JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/09): TURKEY'S "GROWING ROLE"

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/09): TURKEY'S "GROWING ROLE"

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Main Stories:
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All papers lead with Egyptian hopes for reaching a verbal Gaza truce
agreement in the next few days between Hamas and Israel. Al Quds
adds that Egypt has submitted to Israel and Hamasa proposal to
include an 18-month truce linked t a prisoners' exchange and the
opening of two Gaa crossings. The two crossings would be opened
for the entry of goods, immediately after the truce begins. Israel
would also "cease all hostilities" in the Strip and Hamas would
cease all rocket attacks, according to coverage.

All front pages run wire stories about conflicting Israeli responses
to the proposed truce and prisoner exchange with Hamas. Israeli
Premier Olmert is quoted calling recent statements by Defense
Minister Barak that a truce and exchange deal were "very near" as
"not helpful." Al Quds runs ront page statements by Israeli
Minister of Retied Affairs Rafi Etan stating that a prisoner
excange deal is expected within weeks, not days, and efore the new
Israeli Prime Minister assumes offie.

Al Quds and Al Ayyam, citing AFP, run front age statements by
Palestinian Authority Premier ayyad stressing that his Government
has already egun an emergency shelter program for the Gaza,
victims of war." Al Ayyam adds that Fayyad called or an end to
Israeli settlement activities in th West Bank and called for ending
the occupation. Coverage also runs comments by the Speaker of the
Fatah parliamentary block Azzam Al Ahmad observig that internal
Palestinian division can not be resolved without "democratic
dialogue" through theEgyptian initiative. Al Ahmad hoped that
"natioal" intra-Palestinian talks would begin by the endof
February. All statements were part of coverae of February 8
meetings between Palestinian officials and a visiting French
parliamentary delegaton.
Al Quds runs a front page AFP story about Jodanian King Abdullah
hoping for speedy Palestinin reconciliation and an end to Arab
internal diferences as soon as possible.

Al Ayyam runs a front page story on a visit by Palestinian Authority
(PA)President Abbas to a hospital in Ankara where Palestinians are
being treated for, "injuries sustained in the war on Gaza." Abbas,
who is on a tour of foreign capitals, is quoted expressing
appreciation for Turkish assistance and its bilateral relations with
the PA.

The three papers run front page reports on the death of a
Palestinian in Palestinian Authority (PA) Preventative Security
detention in Janin. The prisoner reportedly committed suicide by
hanging himself. The Independent Human Rights Commission is quoted
as visiting and inspecting the detention facility and body of the
detainee as part of an investigation into the death. The detainee's
family and brother accused PA security of killing him because of his
Hamas affiliation. PA security is quoted saying that he was
detained for "criminal violations," according to reporting.

Al Hayat Al Jadida runs front page statements by Hamas leader Al
Zahhar stating in a February 8 interview with Al Jazeera Arabic TV,
that his movement is not against the PLO but rather against its
policies.

The three papers run front page reports on Israeli elections
scheduled for February 10. Reporting notes that "the war on Gaza
pushed" Israeli society to the right and that Likud leader Netanyahu
will likely be the next Israeli Premier. Al Hayat Al Jadida further

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reports, citing Israeli daily Haaretz, that current Israeli Premier
Olmert will leave office without having fulfilled promises he made
to the U.S. administration on evacuating settlement outposts in the
West Bank. The paper names the Migron settlement outpost near
Ramallah in the West Bank where the Israeli Government, according to
the paper, has delayed the evacuation under the pretext of seeking a
peaceful agreement with the settlers. Al Hayat Al Jadida's front
page adds, citing AFP, that Olmert has endorsed Foreign Minister
Livni in the elections. --------------
WEEKEND NEWS:
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Sunday, February 8

All papers ran similar front page headlines: "Biden stresses the
need for a new partnership for the two-state solution." The papers
reported extensively on the Vice President's remarks at the Munich
security conference, highlighting his comments about the
Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
All front pages report extensively from the February 7 joint press
conference held by Palestinian Authority President Abbas and Turkish
President Gul. Both presidents highlighted the importance of
national Palestinian reconciliation to clear the way for the
formation of a new Palestinian government and Gaza reconstruction.
Abbas added that any new government whether a national unity or
national consensus government, or even a government of technocrats
should not suffer a new siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and should
work as quickly as possible to hold democratic presidential and
legislative elections.
"Fayyad: We intend to present a transparent mechanism for
reconstructing what was destroyed by Israel during its aggression
against Gaza- We spent $2,250 billion on the Gaza Strip since the
Hamas takeover of power," according to headlines on all front pages.
According to reporting, Fayyad will present the new mechanism at
the March donors' conference in Cairo. Fayyad also renewed his call
for the formation of a national consensus government
Saturday, February 7

All front pages reported that UNRWA suspended its assistance to the
Gaza Strip because Hamas confiscated aid, including ten trucks
loaded with wheat and rice. The papers reported that Hamas
responded immediately to the halt by stressing the importance of
maintaining good relations with UNRWA and that it would return the
supplies "that were loaded by mistake onto trucks owned by the
[Hamas] Ministry of Social Affairs."
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Khalid Hroub comments in Al Ayyam under the title, "Hamas needs
humility"(02/09): "It's the Palestinians' right to hold Hamas
accountable for its current national policy [and hold it
responsible] should it seek to profit from or waste post-war
opportunities, especially since [Palestinians] paid a high, dire
price for the war. To be more precise, Hamas must present a
national political platform, not a partisan or factional one...
[unity] is destroyed by any calls for new bodies of authority [to
replace the PLO.]"
2) Al Sayid opines in Al Quds under the title, "The growing Turkish
role in the Middle East"(0/09): "It's well known that Turkey has
succeeded in [brokering] an agreement for water sharing with Syria
and Iraq, which might be soon implemented... this would give Ankara
more regional, political influence in dealing with Iraq and
Palestine issues and maybe more."
WALLES