Cablegate: Israel Media Reaction

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P 301012Z MAY 07
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RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0128
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UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001572

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STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD

WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC FOR NEA STAFF

SECDEF WASHDC FOR USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA
HQ USAF FOR XOXX
DA WASHDC FOR SASA
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR PA
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL FOR POLAD/USIA ADVISOR
COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE FOR PAO/POLAD
COMSIXTHFLT FOR 019
JERUSALEM ALSO ICD
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL
PARIS ALSO FOR POL
ROME FOR MFO

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E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS

SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
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Mideast

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Key stories in the media:
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Leading media reported that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is slated to
meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas probably next
Thursday.

Ha'aretz reported that the security cabinet will meet Wednesday in
order to discuss the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The cabinet will
examine acceptable terms for a cease-fire and to approve gradual
escalation of IDF's activity should the cease-fire efforts fail.

Ha'aretz internet site cited Hamas Damascus-based political leader
Khaled Meshal as saying in an interview to the British "The
Guardian" that Hamas intends to continue its attacks on Israel
despite the IDF operations in the Gaza Strip.

All media dealt with the results of the Labor Party primary
elections. Leading media noted that current Labor Party leader Amir
Peretz can become the one to help one of the sides (Ami Ayalon and
Ehud Barak) win the second round. Thus, most op-ed editorials call
upon the two to avoid deals and intrigues.

All media noted one of the big surprises of the Labor Party primary.
Thirty three percent of the Arab sector voted for former prime
minister Ehud Barak (34 percent voted for Peretz) despite him being
prime minister during the October 2000 riots in which 13 Israel
Arabs were killed in clashes with the police.

Leading media reported that the Israel Air Force killed two Hamas
men early Wednesday in a strike on a group of gunners firing rockets
at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip.

All media reported that PM Olmert has spoken to the Knesset on
Wednesday regarding the Winograd Committee interim report. In his
speech he said that the Lebanon War was justified and its outcome
dramatically improved Israel's strategic position.

Maariv reported that the Israeli Ambassador to Guatemala has
survived an attempted assassination last week when two people opened
fire at an event he participated in.

Ha'aretz reported that Meretz MKs Avshalom Vilan and Zahava Gal-On
have been promoting a diplomatic initiative to restore stability in
Gaza. This initiative would give the Arab League responsibility for
the coastal strip and install a multi-national force, in cooperation
with the European Union. According to the newspaper the two MK's
have already presented the initiative to senior Palestinian figures
and foreign diplomats.

All media reported that the High Court of Justice has decided and
ordered on Tuesday that the state would provide all schools in
Sderot and towns around the Gaza Strip with protective reinforcement
by September 2007.

Leading media reported that the Bank of Israel held a discussion on
Tuesday whether to stop its publication of daily ???representative
exchange rates. According to Yediot the inclination is leaning
towards stopping publication of these rates in a year.

Israel Radio reported that Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres has
announced that he is running for presidency with the support of PM
Olmert and the Kadima Party. The elections for presidency will be
held on June 13, 2007.

Ha'aretz reported that the UN Security Council is expected too
approve Wednesday the establishment of an international tribunal to
try those responsible for the murders of former Lebanese prime
minister Rafik Harriri and other political figures.

Yediot reported that the Singaporean army has set up the first
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) force in the world. The newspaper
reported that this UAV force is totally based on Israeli
manufactured planes.

POLLS:

Yediot presented the results of a Mina Zemach (Dahaf Institute) poll
conducted among registered Labor Party voters and 100 Amir Peretz
voters:
"Whom would you like to win in the second round of the Labor Party
primary?" The answers: Ehud Barak: 44% (all voters), 22% (Peretz
voters); Ami Ayalon: 46% (all voters), 48% (Peretz voters).

Maariv printed the results of a TNS/Teleseker Polling Institute
survey among Labor Party voters: "Who would you vote for in the
second round? " Ehud Barak: 42.2%; 39.5% with Peretz's support. Ami
Ayalon: 44.3%; 40.3% with Peretz's support. Don't know/undecided:
10.7%.
Not planning to vote: 2.8%.

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Mideast:
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Summary:
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Senior diplomatic correspondent Shimon Shiffer wrote in the
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot: "The combative sounds
being made by the Labor Party candidates should not cause undue
excitement.... Whether Barak is elected or Ayalon -- either of them
will join Olmert's government.... This is the reason that no tension
or vigilance were felt yesterday among Ehud Olmert's close aides."

The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized: "But anyone
who seeks to lead the Labor Party, and presumably also the country,
must imbue his candidacy with a bit more content.... Two weeks are
enough time to present positions. Even if their media advisers want
to blur and obscure the content, the candidates must not bow to this
dictate."

Block Quotes:
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1. "Nothing to Worry About"

Senior diplomatic correspondent Shimon Shiffer wrote in the
mass-circulation, pluralist Yediot Aharonot (05/30): "The combative
sounds being made by the Labor Party candidates should not cause
undue excitement.... Whether Barak is elected or Ayalon -- either of
them will join Olmert's government.... This is the reason that no
tension or vigilance were felt yesterday among Ehud Olmert's close
aides. As of now, Olmert and his people are not packing their bags,
they are preparing for a move that is supposed to stabilize the
government in the coming weeks. If Ehud Barak wins in the second
round of the elections, Olmert will offer him the seat of the
defense minister in the Kirya. Olmert intends to compensate Amir
Peretz, who will vacate the Defense Ministry, with a social
portfolio that will be tailored to fit him.... In the end, the tube
of glue bonding together all the coalition partners has one name
written on it in bold letters: Binyamin Netanyahu. Neither Barak
nor Lieberman has any interest in making a move that will pave
Netanyahu's way back to the Prime Minister's Bureau."

2. "More Content, Fewer Deals"

The independent, left-leaning Ha'aretz editorialized (05/30): "After
his strategy of total silence led Ehud Barak to victory in the first
round of the Labor leadership primary, it is hard to imagine that it
will be possible to get him to talk before the second round. But
anyone who seeks to lead the Labor Party, and presumably also the
country, must imbue his candidacy with a bit more content. Ever
since Barak quit politics for business, he has turned silence into
an ideology.... It is an open secret that the Olmert government,
despite its political stability, is incapable of advancing any
initiative because it has lost the public's confidence. If the new
Labor leader dissolves into this nothingness, and his entire role
shrinks to becoming defense minister and examining the chief of
staff's military plans, the change at the top will be
meaningless.... Barak left politics with the sentence 'there is no
one to talk to' after his talks with Yasser Arafat failed. Ayalon,
in contrast, has never stopped talking with the Palestinians over
the years, and he also headed the People's Voice initiative with
Sari Nusseibeh. In this field as well, we deserve to hear from both
of them whether anything has changed in their positions and what
they propose for rescuing the region from the cycle of violence.
Two weeks are enough time to present positions. Even if their media
advisers want to blur and obscure the content, the candidates must
not bow to this dictate."
JONES

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