Cablegate: Israel Media Reaction

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WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM
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HQ USAF FOR XOXX
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JERUSALEM ALSO ICD
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PARIS ALSO FOR POL
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR IS

SUBJECT: ISRAEL MEDIA REACTION

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SUBJECTS COVERED IN THIS REPORT:
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1. Iran/President Obama

2. Mideast

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Key stories in the media:
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All media reported that last night thousands (over 30,000, according
to major media outlets) of settlers and right-wing sympathizers
rallied near PM Benjamin NetanyahuQs official Jerusalem residence to
protest the 10-month moratorium on settlement construction. Israel
Radio reported that Likud Knesset Member Danny Danon waved a banner
with the White HouseQs telephone number, urging Israelis to call
President Obama and tell him to Qremove his hands from the Land of
Israel.

In what some called a compensation for the settlement freeze and
HaQaretz termed a Qprecedent-setting decision,Q the media reported
that PM Netanyahu will seek cabinet approval on Sunday for a new map
of national priority zones that will grant 110,000 settlers -- most
of whom live outside the major settlement blocs -- the economic
benefits conferred on residents of these zones. This move, which
comes two weeks after Netanyahu announced a 10-month freeze on
settlement construction, represents a sharp change from the previous
government's policy: under Ehud Olmert, only communities in the
Negev and Galilee were entitled to national priority status.
The media reported that yesterday the Knesset approved the Golan
Heights and East Jerusalem Referendum Bill -- 68 to 22. Key Labor
Party ministers, including party chairman and Defense Minister Ehud
Barak opposed the bill as Qunnecessary,Q but eventually voted for
it.

All media prominently reported that the Weizmann InstituteQs
Professor Ada Yonath will be awarded the Nobel Chemistry Prize in
Stockholm today. In the same breath, the media mentioned that
President Obama will receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. Major
TV channels will broadcast the ceremony live. Maariv reported that
previous Prizewinners Professor Elie Wiesel, Nelson Mandela, and Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., provided Obama with the inspiration for the
speech he will deliver in Norway.

HaQaretz reported that yesterday, senior members of the Israeli
defense establishment told the diplomatic-security cabinet that the
Palestinian Authority conducts diplomatic activity in the
international community the purpose of which is to impose on Israel
a diplomatic agreement leading to the establishment of a Palestinian
state. During the debate, PM Netanyahu allegedly attacked the PA,
warning Qthere will be no real solution to the Palestinian issue
without negotiations with Israel.Q The Jerusalem Post quoted
Netanyahu as saying at the meeting that the PA is unwilling to
compromise. Israel Hayom quoted the PM as saying at the meeting:
QIt would appear that the Palestinians have adopted a strategy of
delaying the negotiations in order to dodge the demands of the
international community that require concessions on their part as
well.Q Israel Hayom reported that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met
yesterday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Abbas was quoted
as saying in the course of that meeting that the deadlock stemmed
from QIsraelQs stubbornness.

Leading media quoted senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar as saying
yesterday that the Shalit deal also depends on HamasQ good will.
The Jerusalem Post reported that yesterday President Shimon Peres
told the incoming Turkish envoy that Hamas is ready for the next
war.

Israel Radio quoted Syrian FM Farouk Shara as saying yesterday that
the Gilad Shalit deal might include Syrian prisoners. Shara ruled
out French mediation -- as wished by Netanyahu -- in negotiations
with Israel. Shara was quoted as saying that President Obama
prevented an Israeli attack on Iran several times.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying
in an interview published this morning with Egyptian journalist
Fahmi Huwaidi, that if Israel were to violate Turkish airspace in
order to conduct reconnaissance operations on Iran, Ankara's
reaction would resemble an Qearthquake."

HaQaretz reported that the homes of some senior IDF brigade
commanders are being protected by security forces to guard against
harassment by right-wing activists.

HaQaretz reported that the U.N. Relief and Works AgencyQs (UNRWA)
Commissioner-General, Karen Koning AbuZayd, spent Human Rights Day
in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. She was quoted
as saying in an interview with the newspaper that now is the time to
bravely cope with the issue of Palestinian refugees.

Media reported that yesterday in Jerusalem border policemen arrested
a young Palestinians in possession of six pipe bombs and a knife.

Various media cited IDF data that fire from Gaza into Israel has
lessened by 90% since Operation Cast Lead.

Leading media reported that the Prime Minister's Bureau announced
yesterday that PM Netanyahu has canceled his planned trip to the
U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen next week and asked
President Shimon Peres to lead the Israeli delegation in his place.
The bureau has issued conflicting statements about whether
Netanyahu would attend the December 7-18 climate talks, but
yesterday his aides attributed the cancellation to the trip's high
cost.

Leading media reported that the trial of suspected Jewish terrorist
Yaakov (Jack) Teitel began in the Jerusalem District Court
yesterday.

