ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TEL AVIV 000670

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. Mideast


2. Iraq


3. President Bush State of the Union Address

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

Yediot (Shimon Shiffer) quoted a senior Israeli source
as saying that Sharon and Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice will disagree on the definition of
contiguity for the Palestinian sate, on the extent of
the expected prisoner release, and the continuation of
the IDF pullout. Shiffer quoted Israel's Ambassador to
the U.S. Danny Ayalon as saying that Secretary Rice's
move to State will not influence her basic perception
of Israel's high-ranking place as a reliable U.S. ally.

The extent of prisoner release as part of Israel's
gestures to the PA dominated the major media. Leading
media quoted PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as
saying Thursday that the PA will announce a formal
cease-fire with Israel at the summit, and that Israel
must do the same thing. Leading media cited Israeli
officials as saying that what counts are gestures, not
declarations.

Ha'aretz and Jerusalem Post printed medium-length
reports about President Bush's State of the Union
address. Both newspapers highlighted the President's
remarks on his pledge to contribute USD 350 million to
the PA, the advancement of democracy in the Middle
East, and criticism of Syria and Iran. Ha'aretz noted
that Bush made a "surprising" demand of Egypt for
democratic reforms. Both newspapers mention Bush's
remark that the U.S. would "not set an artificial
timetable for leaving Iraq."

Leading media reported that last night, during talks
headed by top Sharon aide Dov Weisglass and PA
Negotiations Minister Saeb Erekat, Palestinian
negotiators rejected a decision by the restricted
cabinet Thursday to release "only" 900 prisoners.
Ha'aretz and other media detailed the cabinet's
decision: the prisoner release; the transfer of
responsibility over five West Bank cities; the PA will
pledge to gather the weapons of wanted Palestinians and
to supervise them, as Israel will refrain from pursuing
them; Israel will refrain from offensive activity in
the territories, except in cases of "ticking bombs";
the Karni Crossing will reopen within 48 hours,
conditional upon security measures by the Palestinians;
the main road in the Gaza Strip will be fully reopened,
and the closure of Gaza City lifted; and the PA might
be authorized to build a seaport in Gaza; Gaza Airport
will remain closed. Maariv quoted PM Sharon as saying
that this could be an opportunity he did not want to
lose without having tried it. Ha'aretz and other media
reported that cabinet ministers Shimon Peres and Haim
Ramon (Labor),and Shaul Mofaz (Likud) had advocated
more generous concessions to the Palestinians.

Yediot and Maariv led with a controversy between the
IDF and the Shin Bet. Yediot bannered IDF Chief of
Staff Moshe Ya'alon as saying that even prisoners who
have murdered Israelis must be released. Maariv
bannered a remark by Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter that
Israel is making concessions too early. Maariv
reported that Marwan Barghouti's son is expected to be
released, but not Barghouti himself. Israel Radio
quoted Jordanian FM Hani Fawzi al-Mulki as saying that
his country will send an ambassador to Tel Aviv only if
Israel releases the Jordanian prisoners it detains.

Israel Radio reported that Hamas leader Khaled Mashal
told the Israeli-Arab newspaper Kul-el-Arab that he
supports the Sharm el-Sheikh summit as a gauge of
Israel's intentions.

Leading media reported that a 16-year-old Palestinian
boy was caught at a Nablus checkpoint with a bomb belt
on Thursday. Four IDF soldiers were wounded last night
when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on their jeep
southwest of Hebron. Two others were wounded in a Gaza
Strip attack. Israel Radio reported that an
unspecified terrorist attack was thwarted Thursday in
Jerusalem.

In an interview with Jerusalem Post, Pinchas
Wallerstein, an influential member of the Yesha Council
of Jewish Settlements in the Territories, blasted an
initiative by some settler leaders to move communities
from the Gaza Strip's Katif Bloc to Israel.

Ha'aretz reported that a special committee set up to
review the issue of civilian national service will
submit its conclusions to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz
on Sunday, and the government is expected to adopt the
panel's proposal to make voluntary civilian service
open to all Israelis who do not serve in the IDF.

Ha'aretz reported that on Thursday, President Bush
hosted Mikhail Brudno and Vladimir Dubov, two Israeli-
Russian businessmen who are wanted by Russia for
alleged tax offenses. The two men, who are
shareholders in the giant Russian oil enterprise Yukos,
were invited to a White House breakfast as guests of
Congressmen Tom Lantos and Christopher Cox.

Ha'aretz quoted A-G Menachem Mazuz as saying Thursday
that he intends to allow the use of administrative
detentions for Jews, as part of the public struggle
over disengagement. Jerusalem Post reported that a
national referendum could be introduced into the
Disengagement Plan Implementation bill now being
debated by the two Knesset committees in advance of a
plenum vote set to take place within the next two
weeks.

Leading media reported that the High Court of Justice
on Thursday rejected a petition by Palestinian local
councils against the paving of a by-pass road from
Jerusalem to Rachel's Tomb (on the outskirts of
Bethlehem). The petitioners claimed that the road
could impede their freedom of movement.

Ha'aretz reported on a joint, German-funded project of
the Israeli local council of Emek Hefer and the
Municipality of Tulkarm, to clean up the polluted
Alexander River (between Netanya and Hadera).

