Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (10/07): Israeli Actions At

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O 070634Z OCT 09
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STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
NSC
CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS

SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (10/07): Israeli actions at
Al-Aqsa Mosque continue to lead coverage

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Main Stories:
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For the third consecutive day, the dailies report on the
confrontations between the Israeli police and Palestinians in the
old city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque. The papers quote
Palestinian Liberation Organization Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat
accusing Israel of intentionally creating a very dangerous situation
in East Jerusalem to provoke violence so that they can justify the
strict measures they will impose accordingly. Senior Fatah official
Mohammad Dahlan noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
has opened the battle of "sovereignty over Jerusalem." Israeli Vice
Prime Minister Silvan Shalom confirmed Dahlan's sentiments, saying
that Israel is asserting its sovereignty over Jerusalem, especially
the Temple Mount area. The dailies also report that the Israeli
Police arrested the head of Islamic movement in Israel Sheikh Raed
Salah yesterday, accusing him of incitement against Israel and
encouraging violence in Jerusalem.

The dailies report on Special Envoy George Mitchell's visit to
Israel today. The coverage notes that Mitchell will conduct meetings
with Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak and Prime Minister
Netanyahu on Friday. The coverage notes that Mitchell and Secretary
Hilary Clinton are expected to submit a report on the progress made
towards a resumption of negotiations between Palestinians and
Israelis to President Obama.

The local press highlights Palestinian Authority (PA) President
Mahmoud Abbas welcoming Libya's call for an urgent session of the UN
Security Council to discuss the Goldstone report. Abbas noted in a
phone interview with AFP from Rome that the PA appreciates Libya's
efforts and support. Abbas noted that he will send PA Minister of
Foreign Affairs Riyad Malki to New York to attend this session.

The local press reports on Egyptian efforts to ensure that the
national reconciliation agreement is signed in Cairo on October 22.
Reporting notes that despite the decision to postpone the vote on
the Goldstone report, Hamas is committed to achieving national
reconciliation.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Hamada Fara'neh opines in Al-Ayyam independent daily under the
title "No hope in America" (10/07): "There is no hope that America
will take a stronger position supporting the Palestinians for two
reasons. The first is the powerful role of the Israeli Jewish
Zionist movement in the US that doesn't allow the US to support the
Palestinians. The second is that the US is busy with many internal
and external problems that distract Obama's administration from
focusing on ending the suffering of the Palestinian people."

2) Ibrahim Abrash opines in Al-Quds independent daily under the
title "the danger behind postponing the discussion of the Goldstone
report" (10/07):"Postponing the vote of the Goldstone report was a
big mistake. But it is also not useful to keep investigating whether
the postponement was based on US pressure exerted on the
Palestinians, because it was ... We could have certainly understood
the move if there was any value behind the postponement, but we
don't see any."

RUBINSTEIN

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