ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 003398 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 ICD LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL PARIS ALSO FOR POL ROME FOR MFO SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION -------------- SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT: -------------- Annapolis Conference -------------- Key Stories in the Media: -------------- All media reported that President George Bush, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have symbolically launched the renewing negotiations on a permanent agreement on Wednesday. Ha'aretz reported that in an interview with PM Olmert the latter said that Annapolis is not an historic point but that it can assist in progressing forward. Leading media reported that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will continue to head the Israeli team and will lead the negotiations with the Palestinians. The media noted that the talks between the sides will open on December 12. Yediot Aharonot reported that PM Olmert met President Bush again in order to discuss the Iranian threat. Maariv revealed that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Sultanov has been forwarding messages in recent weeks between Israel and Syria in a Russian attempt to renew negotiations between Israel and Syria. The newspaper reported that Prime Minister Ehud Olmerts' recent urgent trip to Russia was also related to these attempts. All media reported that the US has agreed to the Russian request to host a continuous conference to Annapolis in three months in Moscow. Ha'aretz noted that the nomination of General James Jones as the adviser of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on security issues related to the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians is bad news for Israel. The newspaper quotes Israeli sources that Jones is not a favorable choice because of his blatantly cool attitude to Israel. Israel Radio quoted President Shimon Peres as saying that Annapolis was a huge success for its four leaders: President Bush; PM Olmert; PA President Abbas and Secretary of State Rice. Israel Radio this morning reported that four Palestinians were killed in two IAF strikes in the Gaza Strip. According to the IDF the four were attempting to execute terrorist activity against Israel. Ha'aretz Internet site reported that since Sunday 20 Palestinians were killed most of them Hamas activists. All media reported that the police is expected to present its recommendations regarding PM Olmert's involvement in the sale of bank Leumi's controlling interest on Thursday. Estimations are that the police will recommend closing the case against him Yediot presented the results of a Mina Zemach (Dahaf Institute) poll after the Annapolis Conference: When asked if they believe that a final status peace agreement will be signed with the Palestinians by the end of 2008? 83 percent of questioned said no; 16 percent said yes; 1 percent didn't know. 50 percent believe that the Annapolis conference was a failure; 18 percent thought it was a success; 32 percent didn't know. To the question should Israel enter negotiations with Syria? 62 percent said yes; 35 percent said no; 3 percent didn't have an opinion. Ha'aretz published the results of a Dialog poll conducted after the Annapolis Conference which found that 53 percent of the Israeli public will support a permanent agreement based on a two-state solution; 38 percent do not support such an agreement and 9 percent didn't know. Sixty two percent believe that the Annapolis Conference did not progress the chances of a permanent agreement; 24 percent said it did not; 14 percent didn't know. To the question whether the conference was a success or a failure, 42 percent thought it was a failure; 24 percent said it was neither; 17 percent thought it was a success and 17 percent didn't know. -------------- Annapolis Conference: -------------- Summary: -------------- Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "It is a mistake to assume that a new American administration or a new president will have a different agenda. The American interest in the Middle East is to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as soon as possible." Senior diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in the Ha'aretz: "Only if [Rice] stubbornly nags Israel and the Palestinians by frequent visits, by pressing through mediating proposals, and if Bush constantly reiterates that he is backing his secretary of state, will it be possible to make progress. If the administration lifts its hands off the process once again, the Annapolis summit will join the pile of diplomatic events that vanished without a trace." Nationalist Makor Rishon-Hatzofe editorialized: "Instead of the unequivocal demand from the Palestinians to halt violence as a first condition for continuing the road map process, Israel is requesting 'reciprocity' of a new kind: It too has a part in terrorism.... This concession is critical.... It is a moral concession." Op-ed commentator Yael Paz-Melamed wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv: "My prayer is that there will be enough people in this country that will give a chance to the process that opened two days ago in Annapolis. Only a chance. Just a try." Block Quotes: -------------- ¶I. "Forward" Independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (11/29): "The purpose of the [Annapolis] meeting was to jump-start the dormant process, and it has been achieved completely. The conditions for pushing forward have been created. The pressure applied by George Bush and Condoleezza Rice, up to the last minute, in order to reach a joint political declaration, promises strict American supervision and unwillingness to tolerate wasting of time. The argument being raised, that the time table is too tight (by the end of 2008),is ridiculous.... A tough American approach, essentially pressuring both sides to discuss the core issues, could have positive results. Both sides know the details of a possible agreement, but are worried they lack the mandate to sign such a deal. Because of this, they must welcome American pressure. It is a mistake to assume that a new American administration or a new president will have a different agenda. The American interest in the Middle East is to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as soon as possible." II. "Only Bush Can" Senior diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in the independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (11/29): "If there is one lesson to be learned from the Annapolis summit, it is that American leadership in the peace process between Israel and its Arab neighbors is essential. Only the stubbornness of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the backing she received from U.S. President George W. Bush succeeded in bringing here the foreign ministers of most Arab countries and the world's leading diplomats.... However, with all due respect to the Bush-Rice success at Annapolis, their real test is still before them, and it all depends on their determination and perseverance.... The only chance the process has for success, or at least for significant progress on the way to an agreement, lies in continued American leadership. Only if [Rice] stubbornly nags Israel and the Palestinians by frequent visits, by pressing through mediating proposals, and if Bush constantly reiterates that he is backing his secretary of state, will it be possible to make progress. If the SIPDIS administration lifts its hands off the process once again, the Annapolis summit will join the pile of diplomatic events that vanished without a trace." III. "Moral Concessions" Nationalist Makor Rishon-Hatzofe editorialized (11/29): "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni are now causing a deterioration of the most profound moral foundations upon which the State of Israel stands. Instead of the unequivocal demand from the Palestinians to halt violence as a first condition for continuing the road map process, Israel is requesting 'reciprocity' of a new kind: It too has a part in terrorism.... This concession is critical.... It is a moral concession. The Israeli leadership did not owe anyone a concession of this type, after what was discovered this past summer in Syria, and following years of rocket fire against civilians." IV. "Prayer and Hope" Op-ed commentator Yael Paz-Melamed wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv (11/29): "Yes, we do not like peace conferences... That is because we have bad experience with them and disappointments, but also because conferences that do lead to some sort of process oblige us to make decisions we don't have the power to make. Who wants to start discussing settlement evacuation.... Let us live quietly. We got used to the situation and developed a mechanism to deal with it.... But in front of all this stand war and its victims.... There is so much agony on both sides that maybe after all this attempt is worth a huge effort.... My prayer is that there will be enough people in this country that will give a chance to the process that opened two days ago in Annapolis. Only a chance. Just a try." MORENO