VZCZCXRO8105
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0696/01 1141032
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241032Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4710
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAS-ZD/DACS-ZK//
RUEAHQA/CSAF WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
RHMFIUU/CMC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7654
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4630
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4479
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5973
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4394
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2971 UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000696 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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:            
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (04/24): PALESTINIANS SEEK 
"SERIOUS" U.S. PRESSURE ON ISRAEL 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida leads with wire coverage of Secretary Clinton's 
skepticism over progress in Palestinian "national unity" talks.  All 
front pages run summaries of Clinton's April 23 remarks before the 
House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and 
Related Programs and highlight Clinton's insistence that the U.S. 
will not deal with any Palestinian government that includes or 
supports Hamas unless Hamas accepts Middle East Quartet conditions. 
Extensive quotes are also run. 
 
Al-Quds leads with news that Palestinians from the West Bank holding 
permits to enter Israel will soon need to register information into 
a special Israeli database.  PLO chief negotiator Sa'eb Erikat 
accused the new measure of being an Israeli attempt to "impose facts 
on the ground" and indicated that the Palestinian Authority will 
raise the issue with the Middle East Quartet.  Erikat also 
reiterated Palestinian calls on the International community and the 
U.S. to pressure Israel into dismantling the 600 checkpoints in the 
West Bank.  Coverage also includes remarks by Israeli Mayor of 
Jerusalem Barakat rejecting Palestinian and Western calls to stop 
home demolitions in East Jerusalem.  Barakat explains that the 
policy does not contradict the "Road Map" and adds that his goal is 
to have a Jewish majority in the city and maintain a "Jewish 
presence" by ensuring employment and housing for Jews. 
 
In front page photo coverage, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam run a 
lead photo of an Israeli soldier pointing his weapon at an elderly 
Palestinian near Hebron.  The caption explains that the Palestinian 
is watching bulldozers clear his private land for the purpose of 
expanding the nearby Israeli Carmel settlement. 
 
Al-Quds' front page cites AFP in reporting on statements by Egyptian 
President Mubarak confirming that Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman 
will not accompany Israeli Premier Netanyahu on his upcoming visit 
to Egypt.  Egyptian Intelligence Chief Sulayman issued an invitation 
to Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak and Lieberman, according to 
reporting. 
 
The front pages of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida and Al-Ayyam, and an inside 
page in Al-Quds report on Palestinian Authority President (PA)Abbas 
meeting with the Czech Prime Minister in Ramallah on April 23. 
According to coverage, the two leaders discussed bilateral 
relations, Palestinian "national unity" talks and "national 
reconciliation."  In a related press conference, PA Prime Minister 
Fayyad noted that the success of peace talks will depend on Israeli 
acceptance of the two-state solution. 
 
In Mission news, inside pages of the three dailies report on a 
StudyUSA Fair held in Ramallah on April 23 with the support of the 
U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem.  The fair, which included 
recruiters from 10 American colleges and universities, was also 
supported by AMIDEAST and the Palestinian Authority Ministry of 
Higher Education.  Al-Ayyam's inside page reports on an inauguration 
ceremony for a USAID water project in the Tubas area in the northern 
West Bank.   -------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
-------------- 
- 
1) Regular columnist Ahmad Hanun opines in Al-Quds independent daily 
under the title, "Why does the Netanyahu government reject the two 
state solution?" (04/24):  "The Israeli Prime Minister has clearly 
stated without any ambiguity that Palestinian recognition of Israel 
 
JERUSALEM 00000696  002 OF 002 
 
 
as a Jewish state is a core condition for restarting peace 
negotiations.  This clearly shows that all Israeli governments and 
leaders speak the same language... at the same time Israel does not 
want to recognize a Palestinian state and maintains severe 
restrictions on the ground, increasing Palestinian sufferings. 
[The situation in the Palestinian Territories] will deteriorate and 
make it difficult for any solution [to succeed] especially given the 
increase in home demolitions, increased settlement activities.  It 
will leave no land on which to establish a Palestinian state." 
 
2) Regular columnist Samih Shbayb opines in Al-Ayyam daily 
independent under the title, "Is there anything new in U.S. 
policy?!" (04/24):  "It is obvious now that U.S. policy only focuses 
on prolonging negotiations between Palestinians and Israel without 
exerting any serious pressure on the party causing delays [Israel]. 
There are [troubling] factors on the ground like settlements, 
violations of international law, the wall... the U.S. should take a 
strong position that forces Israel to accept requirements for peace, 
thereby taking U.S. interests with the Arab world into 
consideration." 
 
WALLES