ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TEL AVIV 000751 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. Muhammad Cartoon Controversy ¶2. U.S.-Israel Relations -------------- Key stories in the media: -------------- Israel Radio quoted Israel's representative to the UN Danny Gillerman as warning at the UN Security Council Tuesday that an Iran-Syria-Hamas "terror axis" might emerge and that ignoring it could lead to a new world war. The radio cited the Syrian representative's reply that Israel is stockpiling nuclear weapons on the Golan. Yediot also cited Gillerman's remarks. Speaking on Israel Radio, Gillerman said that Russia and Turkey's attitudes toward Hamas were strange, because of Chechnyan and Kurdish terrorist activities. Ha'aretz and Israel Radio quoted President Bush as saying Tuesday aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from Colorado: "So long as Hamas does not recognize Israel's right to exist, my view is we don't have a partner in peace and therefore shouldn't fund a government that is not a partner in peace." Israel Radio reported that in Cairo Tuesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice referred to Hamas: "You cannot have one foot in the camp of terror and another foot in the camp of politics." The Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli officials as saying there was no intent by Rice to "slight" Jerusalem by skipping Israel during her Mideast trip. The Jerusalem Post reported that on Monday, a day before Secretary Rice set out for a trip in the region, Quartet principals decided that financial support for the PA should continue while there is an interim government. Maariv quoted the Quartet's Middle East envoy James Wolfensohn as saying that the PA will reach bankruptcy in two weeks. Israel Radio and the leading news web sites Ynet and NRG quoted Acting PM Ehud Olmert as saying this morning before the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the entire Palestinian Authority has turned into Hamas in the wake of the new parliament's swearing-in ceremony. Meretz Knesset Member Ran Cohen was quoted as saying that if the GOI does not differentiate between Abbas and Hamas, there will be more terrorist attacks and people killed, and that Israelis would pay for Olmert's color-blindness with their blood. Olmert was also quoted as saying that Israel's commitment to dismantling illegal settler outposts would be upheld without restraints. Media reported on a verbal clash between Olmert and right- wing Knesset Member Effi Eitam regarding the evacuation of the Amona outpost, during which Eitam was injured. The Jerusalem Post reported that Henry A. Crumpton, the State Department's Coordinator for Counterterrorism, "who last month said he did not rule out military action against Iran," arrived in Israel Tuesday night for three days of talks. Major media reported that a Federal Court in Virginia will hear verbal arguments today to dismiss the charges against two former lobbyists of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman. Israel Radio reported that the prosecution in the case is opposed to Israeli diplomats testifying in court. Yediot reported that today, the Israeli human-rights group Civil Coalition will file a criminal suit against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Germany's Constitutional Court for Holocaust denial, harming the rights of Holocaust victims, inciting hatred and racism, and violating the UN Charter. Ha'aretz reported that documents published on an Internet site involved in Holocaust denial show that Holocaust deniers from the West played a key role in attempts by Iran to cast doubts on the veracity of the Holocaust. All media reported that the IDF blew up an explosives factory in Nablus on Tuesday. At least three Palestinians were wounded in the operation. Leading media reported that a major blast occurred at the Karni crossing last night. Yediot and Israel Radio cited the IDF's belief that the cause was an explosives tunnel dug by Palestinians. Major media reported that on Tuesday, former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon, in a speech during a conference of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, accused the GOI of responsibility, for Hamas's victory in the recent Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections, particularly through Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. He was quoted as saying: "We need to escalate military action against the Qassam rocket launchers, even if it means entering the Gaza Strip." Yediot cited a confidential Foreign Ministry document that says that Israel's decision to stop transferring funds to the Palestinians will bring about the collapse of the PA and harm the population of the territories. The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel has canceled the VIP travel privileges of PLC members, barring them from enjoying unrestricted travel between Gaza and the West Bank. Ha'aretz reported that Ismail Haniyeh now has three weeks to form a government, with the possibility of a two-week extension. Yediot cited the belief of Israeli defense sources that the Iranian security and intelligence services intend to use the strategic alliance between Tehran and Damascus to encourage terrorist activity against Israeli targets through Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The Jerusalem Post reported that Hamas leaders are divided on the role of Iran in Palestinian affairs. Ha'aretz and other media reported that Labor Party leader Amir Peretz will visit Cairo today for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. Senior Labor Party members will accompany Peretz on his trip. Leading media (banner in Yediot) reported that former Likud cabinet ministers Silvan Shalom and Yisrael Katz are boycotting Likud Chairman MK Binyamin Netanyahu's efforts to reduce the power of the party's central committee and to introduce party primaries. Ha'aretz cited a report published on Tuesday by the Israeli human-rights groups B'Tselem and Bimkom - Planners for Planning Rights, according to which the main consideration behind the route for "numerous segments" of the security fence was settlement expansion. Citing Reuters, Ha'aretz reported that Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday criticized Israel's use of economic sanctions against Palestinians for voting Hamas into power and defended