ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

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SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
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1. Iran


2. Mideast


3. U.S.-Israel Relations

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Key stories in the media:
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Major media (lead story in HaQaretz) reported that the U.S.
administration is apparently toughening its stance towards Israel.
HaQaretz reported that National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones
told a European foreign minister a week ago that unlike the Bush
administration, Obama will be "forceful" with Israel. The media
reported that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told the AIPAC
conference in a private meeting last night that two states for two
peoples is the only solution the U.S. is committed to. He was
quoted as saying: "Relations between Israel and the U.S. are
unbreakable," adding that "this is the moment of truth for Israel
and the Palestinians." He also declared that "Iran is the
number-one threat to the Middle East," and noted that it is hard to
make progress wherever Tehran is involved in the Middle East.

In his speech to the AIPAC conference, President Shimon Peres
defended PM Benjamin Netanyahu as a leader who Qwants to make
history.Q He continued: QIn our tradition, making history is making
peace. I am sure that peace is his real and profound priority.
Yediot headlined: QPeres at NetanyahuQs Service.Q The Jerusalem
Post highlighted the part of PeresQs address in which he indicated
that the Arab League peace plan could serve as a basis for moving he
peace process forward.

Electronic media reported that, in a short address transmitted via
satellite from Jerusalem to the AIPAC conference, PM Netanyahu
stated his desire to pursue Mideast peace talks, and voiced his
concern over Iran's progressing nuclear program. "We seek
normalization of economic ties and diplomatic ties," Netanyahu was
quoted as saying. "We want peace with the Arab world, but we also
want peace with the Palestinians. That peace eluded us for more than
30 years. Six successive prime ministers of Israel and two American
presidents have not succeeded in achieving this peace," Netanyahu
added. "I believe it's possible to achieve, but I think it requires
a fresh approach," Netanyahu said, adding that the new approach he
suggests is "pursuing a triple track towards peace between Israel
and Palestinians, a political track, a security track and economic
track. The [political] track means that we resume peace
negotiations without any delay, the sooner the better, without any
preconditions." Netanyahu also said: QThe economic track means that
we are prepared to move forward to remove as many obstacles as
possible to the advancement of the Palestinian economy. We want to
work with the Palestinian economy not as a substitute for political
negotiations, but as a booster. I want to see that the Palestinian
youngsters have a future. I don't want them to be hostages of a cult
of death, despair and hate. I want them to have jobs." The PM
further said: "This means we can give them a future that means
prosperity for all and it proved to be successful in many parts of
the world. I believe that this triple track is a realistic path to
peace, and I believe that with the cooperation of President Obama
and President Abbas we can defy the skeptics, we can surprise the
world." Netanyahu was quoted as saying: "Peace will not come
without security, so I want to be very clear -- we shall never
compromise on Israel's security. Second, for a final peace
settlement to be achieved, the Palestinians must recognize Israel as
a Jewish state. They must recognize Israel as a nation state of the
Jewish people." Netanyahu also remarked on his upcoming meeting
with Obama, saying: "I've met President Obama, I respect him and I
look forward to seeing him in Washington in a couple of weeks. We
plan to continue our common quest for prosperity and for peace."
Israel Radio reported that chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat rejected
NetanyahuQs negotiations offer.

Major media reported that a UN inspection committee presented its
conclusions about Operation Cast Lead to UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon. Yediot quoted an Israeli source as saying that if the
conclusionsQ language is not softened, this would be an
Qearthquake.Q Yediot also quoted Israeli sources who scrutinized
the report as saying that its compilers totally ignored information
provided by Israel after the operation.

Israel Radio quoted Hamas leader Khaled Mashal as saying in an
interview with The New York Times that his group has halted its
rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and is willing to accept a temporary
two-state solution. He said that Hamas was also eager to reach a
cease-fire with Israel, and repeated Hamas's aim of reaching a deal
that would involve the release of Gilad Shalit in exchange for
hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Maariv quoted QWestern and American sourcesQ as saying that messages
emanating from Netanyahu indicate that he intends to focus his
diplomatic efforts on Syria, not on the Palestinians. The sources
were quoted as saying that NetanyahuQs move is coordinated with the
U.S.

