ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TEL AVIV 006743 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 ¶1. Mideast -------------- Key stories in the media: -------------- Ha'aretz and other media extensively covered remarks made by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the annual editors' convention at Sokolov House in Tel Aviv on Thursday, addressing the major issues concerning Israel's future. He emphasized that Israel, as well as other countries, could not accept the prospect of Iranian nuclear weapons, but Israel was preparing for such a scenario. Israel "can't accept a situation where Iran has nuclear arms" and "is making all the necessary preparations to handle a situation like this," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said. Iran's enemies have "the capability" to use military force to disrupt Iran's bid for nuclear arms, he said, adding that "before exercising it, every attempt should be made to pressure Iran into stopping its activity." Sharon stressed that "Israel doesn't lead the struggle" to keep Iran nuclear-free, and he hoped the UN Security Council would neutralize "this great danger." "Israel is not without hope and is taking all necessary measures, as it should," he said. Changing tack, Sharon referred to international pressure on Syria as critical, saying he was not inclined to discuss a return of the Golan Heights or anything else that might "make things easier for the Syrians." There are "no contacts" between Israel and Syria now, he said. Sharon alluded to diplomatic pressure on Israel when he said Israel had no plans to build an eastern fence in the Jordan Valley, which he termed "within Israel's security zone." Sharon reaffirmed his commitment to the road map plan and retaining the major settlement blocs in the West Bank. He said he was unwilling to encourage Israelis living east of the security barrier to relocate. Sharon reiterated his opposition to Hamas's participation in the upcoming Palestinian elections, but indicated he would not prevent its participation, adding: "It's not a good thing to interfere in other people's elections." In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Meir Sheetrit, Transportation Minister and Likud veteran who has joined Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new Kadima party, said he believes not a "single additional house" should be built in Judea and Samaria because the "true Zionism of tomorrow" is to settle the Galilee and the Negev. Ultimately, he said Israel would "have no choice but to leave most of the territories and let the Palestinians establish a state next to us" to guarantee that Israel remain a democratic state with an overwhelming Jewish majority. Sheetrit, who said he had been promised a prominent position by Sharon on the Kadima slate for the elections, tempered his comments somewhat by adding that he had no objection to someone choosing to build a home in a West Bank area that would remain under Israel's permanent control, if there was room to do so. He indicated that he thought it would be "fair enough" were Israel to permanently control the 5%-10% of the West Bank covered by the major settlement blocs. He pledged that Sharon would be true to his word in ruling out further unilateral disengagement from the West Bank, and said Israel would stay put there for as long as necessary - until or unless the Palestinian leadership dismantled terrorist organizations and thus opened the path to a resumption of peace talks. He also ruled out concessions in Jerusalem and dismissed Palestinian demands to establish their capital in the city. Ha'aretz reports that the Likud is continuing to plummet in the polls, capturing a mere nine seats in the latest Haaretz-Dialog survey, while Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Kadima party continues to gain strength. The poll, conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday among 500 voters, found that if elections were held now, Kadima would win 37 seats, compared to nine (9) for the Likud. Some 65 percent of those who voted Likud in 2003 said that they planned to vote Kadima this time, while only 16 percent said that they definitely plan to stick with the Likud. The poll also found that Labor is currently holding firm at 26 seats, while Shinui continues to shrink, and would now win only five seats. Asked for their preferred candidate for defense minister, 41.5 percent of respondents chose the incumbent, Mofaz. Other candidates - Ami Ayalon, Ehud Barak, Avi Dichter and Matan Vilnai - trailed far behind. For finance minister, the race was much closer: Some 28 percent chose Amir Peretz, followed by Netanyahu, Avishay Braverman and Ehud Olmert. Interestingly, 23.5 percent of Likud voters named Peretz as their preferred candidate for the treasury. For foreign minister, Shimon Peres was the favorite, winning 44 percent of the vote, compared to 26 percent for the incumbent, Shalom. Peres even outpolled Shalom among Likud voters, 40 percent to 30 percent. Haaretz reports that, reacting to this and other recent polls, senior Likud officials lashed out at disengagement opponents Thursday for causing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to leave the party, saying that Likud's nosedive in the polls shows that Sharon is taking almost the entire party with him. The Jerusalem Post reports that dozens of Palestinian gunmen stormed PA offices in the Gaza Strip on Thursday in protest against the decision to suspend Fatah's primary elections. Sources in the Gaza Strip said the gunmen were members of Fatah's armed wing, Aksa Martyrs Brigades. No one was hurt in the raid - the latest sign of growing lawlessness and anarchy in PA-ruled areas. Meanwhile, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads Fatah, is seeking to resolve the crisis in his party quickly. Wednesday