JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (11/4): Palestinians not convinced

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001987

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (11/4): Palestinians not convinced
of US position on settlements

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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds leads with news on the Palestinian Authority (PA)
President's office spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeina saying that
Secretary Clinton's clarification of her earlier remarks on
settlements are not enough for the PA to pursue negotiations with
Israel. Abu Rundeina called on the US to force Israel to stop all
settlement activity in the Palestinian territories (including
natural growth),particularly in Jerusalem.

Al-Quds also front pages news on Secretary Clinton's interview with
Al-Hurra TV yesterday in which she "claimed that the Arab foreign
ministers understood what she meant regarding the US position on
settlements," according to coverage. Al-Ayyam quotes a senior US
official in Morocco noting to the press that Clinton wasn't mistaken
in the statements she made in Israel regarding settlements.

Al Quds and Al Ayyam report on the PA Minister of Public Works
Muhammad Shtayyeh stating yesterday that President Abbas refused to
take three phone calls from Special Envoy George Mitchell last week.
Shtayyeh noted that Abbas will not give in to any external pressure
to change his position regarding settlements and reaffirmed that the
PA will not resume negotiations with Israel prior to the full
cessation of settlement activity.

The three dailies front page news that the United Nations General
Assembly will convene today to discuss the Goldstone report and vote
on sending it to the UN Security Council. The reports note that
Israel has urged the international community to reject the report.

Settlers' attempt to take control of a house that belongs to a
Palestinian family in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East
Jerusalem also receives front page coverage in all the dailies. The
family held off the settlers, but the Israeli police gave the family
10 days to take up the matter with the court. Reports also note that
the Israeli authorities will demolish 35 Palestinians houses in East
Jerusalem in the coming months due to the lack of appropriate
building permits.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title "Is
Washington For the Settlement Freeze or Against It?" (11/04):
"During the past three days, we've heard contradictory statements
from Secretary Clinton on the US position on settlements. This
contradiction raises questions about the credibility of the US. In
the worst case, it proves that the administration hasn't succeeded
in changing the impressions that everyone held during the Bush
administration that the US is completely biased toward Israel."

2) Hafeth Barghouti opines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida official daily
under the title "The Map is American Made" (11/04): "We did not
design the road map, the Americans did. Its first phase includes the
full cessation of settlement activity, including natural growth ...
However, it seems as if Secretary Clinton has not read the road map
yet. If she had read it, she would have taken another stance
regarding settlements and negotiations."


RUBINSTEIN