JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (10/10): INTERNAL PALESTINIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001871 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 (10/10): INTERNAL PALESTINIAN TALKS: "WELCOME TO THE ARAB SOLUTION" -------------- Main Stories: -------------- The three dailies and Ma'an run lead stories about internal Palestinian dialogue. Al Quds and Al Ayyam run headlines about an "Egyptian Road Map" that aims to eliminate Palestinian division in nine months. Al Hayat Al Jadida's headline reads Palestinian Authority Ambassador to Egypt, "Amr: The coming days shall witness the real test of Hamas' stand," while Ma'an's headline highlights, Amr's comment, "Hamas has to seriously think about becoming a real partner." Responding to rumors of an upcoming regional visit by Secretary Rice, Al Quds' front page runs comments by Sa'eb Erekat, chief PLO negotiator, stating, "we have not been informed of [Rice's] schedule." The paper adds that Palestinian sources expect Rice's visit to come after Israel's Kadima party chief Tzipi Livni forms her new government. Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida release protocol photos of Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa receiving Palestinian Authority President Abbas in Colombo. The front page stories briefly note that Abbas and Rajapaksa discussed Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Al Quds front pages and other dailies give inside coverage to the visit of Middle East Quartet Envoy Tony Blair to Cairo. In comments to the press, Blair highlights the need for Palestinian unity while Egyptian Foreign Minister Abul Ghayt confirms that Blair delivered a report to Egypt about Palestinian security reform, including Palestinian Authority security efforts in Jenin and Nablus. The three dailies run front page stories about Israelis storming the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on October 8 during Yom Kippur. Al Quds headline reads, "Palestinian Authority Grand Mufti condemns settlers storming of the mosque." Reporting highlights the Mufti's comments that the incident comes on the 18th anniversary of the "Al Aqsa massacre" in which 20 Palestinian were killed when "Jewish settlers" attempted to place a corner stone for a new Jewish temple. The Mufti also calls for stronger Arab support for the compound which the Mufti fears will be damaged by Israeli excavations under the mosque. All front pages carry short, factual stories about Jewish-Arab riots on Yom Kippur in the Israeli city of Acre. Citing news agencies, reporting notes that four Jews were arrested and 15 Arab residents injured in the clashes along with property damage to cars and shops Al Hayat Al Jadida cites an Israeli website in its front page article about Palestinian "operatives" who fired a rocket on October 9 from Gaza onto the Israeli Kissufim Gaza crossing. No damages were reported. Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida continue front page reporting on the "world financial crisis." Al Quds runs an AP story quoting Russian Prime Minister Putin saying the crisis has, "completely discredited" America's image as leader of the free world and that levels of confidence in U.S. leadership will never be fully restored. Al Hayat Al Jadida runs a wire story with comments by World Bank President Robert Zoellick about difficulties faced by developing countries due to the crisis. Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida report on inside pages that Israel's water company has stopped the supply of water to the Palestinian JERUSALEM 00001871 002 OF 002 West Bank town of Yatta near Hebron. Reporting does not give a reason for the cut noting only that 80,000 Palestinians will be affected. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- ¶1. Regular columnist Mohammad Yaghi opines in Al Ayyam independent daily under the title, "A dialogue to buy time" (10/10): "Many Arab countries see the controversy surrounding the Palestinian Authority Presidency as a continuation of the demise of the PLO. They are trying to avert the collapse and fall of the PLO into the hands of Hamas, which, if it were to happen, would constitute a dramatic change in the rules of the political game. The change would rebound back against the Arab regime, because Hamas is part of the Islamic Brotherhood, virtually the only movement that challenges this regime." ¶2. Columnist Talal Okal opines in Al Ayyam independent daily under the title, "Welcome to the Arab solution" (10/09): "setting aside optimistic statements and rigid ones [about internal Palestinian dialogue], deeds on the ground prompt citizens to feel more pessimistic and expect more signs of division... There is a feeling that the Arabs intend to enforce the solution that they deem suitable. However, if the Arabs cannot enforce their [preferred] solution... then what awaits Palestinians could be worse than [the lack of unity] that they have lived with so far." Walles