Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV177
2006-01-12 12:08:00
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.

121208Z Jan 06
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TEL AVIV 000177 

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


--------------------------------
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
--------------------------------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TEL AVIV 000177

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


--------------
SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
--------------


1. Mideast


2. Iran: Nuclear Program

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

Ha'aretz and Israel Radio reported that the U.S.
administration intends to invite Acting PM Ehud Olmert
to Washington before the elections in Israel. The
radio reported that on Wednesday, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice praised Olmert's decision to allow
East Jerusalem residents to vote in the Palestinian
legislative elections. Ha'aretz's Internet site cited
the satisfaction of diplomatic sources in Jerusalem
regarding remarks made by Secretary Rice on Wednesday:
"There should be no place in the political process for
groups or individuals who refuse to renounce terror and
violence." The Ha'aretz web site reported that this
morning, during a meeting with U.S. envoys A/S David
Welch and Deputy U.S. National Security Advisor Elliott
Abrams, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz clarified that PA
Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas will be required to
present a detailed plan, comprising a schedule, to
dismantle the terrorist organizations. The web site
quoted Mofaz as saying that Israel will not engage in a
dialogue with Hamas if it enters the Palestinian
government. Mofaz was also quoted as saying that the
PA has lost its control of the Gaza Strip, and that,
because of attempts to transfer knowledge and materials
for the manufacturing of Qassam rockets in the West
Bank. It is impossible at this stage to implement the
convoy plan between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Leading media (banner in Maariv) reported that on
Wednesday, PM Sharon's doctors discovered a
complication in his heartbeat that could cause a new
stroke. Israel Radio cited a clarification by
Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital, Ein Karem, that Sharon's
heartbeat is normal.

Leading media reported that security forces and
settlers are gearing up for an expected confrontation
toward the end of the next week, when the IDF and
police plan to tear down nine homes at the Amona

outpost in the West Bank. Ha'aretz quoted a senior GOI
official as saying that the evacuation will go ahead
"come hell or water" and that the police have received
full backing from the government. Major media reported
that after a day of violent clashes between security
forces and settlers, the illegal structures located at
the unauthorized Neve Daniel North outpost in Gush
Etzion were finally demolished on Wednesday.

Major media reported that the four Likud cabinet
ministers (FM Silvan Shalom, Health Minister Danny
Naveh, Education Minister Limor Livnat, and Agriculture
Minister Yisrael Katz) were declining to abide by the
demand that Likud Chairman MK Binyamin Netanyahu made
on Wednesday that they present their resignation from
the government. (This morning, Israel Radio reported
that Netanyahu had set an ultimatum for 10:00 a.m.
today.) Leading media talked of a "revolt of Likud
ministers." Israel Radio reported that Shalom has not
canceled scheduled meetings in Switzerland, Washington,
and New York. This morning, the radio reported that
the four Likud ministers agreed to submit their
resignations on Sunday, ending a crisis that threatened
to overshadow the Likud primaries, which are being held
today. However, The Jerusalem Post's web site reported
that Shalom had not offered his letter of resignation.
The Internet site quoted a source close to Shalom as
saying that he "believes that leaving the government is
a mistake, and that it would weaken the Likud,".

Ha'aretz reported that Olmert has rejected the idea of
placing Sharon at the top of Kadima's list for the
Knesset. The idea was raised on Wednesday by Reuven
Adler, a close associate of Sharon, and provoked
controversy among Israel's politicians. The Jerusalem
Post reported that Vice Premier Shimon Peres views the
proposal as appropriate.

Israel Radio reported that last night, the IDF fired
artillery rounds at the northern Gaza Strip in response
to the firing of a rocket at Israel. The Jerusalem
Post reported that the Israeli defense establishment is
bracing for an upturn in Hamas terrorism if anarchy
prevents the planned January 25 elections from being
completed.

Ha'aretz reported that six Palestinians were arrested
on Wednesday for hanging campaign posters on billboards
in East Jerusalem for the Palestinian parliamentary
elections. The newspaper noted that the police and GOI
officials have yet to reach an agreement with the PA
over the issue of voting in East Jerusalem, although
the Palestinian election campaign already started on
January 2.

