JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/27): UNITY AS THE ANECTDOTE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000343

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 (02/27): UNITY AS THE ANECTDOTE
TO A NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT

--------------
Main Stories:
--------------
All papers lead with the "Palestinian reconciliation dialogue
conference" in Cairo that opened on February 26. Al Hayat Al Jadida
runs a photo spread across the front page of Fatah and Hamas
delegations sitting together, while the Al Quds and Al Ayyam lead
photos show a close-up of Fatah's Ahmed Quray and Hamas' Musa Abu
Marzuq. Papers report that Palestinian factions are satisfied with
the conference and announced at a joint press conference plans to
establish a natQnal consensus Palestinian Authority government by
the end of next month. The papers further report that factions
agreed to form working committees for specific issues and that the
committee's would finish their work at the end of March.

The three papers run an AFP report on the regional visit of U.S.
Special Envoy George Mitchell. Al Ayyam feature's Mitchell's photo
on the front page. The report notes that Mitchell stated in Turkey
that Turkey plays a key role in promoting peace in the region and
that Turkish relations with Israel and Arab countries are important
to realizing President Obama's promise to make peace in the region.
The report further adds that Mitchell met with Israeli Foreign
Minister Livni to discuss the Gaza reconstruction conference in
Egypt. Mitchell also met with Israeli Premier designate Netanyahu
and will meet with Palestinian Authority President Abbas in Ramallah
on February 27, according to reporting.

Al Quds' front page reports that Secretary of State Clinton and more
than 40 foreign ministers will attend the Gaza reconstruction
conference in Egypt. The report further adds that several bilateral
meetings will be held by the foreign ministers.
All front pages report on statements by Palestinian Authority (PA)
Premier Fayyad reiterating that donor funds should be channeled
through the PA government in, "direct compensation payments to the
war victims in Gaza." Fayyad is also quoted predicting difficulties
in paying salaries to PA staff this month.
Al Quds' front page cites Reuters in reporting that 14 former
foreign ministers and peace mediators have published a letter in the
British Times newspaper calling on the U.S. and Israel to change
their policies toward Hamas. The signatories note that negotiations
cannot be successful while, "one party is being destroyed instead of
engaged in the peace process."
Al Hayat Al Jadida's front page runs an AFP story on calls by the
International Red Cross on Israel to immediately lift the Gaza
"siege." The organization notes that even if the situation returns
to the "pre-war" situation, things will not improve unless crossings
remain open. The paper also cites Reuters in quoting the UN's World
Food Program Regional Director for the Middle East warning of a food
crisis in Gaza. In other Gaza news, Al Ayyam's front page reports
on Israeli airstrikes against smuggling tunnels in Rafah in the Gaza
Strip and the firing of two rockets from Gaza into Israel's Sderot
area.
Al Ayyam's front page reports that the International Monetary Fund
stated in a recent report that Israel is expanding settlements and
tightening restrictions on the movement of Palestinians. The report
further adds that the humanitarian and economic situation has
deteriorated in the Palestinian Territories.

Al Ayyam and Al Hayat Al Jadida's front pages, and Al Quds' inside
page, run a DPA report on a Spanish request for Israel to
investigate six Israeli officials on their alleged role in the
assassination of Hamas leader Salah Shihada in Gaza in 2002. The
report cites an Israeli radio report revealing that the Israeli
Minister of Internal Security Dichter is one of the six officers.

JERUSALEM 00000343 002 OF 002


Al Quds' front page reports on Israeli intelligence storming a
Palestinian protest tent in East Jerusalem's Bustan neighborhood in
the Silwan area. The report adds that foreign diplomatic missions
had visited the tent, erected by Palestinians to protest Israeli
plans to demolish the neighborhood.
Al Quds' front page reports on confrontations between Muslims and
"extremist" Jews near the Jerusalem Al Aqsa mosque on February 26.
The report adds that Jews were escorted with by, "intensive Israeli
police presence."
Al Ayyam's front page runs an AFP report quoting Israeli Likud
official Shalom calling for the resumption of the Israeli targeted
assassination policy against the Palestinian activists.
--------------
BLOCK QUOTES:
--------------
1) Al Quds' editorial is titled, "Encouraging signs at the
[internal Palestinian] dialogue conference"(02/27): "The
Palestinian factions should take into account that the Israeli
rightwing under the leadership of Binyamin Netanyahu is about to
unite in an extremist government coalition rejects international
[peace]initiatives, does not accept the two-state solution and wants
to waste time[to mask] settlement expansion and prevent the
establishment of a Palestinian state at any cost. The best way to
face this challenge is to accelerate the process of Palestinian
unity and draft a strategy based on common understandings."
2) Jawad Bashiti opines in Al Ayyam under the title "First,
Netanyahu should make the same commitments as Abbas"(02/27): "How
can we pin our hopes on President Obama's administration and his
envoy Mitchell when we have heard the U.S. reconfirm more than once,
even after... the possible formation of an Israeli government headed
by Binyamin Netanyahu with the participation of Lieberman..., that
the U.S. special relationship with Israel will not change."
WALLES