JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (05/19): PALESTINIANS QUESTION

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STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
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TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (05/19): PALESTINIANS QUESTION
U.S. RESOLVE

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Main Stories:
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All dailies run extensive coverage on U.S. topics throughout their
editions. President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's
May 18 joint press availability takes top billing in all papers that
include photos of the two leaders. Reporting highlights Obama's
message of support for the two-state solution and call on Israel to
halt all settlement activities, as well as his comments that peace
is in all parties' interest. Reporting also highlights Netanyahu's
support of Palestinian self-rule and his failure to reference an
independent Palestinian state and his insistence on preconditions
before negotiating with the Palestinians. The same articles report
on "conflicting" U.S. and Israeli Iran policy, noting Obama
willingness to pursue diplomatic channels and Netanyahu's push for a
deadline by which Iran must halt its nuclear program.

Al-Ayyam runs a back-page cartoon of President Obama and Israeli
Premier Netanyahu secretly thinking they are the senior partner
controlling the other. Al-Quds runs an inside cartoon of Obama and
Netanyahu's coat tails tied together with Obama walking towards the
Palestinian-Israeli issue and Netanyahu pulling in the opposite
direction towards the Iranian issue. In other images, Al-Quds' runs
an inside photo of "supporters of Israel" protesting in Washington
on May 18 against the two state-solution, holding a sign with the
text, "NO PLO Terrorist State in the Jewish Biblical Heartland."

All front pages highlight the conclusion of the fifth round of
Palestinian national unity talks in Cairo on May 18. Al Ayyam runs
quotes by head of the Fatah parliamentary block Azzam Al-Ahmad
noting that the round ended without meaningful results in the areas
of new elections, security, and government composition. Al-Ahmad
further clarified that there was no agreement on forming a joint
security committee in Gaza since Hamas seeks to minimize Fatah's
role on the issue. All dailies report that the new transitional
Palestinian Authority (PA) care-taker government will be led by PA
Premier Fayyad who is to be sworn into office on May 19.

U.S. Consul General Jake Walles' meeting with Palestinian Authority
President Abbas in Ramallah on May 18 is front page news in Al Hayat
Al Jadida. Al Quds also runs inside coverage on the meeting that
focused on preparations for Abbas' visit to Washington. The papers
also note that Abbas briefed Walles on "recent developments" in the
Palestinian Territories and efforts to end internal Palestinian
division.

An Al-Quds' inside page reports on U.S. Security Coordinator General
Dayton's lecture at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on
May 7. According to coverage, Dayton stated that ending the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict serves U.S. national security interests
as well as the interests of the whole world. Dayton reiterated
strong U.S. support for the two-state solution, reporting
concludes.

Al-Quds runs front page coverage of Senator Kerry's May 18 interview
with London-based Al-Hayat newspaper. Speaking at the World
Economic Forum at the Dead Sea Kerry stated that the U.S will not
abandon the Arab Peace Initiative. On the contrary, the U.S. will
build on the initiative that provides a good framework for
restarting negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, Kerry
added, according to reporting.

All dailies report on the Israeli Government's intention to enlarge
the Miskyot settlement in the Jordan Valley, West Bank. Israel has

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put out a call for bids to construct 20 housing units, according to
reporting. Palestinian Authority presidential spokesperson Abu
Rudaynah called the move provocative and proof that the Israeli
government will continue settlement activities. Abu Rudaynah also
condemned the Israeli decision to allowed settlers access to Hebron
city on May 18. Al Quds front pages a photo from the settlers'
entry into the city, showing a Palestinian woman anxiously observing
a tense Israeli soldier standing guard. She is standing in front of
a shuttered Palestinian shop with a bright red Star of David
spray-painted on the door. Papers also note that several protests
were organized by Palestinians during the settlers' visit.

In local economic news, front pages highlight the May 18 Amman
signing ceremony of the merger between Palestinian
telecommunications company Paltel and Kuwaiti Zein company.
According to Sabih Al-Masri, head of Paltel Board of Directors,
"this merger is the largest deal ever reached in the history of the
Palestinian Territories as it will generate annual revenues
exceeding $1 billion."
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Abdil Rahim Malluh, Vice Secretary of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine opines in Al-Quds independent daily under
the title, "Obama, Netanyahu and the latest in the region" (05/19):
"For the Obama administration to establish credibility, Obama needs
to seriously move towards forcing Israel to halt all settlement
activities, particularly in the E1 block; halt the expansion of the
Ma'ale Adumim settlement, halt all actions aimed at transforming
Jerusalem into a Jewish city and lift the siege on Gaza. He must
call on the U.N. Security Council to enforce U.N. resolutions
regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, respect for the establishment
of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and the right
of return for refugees based on resolution number 194."

2) Regular columnist Adli Sadik opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily
under the tile, "Awaiting a U.S. change" (05/19): "Forcing
Netanyahu to speak about the two-state solution is not enough
because the Americans and the whole world are fed up with statements
...the scene now requires... [proof of] the seriousness of the
American people to support the peace process during the Obama era...
if Obama's administration does not support a real peace process,
then it will repeat the same mistakes as the previous administration
which contributed nothing to the world except for making it less
secure."

WALLES