ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TEL AVIV 002400 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 CDR USCENTCOM 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: -------------- MIDEAST -------------- KEY STORIES IN THE MEDIA: -------------- MAJOR MEDIA REPORTED THAT PM EHUD OLMERT IS SLATED TO MEET WITH PA CHAIRMAN [PRESIDENT] MAHMOUD ABBAS IN PETRA, JORDAN, ON THURSDAY. THE MEDIA SAID THAT THE VISIT WILL BE SYMBOLIC AND NOT MARK THE RESUMPTION OF ISRAEL-PA NEGOTIATIONS. ISRAEL RADIO REPORTED THAT PERES WILL MEET WITH JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH II IN PETRA ON WEDNESDAY. THE FRAMEWORK OF THE MEETINGS IS A GLOBAL GATHERING OF NOBEL PRIZEWINNERS SPONSORED BY KING ABDULLAH II. ALL MEDIA REPORTED ON THE SDEROT MUNICIPALITY'S SELF- IMPOSED BLOCKADE TO PROTEST THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY VIS- A-VIS QASSAM ROCKET LAUNCHINGS FROM THE NORTHERN GAZA STRIP. ALL MEDIA REPORTED THAT ISRAELI PRESIDENT MOSHE KATSAV AND DEFENSE MINISTER AMIR PERETZ MADE A SOLIDARITY VISIT TO THE CITY ON MONDAY. THE JERUSALEM POST QUOTED PERETZ AS SAYING DURING HIS METING WITH KATSAV: "I WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID AN ESCALATION BECAUSE IT WOULD LEAD TO DAYS OF QASSAM BARRAGES." ON THE OTHER HAND, MAJOR MEDIA (LEAD STORY IN YEDIOT) REPORTED THAT PERETZ HINTED MONDAY THAT A MILITARY OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO QASSAM ROCKET FIRE WAS AT HAND, ("WITHIN DOZENS OF HOURS THERE WILL BE A DRASTIC CHANGE ON THE MILITARY MATTER; NONE OF THE [PALESTINIAN] TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IS SAFE.") MAARIV BANNERED REMARKS MADE BY VICE PM SHIMON PERES TO REPORTERS ON MONDAY THAT "HYSTERIA" AROUND THE QASSAM ROCKETS MUST CEASE. OTHER LEADING MEDIA CITED PERES'S COMMENTS. SPEAKING ON ISRAEL RADIO THIS MORNING, PERES CLARIFIED HIS VIEW THAT THE ARAB WORLD SHOULD NOT GET THE IMPRESSION THAT ISRAEL IS BECOMING HYSTERICAL. THE LEADING NEWS WEBSITE YNET REPORTED THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION RECENTLY VISITED ISRAEL AND SUGGESTED THAT ISRAEL CONTINUE ITS INVOLVEMENT IN THE NAUTILUS PROJECT, WHICH 
COULD PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM ROCKETS WITHIN TWO YEARS. YEDIOT REPORTED THAT THREE ISRAELI GIRLS WERE LIGHTLY INJURED ON MONDAY BY SHOTS THAT WERE FIRED AT A BUS THEY WERE IN NEAR THE SETTLEMENT OF OFRA. THIS WAS THE SECOND SHOOTING ATTACK IN THE SPACE OF A SINGLE WEEK. MUHAMMAD DAHLAN, ONE OF FATAH'S LEADERS IN THE TERRITORIES, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING MONDAY IN AN INTERVIEW WITH HA'ARETZ THAT OLMERT'S UNILATERAL WITHDRAWAL PLAN IN THE WEST BANK WILL NOT SOLVE THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT AND WILL ONLY PERPETUATE THE BLOODY CYCLE OF VIOLENCE. DAHLAN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE WITHDRAWAL WILL BRING NEITHER PEACE NOR SECURITY TO ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS. DAHLAN COMMENTED ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNILATERAL WITHDRAWAL, SAYING, "I'M NOT SAYING WHETHER THERE WILL BE SUICIDE BOMBINGS OR NOT. BUT THE CONFLICT, THE VIOLENCE, THE HOSTILITY, ALL WILL REMAIN." HA'ARETZ REPORTED THAT ISRAEL'S DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT HAS LAID DOWN RULES FOR CONTACT WITH THE PA, UNDER WHICH ALL DIRECT