Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (01/06): New Settlement

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FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7177
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
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INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 8026
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4995
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4843
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000016

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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 (01/06): New settlement
construction in East Jerusalem calls into question Israel's
commitment to peace

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Main Stories:
-------------The lead stories in three dailies focus on the
Jerusalem municipality endorsing a new settlement neighborhood of 24
housing units on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. Al-Quds runs
a headline saying the Jerusalem mayor is undermining the US position
regarding settlement activities. Al-Quds quotes Palestinian
Authority (PA) Presidency Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina condemning the
decision, saying that the continued construction in East Jerusalem
is a challenge to Arab and international efforts to achieve peace.

PA official daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages news on PLO Chief
Negotiator Saeb Erekat noting that Israel continues to talk about
peace while constructing more settlements. He reiterated that PA
President Mahmoud Abbas will not agree to the resumption of
negotiations without a full settlement freeze.

Local press reports on PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad affirming the
dedication of the PA to clear the West Bank markets of settlement
products and helped toss goods made in Israeli settlements into a
fire.

The dailies report on President Abbas confirming that a US peace
plan is being prepared, supported by US guarantees for Israelis and
Palestinians to ensure its success. Abbas reiterated that he told
the US he won't agree to resume talks with the Israelis without a
full settlement freeze.

Al-Quds runs front page coverage citing Israeli media sources that
senior Israeli decision makers oppose discussing the borders issue
first in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations based on the
anticipated US peace plan.

Independent daily Al-Ayyam reports on clashes between members of the
humanitarian aid convoy Viva Palestine and the Egyptian police
yesterday at the Al-Arish port after the convoy was not allowed to
enter Gaza through Rafah.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida front pages news on the Former Chief of Mossad
Efraim Halevy admitting in an interview with the Israeli Army Radio
that Israel has opened communication lines with Hamas in Gaza. He
also called for weakening the authority of President Abbas, saying
he "is unnecessary and it is time to overthrow him." He also called
for weakening the PA and its security forces, noting that the US and
Western support for the PA must stop. He said, "Hamas can be an
alternate to the PA." This is a contradiction to statements of
support for President Abbas and the PA security forces from Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.

Al-Quds published results of an opinion public poll conducted by
Near East Consulting to assess which news outlets Palestinians say
are their most trusted sources of information. The sample was 900
people from the West Bank and Gaza. The poll showed that Al-Quds
newspaper is the most trusted and credible paper (43%), followed by
Al-Ayyam (7%), Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (6%), and Falasteen and Al-Resala
(5% each). As for the most trusted TV channel, Al-Jazeera came first
with 47%, followed by PBC (19%), Al-Arabiya (9%) Hamas-affiliated
Al-Aqsa (5%), and Al-Manar (3%).

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BLOCK QUOTE:
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Al-Quds runs an editorial under the title "Despite the Claimed
Freeze, Settlement Expansion Continues" which calls on the
international community to find a mechanism to deal with the Israeli
government that ensures a full and complete settlement freeze to
pave the way for achieving a just and comprehensive peace.

RUBINSTEIN

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