Cablegate: Jerusalem Media Reaction (01/29): Clashes Continue Between

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

SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (01/29): Clashes continue between
settlers, Israeli soldiers, and Palestinians in the West Bank

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Main Stories:
-------------The three dailies lead with confrontations between
settlers, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian journalists in Burin
village near Nablus. The journalists, who were covering a
tree-planting event sponsored by the Palestinian Authority (PA)
Ministry of Agriculture, said they were accosted by Israeli forces
who declared the area a closed military zone.

The dailies run headlines quoting President Obama saying yesterday
that the US would always ensure Israel's security, but that
Washington must also pay attention to the plight of the Palestinian
people. Obama reiterated the US commitment to resume meaningful
negotiations between the two parties as soon as possible.

Al-Quds reports that PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat denied news
that PA President Mahmoud Abbas submitted new ideas and proposals to
the US to revive the peace process.

Independent daily Al-Quds reports on PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad
noting from Davos that the US and the international community must
exert more pressure on Israel to stop settlement activities in the
West Bank to push the peace process forward. Fayyad expressed
disappointment that neither the US nor the international community
were able to force Israel to stop expanding settlement activities.

Reports note that Hamas expects the German mediator in the prisoner
exchange deal to relinquish his role because of Israeli
stubbornness.

-----------------------
Palestinian Cyberspace:
-----------------------

This week, Palestinian cyberspace focused on the request by 54 US
Congressmen to lift the siege on Gaza, and the arrests of
Palestinian peace activists.

Palestinian social media carried the vlog (Video Blog) posted on
palestinevideo.blogspot.com about the congressional legislation to
label Arab satellite channels that promote incitement as Foreign
Terrorist Organizations. To view the vlog, click here: Freedom of
Speech and US Congress Bill to Gag it

Palestine cyberspace circulated a song composed by Gazans to Obama
titled "Gaza Voices: Gaza Kids are calling for Obama."
------------
BLOCK QUOTE:
------------
Saleh Qallab writing in Al-Quds under the title "Mitchell's Latest
Visit, Was It a New Beginning or a Big Failure?" opines that Special
Envoy Mitchell's latest visit did not fail completely because he was
able to achieve some progress. The writer notes, however, that no
breakthrough was achieved because the Palestinians and Arab states
insist that Israel must stop settlement activities.

RUBINSTEIN

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