JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (05/11): PALESTINIAN ANGER OVER

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SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (05/11): PALESTINIAN ANGER OVER
NEW JERUSALEM PLAN

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Main Stories:
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All dailies lead with news citing AFP (not the New York Times) about
a Jewish nongovernmental organization revealing on May 10, a "quiet"
Israeli scheme" that aims to "increase the Jewish presence" in East
Jerusalem and the Old City of Jerusalem. According to coverage, the
plan will include the establishment of nine public parks to surround
the Old City and, "reflect the Jewish history of the city." Israeli
lawyer Daniel Seideman noted that the plan also includes the
demolition of Jerusalem Palestinian homes without permits, an act
that will, "jeopardize the chances for a peace settlement in
Jerusalem."

Al-Ayyam runs front page coverage citing DPA that Palestinian
Authority (PA) President Abbas will form an expanded transitional
government in the West Bank and that he will task PA Premier Fayyad
to head it. According to coverage, Abbas will now accept the March
resignation of the Fayyad government.

All front pages cite AFP in reporting on Palestinian Authority
President Abbas' intention to announce the date and venue of the
sixth Fatah party conference on May 11. According to sources, Abbas
may announce that the conference will be held on June 20 in
Bethlehem. Reporting concludes that Abbas will meet on May 11 with
representatives of Fatah, civil society, prisoners unions, popular
committees, and Palestinian economists to finalize arrangements. In
related coverage, Al-Quds runs a back page cartoon showing the UN
Security Council looking at two possible solutions to the
"Palestinian crisis:" the two-state solution and the two-government
solution, GAZA and Ramallah.

All dailies run front page coverage of Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu's meeting with Egyptian President Mubarak on May 11 at
which Netanyahu will seek to convince Mubarak to join Israel in
confronting the Iranian nuclear threat. In related front page
coverage, Al-Quds reports that Netanyahu has rejected WITHDRAWAL
from the Golan Heights, citing their strategic importance.
Reporting concludes that Netanyahu will tell President Obama that he
cannot accept compromises that affect the security of Israel.

Al-Quds and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida run front page coverage of an AFP
article quoting General James Jones stating that the U.S. is aware
of the Iranian nuclear threat to regional and Israeli security, the
threat should be a catalyst for moving towards a regional peace
settlement.

All dailies run front page coverage of an interview by Palestinian
Authority President Abbas with Italian TV on May 10. Abbas welcomed
the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the Palestinian Territories as an
opportunity for the Pope to witness firsthand Israeli restrictions
imposed on Palestinians on a daily basis. A related cartoon in Al
Quds shows a Palestinian child leaving a Papal event, asking his
mother, "how do we get home," in light of Israeli restrictions.
News of the Pope's visit features prominently throughout the
dailies' pages.

Al- Quds' front page reports that Russia has requested a special UN
Security Council session on May 10 to discuss, "the urgent need to
reach a peace settlement in the Middle East."

In Presidential coverage, Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam run inside photos of
President Obama at an annual White House dinner for journalists on
May 10. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs an op-ed from Israeli daily Haaretz

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highlighting positive expectations of Obama's administration in
solving the Arab-Israeli conflict.

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Weekend Stories:
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Sunday, May 10

Al Ayyam introduced its lead story, an exclusive interview with
Consul General Jake Walles, with the headline, "Walles: Washington
is waiting for answers from Netanyahu- Obama to determine the next
steps after completing his meetings." Reporting noted that Walles
confirmed that a special office will be opened in June for Special
Envoy George Mitchell at the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem.
Walles reiterated that the two-state solution is a priority for the
U.S. and that President Obama and Secretary Clinton will also give
the issue their attention.

"Palestinian condemnation of Israeli measures surrounding the Papal
visit," was news on all front pages. According to coverage, Dr.
Rafiq Al Hussayni, Chief of Staff of the Office of the PA President,
told press on May 10 that, "Israel is trying to highlight throughout
this visit that Jerusalem is a unified city and the capital of
Israel, something that we reject and condemn."

Saturday, May 9:

Al-Quds' inside page carried an exclusive interview with U.S.
Congressman Wexler. Wexler noted that President Obama is serious
about reaching a peace agreement through the two-state solution and
that the U.S. will not impose any solution on either party. He also
noted that if Israel is serious about the peace process, it must
halt settlement expansion and Arab countries must consider
normalizing relations with Israel. Wexler added that he is certain
that the Israeli Government will continue the peace process since
Special Envoy Mitchell is a highly capable negotiator and mediator.

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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Al-Quds independent daily runs an editorial under the title,
"What peace with Judaism!" (05/11): "In light of the new Israeli
scheme to establish monument parks in Jerusalem and demolish the
houses of Palestinians, thereby rejecting all international norms,
and rejecting the right of return, we must ask the U.S., the Middle
East Quartet and the EU: What is left for Palestinians to negotiate
with Israel? The international parties market peace propaganda but
they do nothing concrete on the ground to support their supposed
desire to have peace in the Middle East. What have they done to
stop Israeli restrictions?... Israel has turned peace into a big
joke."

2) Regular columnist Basim Abu Sumayya opines in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida
official daily under the title, "The Apology"
(05/11): "The indirect apology that Pope XVI conveyed to Muslims
when he stood on the eastern bank of the Jordan river... where he
noted that he deeply respects Muslims was considered inadequate and
misunderstood, as though the Pope had intentionally ignored the
feelings of the Muslins...in order for the Pope to [dissipate]...
all the anger of Muslims, he should have made a direct apology[for
his earlier position regarding the 2006 Danish cartoon about the
prophet Mohammad]."

WALLES