CONTACT WITH HAMAS OFFICIALS IS BARRED, BUT TALKS ARE PERMITTED WITH PA FUNCTIONARIES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH HAMAS OVER ISSUES DEEMED ESSENTIAL BY BOTH SIDES. THE IDF'S CIVIL ADMINISTRATION IN THE WEST BANK FORMULATED THE RULES FOR CONTACTS, WHICH WERE APPROVED BY BOTH FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER SHAUL MOFAZ AND PRESENT DEFENSE MINISTER AMIR PERETZ. THE JERUSALEM POST REPORTED THAT ISRAELI AND EUROPEAN TEAMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN TALKS TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY ON THE QUARTET-APPROVED INTERNATIONAL FUNDING MECHANISM DESIGNED TO CHANNEL AID TO THE PA WHILE BYPASSING ITS HAMAS-LED GOVERNMENT. THE NEWSPAPER WROTE THAT THE TEAMS WERE SET UP DURING THE VISIT OF EU COMMISSIONER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER TO JERUSALEM ON MONDAY. THE JERUSALEM POST QUOTED FM TZIPI LIVNI AS SAYING THAT ISRAEL HAD RECEIVED MATERIAL OUTLINING THE MECHANISM AND WOULD "STUDY THE DOCUMENT, CONSULT, AND DETERMINE OUR POSITION IN THE MATTER." THE NEWSPAPER QUOTED A SENIOR DIPLOMATIC OFFICIAL AS SAYING THAT WORKING-LEVEL MEETINGS WOULD DISCUSS "MANY DETAILS" OF THE PLAN. HA'ARETZ CITED FERRERO-WALDNER'S EXPLANATION OF THE MECHANISM. LEADING MEDIA QUOTED FERRERO-WALDNER AS SAYING: "PRIME MINISTER OLMERT'S REALIGNMENT PLAN IS A COURAGEOUS AND IMPORTANT STEP, AND WE ARE AWARE OF THE TREMENDOUS DIFFICULTIES IN EVACUATING SETTLEMENTS." HOWEVER, SHE ADDED: "THE EU'S POSITION IS THAT ANY UNILATERAL STEP, LIKE THE REALIGNMENT, WILL NEVER BRING LASTING PEACE TO THE REGION. REAL PEACE WILL BE ACHIEVED ONLY THROUGH A PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS." ON MONDAY EVENING, CHANNEL 10-TV SAID THAT SHRAPNEL REMOVED FROM THE BODY OF A YOUNG PALESTINIAN WHO WAS WOUNDED IN THE JUNE 10 GAZA BEACH BLAST THAT KILLED SEVEN PALESTINIANS SHOWS THAT IT CAME FROM AN IDF- ORDNANCE 155-MM SHELL. THE YOUNG MAN IS BEING TREATED IN ISRAEL. ISRAEL RADIO CITED A STRENUOUS DENIAL BY THE IDF. THE JERUSALEM POST REPORTED THAT WHILE STICKING TO ITS DEMAND FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO THE BLAST, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH CONCEDED MONDAY NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE INCIDENT THAT IT COULD NOT CONTRADICT THE IDF'S EXONERATING FINDINGS. YEDIOT REPORTED THAT IN A SPEECH HE DELIVERED MONDAY, PRESIDENT BUSH ADDRESSED THE IRANIAN PEOPLE, WARNING THAT IRAN WOULD FACE SERIOUS SANCTIONS IF IT CONTINUED TO ENRICH URANIUM. LEADING MEDIA REPORTED THAT ON MONDAY, OLMERT CONVENED A "FORUM OF PRIME MINISTERS" (INCLUDING FORMER PMS SHIMON PERES, EHUD BARAK, AND BINYAMIN NETANYAHU) WHO CONSULTED ONE ANOTHER ON THE ISSUE OF COPING WITH IRAN'S NUCLEAR RACE. NETANYAHU REITERATED HIS VIEW THAT REGARDING SOME ISSUES, THERE IS NO COALITION OR OPPOSITION. SPEAKING ON ISRAEL TV ON MONDAY, BARAK SAID THAT ALTHOUGH ISRAEL IS THE STRONGEST POWER IN THE REGION, THE ARRAY OF THREATS IT FACES CREATES A VERY COMPLEX HORIZON AS FAR AS ITS NATIONAL SECURITY IS CONCERNED. MAARIV QUOTED SHEIKH RAED SALAH, THE HEAD OF THE NORTHERN BRANCH OF ISRAEL'S ISLAMIC MOVEMENT, AS SAYING THAT ISRAEL HAS COMPLETED THE PREPARATIONS FOR BUILDING A NEW, 18 SQUARE-KILOMETER JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD IN EAST JERUSALEM. THE JERUSALEM POST REPORTED THAT ON