night he chaired an urgent meeting of the Fatah central committee in Ramallah to discuss the latest crisis and ways of easing tensions between Fatah's old guard and young guard. It was decided to form a 24-member review board, chaired by Abbas, to look into allegations of massive irregularities and fraud during the voting. Trouble with the recently opened Rafah crossing is the top story on Israel Radio this morning and features high on the Yediot Ahronot news pages. The media report that at least 15 Hamas militants, described as prominent fugitives who had been deported by Israel from the Gaza Strip, took advantage of the recently opened crossing to reenter unhindered. This was also confirmed by Palestinian security sources. Yedioth Ahronot cites security officials who said this situation will continue until the first terror attack after which Israel will be compelled to impose real supervision on the crossing. Israel also notified American officials that the Palestinians are not relaying photographs of those entering the crossing as per the agreement reached, prompting Prime Minister Sharon to repeat his warning to the Palestinians that if they do not fulfill their part of the agreement, Israel will close the Erez and Karni terminals. Speaking Israel Radio, Yuval Steinitz, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman, said that we can blame only ourselves and that the security envelope in Gaza has collapsed. Ha'aretz Internet site reports that IDF troops operating in the West Bank town of Hebron on Wednesday arrested a reporter for the Web site of the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera. Awad Rajoub, 29, was arrested at his home, Walid al-Amari, Al Jazeera bureau chief for the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem, said on Thursday. Israel has not explained the arrest, he told Reuters. "We are checking to find out why they arrested him." An IDF spokeswoman said that Awad was being held "for security reasons." Haaretz reports that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is sending a senior envoy here to monitor the implementation of the Rafah border crossing agreement she brokered last month. The envoy, State Department counselor Philip D. Zelikow, is also expected to expedite parts of the agreement that have not been executed yet. Rafah reopened last week, as part of a US- brokered deal on new border arrangements. In a follow-up on yesterday's story and main weekend supplement article, Yedi'ot Aharonot reports that the Israelis who were reportedly training Kurds in northern Iraq have been uncovered by Iranian intelligence and were forced to leave "a few months ago" - showing the story covers an affair that seems to be over. ¶1. Mideast Summary -------------- Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev Schiff writes in independent, left-leaning Haaretz: "Israel must prepare itself for the American withdrawal from Iraq. especially if it takes place without the United States achieving its main goals in Iraq.. It doesn't matter if it is a Democrat or Republican. The new president will surely do everything possible to find a convenient formula for a withdrawal from Iraq. Therefore, Israel must prepare strategically for an American withdrawal and carefully examine what can be achieved in the realm of arrangements with the Palestinians." Bloc quotes -------------- Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev Schiff writes in independent, left-leaning Haaretz: "Israel must prepare itself for the American withdrawal from Iraq. An American withdrawal, especially if it takes place without the United States achieving its main goals in Iraq, will certainly influence the strategic situation throughout the region. The American military deployment in the Middle East in the wake of the Iraq war is of unprecedented scope. Its forces are deployed on the flanks of Iran and Syria, opposite Lebanon and near Jordan and Saudi Arabia. As a result, Iran and Syria are behaving much more cautiously. However, the American public is badly influenced by the events in Iraq and the losses suffered there, without any sign of a tangible solution approaching. That feeling has penetrated Congress, and members of the president's own party are starting to talk about the need to develop an "exit strategy" from Iraq. President Bush's popularity is at an unprecedented low. But Bush keeps reiterating that he will not order an exit from Iraq until the goals of the war are met.. America's enemies will certainly exploit those changes to claim that Washington failed to achieve its minimal goals in the Iraq war. When defeated in wars in the past, the Arabs often managed to convince their people that they won. In any case, an unsuccessful American withdrawal from Iraq will certainly cause Iran to step up its involvement there, strengthen Hizballah and further encourage terror against Israel. Al-Qaida will also feel more confident in its attacks on moderate and pro- Western regimes like Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Palestinian extremists will draw encouragement from such a development. What doesn't get done before the American withdrawal with regard to Israeli-Palestinian road map arrangements will be much harder to accomplish afterward. The results of various elections in the Middle East could also make things more difficult for the moderates. In any case, Israel must assume that an American withdrawal from Iraq will take place in three years at the latest, when a new president enters office. It doesn't matter if it is a Democrat or Republican. The new president will surely do everything possible to find a convenient formula for a withdrawal from Iraq. Therefore, Israel must prepare strategically for an American withdrawal and carefully examine what can be achieved in the realm of arrangements with the Palestinians." Jones