JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (8/22): Doubt concerning Hamas'

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001555 SIPDIS STATE PASS BBG STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM NSC FOR ABRAMS CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD LONDON FOR HKANONA AND POL - TSOU PARIS ALSO FOR POL ROME FOR MFO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (8/22): Doubt concerning Hamas' commitment to Palestinian national dialogue JERUSALEM 00001555 001.3 OF 002 -------------- Main Stories: -------------- All dailies lead with news of the Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's doubts about the chances of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians before the end of the year. In a meeting with the foreign press on August 21, Livni said that reaching an incomplete agreement with the Palestinians may cause clashes, misunderstanding and violence, and that therefore any agreement between Israelis and Palestinians must address all the points. She added that even if an agreement is reached, it might not be implemented as long as Hamas remains in control of the Gaza Strip. The three dailies report on Israeli actions in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Al-Quds reports that the Israeli authorities issued a military order which allows Israel to occupy land in Hebron in order to open an access road to a settlement and establish a military base. All dailies report the injury of several Palestinians (Al-Quds reports 7 injuries, while Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida report 9) in clashes with Israeli soldiers on August 21 in Ni'lin village near Ramallah. In related coverage in all dailies, the Israeli public prosecutor's office informed the Israeli Supreme Court on August 21 that the Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister decided to make a significant change in the path of the separation barrier around the Ma'ale Adumim settlement, moving it westward to release 4,000 dunums of land. In other coverage in Al-Ayyam, the Israeli forces announced that as of August 21, the Bir Nabala checkpoint which connects Ramallah with villages in north-west Jerusalem will be removed to allow the free passage of Palestinian foot and vehicle traffic. According to a statement made by the Israeli forces, this is the third checkpoint removed this month. All dailies highlight developments in the Egyptian-sponsored dialogue between Palestinian factions. Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam report that seven Palestinian factions have called for the immediate start of a comprehensive national dialogue in order to end the internal crisis and the division of the Palestinian people. This call for dialogue was made during a meeting held by the factions at the office of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front in the Gaza Strip. In related coverage in Al-Ayyam, the Palestinian Ambassador to Cairo, Dr. Nabil Amro, announced in a phone interview with Al-Ayyam that the dialogue between the Egyptians and the Palestinian factions will start on Monday, August 25. He added that this dialogue may include 14 Palestinian factions. He said that the launch date of the Palestinian comprehensive dialogue depends on the results of this dialogue between the Egyptians and the Palestinian factions. In other related coverage in Al-Quds, reliable sources from Hamas confirmed in a press statement on August 21 that there is a current crisis between Hamas and Egypt and that this crisis might intensify unless Egypt takes practical steps to open the Rafah crossing and resolve the issue of the prisoner exchange deal involving the Israeli solider Shalit. Egypt reportedly warned Hamas that Israel might target Hamas leaders for assassination if Hamas continues to insist on its conditions for the prisoner exchange deal. Al-Quds carries a press statement made by the Popular Committee against the Siege in Gaza, in which they assert that the Cypriot ship will depart Cyprus on August 21 and will arrive at the Gaza Strip on August 23 despite Israeli obstacles and threats. Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida report that the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas received the U.S. Consul General JERUSALEM 00001555 002 OF 002 Jacob Walles at his office in Ramallah on August 21 to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian arena and in peace efforts. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- ¶1. Independent Al-Quds runs an editorial entitled, "Our Cause and the Latest International Variables" (8/22): "Palestinians and Arabs need to benefit from the latest international variables and developments in order to advance the just peace process, taking into consideration that the conditions of the Cold War and the time of competition between the two greatest powers are definitively past, since Russia has become part of the Western world and its sole concern is its national interests and its strategic security. Despite that, Moscow is capable, within the Quartet framework, of playing an active and effective role in pushing the peace process and implementing the two-state solution. In order [for Russia] to play this role,...the Arab and Palestinian moves based on the latest international developments and what might result from these developments in the near and far future should be carried out wisely." ¶2. Independent Al-Ayyam runs an editorial by regular columnist Samih Shbeib, entitled "The Cairo Dialogues!!" (8/22): "[H]amas's refusal to stop its revolution and to defer to the Palestinian Liberation Organization will make the dialogue an open dialogue that has a start but no end... Hamas' continued control over the Gaza Strip ...will equally prevent early or late elections. What will happen in Cairo during and after Ramadan will force the Palestinian factions participating in the PLO framework to accelerate the [Palestinian] national dialogue, and to find a means of solving the internal crisis because if the dialogue remains where it is, the Palestinian political existence will disappear, while Egypt is working hard to make the dialogue-if it is held-successful!!!" WALLES