JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (08/13): Commentators Discuss

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (08/13): Commentators Discuss
Implications of Fatah Party Congress and Central Committee vote

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Main Stories:
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The Palestinian press highlights the official results for the Fatah
Central Committee (FCC) elections, announced by Palestinian
Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. The coverage notes that the
newly elected FCC consists of 19 members, 14 of whom were elected
for the first-time. Results of the elections for the Fatah
Revolutionary Council will be announced on August 14 or 15.

In reaction to the election of imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan
Barghouti to the FCC, the Palestinian press notes conflicting
statements by Israeli officials regarding his release from Israeli
jail to pursue his duties as an FCC member. On the one hand, reports
quote the Israeli Minister of Trade and Industry Binyamin Ben
Eliezer saying on Israeli radio that "Marwan Barghouti should be
released immediately, we need someone like him to take bold
decisions and work towards achieving peace." On the other hand,
Kadima leader Tzipi Livni objected to his release, stating that "he
murdered and was convicted of murder. The fact that the Palestinian
public chose him to lead Fatah, or that some of us think that he
might be a better partner than others, that does not justify in my
eyes his release from jail given the crimes he committed."

Al-Ayyam runs front page coverage citing AFP on Israeli Minister of
Trade and Industry Binyamin Ben Eliezer noting that Israel must
abide by the US demand to freeze settlement activity in the West
Bank. Reports highlight Ben Elizar saying "the US should not appear
weak. We are linked to them, so if the Americans want us to freeze
settlements, then we have to do it."

All daily newspapers report on the PA weekly cabinet meeting in
Ramallah on August 12. The coverage notes that PA Prime Minister
Salam Fayyad blamed Israel for the deteriorating health of
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and condemned settlers'
continued attacks against civilians in the West Bank.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Naji Shurab opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the title,
,
"Limited options for Israel" (08/13):
"Resorting to military power to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
is not the right option ... The two state solution remains the best
strategic and practical formula. It will ensure the achievement of
all Palestinian objectives, which cannot be achieved by military
means, and will lead to economic growth and prosperity."

2) Talal Okal opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the
headline "Fatah Conference, new hope" (08/13): "The Fatah conference
did not provide anything new on the political level ... Fatah as a
movement still needs to show more flexibility and maturity to
re-launch the negotiations with Israel, and it still needs to work
on a profound political agenda that will end the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict."

WALLES