Leading media reported that Israel and the Vatican will negotiate
the status of real estate here that the Church has a claim to, as
part of the plenary meeting of a joint economic commission starting
today. Relinquishing sovereignty over sites would mean they would
legally belong to Vatican City and any Israeli request to work on
infrastructure would have to be approved by the Vatican. Media
reported that Israel refuses to turn over sovereignty of the Last
Supper room on Mount Zion.

The media reported on the opening of a QShimon Peres ChannelQ on
YouTube.

HaQaretz cited a QgroundbreakingQ report prepared by the Palestinian
organization SAWA, which fights violence against women, according to
which Palestinian women are being forced into prostitution in both
Ramallah and Jerusalem -- including in Jewish neighborhoods of the
city. The report, released yesterday, says the victims come from
various parts of the West Bank -- mostly urban areas -- as well as
Gaza and Israel. It also notes that some eastern European women who
were originally trafficked to Israel to work as prostitutes are
occasionally sent to the West Bank.

All media reported that starting today, AppleQs iPhones are being
marketed in Israel through all cellular phone providers. The media
noted the high cost of the appliances in the country.

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1. Iran/President Obama:
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Block Quotes:
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QObamaQs Peace Mission

Senior commentator Ari Shavit wrote in the independent, left-leaning
Ha'aretz (12/10): QToday a grotesque ceremony will be held in Oslo.
An American president who has not yet managed to make peace anywhere
in the world will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He will be
awarded the prize even though he is personally responsible for
scores of targeted killings and much slaughter of civilians in
aerial bombardments. He will be awarded the prize even though he
has just decided to escalate one of the two ineffectual wars he is
conducting. He will be awarded the prize only because he is a
Democrat, a liberal, and a black man who defeated the Republicans
and cast George W. Bush out of the White House.... International
public opinion is still focused on global warming, not global
nuclearization, as the most urgent issue on the agenda. The
political libido of the West has homed in on Copenhagen, not Natanz.
This is Obama's mission. There is no other president who is
capable of leading the international community in the face of this
new threat.... If the Nobel laureate does not want to be remembered
as the leader in whose term of office the nuclear genie escaped from
the bottle, he must gain his composure immediately. He must use the
little time remaining to lead a resolute campaign against the
extremist forces acquiring nuclear capability. It is possible that
such a campaign will fail. It is possible that it will cause
serious complications. However, what lies in the balance now is no
less than the world order. If Obama does not rise above himself and
fulfill his mission, the event at which he will star this evening
won't be remembered only as a grotesque occasion. It will be
remembered as a tragic one, too.

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2. Mideast:
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Block Quotes:
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E

I. QTying His Own Hands

Diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn wrote on page one of the
independent, left-leaning HaQaretz (12/10): QThe QReferendum Law
that the Knesset voted to advance Wednesday would restrict the
government's freedom of action in negotiations with the
Palestinians, Syria, and even Lebanon by making it harder to cede
East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, or even Shaba Farms, whether
unilaterally or by agreement.... The bill would also eliminate the
Qconstitutional lacunaQ that currently enables unilateral
withdrawals from sovereign Israeli territory.... Thus Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, who once again called yesterday for renewed
talks with the Palestinians, is binding himself with constitutional
chains. In Netanyahu's view, it is important that diplomatic
agreements be supported by a majority of the public and not just the
coalition's majority in the Knesset. But he is also signaling the
Syrians, the Palestinians, and the international community that he
will have trouble passing any significant concessions -- and trying
to strengthen his hand in the negotiations. In addition, he is
thereby pressing his negotiating partners to close a deal quickly,
before the bill becomes law.

II. QA Necessary Step

Veteran journalist and television anchor Dan Margalit wrote in the
independent Israel Hayom (12/10): QDemocratic countries tend to
submit central issues to the public for decision in a referendum,
ranging from questions of whether to join the European Union to the
erection of minarets in mosques. There is no reason why the fate of
JerusalemQs unity or IsraelQs hold on the Golan Heights should not
be decided by the people in its entirety. The problem is that the
lawmakers, in their alacrity, are liable to refrain from refining
some of the rough patches in the bill. Those patches are, among
others, as follows: It is imperative to contemplate with gravity the
argument that use of referenda ought to be passed into legislation
by means of a basic law, thus neutralizing immediate political
interests from the public debate. The support of 80 Knesset members
for a withdrawal is excessive to obviate the need for a referendum.
A majority of 70 or 75 MKs is adequate. No referendum will be held
when the issue at stake is a proportionate land swap. A referendum
will be held only if 250,000 signatures of citizens who are eligible
to vote in demand of a referendum are submitted. If those
signatures are not collected, then a regular majority in the Knesset
will be sufficient to authorize the territorial concession. The
opponents of the bill said yesterday that they were afraid that it
would cause Syria to despair of IsraelQs sincerity to negotiate.
That is possible, but is by no means a necessity. After all, the
manacles that the government has just placed on its hands by
supporting this bill could be construed by people of goodwill in
Damascus as proof that a government that signs a draft agreement
believes that it will receive the support of the nation and not
merely the support of 120 happenstance MKs.

