JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/23): PALESTINIANS SEE

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/23): PALESTINIANS SEE
"DANGER" IN JERUSALEM EVICTIONS
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Main Stories:
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All papers lead with a photo and a report on a "raid" by Israeli
Jerusalem municipal authorities on residents of Silwan's Bustan
an

neighborhood in East Jerusalem, during which ultimatums were issued
that 80 houses, built without Israeli permits, be vacated ahead of
demolitions to make way for a public park. Papers note that 1,500
Palestinians currently live where the park will be built, in an area
built before 1967 when Israel first "occupied East Jerusalem."
Ahmad Ruwaydah of the Palestinian Authority (PA)President's office
called an emergency meeting to discuss the development and called it
a, "dangerous escalation." Papers also report that PA spokesperson
Hatim Abdul Qader called the action illegal and aimed at changing
the demographic balance in Jerusalem.

Orders to Palestinian residents to vacate 32 houses in Tana village
near Nablus were issued by Israeli authorities on February 22,
according to Al Quds' and Al Ayyam's front pages. Israeli forces
warned that the Palestinians risk confiscation of their property and
cattle, as well as fines, should they fail to evacuate the area
within 70 hours, according to coverage.
All front pages continue weekend reporting on Palestinian
reconciliation talks that are expected to begin in Cairo on February
25, with the exact date still being discussed by Palestinian
factions. The report adds that Egypt has sent a paper of "dialogue
principles" to the factions and awaits their final confirmation to
attend the talks. Meanwhile, Al Quds' reports on Palestinian
Authority (PA)President Abbas' visit to Prague where he reiterated
calls for a PA national consensus government.

Israel's Premier Olmert is counting on Hamas wanting to finalize
prisoner exchange and truce agreements with Israel before a new
Israeli Premier assumes office, according to a DPA report on Al
Quds' front page. The report adds that Olmert wants the crowning
achievement of bringing kidnapped Israeli soldier Shalit home before
ending his term in office.

Al Ayyam's and Al Quds' front pages run a Reuters report on two Arab
League needs assessment missions entering Gaza that will also
investigate war crimes. Meanwhile, Al Ayyam's and Al Hayat Al
Jadida's front pages report on a new Gaza reconstruction fund to be
established by the Gulf Cooperation Council with open membership for
all Arab countries. Finally, all papers report that Amnesty
International has accused Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes
in Gaza and has called for an arms embargo on the two parties.
Al Quds' front page reports that Egypt opened the Gaza Rafah
crossing for a second day on February 22 following its promise to
keep the crossing open for three days to facilitate the travel of
students and humanitarian cases.
Al Quds' runs an inside DPA report about meetings between U.S.
Senator Lieberman and Israeli party leaders Netanyahu, Livni and
Lieberman. Senator Lieberman is quoted saying that the American and
Israeli positions on Iran are similar. Israeli Beiteinu's Lieberman
told his guest that new ideas are needed regarding
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations after their failure to make
progress for so many years, reporting notes.

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Weekend Stories:
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Sunday, February 22
"The European Union condemns continued settlement activities and
considers them a significant obstacle to peace," according to lead

JERUSALEM 00000314 002 OF 003

Main Stories:
--------------
All papers lead with a photo and a report on a "raid" by Israeli
Jerusalem municipal authorities on residents of Silwan's Bustan
an
neighborhood in East Jerusalem, during which ultimatums were issued
that 80 houses, built without Israeli permits, be vacated ahead of
demolitions to make way for a public park. Papers note that 1,500
Palestinians currently live where the park will be built, in an area
built before 1967 when Israel first "occupied East Jerusalem."
Ahmad Ruwaydah of the Palestinian Authority (PA)President's office
called an emergency meeting to discuss the development and called it
a, "dangerous escalation." Papers also report that PA spokesperson
Hatim Abdul Qader called the action illegal and aimed at changing
the demographic balance in Jerusalem.

headlines in all dailies. Papers note that the Palestinian
presidency welcomed the February 21 EU statement that called
settlement activities a violation of international law and
inconsistent with commitments made at Annapolis and under the Road
Map. Papers also noted that PLO chief negotiator Erekat met with
visiting Senator Lieberman and U.S. Consul General Walles on
February 21 and informed them that Palestinian will not agree to
negotiations as long as settlement activities continue.

Senator John Kerry's meeting with Syria's Al Asad was front page
news in Al Quds and Al Hayat Al Jadida. The article gives an
extensive read-out of the Senator's comments on his trip to Syria.

Al Quds continued its inside reporting from February 21 on the
Kennedy Center's Arabesque festival, detailing at length the
participation by Palestinian and regional artists.

Saturday, February 21
Senator Kerry's exclusive interview with Al Quds featured on the
daily's front page. The headline highlights Kerry's comments that,
"Israel must freeze settlement activities and [Israeli development
of] E1 is rejected by the U.S.- I carry a letter from Hamas and the
two-state solution is the only viable option." Kerry stated that he
visited refugee camps in Gaza and met with Palestinian refugees to
learn about humanitarian conditions there. In response to a
question about whether he carried a letter from Hamas to President
Obama, Kerry reportedly said, "I have delivered to the appropriate
diplomatic channels, and that letter will be appropriately handled
through the diplomatic process."

"Mitchell refuses Netanyahu's economic program and encourages the
formation of a Palestinian unity government that does not obstruct
peace," according to Al Ayyam's front page. The paper reported
extensively on Mitchell's digital video conference "with Jewish
groups in the United States."
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al Quds editorial is titled, "Silwan... a dangerous
development!!"(02/23): "It's clear that this dangerous process is a
grave violation of international law and conventions... If anyone
had pinned their hopes on the new U.S. administration... working [to
revive the peace process], this step [to evict residents from 80
houses in East Jerusalem], in addition to other Israeli steps in
Jerusalem, acts to fully block the path of any peace talks and
proves that Israeli governments... are united in their intent to
sabotage peace efforts... the question is... what will [the EU] do
to remove this obstacle?... the same question goes for the new U.S.

JERUSALEM 00000314 003 OF 003

Main Stories:
--------------
All papers lead with a photo and a report on a "raid" by Israeli
Jerusalem municipal authorities on residents of Silwan's Bustan
an
neighborhood in East Jerusalem, during which ultimatums were issued
that 80 houses, built without Israeli permits, be vacated ahead of
demolitions to make way for a public park. Papers note that 1,500
Palestinians currently live where the park will be built, in an area
built before 1967 when Israel first "occupied East Jerusalem."
Ahmad Ruwaydah of the Palestinian Authority (PA)President's office
called an emergency meeting to discuss the development and called it
a, "dangerous escalation." Papers also report that PA spokesperson
Hatim Abdul Qader called the action illegal and aimed at changing
the demographic balance in Jerusalem.

administration."
2) Khalid Hroub writes in Al Ayyam under the title, "a new British
h
foreign policy"(02/23): "Britain is the party that is first and
foremost responsible for the Palestinian catastrophe and should be
first and foremost responsible for putting an end to it. In the
21st century, where globalization ...is at the core of international
politics, there is no longer room for hesitant, cowardly or
hypocritical policies."
WALLES