Chairman [President]
Mahmoud Abbas dismissed Sharon's threat to hinder the
movement of Hamas officials during voting in the PLC
elections as a "flagrant intervention" in the internal
affairs of the Palestinians.

Yediot reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld told Mofaz on Friday in Washington that Syrian
President Bashar Assad is the devil and that the U.S.
will punish him over his support for the terrorists in
Iraq. Leading media quoted Sharon as saying on Monday
before the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee that Assad's condition is not important and
that he does not intend to negotiate with Syria, even
if the Syrians are interested in talks with Israel.

Israel Radio reported that the USDA will assist
Israel's poor, as part of its programs around the
world.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Sharon and Internal
Security Minister Gideon Ezra met on Monday with Dmitry
Kozak, head of counterterrorism in Chechnya and the
Kremlin's envoy to southern Russia, for talks on the
effectiveness of the security fence and Israel's
overall success in fighting Palestinian terror. The
newspaper says that the Russian government is mulling
the construction of a security barrier along the border
of Chechnya similar to Israel's security fence as part
of its efforts to combat violence there.

Ha'aretz printed a Reuters story, according to which FM
Silvan Shalom will lead Israel's delegation to the
World Summit on the Information Society that will take
place in Tunisia next week.

Ha'aretz reported that Indonesian FM Noer Hassan
Wirajuda has sent a message thanking FM Shalom for
expressing support for Indonesia after the October
terrorist attack on the island of Bali. Ha'aretz
writes that the message, which was conveyed by Israel's
ambassador in Singapore a week ago, said that Wirajuda
appreciated the letter Shalom sent him and that
Indonesia was determined to step up the struggle
against terrorism.

Yediot reported that the UN has asked Israel to
dispatch an army unit to peacekeeping missions around
the world. The newspaper also reported that the UN is
requesting a medical unit from Israel, and that it is
interested in purchasing advanced medical equipment
from Israel -- including communications and night-
vision equipment. Yediot reported that Foreign
Ministry DG Ron Prosor has instructed his ministry's
staff to promote cooperation with the UN.

This morning, Israel Radio reported that Israeli
security forces arrested 20 Palestinian militants from
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah in the West Bank
overnight.

Yediot reported that the Shin Bet has been detaining a
19-year-old settler from Elon More in the West Bank for
a week on suspicion that he vandalized hundreds of
olive trees belonging to the neighboring village of
Salem.

Leading media reported on the Mideast peace initiative
announced by Iran's FM Manuchehr Motaki on Monday. The
Jerusalem Post reported that following Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statements that Israel
must be wiped off the map, Turkey's key policy paper
from the recent meeting of its National Security
Council singled out Iran as a potential source of
instability, risk, and uncertainty in the region.
Maariv and other media reported that several Jews who
had emigrated from Iran and were disappointed by life
in Israel have returned to their native country.

Ha'aretz reported that on Monday, FM Shalom welcomed
the announcement by the Swiss government that it would
convene an international conference of the Red Cross
next month to invite the Israeli group Magen David Adom
to join the organization. Shalom reportedly called the
move "the righting of a historic injustice and
recognition of the important function of Magen David
Adom," adding that Israel would try to make the work of
the Palestinian Red Crescent easier in the West Bank.
Swiss FM Micheline Calmy-Rey announced the move on her
visit to Israel about a week ago.

The Jerusalem Post reported that a delegation from the
Palestinian Businessmen's Association in Gaza met
separately with members of the Israel Manufacturers
Association and the Israel Chamber of Commerce on
Monday in an effort to initiate cooperation between the
Israeli and Palestinian sectors. The newspaper says
that the Peres Center for Peace initiated the meeting,
which was the first such event since the start of the
Intifada.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Georgia Governor Sonny
Perdue and a delegation of 39 U.S. business leaders
came to Israel this week on a mission to strengthen and
explore new areas for trade relations and economic
cooperation with Israel.

Israel Radio reported that India will purchase 50
Israel Aircraft Industries-manufactured drones, at a
cost of USD 220 million.

Yediot and Israel Radio cited a story on Italy's
national television network RAI, according to which the
U.S. made use of phosphor bombs during the siege of
Fallujah, causing the deaths of dozens of innocent
civilians.
Two public opinion polls predict Shimon Peres's victory
over Histadrut Labor Federation Secretary-General MK
Amir Peretz in Wednesday's primaries for Labor Party
chairmanship. According to the Yediot poll, Peres
beats Peretz, 49-38 percent, and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
would garner 9 percent, with 4 percent of undecided;
the results of the Maariv survey project a 49-39
percent victory for Peres, with Ben-Eliezer clinching
10 percent of the votes.

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1. Mideast:
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Summary:
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The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post excerpted
a White House transcript of a speech delivered by U.S.
National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley via satellite
on October 31 to the AIPAC National Summit in Los
Angeles: "[President Bush] has pledged to Prime
Minister Sharon that he will never ask Israel to take
risks with its security to suit U.S. purposes or to
suit U.S. politics -- and he never will. But if we
succeed in our broader objectives in the war on terror
and in Iraq, Israel will be more secure as a result."

The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global
Research in International Affairs Center, columnist
Barry Rubin, wrote in The Jerusalem Post: "Ahmadinejad
and Assad may get away with what they are doing.... But
at least now it seems less likely they can do so than
in the past."

