JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (09/15): Palestinians react to

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001688 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 (09/15): Palestinians react to Israeli statement to proceed with settlement activities -------------- Main Stories: -------------- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements concerning Israel's determination to proceed with settlement activities receives prominent coverage in the local press. The coverage notes that Netanyahu stressed they would not freeze settlement activities in the West Bank or Jerusalem, quoting Netanyahu saying that Jerusalem "is not a settlement." Netanyahu added that there must be a balance between the desire to achieve progress in the peace process and granting the Jewish citizens who reside in the West Bank and Jerusalem the opportunity to pursue a normal life. In reaction to the statement, Palestinian Liberation Organization Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat told Al-Ayyam that further construction in Jerusalem could ruin all efforts to achieve peace. The papers report on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas hosting an Iftar dinner in Jericho for orphaned children on September 14. President Abbas noted that he hoped to see an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital by next Ramadan. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages coverage citing Wafa News Agency and the Israeli daily Maariv that Israeli officials are preparing to conduct an extensive public relations attack against the UN fact finding report which looked into Israeli actions in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. The coverage notes that Israeli Foreign Ministry officials will conduct an extensive attack against the report and the fact finding committee through the media once the report is published. The dailies post news on a report issued by the United Nations Environment Program stating that Gaza will soon suffer from a water shortage due to increased pollution from the recent war in addition to use by an extremely high population. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- 1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title "Jerusalem comes first... negotiations come last" (09/15): "We have postponed the issue of Jerusalem once, and we paid the price. This should not be repeated again regardless of pressure and circumstances. Jerusalem should come first ... then the negotiations on the details and timeframes ... if we are not able to do this, it would be better not to negotiate because it will give Israel the ability to pursue construction." 2) Hani Al-Masri opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the title "Will Mitchell's trip rescue the American credibility?" (09/15):"The new US administration has given into Israel instead of exerting pressure on it. It started with a very low ceiling in terms of freezing settlement activity ... although this administration is better than the Bush administration, it will not make peace, but rather manage the conflict instead of ending it." RUBINSTEIN