SUNDAY, THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE REJECTED TWO PETITIONS FILED BY PALESTINIANS AGAINST THE SEPARATION BARRIER IN THE JERUSALEM AREA, AND A REQUEST FOR A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF THE "INNER BARRIER" IN THE SOUTHERN HEBRON HILLS. HA'ARETZ PUBLISHES AN INTERVIEW OF BAT YE'OR (PEN NAME),A FEMALE JEWISH INTELLECTUAL WHO WAS BORN IN EGYPT AND WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN SWITZERLAND, WHO BELIEVES THAT THE EUROPEAN-ARAB ALLIANCE FORMED BY THE LATE FRENCH PRESIDENT CHARLES DE GAULLE IN THE WAKE OF DECOLONIZATION WILL EVENTUALLY TRANSFORM EUROPE INTO A CONTINENT UNDER THE THUMB OF THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD. BAT YE'OR IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELY ON EUROPE TO HELP SOLVE THE NUCLEAR CRISIS WITH IRAN. YEDIOT AND MAARIV REPORTED THAT ISRAELI AUTHORITIES ARE CONCERNED THAT SEWAGE STREAMING FROM THE GAZA STRIP INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA MIGHT INFECT THE ASHKELON DESALINATION PLAN. WHILE MAARIV WROTE THAT THIS IS BECAUSE THE US FROZE THE RENOVATION OF THE PA'S PURIFICATION INSTALLATIONS, YEDIOT SAID THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT SINCE HAMAS CAME TO POWER, THE PA DOES NOT HAVE FUNDS TO MANAGE THE SEWAGE. YEDIOT QUOTED ENVIRONMENT MINISTER GIDEON EZRA AS SAYING THAT A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM MUST BE FOUND. THE JERUSALEM POST REPORTED THAT THE ISLAM CHANNEL IN LONDON -- THE LARGEST ISLAMIC TV IN EUROPE -- SPONSORED AN ANTI-ZIONIST DEBATE ON THURSDAY. HA'ARETZ REPORTED THAT ISRAEL HAS BECOME INVOLVED IN A WORLDWIDE DISPUTE OVER THE HUNTING OF WHALES, AT THE BEHEST OF THE US, WHICH REQUESTED THAT ISRAEL JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION. ON MONDAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY PARTICIPATED IN A DECISIVE VOTE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE WHALING TRADE. TOGETHER WITH THE US AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES, ISRAEL VOTED AGAINST A JAPANESE ATTEMPT TO LIFT THE BAN ON WHALE HUNTING, DESPITE PRESSURE FROM TOKYO. THE JERUSALEM POST REPORTED THAT OVER THE WEEKEND, THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USA ADOPTED A COMPROMISE RESOLUTION REGARDING DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAEL WHICH DOES NOT CALL DIRECTLY FOR DIVESTING FROM COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM WHAT IT REFERRED TO AS THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION. THE RESOLUTION, APPROVED BY 53 COMMISSIONERS AND OPPOSED BY SIX, WAS VOTED ON SATURDAY AND REAFFIRMED SUNDAY. THE JERUSALEM POST QUOTED THE ORGANIZERS OF A PRO- ISRAEL CONFERENCE HELD IN CAPE TOWN MONDAY THAT WAS SPONSORED BY SOUTH AFRICAN CHRISTIANS AS SAYING THAT THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, THE RULING SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL PARTY, BOYCOTTED THE CONFERENCE. HA'ARETZ REPORTED ON A CRISIS BETWEEN THE REFORM JUDAISM MOVEMENT IN THE US AND PRESIDENT MOSHE KATSAV, WHO REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE MOVEMENT'S "VETERAN AND UNDISPUTED LEADER" RABBI ERIC YOFFIE AS "RABBI." HATZOFE PRINTED A PICTURE OF ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEWS PROTESTING AGAINST ZIONISM IN BOSTON ON MONDAY DURING THE CITY'S CELEBRATION OF