JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (04/03): PALESTINIANS SEE NEED

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (04/03): PALESTINIANS SEE NEED
FOR CLEAR POLICY TO COUNTER NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT
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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida lead with news of "confiscations by
settlers." According to reports a building housing five Palestinian

families, "was confiscated by settlers under Israeli police
protection," in the Old City of Jerusalem on April 2. The paper
also runs a prominent cartoon on its back page showing the Damascus
gate of the Jerusalem Old City, renamed "Arab Jerusalem," about to
be demolished by a huge Israeli bulldozer. In separate reporting
the paper adds that 100 acres were confiscated in a Palestinian
village near Nablus to allow for the construction of a settlement
road. Related coverage on Al Ayyam's front page cites AFP in
reporting on four Hebron shopping centers being, "confiscated by
settlers."
Al- Ayyam leads with news that Palestinian national dialogue in
Cairo is again on hold. According to reports that also appear on
the front pages of Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the talks will
recess for three weeks so that delegations can confer with their
leadership. The papers also report that Egyptian Intelligence Chief
Sulayman briefed Palestinian delegations on his recent visit to the
United States and conveyed U.S. policy regarding unity talks,
specifically U.S. and EU commitment to Middle East Quartet
conditions.

Al-Ayyam front pages a photo of President Obama shaking hands with
Saudi King Abdullah at the G20 summit in London on April 2.
According to the report that appears on all front pages Obama and
Abdullah discussed bilateral relations and how to advance the Middle
East peace process based on the Arab Peace Initiative. The report
adds that Special Envoy Mitchell will visit the region soon and that
the U.S. is "pushing hard" for acceptance of the two-state solution.
All front pages also run separate summary coverage of the G20
summit, with excerpts from several leaders' remarks including
President Obama who highlights that the summit was productive and
resulted in coordinated efforts.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page cites wire reports about Israeli
Foreign Minister Lieberman's 8-hour questioning by Israeli police on
suspicions of corruption and money laundering. According to
Lieberman, who has denied all accusations, the investigation is
meant to tarnish his reputation.

All front pages report on the April 2 attack by a Palestinian in the
Israeli settlement of Bat Ayin near Bethlehem. Reporting is neutral
in tone, describing the attack, including the ages of the young
victims. It focuses on the repercussions of the attack on
surrounding Palestinian communities, noting that ISRAEL imposed a
curfew on neighboring villages and is searching for the attacker who
fled after the attack. Al Ayyam front pages a photo of a
hand-cuffed youth, arrested in the attacker's home village of Beit
Saffa.

In economic news, Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam report on inside pages about
the visit of a U.S. Consulate General, Jerusalem delegation to
Nablus where they met with Nablus Businessmen Forum members on April

1. According to the report, the meeting comes within the framework
of Consulate support for the Palestinian economy and private sector.
In other coverage of Consulate activities, an Al- Quds' inside page
reports that U.S. Consulate General staff donated more than 800
books to the RISOL Community center in Nablus on April 2.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Majid Kayyali opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the

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Main Stories:
--------------
Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida lead with news of "confiscations by
settlers." According to reports a building housing five Palestinian
families, "was confiscated by settlers under Israeli police
protection," in the Old City of Jerusalem on April 2. The paper
also runs a prominent cartoon on its back page showing the Damascus
gate of the Jerusalem Old City, renamed "Arab Jerusalem," about to
be demolished by a huge Israeli bulldozer. In separate reporting
the paper adds that 100 acres were confiscated in a Palestinian
village near Nablus to allow for the construction of a settlement
road. Related coverage on Al Ayyam's front page cites AFP in
reporting on four Hebron shopping centers being, "confiscated by
settlers."
Al- Ayyam leads with news that Palestinian national dialogue in
Cairo is again on hold. According to reports that also appear on
the front pages of Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the talks will
recess for three weeks so that delegations can confer with their
leadership. The papers also report that Egyptian Intelligence Chief
Sulayman briefed Palestinian delegations on his recent visit to the
United States and conveyed U.S. policy regarding unity talks,
specifically U.S. and EU commitment to Middle East Quartet
conditions.

title, "The real questions Palestinians should be asking"(04/03):
"Palestinian factions did well to engage in unity talks to resolve
the Palestinian [internal division] crisis... which benefitted no
one but Israel...[however] it's still obvious that the Palestinian
Authority and opposition parties intentionally try to avoid the real
issues... more specifically, they should be pondering questions like
what's the future of negotiations? What is the future of the
two-state solution?... What do the factions in Gaza want? Do they
want it to become a base for launching rockets, or do they want to
liberated it and transform it into a model [of good governance]?
Questions like these cannot be answered with vague policies, the
leaders should be smarter than that... Another strategic question to
be asked regards armed resistance toward Israel. The leaders should
ask themselves if this policy is useful... will it free Palestine or
even the West Bank."

2) Samih Shibib opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the
title, "Netanyahu's agenda and Lieberman's statements"(04/03):
"Israeli rejection of [Annapolis] is perceived as an insult to U.S.
diplomatic efforts... As we await the U.S. response, there needs to
is a Palestinian response... regarding negotiations with the
Netanyahu government, whose platform clearly refuses the two-state
solution, a move that will surely empower Palestinian extremist
parties and weaken moderates. A clear policy should be developed to
either pursue or stop negotiations and thereby exploit Netanyahu's
agenda and Lieberman's statements in a way that results in the
isolation of ISRAEL and condemnation of its policies that are
against negotiations and peace in general."

WALLES