US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV5072

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005072 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR NEA STAFF 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD 
LONDON ALSO FOR HKANONA AND POL 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IS, KMDR, KPAO, MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT BUSH DELIVERS MESSAGE 
TO ISRAELI PUBLIC ON ISRAEL'S CHANNEL ONE TV 
 
1. Summary.  President Bush granted an exclusive interview to a 
national Israeli television station on August 11.  Using the 
interview to convey a strong message to the Israeli public, 
President Bush emphasized U.S. support for Sharon's disengagement 
plan, spoke about Abbas's handling to date of the armed groups in 
Gaza, and delivered a message to Iran about its nuclear program. 
While all mainstream Hebrew and English publications reported on 
the interview, actual reaction was limited.  End summary. 
 
2.  On Thursday, August 11, President Bush granted an exclusive 
interview to Israel's Channel One Television.  The station 
broadcast excerpts on Thursday night and the full interview, 
during prime time on Friday and Saturday evenings, August 12 and 
13.  In addition to President Bush's reiterated support for the 
disengagement plan, the media also reported on the President's 
comments regarding Abbas's handling of the armed Gaza groups, 
Netanyahu's resignation, and future U.S. financial aid for 
Israel. 
 
3.  All mainstream publications carried limited coverage of the 
interview.  However, reaction was muted, with President Bush's 
statements regarding Iran's nuclear program the only subject 
granted editorial space.  On August 15, in a piece entitled 
"Belligerent Iran," conservative, independent Jerusalem Post 
editorialized "President George W. Bush warned this weekend that 
the use of force remains an option... Time is running out while 
the world's single greatest sponsor of terror is coming closer to 
gaining nuclear capability.  Before long, the military option may 
be the only remaining viable option."   Mass-circulation, 
pluralist Yediot Ahronot also quoted President Bush as saying 
that the U.S. will consider military action against Iran. 
 
4.  Local media found President Bush's message supportive of 
Sharon's disengagement plan.  On August 12, diplomatic 
correspondent Herb Keinon of Jerusalem Post quoted a senior 
official in the Prime Minister's Office as saying "it was very 
important" for President Bush to "reiterate his continuing 
support for the plan.  It sends a clear message to the 
Palestinians, and to those who oppose the plan, that the U.S. is 
squarely behind us on this."  Israel Radio News broadcast on 
August 12, "President Bush believes that disengagement from the 
Gaza Strip will help Israel's security."  Independent, left- 
leaning  Ha'aretz, running a Reuters piece on August 12, quotes 
Bush as saying that "the planned pullout of Jewish settlers from 
the Gaza Strip `will be good for Israel.'" 
 
5.  Both Ha'aretz and popular, pluralist Maariv wrote more 
extensive reviews on the interview, noting that it seems to have 
been timed specifically to bolster Sharon's popular support on 
the eve of the politically contentious disengagement.  Political 
correspondent Yossi Varter of Ha'aretz writes on August 15: "The 
relaxed interview Bush gave last Thursday at his ranch in 
Crawford, Texas to Channel 1's Washington correspondent Yaron 
Dekel was an intentional and carefully timed American attempt to 
tip the scales in Sharon's favor.  It is easy to imagine the 
`Arik' Sharon of yore making a scathing remark about such an 
attempt."  In a satirical review of the interview, Maariv's 
television critic Assaf Schnieder writes on August 14: "When 
Israel TV is granted an exclusive interview with the American 
President, how many red lights should go off for us?  Why, the 
suspicious television viewer should ask, why now?  Maybe, just 
maybe, Bush got some phone call from `Prime Minister' [in 
English] Sharon?  `I need you, George.  Set this up for me; 
there'll be a disengagement; I owe you.'  ... This is less a 
journalistic interview and more Bush's official request to the 
Israelis at the last moment before the evacuation begins.  The 
purpose of this move is to tell us: `This is worth your while - 
America promises.'" 
 
KURTZER