The media reported that, furious at a Spanish judge's decision
yesterday to continue investigating Industry, Trade, and Labor
Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe
Ya'alon, and five other former top security officials for a 2002
bombing in Gaza that killed top Hamas terrorist Salah Shehadeh and
14 others, Israeli officials said yesterday that Spain's judicial
system was being hijacked to attack Israel. There is "no doubt that
the filing of the lawsuit in Spain by a Palestinian human rights
organization is a cynical move and another attempt to exploit the
Spanish legal sysem to further political actions against Israel,
said Yossi Levy, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman for the Hebrew
press. Levy said Israel was confident that the Spanish government
and judicial system would take all measures necessary to ensure that
this move would fail. The judge rejected a request by the Spanish
state prosecution that he drop the inquiry. The Jerusalem Post
reported that, in order to QembarrassQ Spain, Almagor, the Terror
Victims Association, is finalizing a law suit against NATO personnel
who approved bombings in Yugoslavia in the 1990s that killed some
2,500 civilians. Several top Spanish nationals Q including EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who served as NATO
secretary-general from 1995-1999 Q are named in AlmagorQs case, as
are officials from other NATO member countries, including the U.S.

The Jerusalem Post quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying that the
boycott by Israel and eight other nations improved the outcome of
last monthQs UN anti-racism conference that was held in Geneva.

Yediot and Israel Radio reported that Atty. Pinchas Marinsky is PM
NetanyahuQs candidate to replace Ofer Dekel as point man on the
prisoner issue. Another contender for the post is Col. (res.) Lior
Lotan.

The media reported that during his visit to Rome, FM Avigdor
Lieberman affirmed IsraelQs commitment to peace but did not endorse
the idea of a Palestinian state as sought by the U.S. and the EU.
He stressed the Iranian threat.
HaQaretz , Maariv, and The Jerusalem Post quoted a senior UN
official as saying yesterday that he would soon travel to Israel to
seek an early Israeli withdrawal from parts of the village of Ghajar
along the Lebanese border, in line with Security Council Resolution

1701.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel is likely to answer
questions on its treatment of Palestinian detainees, the alleged
existence of a secret interrogation center known as Facility 1391,
the closure of the Gaza crossings, and the West Bank security
barrier when it appears before the UN Committee against Torture in
Geneva today and tomorrow. Israel is one of seven countries under
periodic review this year by the committee, which has received
reports on Israeli violations of the UN Convention against Torture
from at least eight NGOs.

HaQaretz reported that Israel prohibits Israelis from visiting
JerusalemQs northern areas, outside the separation fence, unless
they coordinate the visits with the defense authorities, which will
give them military or police protection.

HaQaretz reported that the Palestinian Authority has established a
special counter-intelligence squad in its security services to
uncover agents working for Hamas and Hizbullah. To date the PA
security services have arrested dozens of Palestinians suspected of
collaborating with the two radical Islamic groups. HaQaretz quoted
Israeli security sources as saying that the PA has made a focused
effort to uncover foreign agents, noting that the new unit involves
a large contingent of officers.

HaQaretz quoted Israeli security sources as saying that Syria
continues to transfer advanced weaponry to Hizbullah while working
to improve its relations with the U.S. The Syrian aid to Hizbullah
is interpreted as an attempt to ensure that the militant Lebanese
group is sufficiently armed for a possible confrontation with
Israel. Syria's intention, according to the analysis, is to
provide Hizbullah with sufficiently advanced arms to raise its
strength and capabilities to a level beyond what the group had prior
to the Second Lebanon War in July 2006. In parallel, Syria is
procuring sophisticated missiles that would enable it to target
military bases inside Israel, in case a confrontation with Hizbullah
escalates and Damascus is dragged into the conflict.

The Jerusalem Post quoted an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman as
saying yesterday that Western policies based on pressuring Iran to
give up its nuclear program will fail because they disregard
IsraelQs nuclear capability, which is the Qfirst and greatest threat
to security in the region.Q The newspaper reported that Israeli
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor categorically rejected that
classification.

The Jerusalem Post reported that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich
told the daily on Sunday, before he addressed the AIPAC conference,
that the Obama administration is setting itself on a collision
course with Israel and endangering the Jewish State. Gingrich also
called the U.S. engagement with Iran a Qfantasy.

HaQaretz reported that PM Netanyahu will make the final decision
next week in the dispute between the finance and defense ministries
over the proposed defense budget. The Jerusalem Post reported that
defense officials warned yesterday that IDF procurement and training
plans will likely be harmed if the Treasury makes drastic cuts to
the defense budget.

Leading media reported that President Peres is urging the government
to yield control of key Christian sites to the Vatican, a position
believed to be opposed by Interior Minister Eli Yishai. The
Jerusalem Post quoted Rabbi David Rosen, chairman of the
International Jewish Committee for Inter-religious Consultations, as
saying that the proposal is unlikely to be approved.

