ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TEL AVIV 000693

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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The Jerusalem Post, Ha'aretz, and Israel Radio reported
that Israeli officials who gathered at FM Tzipi Livni's
office Wednesday agreed that Israel should not oppose
humanitarian aid to Palestinians through organizations
such as the Red Cross and the UN Relief and Works
Agency. The radio reported that Livni also expressed
this view. The Jerusalem Post wrote that the
officials' idea is to create a distinction in the
international arena between aid to the Palestinian
people and its government. Ha'aretz and Israel Radio
quoted a Jerusalem source as saying that Israel does
not want to cause an economic crisis and see "hungry
children." Ha'aretz and Israel Radio quoted Acting PM
Ehud Olmert's adviser Dov Weisglass as saying: "It's
like a meeting with a dietician. We have to make them
much thinner, but not enough to die." In its lead
story, Yediot reported that Israel will impose an
"economic siege on the Hamas regime." The newspaper
reported that on Friday, Olmert is expected to declare
the beginning of sanctions against the PA: in a first
stage, the transfer of USD 45 million to the PA would
be frozen; in a second stage, legislation would be
enacted to prevent international fund transfers; as a
last resort, Israel would cut off power in the PA.

Ha'aretz cited a statement issued Wednesday by Hamas
that two Hamas moderates are slated to head the new
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and cabinet. The
newspaper wrote that the decision to appoint Dr. Abed
al-Aziz Duaik as head of the PLC and Ismail Haniyeh as
PA prime minister is seen as capitulation to
international pressure on the movement. Ha'aretz
quoted Duaik as saying Wednesday that once the new
government was formed, Hamas would formulate its own
peace plan, with a long-term truce with Israel. Israel
Radio reported that Duaik told the station that a siege
on the PA is an anti-democratic act, and that Hamas
members are the representatives of the Palestinian
people and that Israel should recognize the new reality
and the Palestinians' choice.
Ha'aretz and Israel Radio reported that on Wednesday,
the U.S. House of Representatives determined that U.S.
aid should not be given to the PA if the party holding
the majority of seats in the PLC calls for the
destruction of Israel. Ha'aretz said that the
resolution has symbolic, declarative importance.
Israel Radio reported that the U.S. Senate passed a
similar resolution.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice as testifying Wednesday before the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee that U.S. tax
dollars would not be given to a Palestinian government
in which Hamas plays a leading role. Ha'aretz and
Israel Radio quoted Rice as testifying that the U.S.
will step up its efforts to bring about democratization
in Iran.

Ha'aretz reported that James Wolfensohn, the Quartet's
Mideast envoy, met in Moscow Wednesday with Russian
President Vladimir Putin to discuss the tense situation
in the Middle East following Hamas's electoral victory.
Ha'aretz reported that Putin told Wolfensohn he was
"very glad to have an opportunity to talk about the
situation currently developing in the region."

Citing AP, Ha'aretz quoted Jibril Rajoub, the PA's
National Security Adviser, as saying in Cairo Wednesday
that Hamas does not need to recognize Israel
immediately as a condition for forming a government,
hinting it could use recognition as a bargaining chip
in the future. However, Rajoub underlined that Fatah
would not join a Hamas-led government unless it
recognizes peace agreements with Israel and drops
Muslim fundamentalist elements from its political
program. Rajoub was quoted as saying in an interview
with Israel Radio this morning that the PA's security
services currently under the control of the PA's
Interior Ministry will be placed in the hands of Hamas,
in accordance with the PA's Basic Law.

The Jerusalem Post and Israel Radio reported that the
IDF released Ahmed Haj Ali, 66, a Hamas member who was
elected in the recent PLC elections, after serving five
months in administrative detention.

Ha'aretz, The Jerusalem Post, and Maariv reported that
the Dalai Lama, who arrived in Israel on Wednesday,
called for a renewed Middle East dialogue. Ha'aretz
quoted him as saying it was "too early to say" whether
Israel should talk to Hamas. He reportedly appealed to
Hamas to turn away from violence and to approach the
situation "more realistically."

Ha'aretz and Yediot quoted Transportation Minister Meir
Sheetrit as saying Wednesday that a number of countries
in Europe and Asia have approved El Al planes outfitted
with new anti-missile defense systems to enter their
airspace. Ha'aretz quoted Sheetrit was as saying that
a number of African countries are poised to approve
Israeli planes equipped with the system.

Yediot reported that the Mauritanian security services
have thwarted an attack on the Israeli Embassy in
Nouakchott.

