JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (06/05): DEEP PALESTINIAN CONCERN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000888 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 (06/05): DEEP PALESTINIAN CONCERN OVER CONTINUED DIVISION -------------- Main Stories: -------------- President Obama's June 4 speech received extensive, overwhelmingly positive coverage in all Palestinian media, broadcast, on-line and print. All dailies lead with front page coverage highlighting Obama's remarks regarding a new beginning with the Muslim world, U.S. opposition to Israeli settlement expansion and support for a resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. All dailies posted the full text of the speech on inside pages. Papers also run numerous articles about official Palestinian and Israeli reaction to the speech and editorial and analytical pieces. Please see separate, Special Jerusalem Media Reaction for detailed reporting on coverage of the Cairo speech. Al-Ayyam runs an exclusive interview with President Obama by prominent Palestinian journalist Wafa Amr, drawn from Amr's participation in the special press roundtable after the speech. The above the fold feature, under a dramatic red font headline, highlights Obama's statement in response to Israel's request for time to review its policy, "60 years of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have passed. We can wait a few more months before making further decisions or taking steps towards resolving the conflict." Amr also notes that the President reiterated his commitment to ending the conflict, but refused to put a timeframe on relaunching the peace process. All dailies front page news on June 4 confrontations in Qalqilyah between Hamas militants and Palestinian Authority police which resulted in the killing of one police and two militants. Palestinian factions condemned the attacks and stressed that the incidents hinder chances of achieving progress in "national dialogue" (Palestinian unity talks). Al-Quds runs front page coverage citing "Tel Aviv" about U.S. Special Envoy Mitchell meeting with a Jewish leader in Washington last week. Addressing the question of possible U.S.-Israeli tensions over a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the paper reports that Mitchell stated, "the Israelis lied to us all the time. That era has ended." The papers also noted that Mitchell earlier met with Israeli Defense Minister Barak. Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs a front page AFP article under the headline, "a new enemy of West Bank settlements: Obama." The article quotes "extremist activist" Nadia Matter noting, "Obama does not scare us." Al-Hayat Al-Jadida runs inside coverage about a U.S. Consulate General delegation visit to the Tubas district on June 4. The delegation met with the Tubas Governor who briefed them on the impact of Israeli restrictions and obstacles, "imposed on the ground." The delegation also toured areas "destroyed, demolished or confiscated" by Israelis in the district. All inside pages reported on a Foreign Commercial Service seminar held on June 4 in Ramallah in cooperation with the Palestinian-American Chamber of Commerce for Palestinian Businessmen. The seminar shared information with leading Palestinian business leaders about the U.S.-Palestinian Authority Duty Free Treatment agreement, designed to provide Palestinian importers and exporters with greater access to the U.S. market. Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida ran photos of the seminar. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: JERUSALEM 00000888 002 OF 002 -------------- 1) Dr. Naji Sadiq opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the title "The Nakba caused the Palestinian crisis and division has deepened it" [referring to recent violent confrontations in Qalquilyah between Fatah and Hamas](06/05): "If division between the Palestinian factions continues, it will squander all influence available to the Palestinian people and derail any political efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict..." WALLES