JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (9/05): INTERNAL PALESTINIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001651 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 (9/05): INTERNAL PALESTINIAN DIVISION DOES NOT EXPLAIN ABSENCE OF PEACE AGREEMENT -------------- Main Stories: -------------- Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam lead with photos and news from the wires, especially AFP, about the September 4 Damascus meeting between leaders of France, Syria, Turkey and Qatar. The two papers headline Syrian President Al-Assad's quote, "we defined a general negotiation document with six points," while Al-Quds' front page story highlights the letter for Israeli soldier Shalit. Al-Ayyam underscores wire reporting on the purpose of the meeting to give momentum to Syrian-Israeli negotiations and also tackle the "dangerous" Iranian nuclear issue and "fragile" situation in Lebanon. Al-Quds gives prominence to wire reporting on Al-Assad's assurance in a September 4 interview with Hezbollah satellite TV Al-Manar, that Damascus will not forsake Hezbollah and has no interest in seeing resistance [to Israeli occupation] end. The three dailies highlight statements by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad reiterating the importance of establishing a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders and warning all parties in the peace process, especially the Unites States and the Quartet, against the danger of continued Israeli "stalling" on adhering to "rules of the peace process" as outlined by international law. Fayad added that all parties are responsible for endig [negative] Israeli policies, especially settlemnt expansion, which endanger the peace process, ccording to reporting. The comments came duringthe inauguration of the new courthouse in the WestBank city of Jericho, a project largely funded b USAID. Fayyad stressed that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is placing special emphasis on improving the judicial branch, its infrastructure and capacity. On inside pages, USAID's significant role in the establishment of the new courthouse is highlighted: Prime Minister Fayyad and the PA chief justice expressed appreciation for USAID contributions. Remarks by USAID eputy Director Dave Harden were also reported, quting Harden, "complimenting PA efforts to empower he judiciary branch" and stating that the U.S. sared the Palestinian "dreams for justice and peae." Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida leads with intra-Palestnian dialogue issues, including accusations that amas is hindering the process. The daily writesthat Egyptian officials continue to meet with Paestinian factions in preparation for a comprehensie dialogue following Eid Al-Fitr that will focuson the establishment of a transitional governmentthat will prepare concurrent Palestinian legislaive and presidential elections. Democratic Front or the Liberation of Palestine party leader Hawamah maintained that Hamas continues to underminedialogue by insisting on a bilateral meeting with Fatah before the launch of talks. In related coverage, Al-Quds front page reports that Palestinian Authority (PA) presidential advisor, Ahmad Abdel-Rahman, told reporters that Fatah will go to the Cairo dialogue with no pre-conditions and PA President Abbas will not participate in his role as a party member because he is everybody's president. Al-Quds, in an exclusive interview with Ahmad Yousef political advisor to Hamas leader Haniyyah, quotes Yousef calling for an end to "disputes and hatred between Fatah and Hamas. The Republican convention is covered on Al-Quds' front page by its Washington correspondent. The article highlights Vice Presidential nominee Palin, "violently attacked Obama, defended herself and praised McCain," in her acceptance speech. The bold-print headline reads, "the war in Iraq is a mission from God," while the article runs the Palin quote, "Pray for our soldiers who seek to do the right thing for this country... our national leadership sent them on JERUSALEM 00001651 002 OF 002 a mission from God." Al-Ayyam reports that Israeli authorities are restricting access to the Al-Aqsa mosque on September 5, the first Friday of Ramadan. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- ¶1. Wadi' Abu Nassar, Executive Director of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops in the Holy Land, opines in independent Al-Quds under the headline "An agreement to show off, not to implement" (09/05): "Recently, American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice concluded her 17th visit to the Middle East by insisting that Palestinian and Israeli leaders continue negotiations to reach an agreement before the end of the year, despite her realization that the chances of this happening have become extremely slim. It appears that Rice is not at all concerned by her aides' and diplomats' analysis that the current Israeli Premier Olmert not only does not want to reach an agreement with the Palestinians on the core issues... but essentially is incapable because [of political weakness]. Rice also seems to ignore warnings that Palestinian leadership will not accept an incomplete agreement that ignores any of the permanent status issues... because [acceptance] would destroy what is left of their credibility in the eyes of the Palestinian people and all the Arab and Muslim peoples in the world..." ¶2. Al-Ayyam independent runs an editorial by regular contributor Mohamid Yaghy entitled, "Do not export their crisis to us" (09/05/) that argues: "We are in a crisis... but is it the [internal] crisis that is denying our people a political solution? No... Take note that negotiations with Israel started 17 years ago. During 16 of those years, we were not divided into Gaza and the West Bank and we did not have an open dispute over who represents the Palestinian people and there was no armed competition between the factions... if Israel does not want peace and does not want to stop settlements and has no desire to remove any checkpoints [or] modify the route of its barrier to conform with the green line... [Israel will have to] confront its enemies on its own. In the south, it has to face Hamas and in the north, Hezbollah and Syria, and in the east Iran... Moreover, Israel must face the deep and ever-mounting hatred accumulating against her in the Arab and Muslim world." WALLES