JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (04/21): PALESTINIANS: POWERFUL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000681

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 (04/21): PALESTINIANS: POWERFUL
WEST DECLINES TO COMBAT RACISM

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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds leads with news of participants walking out on the Iranian
President's address at the Durban UN Anti-Racism conference in
Geneva on April 20. The paper's lead photo shows Ahmadinejad giving
his speech. Separate front page coverage in Al-Quds cites DPA in
reporting on reaction by French President Sarkozy who called the
statements "provocative." Similar coverage runs on Al Ayyam's front
page, with photo and inside Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida. All coverage notes
the UN Secretary General's comments expressing his disappointment
with Ahmadinejad's speech.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with the Palestinian Authority President
Abbas' visit to Abu Dhabi on April 20, where he met with Prince
Mohammad Al-Nhayyan. According to coverage that also appears on
Al-Quds' front page, the meeting focused on bilateral relations, the
political situation in the Palestinian Territories, Palestinian
unity talks and Gaza reconstruction efforts.

Al-Ayyam leads with reports about Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's
willingness to pursue unconditional talks with Palestinians. The
report quotes Netanyahu stating that recognition of Israel as a
Jewish state is not a precondition for negotiations. The report
also quotes Israeli Defense Minister Barak noting that Israel must
be ready to accept a comprehensive settlement to the conflict that
will include the establishment of a Palestinian State living in
peace with Israel. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page coverage adds
statements by Netanyahu stressing that though it is not a
precondition, the recognition of Israel remains integral to making
progress in the peace talks.

All front pages report on the weekly Palestinian Authority(PA)
ministerial cabinet meeting chaired by PA Premier Fayyad on April 20
in Ramallah. According to coverage, participants applauded Muslims
and Palestinians for preventing "Israeli extremist Jewish groups"
from breaking into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem at the
end of Passover. The Cabinet also condemned Israeli action that
prevented worshipers from attending Easter services at the Holy
Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem. The Cabinet further condemned the
April 19 attack against Hamas leader Al-Bitawi in Nablus. Fayyad
stressed in comments to the press that he is fully engaged in
enforcing the rule of law in the West Bank. Finally the Cabinet
welcomed the recent Human Rights Watch report that criticized
Israeli military action in the recent conflict in Gaza and Hamas
attacks on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Quds' front page cites Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, in
reporting about continued rocket attacks from Gaza on southern
Israel. Israel is expected to pursue targeted assassinations
against Hamas leaders in Gaza, according to coverage. Reporting
also notes that Israeli Premier Netanyahu is preparing for the April
22 visit of Egyptian Intelligence Chief Sulayman during which he
will explore Egyptian mediation on indirect talks with Hamas to
secure the release of captured Israeli soldier Shalit.

Al-Quds runs front page coverage of a "U.S. analytical report" on
the future of Israeli-American relations given disagreement in
recent official statements regarding the Palestinian- Israeli
conflict and the two-state solution. The report outlines a number

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of steps that the U.S. could take to force Israeli acceptance of the
two-state solution, including cuts in economic assistance. The
steps, according to the report, should be coupled with international
pressure on Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to, "take a more
effective role."

In economic news, Al-Quds' inside page reports on a signed agreement
between the Palestinian and Qatari Red Crescent Societies to provide
$750,000 to reconstruct Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza that was badly
damaged in the recent conflict with Israel. In other financial
news, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida's front page reports 3,870 Gaza families
benefitting from the World Bank-funded social security network will
receive payments on April 21. According to Palestinian Authority
Minister for Social Affairs Habbash, payments were delayed a month
because of a, "lack of financial liquidity in Gaza banks."
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title, "Why
do they decline to combat racism?"(04/21): "Israel has been
occupying the Palestinian Territories since the year 1967...yet the
anti-racism conference confirms that some parties, not only in
Israel, but also in powerful Western countries, do not want to
criticize [Israel]... therefore, we do not expect conference
decisions to change anything on the ground... still the conference
constitutes a call on international public opinion to address the
many problems [of racism] faced by people all over the world..."

2) Regular columnist Rajab Abu Sirriyah opines in Al-Ayyam daily
independent under the title, "An alternative regional solution to
the two-state solution"(04/21): "It may be possible that
Netanyahu's sudden change and openness to pursuing negotiations
with Palestinians without the precondition of recognizing Israel is
s
due to the clear insistence of the U.S. administration on the
two-state solution. This means that Netanyahu is not in favor of
entering into an early conflict with the U.S. Democratic
administration...although his alternate initiative is only a way to
waste time and increase division among Arab countries"

WALLES