ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TEL AVIV 000785

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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1. Secretary Rice's "Transformational Diplomacy" Plan


2. Iran: Nuclear Program


3. Mideast

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Key stories in the media:
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Israel Radio reported that A/S David Welch will visit
Israel during the weekend and meet with Acting PM Ehud
Olmert on Sunday.

Yediot, Maariv, Israel Radio, and other media reported
that on Thursday, Olmert called Jordan's King Abdullah
II and told him that comments made on Wednesday by O/C
Central Command Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh, who questioned
the durability of the Jordanian monarchy, do not
represent Israel's view. Yediot reported that the King
told Olmert that he knows this. Maariv and Israel
Radio reported that the two leaders agreed to meet
after the Israeli elections.

In its lead story, Maariv quoted Khaled Mashal, the
head of Hamas's political bureau, as saying in an
interview with Zuhair Andrawus, the Editor-in-Chief of
the Israeli-Arab newspaper Kul Al-Arab, that his
organization is not afraid of Israel, that the truce
with Israel is no longer relevant, and that the first
assignment of the new Palestinian government will be to
release the murderers of Israeli cabinet ministers
Rehavam Zeevi. Ha'aretz quoted Mashal as saying in an
interview with the Nazareth-based radio A-Shams that
Hamas is willing to hold talks with the U.S. and any
other country except Israel. Maariv reported that the
Jordanian authorities clarified to Mashal that he would
have to renounce his Jordanian citizenship if he wants
to visit their country.

Ha'aretz reported that Hamas activists are providing
assistance to militants from other groups -- mostly
Islamic Jihad activists, activists from Fatah's Al Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades, and members of local factions such as
the Popular Resistance Committees -- who launch Qassam
rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israel Radio
reported that last night, two Palestinians were killed
and another arrested at the Kissufim crossing near the
central Gaza Strip. The radio said that they might
have been trying to lay explosives charges. Israel
Radio reported an Israeli air-strike on a car in Beit
Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, and quoted
Palestinian sources as saying that two Palestinians
were injured in the attack. Ha'aretz, Yediot, and The
Jerusalem Post reported that in total, five
Palestinians, including four wanted men, were killed in
clashes with IDF troops in Nablus on Thursday.
Ha'aretz reported that Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader
whom PA Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas nominated
for premiership, condemned the IDF operation in Nablus,
saying that the "massacre must be stopped." Hatzofe
quoted Haniyeh as saying that Palestinian blood is
being spilled as part of the Israeli elections. Yediot
quoted former Shin Bet Director Avi Dichter as saying
that Haniyeh is a legitimate target for assassination.

The Jerusalem Post reported that voices are being
raised in the Quartet, arguing that the cutoff date by
which Hamas must accept certain preconditions or face
international isolation is "malleable" and not
necessarily the day a Hamas government is formed.
Meretz-Yahad Chairman Yossi Beilin was quoted as saying
in an interview with The Jerusalem Post that Abbas
might yet save Israel from "Hamastan."

Maariv reported that the IDF plan creating separate
roads for Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank is
close to fruition.

Maariv (Ben Caspit) reported on a meeting held in
Washington in early February between Jordan's King
Abdullah and Vice President Dick Cheney. The newspaper
quoted indirect sources as saying that the Jordanians
were surprised by remarks made by members of Cheney's
staff who attacked Abbas, calling him a "broken reed."
The newspaper further reported that the Americans
expressed satisfaction over Hamas's victory and noted
that this only strengthened their view that the
Palestinians should be left alone and that Israel
should "take care of them."

Ha'aretz quoted U.S. Ambassador to Israel Richard Jones
as saying on Thursday at a meeting with the Israel-
America Chamber of Commerce that the U.S. expects
Israel to improve its policies in the fields of
standards, intellectual property rights, and government
tenders. The newspaper also reported that the
Ambassador called on Israel to deepen trade with the
U.S. through completing trade liberalization and
lifting non-customs trade barriers. Ha'aretz cited
Jones' assessment that improvement in Israel's economic
strength in recent years allows it to cope with
challenges such as the rise of Hamas, and that its
economy is on the way to full recovery.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Hamas spokesman Sami Abu
Zuhri as saying that on Thursday, Hamas made an offer
to former PA finance minister Salam Fayed to join its
new cabinet.

Yediot quoted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as
saying in Beirut that Syria should stop frightening
Lebanon. Israel Radio reported that in Abu Dhabi, the
Secretary and foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf

SIPDIS
Cooperation Council voiced fears over nuclear
proliferation in the Persian Gulf region.

Yediot reported that in a phone conversation on
Thursday, Olmert and Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan
reaffirmed the friendly connection between their two
countries.