Citing the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Jerusalem
Post reported that Palestinian political scientist
Khalil Shikaki, who is affiliated with Brandeis
University, dismissed allegations that he is linked to
Islamic Jihad and that he said he is not worried about
attempts to persuade Jewish groups to cut him off. The
Jerusalem Post reported that this week, the Oxford
University is holding an "Israeli Apartheid Week,
hosted by the Palestinian Society.

Leading media reported that Attorney General Menachem
Mazuz decided on Wednesday that the criminal
investigation of PM Sharon and his son Gilad regarding
the "Cyril Kern affair" will continue despite Sharon's
grave health condition. Mazuz was quoted as saying
that the prosecution has gathered significant evidence
in the matter.

Leading media quoted Iran's Ambassador to Portugal
Mohammed Taheri as saying Tuesday in an interview on
Tuesday with Portuguese state radio RDP: "When I was
ambassador in Warsaw, I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau
twice and made my calculations. To incinerate 6
million people, 15 years would be necessary." The
Jerusalem Post and Ha'aretz reported that Amitai Sandy,
a Tel Aviv artist, has launched the Israeli Anti-
Semitic Cartoon Contest, a challenge, led by Jews, to
find the best cartoons, caricatures, and short comic
strips that demonize the Jewish people. The Jerusalem
Post quoted Sandy as telling the newspaper that his
intention was to challenge bigotry by using humor -- an
approach that officials at Yad Vashem are not convinced
is the best idea.

Maariv disclosed that Israel's first nuclear accident
took place at Rehovot's Weizmann Institute in 1956 or
1957 and that it was silenced.

Maariv reported that a gang of young Muslims tortured
and killed a young Jew near Paris. His body was found
on Wednesday.

A Yediot/Mina Zemach (Dahaf Institute) poll held late
this week shows a decrease in support for Kadima and a
rise in support for the far right:
-"Were elections for the Knesset held today, for whom
would you vote?" (Results in Knesset seats -- in
brackets, results of previous poll.)
-Kadima 41 (43); Labor Party 20 (20); Likud 15 (15);
Shas 10 (11); National Union-National Religious Party 8
(6); Arab parties 9 (8); Yisrael Beiteinu 7 (8); United
Torah Judaism 5 (6); Meretz 5 (5).



Maariv printed the results of a TNS/Teleseker Polling
Institute survey conducted Wednesday evening, which
shows a decline in support for Kadima:
-"Were elections for the Knesset held today, for whom
would you vote?" (Results in Knesset seats -- in
brackets, results of last week's poll.)
-Kadima 39 (40); Labor Party 20 (21); Likud 15 (15);
Shas 10 (9); United Torah Judaism 10 (9); National
Union-National Religious Party 9 (9); Arab parties 8
(8); Yisrael Beiteinu 7 (7); Meretz 6 (6).

Channel 10-TV and Ha'aretz published the results of a
survey conducted Tuesday night by Prof. Camil Fuchs of
the Amanet Group's Dialogue Institute:
-"Were elections for the Knesset held today, for whom
would you vote?" (Results in Knesset seats -- in
brackets, results of poll conducted on February 9.)
-Kadima 40 (40); Labor Party 19 (21); Likud 13 (15);
Shas 10 (10); National Union-National Religious Party
10 (8); Arab parties 10 (9); United Torah Judaism 6
(7); Yisrael Beiteinu 7 (5); Meretz 5 (5).
Yediot wrote that the recent Gallup poll about U.S.
opinion towards Israel and the Palestinians found that
65 percent of Americans believe there is no chance for
a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

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Mideast:
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Summary:
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Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "As
long as Israel controls the territory and its citizens
settle there, it must not punish the Palestinians, even
if it doesn't like how they voted."

Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in Ha'aretz:
"The next [Israeli] government must place the problem
of Israel's legitimacy in the forefront and invest
every possible effort to improve Israel's image in the
world."

Nationalist writer Uri Dan commented in popular,
pluralist Maariv: "It looks as though Putin is prepared
to use the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to bring back
to Russia its place in the Middle East."

Liberal columnist Yael Paz-Melamed wrote in Maariv: "Of
all the annoying cliches spouted during an election
period, the most annoying is the one that talks about
the unity of the people."

