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


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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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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.

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MIDEAST:
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SUMMARY:
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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:
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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