Ankara's decision to hold talks with the militant group. Reuters further reported that Israel's envoy in Ankara, Pinchas Avivi met leaders of Turkey's ruling party AKP on Tuesday in an apparent bid to patch up the quarrel. However, Maariv reported that FM Tzipi Livni ordered Avivi not to meet Turkish Foreign Ministry officials to hear an update about Hamas's meetings with Turkish officials. Yediot reported that the Turkish government has requested assistance from Israel regarding the establishment of a PR structure that would improve Turkey's image in the world. Yediot reported that Al Qaida attacks against Israelis have been thwarted in Turkey and Jordan. Yediot reported that hundreds of fake Israeli passports are sold annually all over Asia, and that they have been used by Iranians, Pakistanis, and Turks. The newspaper quoted Israeli representatives in Asia as saying that such documents might be used by terrorists. All media reported that State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss has decided to probe the sale by Olmert of his private Jerusalem residence to an offshore company registered in the British Virgin Islands for a sum of USD 2.7 million. Olmert continues to reside in the house. U.S. businessman S. Daniel Abraham, a former campaign contributor, is behind the company. Ha'aretz reported that Lindenstrauss also plans to look into Olmert's ties with Abraham, who contributed money to Olmert's campaign in the Jerusalem mayoral elections and to Shimon Peres for last November's Labor Party primaries. Leading media reported that Olmert refuted the charges. Maariv reported that Olmert demands that Lindenstrauss conclude his investigation this week. Leading media reported that Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has resolved that Minister Without Portfolio Tzachi Hanegbi not be appointed minister after the elections. -------------- ¶1. Muhammad Cartoon Controversy: -------------- Summary: -------------- Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker wrote in the editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Who is asked to apologize [for Muslims' violence over the Muhammad cartoons]? Not the jihadists, but the cartoonists -- since they 'offended Islam.' Those who were murdered in the name of Islam can no longer be offended. Their body parts are buried deep in the ground of New York, London, Madrid, Bali, Djerba and Jerusalem." Block Quotes: -------------- "The Reticence, the Hypocrisy and the Apology" Chief Economic Editor Sever Plotker wrote in the editorial of mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (February 21): "The 14th Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, recently visited Israel.... The Dalai Lama preaches non- violence, understanding between people, compassion and many other such good virtues. And all of them are truly good and desirable; it is only astonishing that the honorable Dalai Lama XIV did not think it appropriate to preach his beliefs of complete non-violence to the Palestinian Islamic radicals.... An unbalanced approach is characteristic of many people who seek to improve the world. For them the West, and particularly Israel and the United States, are routinely to blame for the ills of civilization. The Muslims, conversely, are given special discount rates. A newspaper in Denmark ran a cartoon six months ago in which the Prophet Muhammad was cast as a promoter of terrorism; undoubtedly, this cartoon was inspired by the cries of 'Allah akbar' that are aired by suicide terrorists. Anyone who goes on a bloody holy war and murders, in the name of religion, hundreds of train passengers in Europe should not be taken aback when his religion is construed as one that preaches terrorism. In response to the cartoon, Muslim riots and unruly demonstrations erupted; an incited minority once again imposed its delusional agenda on the cultured world. And who is asked to apologize? Not the jihadists, but the cartoonists -- since they 'offended Islam.' Those who were murdered in the name of Islam can no longer be offended. Their body parts are buried deep in the ground of New York, London, Madrid, Bali, Djerba and Jerusalem." -------------- ¶2. U.S.-Israel Relations: -------------- Summary: -------------- Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "[Former AIPAC employees Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman] did not threaten, did not pay, did not scheme. It was merely the mundane routine of the lobbyist and journalist and entrepreneur and scholarly researcher." Block Quotes: -------------- "Aiming For the Bird -- and Missing" Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (February 22): "What generated the sudden interest [in Section 793 of the American Espionage Act] was the surprising recruitment of a celebrity to the defense team [of former AIPAC employees Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman]. Viet Dinh, a former Justice Department deputy secretary and a key architect of the controversial U.S. Patriot Act, co- authored a detailed and persuasive memorandum that will be the focus of today's hearing. The man who helped write the legislation that is often described as preferring 'security' over 'individual rights' will now be arguing against the overuse of an inherently security-minded law. Section 793, Dinh writes, is not appropriate for the case against Rosen and Weissman: it is vague, has never been used against citizens who are not civil servants, and also does not pertain to transmitting information orally. The state is trying to set a precedent that will greatly expand the boundaries of the law that the legislature did not intend.... It is the moment of truth in which the establishment apparently decided to do away, once and for all, with chatter.... Those who were aiming for the bird hit [Rosen and Weissman] in the face instead. And those who are not among their followers or AIPAC's followers -- and there are quite a few of these -- also have to understand how far-reaching the suit against them is. They were never warned, Dinh points out, and why should they suspect that their actions are illegal? After all, they did what everyone in Washington does. They went to restaurants, heard stories, told them to others. They did not threaten, did not pay, did not scheme. It was merely the mundane routine of the lobbyist and journalist and entrepreneur and scholarly researcher." JONES