THE 58TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF ISRAEL. MAARIV CITED THE WASHINGTON POST AS SAYING THAT JERUSALEM IS UNDERGOING A CULTURAL REVOLUTION. MAARIV SAID THAT THE AMERICAN NEWSPAPER SINGLED OUT THE LAB, AN EXPERIMENTAL THEATER IN THE CITY. YEDIOT AND HA'ARETZ PRESENTED THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE PALESTINIAN CENTER FOR POLICY AND SURVEY RESEARCH, ACCORDING TO WHICH WHILE 74 PERCENT OF PALESTINIANS SAID THAT THEY SUPPORT THE "PRISONERS' DOCUMENT," ONLY 47 PERCENT SAID THEY WOULD VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT IF A REFERENDUM WERE HELD ON IT TODAY. SOME 44 PERCENT WOULD VOTE AGAINST IT. THE JERUSALEM POST CITED THE RESULTS OF A POLL CONDUCTED ON BEHALF OF B'NAI BRITH ISRAEL BY THE GEOCARTOGRAPHIA INSTITUTE, ACCORDING TO WHICH CLOSE TO 90 PERCENT OF ISRAELI JEWS BELIEVE THAT THEIR COUNTRY STILL NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF AMERICAN JEWRY, AND THAT 50 PERCENT OF THOSE THINK THEY SHOULD BE MORE SUPPORT FROM AMERICAN JEWRY. ACCORDING TO HA'ARETZ, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT ONLY 11 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT ISRAEL NEEDED LESS SUPPORT FROM AMERICAN JEWRY NOW THAT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF JEWS IS TO BE FOUND IN ISRAEL. ACCORDING TO HA'ARETZ, SOME 24 PERCENT SAID THAT ISRAEL NEEDS MORE SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN JEWRY THAN IN THE PAST AND 26 PERCENT SAID THAT ISRAEL NOW NEEDS "MUCH MORE" SUPPORT FROM AMERICAN JEWRY. THE NEWSPAPERS REPORTED THAT 59 PERCENT OF ISRAELI JEWS HAVE RESERVATION ABOUT THE CRITICISM VOICED BY THE WRITER A. B. YEHOSHUA CONCERNING THE JEWS OF THE DIASPORA. LAST MONTH IN WASHINGTON, YEHOSHUA HAD PRAISED THE SUPERIORITY OF THE ISRAELI EXPERIENCE OVER JEWISH LIFE ABROAD. -------------- MIDEAST: -------------- SUMMARY: -------------- INDEPENDENT, LEFT-LEANING HA'ARETZ EDITORIALIZED: "AFTER ISRAEL'S HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE HAS RULED TIME AFTER TIME THAT EXTRANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS LIE BEHIND THE PLANNING OF THE FENCE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPECT FOREIGNERS TO RECOGNIZE THE ROUTE, EVEN TEMPORARILY, AS THE LINE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK." VERY LIBERAL COLUMNIST B. MICHAEL WROTE IN MASS- CIRCULATION, PLURALIST YEDIOT AHARONOT: "I CAN ONLY WISH THAT WE WERE ALREADY AT THAT LONG-AWAITED STAGE OF THINGS, IN WHICH ONLY THE SETTLEMENT OUTPOSTS REMAINED STUCK OUT THERE, AFTER ALL OF THE OTHER SETTLERS HAD ALREADY RETURNED HOME AT LONG LAST." SENIOR COLUMNIST HAGGAI HUBERMAN WROTE IN THE EDITORIAL OF NATIONALIST, ORTHODOX HATZOFE: "THE HEROES OF GUSH KATIF NEITHER FLED NOR WHINED.... WE CANNOT AVOID REMINDING YOU THAT 'WE TOLD YOU SO.'" JEROME M. SEGAL, THE DIRECTOR OF THE JERUSALEM PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND'S CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL AND SECURITY STUDIES, WROTE IN HA'ARETZ: "OLMERT COULD SEEK, AND LIKELY OBTAIN, AMERICAN AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT A UNILATERAL ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL AS ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT BOUNDARY, PROVIDED THAT IT IS TO A LINE RECOGNIZED BY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL AS FULFILLING