Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TELAVIV808
2007-03-15 09:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

Tags:  OPRC KMDR IS 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #0808/01 0740950
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 150950Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0012
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEADWD/DA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 1816
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 8568
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1743
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2631
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 1806
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 9606
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 2540
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 9459
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 9934
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 6550
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3946
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 8825
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 3042
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4961
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 6242
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMSIXTHFLT PRIORITY
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000808 

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:
--------------------------------

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000808

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:
--------------


1. PM Olmert's Performance



2. Mideast


3. US-Israel Relations

--------------
Key stories in the media:
--------------

Israel Radio and the leading Internet news site Ynet quoted US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as saying Thursday before the

SIPDIS
AIPAC policy conference in Washington that the Saudi peace
initiative was not to be taken as is but may be a starting point
that could lead to a compromise once the Israeli viewpoint was taken
into account. In support of FM Tzipi Livni's stance on the matter,
Rice said that Israel should not respond to the Arab league's offer
at this point in time, since she said the Israelis had their own
ideas for achieving peace, which should also be considered. Rice
was quoted as saying that the initiative was a very important step
and showed that it was clear that the Israeli-Arab conflict must
come to an end. Livni was quoted as saying that she viewed some of
the plan's clauses very positively, but pointed out that the plan's
treatment of the Palestinian refugee problem contradicted the
two-state solution. Ynet reported that Rice and Livni met at the
State Department in order to exchange ideas before Secretary Rice's
upcoming visit to the region for another round of talks next week.


Ha'aretz quoted Egyptian FM Ahmed Ali Abu al-Gheit as saying on
Wednesday that the Saudi peace initiative would not be subject to
changes before the Riyadh Summit scheduled for the end of March. He
added that the Egyptians expected Israel to accept the initiative
and thereby promote the peace process. Ha'aretz quoted a senior
Israeli diplomatic source as saying on Wednesday that the Arab
leaders felt they could not disregard UN Resolution 194, calling for
the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homes. Therefore,
the source estimated the Arab nations would resist making changes

requested by Israel to the initiative's refugee clause. The source
explained that if the Arab nations were to change the initiative,
they would alienate the Palestinian leadership and serve Iran's
claims that it better represents the interests of the Palestinians
than the leaders of the Arab League. Ha'aretz quoted Dr. Mati
Steinberg, former advisor on Palestinian affairs to the head of the
Shin Bet, as saying that Israel, which he said erred in rejecting
the 2003 Saudi peace initiative, should endorse the decisions of the
Arab League summit at the end of this month.

The Jerusalem Post and Israel Radio quoted a Fatah leader as saying
that PA Chairman [President] Mahmoud Abbas will set the political
guidelines of the emerging Palestinian unity government. The leader
was quoted as saying: "The President will make it clear that the new
government must respect all the agreements that were signed with
Israel and abide by all Arab and international resolutions
concerning the Palestinian issue." The Fatah leader pointed out
that Abbas will not call on the unity government to explicitly
recognize Israel or renounce terrorism as demanded by the Quartet.
Israel Radio reported that the new Palestinian government is
expected to work out a deal with Israel for the release of kidnapped
IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit. Yediot noted that Abbas did not abide by his
promise to Olmert that Shalit would be freed before the formation of
a Palestinian unity government. Yediot quoted Dr. Ahmed Yousef,
diplomatic advisor to Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh, as saying in an
interview published on Wednesday in the London-based Ash-Sharq
Al-Awsat that Hamas will soon effect ideological changes and that it
is willing to institute a 10-year hudna (truce) with Israel. Yediot
reported on controversy in Israel around the sincerity of Yousef's
remarks.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli officials expressed
disappointment on Wednesday that EU foreign policy chief Javier
Solana backed a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights
following talks in Damascus with Syrian leaders, rather than
publicly calling Syria to task for supporting terrorism. Although
the EU has demonstrated a similar viewpoint for years, The Jerusalem
Post quoted an Israeli official as saying that "this is not the
message that Syria needs to hear at this time."

Ha'aretz quoted Israeli government sources as saying that the US
government failed to give Israel all the drafts of UN Security
Council Resolution 1701 ending last summer's Lebanon war in real
time, so Israel had to obtain some of the documents from other
sources. However, Ha'aretz's sources were quoted as saying that
senior GOI officials ultimately did get all the drafts in time, and
there were no delays or information gaps that impeded
decision-making during the war. Ha'aretz reported that on Wednesday
FM Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Amir Peretz met in New York with
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for talks that focused on the
ongoing weapons smuggling into southern Lebanon and the fate of the
two abducted soldiers.

The Jerusalem Post quoted a source close to the Winograd Commission
probing last summer's war in Lebanon as saying that the final report
of the Winograd Commission probing last summer's war in Lebanon,
which is expected in the late summer, will include full "personal
recommendations" concerning PM Ehud Olmert, Peretz, as well as
senior ministers and IDF officers on their conduct during the war.
Like other media, The Jerusalem Post said that the "partial" report
to be published next month will contain a full judgment on the
actions of Olmert, Peretz, and former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz
during the five-day period in July between the capture of two IDF
reservists and the official decision to launch the campaign against
Hizbullah. Maariv reported that five Kadima ministers -- Livni,
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, Construction and Housing
Minister Meir Sheetrit, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, and
Vice PM Shimon Peres will decide who will head Kadima should the
Winograd Commission force Olmert to resign.

The Jerusalem Post cited Peace Now as saying that a military
database released to the group under court pressure shows that very
little private land was seized from Palestinians to build Ma'aleh
Adumim, the largest settlement. In November, Peace Now had claimed
that 86 percent of the West Bank town was built on private
Palestinian land.

