ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001706 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: -------------- Mideast -------------- Key stories in the media: -------------- The media reported that as a gesture to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, PM Ehud Olmert has decided to release Palestinian prisoners, two "with blood on their hands" -- but not high-profile prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, and Hamas's Aziz Dweik. While Ha'aretz reported that the prisoners to be freed number 100, other media reported that their number is still to be determined. Yesterday Gilad Shalit's father Noam wrote an article in the Palestinian daily Al Quds, saying that Gilad is holding hundreds of Palestinian prisoners hostage, as well as more than a million Palestinians, who are suffering from the blockade that Israel imposed on Gaza after Gilad was kidnapped. In contrast, Maariv reported that Noam Shalit has said that it is the Hamas leadership which is responsible for delaying the Gilad Shalit deal, and is therefore responsible for preventing the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday Israel released Issa Ja'bari, a former minister in the Hamas cabinet. Ha'aretz and other media reported that Israel warned Hizbullah yesterday that it intended to put an end to the arms smuggling into Lebanon. Israel said the Shi'ite group is using the arms to bolster its position domestically and as a strategic threat on behalf of Iran. During a meeting of the political-security cabinet on Hizbullah yesterday, Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and FM Tzipi Livni said "Israel will not acquiesce to the continued smuggling of arms." During the meeting, the ministers were updated on continued Syrian transfers of advanced military hardware to Hizbullah, including air defense systems, in an effort to limit the freedom of operations of the IAF in Lebanon, particularly in reconnaissance and surveillance operations. The ministers were briefed on intelligence assessments, which hold that Hizbullah is interested in a confrontation with Israel over Israeli air force overflights. The ministers were also alerted to the possibility Syria may transfer Hizbullah more sophisticated weaponry than is currently in the Shi'ite group's arsenal. The media reported that Regiment Commander Lt. Col. Omri Bruberg will be dismissed from his post in the wake of an incident where an IDF soldier fired a rubber bullet at a handcuffed Palestinian. The IDF's Judge Advocate General, Avi Mandelblit, also decided that the commander and the firing soldier will face criminal charges of improper conduct. Such offences are considered relatively minor and do not result in a criminal record. The trial is expected to end in a plea bargain. Israel Radio quoted the B'Tselem human rights group, which uncovered the Na'alin affair, as sayng that the plea bargain with the battalion commander was disgraceful, and that if the IDF had proof that the battalion commander ordered a soldier to shoot a handcuffed person, it should be considered a war crime, not unworthy conduct. On Israel Radio yesterday Minister Shaul Mofaz denounced Iran as the "root of all evil." Ha'aretz reported that Aljazeera-TV admitted yesterday that its coverage of Israel's release of convicted Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar violated the station's own code of ethics. The admission came in response to a threat by Israel's Government Press Office to boycott the satellite channel unless it apologized. Ha'aretz reported that Ehud Barak ordered the destruction of the house of the East Jerusalem terrorist who carried out the killings at Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav Yeshiva. The process will likely be appealed. The Jerusalem Post reported that British Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells has vowed to ensure that no more West Bank settlers will be invited to events hosted by the British Embassy in Israel. Ha'aretz reported that left-wing Israeli Prof. Jeff Halper will sail for Gaza with the goal of breaking the siege that Israel has imposed there. The Jerusalem Post reported that over 100 academics and peace activists joined forces yesterday to petition the Israeli government against attacking Iran, claiming that Israel should give more credence to current diplomatic efforts. Ha'aretz and The Jerusalem Post reported that the U.S. will help Israel develop and finance the new generation of anti-missile defenses -- the "Arrow 3." Maariv cited Israel's belief that Al-Qaida associates are responsible for the latest Hamas-Fatah crisis. Maariv quoted Syrian Minister of Expatriates Buthaynah Shabaan as saying yesterday that negotiations between Israel and Syria are moving ahead and will continue despite the crisis in Kadima. Ha'aretz reported that 40 Knesset members support the rebuilding of settlements in the northernmost West Bank, including Homesh. Ha'aretz cited two recent surveys showing that secular candidate Nir Barkat would defeat the ultra-Orthodox MK Meir Porush by more than 20 percent if Jerusalem were to hold mayoral elections today. However, both polls forecast a fairly close race between Barkat, who currently heads the opposition in Jerusalem's city council, and the ultra-Orthodox incumbent mayor, Uri Lupoliansky, should he receive the ultra-Orthodox candidacy. -------------- Mideast: -------------- Summary: -------------- Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "Why is the Prime Minister, who will be leaving his post in a month, suddenly releasing 150 security prisoners?.... The main thing is that Condoleezza will not be mad at us, like the last time she was here." Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the conservative, independent Jerusalem Post: "Here's an idea: Uproot the West Bank settlers on the far side of the security barrier -- but keep the IDF there, unless and until a final peace agreement is reached." Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in the independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz: "Although he is part of the establishment, Netanyahu markets himself successfully as a radical who represents change." Block Quotes: -------------- ¶I. "Risky Gimmick" Military correspondent Alex Fishman wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (8/7): "Why is the Prime Minister, who will be leaving his post in a month, suddenly releasing 150 security prisoners? What happened? To what end? Is there some Palestinian holiday in the offing? On one hand, we bargain over the 450 prisoners that Hamas is demanding for Gilad Shalit, and on the other hand we release, with a single utterance, 150 others.... These 'light' prisoners, history shows, are the worst. The 'heavy' prisoners, the ones that we are refusing to release in exchange for Gilad, have already sat in prison for many years, they have done their part and want to build a life. Most are more engaged in political activity than in violent activity. The 'light' ones, however, the ones who did not have a chance to do much damage and were sentenced to short periods, are young people who have undergone concentrated training in prison and will become heavy terrorists upon being released.... Is there really anyone in Israel who believes that an initiative for releasing 150 'light' prisoners, an initiative not supported by additional real measures on the ground, will strengthen Abu Mazen's standing in his public? Perhaps. Will Hamas and Hizbullah stop trying to abduct soldiers following this gesture? It is highly doubtful. But we have done our part. The main thing is that Condoleezza will not be mad at us, like the last time she was here." II. "Quicksand in the Settlements" Liberal columnist Larry Derfner wrote in the conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (8/7): "Maybe now's the time to make a plan, then start carrying it out. Here's an idea: Uproot the West Bank settlers on the far side of the security barrier -- but keep the IDF there, unless and until a final peace agreement is reached. Evacuate 50,000-100,000 settlers and redeploy the army in the West Bank for the sole purpose of defending Israelis behind the security barrier, instead of on both sides of it. Pulling the settlers out but keeping the soldiers in -- pending a final peacetreaty, if and when it comes -- would probably b good for Israel's security. It would definitely be good for Israel's democracy. The gridlock with the Palestinians would be broken; a giant step toward peace would be made. Yes, it would be traumatic for the many thousands of settler families who'd lose their homes, but there's no way of avoiding that trauma if Israel is going to remain a Jewish, democratic state. And afterward, if the Palestinians demanded citizenship, equality and the right to vote in Israeli elections, we would be able to say: No, but you can have an independent Palestinian state so long as it's peaceful. We've just demonstrated that what we want is security, not more land; now it's your turn to demonstrate that you'll deliver." III. "Why Netanyahu Is Ahead" Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote in the independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz (8/7): "People believed Sharon would extricate them from the predicament, and therefore backed him, irrespective of the changes in his policies. Ehud Olmert did not become unpopular because of his failure in the Second Lebanon War, and not even because of the investigations against him. The public simply lost its faith in his ability to govern.... Netanyahu is popular with the public because he is perceived as a leader with a message, ready to fight for his views in an environment of political deal brokering. Time and again one may recall Netanyahu's failures as prime minister.... But all this is nothing compared to his clashes with the elites as prime minister and the way he stood up to the Histadrut labor federation, the banks and the social lobby as finance minister. Although he is part of the establishment, Netanyahu markets himself successfully as a radical who represents change. There are minor differences between the four pretenders to the premiership. In the end, the least popular leader might function well at the Prime Minister's Bureau. But they should all learn from Olmert's fall not to ignore the views of the public and that successful marketing of a leader is no less important than managing a country and maintaining a coalition." MORENO