III. QPeace Rejectionists

Middle East affairs commentator Dr. Guy Bechor, a lecturer at the
Interdisciplinary Center, wrote in the mass-circulation, pluralist
Yediot Aharonot (12/10): QAbu MazenQs Palestinian Authority canQt
believe that this is happening to it: it is beginning to be
perceived around the world as a peace rejectionist. It was sure a
year ago that its luck was beginning to change and that a fairytale
American president was going to make all its wishes come true.
Within a year, everything has been turned around and instead of it
casting Netanyahu as a rejectionist, people around the world are
coming to realize more and more that it is the rejectionist. Two
steps that were taken by Netanyahu succeeded in changing the
appearance of things: his willingness to accept a Palestinian state
without a return of refugees and without Jerusalem - a step that if
the Palestinians were serious about they would long ago have seized
the opportunity; and the temporary construction freeze in the
settlements, which placed Abu Mazen before another problem. Israel
has taken steps, why are you refusing to negotiate with it, he is
asked around the world. The burden of proof has been placed on him
and he has yet to take any initiative vis-`-vis Israel. On the
contrary, his Palestinian Authority has continued to incite against
Israel.... Furthermore, in the past number of weeks the Palestinian
leadership was given a stinging slap to the face in response to the
idea it began to circulate about a Qunilateral state.Q The United
States made it clear to them in the chilliest and most unyielding
terms that there was no chance that it would support any such
foolish initiative.... [The Palestinians], who wanted to isolate the
United States and Israel by means of their unilateral initiative,
ended up isolating themselves, casting themselves as peace
rejectionists, as rejectionists of any genuine relations with
Israel, as people who want to force the world to bend to their will.
The Obama administration has increasing reservations about them;
the Palestinians have overwhelmingly lost the administration. The
unilateral initiative cost Abu Mazen and his men dearly, and they
havenQt got a clue now as to how they will respond to Netanyahu, who
is standing and waiting to engage in dialogue with them.

IV. QWaiting for a Prince

Dr. Muhammad Watad, a senior law lecturer at the Safed Academic
College, wrote in the popular, pluralist Maariv (12/10): QI have
never doubted that a diplomatic agreement that would include full
withdrawal from the Golan, a guarantee of IsraelQs security along
the Syrian border, and plans regarding the natural water reservoirs
in IsraelQs north, are likely to bring about safe and serious peace
between Israel and Syria.... Indeed, according to media reports,
Israel is bracing for a withdrawal from the village of Ghajar [which
strides the Lebanese border] and Syria is renouncing preconditions
concerning an [Israeli] withdrawal from the Golan.... In addition to
FranceQs role in the process, Arab leadership with an interest in
upholding the peace process between Syria and Israel (possibly
between Syria and the West through peace with Israel) is needed.
This country is called Saudi Arabia, which is extremely interested
in weakening Iran and Hizbullah [and] developing the Middle East....
A chivalrous, princely, gentlemanly move resembling Muhammad Anwar
SadatQs visit to Israel is required.... An appearance by [President
Shimon] Peres in front of the Syrian Parliament ... could of course
bring the proposed negotiations to hitherto unknown heights.

IV. QEurope Has Forsaken Israel

Columnist and conservative international Jewish leader Isi Leibler
wrote in the conservative, independent Jerusalem Post (12/10): Q[As
a participant in the Europe Israel Dialogue which took place
recently in Jerusalem under the auspices of Lord Weidenfeld], I had
disagreed with those who were arguing that we should seek support
from the Europeans and rely less on the U.S. I said that
notwithstanding the problems Israel faces with the Obama
administration, our dependency on support from a superpower rested
with the U.S. and that the Europeans had proven to be untrustworthy
allies and repeatedly betrayed us. I also noted that in contrast to
the American people who overwhelmingly support Israel, opinion polls
taken in Europe confirm that the prevailing consensus perceives
Israel as a rogue state posing a greater threat to world peace and
stability than even Iran or North Korea. I also related to the
craven European appeasement of the Arabs and their willingness to
sacrifice Israel on the altar of expediency. My views were not well
received by the predominantly liberal gathering, many of whom shared
the illusion that if only Israel were to employ better PR, the
enlightened Western traditions which we purportedly share with
Europe would somehow enable us to overcome all differences.... One
would expect Europeans to be concentrating their energies on
devising strategies to retain their heritage and way of life, rather
than appeasing the extremist Islamic groups which are undermining
their Judeo-Christian civilization. Were they to move in this
direction, there is every probability that the European penchant to
demonize and try to delegitimize Israel might also be directed
toward more constructive objectives.

CUNNINGHAM

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