JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (6/05): 41ST ANNIVERSARY OF 1967

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000945 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 (6/05): 41ST ANNIVERSARY OF 1967 WAR: NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT -------------- Main Stories: -------------- Palestinian President Abbas's call for "comprehensive and national" dialogue between Fatah and Hamas leads coverage in all dailies. Both Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run red banner headlines quoting Abbas stating that the dialogue should be based on the Yemeni initiative and include Arab involvement. The Yemen-sponsored reconciliation plan pushed for talks between the two groups earlier this year. Abbas, who did not stress a previous condition that Hamas return the Gaza Strip to Palestinian Authority rule, was speaking at a commemoration of the 41st anniversary of the 1967 war. Other front-page reports cite Hamas welcoming Abbas' call. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyya will respond to Abbas in an, "official address." Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad's remarks that continuing Israeli settlement activities, "will never bring security to Israel," are highlighted in all dailies. The same reports quote Fayyad praising the peaceful resistance against the Israeli separation barrier of the Palestinian village Bl'in, stating that his Government's policy is based on the "Bl'in lesson." The residents of Bl'in won an Israeli court case in September 2007 to change the route of the separation barrier and are continuing weekly protests with their international supporters to press for other changes related to the barrier which they say is built on village land. Front pages report that Israel has decided to delay the transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority in protest of a letter from Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad to the EU, urging European countries to "punish" Israel for continued settlement activities. The European Union is considering, "upgrading their relations" with Israel. Angry reaction to Barak Obama's June 4 address to AIPAC runs in front page headlines. Al-Quds highlights that Palestinian President Abbas, "completely rejects" Obama's comments about Jerusalem remaining the united capital of Israel and reiterated the Palestinian position that the eastern part of the city, "shall be ;the capital of the future Palestinian state." In a sarcastic tone, Al-Ayyam runs the headline, "Obama submits his credentials to Israel soon after he wins the Democratic Party's nomination." Al-Quds quotes Abbas's Chief of Staff Rafiq Husseini stating that the situation in Jerusalem may "explode" and the whole conflict turn into an "ideological and religious" struggle. Coverage of Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's visit to Washington is highlighted in Al-Ayyam, citing his "threats" to wage a vast military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The story states that Olmert's discussion with President Bush focused on Iran. Al-Ayyam reports that Israel has decided to suspend the delivery of fuel into Gaza amid the June 4 firing of missiles on Israeli targets from the Strip. All dailies front-page coverage of remarks by chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmad Quray that, "it would take a miracle to reach an agreement by the end of this year." -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- ¶1. Veteran columnist Talal 'Ukal comments in independent Al-Ayyam under the headline, "Not Much Time Is Left," (6/5): "It is safe to say that [Israeli Prime Minister] Olmert has achieved the goals of his [Washington] visit. I I think those goals can be summarized in the following two points: The first is to ensure American administration support for Olmert to remain in office for at least a few more months. The second is to acquire a possible American green light to wage vast military aggression on the Gaza Strip, for which it seems that detailed plans have already been drawn up and the countdown has started. [American] statements that preceded Olmert's meeting with Bush indicate that the American administration is not the least bit concerned about the political crisis in Israel, and that Washington, in fact, would like to take advantage of Olmert's hardship ... to obtain guarantees on progress in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. For her part, Secretary Condoleezza Rice has restated that Washington is determined to forge an agreement this year. She would not have said that if she doubted Olmert's chances of remaining in office... and [his] being capable of continuing to make decisions." ¶2. Independent Al-Quds runs an op-ed by Jamil Salhut entitled, "Remembering the June [war], no signs of any solutions," (6/5): "These days mark the beginning of the 42nd year of Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan Heights.... In fact, settlement activities have never stopped in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank. Continued and accelerated announcements about additional settlement activities during ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority can only mean that the current Israeli Government, like all previous Israeli governments, is not serious about peace. This peace cannot be achieved without complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. Therefore, any... possibility of establishing a Palestinian state by the end of this year, in accordance with President Bush's vision, is simply impossible...." WALLES