Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV1075
2006-03-17 11:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

Tags:  IS KMDR MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TEL AVIV 001075

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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Ha'aretz reports that according to the 2006 national
security strategy published by the White House, Iran is
the biggest threat to the world.

Yesterday the Jerusalem Post reported that Israel will
not cut off water, gas or electricity to the
Palestinian Authority even after Hamas forms a
government.

Israel Radio this morning quoted Hamas leader and
Palestinian Prime Minister designate Ismail Haaniyah as
saying in an interview with CBS News that he has never
personally ordered a terrorist action against Israel
and that he hopes to ultimately reach a peace deal with
Israel.

Media reported that the GSS (Israeli Security Agency)
fears that terror groups will try to assassinate senior
officials in response to the Jericho operation.
Ha'aretz reported that the IDF's biggest concern is
that Fatah activists have taken Hamas's place in
executing terrorist attacks.

Maariv cites Syrian President Bashar Assadi as saying
in an interview with the British Sky news that Syria is
essential to the peace process in the Middle East. He
was also cited as saying that the US did not succeed in
isolating Syria.

Israel Radio and Yediot reported that UN Secretary-
General Kofi Annan has spoken to Syrian President Assad
and asked him to do all he can in order to calm the
tension with Israel along the northern border.

All media reported that following consultations, State
Prosecutor Eran Shendar concluded that Israel has a
right to try Ze'evi's killers who were apprehended in
the Jericho operation.

The Jerusalem Post published an exclusive report
identifying what seems to be the first crack in the
formal EU position against contact with Hamas, the EU's
Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA)
intends to host at least one newly elected member from
Hamas.

All media reported in their international sections that
the US is willing to hold talks with Iran regarding

Iraq provided that the discussions are restricted to
that topic alone.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the High Court of
Justice has rejected Palestinian petitions against the
route of the security fence saying that the path gives
the proper balance between Israel's security interests
and the Palestinians' well-being.

Israel Radio reported that the Ministry of Agriculture
has ordered the slaughter of tens of thousands of birds
suspected of being infected with the deadly H5N1 strain
of bird flu. The Health Ministry confirmed suspicions
that the virus has reached Israel, after more than
16,000 birds died this week.

The media reported that the IDF soldier that was killed
on Thursday may have died from friendly fire.


--------------
Mideast:
--------------

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

Senior columnist and longtime dove Yoel Marcus wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "There is no way
Israel is going to achieve permanent borders without an
agreement with the Palestinians and an American
commitment to wipe out those Qassam rocket launchers,
for example, or any other weapons of destruction aimed
at Israel after it has cleared out of most of the
territories. The big unknown is whether Olmert is
capable at this point in time of picking up where
Sharon left off."

Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev
Schiff wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz:
"Livni has stated that Abbas is not relevant as far as
she is concerned, but Washington feels committed to
him. The fear in the United States is that his fall
will be the end of the road map peace plan, and even
the end of the vision of President George Bush as
outlined in his June 2002 speech."

Diplomatic correspondent Ben Caspit wrote in popular,
pluralist Maariv: "James Wolfenson is on the verge of
leaving the region. The Europeans are desperate.
Wolfenson said last week that he estimates that 'In two
years the world will lose interest in what is happening
here and withdraw.' Anyone who thinks it's for the
best, might be proven wrong quicker then he thinks."


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


I. "Olmert zig or Olmert zag"

Senior columnist and longtime dove Yoel Marcus wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (March 17): "The
lightness in which Olmert promises to create in four
years a fun living country is surprising. It is unclear
how, who, when and in what way does he plan to
implement such a presumptuous goal. It took years
before Sharon, the settler of all settlers, could bring
himself to say things like: "We had a dream but it's
gone now.... Complete disengagement is not
realistic.... There is no way Israel is going to
achieve permanent borders without an agreement with the
Palestinians and an American commitment to wipe out
those Qassam rocket launchers, for example, or any
other weapons of destruction aimed at Israel after it
has cleared out of most of the territories. The big
unknown is whether Olmert is capable at this point in
time of picking up where Sharon left off. His career,
up until now, has been helped along by chance and a
large dose of luck.... As a politician all these years,
Olmert has done okay. If he got into trouble, he got
out of it. He has been an MK, a mayor and a
minister.... What Olmert has going for him today as
head of Kadima, 11 days before the elections, is
Sharon's legacy and a lot of luck. As for the rest,
we'll have to wait and see."
II. "Where to draw the line"
Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev
Schiff wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz
(March 17): "There is no disagreement today among the
top levels of the Israeli government, which view a
Hamas government as illegitimate, that Israel will
oppose attempts by international bodies to cooperate
with such a government. The developing disagreement
with the U.S. administration is not related to a
government led by Hamas, which is perceived as a
terrorist organization, but to the attitude that should
be taken to the presidency of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu
Mazen). Livni has stated that Abbas is not relevant as
far as she is concerned, but Washington feels committed
to him. The fear in the United States is that his fall
will be the end of the road map peace plan, and even
the end of the vision of President George Bush as
outlined in his June 2002 speech.... Hamas leader
Khaled Meshal has declared that his organization will
not put its political policy on the block in return for
donations from the international community. Reality
will no doubt persuade him that things are not as
simple as that. Israel must also assume that economic
pressure is not the only key to influencing the
Palestinians.... It ... turns out that it is extremely
difficult to set a correct dose of sanctions, and,
above all, that it is almost impossible to
differentiate between economic sanctions against the PA
and sanctions against the Palestinian public."

III. "Desperation"

Diplomatic correspondent Ben Caspit wrote in popular,
pluralist Maariv (March 17): "The Jericho operation
this week was blown out of proportion.... Tactically
Olmert registered victory. Strategically? It depends
from where you're looking. It could be that we have
been losing for several years now, an ongoing loss,
hurtful, irreversible.... In an historic view the
Jericho event will be seen as another big step on the
way of the almost final archiving of the Palestinian
option.... Abu Mazen never looked more pathetic. He
has earned that patheticness rightfully but we stand
with him aboard the leaking pathetic ship deck....
When the land is piled up with Hamas and then Al Qaida,
we will all be yearning. James Wolfenson is on the
verge of leaving the region. The Europeans are
desperate. Wolfenson said last week that he estimates
that 'In two years the world will lose interest in what
is happening here and withdraw.' Anyone who thinks
it's for the best, might be proven wrong quicker then
he thinks."
JONES