JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (2/17): HAMAS IN A NEW

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000723 STATE PASS BBG STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM NSC FOR ABRAMS CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD LONDON FOR HKANONA AND POL - TSOU PARIS ALSO FOR POL ROME FOR MFO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (2/17): HAMAS IN A NEW PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT -------------- MAIN STORIES -------------- The top story in the main three Palestinian dailies concerned Israel's threat to impose strict economic sanctions on Palestinians and their Hamas-led government. Reports noted that Acting Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is expected to decide Friday exactly which steps Israel will take in response to Hamas's rise to power within the Palestinian Authority (PA). One such measure would involve freezing the transfer of tax revenues which Israel collects for the PA. Al-Quds also reported on its front page that the U.S. Senate issued a decision to halt direct U.S. aid to the PA if it is controlled by a Hamas-led government that continues to call for the destruction of Israel. The report added the Bush administration is currently re-assessing its aid programs to Palestinians in light of Hamas's electoral victory. All dailies reported that Hamas is in the process of choosing its representatives to the new government, and has not yet made any final decisions. Hamas leader Isma'il Haniyeh denied rumors that he had been nominated as prime minister, and said that "such an important position requires consultations between leaders in the Palestinian Territories, in prisons, and in exile." Haniyeh added that an official decision will be made public once it is reached. The papers also reported that a Hamas delegation is currently visiting Ankara, but noted that according to a Turkish press official, Turkish Prime Minister Ordogan is not expected to meet with the delegation. Pro-Hamas weekly Al-Risala gave top billing to news that Hamas will refuse to recognize the Roadmap and insist on a fully sovereign Palestinian state. The weekly quoted Hamas's media spokesperson Salah Bardawil as saying that Hamas has nominated Dr. Aziz Dweik from the West Bank to be the next PLC speaker. According to Al-Risala, dozens of Fatah-affiliated armed groups were enlisted to join the Palestinian security forces. Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front-paged photos of PA President Abbas in Ramallah during his meeting with EU Foreign Policy Coordinator Solana. Solana was quoted as saying that Europe will continue to support the Palestinian economy but will not make any contact with Hamas. Al-Ayyam reported that two U.S. officials -- Assistant Secretary of State David Welch and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams -- will visit the area next week for discussions with Palestinian and Israeli officials on the next steps involved in dealing with the "new reality" of a Hamas-led government. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES -------------- ¶1. Columnist Samih Shbeib commented in independent Al-Ayyam under the headline, "Following the Formation of the [Palestinian] Legislative [Council]" (2/17): "Israel and the United States do not view Hamas as a political party capable of standing up to recent Middle East developments, and according to the American vision, which is more serious, the threat posed by Hamas's ascendance lies in its ability to form part of an extremely dangerous axis [consisting] of Iran, Iraqi Shi'ites, Syria, Hizbullah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Palestine. This axis in particular, according to Israeli and American views, quickly formed following Hamas's electoral victory. Perhaps the most obvious sign of this recent development, is Moscow's invitation to Hamas, the Iranian position on uranium enrichment, Damascus's invitation to [Shi'ite leader] Imam Sadr, and the unprecedented events in Lebanon, which might all lead to bloody clashes. The U.S.-supported Israeli position toward Hamas...demonstrates Israel's exceptional obstinacy with regard to the Palestinian situation in general." ¶2. Lawyer Ibrahim Sha'ban opined in independent Al-Quds under the headline, "No Peace Partner on the Israeli Side" (2/17): "Israeli greed has expanded to include even more Palestinian land on the pretense that there is no Palestinian partner. Now, it [Israel] will begin a new phase of coercion, especially since it is not required to do anything, whereas Hamas is. [As a matter of fact,] Israel is obliged to do many things, including the recognition of the Palestinian right to self determination, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the implementation of the Fourth Geneva Convention." ¶3. Palestinian writer and researcher Ibrahim Abul Heija wrote in the pro-Hamas weekly Al-Risala under the headline, "Abu Mazen [PA President Abbas] and the Harvest of a One Year Term" (2/16): "To understand the American relationship with Abbas during his term, we recall the warm [American] bond with the honest peace care-taker Abbas following the discharging of the `maneuvering and deceptive Arafat,' as the United States described him. According to Bush, Abbas is the man who owns his people's will and is the source of inspiration for its leaders. From another more formal perspective, we noticed during Abbas's term that financial support was mostly directed to the development of the Palestinian security structure, which pours into Israel's goal to strike the Palestinian resistance, and partly to fix the infrastructure that the Israeli occupation has destroyed. From a political standpoint, however, we sense a contradiction...when the United States adopts the Roadmap and eventually surrenders to the Bush-Sharon deal -- which basically buried the Roadmap, except for some parts whereby Palestinians have to provide protection for Israeli security.... For his part, Bush has obviously disregarded the right of return of Palestinian refugees, supports the wall and the existence of major Israeli settlement blocs, and does not advocate for a return to 1947 borders. In return, Abbas did not get more than a few million dollars from the United States, and his visits to Washington remained formal. Moreover, he was denied verbal or official promises by the U.S. administration as clarification to those given to Sharon." WALLES