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?" JERUSALEM 00001268 001.5 OF 002 -------------- Main Stories: -------------- 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: -------------- 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 JERUSALEM 00001268 002 OF 002 use of restarting negotiations?" WALLES