Israel Radio cited the London-based daily Al-Hayat as
saying that four Palestinians who were arrested in
northern Lebanon five days ago have admitted to being
members of Osbat al-Ansar, an extremist Muslim
organization identified with Al-Qaida, and to planning
terrorist attacks against Israeli targets. Maariv
reported that in recent days, Hizbullah has acted to
prevent Katyusha rocket firing against communities in
northern Israel. Maariv wrote that Hizbullah's move
was motivated by the tension between Hizbullah and Al-
Qaida, which claimed responsibility for the latest
Katyusha rocket attack against Israel.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the U.S. is trying to
convene an emergency meeting of the Board of the
International Atomic Energy Committee to discuss the
latest developments regarding the Iranian nuclear
project and to demand an immediate referral of the
issue to the UN Security Council. Maariv reported that
IDF Maj. Gen. Uzi Dayan (reserves),a former National
Security Adviser of Israel and the leader of the new
Tafnit party, recently met in Europe with Iranian
representatives, who told him that the acquisition of a
nuclear weapon is of utmost importance to Iran. The
newspaper quoted Dayan as saying that Israel should
carry out military strikes on Iran if diplomatic
efforts fail.

All media highlighted an anti-Semitic attack in Moscow
Wednesday, in which 11 men, including three Israelis,
were stabbed in a synagogue when a man armed with a
knife entered and began slashing worshipers.

Yediot quoted former Coalition Provisional Authority
Director Paul Bremer as saying in a new book, "My Year
In Iraq," that Syrian President Bashar Assad secretly
encouraged Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most
senior Shi'ite leader in Iraq, to fight against the
Americans and British.
--------------

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

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

Conservative columnist Yosef Harif wrote in popular,
pluralist Maariv: "The question is about whether the
Bush administration, which is interested in viewing
Olmert as Sharon's successor, will try to reach new,
more flexible understandings with him, in order to
obtain a breakthrough toward the resumption of the
negotiations."

Very liberal columnist Meron Benvenisti wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Those who claim to
be continuing Sharon's heritage should never forget
that 'heritage' also means learning from his mistakes
and avoiding them."

Veteran columnist Yaron London wrote in the lead
editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot
Aharonot: "In another two weeks' time one-third of the
residents of [Israel's] capital will vote to boost the
strength of a political movement that preaches for
Israel's annihilation."

Middle East affairs commentator Guy Bechor, a lecturer
at the Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in Yediot
Aharonot: "Palestinian demographics have always been
perceived by the Palestinians as a sword and a threat
to Israel. Why not turn that now into a sword on their
necks?"

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


I. "Olmert's Test"

Conservative columnist Yosef Harif wrote in popular,
pluralist Maariv (January 12): "We haven't clearly
heard about Olmert's territorial conceptions. What was
stated in his name, on various occasions, was that he
believes that Israel will have to concede, for
demographic reasons, most of Judea and Samaria [i.e.
the West Bank], and leave the large settlement blocs in
its hands. From that aspect, Sharon and Olmert's
diplomatic view are very similar. As they have been
made public so far, Kadima's diplomatic principles
don't appear to be a formula that will make it possible
to reach peace with the Palestinians. According to
their declarations, the latter won't give up the
division of Jerusalem; neither will they agree to leave
large areas in Judea and Samaria in Israel's hands.
The question is about whether the Bush administration,
which is interested in viewing Olmert as Sharon's
successor, will try to reach new, more flexible
understandings with him, in order to obtain a
breakthrough toward the resumption of the negotiations.
Assuming that he wins the elections, this will be
Olmert's big test, if he abides by the principles of
peace as Sharon formulated them. In this context, it
is worthwhile remembering and recalling remarks that
Sharon made time and again to President Bush:.... 'Mr.
President, with all due respect to the United States, I
wish to state that when concessions required of Israel
come up for discussion, we and only we will determine
what is a threat to Israel and what is not."

II. "Sharon's Second 'Big Plan'"

Very liberal columnist Meron Benvenisti wrote in
independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (January 12):
"[Sharon's] 'big plan,' which led to the war in
Lebanon, attempted to solve the demographic problem by
turning Jordan into Palestine, deporting the refugees
from Lebanon, transferring them from the West Bank, and
destroying the Hashemite kingdom. After this plan
failed disastrously, Sharon drafted his canton plan,
and strove to implement it in every post he filled....
Becoming prime minister enabled him to pursue his plan
to 'remove the demographic threat' -- thus pulling out
of Gaza seemed to subtract a million Palestinians from
the demographic balance sheet. The 'separation fence'
next created isolated cantons, paving the way to
fictitiously 'losing' hundreds of thousands more....
Indeed, cruel fate has robbed Sharon of attaining his
deepest aspiration, to eliminate, after 60 years of
struggle, the Palestinian demographic threat. However,
there are signs that his illness has spared him the
disappointment he would have suffered had he remained
in power. For the present 'big plan' -- as it was in
the war in Lebanon -- is based on hasty, erroneous
assumptions.... Like in the 'big plan' of 1981, the
biggest mistake at present is the attempt to solve the
problem unilaterally with dictates and excessive power.
Ariel Sharon is no longer capable of changing his
approach, and perhaps he never was. But those who
claim to be continuing Sharon's heritage should never
forget that 'heritage' also means learning from his
mistakes and avoiding them."

