JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (07/23): PALESTINIAN COMMENTATOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001268

SIPDIS

STATE PASS BBG
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC
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 (07/23): PALESTINIAN COMMENTATOR
ASKS "WHAT'S THE USE OF NEW NEGOTIATIONS?"

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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds leads with news on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urging
Israel to meet its road map obligations, including the complete
cessation of settlement expansion, in order to achieve peace in the
region. Ban stressed that continued settlement activities would be a
violation of international law. Additionally, he called on Israel to
stop taking unilateral measures in East Jerusalem, and described the
separation wall as "illegal." The report notes that Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on July 22 a number of
conditions for Israel to recognize a Palestinian state, including
recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, demilitarization of a
Palestinian state, and no right of return for Palestinian refugees
to Israel.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with news on Palestinian Authority (PA)
President Mahmoud Abbas's meeting with the Russian Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs in Ramallah on July 22. Abbas noted in a joint
press conference that the PA is committed to the road map and noted
that the main obstacle to peace is continued settlement expansion,
including natural growth.

Al-Quds runs front page coverage citing Israeli daily Maariv that
PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat conveyed to the US the PA's request
to force Israel to remove the separation wall between Israel and the
West Bank. Erekat argued that it is no longer needed in light of
enhanced PA security measures. In related news, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida
runs front page coverage citing wires on Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu's statement on July 22 that "the wall will remain there
and will never be removed."

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs front page coverage citing AFP on PLO chief
negotiator Saeb Erekat noting that US Special Envoy George Mitchell
will meet with President Abbas in Ramallah on July 27. The paper
notes that Mitchell will also meet with PA Prime Minister Salam
Fayyad. Erekat added that he hopes the visit will lead to further
pressure on Israel to halt settlement expansion and implement its
road map obligations.

All dailies report on Prime Minister Fayyad's remarks on July 22 in
Ramallah that the PA's financial system has become significantly
more transparent, with a much higher level of accountability, and
can be trusted by all parties. --------------
BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Talal Okal opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the title,
"It is the time for initiatives" (07/23): "Every country has
condemned Israel for continuing with settlement activities and eve*u(%p
1\ Israel to halt the settlements. Yet, Israel
has not responded to any of these calls. Should we therefore
understand from this that there are unspoken agreements between
Israel and the US to continue with settlement activities?"

2) Abdallah Awwad opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the
title "Fatah conference" (07/23): "There is no confidence in any
dialogue with the Occupation... All previous negotiations with the
Israelis proved to be a waste of time ... Did the Israelis stop
settlement activities? Did they stop arresting the Palestinians?
?
...The essence of the occupation will never change, so what is the

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use of restarting negotiations?"

WALLES