The Jerusalem Post reported that on Thursday, the High
Court of Justice decided to issue an interim injunction
halting for 30 days construction of the Simon
Wiesenthal Center-affiliated Museum of Tolerance being
built over a Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem's
Independence Park.

Based on the results of a Smith Institute poll
conducted for The Jerusalem Post, the newspaper
concluded that Israelis are "uninspired" by all three
candidates for the premiership (Olmert, Binyamin
Netanyahu, and Amir Peretz).

All media reported that on Thursday, Olmert approved a
series of measures to reduce social gaps, including the
creation of "negative income tax." Yediot bannered:
"Olmert's Election Economics."

Ha'aretz and Yediot reported that on Wednesday, the
Jerusalem police arrested a 32-year-old immigrant from
the U.S., who resides in Beit Shemesh (a city west of
Jerusalem, inside the Green Line),under suspicion of
having brought to Israel over the past two months
weapon parts, ammunition, and military equipment.
Yediot quoted the suspect as saying: "I wanted to
protect my family. In the past, I served in the U.S.
Army in Iraq." Yediot wrote that he apparently does
not belong to an extremist organization.

Ha'aretz cited recently declassified USG documents that
shed light on the Nixon administration's attitude in
the wake of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre of
Israeli athletes.

Ha'aretz reported that a high-level meeting of Knesset
members, world Jewish leaders, and academics was held
at the residence of Israeli President Moshe Katsav on
Thursday to discuss ways of increasing Diaspora Jewry's
connection to Israel. The newspaper wrote that
American Jewish leaders sharply criticized a proposal
by Professor Yedidya Stern and other senior Israeli
figures to seek U.S. federal government support for
private Jewish schools.

All media reported that on Thursday, French President
Jacques Chirac, his wife Bernadette, and French PM
Dominique de Villepin, attended a memorial evening at
Paris' Grand Synagogue for Ilan Halimi, the 23-year-old
Jewish Frenchman who was kidnapped, tortured, and
murdered by a Muslim gang. The lead suspect in the
killing was arrested in the Ivory Coast.

All media (lead story in Globes) reported that on
Thursday, the High Court of Justice rejected El Al's
appeal against Israir's designated carrier status on
the Tel Aviv-New York line. The decision effectively
opens the skies to competition, and Israir is preparing
for the immediate operation of its fixed line to New
York, becoming the first Israeli airline to compete
with El Al on that lucrative route. The media assessed
that the fares of Israir's scheduled flights would be
lower by 10 to 15 percent than the current fares, with
return tickets on the line costing USD 600 to 1,000.

A Yediot/Mina Zemach (Dahaf Institute) poll held late
this week shows that the popularity of the Labor Party
and the Likud has become almost even:
-"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 (41); Labor Party 19 (20); Likud 16 (15);
Shas 10 (10); Yisrael Beiteinu 9 (7); Arab parties 9
(9); National Union-National Religious Party 8 (8);
United Torah Judaism 5 (5); Meretz 5 (5); "floating
mandates": 12 (14).

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1. Secretary Rice's "Transformational Diplomacy" Plan:
-------------- --------------

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

Washington correspondent Nathan Guttman wrote in the
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "[Secretary
Rice's 'transformational diplomacy' plan enjoys] the
President's support and is considered an attempt to
deal with the question America has been struggling with
for more that four years now: 'Why do they hate us?'"





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

"Showdown at the State Department"

Washington correspondent Nathan Guttman wrote in the
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (February 24):
"Critics of public diplomacy say it is a euphemism for
propaganda, but the events of the past years
demonstrate that no matter what you call it, the U.S.
needs to deal with the fact that it is not understood
and is widely disliked in much of the world.... As is
often the case with overwhelming reform programs, big
plans can't always contend with realities on the
ground; so it remains to be seen what parts of this one
[Secretary Rice's 'Transformational Diplomacy'] will
actually be implemented. Still, it does enjoy the
President's support and is considered an attempt to
deal with the question America has been struggling with
for more that four years now: 'Why do they hate us?'
Where the Middle East is concerned, the plan signifies
a change in attitude, not in policy. Its call for many
more Middle East specialists and Arabic speakers in the
Foreign Service and for greater openness to the people
will not affect American policy in terms of the
region's conflicts. But it might help ease some of the
tension -- something that's always seen as a positive
step in the Middle East.".

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

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

Editorial Page Editor Saul Singer wrote in the
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "The Bush
team's goal should be to either have won, or be clearly
winning, against Iran 18 months from now."

Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev
Schiff wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz:
"Had the Shah of Iran tried to develop nuclear weapons,
Israel would not have been pleased, but its reaction
would, no doubt, have been entirely different."

