JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (02/04): PA and Hamas officials

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000214 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 (02/04): PA and Hamas officials meet in Gaza to discuss national unity efforts -------------- Main Stories: -------------- Independent daily Al-Quds leads with news that Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Shaath visited Gaza yesterday to discuss the national unity efforts with Hamas and Palestinian factions. Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh is quoted speaking with prominent businessman Munib Masri, who accompanied Shaath to Gaza, saying that reconciliation is a national necessity and reaffirmed that Gaza "is open for all." He also called for "unifying the Palestinians to confront the challenges and risks which Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause are facing." Haniyeh is quoted calling on the US to open dialogue with Hamas and noted that Hamas is ready to talk to all regional and international parties, including the US. PA official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with news that Jerusalem mayor Brakat intends to implement all demolition orders against Palestinian houses in the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem that lack the necessary building permits. Reports note that the Peace Now movement accused Brakat of becoming an agent for the Israeli right wing. The dailies report on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at the Herzilya conference that he is optimistic about the possibility of resuming peace talks with the Palestinians within a few weeks. In response to this statement, PA Presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeina told Wafa News Agency that the Palestinians are committed to serious and meaningful negotiations when settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem stop. The dailies report that Mustafa Barghouti, founder of the political party the Palestinian National Initiative, was nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize by Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate and co-founder of Peace People in Northern Ireland. -------------- BLOCK QUOTE: -------------- Under the title "With Reconciliation...We Can Break the Siege" an editorial in Al-Quds argues that it is not enough to blame Israel for the Palestinians' misery, and that the Palestinians themselves bear responsibility because of the continued state of division. The author calls on all Palestinian factions to unite to face the Israeli restrictions and challenges. RUBINSTEIN