Ha'aretz, The Jerusalem Post, and Hatzofe reported that on Wednesday
Israel, the PA, and Jordan agreed on a plan to build an
agroindustrial park near Jericho, part of efforts backed by Japan to
promote economic cooperation and development in the Middle East.
Japanese FM Taro Aso was quoted as saying at the end of a two-day
conference in Tokyo attended by senior Israeli, Palestinian and
Jordanian officials that the parties agreed that Japan will dispatch
a research team later this month to select possible sites for the
park.

Maariv reported that Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman as
saying on Wednesday that the European states are sacrificing Israel
because of their economic ties with Iran.

Maariv reported that Knesset members will leave for Tunisia today to
attend a Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly meeting, in which
parliamentarians from the PA, Syria, and Lebanon will also take
part.
Ha'aretz reported that on Wednesday the Knesset decided to shelve a
proposal for a parliamentary discussion of the Armenian genocide, in
compliance with Olmert's request.

All media reported that a senior officer of Iran's Revolutionary
Guards disappeared in Iraq a few weeks ago.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization,
whose aim is to facilitate immigration of Jews to Israel, has
expanded its group flights from the US, Canada, and Britain to
include 50 to 100 pre-booked seats each months on regular El Al
flights throughout the year.

Ha'aretz, Yediot, and The Jerusalem Post quoted the Anti-Defamation
League report released on Wednesday according to which the number of
anti-Semitic incidents in the US dropped in 2006 for the second year
in a row. The Jerusalem Post reported that leaders of Reform
Judaism from around the world will open a conference in Jerusalem on
Thursday whose agenda includes a multimillion-dollar (over USD 100
million) expansion of activities in Israel and a demand that Olmert
take steps to officially recognize the movement, its conversions,
and its rabbis.


--------------

1. PM Olmert's Performance:
--------------

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

The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "The war in
Lebanon was a failure.... Will that same government now lead the
country into a major military operation in Gaza, and continue its
diplomatic passivity and ignorance of the Saudi initiative, the
Syrian initiative and changes in the Palestinian government?"

Block Quotes:
--------------
"It Doesn't Depend on Winograd"

The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (3/15): "The
Winograd Commission is investigating the failure of the war in
Lebanon, but its job is not to replace Israel's government. To
replace a government, an opposition must coalesce and enough Knesset
members must want elections. Meanwhile, no one is proposing a new
agenda, and everyone seems to be comfortable in their padded chairs,
with the wait for the Commission's recommendations just an excuse to
do nothing. This reveals a certain amount of political infantilism.
The Commission's investigation of the truth and summary of lessons
is indeed important, but the public already knows enough to draw
conclusions about the individuals involved.... The bitter
disappointment caused by the second Lebanon war should have shaken
our very foundations, but the storm died down the moment the
Winograd Commission was established, as if the country had time to
waste while the Commission debated the lack of talented leaders. If
not for public pressure, even Dan Halutz would not have gone home.
Now, similar pressure should be created to replace the leadership.
It is impossible to discuss the Iranian threat seriously while
placing it in the hands of Amir Peretz and Avigdor Lieberman.... If
the Commission decides not to make recommendations regarding
individuals, but rather only to draw conclusions, as has been
intimated, the public will have to do its part. The war in Lebanon
was a failure. The prisoners are still captive. The home front
took 200 rockets a day. Will that same government now lead the
country into a major military operation in Gaza, and continue its
diplomatic passivity and ignorance of the Saudi initiative, the
Syrian initiative and changes in the Palestinian government?"

--------------

2. Mideast:
--------------

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

Palestinian politics expert Prof. Shaul Mishal wrote in the
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Today, the
Palestinians prefer a diplomatic solution that will be achieved in
the framework of a regional dialogue ... rather than a direct
Israeli-Palestinian one."

Block Quotes:
--------------
"Hamas's Regional Game"

Palestinian politics expert Prof. Shaul Mishal wrote in the
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (3/15): "Today, the
Palestinians prefer a diplomatic solution that will be achieved in
the framework of a regional dialogue, in which the Arab states and
Israel will be partners, rather than a direct Israeli-Palestinian
one. Palestinian strategy -- support for a regional diplomatic
arrangement -- stems from the diplomatic and military developments
that have occurred in the region since the US invasion of Iraq....
Most importantly -- the faster the Palestinians embrace the Saudi
initiative, the more Israel's Syrian window of opportunity will
close: There is no Israeli government on the horizon that can
conduct negotiations involving painful withdrawals on two fronts at
the same time. Within a short amount of time Israel will stand at a
historic crossroads. It won't be able to stand at traffic lights
without deciding to take the Palestinian or the Syrian course."

--------------

3. US-Israel Relations:
--------------

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

The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: "Jews
and evangelicals will never agree on many issues, but the one on
which they do agree is of overwhelming importance.... The Jewish
people ... cannot afford, and arguably does not have the right, to
simply dismiss a significant potential ally."

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

"Christians For Israel"

The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (3/15):
"'The sleeping giant of Christian Zionism has awakened. There are
50 million Christians standing up and applauding the State of
Israel.' So began a speech by Pastor John Hagee, founder of
Christians United For Israel, before an AIPAC Policy Conference
plenary earlier this week. His address may not have received as
much media attention as those by Richard Cheney, Nancy Pelosi, Ehud
Olmert and Binyamin Netanyahu. It should have, however, because it
could herald a critical new stage in the American-Israeli
relationship.... Jews and evangelicals will never agree on many
issues, but the one on which they do agree is of overwhelming
importance. It is natural, given history, that Jews are wary even
of a hand outstretched in friendship, and caution is justified. The
Jewish people, however, cannot afford, and arguably does not have
the right, to simply dismiss a significant potential ally."

JONES