Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (10/27): President Obama's

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DE RUEHJM #1950 3000721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270721Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6478
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4887
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4737
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UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001950

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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 (10/27): President Obama's
Promises Need Implementation

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Main Stories:
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Al-Quds leads with a story that "Israeli radical elements,"
including religious leaders and politicians, have been inciting
their followers to "intensify" their efforts to "break into"
Al-Haram Al-Sharif. In a separate front-page article, the paper
reports that the latest Israeli "escalations" at Al-Haram Al-Sharif
are an attempt to establish a new status quo at the holy site.
Al-Ayyam highlights a front-page report maintaining that the recent
development in the Old City is the beginning of the "battle to
divide Jerusalem."

The dailies highlight a story quoting Palestinian Authority (PA)
Presidency Secretary-General Tayyeb Abdel Rahim refuting Israeli
press reports that PA President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to resign.
Al-Quds notes that such claims are a part of the Israeli attempts to
"create chaos."

Al-Ayyam quotes PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat stressing that he
has serious doubts about any chance to resume negotiations anytime
soon, citing Israeli "stubbornness." Al-Hayat Al-Jadidat reports
that Special Envoy George Mitchell is scheduled to arrive in the
region tomorrow.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with a story that President Abbas has
directed the head of the elections central committee, Hanna Nasser,
to start preparing for presidential and legislative elections on
January 24, 2010, the date stipulated in the recent presidential
decree.
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BLOCK QUOTES:
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1) Independent Al-Quds editorializes in "Washington
Retreats to Square One" (10/27): "The region and the Obama
administration are retreating to square one. The administration is
still trying to find a formula to restart negotiations ... Peace
should have been achieved a long time ago ... The [American]
mediation is progressing very slowly while faced with an
unprecedented campaign of settlement activities and judaization [of
Jerusalem], in addition to fierce attacks against Al-Aqsa Mosque ...
The region is in vital need of serious and strong efforts to
implement President Obama's promises ... including a complete stop
to all settlement and judaization activities."

RUBINSTEIN

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