A Maariv/Teleseker poll:

-"Do you believe Sharon will be able to implement his
disengagement plan?" 68 percent: yes; 24: no; 8
percent are undecided. The poll found that right-wing
supporters also believe that the disengagement move
will be carried out.
-"Do you believe that following the implementation of
the disengagement, Israel will evacuate additional
settlements in the coming years?" 59 percent: yes; 29
percent: no; 12 percent are undecided.
-" Do you believe that following the implementation of
the disengagement, terror will weaken, increase or
remain at the same level?" 38 percent: it will weaken;
30 percent: it will remain the same; 24 percent: it
will increase; 8 percent are undecided.
-"What is the risk of violence erupting between
disengagement opponents and the police and IDF?" 51
percent: the risk is great, but not to the point of a
civil war; 26 percent: the risk is great -- to the
point of a civil war; 18 percent: there is no great
risk; talk about violence is meant to frighten; 5
percent are undecided.

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

1. Mideast:
--------------

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

Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "The
turnabout that Sharon has proclaimed opens a real door
to regional change. And it must be hoped that everyone
who seeks a solution will support him."

Washington correspondent Orly Azolai wrote in mass-
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Rice would
very much like to grant him a gift -- a significant
diplomatic achievement that is not painted with the
colors of war."

Extreme right-wing columnist Caroline B. Glick wrote in
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "Here we are
again, at the dawn of a new peace process which ...
will engender scorn for America and faith in Israel's
eventual destruction in the hearts of millions of
people who today waver between support for freedom and
support for terror."

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


I. "Sharon Is Effecting Regional Change"

Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized
(February 4): "The summit meeting that will take place
in Sharm al-Sheikh on Tuesday between Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud
Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
may not be a historic event, but it must be viewed in
the context of the optimistic atmosphere that currently
pervades the three parties' relations, and as a
catalyst that will move the region's leaders in the
right direction.... The Americans may be more
interested in the next stage of the process, and view a
commitment to implementation of the road map as the
most important thing. But from the standpoint of
Israelis and Palestinians, who have endured more than
four years of blood and fire, even the success of the
disengagement is no small matter.... The turnabout that
Sharon has proclaimed opens a real door to regional
change. And it must be hoped that everyone who seeks a
solution will support him."

II. "A Gift From Condoleezza"

Washington correspondent Orly Azolai wrote in mass-
circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (February 4):
"Rice is arriving in Ramallah and Jerusalem as the
level of expectations on both sides climbs to new
heights.... Her primary mission is to allow Bush to
turn into a president of peace. The low ratings he
earns among the American public prove how much he needs
an impressive ceremony on the White House lawn. Rice
would very much like to grant him a gift -- a
significant diplomatic achievement that is not painted
with the colors of war. Even his associates admit that
he would very much like to enter history as a Nobel
Peace Prizewinner."


III. "The Peacemongers Are Back"

Extreme right-wing columnist Caroline B. Glick wrote in
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (February 4):
"American supporters of both Bush and Israel are now
backing Sharon's plan to withdraw from Gaza and
northern Samaria [i.e. the northernmost part of the
West Bank], claiming the world has changed since
Oslo.... What they don't seem to remember is that the
world had also changed after the fall of the Soviet
Union and the 1991 Gulf War. Then, as now, there was
an expectation that the Arabs would be forced to change
the way they treated Israel and America. Then, as now,
the reactionary forces in the region were saved by one
thing -- the peace process with Israel.... So, here we
are again, at the dawn of a new peace process which
will bring no peace; will legitimize terrorists and the
authoritarian regimes that support them; will weaken
Israel's democratic institutions while endangering its
citizenry; and will engender scorn for America and
faith in Israel's eventual destruction in the hearts of
millions of people who today waver between support for
freedom and support for terror."

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

2. Iraq:
--------------

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

Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz wrote in conservative,
independent Jerusalem Post: "Trouble is that none of
these forthcoming ostensible steps toward democracy
will genuinely enable the citizens of such countries
[Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt] to fully determine
who governs them and how."

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

"Inspiration From Iraq"

Editor-in-Chief David Horovitz wrote in conservative,
independent Jerusalem Post (February 4): "What a blow
those millions of resolute Iraqi citizens struck on
Sunday against terrorism. What a confounding of the
doomsayers' bleak expectations. And what a challenge
to our region's Arab dictatorships. In what might be
ascribed to a rash of regional euphoria, I've read
article this week rather fancifully placing the Iraqi
vote in a wider Middle Eastern context, as a purported
mere second among many indications of burgeoning
democracy in the Arab world, the first having been the
January 9 vote that confirmed Mahmoud Abbas as Arafat's
successor.... The trouble is that none of these
forthcoming ostensible steps toward democracy will
genuinely enable the citizens of such countries [Saudi
Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt] to fully determine who
governs them and how."

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

3. President Bush State of the Union Address:
-------------- -

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

Washington correspondent Nathan Guttman wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "The elections in
Iraq, at which Bush pointed [in the State of the Union
address] ... serve the President as evidence of the
rightness of his international policy."

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

"What the Iraqi Elections Allow Bush To Do"

Washington correspondent Nathan Guttman wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (February 4): "The
elections in Iraq, at which Bush pointed [in the State
of the Union address], as well as to democratic moves
in the Palestinian Authority, Afghanistan and Ukraine,
serve the President as evidence of the rightness of his
international policy. They have also given him the
political resource that allows him to point, for the
first time, an accusing finger at Egypt and Saudi
Arabia -- among the most important U.S. allies in the
Middle East, and to demand that they do something in
the field of democracy."

KURTZER