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


I. "Those Jihadi Grins"

Editorial Page Editor Saul Singer wrote in the
conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (February 24):
"A mindset ... has sunk deep roots in Washington. This
thinking holds that America can only do one thing at a
time, and that thing is to consolidate democracy in
Iraq.... This muddling mindset must be replaced, if
Republicans want to hold on to the Presidency and if
George Bush does not want to leave office with the
jihadis ascendant. The 'must-win' attitude toward Iraq
should be extended to Iran, where winning is defined as
the fall of the Iranian regime or, at least, complete
Iranian capitulation on the nuclear and terrorism
issues, as Qadhafi did in Libya. The Bush team's goal
should be to either have won, or be clearly winning,
against Iran 18 months from now: those jihad grins
should be gone."

II. "A Loose Cannon in Tehran"

Senior columnist and chief defense commentator Zeev
Schiff wrote in independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz
(February 24): "After the crude declarations by Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about the Holocaust and
the need for wiping Israel off the map, one of Israel's
intelligence chiefs said wryly: 'We've succeeded. Our
best candidate was elected president of Iran.' Indeed,
there has been no factor more inimical recently to Iran
in Western public opinion than Ahmadinejad's
statements. He has provided additional proof of the
danger of a nuclear Iran.... From Israel's perspective,
it makes no difference what exactly Ahmadinejad's
motives have been. What is crucial is such a person is
liable to have his finger on the trigger of nuclear
weaponry in a religious, fanatic country. This regime
makes declarations that have not been heard since
Hitler's era. Had the Shah of Iran tried to develop
nuclear weapons, Israel would not have been pleased,
but its reaction would, no doubt, have been entirely
different."



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3. Mideast:
--------------

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

Senior editor Rafi Mann wrote in an editorial of
popular, pluralist Maariv: "While Europeans can't be
considered a bunch of leftist Israel-haters, Washington
isn't a goody-goody or absolutely wise."

Liberal columnist and Hebrew University Prof. of
Political Science Zeev Sternhell wrote in independent,
left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Hamas is now facing off against
an Israeli government that differs from that of the
Likud only in its outward appearance, but not in its
essential values and nature."
Conservative columnist Nadav Haetzni wrote in Maariv:
"as the new heads of the PA even refuse to recognize
the agreements that are the source for their rule, we
are entitled to cancel them."

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


I. "America' Mistakes in the Middle East"

Senior editor Rafi Mann wrote in an editorial of
popular, pluralist Maariv (February 24): "While
Europeans can't be considered a bunch of leftist Israel-
haters, Washington isn't a goody-goody or absolutely
wise. Energetically aided by Natan Sharansky, the new
American Right pulled George Bush straight into a
quagmire called 'fight for democracy.' Not only have
2,280 U.S. soldiers (as of Wednesday) paid that mistake
with their lives, put the entire world was made to pay
for it: had Washington not spoiled its might in vain
over Baghdad, it would have been able to act against
the threat of the Iranian atom. By the way, that
mistake is not exclusively that of right-wing
administrations: Jimmy Carter pressured the Iranian
Shah to improve his human rights record -- thus only
accelerating the fall of his regime and Khomeini's
rise."

II. "Politics Without Principles"

Liberal columnist Hebrew University Prof. of Political
Science Zeev Sternhell wrote in independent, left-
leaning Ha'aretz (February 24): "Just as Menachem Begin
uprooted settlements in Sinai and made peace with Egypt
for the sake of a Greater Land of Israel, and for the
sake of peace with the United States, Sharon liquidated
the settlements of the Gaza Strip to guarantee himself
freedom of movement in the West Bank and to placate
America, which he needed to handle Iran.... So it
happened that Hamas is now facing off against an
Israeli government that differs from that of the Likud
only in its outward appearance, but not in its
essential values and nature. It is ruled by the same
blindness with which the right, and all varieties
thereof, has always excelled.... How will the 30
million people living between the Jordan River and the
Tel Aviv coastline by the year 2050 live if we do not
reach a peaceful settlement and cooperation with the
Palestinians? This is not a question that [security-
minded Kadima politicians] are wont to address, and
most certainly not on the eve of elections."

III. "Facing the Reality of Hamas"

Conservative columnist Nadav Haetzni wrote in Maariv
(February 24): "The Palestinian people's new murderous
choice can serve Israel well -- if only we stop
deluding ourselves, formally annul the Oslo Accords,
and put an end to the existence of the Palestinian
Authority. Particularly now, as the new heads of the
PA even refuse to recognize the agreements that are the
source for their rule, we are entitled to cancel them.
Those who say that this isn't realistic are invited to
visit the cemeteries and the rehabilitation wars so
they can check the reality of the continuation of the
Oslo conception."

JONES