Maariv reported that, due to the swine flu epidemic, the Interior
Ministry is considering barring foreigners who stayed in Mexico from
entering Israel.

Leading media reported that yesterday former Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice visited the Jewish Primary Day School in
Washington. The Jerusalem Post quoted her as saying that the costs
to Iran are mounting. Maariv reported that nine-year-old students
embarrassed her by asking about the use of torture during the Bush
administration.

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1. Iran:
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Summary:
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The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized: QIsrael
isn't arbitrarily trying to QswitchQ the discussion away from the
Palestinians to Iran. It is warning that a nuclear-armed Iran is
the overriding threat -- to Israel, the Arabs, and the West....
Someone is trying to Qswitch the subjectQ all right -- but it isn't
Israel.

Block Quotes:
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"Switching the Subject"

The conservative, independent Jerusalem Post editorialized (5/5):
Q[U.S.] administration officials are reportedly insinuating that the
U.S. will only act -- in some unspecified fashion -- on Iran if
Washington can muster an alliance of European and Arab countries.
For that to happen, as The New York Times put it Monday, Israel --
if it wants the world to QconfrontQ Iran -- needs to Qwork toward
an end to the Qoccupation,Q halt settlement construction, and foster
the creation of a Palestinian state. If this truly is Obama's
position, frankly, we don't get it. Does America really feel
hamstrung in QconfrontingQ Iran without Arab and European support?
Aren't the Arabs privately -- and insistently -- telling American
envoys that they are as worried about Iran as Israel is?.... Israel
isn't arbitrarily trying to QswitchQ the discussion away from the
Palestinians to Iran. It is warning that a nuclear-armed Iran is
the overriding threat -- to Israel, the Arabs, and the West. We are
saying that the reason there is no Palestinian state is principally
attributable to the intransigent, unrealistic and self-defeating
Palestinian negotiating position which, if anything, will become
less malleable should the mullahs get the bomb. Iran's proxies,
Hamas and Hizbullah, would become even more puffed-up. Someone is
trying to Qswitch the subjectQ all right -- but it isn't Israel.

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2. Mideast:
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Summary:
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Daphna Golan, who teaches law at the Hebrew University, wrote in the
independent, left-leaning HaQaretz: QThe enormous notices [in local
Jerusalem newspapers] testify to new construction in all the
occupied territories around Jerusalem.
Block Quotes:
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"For Sale: Great Location"

Daphna Golan, who teaches law at the Hebrew University, wrote in the
independent, left-leaning HaQaretz (5/5): QIt's to be hoped that the
White House gets a subscription to one of the local Jerusalem
newspapers ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to
Washington. Simply leafing through the giant advertisements would
save American and Israeli taxpayers significant amounts of time,
money and grief.... The enormous notices ... testify to new
construction in all the occupied territories around Jerusalem....
When American taxpayers are being forced to deal with cutbacks, we
can spare them the money they invest in the construction and
maintenance of the settlements. Instead of investing time and
resources in attempting to understand why Israel insists on building
roads, neighborhoods and settlements for Israelis only, the White
House could obtain a yearly subscription to one of the Jerusalem
dailies. It could also inform the Israeli Prime Minister and his
cohorts that they will be welcome to come and discuss continued
American support once construction for Israelis in the occupied
territories has truly come to an end.






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3. U.S.-Israel Relations:
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Summary:
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Dov Weisglass, who was former prime minister Ariel Sharon's top
diplomatic advisor, wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot
Aharonot: QThis week AIPAC -Q the Jewish pro-Israel lobby -Q is
celebrating two important events.

Block Quotes:
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"The Jewish Model"


Dov Weisglass, who was former prime minister Ariel Sharon's top
diplomatic advisor, wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot
Aharonot (5/5): QThis week AIPAC -Q the Jewish pro-Israel lobby -
is celebrating two important events: its annual conference and the
cancellation of strange indictments against two of its senior
officials. Indeed, this is the opportunity to say a few words of
appreciation and thanks to this important organization. The core of
AIPACQs activity is the development of Israel-U.S. links. It has
been endowed with deep knowledge of both the U.S. and the Israeli
governments, and fundamental understanding of all aspects of
binational connections. AIPAC is sensitive about and aware of any
possibility of failures in the relationship. It does a great deal
to prevent them.... AIPAC has earned worldwide appreciation for its
status as a political, effective tool in relations between the
Diaspora and the Jewish people in Israel.

CUNNINGHAM