Block Quotes:
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I. "Go For the Political Approach"

Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized
(February 16): "The Hamas victory in the elections,
with all its drawbacks, does not free Israel of its
responsibility for the welfare of the population. If
it plans to disengage from the Palestinians, it must
withdraw from the West Bank and evacuate the
settlements. Then it can stop providing supplies,
electricity, water and medication as a means of
deterrence or punishment in its struggle against its
hostile neighbor. But as long as Israel controls the
territory and its citizens settle there, it must not
punish the Palestinians, even if it doesn't like how
they voted. The Gaza Strip, even after the
disengagement, is considered to form a 'single
territorial unit' with the West Bank, according to
agreements that obligate Israel. Moreover, it's
doubtful that there is political wisdom in pushing
Hamas against the wall and shattering the cease-fire,
which has led to relative calm over the past year.
Olmert is subject to pressure: the Likud is accusing
him of capitulating to Hamas and demanding that he
cease transferring tax monies that belong to the
Palestinians. But Olmert would do well to take the
election considerations into account less and give
greater thought to the political and ethical
responsibility he bears."

II. "Improve the Image"

Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in Ha'aretz
(February 16): "Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says that
today's UN would not pass the November 29, 1947,
decision that called for the partition of the Land of
Israel and the establishment of the State of Israel.
Livni is pointing to a genuine problem: Israel is
struggling to maintain its existential legitimacy as
the Jewish state. The question is what the Foreign
Minister and her colleagues in the government are doing
in the face of the danger.... Israel is losing its grip
on important, influential parts of public opinion in
the West, and is being shoved into the corner with
rightist, Christian groups that preach in favor of a
war of civilizations with Islam. As a result, there is
a growing gap between the Israeli interpretation of
reality and the way Israel is perceived in the
world.... Force is a necessary condition for the
state's existence, but it is not a sufficient condition
on its own. The time has come to change priorities,
and to give some importance to Israel being just. That
doesn't mean getting up and running out of all the
territories. Even after such a withdrawal, there will
be things that Israel will be blamed for and accused
of. But the next government must place the problem of
Israel's legitimacy in the forefront and invest every
possible effort to improve Israel's image in the
world."

III. "Russian Double Game"

Nationalist writer Uri Dan commented in popular,
pluralist Maariv (February 16): "Putin's grave decision
-- inviting the heads of Hamas to the Kremlin --
recalls the somber days of the former Soviet Union,
when Moscow embraced the PLO and Arafat when their
Palestinian Charter called for the elimination of
Israel.... The Russian Foreign Ministry's cynical
attempt to explain Putin's move as a step that would
demand of Hamas the cessation of terrorism and the
recognition of Israel is only lip service. It looks as
though Putin is prepared to use the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict to bring back to Russia its place in the
Middle East. Reports from Russia have long indicated a
change in Putin's policy vis-a-vis his 20 million
Muslim citizens. The Russian President is trying to
reassure the Muslim community by saying that the
'Russian people is multi-ethnic.' But he is
simultaneously fighting Chechnyan terror and its
supporters with all his might.... [In this context, it
is worthwhile recalling that in early 1999, then
foreign minister Ariel] Sharon and [then advisor to the
prime minister in the fight against terror Meir] Dagan
promised intelligence cooperation with the Kremlin in
the war on terror -- with the knowledge of the U.S.
administration."

IV. "Forget Unity"

Liberal columnist Yael Paz-Melamed wrote in Maariv
(February 16): "Of all the annoying cliches spouted
during an election period, the most annoying is the one
that talks about the unity of the people.... As someone
very familiar with the level of verbal violence that
burns up the Internet every time an article appears
condemning the settlers' behavior, I know how stupid
and baseless is the desire that we all be brothers.
The curses, the vilification, even the threats, and
mainly the unwillingness to print even one convincing
opposing argument, is the path chosen by these
'brothers' to react to a different world view.... All
the soldiers, men and women, who took part in the
evacuation of Gush Katif and were met by screams and
cures, with the word Nazis not being the worst of them,
know that we have to stay silent and move on. There
is consolation from both sides: there will be no civil
war [literally war of brothers in Hebrew] here. Not
only because we are not brothers, but because those
that are capable of starting such a war are so few,
that the maximum they can do is to set up a few
underground cells, burn a few cars, attack Arabs, but
that's all. They don't have the power, they don't have
the support and they don't have the means. To the same
degree, looking from the other side, there will be no
unity here. It is our fate to be part of the same
Israeli people, part of the same Jewish faith. That is
hard enough in itself. We also have to send our
children to the army to defend us from radical
settlers, to pay taxes so we can fund the illegal
outposts in the heart of Palestinian towns. To ask for
anything beyond would be wild exaggeration, and we
should therefore drop it. Enough already, forget
unity."

JONES