THE WITHDRAWAL PROVISIONS OF RESOLUTION 242." BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- ¶I. "NO PLACE FOR FENCE DESTROYERS" INDEPENDENT, LEFT-LEANING HA'ARETZ EDITORIALIZED (6/20): "DURING [LAST WEEK'S HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE] HEARING ON THE PETITION [AGAINST THE ROUTE OF THE SECURITY FENCE AROUND THE SETTLEMENT OF TZOFIN], WHICH WAS FILED BY MAYORS OF PALESTINIAN VILLAGES ADJACENT TO THE DISPUTED ROUTE AND HAMOKED - THE CENTER FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE STATE ADMITTED THAT IN PLANNING THE ROUTE, WEIGHT WAS GIVEN TO AN UNAPPROVED MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DESIGNED TO ENABLE THE SETTLEMENT'S EVENTUAL EXPANSION. THIS CONTRADICTED THE STATE'S INITIAL CLAIM THAT THE ROUTE WAS DETERMINED SOLELY BY OPERATIONAL SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS.... THE GOVERNMENT'S CONVERGENCE PLAN IS BASED ON THE EXISTENCE OF THE FENCE, WHICH IS MEANT TO CREATE A SECURITY SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TERRITORY OF THE WEST BANK, AND THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THE MAJOR SETTLEMENT BLOCS. THE DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT'S STANCE IN THE TZOFIN PETITION AND OTHERS LIKE IT CORRODES THE CENTRAL MORAL AND POLITICAL ARGUMENT THAT ISRAEL IS MAKING TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. AFTER ISRAEL'S HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE HAS RULED TIME AFTER TIME THAT EXTRANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS LIE BEHIND THE PLANNING OF THE FENCE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPECT FOREIGNERS TO RECOGNIZE THE ROUTE, EVEN TEMPORARILY, AS THE LINE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK." II. "CLINGING TO THE SETTLEMENT OUTPOSTS" VERY LIBERAL COLUMNIST B. MICHAEL WROTE IN MASS- CIRCULATION, PLURALIST YEDIOT AHARONOT (6/20): "FOR SOME REASON THE 'EVACUATION OF SETTLEMENT OUTPOSTS' HAS BECOME THE SUPREME TEST FACING THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.... [IN ACTUAL FACT,] IT SUITS THE GOVERNMENT'S NEEDS QUITE WELL TO ORGANIZE A NUMBER OF PHOTOGENIC 'TRAUMAS' THAT ALSO GIVE IT AN AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW ITS DETERMINATION. SO THAT THE ENTIRE WORLD KNOWS JUST HOW HARD THINGS ARE FOR IT, THE POOR THING. AND SO THAT THE ENTIRE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW JUST HOW DETERMINED IT IS, THE HEROINE. AND PERHAPS ALSO SO THAT IT MIGHT ONE DAY HIDE BEHIND THE 'PAINFUL IMAGES' TO EXCUSE ITS WEAKNESS, HESITANCY, LACK OF SERIOUSNESS AND INACTION. AND THAT WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED EITHER. IF THE GOVERNMENT TRULY WANTED TO PROVE JUST HOW SERIOUS IT WAS, IT WOULD NOT WASTE ITS TIME AND ENERGY ON THOSE CRIMINAL TRIVIALITIES. IT WOULD BEGIN IMMEDIATELY -- AND UNILATERALLY SO, JUST THE WAY IT LIKES -- TO EVACUATE ALL OF THOSE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SETTLERS WHO ARE DYING TO BE EVACUATED. IT WOULD LIBERATE THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOSTAGES IT HAS CONTINUED TO HOLD IN THE WEST BANK, TRAPPED IN SETTLEMENTS THAT EVEN IT NO LONGER BELIEVES SERVE ANY PURPOSE. AND THE SETTLEMENT OUTPOSTS CAN BE LEFT STANDING. LET THEM BE EVACUATED AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, OR NOT AT ALL. WHO CARES? I