III. "Jerusalemites for Israel's Destruction"

Veteran columnist Yaron London wrote in the lead
editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot
Aharonot (November 13): "In another two weeks' time one-
third of the residents of [Israel's] capital will vote
to boost the strength of a political movement that
preaches for Israel's annihilation. With that ends the
twisting game that we have been playing these past few
months with Abu Mazen.... Every course of action taken
and every flawed decision will only result in Hamas
gaining strength. [Israel and the Palestinian
Authority] wished to delay the elections in order to
curb that process, but they were unable to act openly
to achieve that goal, and each expected the other to do
what it felt it was unable to do. Israel hoped that
Abu Mazen would seize upon the state of anarchy in the
Palestinian Authority territories as an excuse for
delaying the elections, while Abu Mazen hoped that
Israel would hamper the electoral process in Jerusalem
and provide him with a more convenient excuse.
Ultimately, the decision was made by the American
patron, who believes that a democracy that results in
the enemies of democracy gaining strength is still
better than the complete absence of democracy. Taking
a broader view of things, one learns from this entire
affair about Israel's inability to achieve the
unification of Jerusalem under its hegemony.... One-
third of the residents of the city, whose relative
number in the general population of Jerusalem is on the
rise, are a thorn in our side. And yet, even Amir
Peretz, whose positions on the issue of the future
borders are open and courageous, dares not say simply:
'Yes, we will divide Jerusalem!'"

IV. "Disengagement in Jerusalem"

Middle East affairs commentator Guy Bechor, a lecturer
at the Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in Yediot
Aharonot (January 12): "An anomaly like this probably
exists nowhere else in the world: the residents of East
Jerusalem enjoy the status of Israeli residents, with
all the benefits that go hand in hand with that ... but
they vote for the Palestinian Authority.... It seems
that they are the only people in the world who live in
two countries: they are both Israelis and Palestinians.
It is not the residents of East Jerusalem who are
responsible for this anomaly, but Israel, which has
allowed such an odd situation to exist. It is
incumbent upon the policy decision makers in Israel to
be courageous enough to put an end to this anomaly:
either turn them into full citizens, since it is
inconceivable that the residents of the capital city
should vote in another country's elections, or strip
them of their Israeli residents' rights by virtue of
the fact that they are Palestinians.... Palestinian
demographics have always been perceived by the
Palestinians as a sword and a threat to Israel. Why
not turn that now into a sword on their necks? By so
doing the residents of East Jerusalem will stop being
the 'Palestinian problem' that serves as a challenge to
Israel, but the 'Palestinians' problem,' for the
Palestinian Authority, which will now have to assume
responsibility for education, welfare and social
services for the residents. Let them shoulder than
burden instead of Israel. If the Israeli decision
makers are even craftier than that, they will cast this
step as an Israeli concession to the Palestinians (for
which compensation is due),while, in truth, we will
know that it is an Israeli achievement through and
through."

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

2. Iran: Nuclear Program:
--------------

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

Diplomatic correspondent Yacov Shaus wrote in
conservative, Russian-language Vesty: "At this time,
Israel trusts the U.S. to protect its interests
regarding the Iranian nuclear project."

Block Quotes:
--------------
"Iran Is Heading Toward an Escalation of the Nuclear
Crisis"

Diplomatic correspondent Yacov Shaus wrote in
conservative, Russian-language Vesty (January 12):
"Being busy with Prime Minister Sharon's physical
condition and its implications on Israeli internal
politics, the government of Israel and Acting Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert are ... almost inactive on the
international arena [regarding the issue of] the
significant escalation of the current Iranian
crisis.... There has been practically no reaction to
Tehran's provocative moves. At present, Israel trusts
the U.S. to protect its interests regarding the Iranian
nuclear project. The U.S. has succeeded in reaching a
mutual understanding with the EU on this issue.
Unwillingly, the EU countries have accepted the US
stance to shift the [Iran nuclear] issue to the UN
Security Council.... The Western countries [the U.S.
and European Union] ... can assume that a diplomatic
isolation of Iran could have an actual impact on the
Iranian government. Should the UN Security Council
hearings come to a dead end, the U.S. and most probably
the EU would take unilateral sanctions -- economic and
maybe also military on a later stage -- against Iran".

JONES