Block Quotes:
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I. "Israel and the War against Terrorism"

The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post excerpted
a White House transcript of a speech delivered by U.S.
National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley via satellite
on October 31 to the AIPAC National Summit in Los
Angeles (November 8): "The spread of democracy will
make the Middle East a safer neighborhood for Israel.
An American retreat from Iraq, on the other hand, would
only strengthen the terrorists who seek the enslavement
of Iraq and the eventual destruction of Israel. It is
the spread of freedom, democracy, and justice that is
the antidote to Islamic extremism. Experience shows
that it is not poverty, but rather alienation, that
most encourages terrorism.... Only when Palestinians
are able freely to express themselves through ballots
rather than bombs will we be able to get on the road to
security for Israel.... A prosperous, democratic
Palestinian society would provide the political basis
and the needed resources for the Palestinian Authority
to fight the terrorists within Palestinian territory
before they can threaten Israeli citizens. Israel will
benefit in the long run by enacting the steps that
Quartet Special Envoy Jim Wolfensohn has identified as
most critical for the Palestinian economy.... As you
know, President Bush is a dedicated friend of Israel.
He has pledged to Prime Minister Sharon that he will
never ask Israel to take risks with its security to
suit U.S. purposes or to suit U.S. politics -- and he
never will. But if we succeed in our broader
objectives in the war on terror and in Iraq, Israel
will be more secure as a result."

II. "Propaganda and Caution"

The Director of the Interdisciplinary Center's Global
Research in International Affairs Center, columnist
Barry Rubin, wrote in The Jerusalem Post (November 8):
"If I had to single out one critical factor about
Middle East leaders it is their choice between two
basic courses of action. The first approach, common in
the rest of the world but rarely seen in this region,
is adjusting strategy, policy and goals to conditions.
The alternative is ignoring or distorting the actual
situation -- or substituting a public relations
campaign for a substantive response -- giving top
priority to preserving the existing system. What
distinguishes these two paths is clearly not the
difference between a pragmatic and irrational policy.
For if a regime can survive by fighting or by ignoring
the reality of the challenges it faces, that behavior
is a practical strategy.... Those most imperiled are
the inexperienced leaders of Iran and Syria,
intoxicated by ideas.... Here, of course, one must show
respect for the validity of the 'irrational' policy
path of Middle East dictators. Ahmadinejad and Assad
may get away with what they are doing, just as Arafat
and Assad's father did and as Saddam Hussein almost
did. But at least now it seems less likely they can do
so than in the past."

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2. France Riots:
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Summary:
--------------

The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post
editorialized: "True, the current riots in France may
be about rootlessness and alienation of minority youth,
but they are not only about rootlessness and
alienation. Radical Islam is part of the mix as well,
and the French will ignore that at their own peril."

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

"The Paris Intifada"

The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post
editorialized (November 8): "The French would be wise
to pay attention to the fact that these flames of
alienation are being fanned and leveraged for their own
use by Islamic radicals who -- as the homegrown London
bombers proved in July -- are thriving on the streets
of Europe. Parallels can be found with our reality.
At one time the Arab-Israeli conflict looked
predominantly like a territorial one. Indeed, this
thinking underpinned UN Security Council Resolution
242, which created the territories-for-peace rubric.
What was ignored was the religious and ideological
component of the conflict.... France -- yes,
ironically, France -- has now awakened to find itself
facing a similar dilemma. The instinctive reaction in
France to the rioting has been twofold: a pledge to
restore security and to address the 'causes' of the
rioting: the deprivation, discrimination, alienation,
and rootlessness of the rampaging, largely Muslim,
youth. One cannot argue with either of these two
points. But French policy makers would be unwise to
overlook the religious, ideological dimensions of the
battle, and the way Islamic radicals preaching from the
mosques and spewing out hatred via the Internet are
able to prey on this disaffection and import a toxic
ideology into France and the heart of Europe. True,
the current riots in France may be about rootlessness
and alienation of minority youth, but they are not only
about rootlessness and alienation. Radical Islam is
part of the mix as well, and the French will ignore
that at their own peril."

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3. U.S.-Israel Relations:
--------------

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

Isi Leibler, Chair of the Diaspora-Israel relations
committee of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs,
and a veteran Jewish international leader, wrote in the
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "Anti-Jewish
rhetoric is now rapidly penetrating the [U.S.]
political mainstream."








Block Quotes:
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"Storm Clouds Ahead"

Isi Leibler, Chair of the Diaspora-Israel relations
committee of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs,
and a veteran Jewish international leader, wrote in the
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (November 8):
On the surface, the relationship between the United
States and Israel has never been better.... Yet having
met with a cross section of American Jewish leaders
during a recent visit to New York, I fear that there
are grounds for serious concern. The deterioration on
the campus continues and the demonization of Israel,
frequently accompanied by anti-Semitism, now transcends
all other campus political issues.... It should also be
noted that anti-Jewish rhetoric is now rapidly
penetrating the political mainstream.... Today, we
[Israel] appear to be in the process of becoming
transformed into a U.S. satellite.... Prime Minister
Sharon had originally promoted disengagement to
Israelis largely on the basis that as a quid pro quo
Bush would support Israel's retention of the major
settlement blocs. But now he has apparently
capitulated to all American demands and aborted all
building activity, including the construction of the
road link from Ma'aleh Adumim to the capital. This
suggests that Sharon is becoming totally subservient to
the administration."

JONES