CAN ONLY WISH THAT WE WERE ALREADY AT THAT LONG- AWAITED STAGE OF THINGS, IN WHICH ONLY THE SETTLEMENT OUTPOSTS REMAINED STUCK OUT THERE, AFTER ALL OF THE OTHER SETTLERS HAD ALREADY RETURNED HOME AT LONG LAST." III. "THE WAIL OF SDEROT VERSUS THE HEROISM OF GUSH KATIF" SENIOR COLUMNIST HAGGAI HUBERMAN WROTE IN THE EDITORIAL OF NATIONALIST, ORTHODOX HATZOFE (6/20): "WITH ALL THE SYMPATHY I FEEL FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SDEROT AND IN KEEPING WITH THE MAXIM OF 'THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE THINE BROTHER' AND SO FORTH, ONE CANNOT BUT RECALL THOSE FOLKS WHO CERTAINLY WERE IN THE SHOES OF THE SDEROT RESIDENTS, BUT IN WHOSE SHOES THE SDEROT RESIDENTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN -- THE TRUE HEROES OF GUSH KATIF. THOSE WHO DID NOT WIN SYMPATHY AND WERE NOT THE RECIPIENTS OF PRESIDENTIAL VISITS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND HELP WHEN THOUSANDS, NOT HUNDREDS, OF QASSAM ROCKETS AND MORTAR SHELLS RAINED DOWN ON THEM DAY AFTER DAY. THEY DID NOT GET UP AND THEY DID NOT PACK THEIR BAGS AND THEY DID NOT FLEE EVEN WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WAS ABOUT TO EXPEL THEM FROM THEIR HOME. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO CLUNG TO THEIR LAND WHEN THE BARRAGES OF ROCKETS WERE COMPLEMENTED BY INCESSANT 'BARRAGES' OF CALUMNY, COURTESY OF THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT AND THE FORMAL ISRAELI ESTABLISHMENT. THEY, THE HEROES OF GUSH KATIF, NEITHER FLED NOR WHINED.... WE CANNOT AVOID REMINDING YOU THAT 'WE TOLD YOU SO.' WE SAID THAT THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER THE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE GAZA STRIP, AND AT LEAST ONE RESIDENT OF SDEROT WHOSE CURRENT JOB IS TO STOP THE ROCKET FIRE BUT WHO IS HELPLESS TO DO SO, THEN PUBLICLY MOCKED US. HE WHO CRIES LAST CRIES LONGEST." IV. "CONVERGENCE AND THE LEBANON MODEL" JEROME M. SEGAL, THE DIRECTOR OF THE JERUSALEM PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND'S CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL AND SECURITY STUDIES, WROTE IN HA'ARETZ (6/20): "[UN SECURITY COUNCIL] RESOLUTION 242, UNLIKE RESOLUTION 425 [WHICH CALLED ON ISRAEL TO WITHDRAW FROM 'ALL LEBANESE TERRITORY.'] WAS DELIBERATELY VAGUE ABOUT WHETHER ISRAEL IS REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW FROM ALL OF THE TERRITORY OCCUPIED OR JUST FROM SOME OF IT. THE PALESTINIAN POSITION HAS BEEN THAT ISRAEL SHOULD RETURN TO THE GREEN LINE, WHILE ALL ISRAELI GOVERNMENTS, AS WELL AS THE US, HAVE REJECTED THAT INTERPRETATION. WITH THIS IN MIND, OLMERT COULD SEEK, AND LIKELY OBTAIN, AMERICAN AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT A UNILATERAL ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL AS ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT BOUNDARY, PROVIDED THAT IT IS TO A LINE RECOGNIZED BY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL AS FULFILLING THE WITHDRAWAL PROVISIONS OF RESOLUTION 242. MOREOVER, OLMERT COULD ALSO GAIN AN AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TO WIN SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR THE LINE THAT ISRAEL WOULD PROPOSE, ONE THAT WOULD ALLOW ISRAEL TO ANNEX LIMITED AREAS ALONG THE GREEN LINE TO ACCOMMODATE CERTAIN ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS." JONES