JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (06/26): "PALESTINIAN UNITY WOULD

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (06/26): "PALESTINIAN UNITY WOULD
SUPPORT OBAMA'S VISION"

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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds' front page reported the results of an Israeli-conducted
opinion poll on the third anniversary of the capture of Israeli
soldier Shalit. According to the poll, almost a third of Israelis
want their government to approve an exchange of Palestinian
prisoners for the release of Shalit. Al-Quds included a front-page
photo of Palestinians holding photos of relatives imprisoned in
Israeli jails. Additionally, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page
reports that negotiations over a prisoner-exchange and "could
progress" in the near future.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al- Ayyam front-paged coverage of Palestinian
Authority President Abbas meeting with a Jordanian delegation headed
by the Jordanian Foreign Minister in Ramallah (June 25). Abbas
briefed Juda on recent developments in the Palestinian Territories
and efforts to end internal division. Abbas embraced the Jordanian
initiative to conduct a "Jordanian cultural week" in the Palestinian
Territories as part of the celebration of Jerusalem as a capital of
Arab Culture.

All front pages reported on remarks made by PLO Secretary General
Abid Rabou to the press on June 25 about a PLO executive committee
proposal to hold Palestinian Authority presidential and legislative
elections in early 2010. In addition to elections, he remarked that
the formation of a consensus government was critical to achieving
internal unity.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam reported on the speech of Hamas
Leader Mish'al (June 25) from Syria, in which he welcomed President
Obama's June 4 speech, and expressed Hamas' readiness to enter
direct and unconditional talks with the U.S. Mish'al applauded
Obama's efforts to engage with the Muslim world and reiterated Hamas
demands for an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders
with Jerusalem as its capital. He also called upon the Palestinian
Authority and Fatah to support Cairo national unity talks and end
internal division. The report also ran on Al-Quds' inside pages.

All front-pages report the announcement by Israeli officials (June
25) that ISRAEL will limit its military activity in four Palestinian
cities - Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho and Qualquilya - to allow
Palestinian security forces control of the areas. Palestinian
officials called these move "deceiving," and reiterated their call
on ISRAEL to stop all military interventions and incursions in all
West Bank cities.

Al-Ayyam's and Al-Quds' front pages include reports that the U.S.
administration is drafting a new peace initiative aimed at
re-initiating peace-talks between ISRAEL and Syria.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al-Quds main editorial, "Another Reversal by Israel?"(06/26): "It
is obvious that the Arab region is about to witness a historic phase
that will produce a solution to regional conflicts... However, in
order for us as Arabs to support Obama's vision and translate it
into action, we must unite and at least form a national consensus
government, thereby denying ISRAEL any opportunity of dominating the
region."


2) Samih Shbayb, Al-Ayyam, "Political and Security
Prisoners"(06/26): "It is in everyone's interest that the political

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and security arrests by Fatah and Hamas end. These arrests should
be stopped and all prisoners released, regardless of any challenges
and restrictions, as this is the only way to end Palestinian
division."

WALLES