JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/13): PEACE PROCESS - "BIGGEST

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TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/13): PEACE PROCESS - "BIGGEST
LOSER IN ISREALI ELECTIONS"

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Main Stories:
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Al Quds leads with news of a Cairo meeting on February 13 between
Fatah and Hamas that will prepare for Palestinian reconciliation
on
talks to take place in Cairo on February 22. Ahmad Quray will lead
the Fatah delegation at the meeting and deputy Hamas Chief Abu
Marzoq will lead the Hamas delegation. Al Ayyam's front page adds
that the operation of the Gaza Rafah crossing will be discussed.
The paper also reports that Fatah and Hamas have formed a joint
committee to solve the issue of detainees being held in each other's
custody. The paper also runs the text of the Egyptian document on
"principles of common ground" among the factions. The document was
distributed on February 11 to Palestinian factions, the paper
reports.
Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida lead with similar headlines that
Hamas leader Abu Marzoq has confirmed that Hamas has agreed to an
18-month truce agreement with Israel and that Egypt will announce
that agreement within the next 48 hours. Abu Marzoq is quoted
stating obstacles were overcome related to a possible prisoner
exchange deal and that the release of captured Israeli soldier
Shalit is no longer linked to the truce. He is also quoted stating
that the agreement allows for the opening of all Gaza crossings and
halts Israeli "aggressions" on Gaza. Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's front
page reports that a Turkish delegation and Hamas leaders in Damascus
are discussing a possible prisoner exchange deal between Israel and
Hamas.
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page highlights the February 12 meeting
in Washington between Secretary Clinton and Egyptian Foreign
Minister Abul Al Ghayt, noting that Clinton will participate in the
Gaza reconstruction conference in Cairo. Al Ayyam runs a front page
photo of the two officials. The paper reminds readers that
Secretary Clinton recently announced that the U.S. will have a
senior representative at March conference. The paper also notes
that the U.S. has reservations about funding reconstruction in Gaza
because of fears that such funding could be confiscated by Hamas.


Al Hayat Al Jadida runs an AFP front page story under the headline,
"the results of the Israeli elections are bad news for President
Obama," noting that American experts believe that the "rightwing
tendencies" of Israeli voters will "deal a blow" to Obama's efforts
for peace in the Middle East. Nonetheless, the paper takes note of
statements by the U.S. administration that they are ready to deal
with any elected Israeli government to achieve regional peace and
security. Al Quds and Al Ayyam also run front page stories on the
final results of Israeli elections. The reports predict that
Netanyahu's Likud is "almost sure" to form the next Israeli
government in Israel depending on the support of other rightist
parties.

Al Ayyam's front page reports that President Obama telephoned
Israeli President Peres on February 11 and expressed his surprise
over the "complicated" Israeli political system. In other U.S.
news, Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page reports that Senator Kerry
will meet with Syrian President Assad as part of his Middle East
tour. The paper notes that the U.S. administration has "kept an
open door" to possible dialogue with Syria.

Palestinian Authority President Abbas is conducting a "diplomatic
resistance campaign" against Israel and the Hamas policy of armed
struggle, according to Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page that cites
Israeli daily Haaretz. The report notes that Abbas is on an

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international tour in an effort to isolate the upcoming Israeli
"rightwing" government and demand international sanctions on the
Israeli government, similar to sanctions imposed on the Hamas
"government" when it refused peace negotiations with Israel. The
report adds that French, British and Italian leaders have told Abbas
that they will not allow the new Israeli government to "obstruct or
freeze" the peace process.

A coordination meeting between Palestinian Authority (PA) security
commanders and Israeli Army commanders is front page news in Al
Hayat Al Jadida and inside Al Quds. The February 12 meeting
resulted in an agreement to remove two Israeli checkpoints, Bani
Naim near Hebron and Silwad near Ramallah, and the opening of 12 PA
police stations in West Bank "B" areas, according to reporting.

Al Quds runs a front page photo of trucks lined up on the Israeli
side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, waiting for passage into Gaza.
The paper reports that Israel opened the crossing on February 12 for
the entry of 130 trucks carrying foodstuffs, of which, 80 were
destined for UNRWA and 13 for the private sector. The paper also
reports that Israel allowed for the entry of 70 trucks carrying
wheat and animal feed through the Karni crossing, and allowed Gazans
to export 25,000 flowers to Holland on Valentine's Day.

Al Ayyam's front page reports on an Israeli airstrike on a Hamas
police facility in Gaza's Khan Yunis on February 12. No casualties
were reported and the paper notes that the station had been bombed
before in the recent conflict with Israel. Israel stated that the
action was in response to rocket fire from Gaza, the paper
concludes. --------------
BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al Quds editorial, "The peace process is the greatest loser in
Israeli elections"(02/13): "Just as the new U.S. administration and
President Barak Obama were ready to intensively engage in moving the
peace process forward... by sending envoy George Mitchell to the
region, and just as the EU had prepared itself to... support
American efforts -just then the disappointing results of the Israeli
elections dealt a lethal blow to the peace efforts, setting them
back to square one."
2) Samih Shabib opines in Al Ayyam under the title "Reconciliation
and early elections"(02/13): "The parties to internal [Palestinian]
conflict have become well aware that overcoming the internal crisis
is... a crucial matter and that the shortest way to overcome it is
by holding simultaneous, early legislative and presidential
elections."
WALLES