JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (12/03): Settlement Moratorium

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 002168 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 (12/03): Settlement Moratorium Continues to Elicit Strong Reactions Among Israeli Settlers and Palestinians -------------- Main Stories: -------------- The dailies continue to lead with coverage on reaction to GOI's settlement moratorium. In its lead story, independent daily Al-Ayyam bannered "Netanyahu Approved Construction of 84 Buildings in Settlements." (Note: the 84 buildings would amount to about 450 housing units.) According to article, Netanyahu's decision was a good faith gesture to settlers who reject the settlement freeze. Palestinian Authority (PA) official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida quotes Netanyahu telling the settlers that the US is driving him "crazy" regarding freezing settlement construction in Jerusalem. He pledged to try to reach consensus with the settlers. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam run lead photos of settlers laying the cornerstone for a new building in the Efrat settlement near Bethlehem. One of the photos is of a banner prepared by settlers that reads "Bibi: Arabs IN, Jews OUT." Al-Hayat Al-Jadida also front pages President Abbas' statements yesterday that full cessation of settlement activity and a clear framework for the peace process are the only means to ensure a resumption of negotiations. Independent daily Al-Quds and independent news outlet Maan front page news that the Israeli Interior Ministry stripped 4,577 Palestinians of their right to live in East Jerusalem in 2008, an all time record in 42 years of occupation. Al-Quds reports that this action is aimed at protecting Jewish demographic presence in Jerusalem. Citing Hebrew daily Ha'aretz, Palestinian dailies report that the European Consuls in Jerusalem and Ramallah prepared a classified report criticizing Israeli policies in East Jerusalem and Israeli attempts to change the demographic balance in the city and sever it from the West Bank. Al-Quds reports that Ahmad Qurei, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, welcomed the European draft resolution recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state stressing Jerusalem is the key to peace. In coverage about the Israeli-Hamas prisoner exchange, Al-Quds reports that the German mediator and Hamas continue discussions regarding the identity and number of prisoners to be released and their disposition following release. Ma'an runs a story published in the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Jarida Al-Kuwaitiya," which, citing trusted resources, reports that Shalit was secretly transferred to Egypt with Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar before Al-Adha Eid holiday. (Note: We contacted Ma'an to verify the accuracy of the story and were told that it posted the Kuwaiti story as published and could not corroborate the story's claims.) In a related story, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that Jewish religious groups are preparing a petition that calls for closing the Al-Aqsa Mosque and preventing Muslims from visiting it until Shalit is released. Citing PA official news outlet Wafa, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that the Fatah Revolutionary Council will hold a consultation session on December 5 to discuss the implications of the latest internal PA developments (Abbas' decision not to run, for example) prior to the Central Council meeting scheduled for December 15. Dailies report that PA Prime Minister Fayyad told PA security officers yesterday in Ramallah that maintaining security in the West JERUSALEM 00002168 002 OF 002 Bank is a national obligation and that the [Israeli] occupation, which he characterized as the biggest challenge to the success of the national project plan, must be ended. Ma'an posts a video clip from Al Jazeera that shows an Israeli settler repeatedly running over a wounded Palestinian at a gas station in the Kiryat Arba settlement near Hebron last week. According to reports, the Palestinian was shot by an Israeli soldier several times following an alleged knife attack at the station. The video shows a silver Mercedes running down the injured Palestinian and then reversing and running over him again as Israeli soldiers and others look on. Ma'an reports that the Israeli police detained the driver, whose wife is alleged to have been one of the stabbing victims, and later released him to home arrest. According to the Jerusalem Post, the settler may face attempted murder charges. The Palestinian survived and was sent to Hadassa hospital in Ein Karem with critical injuries. (Link to Ma'an story/video: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx? ID=243887) -------------- Coverage of the President Afghanistan Message -------------- All dailies ran coverage of President Obama's decision to send new troops to Afghanistan and the timeline for withdrawal in their International news sections. Coverage included quotes from President Obama's speech and the White House factsheet, which the Consulate provided to them, and quotes from Secretary Clinton, National Security Advisor Jim Jones (from his interview with Der Spiegel) and U.S. Congressmen as well as reaction from other governments as reported by AFP. There was no local Palestinian reaction to the news. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: -------------- 1) Abdel Majid Swelem writing in Al-Ayyam under the title "Promising European Positions" believes that the European efforts to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state reflect the positive impact of Palestinian tolerance and the increased Palestinian motivation to achieve an independent state. 2) Tala Okal opines in an article in Al-Ayyam under the title "EU: Towards a Different International Climate," that the EU gesture rewards the Palestinians for their patience, their credible political discourse and their real commitment to peace. MARCHESE