Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (9/05): Internal Palestinian

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STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC FOR ABRAMS
CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD

JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD
LONDON FOR HKANONA AND POL - TSOU
PARIS ALSO FOR POL
ROME FOR MFO

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TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (9/05): INTERNAL PALESTINIAN
DIVISION DOES NOT EXPLAIN ABSENCE OF PEACE AGREEMENT

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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam lead with photos and news from the wires,
especially AFP, about the September 4 Damascus meeting between
leaders of France, Syria, Turkey and Qatar. The two papers headline
Syrian President Al-Assad's quote, "we defined a general negotiation
document with six points," while Al-Quds' front page story
highlights the letter for Israeli soldier Shalit. Al-Ayyam
underscores wire reporting on the purpose of the meeting to give
momentum to Syrian-Israeli negotiations and also tackle the
"dangerous" Iranian nuclear issue and "fragile" situation in
Lebanon. Al-Quds gives prominence to wire reporting on Al-Assad's
assurance in a September 4 interview with Hezbollah satellite TV
Al-Manar, that Damascus will not forsake Hezbollah and has no
interest in seeing resistance [to Israeli occupation] end.

The three dailies highlight statements by Palestinian Authority
Prime Minister Fayyad reiterating the importance of establishing a
Palestinian state along the 1967 borders and warning all parties in
the peace process, especially the Unites States and the Quartet,
against the danger of continued Israeli "stalling" on adhering to
"rules of the peace process" as outlined by international law.
Fayad added that all parties are responsible for endig [negative]
Israeli policies, especially settlemnt expansion, which endanger
the peace process, ccording to reporting. The comments came duringthe inauguration of the new courthouse in the WestBank city of
Jericho, a project largely funded b USAID. Fayyad stressed that
the Palestinian Authority (PA) is placing special emphasis on
improving the judicial branch, its infrastructure and capacity. On
inside pages, USAID's significant role in the establishment of the
new courthouse is highlighted: Prime Minister Fayyad and the PA
chief justice expressed appreciation for USAID contributions.
Remarks by USAID eputy Director Dave Harden were also reported,
quting Harden, "complimenting PA efforts to empower he judiciary
branch" and stating that the U.S. sared the Palestinian "dreams for
justice and peae."

Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida leads with intra-Palestnian dialogue issues,
including accusations that amas is hindering the process. The
daily writesthat Egyptian officials continue to meet with
Paestinian factions in preparation for a comprehensie dialogue
following Eid Al-Fitr that will focuson the establishment of a
transitional governmentthat will prepare concurrent Palestinian
legislaive and presidential elections. Democratic Front or the
Liberation of Palestine party leader Hawamah maintained that Hamas
continues to underminedialogue by insisting on a bilateral meeting
with Fatah before the launch of talks. In related coverage, Al-Quds
front page reports that Palestinian Authority (PA) presidential
advisor, Ahmad Abdel-Rahman, told reporters that Fatah will go to
the Cairo dialogue with no pre-conditions and PA President Abbas
will not participate in his role as a party member because he is
everybody's president. Al-Quds, in an exclusive interview with
Ahmad Yousef political advisor to Hamas leader Haniyyah, quotes
Yousef calling for an end to "disputes and hatred between Fatah and
Hamas.

The Republican convention is covered on Al-Quds' front page by its
Washington correspondent. The article highlights Vice Presidential
nominee Palin, "violently attacked Obama, defended herself and
praised McCain," in her acceptance speech. The bold-print headline
reads, "the war in Iraq is a mission from God," while the article
runs the Palin quote, "Pray for our soldiers who seek to do the
right thing for this country... our national leadership sent them on

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a mission from God."

Al-Ayyam reports that Israeli authorities are restricting access to
the Al-Aqsa mosque on September 5, the first Friday of Ramadan.

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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1. Wadi' Abu Nassar, Executive Director of the Assembly of Catholic
Bishops in the Holy Land, opines in independent Al-Quds under the
headline "An agreement to show off, not to implement" (09/05):
"Recently, American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice concluded
her 17th visit to the Middle East by insisting that Palestinian and
Israeli leaders continue negotiations to reach an agreement before
the end of the year, despite her realization that the chances of
this happening have become extremely slim. It appears that Rice is
not at all concerned by her aides' and diplomats' analysis that the
current Israeli Premier Olmert not only does not want to reach an
agreement with the Palestinians on the core issues... but
essentially is incapable because [of political weakness]. Rice also
seems to ignore warnings that Palestinian leadership will not accept
an incomplete agreement that ignores any of the permanent status
issues... because [acceptance] would destroy what is left of their
credibility in the eyes of the Palestinian people and all the Arab
and Muslim peoples in the world..."

2. Al-Ayyam independent runs an editorial by regular contributor
Mohamid Yaghy entitled, "Do not export their crisis to us" (09/05/)
that argues: "We are in a crisis... but is it the [internal] crisis
that is denying our people a political solution? No... Take note
that negotiations with Israel started 17 years ago. During 16 of
those years, we were not divided into Gaza and the West Bank and we
did not have an open dispute over who represents the Palestinian
people and there was no armed competition between the factions... if
Israel does not want peace and does not want to stop settlements and
has no desire to remove any checkpoints [or] modify the route of its
barrier to conform with the green line... [Israel will have to]
confront its enemies on its own. In the south, it has to face Hamas
and in the north, Hezbollah and Syria, and in the east Iran...
Moreover, Israel must face the deep and ever-mounting hatred
accumulating against her in the Arab and Muslim world."

WALLES

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